You may see quite a lot of rankings for the 2026 NFL draft this week, and I will have my last top-150 Huge Board on Tuesday earlier than the primary spherical begins Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN the app). However a few of my favourite gamers within the class aren’t essentially the very best ones.
Each April, I put collectively an inventory of my favourite prospects at each place — gamers whom I like greater than consensus after learning their movie. To be clear, these aren’t the very best prospects at their positions. It is attainable none of them will go in Spherical 1, and some of them will probably nonetheless be on the board on Day 3.
However I really like watching their tape. They’re the underrated ballers of the category — 15 powerful, hard-nosed prospects who play soccer the appropriate method. Coaches rave about their love of the sport, excessive soccer IQ and work ethic. They’re precisely the kind of gamers you need in your crew.
Soar to a place:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | G | C
Edge | DT | LB | CB | S
NFL draft protection:
Kiper’s Huge Board | Newest mock drafts
Quarterback
Payton waited for his flip, sitting behind Cam Miller for 3 years earlier than lastly changing into the Bison’s starter in 2025. Payton impressed over 13 video games, finishing 72% of his throws for two,719 yards, 16 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Payton has the arm to make some powerful throws. And regardless of an extended supply, his accuracy is on level. He has the traits to be a developmental man within the NFL.
However his dashing capacity ought to get him on the sector in sub-packages as a rookie. Payton ran for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns final season. North Dakota State used him as a ball service in prior years, too, and he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and gathered 31 dashing touchdowns over his profession. I may see an NFL offensive coordinator placing his 4.56 pace and 6-foot-3, 232-pound body to good use in a Taysom Hill-esque position. I really like the way in which Payton performs, and I feel he is off the board in Spherical 4.
Operating again
Johnson is a one-cut-and-go again who carried the load for the Cornhuskers final season. He had 251 carries for 1,451 yards (fourth within the FBS) and 12 touchdowns. At 5-foot-10 and 202 kilos, he’s a compact again who shows burst by the opening and finishes his runs. Johnson was fourth within the nation with 93 compelled missed tackles final season.
However he is additionally a playmaker within the passing sport, totalling 85 catches over the previous two seasons (656 yards, 5 TDs). Amongst FBS operating backs, that ranks third over that point. He has dependable arms, and he generally is a three-down again within the execs. Johnson was the glue of that Nebraska crew final season, and his coaches rave about him. I’ve him as my RB3, and he ought to be a third- or fourth-round decide.
Extensive receiver
I am highlighting two receivers. Department has been my man since final summer time, and he has been out and in of my high 25 since then. He is constantly the quickest man on the sector, and he ran a 4.35 within the 40-yard sprint on the mix. Simply get the ball in his arms in area, and he is off to the races. Department had 81 catches for 811 yards and 6 TDs final season, and 636 of his yards got here after the catch. Georgia used him rather a lot beneath, however I feel he is greater than that in the appropriate professional system.
At 5-foot-9 and 177 kilos, he will not be an ideal match for each crew. However along with his certain arms — he appeared easy within the gauntlet drill on the mix — lightning quickness and talent to return kicks, he generally is a actual NFL playmaker. I see some Zay Flowers in him. Spherical 2 for me.
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Zachariah Department’s NFL draft profile
Take a look at a few of the high highlights from Georgia’s Zachariah Department.
Brazzell would possibly come off the board barely after Department — suppose late Spherical 2 or someday throughout Spherical 3. However he has all of the traits coaches need. He is 6-foot-4 and 198 kilos. He runs a 4.37-second 40. He has a large catch radius and is aware of alter to poorly thrown balls to nonetheless make the seize. And the stats spell out all that: Brazzell caught 62 passes for 1,017 yards and 9 TDs final season, averaging 16.4 yards per reception.
Tight finish
I’ve scouted three generations of Raridons. Scott Raridon Sr. was an offensive lineman for Nebraska within the early Nineteen Eighties and was drafted by the Eagles in 1984. Then, Scott Raridon Jr. performed offensive line for Notre Dame within the early 2000s.
The third in line, Eli, is an enormous goal at 6-foot-6 and 245 kilos, and he makes powerful catches down the sector. Raridon was making quite a lot of performs early within the season, ending with 97 yards towards Miami after which 85 towards Texas A&M in his subsequent sport. However he hit that threshold just one extra time over the remainder of the season, ending with 482 yards in 9 video games. There’s room to additional fill out his body, and he ought to preserve getting higher. Raridon is probably going a task participant within the NFL, and has the power to line up at H-back or in-line, however he will probably be an excellent one. I would count on him to go in Spherical 4.
Offensive deal with
Iheanachor ought to be a first-rounder primarily based on his potential, however he is most likely a second-rounder when it is all stated and achieved. For many who do not but know his story, Iheanachor grew up enjoying soccer in Nigeria and did not begin enjoying soccer till 2022. 4 years in the past! I really like every thing about his journey thus far and the way he simply retains getting higher and higher.
He is 6-foot-6 and 321 kilos, and he has 33⅞-inch arms. Iheanachor ran an unimaginable 4.91-second 40 on the mix, too, showcasing his quickness. Regardless of being new to the sport, he began 31 video games in faculty, and he went up towards some good edge rushers at proper deal with. The arrow is pointing up on Iheanachor.
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Max Iheanachor’s NFL draft profile
Take a look at a few of the high highlights from Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor.
Guard
Pregnon began at three completely different colleges. He began 11 video games at proper guard for Wyoming in 2022. Then, he began 25 video games at left guard for USC from 2023 to 2024. And at last, he was a 15-game starter at left guard for Oregon final season. Add all of it up, and Pregnon has allowed simply seven sacks over 3,087 profession snaps.
When you watch one sport of tape for Pregnon, try the matchup with Iowa in 2025. Oregon ran for 261 yards at 7.3 yards per carry, and quite a lot of that was behind Pregnon’s blocking. He sustains, will get to the second degree and can bodily overwhelm defenders on the within at 6-foot-4 and 314 kilos. And Pregnon is strong in move safety, with heavy arms and the power to lock out defensive tackles. I would not be shocked if he goes late on Day 1, however I would safely say Pregnon is a second-round decide.
Middle
I like every thing about Slaughter’s sport. He has quite a lot of expertise — 33 begins and over 2,000 snaps on the pivot — and comes battle-tested, having performed within the SEC. And he has allowed solely six pressures and three sacks over all that point. At 6-foot-5 and 303 kilos, Slaughter can drive defenders out of the way in which to open dashing lanes, and he reveals good lateral agility and footwork. I actually love his consciousness on stunts. General, Slaughter is only a actually good, constant soccer participant, and I would count on him to go in Spherical 4.
Edge rusher
Jacas dealt with quite a lot of duties at Illinois. He wasn’t simply getting after the quarterback each snap like different high edge rusher prospects. As an alternative, he was doing quite a lot of the powerful work, similar to sealing the sting and dropping into protection. At 6-foot-4 and 260 kilos (with 33-inch arms), Jacas is a multidimensional edge who can do just about something requested of him.
And but … he nonetheless managed 11 sacks, 34 pressures and 12.5 tackles for loss final season. Jacas could be very underrated, and he ought to hear his identify referred to as Friday in Spherical 2. At worst, he is a third-rounder. I actually like watching him play.
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Gabe Jacas’ NFL draft profile
Take a look at a few of the high highlights from Illinois’ Gabe Jacas.
Defensive deal with
Proctor does not have best dimension for an inside defender at 6-foot-2 and 291 kilos, so he is a little bit of a tweener. However he’s fast as a cat, as we noticed throughout his 4.79-second 40-yard sprint on the mix. Proctor can get inside push, with 9 sacks and 13 tackles for loss final season. And if you wish to chalk that as much as enjoying within the FCS, watch the LSU sport from September, when Proctor had 5 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss.
And albeit, it impresses me that Proctor stayed at SE Louisiana. In immediately’s sport, most gamers along with his expertise are transferring to raised applications on the FBS degree. Proctor caught round and noticed it by; that is uncommon. NFL groups will love that. I’ve a fifth-round grade on Proctor.
Linebacker
I’ve highlighted Rolder on the “First Draft” podcast. There’s rather a lot to love about him as a Day 3 goal. Rolder was a backup for 3 years, however he shortly turned one of many Wolverines’ greatest defensive gamers — and a frontrunner for the unit — as a starter in 2025. He had 69 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, 10 run stops and an interception.
He has versatility and the pace to shut on the QB as a blitzer. However I’ve him graded as an off-ball linebacker, the place the 6-foot-3, 238-pounder jumps off the display. Rolder has the soccer IQ, diagnose abilities and burst to drop in protection, and he wraps up as a tackler. I had enjoyable watching the Michigan State sport, throughout which he had 10 tackles and a sack after which recovered a fumble. Rolder will probably be a steal within the early components of Day 3.
Cornerback
I went three-deep at cornerback, however Terrell, Ponds and Rivers are all considerably related as prospects. All three have versatility, however are probably slot corners within the NFL. Terrell is 5-foot-11 and 186 kilos. Ponds is 5-foot-9 and 182 kilos. And Rivers is 5-foot-10 and 185 kilos. Not essentially the most best dimension throughout the board.
However all of them play a spunky model of soccer. They maximize their capacity with sound route recognition, good consciousness and a knack for making performs. Ponds used his explosion (43½-inch vertical leap on the mix) and ball abilities to tally seven picks and 27 move breakups over three seasons. Rivers almost matched Ponds, with seven INTs and 23 move breakups over 4 years. He locates the ball nicely and might then plant and drive along with his 4.4 pace. And Terrell can flip his hips, stick on even the quickest receivers after which discover the ball at simply the appropriate second. He had three picks and 27 move breakups over three seasons.
Terrell, Ponds and Rivers aren’t shy about contact regardless of their frames. They’re powerful cornerbacks. And I would guess all three do quite a lot of the identical impactful issues they did in faculty — decide off passes, power fumbles, block kicks, and so forth. — within the execs. Terrell and Ponds are second-rounders to me, and I would say Rivers comes off the board within the third or fourth spherical.
Security
For the second yr in a row, my colleague Louis Riddick and I’ve the identical security on our lists of our favourite prospects. Final yr, we each had Andrew Mukuba, who was off to an excellent begin in Yr 1 with the Eagles earlier than breaking his ankle. This yr, it is Louis. The one distinction is that Riddick has him at linebacker, whereas I like him extra at security.
However it does not actually matter. Louis will line up in every single place. It is what he does. A savvy defensive coordinator can have him as a field security, an off-ball linebacker, at outdoors linebacker, within the slot and excessive. Irrespective of the place he aligns on any snap, Louis finds the soccer and will get himself into the center of the motion. With 4.53 pace, he will get from Level A to Level B quick. And at 6-foot and 220 kilos, with good size, he’s a tackling machine as soon as he arrives on scene.
Over the previous two seasons, Louis had 183 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, 30 run stops, 10 sacks, six interceptions and two compelled fumbles. That is unimaginable manufacturing, and it is a testomony to his A-plus instincts on the sector. He is a real baller, and he is a second- or third-rounder.
