The 2026 NFL Draft is not a stacked one. After two months of talks with more than two dozen NFL coaches and scouts, granted anonymity for their candor, the consensus is that we’ve got a bad draft for quarterbacks, a “not great” one for receivers and the worst draft for defensive tackles in at least a decade. The good news? For teams that need a safety, this is a terrific group.
The draft is defined by its quarterbacks
The strongest take The Athletic has gotten is this, from an NFL scout: “After (Fernando) Mendoza, it drops off a cliff.” It was an opinion echoed by an NFL personnel director this week.
That scouting executive, though, is very high on the Indiana Heisman Trophy winner, saying that he believes Mendoza merits being a first-pick-of-the-draft guy.
“The stuff that people in prior years look back and say (about QBs they missed on): ‘I’m pissed that I didn’t notice that he had that.’ Fernando has that,” said the exec. “It’s his efficiency in the red zone; you can tell that the plays that he makes, he has practiced them. Over his whole career, he has gotten better. He has those intangibles that people say are the reasons that people screw up in the draft.
“I think he has the answers to the test. I loved Cam Ward, but Fernando’s a better prospect than him. There are some physical traits in terms of arm strength and ability to run, where Drake Maye may have a little more, but I feel much better about Fernando than I did about Drake — and I like Drake.
“Fernando shows that he knows how to handle adversity. You see it all over the tape: Bouncing back from getting hit against Miami in the title game. Throwing picks, coming back against Oregon and Penn State.”
“The toughness really stands out,” said another NFL scout. “The dude sits in there and takes some really good shots. He’s got good, not excellent, arm talent. I think he has a chance to be a solid starter. He’s a clean prospect. There are some just questions on the high-end stuff.”
Mendoza’s evolution from overlooked “two-star” recruit to Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to a 16-0 season and the national championship behind a 41-to-6 TD-to-INT ratio is one of the more remarkable paths to the draft. Still, the chatter about his worth has been fascinating over the past two months. But none of the NFL folks I spoke to believed there was another quarterback in this class who was as good as Mendoza.
One big transition for Mendoza, an NFL QB coach noted, was that he only threw from under center about three times in his career.
“That’s obviously gonna be a huge difference for him,” said the coach. “A lot of their stuff was pre-snap and box count. RPOs and back-shoulders. Indiana did have a little more of a developed downfield passing game with some of its three-level reads and seven-step progressions than some spread teams in college do. But there’s not a ton of carryover.
“He does have arm talent. His footwork will be more of an adjustment, staying on time and getting the ball out. He drives the ball down the field well. He’s accurate downfield, and he’s fearless in the pocket. That’s why I think he’ll be successful. Even going back to his two years at Cal, where it’s a dirty pocket, he’s got guys in his face, he’s getting messed up at Cal, and still delivering throwing seam balls while he’s getting smoked. He’s comfortable with being pressured.”
There are many more questions about the rest of the QB class.
“There are some things about (Alabama’s) Ty Simpson I appreciate, but the lack of experience and real starter traits is a concern,” said the personnel director. “He needed to stay in college.”
An NFL offensive assistant said about LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier: “I see him being better than Spencer Rattler, that type of guy. He’s a good player. Obviously, the wheels fell off there at LSU. But I like his makeup. I think he’s wired the right way.”
And on Penn State’s Drew Allar, the personnel director noted: “He has a ton of real traits, but he’s just not a killer. I actually think he’s a really good processor, but I think it’s performance anxiety. It’s like in basketball: He’s the guy in the layup line, and you think, Oh, that guy’s gonna be good. But then you get into the game and he disappears.”
Another polarizing player
Mendoza wasn’t the only star college player from last season who emerged as a polarizing player. Miami’s Rueben Bain was arguably the most dominant defensive player in college football. The 6-foot-2, 265-pound edge rusher annihilated offenses in the Canes’ College Football Playoff run, but his 30 7/8 inch arms, it has been noted extensively, would be the shortest of any first-round defensive lineman in modern draft history.
Bain was involved in an auto accident in 2024, where a passenger later died from injuries sustained in the crash. Bain was cited for careless driving, but it was eventually dismissed, and he was never charged in connection with the accident. NFL teams have been aware of the incident for some time, and it didn’t sound like it has affected anyone’s feelings about Bain.
“Any time you get a guy who falls outside of that range (of measurables) where they don’t check that one box, you’ve just gotta spend a little more time on them and go back and watch them against real guys,” said one NFL scout. “I’m not worried about it. He’s just so strong and has top-end bend, and to be that powerful and have that kind of slip, he’s just a really natural player. He does a good job of keeping guys’ hands off of him. Will it rear its head more at our level against some of the creatures on the offensive line? Probably, but I still think he’s gonna be a really good player. He really sets the edge and plays with such violence.
“I haven’t heard anyone take the stance that they don’t like Rueben Bain. He definitely is an outlier. But if you work the (arm) argument backwards, why is this guy worthy of making an exception? Watch the film. He proves it time and time again.”
The NFL personnel director also said he wasn’t concerned about Bain’s short arms: “He is so powerful and to be that thick in his lower body to be that flexible is pretty rare.”
There was some concern about Bain’s transition to the NFL because of his arm length from defensive line coaches.
“His arm length does scare me, especially against tackles,” said DL coach No. 1. “He ain’t gonna be able to get into them. I think his get-off is really good and his bend is crazy, especially for a square-shaped guy. You’d think he’d be more top-heavy, but his bend is like Nik Bonitto-crazy. But I do think he will struggle right away because he has to be the aggressor. These guys will put their hands out there and wall you off. You gotta be the aggressor in everything you do. He’s got a good speed to power, and that has to be his go-to.”
Another coach has some skepticism about Bain because he struggled to find a good comp from the league.
“I really, really like the player,” said DL coach No. 2. “He’s in like the 2 percentile in the history of modern football. How many 10-sack guys have 30 1/2-inch arms (30 7/8)? He doesn’t look like very many guys in our league. He’s powerful, good with his hands and can really bend. That all translates, but it’s the length when you’re going against guys that are 6-6, 330 pounds. Are they gonna cover him up cause he can’t get them off his body? But he’s such a good player, I think he’s still gonna go top 10.”
In the past 25 years, there have been some ultra-productive edge players whose arms were only 32 inches. Trey Hendrickson has been to four Pro Bowls; Terrell Suggs had 139 career sacks; Jared Allen has been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But does that inch and an eighth make that big of a difference?
“He plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played,” said DL coach No. 3. “He just plays so hard that the short arms really don’t matter, and it didn’t affect him in college. His get-off is so good that it allows him to compensate. His motor really allows him to get away with it. I don’t think it’s gonna be an issue for him.”
“I know they talk about his arm length a lot, but he’s so powerful,” said DL coach No. 4. “He plays the run game the best and he still has a lot of upside. He’s still rushing off raw ability. Once he gets his technique down, he can go to another level. He will create separation with his power.”
Arvell Reese had high praise from folks in the NFL and is a projected top-3 pick. (John Fisher / Getty Images)
Arvell Reese is beloved
I expect Bain to be the third edge rusher selected, behind Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey (it’s a toss-up which of those two is drafted first). I see them, along with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, as the best prospects in this class.
In a nutshell: The 6-4, 241-pound Reese, the No. 1 overall prospect on Dane Brugler’s top 100, was preferred by three of the four defensive line coaches I spoke to.
“He is the best of the bunch,” said DL coach No. 3. “He has everything: the violence, the power, the strike, the length, the bend, the acceleration. His pro day was so impressive. He’s the best defensive player for sure. He’s the best edge defender I’ve seen in a few years. I’m not sure about pure pass rush, but edge defender, yes.”
“I think he’s the best,” said DL coach No. 1, who thinks Reese is “a tad more athletic” than Bailey. “He’s pretty dynamic, but I’d just put him at one position and let him be. Learn it. Watch his film; it’s a lot of off-ball. When you come into the league, you gotta have clean eyes right away.”
Reese, who ran a 4.46 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine, was a one-year starter for Ohio State and didn’t put up eye-popping stats (6.5 sacks in 2025), but his film had college and pro coaches raving.
“He’s just so raw,” said DL coach No. 4. “He has everything. He has the burst, the bend and the power. But everything is so new to him. You have to explain to him that this is what you work and why you’re working it. But once you tell him why or the mistake that he made, he’s not going to make it again.”
Bailey, who is two years older than Reese, measured in 10 pounds heavier at 251 pounds, but still ran a fast 4.50 40 to go with a 10-9 broad jump. After three seasons at Stanford, he transferred to Texas Tech and tore up the Big 12, producing 14.5 sacks and 19.5 TFLs.
The NFL personnel director favored Bailey over Reese: “He’s a cleaner fit. Arvell’s upside is rare, but his pass rush is from blitzes. He’s just raw. You understand why he’s a one-year starter.”
“He is an elite pass rusher,” said DL coach No. 2. “His game will transition to our league extremely well. I think he’s better than Abdul Carter, who went third last year. He is super explosive. In his pass rush, I see some of the things that Von Miller used to do. I don’t know if he’s that loose and twitchy, but the explosion and the 10-yard time and the vertical, that is a comp. Von used to dip and jump out; that’s what this kid does.”
DL coach No. 4 was wowed by Bailey’s third-down pass rush film: “He barely false steps. He’s getting off before anybody else moves. He’s not a long strider. He gets a lot of steps in quick, which can mess up the O-linemen a bit. Not sure how powerful he is. That’s my biggest question mark.”
DL coach No. 3’s biggest question regarding Bailey’s toughness: “Will he push through adversity? The league has changed in the past few years. People are really running the ball to run it, and not just to set up the pass. He’s gonna have to be able to take on tackles and fend for his life on early downs because people are gonna want to run right at him.”
The strength of this class? Edges
I expect at least three edge players to go in the top 10 with Reese, Bailey and Bain. After that, I think Auburn’s Keldric Faulk and Miami’s Akheem Mesidor go in the first round, but then it’s a guessing game. There’s talent, but not much of a consensus.
The Faulk-Mesidor conversation is intriguing because 21-year-old Faulk wasn’t anywhere near as impactful as Mesidor, but he’s four years younger and played for a program that was really struggling. At around 6-5 1/2 (he apparently shrank half an inch between the combine and his pro day), the 274-pound Faulk, with 35-inch arms, ran a 4.67 40. But he went from seven sacks in 2024 to just two last year.
“His ’24 tape is definitely better than last year,” one of the NFL scouts said. “He played with more violence, but he’s a young kid. He tested better than people were expecting. His wiring is really good. I think he’s gonna go high.”
“They probably should’ve left him at one position,” said DL coach No. 1. “I think he will pan out. I think he’s a better sub-rush 3-technique and is your outside backer. Ran in the 4.6s. I think he’ll give you more juice. Put him with Houston, with those two edge rushers, and he could have eight, 10 sacks. There’s so much more you can do with him because he has a lot of position flex.”
DL coach No. 4 thinks Faulk is worth betting on. “I think he could be a crazy interior rusher. He can stop the run on the edge and can collapse the pocket. He could be 290 pounds, easy. He’s gonna be big, and he can move. He changed his body, got cut up — he’s there.”
While Mesidor’s age gave one of the D-line coaches pause, the other three think he has a chance to make a big impact in 2026.
“I think he’s the best interior rusher in the whole draft,” said DL coach No. 2. “I’m not saying he can’t rush off the edge, but when they move him inside, he is a problem. Someone will draft him in the first round, and they can play him on the edge first and second down outside and move him around on third down. I think he may have more of an impact as a rusher earlier than Bain because of what he can do inside.”
“He has the most technique right now. He’s polished. He knows how to use his hands and he wins a lot,” said DL coach No. 4
Said DL coach No. 3: “I think he’s just as good as Bain. He has longer limbs and he plays just as hard. Bain has a bit more strike, but Mesidor has more wiggle. I think he might be a better pass rusher earlier.”
Other potential first-round edges
UCF’s Malachi Lawrence, a 6-4 1/2, 253-pounder who clocked a 4.52 40 with a 40-inch vertical and 10-10 broad jump.
“He’s my sleeper,” DL coach No. 4. “He has power but he doesn’t really know how to use it. But he’s so fast off the ball; he gets guys on their heels. He’s more of a traits guy, but he doesn’t know how to unlock all of them. He’s OK in the run, but he’s not gonna set an edge every single time. He’s inconsistent.”
DL coach No. 2: “He’s raw. There are some awareness things with him that aren’t great, but I like the player.”
DL coach No. 1: “Everybody at the pro days was talking about this kid. He had a huge following.”
Missouri’s Zion Young, at almost 6-6, 262 pounds with 4.75 speed and 16.5 TFLs last season
DL coach No. 4: “I think he gets drafted higher than people project. He’s so powerful and a good all-around player. He’s the run defender that you want on the edge and he can kick in to play 4i or could rush interior on third downs. He has juice and speed but he’s not twitchy-twitchy. He does know how to generate power quickly, though. That’s his game.”
DL coach No. 1: “He’s gonna be a steal in the second round. He had good numbers, but those other guys are really sexy. I would take him over Mesidor just because of the age, without a doubt.”
Clemson’s T.J. Parker, a 6-3 1/2, 263-pounder with 4.68 speed and 41.5 TFLs in the past three seasons
DL coach No. 4: “He has some power, has quickness. He can stop the run right now. Got a lot of upside.”
Other intriguing edges
Illinois’ Gabe Jacas
DL coach No. 2: “He’s more of a 4-3 end. Real tough. Real physical. He is not an outside linebacker. Too stiff. He’s not a space player. But he can crush an edge and beat a reach block.”
Michigan’s Derrick Moore
DL coach No. 1: “He’s a Jonah Elliss type. So physical. He wants all the smoke. He can be a SAM backer in a 3-4. In a 4-3, he’ll set edges and will bang heads all day.”
Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell
DL coach No. 1: “He causes hell.”
DL coach No. 4: “He has twitch. I don’t think he has power, and he has short arms, which concerns me.”
Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas
DL coach No.1: “He’s intriguing. I don’t think he’s too small. He has a good football IQ and he makes some hustle plays.”
DL coach No. 4: “Low-key kinda strong. He has power in his toolbox.”
Select your safety
“It’s a really good class,” said DB coach No. 1. “I liked the class last year and wasn’t a fan of the year before, but this is a unique class. I think there are three or four Day 1 starters. I know everyone is talking about Caleb (Downs), and I think he’s in that, but the kid from Toledo (Emmanuel McNeil-Warren) is a freak with some serious upside. He’s raw. I love Dillon (Thieneman). He’s unreal. I think Treydan Stukes is highly underrated. He can play man. He can hold the point. He’s big and long. Super smart. I think they’re all Day 1 starters. I think those four are gonna be game-changers. Then there’s Bud Clark and (A.J.) Haulcy, who are really good players.”
DB coach No. 2 said it’s the best safety class since he’s been in the NFL. Both coaches see Oregon’s Thieneman, a 6-0, 201-pounder who ran a 4.35 40 and vertical jumped 41 1/2 inches at the combine, as a prospect on the level of Downs. He spent two seasons at Purdue before transferring to Oregon last season in a very different scheme. In his three seasons in college football, he made over 300 tackles and had eight INTs.
“I would take Thieneman over Downs,” said DB coach No. 2. “Thieneman is one of the more versatile safeties I’ve seen come out in the last few years. I feel good about him in the deep part of the field, about him in and around the box and about him in coverage, especially from a safeties standpoint. I loved the movement skills from him at the combine. He looked really fluid and loose. There’s a lot to like with him.”
DB coach No. 1 said it wouldn’t surprise him if some team took Thieneman ahead of Downs because he thinks the Oregon DB is that good.
“I think Dillon Thieneman is pretty special,” he said. “He’s ready right now. I think he’s the best tackler I’ve seen in years, but he’s also got the speed and flexibility to turn and run. I think he has first- and second-level instincts and can fit runs like a linebacker, but he can run like the wind in the back end.”
The NFL personnel director thinks Downs is the best safety of a strong group.
“I think he’s a three-level player,” he said. “He’s just not that long, and his speed is good but not elite. I think he’s a mix between Budda Baker and Minkah Fitzpatrick. I think he’s worthy of being a top-10 pick. He can play nickel, play strong, blitz.”
The 5-11 5/8, 208-pound Downs didn’t run a 40 at the combine or his pro day. His 30 1/4-inch arms are a bit of a concern in the DB coaches’ eyes. But he’s been exceptionally productive at both Alabama, where he picked up Nick Saban’s system as a true freshman and led the Tide in tackles by a wide margin, and then as a leader on the Buckeyes defense.
Downs has been compared a lot to Baker, who isn’t quite as big, though his arms are a half-inch longer. Baker has made eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons. Ohio State used Downs similarly to how the Arizona Cardinals used Budda Baker.
“There’s been a recurring trend that I keep hearing with Thieneman pushing Downs. I do not see that,” said DB coach No. 3. “I think coaches are nervous because they haven’t seen him cover or in the deep part of the field. This guy sat down at his formal interview and installed his defense, and then talked about how he would play it in our defense. He knew the rules of our defense before he came into the meeting. Nobody’s doing that. There’s a premium on intelligence at the safety position in the NFL, more so than people not in the NFL understand. And the way the game is going with limited practices and limited practice reps, that premium is only becoming more valuable. Defensive coaches are asking players to do more. Downs is invaluable. And he’s an elite tackler.
“His ability to react to what he sees in the deep part of the field, although it’s sparing on this year’s tape, is still really strong. I think he’s a top-10 pick. I have no concerns about him covering. If you’re playing him at nickel, then yeah, I’d be worried about him covering. But this is a safety. He’s gonna take the fourth hardest matchup. When is the safety covering the second-hardest to guy to cover? If that’s your defense, then that’s a bad defense.”
Toledo’s McNeil-Warren, at 6-3 1/2, 201, ran a 4.52 40 at the combine and made 77 tackles for the Rockets in 2025. “He probably has the most upside of all these guys,” said DB coach No. 1. “McNeil is super raw with a lot of development, but his ceiling is pretty high. But … his basement could be pretty low.”
Said DB coach No. 2: “He could be really special, and the other thing about him is he can take the ball away. He’s got long arms. He knows when to punch it; he has the range in the deep part of the field. His instincts are good. He’s a smooth mover. He’s a solid tackler. You don’t see him in one-on-one coverage much but with his size and length, I think he could cover tight ends fine.”
Arizona’s Stukes spent six seasons with the Wildcats and is 24 1/2 years old. As a 150-pound high school senior track standout, Stukes was a no-star recruit who walked on and blossomed. He picked off four passes in 2025 and clocked a 4.33 40 with a 10-10 broad jump as a 6-0, 5/8, 190-pounder at the combine.
“He’s the best cover guy of the safeties,” said DB coach No. 2. “I think he can be a good nickel.”
Another name in the nickel discussion is Miami’s Keionte Scott, a sixth-year senior who is almost 25 years old. At 5-11, 191, he ran a 4.33 at Miami’s pro day and had a spectacular season, making a ton of big plays that included 13 TFLs and a game-changing pick six in the Canes’ Playoff win over Ohio State.
“I was totally impressed with him after meeting with him,” said DB coach No. 3. “Age is an issue. He could grade out as the lowest defensive back for a game and end up winning Defensive Player of the Week for the NFL. He is the kind of guy who guesses his way into two picks and returns one to the house, but also gets scorched for the rest of the game. He is a feast-or-famine type player. He’s a really good zone nickel and blitzes like a demon. He reminds me of Mike Hilton if Mike Hilton couldn’t play any man coverage early in his career.”
“His best spot is nickel,” said DB coach No. 2. “I don’t think he can play corner. His Auburn film at corner is not good. I feel like he’s better the closer he is to the ball, so I don’t know how good he’d be at safety.”
The cornerback group is solid, led by two SEC corners: LSU’s Mansoor Delane and Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. The 5-11 3/4, 187-pound Delane’s arms measured 30 inches at the combine and 30 3/4 at pro day. He was a big bright spot for an LSU team that had a dismal 2025.
“He’s not (Christian) Gonzalez or (Devon) Witherspoon, but he’s close,” said DB coach No. 2. “He’s a complete player. He’s got the range to do anything you’d ask him to do defensively.”
The 6-0 3/4, 192-pound McCoy, who ran a 4.4 40 and broad jumped 10-7 at his pro day, had four INTs as a sophomore in 2024 but missed all of last season with a knee injury. “If he played last year, he’d probably be the top corner,” said DB coach No. 2. “He’s long. He has ball skills.”
One of the NFL scouts agreed: “He has top-end change of direction and man-coverage ability. He’s one of my favorites in this entire draft.”
Said DB coach No. 3: “I’ve got a hard time in two phases. One: It sounds like the knee is worse than what people thought, and two, if it isn’t as bad as what people think, then he probably didn’t come back as soon as he could’ve. But from a traits standpoint, he’s what you’re hunting. He should be the top guy off the ’24 tape. He’s long, has ball skills, he plays with vision, he reacts and responds well with what he sees, he has good top-end speed, and it’s not just long speed. He has quickness and really good change-of-direction ability. He’s like a fish in water. He’s such a fluid mover.”
Some other takes
San Diego State’s Chris Johnson
DB coach No.2: “I lean to him over (Clemson’s Avieon) Terrell as the No. 3 corner. Johnson is a little looser and has a slightly better change of direction. But I like both. They’re both good players.”
DB coach No. 3: “He’s very controlled. I like his quickness. Could probably play in the slot. He has a little less top-end speed than the other top six corners. Tough. Might be the best tackler of the six, and might be the smartest of the six. Character is off the chart. He’ll play for 12 seasons.”
Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds, a 5-8, 180-pounder with 29 3/8-inch arms who broad jumped 43 1/2 inches at the combine
DB coach No. 2: “I like the film. I just don’t think he can make it at corner because of his size and length. I think he’ll have to be a nickel. In passing situations, he’ll be fine. Is he gonna be able to be an every-down nickel? Maybe.”
“His style is similar to Amik Robertson, which I love,” said DB coach No. 3. “Honestly, though, I think his top-end ability is higher than that. This guy has covered the best receivers in college football on the biggest stage. He played his ass off at Indiana. Yeah, he’s a little guy, and that’s gonna show up. But this guy is tough as f—in’ nails, dude. He has a really good attitude. It doesn’t bother him that he’s little, which usually isn’t the case.”
Washington’s Tacario Davis, almost 6-4, 194 pounds with 33 3/8-inch arms, who ran a 4.41 40 at the combine
DB coach No.2: “The comp is Tariq Woolen. I think that’s real. He’s not quite as explosive as Tariq, but he’s a better football player coming out of college. He’s a little stiff, but at 6-3, there’s gonna be some legginess in there. I’d take a shot on Tacario.”
The well runs dry for defensive tackles
It’s doubtful any DT goes in the top 21 this year, after four DTs went in that span and Mason Graham went No. 5 overall last year. It’s a polarizing group among the prospects who are considered among the overall top 50.
“This is the worst D-tackle group in 10 years,” DL coach No. 2 said. “It’s horrible.”
Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, Brugler’s No. 1 DT, is a 6-2, 326-pound nose man who had impressive production last year with 65 tackles and nine TFLs.
“He can play a double team and play A to A,” said DL coach No. 1. “Ain’t that many people want that smoke for 20 plays in that nose spot and he does. But he’s only a nose, and he struggles playing behind blocks, especially on zone away.”
But DL coach No. 2 said, “Not a huge fan. He’s a hard-charger. I don’t think his block recognition or reaction is very good.”
Georgia’s Christen Miller, a 6-4, 321-pounder who had 7.5 TFLs and three sacks combined over the past two seasons, has some fans among our D-line coaching group.
“If you make it through Georgia, you’re a dude,” said DL coach No. 1. “He has the best hands. Has clean eyes. He’s fundamentally sound, and he is violent. He will know how to play a double. He’s coming in to play the run on first and second downs.”
DL coach No. 2 added, “He’s talented, but I felt like he was an underachiever.”
Clemson’s Peter Woods, at 6-2 1/2, 298 pounds, went from 8.5 TFLs in 2024 to just three last year — and many draft analysts were expecting him to have a breakout season in 2025.
“I think he is the best DT of the group,” said DL coach No. 3. “I see explosion. I see a 3-tech pass rusher. He has the same quick get-off ability and hip explosion as Byron Murphy, but he’s not as strong. He missed a lot of tackles, but it’s not like he’s not at the ball. But he’s got to finish those plays.”
“The athleticism is there but I hate that he didn’t make enough plays,” said DL coach No. 1. “He has short arms. I think he’s a poor man’s version of Byron Murphy. He struggles on shedding and getting off these blocks.”
Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter, at 6-3, 318 pounds, has produced 31.5 TFLs the past three years. One of the D-line coaches described him as a “curveball” and is intrigued by the talent despite concerns.
“I think he’s more talented than McDonald and a better player,” said DL coach No. 3. “Will he always show up to work with a good attitude? Is he gonna make weight? Do you have to keep your foot in his ass to stay in shape? He’s got some off-field stuff I worry might affect his play. The last four games of the season, he was the best defensive tackle in college football. He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s agile. He’s savvy. I’m like, who the hell is this guy? I didn’t see this the first 10 weeks.”
Florida’s Caleb Banks, at 6-6 1/4, 327 pounds, who ran a 5.04 40 and vertical jumped 32 inches, might be the most athletically gifted of the group, but there are a lot of worries about his foot, which has been an issue for much of the past year.
“He is raw as heck,” said DL coach No. 4. “Freak athlete. Big twitchy guy. He wants to be a finesse guy when he really should be a power guy. If he adds more power in his game, he could really make an impact.”
Said DL coach No. 1: “I’m not a fan. Scares me to have two foot injuries on a big man. He does have a lot to work with. Watch his ’24 tape. He should’ve come out last year.”
“I think he’s a basketball player playing football. He looks the part but he’s got to add some toughness,” added DL coach No. 2.
Other defensive tackles to keep an eye on
Texas A&M’s Tyler Onyedim, 6-3, 290 pounds, with 49 tackles and 9.5 TFLs in one season after playing four at Iowa State
“Watch his technique and how he plays,” said DL coach No. 1. “I gave him a second grader. He plays with power and has clean eyes. The s— that I hated I blamed on that he was coming from that 3-3 stack at ISU; it’s that hybrid style, where everything is lateral, but in (Mike) Elko’s defense, he’ll line up as a 3 (technique), next play as a 2i and the next play he’ll be a 5, and he picked it up really quick. Oh, this kid’s a dude. I think he’ll be a 3-technique and a sub rush guy as a nose. He reminds me of Darius Alexander.”
Florida State’s Darrell Jackson, 6-5, 328 pounds, with 45 tackles and 3.5 TFLs in 2025
“He’s a project,” said DL coach No. 3. “He’s just coming along now but that happens when you go to three different schools. I think by year three or four in the NFL, he could be a really good player, but you’re gonna have to be patient with him. I think he’s a big man who cares and is smart, football-wise. He has some good traits to bet on.”
Penn State’s Zane Durant, undersized at 6-1, 290 pounds, but ran a 4.75 40 at the combine. He had 11 TFLs in 2024 but only 4.5 last season
“He’s super athletic,” said DL coach No. 1. “But I think he’s too small and has a small frame. He’ll probably go to Canada and kill it.”
A fairly deep linebacker group
Ohio State’s Sonny Styles, a possible top-5 pick, leads the corps. The 6-5, 244-pound Styles is as impressive as any athlete in this draft. He ran a 4.46 40 with a 1.56-second 10-yard split to go with an 11-2 broad jump and 43 1/2-inch vertical. The converted safety has totaled 182 tackles and 17 TFLs over the past two years.
“I’ve never seen somebody that long and that explosive and still has upside because he’s a former safety who is still learning how to be physical,” said an NFL personnel director. “You can see he’s trying to be more physical. I think he’s smart.”
One linebacker I suspect might go higher than he is in many mock drafts is Georgia’s C.J. Allen. He’s a bit under 6-1 and weighed 230 at the combine. He had 88 tackles and eight TFLs last season. There was some doubt about just how fast he is, but I’m told he recently ran a 4.47 40.
“He’s a really good player,” an NFL scout said. “He doesn’t look athletic, but if you watch the film, he makes plays in space. You’re thinking the stiffness will hurt him, but he makes a lot of plays. I think he’s gonna be a really good green-dot mike.”
Styles could go in the top five this year. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
Like, not love
I expect two offensive linemen to go in the top 10: Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Utah’s Spencer Fano. The sense is that folks in the NFL really like these two, but don’t love them.
“Francis is the best O-lineman this year,” said an NFL personnel director, who pushed back some on the notion that the 6-5 1/2, 329-pounder with 33 1/4-inch arms may be out of place at tackle. “I think he can be a really good right tackle or a guard. He moves well for that size. I do think he’s a tackle.”
An NFL scout wasn’t quite as sold on Mauigoa being a top-tier offensive tackle: “I think his best spot is probably guard. I personally don’t think he’s in that top-5, top-10 realm, but I think that’s probably where he goes in this class. He’s a big, really dense guy who can bend and plays with his feet in the ground. I don’t think he has the length to be a top-end tackle, but I have to give him credit. Down the stretch, playing the Texas A&Ms of the world and when they really upped their competition, he had really clean tape. As a sophomore, you’d see his tape in pass pro and think he’s gonna have to be a guard. He’s a young player and he’s gotten better.”
Fano, a 6-5 1/2, 311-pounder with 32 1/8-inch arms, was the scout’s top O-lineman. Fano ran a 4.91 40 at the combine and moved faster than the bigger and longer Mauigoa, although the Miami mauler did post a quicker shuttle time at his pro day. One college coach who had worked in the NFL compared Fano to former Green Bay Packers standout David Bakhtiari in regards to his athleticism and knack for being able to get his body in and out of awkward positions, a big plus in the trenches.
“He’s not really prototype size, but he’s such an easy mover,” the scout said of Fano. “Independent feet and hands. You can tell that he’s super coordinated. He’s gonna be a really good pass protector with good movement skills in the run game.”
Deep, but not top-heavy, wide receivers
The wide receiver class has been categorized as “pretty good” but lacks one truly elite talent. “The group is not as top-heavy as it usually is, but it’s deep,” said WR coach No. 1.
“The middle and the back end of this group is good, not so much off the top,” WR coach No. 2 said more bluntly.
Carnell Tate is the latest in an incredibly long line of excellent Ohio State wideouts. The 6-2 1/4, 192-pound Tate isn’t a burner. He ran a 4.53 40 at the combine and didn’t produce eye-popping stats. It’s worth noting that his teammate Jeremiah Smith, who is expected to be in the 2027 draft, is the most talented of all the receivers who have come through Columbus this generation. Is he a legitimate top-10 player?
“It’s about need, man,” said WR coach No. 1. “Hard to say if someone is or isn’t a ‘top-10 guy.’ It’s about who is picking in the top 10 and what they need. He is a really good receiver. His route running and his releases are really good. He knows how to win and catch the football. Tate has good range and body control. He’s a savvy route runner. He wins vs. man. You can tell he has a high football IQ.”
WR coach No. 2: “He’s more fluid in person than he looks on tape. When I went to the pro day, I was really impressed and pleasantly surprised. He can make every catch. He’s tougher than you think. He can put on some more weight in his frame and add to his strength.”
Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, 6-2, 203 pounds, was WR coach No. 2’s pick as the most talented: “He’s got a baller skill set but he’s got real tools. He’s ultra quick. Got basketball in his background, and you can see it in the way he plays wideout.”
Tyson has had a series of injuries derail much of his college career, but he did have 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 TDs in 2024, when ASU made a run to the Playoff.
USC’s Makai Lemon is also in the mix among the top three receivers. His measureables don’t pop (5-11, 194 pounds, a 4.50 40), but his playmaking ability does. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 TDs last season as USC’s go-to guy.
“Just push play on the film,” said WR coach No. 1. “He goes to work. I can see the comps to Amon-Ra (St. Brown), but they’re different. They’re both really good.”
WR coach No. 2 wasn’t as much of a believer: “I’m not a big Makai guy. Not sure his game translates as well to the NFL, but I do think he’s got that St. Brown in him. Love his heart, toughness and tenacity, but can he win in the NFL like he did in college? I don’t know if he can play outside at an elite level. I know a lot of people think he can. I think he can be damn good as an exclusive slot.”
One of the most explosive wideouts in the draft is Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. He’s 5-11, 196 pounds. He didn’t run at the combine or his pro day, but scouts know he’s blazing fast. You see it all over his film as both a receiver and a return man.
Said WR coach No. 1: “He rises to the occasion. There’s some position flex where he can play inside and outside. He’s a real competitor, pretty dynamic.”
There has been some concern about how reliable his hands are. Concepcion had seven drops in each of the past two seasons. (Lemon and Tate each had three combined; Tyson had eight.)
“A lot of his drops come from technique more so than hand-eye coordination and just natural ability to track the ball,” said WR coach No. 2. “I think he catches good enough.”
Washington’s Denzel Boston is one of the bigger receivers in the class at 6-3 5/8, 212 pounds. He’s also a guy Huskies coaches think could be a Pro Bowl special teamer, but the personnel director I spoke to thought he was one of the more polarizing players: “I don’t like him. I think he’s stiff. I do think he’s a good, clean route runner. When a bad play happens, does he know to flush it?”
WR coach No. 2, though, was a big fan: “He’s big and he’s faster than you think. At the pro day, he looked really athletic and smooth. He’s got a Larry Fitzgerald kind of game.”
Fastest rising stock? Georgia State’s Ted Hurst, a Freaks Lister who started to blow up at the Senior Bowl and has a lot of believers in the NFL world. At almost 6-4, 206 pounds with 4.42 speed and an 11-3 broad jump, Hurst, who began his career at FCS Valdosta State, is a name to remember.
“I love Ted Hurst,” said WR coach No. 2. “I would say he’s the biggest sleeper in the draft, but he blew up like a month ago.”
Asked whether Hurst would be talked about more as a first-rounder if he had played at a more visible FBS program, the coach said, “No doubt. If you’re thinking about (Indiana’s Omar) Cooper in the first round, you damn sure should be thinking about this kid in the first round. He’s fast, big, can catch and is fluid. He’s got good natural hips, and I can improve that. There will be some learning curve and he’s a young kid.”
Most dynamic wideout? Zachariah Branch, who is under 5-9 and weighs just 177 pounds. He ran a 4.35, but the NFL coaches are really intrigued by his potential despite his lack of size. (Branch was arrested and booked on two misdemeanor charges Sunday morning.)
“This freakin’ kid could be Tyreek Hill or Zay Flowers if he gets coached to play Z (receiver), but there’s no sign of that on his film,” said WR coach No. 2. “There’s no outside-the-numbers film. He’s the most explosive of the receivers in this draft, and he’s a dog. He’s not polished. He’s short. It is a gamble. He just needs to be coached to do it. … A lot of those 5-9 dudes in college who are only catching bubbles and screens and taking handoffs don’t have the skill set to do play Z. I think he does. Tyreek didn’t play wideout in college, but then he learned in KC.”
USC’s Ja’Kobi Lane has impressive talent and a reel of spectacular grabs, but there are maturity concerns about the 6-4, 200-pounder who ran a 4.47 40 with a 40-inch vertical and 10-9 broad jump at the combine.
“He’s super talented,” said WR coach No. 1. “His ball skills are ridiculous. He’s got these huge strapping hands. Hopefully, he’ll figure it all out. It depends where he goes.”
Other wild-card receivers who could make a splash
Cincinnati’s Jeff Caldwell (6-5 3/8, 216 pounds, with 4.31 speed, a 42-inch vertical and an 11-2 broad jump)
WR coach No. 2: “He’s really explosive. He flashes. He’s intriguing. Hurst might be a bit more athletic. Caldwell is a bit stiff and Hurst plays stronger than Caldwell, and has more play strength.”
Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell, 6-4, 198 with 4.37 speed
WR coach No. 2: “He’s got a real chance. He’s more than just a deep threat. He has a chance to develop into a real route runner. He’s got the hips and the skill set for it. He’s just gotta be taught it, and you can develop him.”
Louisville’s Chris Bell, 6-2, 222 pounds; didn’t test at the combine or his pro day because of a torn ACL suffered in November
WR coach No. 2: “He’s talented, but that freakin’ knee, you just don’t know about. If he was 100 percent healthy, he probably would’ve shown just a little something at the combine and pro day, like, hey, this guy might be a first-rounder. He’s really physical and has impressive run after the catch. Need to develop his routes. Guys who are really good with the ball in their hands are usually small. He’s not. He’s 220-plus and he’s fast.”
Tight ends
Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is the top tight end prospect, although he’s not in the traditional tight end frame. He also doesn’t run like any tight end, either. At 6-3, 241 pounds, he clocked a 4.39 40 to go with a 43 1/2-inch vertical and an 11-1 broad jump. He had 51 catches for 560 yards and eight TDs. He also had six drops.
An NFL scout said Sadiq’s competitiveness as a blocker jumped out to him: “I did not expect that going in. For a guy who isn’t a really massive human, he really gets in people’s s— and pushes people around. His run after the catch is impressive. He’s not Brock Bowers in the sense that Bowers stepped in the door as a freshman day one and did things not a lot of people were doing and then he did the same thing as a rookie in the NFL.”
“He has rare explosiveness, but he’s not a natural receiver,” said the NFL personnel director. “He is like a fullback who is a vertical threat. He’s better blocking on the move than he is on the line. He is an explosive, dynamic player.”
Said WR coach No. 1: “He’s a pretty polished route runner for a tight end. You just don’t find guys with that kind of speed at that size. He’s rare. He’s a one-cut guy.”
The player above the rest — all of the rest
The one player thought to be in a different class at his position from the rest than Mendoza, Styles and Sadiq is Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. Everyone loves Love.
The 6-0, 212-pound Love ran a 4.36 40 at the combine. He ran almost 2,500 yards and 35 combined TDs the past two seasons. He’s also so polished as a receiver Notre Dame coaches told me he could easily be a wide receiver, and scouts say he’s the best pass protector in the class, too. And he’s had fewer carries in the last two seasons combined than last year’s top back, Ashton Jeanty, had in his final season at Boise State.
“He’s pretty special,” said an NFL scout. “Jeanty was a really good back. Has good vision and balance, but (Love) has a different gear. When he makes someone miss in space, he can really turn it on and make home run plays. He’s more in the Bijan Robinson category than Jeanty.”
The personnel director said initially he didn’t think Love was in Robinson’s class, but now he believes he definitely is. “Does he run faster than Bijan? Yeah. Is he as big? Yeah. Is he more physical on contact? Yeah, he is. Jeremiyah Love is always trying to get that extra yard.”
Said another national scout: “I think he’s the best offensive player in this draft. I love him.”
