Arvell Reese is one of five Buckeyes prospects in the top 20 on our updated board. Jason Mowry / Getty Images
With the college football season having concluded Monday night, we can turn our full attention to the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Our consensus NFL Draft board combines rankings from a wide range of experts to identify how the top prospects are viewed relative to the rest of their class. In theory, by the time we reach draft weekend, these rankings should help give us a handle on how the picks could (or, at least, should) play out.
The updated consensus top 50:
NFL Draft consensus board (Jan. 19)
RkPlayerPosSchoolPrev RkChange
1
Arvell Reese
LB
1
0
2
Fernando Mendoza
QB
9
+7
3
Caleb Downs
S
2
-1
4
Jeremiyah Love
RB
4
0
5
David Bailey
EDGE
12
+7
6
Jordyn Tyson
WR
8
+2
7
Rueben Bain Jr.
EDGE
3
-4
8
Spencer Fano
OT
11
+3
9
Carnell Tate
WR
13
+4
10
Sonny Styles
LB
22
+12
11
Francis Mauigoa
OT
15
+4
12
Keldric Faulk
EDGE
7
-5
13
Peter Woods
DT
6
-7
14
Jermod McCoy
CB
14
0
15
Makai Lemon
WR
21
+6
16
Mansoor Delane
CB
16
0
17
Kenyon Sadiq
TE
18
+1
18
Avieon Terrell
CB
23
+5
19
Kayden McDonald
DT
38
+19
20
Denzel Boston
WR
20
0
21
Vega Ioane
IOL
26
+5
22
Cashius Howell
EDGE
32
+10
23
Caleb Banks
DT
25
+2
24
Caleb Lomu
OT
31
+7
25
Kadyn Proctor
OT
17
-8
26
Ty Simpson
QB
5
-21
27
KC Concepcion
WR
37
+10
28
Brandon Cisse
CB
29
+1
29
CJ Allen
LB
30
+1
30
Monroe Freeling
OT
NR
NR
31
Colton Hood
CB
27
-4
32
T.J. Parker
EDGE
19
-13
33
Akheem Mesidor
EDGE
NR
NR
34
Christen Miller
DT
41
+7
35
Chris Bell
WR
34
-1
36
Emmanuel Pregnon
IOL
NR
NR
37
Jake Golday
LB
NR
NR
38
R Mason Thomas
EDGE
42
+4
39
Chris Johnson
CB
NR
NR
40
Germie Bernard
WR
36
-4
41
Dillon Thieneman
S
NR
NR
42
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
S
NR
NR
43
Anthony Hill Jr.
LB
45
+2
44
Zachariah Branch
WR
NR
NR
45
Caleb Tiernan
OT
NR
NR
46
Keith Abney II
CB
NR
NR
47
Lee Hunter
DT
NR
NR
48
Elijah Sarratt
WR
NR
NR
49
Chase Bisontis
IOL
NR
NR
50
Gabe Jacas
EDGE
NR
NR
Not only is Fernando Mendoza considered QB1 in the ’26 draft class, but also he’s viewed as one of its best overall players. He and the rest of Indiana’s and Miami’s draft-eligible underclassmen have until Jan. 23 to declare for this year’s draft.
The race for QB2 is a little less inspiring. Alabama’s Ty Simpson slots in there (No. 26 overall) on the consensus board, but that is after a fall from No. 5 (and QB1) in our last update back in November.
There always seems to be movement on the quarterback board, but I’m interested to see if Simpson can reverse the slide he’s endured over the past two months or if he will continue to drop — and possibly allow another prospect to grab the QB2 slot.
