2026 NFL Draft Big Board: Jack Brentnall’s Top 100 Prospects
By Jack Brentnall
With the draft less than a week away, this is my updated 2026 NFL Draft Big Board, ranking the top 100 prospects in the class.
Positional value is factored into these rankings, with short scouting notes on the top 50 players.
For a deeper dive, our 2026 NFL Draft Guide spans over 700 pages and includes 230+ full scouting reports.
1. Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
Mendoza is a timing-based pocket passer who wins with processing speed, anticipation, and rhythm within structure. He consistently gets the ball out on time with strong ball placement, giving him a high floor as a distributor who can keep an offense on schedule.
2. Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
Styles is a high-level run defender who wins with processing quickness, physicality, and reliability at the point of attack. He consistently diagnoses quickly, takes on blocks with authority, and finishes plays, forming the foundation of a three-down impact defender.
3. Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
Reese is an explosive, downhill linebacker who thrives attacking the line of scrimmage and playing on the front foot. His ability to trigger quickly, take on blocks, and create disruption makes him a constant presence around the ball.
4. Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
McCoy is a physical, competitive corner who wins with toughness and control through every phase of the rep. He consistently disrupts receivers at the line and at the catch point, dictating terms and making life difficult throughout the route.
5. Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
Downs is an instinctive, high-level safety whose game is built on elite processing and awareness. He consistently sees the game a step ahead, allowing him to trigger quickly and impact plays all over the field.
6. Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
Tate is a polished route runner who wins with detail, spatial awareness, and an advanced understanding of leverage. He consistently creates separation at all three levels and operates as a reliable, quarterback-friendly target.
7. Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
Bain is a dynamic pass rusher who wins with violent hands, variety, and an aggressive attacking mindset. He has the tools and approach to consistently stress tackles and create disruption off the edge.
8. David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
Bailey is a refined and versatile pass rusher who can win in multiple ways, whether around the arc, through the chest, or with well-timed counters. His ability to adapt mid-rush makes him a difficult matchup snap-to-snap.
9. Francis Mauigoa (OT, Miami)
Mauigoa is a powerful offensive tackle who wins with strength, anchor, and control at the point of contact. He shows the ability to stall rushers in pass protection and generate movement in the run game, giving him clear starting upside.
10. Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Love is an explosive, fluid runner who wins with acceleration, long speed, and natural movement ability. He consistently threatens defenses with his ability to generate chunk plays and flip the field.
11. Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
Lemon is a reliable pass catcher who wins with elite hands and the ability to consistently finish through the catch point. He secures anything within his frame and provides a dependable target, though his struggles playing through contact may limit his effectiveness against NFL physicality.
12. Blake Miller (OT, Clemson)
Miller is a high-level athlete at tackle who wins with movement skills, length, and the ability to match rushers in space. His physical tools and play strength give him a strong foundation in pass protection, though his hand usage will need refinement against more advanced rushers.
13. KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
Concepcion is a sudden, dynamic receiver who wins with quickness, separation ability, and natural elusiveness in space. He consistently stresses defenders with his change of direction. The next step is turning that separation into more consistent finishes at the catch point.
14. Olaivavega Ioane (IOL, Penn State)
Ioane is a powerful interior lineman who wins with strength, physicality, and a dominant anchor in pass protection. Quicker interior rushers will test his lateral recovery, but he controls defenders at the point of attack and delivers real force as a blocker.
15. Caleb Lomu (OT, Utah)
Lomu is an explosive, fluid tackle who wins with athleticism, flexibility, and the ability to recover and redirect in pass protection. His movement skills allow him to handle a wide range of rushers, even if his set points and timing can still drift early in reps.
16. Spencer Fano (OT, Utah)
Fano is a high-end mover at tackle who wins with explosiveness, quick feet, and the ability to operate comfortably in space. His frame will be tested by power, but the movement skills and upside give him real potential in both phases.
17. Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
Delane is a smooth, controlled corner who wins with patience, awareness, and the ability to stay connected in man coverage. Bigger receivers will challenge his physical profile, but his intelligence and movement skills allow him to mirror effectively.
18. Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
Terrell is an explosive, fluid corner who wins with quick feet, recovery speed, and the ability to match routes at all levels. He consistently stays in phase and competes through the rep, though would benefit from some added strength to round out his profile.
19. Monroe Freeling (OT, Georgia)
Freeling is a dependable pass protector who wins with balance, anchor, and controlled movement skills. He handles rushers with a firm punch and solid base, though his run blocking technique limits his ability to consistently sustain and create movement.
20. Caleb Banks (IDL, Florida)
Banks is a powerful interior presence who wins with size, heavy hands, and surprising quickness off the ball. His issues with leverage and injuries will concern some teams, but he has a rare combination of strength and burst that allows him to create real disruption.
21. Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
Tyson is a nuanced route runner who wins with detail, leverage awareness, and the ability to consistently separate. His persistent injury issues in college cloud his projection somewhat, but when healthy he has the talent to win at all three levels.
22. Christen Miller (IDL, Georgia)
Miller is a quick, disruptive interior defender who wins with burst, lateral agility, and the ability to stress linemen off the snap. His movement skills create consistent pressure opportunities, though he needs to convert disruption into more consistent production.
23. Treydan Stukes (CB, Arizona)
Stukes is a high-level athlete at corner who wins with fluidity, explosiveness, and the ability to stay attached in coverage. His tackling in space needs to become more consistent, but his movement skills allow him to mirror effectively in coverage.
24. Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
Johnson is an explosive, instinctive corner who wins with fluidity, trigger speed, and the ability to drive on routes. Physical matchups can be challenging, but he shows the tools to impact plays and close quickly in coverage.
25. Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, UCF)
Lawrence is a well-rounded pass rusher who wins with variety, control, and the ability to attack tackles in multiple ways. He consistently pressures the pocket with his approach, though he must become more reliable finishing plays and holding up against the run.
26 Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
Hood is at his best when he can get physical at the line of scrimmage, using his strength and length to reroute opponents and disrupt timing early in the rep. He brings a competitive, disruptive edge in coverage, though he still needs to develop his ball skills and create more splash plays.
27. Keith Abney (CB, Arizona State)
Abney is a smart cornerback whose intelligence and trigger speed give him real value in zone coverage. He sees the game quickly and drives on routes, but his downfield discipline and penalty profile need tightening.
28. Ted Hurst (WR, Georgia State)
Hurst pairs outstanding size and explosiveness with impressive sink in and out of his breaks, giving him intriguing upside as a separator. The flashes are there, but he needs to become more reliable in challenging catch point situations.
29. D'Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana)
Ponds plays with a toughness that belies his size, bringing real physicality against the run and a scrappy edge in coverage. That competitiveness shows up every snap, although his frame means that he won’t be a fit for every scheme and role.
30. Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana)
There is real creativity throughout Cooper’s game, both in how he attacks defenders as a route runner and in what he can do after the catch. There is real nuance and playmaking ability to his game but he needs to continue growing as a route runner.
31. Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama)
Bernard’s hands are among the softest in the class, giving him the profile of a quarterback-friendly target. He consistently finishes the plays he should. Working through traffic more confidently will be key given his more modest athletic profile.
32. Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
Simpson is a smart quarterback with strong pre- and post-snap awareness, playing with a level of control you would expect from a more experienced passer. He looks comfortable operating from the pocket, with improved accuracy – especially outside the numbers – central to his projection.
33. Emmanuel Pregnon (IOL, Oregon)
Pregnon wins with punch timing and accuracy, using active hands to control blocks once he gets engaged. There is a lot to like in his hand usage, though he needs to avoid leaning into contact and getting over his toes if he is going to sustain blocks more consistently.
34. Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
Thieneman is the kind of safety who can do a bit of everything, with experience playing single-high, split-field, and from the slot. He needs to improve how he takes on and sheds blocks when working downhill, but the versatility he offers provides a strong all-round profile.
35. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
McNeil-Warren is a ball hawk who has consistently found ways to create turnovers, whether through forced fumbles or interceptions. He offers real playmaking appeal on the back end, but he has to fix some of the tackling issues that cropped up in 2025.
36. Jaishawn Barham (EDGE, Michigan)
There are not many players in the class who can match Barham’s blend of explosiveness and sheer violence when taking on blocks. He can overwhelm blockers with his athletic tools, though his relative inexperience off the edge shows when he is forced to counter.
37. Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
Howell does not have the ideal strength or length profile, but he makes up for it with refined pass-rush technique and a varied plan of attack. He has to clean up his unorthodox stance and false steps to hit his ceiling, but he offers a high floor as a pass rusher.
38. Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
Boston is a sure-handed pass catcher who shows great body control and concentration when working in traffic. He gives you a reliable target at the catch point, though refining his route technique and break points will be important given his more limited suddenness.
39. R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
Thomas is like an uncoiled spring at the snap, with the kind of burst that will terrify tackles at the next level. His first-step explosiveness gives him real pass rush juice, but there is real room to grow from a run defense perspective.
40. Peter Woods (IDL, Clemson)
Woods is a bottle of explosiveness waiting to be uncorked on every snap, with the quickness and closing burst to create real problems inside. His inconsistent 2025 tape and lack of pass rush refinement are causes for concern, but there’s still plenty to bet on.
41. TJ Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
Parker offers a strong technical foundation, combining football IQ with effective hand usage to impact both phases. The length concerns are real, but clearing his chest more consistently will help him work around them.
42. Kadyn Proctor (OT, Alabama)
Proctor is a behemoth even by NFL standards, and that size is matched by real physicality in both phases. There will be real debate about whether he is a tackle or guard in the NFL, but he offers the power to overwhelm defenders in close quarters.
43. Kayden McDonald (IDL, Ohio State)
McDonald is the best run defender in this defensive tackle class, bringing a great anchor, powerful hands, and real sturdiness at the point of attack. He might never offer much as a pass rusher, but his early down value is readily apparent.
44. Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
Sadiq is a seriously explosive athlete with the burst and speed to threaten defenses at all three levels, making him a mismatch for linebackers and safeties. The flashes are exciting, though he still has room to develop as a route runner, especially in his releases and zone feel.
45. Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
Trotter’s ability to stack and shed or slip blocks entirely allows him to make some outstanding plays working downhill. He can be a real tone-setter around the line of scrimmage, but he doesn’t offer quite the same value as a coverage defender at this point.
46. Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
Mesidor’s experience shows in how he rushes, with a varied plan that can keep tackles guessing throughout the rep. There is clear pass-rush know-how here, but his injury history and limited power profile are concerning.
47. Max Iheanachor (OT, Arizona State)
Iheanachor is still fairly new to football, but he already shows impressive athleticism and movement skills for a player of his size. The upside is easy to see, though his punches need more force and consistency after too many late, wide strikes on tape.
48. Chris Bell (WR, Louisville)
Bell may look like a classic jump-ball receiver, but his best work comes with the ball in his hands, where he is a legitimate home-run threat in space. He offers exciting run-after-catch ability, but becoming a better route salesman would help him separate more consistently against man coverage.
49. CJ Allen (LB, Georgia)
Allen is an excellent open field tackler who takes strong angles, brings good form, and has enough hit power to stop runners in their tracks. That gives him a useful floor, though he is still too passive in zone coverage and needs a better feel for routes developing around him.
50. Lee Hunter (IDL, Texas Tech)
Hunter’s violent, well-timed hands allow him to overwhelm blockers with power or slip past them with quick clubs and swims. He has the tools to create disruption inside, but he needs to play with a lower centre of gravity in order to truly control contact and stay rooted through blocks.
51-100
51. Keionte Scott (CB, Miami)
52. Darrell Jackson Jr. (IDL, Florida State)
53. Chase Bisontis (IOL, Texas A&M)
54. Zakee Wheatley (S, Penn State)
55. Jalen Farmer (IOL, Kentucky)
56. Keldric Faulk (EDGE, Auburn)
57. De’Zhaun Stribling (WR, Ole Miss)
58. Keylan Rutledge (IOL, Georgia Tech)
59. Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
60. Gracen Halton (IDL, Oklahoma)
61. Julian Neal (CB, Arkansas)
62. Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
63. Brenen Thompson (WR, Mississippi State)
64. Kaleb Proctor (IDL, Southeastern Louisiana)
65. Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
66. Antonio Williams (WR, Clemson)
67. Connor Lew (IOL, Auburn)
68. Jalon Kilgore (CB, South Carolina)
69. Elijah Sarratt (WR, Indiana)
70. Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
71. Devin Moore (CB, Florida)
72. Genesis Smith (S, Arizona)
73. Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU)
74. Bryce Lance (WR, North Dakota State)
75. Kage Casey (OT, Boise State)
76. Landon Robinson (IDL, Navy)
77. A.J. Haulcy (S, LSU)
78. Romello Height (EDGE, Texas Tech)
79. Cyrus Allen (LB, Georgia)
80. Zachariah Branch (WR, Georgia)
81. Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan)
82. Ephesians Prysock (CB, Washington)
83. CJ Daniels (WR, Miami)
84. Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
85. Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)
86. Matt Gulbin (IOL, Michigan State)
87. Cole Payton (QB, North Dakota State)
88. Logan Taylor (IOL, Boston College)
89. Domonique Orange (IDL, Iowa State)
90. Max Klare (TE, Ohio State)
91. Cole Wisniewski (S, Texas Tech)
92. Chris McClellan (IDL, Missouri)
93. Bud Clark (S, TCU)
94. Nick Barrett (IDL, South Carolina)
95. Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
96. Max Llewellyn (EDGE, Iowa)
97. Markel Bell (OT, Miami)
98. Quintayvious Hutchins (EDGE, Boston College)
99. Eric Rivers (WR, Georgia Tech)
100. Skyler Bell (WR, UConn)
JACK BRENTNALL
HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT
Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.