DRAFT NEWS

When you scout hundreds of prospects every season, you begin to identify some prospects as favorites, even though that was never a goal when the process started. Some prospects just combine the effort with the production or athletic upside that they magnetically draw your attention and your eyes just always seem to find him on the field.

The 2026 NFL Draft QB class appears to be one of the weakest group of signal callers to enter the league in decades. There is only one, true potential franchise QB in this year's draft - Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), the Heisman Trophy winner. Mendoza is locked in as the first selection in Pittsburgh on April 23rd but no other QB in the 2026 NFL Draft has earned a first-round grade. In fact, no other QB can safely be called a future starter.

The defensive lines and LBs dominated all week and during the game and that’s a reflection of the quality of the defensive front seven that will be entering the NFL next year. There are several prospects who elevated their draft stock significantly this past week – some likely locking up a first-round selection, while other prospects improved their draft stock in either moving up the board or becoming a likely selection in the seven-round, 257 pick NFL Draft that takes place

The Senior Bowl participants are overwhelmingly the best declared juniors and seniors available for the NFL Draft - the majority of the top 100 prospects in the NFL Draft play in the Senior Bowl. Many, but rarely all, first round draft picks play in the Senior Bowl. This is especially true regarding the best QBs who historically opt-out of participating. The majority of these prospects in Mobile should earn an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, February 2

Entering last weekend, eleven teams were undefeated, a large number for this point of the season. But after last Saturday, that number has been reduced to six teams after (2) Miami, Fl (lost to Louisville), (5) Ole Miss (lost to Georgia), (7) Texas Tech (lost to Arizona State), (22) Memphis (lost to UAB), and UNLV (lost to Boise State) all tasted the bitterness of defeat. The remaining undefeated teams come from the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12, ACC, and AAC.

Last Saturday, five previously undefeated teams dropped their first game of the season – Miami, Fl, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Memphis, and UNLV – leaving six teams with still unblemished records – Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, BYU, and Navy at just over the halfway point of the season.

Last weekend’s games were dramatic, down-to-the-wire affairs that will have a huge influence on the conference title and national playoff races. Oregon, Alabama, and Ole Miss all earned impressive victories last weekend and have an inside track to a playoff berth this December. Three games this Saturday – Miami at Florida State, Vanderbilt at Alabama, and Texas at Florida - will factor into conference title races and feature several potential first-round picks next April.