DRAFT NEWS

The Big Board 100 is a direct reflection of the strengths and weaknesses of the 2026 NFL Draft class. WR is the most represented position on this Big Board with 14 prospects listed, which indicates the wide array of talent available at the WR position. The best talent of this draft is along the offensive and defensive lines where 38 of the 100 prospects listed are either OTs, IOL (OG and OC), EDGEs, or IDL.

Happy New Year! Eight teams remain alive in the hunt for the national title and several future NFL stars will undoubtably be featured performers in the drama to come. Let’s take a look at some of the best draft-eligible prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft that will be playing in the Rose and Sugar Bowl games.

The latest SNS mock draft values the positions of depth that NFL teams prioritize. Namely, OT and EDGE are two of the deepest positions in the 2026 NFL Draft - 13 of the 32 picks in this mock draft are either OTs or EDGEs. On the other hand, only six of the 32 first round picks are from "skill" positions of QB, RB, and WR. When the 2025 season began, the QB class was viewed as potentially deep and talented. But the reality of the situation was much starker...

Draft-worthy upperclassmen have been sitting out the bowl games for years, fearing an injury suffered in a meaningless bowl game could derail their professional career. This thought process also applies to any player who intends to enter the transfer portal - why risk a bowl game injury and not being able to cash in on a lucrative NIL offer from another school to play in a pointless game? If only the Fighting Irish had declined a bowl bid, it could be written off as Notre Dam

SNS' number one QB prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), was barely on the draft radar when the season began. The quality of the 2025 QB class will be determined after Dante Moore (Oregon) and Ty Simpson (Alabama) decide to declare or to return for another season of college football. If Moore and Simpson return to college, the 2026 NFL Draft QB class could be one for the ages - Moore, Simpson, Manning, Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Marcel Reed (Texas Q&M)