2026 NFL Draft Big Board - Position Rankings

The 2026 NFL Draft QB class looked like it could have been special at the beginning of the 2025 college football season but the reality of the class is there are few potential starting QBs in this draft and only one that could project to being a franchise QB - Indiana's Fernando Mendoza. Another ten or so prospects look like potential developmental starting QBs. The remaining QBs figure to fight for a roster, or more likely, a practice squad spot next fall. It is unlikely that more than a dozen QBs get drafted in the seven round, 257 pick NFL Draft scheduled for the last weekend of April in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

* Yet to declare draft intentions

** Appealing ruling on college eligibility

1. Fernando Mendoza / Indiana*

2. Trinidad Chambliss / Ole Miss**

3. Ty Simpson / Alabama

4. Carson Beck / Miami, Fl

5. Haynes King / Georgia Tech

6. Cade Klubnik / Clemson

7. Drew Allar / Penn State

8. Sawyer Robertson / Baylor

9. Garrett Nussmeier / LSU

10. Diego Pavia / Vanderbilt

11. Miller Moss / Louisville

12. Luke Altmyer / Illinois

13. Behren Morton / Texas Tech

14. Joe Fagnano / UCONN

15. Mark Gronowski / Iowa

There is only one RB at this point of the draft process that has earned a first-round grade - Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, who looks likely to be a top 10 pick in April. The RB class as a whole is solid with at least a half dozen prospects who could be developed into eventual starters and another dozen who could become significant contributors early in their NFL careers.

1. Jeremiyah Love / Notre Dame

2. Jonah Coleman / Washington

3. Emmett Johnson / Nebraska

4. Nicholas Singleton / Penn State

5. LJ Martin / BYU

6. Kaytron Allen / Penn State

7. Demond Claiborne / Wake Forest

8. Anthony Hankerson / Oregon State

9. Jadarian Price / Notre Dame

10. Sieh Bangura / Ohio

11. Rahsul Faison / South Carolina

12. Kejon Owens / FIU

13. Roman Hemby / Indiana

14. Jamal Haynes / Georgia Tech

15. Jam Miller / Alabama

16. Desmond Reid / Pittsburgh

17. Noah Whittington / Oregon

18. Adam Randall / Clemson

19. Greg Desrosiers / Memphis

20. Dean Connors / Houston

The deepest position on the SNS Big Board is WR - 14 of the top 100 prospects are wideouts. The top-rated WR prospect is Makai Lemon of USC, the Biletnikoff Award winner, but there is not much separation amongst the top dozen or so prospects. Expect a lot of flux at the top of the rankings as the WRs go through the draft process - postseason All-Star games, combine, and pro days - and the results of these postseason activities will influence how the WR rankings shake out over the next three months.

1. Makai Lemon / USC

2. Carnell Tate / Ohio State

3. Chris Bell / Louisville

4. Jordyn Tyson / Arizona State

5. Germie Bernard / Alabama

6. Chris Brazzell / Tennessee

7. Zachariah Branch / Georgia

8. Caleb Douglas / Texas Tech

9. KC Concepcion / Texas A&M

10. Elijah Sarratt / Indiana*

11. Reggie Virgil / Texas Tech

12. De'Zhaun Stribling / Ole Miss

13. Malik Benson / Oregon

14. Denzel Boston / Washington

15. Dillon Bell / Georgia

16. Brenen Thompson / Mississippi State

17. Malachi Fields / Notre Dame

18. Josh Cameron / Baylor

19. Aaron Anderson / LSU

20. Matthew Henry / Western Kentucky

21. Harrison Wallace / Ole Miss

22. Romello Brinson / SMU

23. Ja'Kobi Lane / USC

24. Barion Brown / LSU

25. Eli Heidenreich / Navy

26. Colbie Young / Georgia

27. Antonio Williams / Clemson

28. Bryce Lance / North Dakota State

29. Kaden Wetjen / Iowa

30. Jordan Hudson / SMU

Although aside from Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, a potential top 10 selection in April, there are not any TEs who are likely to earn first-round grades, this TE class offers more than two dozen future NFL starters and contributors. This continues a trend where college football is well-aligned with the NFL in developing TEs. The TE depth looks so deep that several UDFA from this class are likely to have long and productive NFL careers.

1. Kenyon Sadiq / Oregon

2. Tanner Koziol / Houston

3. Eli Stowers / Vanderbilt

4. Sam Roush / Stanford

5. Max Klare / Ohio State

6. Justin Joly / North Carolina State

7. Michael Trigg / Baylor

8. Dae'Quan Wright / Ole Miss

9. Oscar Delp / Georgia

10. DJ Rogers / TCU

11. Jack Endries / Texas

12. Seydou Traore / Mississippi State

13. Carsen Ryan / BYU

14. Matt Lauter / Boise State

15. Joe Royer / Cincinnati

16. Josh Cuevas / Alabama

17. Nate Boerkircher / Texas A&M

18. Chamon Metayer / Arizona State

19. Eli Raridon / Notre Dame

20. Bauer Sharp / LSU

Eleven OTs made the initial Big Board 100 and that number will grow to 12 if Indiana OT Carter Smith declares for the draft. (Carter is rock solid and is ready to start from day one in the NFL.) The top of the board (Mauigoa, Fano, Proctor, World) is ready to contribute, and likely start, as rookies next fall and another dozen prospects who should make NFL rosters next season. This class is deep and talented and expect a run on the top OTs to occur early in the first round with OTs coming off the board throughout the draft in April.

1. Francis Mauigoa / Miami, Fl*

2. Spencer Fano / Utah

3. Kadyn Proctor / Alabama

4. Isaiah World / Oregon

5. Caleb Tiernan / Northwestern

6. Caleb Lomu / Utah

7. McKale Boley / Virginia

8. Austin Barber / Florida

9. Max Iheanachor / Arizona State

10. Trey Zuhn / Texas A&M

11. Gennings Dunker / Iowa

12. Jude Bowry / Boston College

13. Kage Kasey / BYU

14. Blake Miller / Clemson

15. Aamil Wagner / Notre Dame

16. Monroe Freeling / Georgia

17. Corey Robinson / Arkansas

18. Alan Herron / Maryland

19. James Neal / Iowa State

20. Gunnar Hansen / Florida State

21. Chris Adams / Memphis

22. Pat McMurtrie / James Madison

23. JC Davis / Illinois

24. Diego Pounds / Ole Miss

25. Drew Shelton / Penn State

Only two IOL have earned first-round grades at this point in the evaluation process - Oregon OG Emmanuel Pregnon and Penn State OG Olaivavega Ioane - and only one OC grades out as a top 100 prospect, Florida's Jake Slaughter. But this does not mean that there is a lack of talented centers and guards. It just means that the value on IOL prospects really starts on the third day of the draft where an additional two dozen IOL could hear their names called before the end of the draft. In total, at least a dozen IOL prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft look like future NFL starters or major contributors early in their careers.

1. Emmanuel Pregnon / OG / Oregon

2. Olaivavega Ioane / OG / Penn State

3. Keylan Rutledge / OG / Georgia Tech

4. Jake Slaughter / OC / Florida

5. Billy Schrauth / OG / Notre Dame

6. Fernando Carmona / OG / Arkansas

7. Conor Lew / OC / Auburn

8. Logan Jones / OC / Iowa

9. Ar'maj Reed-Adams / OG / Texas A&M

10. Beau Stephens / OG / Iowa

11. Chase Bisontis / OG / Texas A&M

12. Sam Hecht / OC / Kansas State

13. Walker Parks / OG / Clemson

14. Anez Cooper / OG / Miami, Fl*

15. Bryce Foster / OC /  Kansas

16. Micah Morris / OG / Georgia

17. Parker Brailsford / OC / Alabama

18. Jeremiah Wright / OG / Auburn

19. Pat Coogan / OC / Indiana

20. Joe Fusile / OG / Georgia Tech

21. James Brockermeyer / OC / Miami, Fl

22. Anthony Carter / OG / North Carolina State

23. Rocco Spindler / OG / Nebraska

24. Evan Beerntsen / OG / Northwestern

25. Jimto Obidegwu / OG / North Texas

Perhaps the most talented group of athletes in the 2026 NFL Draft, the EDGE Rushers provided ten prospects on the Big Board 100, including four prospects who earned first round grades - David Bailey, Rueben Bain, Cashius Howell, and Akheem Mesidor. Six additional EDGEs who grade out as top 100 prospects include Texas Tech's Romello Height, Auburn's Keldric Faulk, Penn State's Dani Dennis-Sutton, Ohio State's Caden Curry, Oklahoma's R. Mason Thomas, and Western Michigan's Nadame Tucker. Not only is there top end quality, there is plenty of quality depth where eventual starters and major contributors will be found in all seven rounds of the draft and amongst the UDFA class.

1. David Bailey / Texas Tech

2. Rueben Bain / Miami, Fl*

3. Cashius Howell / Texas A&M

4. Akheem Mesidor / Miami, Fl

5. Romello Height / Texas Tech

6. Keldric Faulk / Auburn

7. Dani Dennis-Sutton / Penn State

8. Caden Curry / Ohio State

9. R. Mason Thomas / Oklahoma

10. Nadame Tucker / Western Michigan

11. Max Llewellyn / Iowa

12. TJ Parker / Clemson

13. Tyreak Sapp / Florida

14. Vincent Anthony / Duke

15. Zion Young / Missouri

16. Keyron Crawford / Auburn

17. LT Overton / Alabama

18. Gabe Jacas / Illinois

19. Bryan Thomas / South Carolina

20. Trey Moore / Texas

21. Michael Heldman / Central Michigan

22. Derrick Moore / Michigan

23. Mikail Kamara / Indiana

24. Patrick Payton / LSU

25. Wesley Bailey / Louisville

The quality of the 2026 NFL Draft IDL class underwent a significant upgrade when Ohio State's Kayden McDonald declared for April's draft. McDonald has an elite combination of size, athleticism, and explosiveness and has Pro Bowl potential as a rookie. Overall, there is very good top end talent available with enough depth where future starters will get selected late on day three in April. Ten IDL make the initial Big Board 100 with three prospects (McDonald, Peter Woods, and Zxavian Harris) grading out as first round picks in Pittsburgh the last weekend of April.

1. Kayden McDonald / Ohio State

2. Peter Woods / Clemson 

3. Zxavian Harris / Ole Miss

4. Christen Miller / Georgia

5. Darrell Jackson / Florida State

6. Caleb Banks / Florida

7. Dontay Corleone / Cincinati

8. Tim Keenan / Alabama

9. Aaron Graves / Iowa

10. Landon Robinson / Navy

11. Domonique Orange / Iowa State

12. Albert Regis / Texas A&M

13. Chris McClellan / Missouri

14. Lee Hunter / Texas Tech

15. Deven Eastern / Minnesota

16. Keanu Tanuvasa / BYU

17. Nick Barrett / South Carolina

18. Rayshaun Benny / Michigan

19. Gracen Halton / Oklahoma

20. David Blay / Miami, Fl

21. Zane Durant / Penn State

22. Cameron Ball / Arkansas

23. Tyler Onyedim / Texas A&M

24. Brandon Cleveland / North Carolina State

25. Damonic Williams / Oklahoma

The 2026 NFL Draft will likely be known as one of the best and deepest group of off-the-ball LBs to enter the NFL in decades. Ten of these prospects made the Big Board 100, with three prospects earning first round grades - Ohio State's Arvell Reese, Texas' Anthony Hill, and Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez, the Butkus Award winner. The depth of this class should allow future starters and major contributors to be found in all seven rounds and in the UDFA ranks this spring.

1. Arvell Reese / Ohio State

2. Anthony Hill / Texas

3. Jacob Rodriguez / Texas Tech

4. Kyle Louis / Pittsburgh

5. Sonny Styles / Ohio State

6. CJ Allen / Georgia

7. Aiden Fisher / Indiana

8. Deontae Lawson / Alabama

9. Harold Perkins / LSU

10. Red Murdock / Buffalo

11. Wesley Bissainthe / Miami, Fl

12. Arion Carter / Tennessee

13. Eric Gentry / USC

14. Xavian Sorey / Arkansas

15. Josiah Trotter / Missouri

16. Lander Barton / Utah

17. Karson Sharar / Iowa

18. Wade Woodaz / Clemson

19. Justin Jefferson / Alabama

20. Jaishawn Barham / Michigan

The second most represented position on the Big Board 100 is CB, where 12 prospects make the list led by LSU's Mansoor Delane, a smooth and confident cover corner. Most of the top CBs have the height and length that NFL teams desire in their outside CBs, led by Avieon Terrell, Daylen Everette, Davison Igbinosun, Tacario Davis, and Ephesians Prysock. Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds is a playmaking ballhawk who is likely to be a slot CB in the NFL. Quality CBs will be found on all three days of the draft and in the UDFA ranks.

1. Mansoor Delane / LSU

2. Keionte Scott / Miami, Fl

3. Avieon Terrell / Clemson

4. Jermod McCoy / Tennessee

5. D'Angelo Ponds / Indiana

6. Hezekiah Masses / California

7. Colton Hood / Tennessee

8. Daylen Everette / Georgia

9. Brandon Cisse / South Carolina

10. Davison Igbinosun / Ohio State

11. Keith Abney / Arizona State

12. Will Lee / Texas A&M

13. Tacario Davis / Washington

14. Brent Austin / California

15. Julian Neal / Arkansas

16. Domani Jackson / Alabama

17. Ephesians Prysock / Washington

18. A'Marion McCoy / Boise State

19. Malik Muhammad / Texas

20. Chandler Rivers / Duke

21. DeCarlos Nicholson / USC

22. Jerry Wilson / Florida State

23. Devin Moore / Florida

24. Jaylon Guilbeau / Texas

25. Ceyair Wright / Nebraska

26. Ahmari Harvey / Georgia Tech

27. DaShawn Jones / Alabama

28. Kani Walker / Arkansas

29. Jordan Robinson / Virginia

30. Latrell McCutchin / Houston

The best, and arguably safest possible selection in April is Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, the number one ranked prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. Downs leads the list of a deep and talented group of safeties that offer the size and skill NFL teams look for in their safeties. Seven safeties made the Big Board 100 with Downs and LSU's AJ Haulcy having earned first round grades for April's draft.

1. Caleb Downs / Ohio State

2. AJ Haulcy / LSU

3. Dillon Thieneman / Oregon

4. Bud Clark / TCU

5. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren / Toledo

6. Jakobe Thomas / Miami, Fl

7. Bishop Fitzgerald / USC

8. DeShon Singleton / Nebraska

9. DQ Smith / South Carolina

10. Ahmaad Moses / SMU

11. Xavier Nwankpa / Iowa

12. Cole Wisniewski / Texas Tech

13. Louis Moore / Indiana

14. Zakee Wheatley / Penn State

15. VJ Payne / Kansas State

The potential specialists that are available are unlikely to generate a lot of draft buzz and most of the prospects are likely to go undrafted. The top specialists, and likely fifth or sixth round draft picks, are punters Ryan Eckley (Michigan State) and Brett Thorson (Georgia). Both punters look like long-term NFL starters. The kickers are largely a question mark because the best kicking prospects are underclassmen and will be in college next fall. Every kicker listed has a strong leg capable of hitting from 55+ yards but consistency has been an issue for these kickers.

Kickers

1. Drew Stevens / Iowa

2. Trey Smack / Florida

3. Dominic Zvada / Michigan

4. Will Ferrin / BYU

5. Kansei Matsuzawa / Hawaii

Punters

1. Ryan Eckley / Michigan State

2. Brett Thorson / Georgia

3. Cole Maynard / Western Kentucky

4. Jack Stonehouse / Syracuse

5. Wes Pahl / Oklahoma State

Long Snappers

1. Luke Basso / Oregon

2. Beau Gardner / Georgia

3. Tyler Duzansky / Penn State

4. Garrison Grimes / BYU

5. Rocco Underwood / Florida

SNS

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