Scout's Eye - SNS Player Awards & All-American Team

John B. Everett
2 days ago
8 min read

Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez drops into coverage — *Jacob Rodriguez / LB / Texas Tech*

Welcome to SNS’ first annual edition of the SNS All-American Team and Player of the Year (P.O.Y) Awards. Although many of the names will be similar to other All-American teams, the reasoning for the SNS All-American team is markedly different. The SNS All-American team and P.O.Y Awards are only given to draft-eligible prospects that are high level NFL draft prospects. In other words, fantastic college players, like Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, are not included in the All-American team or P.O.Y awards because they are marginal NFL prospects who will be hard pressed to make it in the NFL.

SNS Awards

Offensive Player of the Year

Fernando Mendoza / QB / Indiana

Defensive Player of the Year

Jacob Rodriguez / LB / Texas Tech

Specialist of the Year

Ryan Eckley / P / Michigan State

SNS All-American Team

OFFENSE

Fernando Mendoza / Indiana

226/316 (71.5%) / 2,980 yds / 33 TD / 6 INT

69 carries / 240 yds (3.5 YPC) / 6 TDs

Mendoza is the leading contender for both the Heisman Trophy, to be awarded Saturday, and to be the first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft next April. Mendoza has led IU to the top seed in the playoffs and are the only undefeated team in the nation. Mendoza’s combination of size, athleticism, arm talent, and maturity makes him a potential franchise QB in the NFL.

Jeremiyah Love / Notre Dame

199 carries / 1,372 yds (6.9 YPC) / 18 TDs

27 receptions / 280 yds (10.4 YPR) / 3 TDs

Love entered the fall as the top RB prospect in the nation and leaves his junior season (the Irish declined bowl invitations, ending their season after not making the college football playoff) as the best RB prospect in the nation and a likely first-round draft pick next April. Love could be a top ten selection next spring.

Kewan Lacy / Ole Miss

258 carries / 1,279 yds (5.4 YPC) / 14 TDs

25 receptions / 154 yds (6.2 YPR) / 0 TDs

Lacy, a first-year starter after transferring in from Missouri, was seemingly the missing ingredient in the Rebels’ recipe in earning the sixth-seed and a home game this weekend against Tulane. Lacy has little wear and tear on his body after only starting one season in Oxford and looks like a second-round pick for next April’s draft, if he declares and does not return to college for another season.

Chris Bell / Louisville

72 receptions / 917 yds (12.7 YPR) / 6 TDs

Bell, SNS’ number one ranked WR for the 2026 NFL Draft, is an extremely strong and powerful open field runner with secure hands who works the middle of the field extremely well. Bell, a senior, will need to run a sub-4.6 40 at the combine to hear his name called on the last Thursday of April in Pittsburgh.

Makai Lemon / USC

79 receptions / 1,156 yds (14.6 YPR) / 11 TDs

Lemon finally played up to his immense talent as a junior and proved to be amongst the best WRs in college football this past season. Lemon has the versatility to line up out wide, or in the slot, and is an extremely dangerous kick and punt returner. Lemon looks like a long-term starting WR, likely in the slot, in the NFL and is a poor man’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, a fellow Trojan WR. Lemon looks like a top 50 prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Kenyon Sadiq / Oregon

40 receptions / 490 yds (12.3 YPR) / 8 TDs

Sadiq is a freak athlete who creates mismatches against virtually every LB and safety he faces in coverage and requires a top CB to handle in man coverage. Sadiq has great speed and agility for his size and despite his receiving ability, is a very good in-line blocker. The junior, if he declares, is a lock for a first-round pick next April.

Carter Smith / Indiana

Most draft analysts are sleeping on Smith, a junior, who has had a remarkable season as Fernando Mendoza’s blindside protector, neutralizing top NFL EDGE prospects Dani Dennis-Sutton / Penn State, Matayo Uiagalelei / Oregon, Caden Curry / Ohio State, and Kenyatta Jackson / Ohio State when matched up this year. Smith is steady, consistent, and is highly durable and tough and looks like a franchise OLT in the NFL for the next decade.

Kadyn Proctor / Alabama

Perhaps the most physically gifted athlete in college football, Proctor is huge (6’7” / 366 lbs) and extremely athletic. Proctor needs to refine and improve his technique but there is no OL in college football with more upside than Proctor, who is likely to be the first OT selected next April.

IOL

Logan Jones / Center / Iowa

Although lacking the premium size of other top center prospects like Jake Slaughter / Florida and Bryce Foster / Kansas, Jones is a master technician who understands leverage and positioning and is rarely, if ever, cleanly beaten at the LOS. Jones plays much like Baltimore’s Tyler Linderbaum, a perennial All-Pro and Iowa alum, and Jones looks like a long-term NFL starter.

Emmanuel Pregnon / Guard / Oregon

Pregnon, who started his college career at Wyoming before transferring to USC and then Oregon, has the premium size (6’5” / 318 lbs) and playing experience in college to be developed into a perennial Pro Bowler in the NFL. Pregnon looks like a top 32 pick in next year’s draft.

Keylan Rutledge / Guard / Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets made a serious run at the college football playoff and one of the main reasons for this is the quality of the offensive line, led by senior guard Rutledge, one of the best run blocking IOL in the nation. Rutledge has the desired size (6’4” / 320 lbs), experience, and lateral agility to be a ten-year starter in the NFL.

DEFENSE

EDGE

David Bailey / Texas Tech

42 total tackles / 13.5 sacks / 18 TFL / 3 forced fumbles / 1 fumble recovery

Bailey finished second in the nation with 13.5 sacks (behind Western Michigan’s Nadame Tucker, who had 14.5 sacks) and added 18 TFL for the Big 12 champions. Bailey has made a strong case to be the first player selected in Pittsburgh next April.

Cashius Howell / Texas A&M

29 total tackles / 11.5 sacks / 14 TFL / 1 forced fumble / 6 passes defensed

Howell, a 3-4 EDGE prospect, has recorded 25 sacks over his last three seasons, setting a career-high with 11.5 sacks this season, and has added 14 TFL on the season, also a career-high. Howell may be the most explosive EDGE prospect who figures to be available in next spring’s draft. Howell looks like a first-round selection in April.

IDL

Zxavian Harris / Ole Miss

43 total tackles / 3 sacks / 7.5 TFL / 1 INT / 2 passes defensed

Harris has rare size – 6’8” / 330 lbs – with a huge wingspan and he is playing his best ball as a senior in Oxford. Harris slides up and down the line to create mismatches and his reach and length makes him a dangerous kick blocker – he has recorded six blocked FG attempts in his time at Ole Miss.

A’Mauri Washington / Oregon

29 total tackles / 1.5 sacks / 4 TFL / 6 passes defensed

Washington, a junior, still has one year of eligibility remaining but has little to prove in college and will likely declare for the draft. Washington (6’3” / 330 lbs) has the size and frame desired for an NFL DT and is peaking as the playoffs approach. If Washington declares for the draft, expect him to get selected in the first-round next April.

Jacob Rodriguez / Texas Tech

114 total tackles / 1 sack / 10 TFL / 7 forced fumbles / 1 fumble recovery / 4 INTs / 6 passes defensed

The Butkus Award winner (nation’s best LB) produced an absurd 11 turnovers this past season and is a tremendous playmaker at the second level of the defense. Rodriguez’s instincts and ball skills make him a strong candidate to be drafted in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Anthony Hill / Texas

70 total tackles / 4 sacks / 7 TFL / 3 forced fumbles / 1 fumble recovery / 2 INTs / 1 pass defensed

Hill, a junior, was the steady heartbeat of the Longhorns’ defense that kept Texas in playoff contention all season long despite health struggles at RB and inconsistent performances by QB Arch Manning. Hill has recorded 17 sacks over his three-year career in Austin and looks likely to be a first-round draft pick next April, if he declares for the draft.

Arvell Reese / Ohio State

62 total tackles / 6.5 sacks / 10 TFL / 2 passes defensed

Reese has prototypical size and frame for a MLB – 6’4” / 243 lbs – who combines excellent speed (reportedly runs a sub-4.5 40) with incredible strength (bench presses 410 lbs) to be an immediate starter in the NFL. Reese may garner interest from teams that like to run odd fronts as an EDGE rusher and his athletic profile will allow him to stay on the field regardless of down or distance as a four down LB in the NFL.

Mansoor Delane / LSU

45 total tackles / 2 INTs / 11 passes defensed

Delane transferred to LSU from Virginia Tech for a chance to make the college football playoffs. And although that obviously did not happen, Delane held up his end of the bargain by proving to be a true, number one CB in Baton Rouge. Delane has good size – 6’0” / 190 lbs – and the athleticism and ball skills to become an NFL starter early in his career.

Hezekiah Masses / California

43 total tackles / 5 INTs / 12 passes defensed

Masses, who has been invited to the Senior Bowl, played like an All-American this past season and is seeing his name quickly ascending draft boards as draft season approaches. Masses has extensive playing experience and the ball skills he displays fit what NFL teams look for in their CBs.

Safeties

Caleb Downs / Ohio State

60 total tackles / 2 INTs / 1 pass defensed / 1 sack

Downs is the safest pick available for next April’s draft without any major holes or weaknesses in his game. Downs is smart, instinctive, and fundamentally sound in coverage and is a reliable and secure open field tackler. Downs looks locked in as a top 20 selection in April’s draft.

Bud Clark / TCU

54 total tackles / 4 INTs (1 TD) / 5 passes defensed / 1 sack

Clark has been invited to the Senior Bowl at the end of January and the sixth-year senior has proven to be a productive ball hawk with 15 career interceptions. Clark also has the size (6’2” / 185 lbs) and physicality to drop down into the box and support against the run. Clark looks likely to be a top 50 prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Specialists

Drew Stevens / K / Iowa

20/26 (76.9%) / 5/8 from 40-49 yds / 4/6 from 50+ yards / 58-yard career long FG

Stevens has a dynamite leg with range up to 60 yards. Stevens is not nearly as accurate from shorter range as he needs to be but his range and accuracy in clutch situations should have him in an NFL training camp next summer.

Ryan Eckley / P / Michigan State

49 punts / 48.5 avg (gross) / 40.6 avg (net)

Eckley, a junior, declared for the 2026 NFL Draft and was immediately invited to the Senior Bowl, a sign that NFL teams think highly of the Spartans’ future as an NFL punter. Eckley may be the first specialist drafted and could hear his name called before the end of the fifth round next April.