Scout's Notebook - 2026 NFL Draft Position Rankings - Inaugural Rankings

Jeremiyah Love / RB / Notre Dame

Top 20 Prospects

1. Matayo Uiagalelei / EDGE / Oregon

2. Caleb Downs / S / Ohio State

3. Dani Dennis-Sutton / EDGE / Penn State

4. Isaiah World / OT / Oregon

5. Carson Beck / QB / Miami, Fl

6. Suntarine Perkins / LB / Ole Miss

7. Rueben Bain / EDGE / Miami, Fl.

8. Jermaine Mathews / CB / Ohio State

9. Kyle Louis / LB / Pittsburgh

10. Kadyn Proctor / OT / Alabama

11. Carnell Tate / WR / Ohio State

12. Dontay Corleone / IDL / Cincinnati

13. Carter Smith / OT / Indiana

14. Darrell Jackson / IDL / Florida State

15. Chris Bell / WR / Louisville

16. Jeremiyah Love / RB / Notre Dame

17. Kelley Jones / CB / Mississippi State

18. Dillon Thieneman / S / Oregon

19. Jonah Coleman / RB / Washington

20. TJ Parker / EDGE / Clemson

Offensive Overview - 

As the leaves begin to turn, we are getting a better sense of the quality and depth of the upperclassmen who are likely to populate the top of NFL draft boards next April. To say the QBs have under-performed would qualify as an understatement at this point in the season. Only Carson Beck has played like a first round draft pick through the first third of the season. The potential OT class looks like it could provide six or seven first round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. The RB and WR classes are still developing and both are likely to provide NFL contributors, if not starters, next year. The TE class has an intriguing group of pass catchers with the athleticism and play making skill to create mismatches in the passing game. The IOL class has a solid selection of plug and play starters and contributors who will make up a significant portion of the middle of next year's draft.

QB

1. Carson Beck / Miami, Fl

2. Sawyer Robertson / Baylor

3. Drew Allar / Penn State

4. Haynes King / Georgia Tech

5. Garrett Nussmeier / LSU

Next Tier

Josh Hoover / TCU

Cade Klubnik / Clemson

Diego Pavia / Vanderbilt

Ty Simpson / Alabama

Trinidad Chambliss / Ole Miss

Beau Pribula / Missouri

Jayden Maiava / USC

Dante Moore / Oregon

Jake Retzlaff / Tulane

Fernando Mendoza / Indiana

John Mateer / Oklahoma

Luke Altmyer / Illinois

RB

1. Jeremiyah Love / Notre Dame

2. Jonah Coleman / Washington

3. Justice Haynes / Michigan

4. Kewan Lacy / Ole Miss

5. Nicholas Singleton / Penn State

Next Tier

Mark Fletcher / Miami, Fl

Roman Hemby / Indiana

Gavin Sawchuk / Florida State

Jamal Haynes / Georgia Tech

Desmond Reid / Pittsburgh

Jadarian Price / Notre Dame

Demond Claiborne / Wake Forest

Le'Veon Moss / Texas A&M

Anthony Hankerson / Oregon State

Kaytron Allen / Penn State

WR

1. Carnell Tate / Ohio State

2. Chris Bell / Louisville

3. Jordyn Tyson / Arizona State

4. Nyck Harbor / South Carolina

5. Germie Bernard / Alabama

Next Tier

CJ Daniels / Miami, Fl

Chris Brazzell / Tennessee

Zachariah Branch / Georgia

Caleb Douglas / Texas Tech

Makai Lemon / USC

Duce Robinson / Florida State

Denzel Boston / Washington

Elijah Sarratt / Indiana

KC Concepcion / Texas A&M

Romello Brinson / SMU

Ian Strong / Rutgers

Josh Cameron / Baylor

Matthew Henry / Western Kentucky

TE

1. Kenyon Sadiq / Oregon

2. Sam Roush / Stanford

3. Max Klare / Ohio State

4. Eli Stowers / Vanderbilt

5. Dae'Quan Wright / Ole Miss

Next Tier

Justin Joly / North Carolina State

RJ Maryland / SMU

Chamon Metayer / Arizona State

Michael Trigg / Baylor

Matt Lauter / Boise State

Tanner Koziol / Houston

Oscar Delp / Georgia

Randy Pittman / Florida State

Jeremiah Franklin / Boston College

Benjamin Brahmer / Iowa State

Joe Royer / Cincinnati

Brett Norfleet / Missouri

Seydou Traore / Mississippi State

Eli Raridon / Notre Dame

OT

1. Isaiah World / Oregon

2. Kadyn Proctor / Alabama

3. Carter Smith / Indiana

4. Spencer Fano / Utah

5. Francis Mauigoa / Miami, Fl

Next Tier

Max Iheanachor / Arizona State

Gunnar Hansen / Florida State

McKale Boley / Virginia

Gennings Dunker / Iowa

Alan Herron / Maryland

Tyler Needham / Rutgers

James Neal / Iowa State

Trey Zuhn / Texas A&M

Lance Heard / Tennessee

Austin Barber / Florida

Caleb Tiernan / Northwestern

JC Davis / Illinois

Blake Miller / Clemson

IOL

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

2. Olaivavega Ioane / Penn State

3. Logan Jones / Iowa

4. Keylan Rutledge / Georgia Tech

5. Walker Parks / Clemson

Next Tier

Parker Brailsford / Alabama

Geno VanDeMark / Alabama

Kam Dewberry / Alabama

Bryce Foster / Kansas

Jake Slaughter / Florida

Fernando Carmona / Arkansas

Chase Bisontis / Texas A&M

Emmanuel Pregnon / Oregon

Tegra Tshabola / Ohio State

Beau Stephens / Iowa

Pat Coogan / Indiana

Rocco Spindler / Nebraska

Anthony Carter / North Carolina State

Defensive Overview - 

The QB class is underachieving and teams needing a franchise signal caller look likely to be disappointed. But as a nice consolation prize, the potential EDGE class could offer difference making pass rushers to the NFL next season. Matayo Uiagalelei (Oregon) and Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State) both look like potential top 5 picks next April. The LB class looks potentially impactful with two pass rushing talents - Suntarine Perkins/Ole Miss and Harold Perkins/LSU - and two outstanding off the ball LBs - Kyle Louis/Pittsburgh and Anthony Hill/Texas that look like potential All-Pros. The IDL class is not especially deep but the top of the class is loaded with quality run stuffers. The CB class is still in the process of being defined but has a number of large CBs that could become eventual NFL starters. The quality of the CB class will be defined further by performances in meaningful conference games down the stretch. For the second consecutive year, the safety class looks like it has a couple of potential difference makers in Caleb Downs (Ohio State) and Dillon Thieneman (Oregon). Several kickers have NFL-caliber legs but more consistency is needed before any team should use a draft pick on one. Punter Ryan Eckley (Michigan State) grades out as a fifth or sixth round pick and looks like a Pro Bowl level player as soon as his rookie year.

EDGE

1. Matayo Uiagalelei / Oregon

2. Dani Dennis-Sutton / Penn State

3. Rueben Bain / Miami, Fl

4. TJ Parker / Clemson

5. David Bailey / Texas Tech

Next Tier

Patrick Payton / LSU

R. Mason Thomas / Oklahoma

Caden Curry / Ohio State

Will Heldt / Clemson

Wesley Williams / Duke

Vincent Anthony / Duke

Romello Height / Texas Tech

Tyreak Sapp / Florida

Mikhail Kamara / Indiana

Jayden Virgin-Morgan / Boise State

Cashius Howell / Texas A&M

Derrick Moore / Michigan

Gabe Jacas / Illinois

Max Llewellyn / Iowa

Akheem Mesidor / Miami, Fl

Dasan McCullough / Nebraska

IDL

1. Dontay Corleone / Cincinati

2. Darrell Jackson / Florida State

3. Peter Woods / Clemson 

4. Zxavian Harris / Ole Miss

5. Domonique Orange / Iowa State

Next Tier

Caleb Banks / Florida

Tim Keenan / Alabama

Rayshaun Benny / Michigan

Bear Alexander / Oregon

Deven Eastern / Minnesota

DeMonte Capehart / Clemson

Christen Miller / Georgia

Aaron Graves / Iowa

Hosea Wheeler / Indiana

Kenean Caldwell / Kansas

Nick Barrett / South Carolina

Bryson Eason / Tennessee

LB

1. Suntarine Perkins / Ole Miss

2. Kyle Louis / Pittsburgh

3. Anthony Hill / Texas

4. Harold Perkins / LSU

5. Wesley Bissainthe / Miami, Fl

Next Tier

Jacob Rodriguez / Texas Tech

Whit Weeks / LSU

Javin Wright / Nebraska

Wade Woodaz / Clemson

Ernest Hausmann / Michigan

Jaishawn Barham / Michigan

Tony Rojas / Penn State

Amare Campbell / Penn State

Eric Gentry / USC

Deontae Lawson / Alabama

Taurean York / Texas A&M

CJ Allen / Georgia

Xavian Sorey / Arkansas

Bengally Kamara / Kansas

Jason Henderson / Old Dominion

CB

1. Jermaine Mathews / Ohio State

2. Kelley Jones / Mississippi State

3. Avieon Terrell / Clemson

4. Jermod McCoy / Tennessee

5. D'Angelo Ponds / Indiana

Next Tier

AJ Harris / Penn State

Davison Igbinosun / Ohio State

Tacario Davis / Washington

Ephesians Prysock / Washington

Daylen Everette / Georgia

Malik Muhammad / Texas

Domani Jackson / Alabama

Brandon Cisse / South Carolina

Mansoor Delane / LSU

Antonio Kite / Ole Miss

Jerry Wilson / Florida State

Chandler Rivers / Duke

Omarion Cooper / Memphis

Ahmari Harvey / Georgia Tech

Safety

1. Caleb Downs / Ohio State

2. Dillon Thieneman / Oregon

3. Bud Clark / TCU

4. AJ Haulcy / LSU

5. Michael Taaffe / Texas

Next Tier

Isaiah Nwokobia / SMU

Javon McIntyre / Pittsburgh

Keon Sabb / Alabama

DQ Smith / South Carolina

Earl Little / Florida State

Jakobe Thomas / Miami, Fl

DeShon Singleton / Nebraska

VJ Payne / Kansas State

Tate Hallock / Western Michigan

Malik Spencer / Michigan State

Sage Ryan / Ole Miss

Jalen Catalon / Missouri

Specialists

1. Ryan Eckley / P / Michigan State

2. Dominic Zvada / K / Michigan

3. Cole Maynard / P / Western Kentucky

4. Lucas Carneiro / K / Ole Miss

5. Brett Thorson / P / Georgia

Next Tier

Jack Bouwmeester / P / Texas

Caden Noonkester / P / North Carolina State

Grady Gross / K / Washington

Jesus Gomez / K / Arizona State

Damian Ramos / K / LSU

Noah Burnette / K / Notre Dame

Oliver Straw / P / West Virginia

SNS

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Jonah Coleman / RB / Washington