The 2025 NFL Draft is so last week’s news. So here’s the top 25 for the 2026 NFL Draft. Because it’s always draft season.
1. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson, Junior
A monster in the middle. That’s what Peter Woods is. A 6-foot-3, 315-pound interior game wrecker who has the athleticism to play on the outside, too. Woods is a powerful defender with light feet who plays hard and has the ability to impact the run or pass on every down. His top-notch combination of strength and agility would fit in any type of defense. Woods reminds me a lot of Jets star Quinnen Williams.
2. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State, Junior
Safety prospects, even the most talented and highly regarded ones, seldom go high in the first round of the draft. Caleb Downs is the type of defender, and just pure football player, to buck that trend. He is an explosive player with good size who can take over a game in a multitude of ways. Ohio State has used Downs as a rover-type defender (an aptly name “Monster Back” in some football parlances), to allow Downs to weaponize his upper-echelon football awareness, intelligence and just sheer ability to impact the game. When you watch the defending national champion’s defense this upcoming season, make sure to find where No. 2 is located.
3. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah, RS Sophomore
Lomu is an easy mover in a big frame with room to add even more weight. He already shows off polished technique with patient hands as a pass protector, with some strength and pop in the run game, too. Lomu took over as Utah’s left tackle and moved his talented teammate Spencer Fano (who also appears on this big board) to the right side. The play strength (with a little bit of nasty to him), light feet, and technique that Lomu displayed as a redshirt freshman makes me excited to watch how he develops in 2025.
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4. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana, RS Junior
A tall athlete with a loose arm and frame to add more weight, Mendoza can put some real zip on the football on underneath and intermediate throws. Mendoza shows off polish with his footwork and pocket movement, and already shows encouraging snaps of progressing and moving in the pocket to find answers. He’s consistently accurate at all three levels of the field, even when moved off his launch point. He also has a knack for locating the football away from defenders. Mendoza is a good athlete who can create a bit with his legs too, but prefers to win as a thrower. Mendoza is an intriguing package of traits and polish with a high IQ (he’s deadly in two-minute situations) and real feel for the position. There are some similarities to Matt Ryan. I think his stock is about to rise rapidly in Indiana’s offense.
5. LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina, RS Sophomore
A ridiculous runner of the football. It’s Sellers’ improvement as a passer, along with the blinding flashes of improvisational wizardry, that makes him so exciting as a prospect. Sellers has a high-end arm that he can access from all platforms and is a simply excellent athlete. He really came along working from the pocket in his first year starting, which combined with his size (listed at 6-3, 242 pounds) and youth (just turns 20 in June) makes him a potential player that can ascend to the No. 1 spot on this board by next year.
Get used to hearing the name LaNorris Sellers in the 2026 NFL Draft cycle. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
(Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
6. T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson, Junior
A powerful defender who is effective against both the run and pass, Parker has strong hands and likes to push the pocket as a pass rusher. He is an explosive athlete that fires off the football and is constantly attacking blockers right after the snap. Clemson’s defense is going to be quite something this year.
7. Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas, Junior
A dynamo in the middle, it’s an absolute pleasure to watch Hill play football. He has the speed and range to run sideline-to-sideline as a run defender or in coverage. Hill has ideal modern linebacker size (6-3, 237 pounds) while also being athletic, smart and tough, with no qualms taking on blockers in the box or playing in coverage on any down.
8. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Every touch has a chance to go to the house with Love. He has home-run ability, but really knows how to throttle between speeds to use it effectively. Love has good vision and is a strong runner who can take a steady stream of touches. He can work between the tackles and shows a real ability to set up his blocks as a runner, constantly staying balanced and square to the line.
9. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington, Junior
A smooth route runner in a big frame, Boston can easily get in and out of his breaks. Boston is a hands catcher with range who can quickly transition into a runner because of the confidence he has in his ball skills. His ability to consistently adjust for the football, combined with his frame, makes him a weapon along the sidelines and in the red zone, too. Boston has build-up speed with the ball in his hands and can pull away with his long strides, and to cap it all off he has a knack for the little things like blocking and route timing.
10. Isaiah World, OT, Oregon, RS Senior
A transfer from Nevada, World has the frame (listed at 6-8, 312 pounds) that will lead to many quips this season and draft cycle, but he is an excellent athlete who fires out of his stance. When he connects with defenders on contact, he can completely wipe them out. He’s an easy mover in pass protection who has the foot quickness to react and recover on inside moves. He still has to refine his technique as far as hand placement and add some strength to his game, but it’s hard to find players with this combination of size, length and movement ability. Under Oregon offensive line coach A’lique Terry, I think World has a chance to really ascend this season.
11. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU, RS Senior
I really like Nussmeier’s combination of aggressiveness, throwing creativity, anticipation, and ability to avoid sacks. His size (listed at 6-2, 205 pounds) is just average for the position, so I will be curious what his weight would be in the pre-draft cycle. But he has a real understanding for playing the position, is a better athlete than his rushing numbers indicate, and has performed in clutch moments for LSU. He still has to rein in some of his devil-may-care tendencies, but Nussmeier handled a lot in that LSU offense and was often very good while doing so. He is just a lot of fun to watch playing quarterback.
12. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee, Junior
McCoy is a quick-twitch athlete who constantly makes plays on the football. He has good size and already shows the footwork and patience to stay sticky with receivers. McCoy’s skill set and athleticism are a fun package at the cornerback spot.
13. Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (FL), Junior
Bain is a strongly built defender who can impact the game in a variety of roles. He has the strength to hold his own at the point of attack and can constantly knock blockers back in one-on-one situations. He has light feet and can bend and is effective on defensive twists and games, too. Bain’s build and powerful play style remind me a lot of Brandon Graham.
14. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah, Junior
Yes, both of Utah’s tackles make the board. Fano played left tackle before moving to right tackle in 2024. He has a long and lean build, which he can look to add weight to, but already shows off the consistent ability to get tangible movement in the run game. Fano is a springy athlete who can constantly stay on his feet, as well as with pass rushers and any post-snap movement, and he is also a strong finisher in the run game.
15. Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn, Junior
Faulk is a smooth athlete who can bend and knife inside on stunts and really disrupt run games. His current pass-rush move set is him spamming buttons and hoping it works. But if he develops a better plan, along with some more strength and pop, his fluidity, length and hard-working style could turn him into a disruptive every-down edge.
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16. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia, Junior
Another off-ball linebacker makes the board! Allen does it all in the middle for the Georgia defense. He is a tenacious run defender and a true leader of the defense who constantly puts himself in good position in coverage. Allen fits in any type of defense, and is the type of hard-to-find linebacker that can play both inside and out of the box in today’s game.
17. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson, Junior
Another talented Clemson defender makes the board (and there are others, too). Terrell is lightning fast and can stay in the hip pocket of receivers. He has below-average size, listed currently at 180 pounds, but he’s a tough defender who is willing to tackle and scrap against bigger receivers.
18. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama, Junior
A mountain of a man (listed at 6-7 and 360 pounds), Proctor can completely wipe out defenders as soon as he gets his hands on them in the run game. Despite being so large, Proctor is seldom out of whack. He has light feet and can quickly get out of his stance and redirect when needed as a pass protector, too. If he keeps staying consistent, he’s an easy high draft pick.
19. Austin Barber, OT, Florida, RS Senior
A quick athlete who plays with polished technique, Barber was a standout during the 2024 season and should be part of a standout 2025 unit. His light feet and effectiveness as a run and pass blocker give Barber good starting potential on the outside.
20. Francis Mauigoa, OT/OG, Miami (FL)
Mauigoa has good size and plays with a wide, balanced base. He is a strong and efficient mover who seldom gets out of whack with his hands or feet. Guard might be his best spot in the NFL, but he is a good enough athlete to have a chance to stay on the outside.
21. LT Overton, DL, Alabama, Senior
Overton is a strong and rugged defender who can push the pocket from both the inside and out. He has length and strong hands that can move blockers once he latches onto them. He wins more with power, but he can bend and constantly get underneath blockers.
22. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State, Junior
A long-legged and fluid outside receiver, Tate has good hands and is comfortable extending for throws away from his body. He has good speed and can eat up ground with his strides, sometimes surprising cornerbacks with how quickly he is able to close space. Tate can throttle speeds and sink into his routes, and shows a nice feel for finding space against zone coverage.
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23. Tyreak Sapp, Edge, Florida, RS Senior
Sapp has length and active hands. He plays with a high-energy style that is constantly attacking. He is disruptive against the run because of his strength and competitive play style, and he will beat cutoff blocks to make plays in the backfield. Sapp needs to keep developing more in his pass-rush arsenal, but his versatility to move across the defensive line gives him value.
24. Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon, Junior
A big, long, strong, classic 4-3 defensive end type, Uiagalelei (younger brother of D.J.) is best when pushing the pocket as a pass rusher who can consistently set the edge at the point of attack against the run. If he keeps developing more pass-rush moves (and keeps his motor going), he has the build and strength to turn into a power rusher who can hinder offenses on a down-to-down basis.
25. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson, Senior
Klubnik has kept improving and turned himself into a nice all-around quarterback who can really place the ball when he’s feeling it and should lead a very talented Clemson team this season. He has just adequate size and can keep tightening down his operation, but has a good arm with a consistent delivery and can push the ball outside and to all levels of the field. He is an effective scrambler and a tough runner that Clemson asks to grind out yards.
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