Who are the best NFL draft prospects for next year? Debating the No. 1 player at 11 positions

There will be plenty of movement in the rankings between now and the start of the 2026 NFL draft next April, but teams are already setting up their boards. That’s where this exercise comes in, as I’m dissecting the early buzz and taking a look at the best players by position.

This isn’t my knee-jerk opinion. Along with doing my early film study of the prospects in this class, I talked to scouts and personnel executives around the NFL to form this list. In those discussions, I attempt to answer a few questions: Who’s on top of another deep edge rusher class? Which talented offensive tackle gets the nod right now? And we’ll address the Arch Manning phenomenon and whether he’ll be in the class of 2026.

Let’s get started at quarterback, where a few signal-callers are in the mix to be the QB1.

Jump to position:
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | IOL
DT | Edge | LB | CB | S

Quarterbacks

Before we get into it, let’s talk about Arch Manning. The Texas third-year sophomore is one of the hottest names in college football; he might be the face of the sport despite having only two starts under his belt. Manning is an electric talent and a promising pro prospect, but he has not proved himself NFL-ready just yet. Scouts agree, with every evaluator polled for this piece believing Manning will not leave Texas following the 2025 season — no matter the team’s level of success.

Now to the other quarterbacks. For the second year in a row, there is no clear-cut QB1 entering the season. This class doesn’t feature a prospect drawing the praise that Caleb Williams or Trevor Lawrence did, but we can’t forget about the rise of Jayden Daniels and Cameron Ward in back-to-back seasons as fifth-year starters. Scouts are keeping their eyes peeled for up-and-comers such as Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, but the current top quarterbacks both play in the South.

Klubnik finished his junior season on a tear. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound passer is smart and can carve up defenses when he gets into a rhythm — much as he did against Texas in the College Football Playoff, throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns in a loss. Klubnik finished the season with 36 touchdown passes and six interceptions, a massive improvement from his 19-9 ratio in 2023.

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Nussmeier, whose father is Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, showed in his first season as a starter that he has the arm talent and moxie to make big plays down the field. With four years of experience, the 6-2 and 200-pound QB is a player scouts believe can break out as he gets more starting reps.

“Nussmeier is the one that I’m most excited about because he’s so accurate and quick with his decision-making,” an AFC East area scout said.

That scout, and the rest of us, will be watching Aug. 30 when the two quarterbacks face each other at Clemson.

“Klubnik needs to prove he can elevate that offense consistently and not just be a point guard,” an AFC South area scout said. “Nussmeier has the bigger arm, he’s more dynamic as a mover and his upside is higher.”

A scout from the NFC West added: “Klubnik may have the cleaner résumé, but Nussmeier has the NFL starter skill set.”

It is a wide-open race. For now, I’m rolling with Klubnik as the best of the bunch, but I’m excited to see Mendoza in a new offense and Sellers in Year 2.

My early pick for the top QB: Klubnik

Running backs

The running back class in 2026 is a fun one, headlined by a Notre Dame rusher coming off a 17-touchdown season — but he could face stiff competition for RB1.

Love returns to South Bend fresh off a 1,125-yard season, though a postseason right knee injury limited him to 68 yards in the team’s final three games. His 98-yard run against Indiana in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals showed the vision, power and burst he typically employs. Now healthy, Love has the total package to be an elite NFL prospect at 6 feet, 206 pounds.

“Love is far and away the best back in the class,” an NFL general manager said. “Probably in college, period. At least on offense, he holds the largest gap between prospect No. 1 and prospect No. 2 at any position.”

The RB2 is debatable, thanks to a plethora of talented backs, with many of them forming strong duos. Texas features Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter, while Penn State’s pair of Singleton and Kaytron Allen look to be the 2025 version of Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson.

Singleton appears poised to break through thanks to his all-around game. At 6 feet and 227 pounds, the senior has power for days and the downhill speed to run away from defenders. He also has three-down versatility, with 41 receptions for five scores last season.

“Love is the guy, but Singleton might be a sneaky RB1 for teams that want some power and pop but value the passing game,” said a former NFL GM who still consults for clubs. “Chicago or New England, for example, are ideal fits for him.”

My early pick for the top RB: Love

Wide receivers

If you believe we’ve been in a golden era of wide receiver prospects, I won’t argue. But after seeing another pass catcher drafted in the top 10 last year (Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8), we might get a break from elite wideouts in 2026, barring a major breakout season.

There are multiple candidates to be that player, and the discussion starts with Tyson, thanks to his skills and the situation around him. At 6-1 and 195 pounds, Tyson is a downfield burner who caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns from quarterback Sam Leavitt.

Tyson’s biggest issue? Drops. He had seven last season and must clean that up to achieve WR1 status.

“Tyson makes the hardest catches look easy and the easiest catches look hard,” a rival Big 12 coach said. “He has legit NFL talent, first-round talent even, but that’s my holdup on proclaiming him a first-round guy.”

Battling Tyson for top honors is a handful of talented receivers, but no definitive competitor. That could change if Lemon lives up to the hype he has generated this summer. The 5-11, 190-pound junior showed flashes with 52 catches, 764 yards and 3 scores in 2024, but both he and the USC offense were inconsistent. That hasn’t stopped scouts from praising what he could become in 2025.

“Lemon is my pick for a breakout guy,” an NFC South area scout said. “He closed out so good last year [133 yards against Notre Dame, 99 against Texas A&M], and the USC offense should be better all-around this year. That’ll help him get more one-on-one looks.”

For now, Tyson gets the nod, but he and Lemon will see a push from players such as Isaiah Horton (Alabama), Antonio Williams (Clemson), Eric Singleton Jr. (Auburn), Denzel Boston (Washington) and Elijah Sarratt (Indiana).

My early pick for the top WR: Tyson

Tight ends

The 2025 draft saw two tight ends picked in the top 14 and five in the top 50, marking another strong year for the position. Though we are unlikely to see two tight ends drafted as early in 2026, the class should have plenty of top-100 talents.

Leading the class is Stowers. At 6-4 and 225 pounds, he might not have traditional in-line tight end size, but he has elite movement ability as a route runner and offers flexibility in his alignments.

A creative team can play Stowers anywhere from H-back to slot receiver. Scouts are torn on his ideal usage, though, and questions remain about his ability to win against top-tier teams.

“He’s just like Harold Fannin Jr. was last year,” one AFC West area scout said. “Small guy with good quicks, but he disappears when pressed, and he’s not a fit for a lot of schemes. He’s a big slot only. He’ll never play on the line of scrimmage.”

Others love Stowers’ versatility, with an NFC South scout calling him the “clear-cut TE1 in this class.”

With Terrance Ferguson‘s success last season, Oregon’s offense is evolving into somewhat of a tight end pipeline to the NFL. Up next is Sadiq, a 6-3, 245-pound junior who showed potential last season while catching two touchdowns on 24 receptions as the team’s No. 2 tight end.

Sadiq’s experience as a high school receiver is apparent in his route running, and he’s too fast for most linebackers or safeties.

“If you want a breakout player, it’s [Sadiq]. Especially with Evan Stewart hurt [he tore a patellar tendon in early June], Sadiq is primed to blow up,” an AFC West scout said.

It’s a tough battle between two very different players, but Stowers’ résumé gives him the early edge.

My early pick for the top TE: Stowers

Offensive tackles

We saw three offensive tackles drafted in the top 10 in April, but the 2026 class might actually have better talent. And these three are the headliners of an exciting group.

“I loved last year’s class, but each of the top dogs were guys who might be guards long term,” an NFL general manager said. “This year? We’ve got real-deal tackles.”

The first of those real-deal tackles is Fano. An elite run blocker, Fano has played left and right tackle for the Utes. At 6-6 and 302 pounds, he has the balance and agility to man the edge of an NFL offensive line even if there are already whispers about arm length concerns. Fano, who has started 24 games, saw his sacks allowed drop from three in 2023 to only one in 2024, as he switched from the left side to the right.

Proctor is the biggest (6-7, 360 pounds) and strongest of the group, and the player scouts are the highest on if he can reach his upside. He has the ability to maul defenders in a way that no other tackle in the class can. Proctor’s evolution as a tackle prospect over the second half of the 2024 season has scouts thinking he turned a corner.

“If you watch him against Georgia or South Carolina, two teams with great defensive lines, he looked like a top-five pick,” one AFC South area scout said. An NFC East scout added: “It’s so rare to see someone that big move so well. There’s not a great player comp for him because of that.”

Proctor allowed three sacks last season, a marked improvement from the nine surrendered in 2023.

We can’t sleep on Mauigoa as a potential top tackle. In some ways, he’s very similar to Armand Membou in terms of agility and movement skills. A two-year starter at right tackle, Mauigoa allowed no sacks and was flagged only three times last season while protecting 2025 No. 1 pick Cameron Ward. Perhaps most impressive was Mauigoa’s blown run block rate of 0.06% — just two blown blocks in 13 games.

These three represent the top of the class, but there are others scouts are excited to see. Evaluators also mentioned Xavier Chaplin (Auburn), Drew Shelton (Penn State) and Isaiah World (Oregon) as potential No. 1 tackles. Proctor might lead the group right now, but this is a diverse tackle class with many potential risers.

My early pick for the top OT: Proctor

Interior offensive linemen

A battle for the class’ top interior offensive line spot will be a fun one between two very talented players.

Missouri developed Membou into a top-10 player in the 2025 draft, and sources within the coaching staff are equally high on Green entering 2025. The 6-5, 320-pound lineman enters the season as a two-year starter at left guard, and there has been some internal conversation about making him a left tackle because of his agility and tools. Green didn’t surrender a sack last season.

Slaughter has a chance to be the best run and pass blocker among interior linemen in the class thanks to his instincts, poise, power and agility. At 6-4 and 308 pounds, he doesn’t have elite anchor ability but moves exceptionally well and has range to pull, trap and get to the second level.

“What I love about both guys is they’ll face an absolute wreck of a schedule for most offensive linemen,” an AFC scouting director said. “They’ll be battle-tested by the end of November, and we’ll get some clean looks at their pro ability.”

Slaughter and Green are both talented, but Green’s versatility and résumé as a pass protector gives him the nod.

My early pick for the top IOL: Green

Defensive tackles

The 2026 defensive tackle class doesn’t have great top-end depth or many notable playmakers. It’s basically Woods against the field, and he is primed to go wire to wire as the top prospect.

“This is a pretty weak class,” an NFC South area scout said. “There are a few guys outside of Woods, but they’re nose tackle or 1-tech types. If you needed a 3-tech, I hope you got him last year.”

Woods, a 6-3, 315-pound junior, notched three sacks and 17 pressures last season, proving himself as a top-notch run defender. He did that while splitting time between the edge and interior, a role that often limited his pass-rush advantages because he was expected to play in space. If unleashed on the interior, Woods has top-10 ability.

Challenging him will be Banks and a cast of characters waiting to break out. The 6-6, 329-pound Banks can play anywhere from a 5-technique to a nose alignment. He performed well last season, with 4.5 sacks and 20 pressures.

“Banks could be this year’s Byron Murphy II, where you see the talent coming and then boom — he puts it all together and is unstoppable,” an NFL defensive line coach said.

Woods seems like a lock as the top defensive tackle, and that’s where he’ll start on my board.

My early pick for the top DT: Woods

Edge rushers

The tightest battle of any position outside of quarterback comes at edge rusher, where the talent in the 2026 class represents an exciting mixture of top-of-the-round talents and very good depth.

Parker put together a 12-sack season in 2024 while emerging as a well-rounded run defender. His quickness off the ball stands out, but scouts praised his ball-rush ability.

“Parker has the best tools of any of them,” an AFC East area scout said. “He sets up blockers well and finishes with a mean streak. And you need power to play in the pros.”

Like Parker, Faulk brings a combination of speed and power at 6-6 and 288 pounds. With seven sacks last season, he proved his skill set of length, power and quickness can produce in the SEC. Now, a big season is expected.

“Faulk is going to get the Arik Armstead comparisons, but I think he’s athletic enough to stay in space in the pros,” an AFC North area scout said. “But you love that he can kick inside, too.”

Parker, Faulk, Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami), David Bailey (Texas Tech) and others are vying for the top spot in a group that could easily produce six first-rounders. Right now, Parker is the best of the bunch.

My early pick for the top Edge: Parker

Linebackers

The off-ball linebacker position has been devalued, but Hill’s versatility will have scouts buzzing about the next Abdul Carter or Micah Parsons-level prospect.

A debate has emerged about Hill’s best position. At Texas, he plays primarily as an off-ball linebacker, but the 6-3, 235-pound defender produced eight sacks last season with some elite blitzing skills. On 80 snaps as an edge rusher, he produced 11 pressures, and he has the body type to add the necessary weight to play in space on the end of the line.

“Hill is definitely getting drafted as an edge,” a longtime NFL scout said. “He’s a great linebacker, but he’s too valuable coming off the corner and getting the quarterback. I just hope Texas lets him do more of it this year.”

Allen will draw the most attention from teams looking for a traditional three-down linebacker. He emerged as a leader on the Bulldogs’ defense last season while racking up 71 tackles, 11 pressures, 1 interception and 7 pass breakups.

“Allen is a wrecking ball,” an NFC South area scout said. “That dude does it all, and he’s so fast at reading and reacting.”

We’re once again comparing two players who are listed at the same position but play it very differently. I’ll go with Hill, who has a chance to be a top-five pick come April.

My early pick for the top LB: Hill

Cornerbacks

The top cornerback in the country might not see the field early in the season, as McCoy tore an ACL during offseason workouts in January.

The 6-foot, 193-pound defender had four interceptions last season and showed the closing speed and reaction agility to erase wide receivers while being able to play the ball in the air. He has shutdown cornerback potential if he returns from injury in the same form as when we last saw him.

Terrell, the younger brother of Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, has a complete game at 5-11 and 180 pounds that features quickness, stout ability in the run game and elite timing. He has a knack for knocking away passes at the catch point.

“McCoy is the best in the country, but he’s a question mark for us right now,” an NFC scouting director said. “If he’s out, Terrell is the cleanest in terms of technique, even if he’s undersized.”

We’ll agree. McCoy is the No. 1 corner until something changes.

My early pick for the top CB: McCoy

Safeties

No disrespect meant to Thieneman or the many other talented safeties in college football. But this one isn’t close.

Downs enters the season as my top overall prospect and a rare talent at safety. One GM told me Downs could be a first-round pick at running back if he wanted to go the Travis Hunter route and play both sides of the ball. At 6-foot, 205 pounds, Downs has size, strength, speed and versatility to play in the box or as a single-high defender.

“He would be a top-five safety in the NFL today if he was eligible,” the GM said. “He’s Kyle Hamilton but faster and more explosive.”

While Thieneman won’t challenge Downs’ standing, he’s a good player. A transfer from Purdue, he was handpicked by coach Dan Lanning to lead the back end of Oregon’s defense. Thieneman is a playmaker with alignment versatility. He is a potential first-round pick with elite ball skills and the closing speed to thrive as a free safety in Lanning’s defense.

Thieneman, Michael Taaffe (Texas) and other very talented safeties would be candidates for the top spot in most years, but Downs is a rare prospect holding it down as the top safety and No. 1 overall player in the class.

My early pick for the top S: Downs