Next year’s draft is going to be defined by a QB class that could be great, but that would be unfortunate because this could be an epic class of top-level players that aren’t QBs. The WR group has some fantastic prospects who could all go in the top half of the first round. There are several offensive tackles who could be top ten picks. There are two edge rushers who should be elite prospects if they continue to develop physically. There’s even a defensive tackle or two who could be top 15 picks. Finally, there’s one of the best CB prospects in a generation ready to be a top five pick. Let’s take a look.
Guys who could go #1 if it’s not a QB
Jeremiah Smith WR Ohio St.
Smith is a 6’3 223 lbs. athletic freak who has been arguably the best WR in college football since he stepped on the field as a freshman. NFL teams have been waiting for him to spend his three years in college and now they finally get to draft him. If it’s not a QB at #1 overall, I would be a lot of money it’s Smith. Not only is he big but he’s got elite speed with a sub-4.4 40 time. He’s physical at the catch point, he tracks the deep ball as well as anyone can and has great separation skills. He’s basically a unicorn and some team is going to seriously upgrade their passing attack just by drafting Smith.
Leonard Moore CB Notre Dame
Another guy teams have been drooling over since he stepped on the field as a true freshman at Notre Dame, Moore is probably the best CB prospect since Jalen Ramsey. He’s 6’2 195 lbs. and he’s equally adept at both man and zone coverage and he can play inside or outside. He needs to get a bit bigger and stronger but considering he’s only going into his third year in college, that’s understandable. You can’t teach the kind of coverage instincts Moore shows and his ball skills are elite. When QBs dare to challenge him, they usually regret it. CBs do not go first overall in a draft but if anyone could, it’s Moore.
Dylan Stewart Edge South Carolina
Stewart is a freak off the edge with his speed and movement skills. He’s not a refined pass rusher yet, but at 6’5 245 lbs. with 4.6 speed, he doesn’t have to rely on technique to win. His ability to bend the edge and beat OTs is elite. He needs to add some weight and strength, but again like Leonard Moore, he’s a true junior so he’s still young. If he has the type of season he’s capable of, he’s easily a top five pick and he could be in the conversation for #1 overall.
Colin Simmons Edge Texas
Simmons is in the same conversation as Stewart; he’s an excellent edge rusher who needs to add a little size and strength. He’s 6’3 240 lbs. so he’s not as big as Stewart but he’s just as twitchy and his first step on his pass rush is scary. The one issue is how much bigger he can get as his frame looks pretty filled out. He can get the edge against just about anyone but if a bigger OT gets hands on him, they can handle him. If he continues to progress as his has over the last two years, he’s also a potential top five pick with #1 overall ability.
Jordan Seaton OT LSU
Seaton was the #1 OT in his high school class a few years ago and chose to go to Colorado for some reason. Now he’s transferred to LSU, and his profile is about to skyrocket. Seaton is 6’5 and was 330 lbs. at Colorado but seems to be remaking his body a bit at LSU. Not sure what he’ll weigh once we get to the draft season, but he looks rocked up after just a few months at LSU. He’s a freak athlete who should not be able to move the way he moves for man his size. Playing for Lane Kiffin at LSU and against the best competition in the SEC is going to open some eyes in the NFL. True elite LTs are hard to come by and if Seaton plays up to his potential, he’s a potential #1 overall pick.
Trevor Goosby OT Texas
Goosby is the other OT who could move his way to the top of the draft board. He’s 6’7 312 lbs. and he’s a smooth moving athlete. He isn’t the most powerful player, but his size and length are incredible assets, and he can still mature from a physical standpoint and get stronger. For a tall tackle, he shows good flexibility and keeps his pad level down very well. He has all the physical tools you want in a LT and if he has a great year, he’s moving to the top of the draft board.
Other Top Offensive Prospects
Cam Coleman WR Texas
In any other year Coleman would be the top WR prospect by a mile. He’s not quite as big or as fast as Jeremiah Smith but he’s plenty big and fast at 6’3 200 lbs. with 4.42 speed. He’s played at Auburn with some less than stellar QBs and now he heads to Texas to be Arch Manning’s top target. They should be an electric duo and can really enhance each other’s pro prospects. Coleman is a big target on the outside who will get down the field and track the ball, and he wins over the top of defenders regularly. He may be the biggest break out player of the year because of the upgrade in the QB he’s playing with.
Charlie Becker WR Indiana
Becker was the forgotten man at times last year at Indiana with Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. taking up much of the attention. However, at 6’4 205 lbs. he’s got 4.46 speed and will move up the pecking order for the Hoosiers. The one thing that might keep his production down is the next guy on this list, transfer WR Nick Marsh. There should be enough offense from Indiana to feed both WRs but that’s going to be up to Curt Cignetti and QB Josh Hoover. Becker has shown some fantastic traits and now it’s just about showing that he can step up as a go-to WR in this offense.
Nick Marsh WR Indiana
Marsh toiled in a broken offense at Michigan St. last season and decided to move on to Curt Cignetti’s Indiana program. That offense was great last year for both Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. so it shouldn’t have a problem feeding Marsh and Becker. Marsh is 6’3 200 lbs. with 4.36 speed and he’s a real problem for defenses. He’s a physical WR and he has run after the catch ability because he breaks tackles easily. His drop rate was high, but it will be interesting to see him with a better QB than ones he played with at Michigan St.
Ryan Coleman-Williams WR Alabama
This kid is the X-factor of this group, he could be a top 15 pick, he could tumble to round three, or he could have to go back to school for another year. He’s 6’0 175 lbs. so he’s pretty small and therefore his game is about speed. The good news is he runs a sub-4.3 40 and that means his speed is elite. He was awesome as a freshman and looked like a legitimate rival to Jeremiah Smith. However, he struggled as a sophomore and looked lost at times. Teams played him with a man over the top to negate his deep speed and he became inconsistent catching the ball. If he can recover his freshman year magic, he’s a first-round talent, if not, he’s a poor man’s DeSean Jackson.
Ahmad Hardy RB Missouri
“Hardy” is the best way to describe Ahmad Hardy’s running style. He’s 5’10 206 lbs. and bounces off tacklers like a pinball. His contact balance is unmatched because he’s built low to the ground and has a really thick lower body. He usually finishes runs going forward and punishes defenses. He hasn’t shown off much receiving prowess, and he doesn’t have great long speed, but NFL teams will love a guy who has his patience and runs as hard as he does.
Kewan Lacy RB Ole Miss
Lacy is probably my favorite RB in this draft. He’s 5’11 200 lbs. and runs with power but is very elusive and has a little bit of a slasher running style to avoid hits. He has great speed as a 4.43 guy, and he plays like it on the field. He was extremely productive for the Rebels with over 1500 yards rushing and he had 29 catches. He’s the most well-rounded RB and he’s good enough to be a first-round pick.
Jadan Baugh RB Florida
For all the teams that wanted a RB this year, next year is your year, and Baugh is one of the guys to love. He’s 6’1 231 lbs. and while he runs with power, he has more speed than you might think. He has good vision, he’s an excellent receiver even downfield, and he’s got great footwork between the tackles. I’m not sure which RB is going to be the first one off the board, but none of them would surprise me.
Nate Frazier RB Georgia
Frazier might be the breakout candidate this year at RB. He’s 5’10 210 lbs. and has 4.4 speed so his physical measurements are fantastic. He doesn’t go down on first contact, and he has elite burst to break through the hole as soon as he sees it. He has excellent hands as a receiver and that’s a plus in his game. He has had fumbling issues his first two years, so he needs to clean that up if he wants to be more than the fourth RB in this class.
Jamari Johnson TE Oregon
Johnson was “the other TE” at Oregon last year with Kenyon Sadiq taking up most of the conversation there. While Johnson isn’t going to put up the athletic testing numbers Sadiq did, Johnson is the more traditional TE at 6’5 256 lbs. and he plays the position like a man his size. He’s got great hands, he’s got plenty of athleticism himself, and he makes for an easy target for a QB. He’s a first-round pick.
Carter Smith OL Indiana
Smith might have been a late first-round pick in the 2026 draft, but he went back to Indiana. He plays LT for the Hoosiers, but I think most teams will see him as an interior player. He could make for a hell of a guard prospect with his size and athleticism. He doesn’t have the length teams want at OT but his ability to pull and block on the move would be great at guard. He also brings the strength and physicality that would be an asset inside.
Kade Pieper G/C Iowa
Pieper might be a bit undersized, but his functional strength is unlike anyone else. He’s moving from RG to C this season and it will only enhance his draft stock. Centers don’t usually go in round one, but Pieper is going to make someone take him because he’s just that good. He’s an excellent athlete with strength and power and is simply too good to pass up.
Other Top Defensive Prospects
Damon Wilson II Edge Miami
Wilson transferred to Miami after a great season at Missouri. The 6’4 250 lbs. edge rusher had nine sacks last year and now he’s going to be coached by Jason Taylor at Miami. Taylor is a Hall of Famer and just sent Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, Wilson is his next star. He has a chance to turn the top two edge rusher duo (Stewart and Simmons) into a trio.
Quincy Rhodes Jr. DE Arkansas
Rhodes almost entered the 2026 draft, and he likely would have been a round two pick. He’s not like Simmons, Stewart, or Wilson in the fact that he’s not the twitchy, speed rusher, he’s 6’6 276 lbs. and he plays like it. He has more power to his game and doesn’t have the quick first step or the speed around the edge. He does have a good spin move, and he can actually move inside on certain downs and rush from the interior.
A’Mauri Washington DT Oregon
It was a little surprising when Washington opted to go back to Oregon instead of entering the 2026 draft. He may have been the first DT off the board this year but has a chance to make himself an even higher pick next year. He’s a 6’3 330 lbs. athletic freak who relies heavily on his athleticism and gaining some more experience will only help him as a player. He isn’t a refined pass rusher but he’s a load in the middle of a defensive line and has the ability to become a much more disruptive pass rusher with some skill development.
David Stone DT Oklahoma
If you watched Gracen Halton at Oklahoma for the 2026 draft, it was hard not to notice Stone dominating people. He was a five-star recruit two years ago who had a rough freshman year and then exploded his sophomore season. He gained almost 20 lbs. between seasons and somehow became quicker and more explosive, that shows some real dedication to his craft. He’s still just a ball of clay but someone is going to draft him and turn him into a star DT.
Ahmad Moten Sr. DT Miami
I’ll forgive you if you didn’t notice Moten last year as Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor sucked up most of the oxygen around the Miami defensive line. However, Moten did his part too as an athletic attacking pass rusher inside while Bain and Mesidor ran roughshod on the outside. Moten will have a new outside partner this season in Damon Wilson II but maybe he’ll get a little more credit this year. He’s more of a penetrating DT than a run stuffer but teams like those guys quite a bit too.
KJ Bolden S Georgia
Bolden can play deep safety, come up into the box, or play the nickel and seems fine at any of those roles. However, he’s only 6’0 185 lbs. so he isn’t going to be an enforcer type of safety and bigger players give him problems in coverage. He’s not the guy you want trying to cover a big TE down the middle. If a team uses him right, he’s a huge asset, if you put him in bad situations, that’s going to haunt you.
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