No fanbase in the league will enter September thinking very much about the 2026 NFL Draft.
Give it a few weeks.
With the college football season kicking off in full this weekend, now feels like a good time to take an early look at what the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft could look like. Plenty is going to change between now and then, of course, but we’ll project anyway. The following draft order was based off Austin Mock’s NFL wins projections for The Athletic.
The odds of Manning returning to Texas for a fourth season aren’t very long — many believe he’ll be a 2027 prospect. Nothing’s etched in stone, though. And as of right now, Manning is the best QB prospect in this class, from his arm talent to footwork to processing and, perhaps, even mobility.
Who says no to another Manning in New Orleans?
So much of this depends on what we see from the 20-year-old Sellers this season. He had some very nice stretches in the pocket as a sophomore last season, though, while remaining dangerous in the open field— and difficult to tackle at 6-foot-3, 242 pounds. He has youthful habits to iron out, but Sellers has the tools to be a star at the next level.
The Giants might have found their future QB in Jaxson Dart, so they’re free here to take potentially the best overall player in this class — no offense to Caleb Downs.
There isn’t much Woods can’t do along the defensive front. He’s explosive, athletic and powerful enough to play any gap in the tackle box, as well as some on the edge. Woods has the potential to be the best DT prospect we’ve seen since Jalen Carter.
Nussmeier makes some scouts nervous due to his penchant for risk-taking. Others love him for it. Either way, all can agree he is an athletic and talented passer — sort of an on-field blend of Jim Harbaugh, Tony Romo and Baker Mayfield. He hates giving up on plays and loves to compete. Seats on the Nuss Bus are filling fast.
Arguably the most talented and instinctive football player in this draft class, Downs is the rare back-end talent who can line up anywhere — including in the box — and have an impact on everything around him. He’ll be an immediate culture-changer and possible franchise pillar.
Proctor’s physical gifts (at 20 years old) are impossible to ignore, even if he’s been inconsistent through his first two college seasons. He’s flashed total dominance with elite size and power plus maintained his ability to move in space at 6-7, 360. In this spot, he’d be a candidate to be Cam Ward’s new protector.
The Bears spent the 2025 offseason rebuilding Ben Johnson’s offensive line. Phase two will be finding elite playmakers to truly make Johnson’s run game sing.
Love is a do-everything, three-down back who could be the table-setter for a long time in Chicago, while also adding value as a receiver.
As with every QB listed here, this is contingent on how Mendoza performs in 2025. Expectations are high, though, and for good reason. The 6-5, 225-pounder has a huge arm and has shown an ability to quickly process coverage while maintaining an ability to run. This season, he gets to work with Hoosiers offensive wizard Curt Cignetti.
It doesn’t feel out of bounds to say Allar and Nussmeier would’ve been first-round picks had they declared for the 2025 draft.
Allar, who has every tool in the shed (at 6-5, 237), instead returned to fine-tune his technique and eliminate self-inflicted wounds. If he does both of those things, he’ll be gone early next spring.
An aggressive athlete with great ball skills and a shutdown mentality, McCoy has the physical tools to be an outstanding NFL cover corner. Always tough in press, McCoy has forced 20 incompletions over the last two seasons — but he also was flagged eight times last year. He’d potentially be a great fit for Dallas.
11. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
A terrific athlete, the 6-5, 300-pound Fano has had dominant run blocking stretches and proven more than capable of handling speed off the corner. A starter since his true freshman year, Fano has the potential to be a star in the NFL, at right or left tackle. Frankly, he’s athletic enough to play any position up front.
A gigantic human at 6-7, 335, Chaplin is a long and powerful presence in the run and pass games. He uses his massive frame and great hand/upper-body strength to dominate within his square. A former DT, Chaplin still has some rawness to his game but could be an early answer for someone, at right or left tackle.
As much as we all might wish it didn’t, the Matthew Stafford experience has to end one day. After (smartly) adding an extra first from Atlanta last spring, the Rams are in great position to fill that spot in the coming draft, if need be.
Klubnik played the best ball of his career last season and could make a big jump this fall.
It can be hard to pick favorites along Clemson’s front between Woods or Parker. The Patriots’ pick here generated nearly 90 combined pressures as a freshman and sophomore, blending power, twitch, length and savvy. This could be too low for Parker, one of the draft’s best pass rushers and a potential top-10 pick.
Terrell has the potential to be the CB1 of this class, even if he’s on the smallish side at 5-11, 180. The younger brother of A.J. Terrell, Avieon forced 14 incompletions and broke up 10 passes last year. He’s an intense competitor, too, although he picked up seven penalties.
Faulk’s massive frame (6-6, 275) and length allow him to play almost anywhere along a defensive front, in any scheme. He’s built like a longer version of Aidan Hutchinson during his final year at Michigan. This is another potential top-10 pick who could get pushed down the board if an early QB run happens.
Can’t stop 1️⃣ 5️⃣@FaulkKeldric‘s third game this season with 2 sacks 💪 pic.twitter.com/BoyOHsnUJR
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) October 27, 2024
The other half of Utah’s outstanding tackle duo, Lomu (6-6, 304) is a balanced athlete with terrific movement skills as a climber, puller and screener. He needs to continue adding strength, but his potential as a right or left tackle who could work inside in a pinch makes him very intriguing.
A giant at 6-6, 334, Banks offers great versatility up front thanks to his agility and movement skills. He led the Gators in pressures last season with 29 and could leap up draft boards if he turns in a great 2025.
The sixth QB in our mock, Leavitt plays with much better feet than many of the players you see his age and has enough arm talent to make big throws, off platform and on the move. He has to continue working on footwork consistency while adding strength to his frame, although he’s also a very capable runner. We’ll see if he’s ready to start as a rookie, but Leavitt absolutely has first-round potential.
Uiagalelei’s build is pretty similar to Faulk’s, and the 6-5, 270-pound Oregon junior can line up just about anywhere along a defensive front. He’s quick enough to win inside, through a tackle’s chest or off the edge. His work versus the run must continue to improve.
Another explosive athlete who moves and recovers well, it remains to be seen if Mauigoa is best long-term at tackle or guard. Either way, Houston could use him.
The preseason WR1 in this class, Tyson (6-1, 195) is explosive and fearless over the middle. He combines great ball tracking and production with an intense desire to block. His game makes him feel a bit like a (possibly) faster version of Emeka Egbuka.
Jordyn Tyson. What a catch for @ASUFootball 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/4QoArOJYyj
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 30, 2024
23. Los Angeles Rams: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
World (6-8, 320) is another huge tackle prospect. He transferred to Oregon from Nevada ahead of this season and plays with violent hands and a legit anchor — he’s a former 270-pound high school basketball standout. There’s rawness in his game, but a ton of potential.
Georgia has done a great job of gradually incorporating its gaggle of linebacker talent over the years, and Allen is next up. A 6-1, 235-pound junior with enough speed to cover basically anyone, Allen still moves like the All-America prep running back he was.
Another hyper-athletic linebacker prospect, Styles arrived in college as a defensive back and never stopped growing. Now 6-4, 237, with most of his burst and agility retained, Styles has the potential to be an ultra-versatile front seven hybrid at the next level.
A sawed-off 6-2, 274-pound hammer off the edge, Overton has been more flash than consistency early in his career. But the flashes — especially his ability to bend the edge and flatten out to the QB — have been pretty brilliant. He had 39 pressures and an 18 percent win rate as a package player in 2024.
The Lions are in an offensive line transition period right now, with the recent retirement of Frank Ragnow. A year after adding Tate Ratledge, however, they could have a chance to snag their center of the future. An ex-wrestler with great explosion and movement skills, Lew has started in the middle for Auburn since his true freshman year.
A quick-footed 6-6, 305-pounder with solid bend and fast hands, Shelton would benefit from adding more strength this year — but he’s already shown solid work in the run game. He could also wind up moving to guard at the next level. Much will depend on how he plays, and develops, in 2025.
A long corner with good ball skills and coverage IQ, Lee has forced a combined 15 incompletions over his last two seasons at Texas A&M and Kansas State. If he can put together a big year, Lee might flirt with the first round — as he does here.
A former prep sprinter who probably could’ve played defensive back coming out of high school, Sadiq has grown into an uber-athletic tight end prospect who moves like a receiver and has big potential as a blocker. At 6-3, 245, Sadiq is still growing into what he’ll become — but the payoff could be huge.
There are a few receivers on the fringe of the first round — Auburn’s Eric Singleton Jr., Washington’s Denzel Boston and Louisville’s Chris Bell, to name a few.
Tate is not even the best WR on his own team (hello, Jeremiah Smith), but his tool box is loaded with NFL equipment, including burst and quicks.
32. Buffalo Bills: Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Miami
Bain’s production took a step back during his sophomore season, but it’s hard to forget how impactful the 6-3, 275-pounder was as a freshman, using violent hands and an explosive first step. If we again see that version of Bain, whose game reminds me of George Karlaftis, he will be a first-round pick in 2026.
(Photo: Tim Warner / Getty Images)