Yes, it may be little more than a month into the college season, but it's always time to present a Top-60 Big Board for the 2026 NFL Draft. This is through Week 6 of the college football season, so while progress has been made for many of these players, there are still many miles and several more big boards before next April. Nevertheless, here's the first big board of the season.

2026 NFL Draft: Top-60 Big Board

1. Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | EDGE1 | 6030/275 | JR

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2. Caleb Downs | Ohio State | S1 | 6000/205 | JR

More “Queen on the chessboard” than traditional safety, Downs is a high-octane athlete with estimated 4.3s speed. In coverage, Downs consistently gets his hands on balls because of how quickly he anticipates and triggers. Downs has recorded an 85.0-plus PFF coverage grade all three years on campus (he spent his true freshman season at Alabama). He’s a weapon in run defense, a sideline-to-sideline downhill human vacuum who cleans up leakage beyond Ohio State’s second level. An all-around star, Downs is also a dangerous punt returner. Downs is the rare “safety” who could go in the top five. 

3. Jordyn Tyson | Arizona State | WR1 | 6020/200 | rJR

Tyson is boundary/slot interchangeable, and he stresses the defense at all three levels of the field. He has picked up right where he left off last season while addressing a big question on his evaluation by slashing his drop rate to a miniscule 2.5%. The other big question will have to wait for the spring, medicals, following a torn ACL, MCL and PCL as a freshman (Tyson’s dominance since his return assuages my concern in that regard). It’s difficult to stay with Tyson one-on-one in man coverage. Tyson posted an absurd 4.62 YPRR against man coverage last fall. He’s very clearly the best receiver in the 2026 class. 

4. LaNorris Sellers | South Carolina | QB1 | 6020/242 | rSO

Sellers is an absurd athlete who has hit 22 mph on the GPS at 245 pounds. Always a vaunted rushing threat—the part of the Cam Newton comps that totally jibes—Sellers has shown legitimate strides as a passer early in 2025. Through five games, his adjusted accuracy is up from 74.6% to 80.0% despite throwing further down the field (aDOT up from 8.8 to 10.9). Sellers still holds onto the ball too long (his 3.23-second average time to throw in 2025 is similar to his career 3.28 mark, and both are red flags), and he puts the ball at risk too often (his 4.1% career PFF turnover-worthy play rate is the highest of any quarterback on this list). I still think he should be currently viewed as the favorite to go 1.1 in April. 

5. Francis Mauigoa | Miami (FL) | OT1 | 6060/329 | JR

Is Mauigoa a right tackle in the NFL, or is he an offensive guard? I think Mauigoa’s evaluation will be similar to Armand Membou’s, the No. 7 overall pick of the Jets in April. Like Membou, Mauigoa has been a starting RT in college. Either way, Mauigoa is one heck of a prospect who projects to start immediately in the NFL. A vaunted athlete, Mauigoa is a two-time member of Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks “ list. He’s been clocked at 18 mph on the GPS, and he boasts a 30.5-inch vertical. Mauigoa is a gifted run blocker with devastating short-area quickness and strength. His pass-pro has always lagged behind, but has improved weekly since his true freshman campaign in 2023.

6. Peter Woods | Clemson | DL1 | 6020/315 | JR

Woods easily has the highest upside of any interior defensive lineman in this class. He’s so gifted that he spent the first half of last season starting at defensive end for Clemson. Woods is jerky and violent in tight quarters, forcing offensive linemen to deal with an overwhelming combination of power and quickness. Woods lacks ideal arm length and his pass-rush approach is unrefined. He’s had a strangely quiet start to the season, failing to make a Reuben Bain-like leap. Still, Woods’ tape is filled with flash plays, and he’s a projectable athlete–with a recorded 4.86 40-yard dash and 33-inch vertical, according to Bruce Feldman—and has a very high ceiling.

7. Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB2 | 6050/225 | SR

Mendoza is a big, strapping pocket passer who excels within structure. He’s off to an incredible start for 5-0 Indiana, with a 16/1 TD/INT rate on 71.8% completions. Mendoza’s aDOT of 9.7 is more than a yard higher than his previous career high, and he’s still posted a 79.3% adjusted accuracy mark that is also easily a career best. Our question with Mendoza is out-of-structure play. In 2025, Mendoza has been pushed off his spot to outside the pocket on only 9-of-145 dropbacks. Those nine plays featured two sacks and two near-interceptions. Mendoza went 1-for-7 on his attempts, and those nine plays generated, in sum, a mere one yard. Out-of-structure improvement would bolster his QB1 argument.

8. Dante Moore | Oregon | QB3 | 6030/210 | JR 

Moore’s performance at Penn State was the most impressive showing I’ve seen from a 2026 quarterback prospect—including an 85.7% adjusted accuracy percentage and 3/0 TD/INT rate in a double-OT win. If Moore continues to play like that, he’ll be QB1 on my 2026 board. I’m taking a wait-and-see approach in slotting Moore QB3 one-plus month into the season. Oregon has road games against Iowa and Washington yet to go, a home game against USC, and then potentially the Big 10 title game before the CFP. We’ll have plenty more information on Moore in a couple of months. The early returns are very promising, though. Former Oregon WR Tez Johnson told the media late last season that Moore can “throw the ball like no other” and was going to win the Heisman this fall.

9. Kadyn Proctor | Alabama | OT2 | 6070/366 | JR

Proctor took over Alabama’s LT1 job the moment he stepped on campus, and he’s now piled up 1,700-plus career blind-side snaps. It’s important to remember that the former five-star recruit is still young—he won’t turn 21 until June—and is not yet a finished product. Proctor struggled in the opener against Florida State, and was clunky in pass-pro against Wisconsin. But just as folks started to question his game, Proctor responded with one of the best performances of his career against Georgia and backed it up with another strong showing against Vanderbilt. According to Bruce Feldman, the elephantine Proctor squats 815 pounds, benches 535, power cleans 405 and has a 32-inch vertical and 9-3 broad jump.

10. Keldric Faulk | Auburn | EDGE2 | 6060/270 | JR

Tantalizing combination of size/length/athleticism with a grinder’s mentality, Faulk is a truly elite run defender who grades 99th-percentile in that category since the start of last season by PFF’s methodology. The question coming into the season was what is his ceiling as a pass rusher? Faulk began to make his case in that regard with eight hurries and two sacks in the games against Baylor and Oklahoma. The next step in his evolution will be continuing to add more nuance to his approach and pass-rushing moves to his repertoire.

11. Mansoor Delane | LSU | CB1 | 5111/191 | SR

Delane Island has allowed a mere six receptions and 77 yards over 20 targets with six incompletions forced in 2025. He’s intercepted a ball and posted an absurd 22.3 NFL QB rating against across those 20 targets. Delane is extremely skilled, and he’s going to arrive in the NFL with oodles of experience. He’s already logged more than 2,000 career snaps after starting multiple years at Virginia Tech. The question with Delane’s evaluation revolves around his smaller frame and shorter arms (well below-average 74’ wingspan) in a non-elite athlete. What percentage of his game will ultimately translate to the pros? 

12. Avieon Terrell | Clemson | CB2 | 5110/180 | JR

Terrell has admirably been playing great ball amid a disappointing Clemson start. He’s got more sacks (2) and passes broken up (2) than TDs allowed in coverage (1), and he’s missed only one tackle on 20 attempts. I love the way that Terrell plays. The brother of A.J. Terrell, Avieon is a sticky man-cover corner who flies downhill with a hit-stick in run defense. Defensive coordinators who like exotic blitzes will appreciate Terrell’s bat-out-of-hell brand of pass rushing from the outfield grass. 

13. Kenyon Sadiq | Oregon | TE1 | 6030/245 | JR

Mutant athlete with a reported 41.5-inch vertical, Sadiq moves like a receiver in space. Manufacture him touches and watch him gobble up the YAC. Sadiq was stuck behind former Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson last year, and the Ducks targeted Sadiq only seven times over the first three games against lesser opponents this season. But Sadiq has been targeted 11 times in the last two, including seven against Penn State—a harbinger that he’ll be fully unleashed in Big 10 play. The wildest thing about Sadiq’s profile is that he’s an absolute dog as a run blocker. White-collar natural gifts, blue-collar mentality.

14. Trevor Goosby | Texas | OT3 | 6070/310 | JR

Goosby is probably the biggest beneficiary of developments around him in the 2026 offensive tackle class, including the slow starts of Xavier Chaplin and Isaiah World at their new schools. In contrast, Goosby has kicked down the door of the Round 1 conversation with an eye-catching start after having taken over Kelvin Banks’ old post on the blind side for the Longhorns. It’s notable for a player we already knew was an elite athlete. Goosby checked in at No. 17 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak’s List in August. Feldman reported that Goosby has recorded upper-echelon showings of 20 mph GPS speed and 1.44 seconds in the flying 10-yard sprint.

15. T.J. Parker | Clemson | EDGE3 | 6030/265 | JR

Parker has had a disappointing start like many of his teammates, but he remains just inside the top-15 overall on my board. That’s a bet on his track record—Parker posted 32 TFL, 16.5 sacks and six forced fumbles over his first two seasons. Parker runs an estimated mid-4.5s 40 at 260-plus pounds and effectively converts speed-to-power off the snap. Parker has an angular playing style with a little hip stiffness, and he needs to continue diversifying his pass-rush plan for the next level.

16. Denzel Boston  | Washington | WR2 | 6030/209 | rJR

Boston is a physically-imposing boundary receiver with good ball skills. He’s also an underrated athlete who reportedly runs in the 4.4s. PFF clocked him at 22 mph on the GPS in 2024. Boston has outstanding hands, with only three drops over 97 targets in 2024 and a stellar 95.7% catch rate on catchable passes. Boston has a big catch radius, and down the field, he weaponizes it along with his big frame.  He tracks the ball well and has a knack for adjusting his pace or path to give himself advantageous positioning when the ball is descending. Boston converted 12-of-22 contested situations in 2024.

17. John Mateer | Oklahoma | QB4 | 6010/219 | rJR

We’re in a holding pattern now that Mateer is shelved for a month following surgery to his throwing hand. Unfortunately, Mateer is going to miss the Texas game. Fortunately, he’ll be back in time to play five consecutive top-20 opponents to close out the regular season. That’ll provide us with a referendum on the draft’s hottest riser through the first four weeks, when Mateer averaged 350 YPG of total offense and shined in victories over Michigan and Auburn. Mateer is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with guts for days. He’s got an elastic arm and is supremely comfortable testing tight windows from all arm slots. 

18. Makai Lemon | USC | WR3 | 5110/190 | JR

Lemon, PFF’s No. 1-graded FBS receiver, is off to a scorching-hot start, with a 35-589-5 receiving line through five games. That includes a ludicrous 4.50 YPRR. What has gone under the radar during that hot start is the diversified way in which the Trojans have been using Lemon. A pure slot in his first year as a starter in 2024, Lemon has logged 46 boundary snaps (33.3%) after entering the season with 49 across his first two seasons. Lemon is an electric mover, bursty with blur-fast feet. He had a 95th-percentile PFF in-game athleticism score in 2024, and he’s posted a 90th-percentile career separation rate. 

19. A.J. Harris | Penn State | CB3 | 6010/184 | JR

This former five-star recruit has been a tailor-made replacement for Joey Porter Jr. in Penn State’s starting lineup. A tall, long-levered press-man boundary corner, Harris has the speed to carry deep with an estimated 4.42 40. You can paper-cut him in the quick game with in-breaking routes, but Harris is exceedingly difficult to beat in a silo. Harris gave up only 27 receptions over 19 games heading into this season.

20. Arvell Reese | Ohio State | LB1 | 6040/238 | JR

Arvell Reese is right there with LSU CB Mansoor Delane for the biggest risers amongst draft-eligible defenders in 2025. Reese has been an integral three-phase weapon in Ohio State’s dominant defense that has allowed only 25 points total across five games. A former defensive end, Reese has a built-in-a-lab frame and length. He’s also far more fluid and instinctual than he has any business being at this point in his development. After the win over Washington, OSU HC Ryan Day highlighted Reese’s ability to spy UW QB Demond Williams while also choking off his passing lanes.

21. Matayo Uiagalelei | Oregon | EDGE4 | 6040/270 | JR

DJ’s younger brother broke out in 2024 with 10.5 sacks for Oregon’s top-10 national defense. He has looked even better in 2025, posting four sacks in five games. Uiagalelei is a high-motor defender with a premium combination of first-step quickness, speed and length. He doesn’t yet have a full arsenal of counters, but he’s shown promising developmental steps. 

22. Anthony Hill Jr. | Texas | LB2 | 6030/235 | JR

Sideline-to-sideline human ballistic missile in run defense, Hill, a high school track star, runs a low-4.4s 40, and he moves laterally as well as he does north/south. He’s a weapon on the blitz with an instant-acceleration button when he sees a crease to blow through. Hill is not yet a finished product. He’s made strides in coverage but needs to keep working. He also needs to clean up his tackling technique.

23. Domonique Orange | Iowa State | DL2 | 6016/328 | SR

“Big Citrus” is a north/south load and a force against the run. Orange is impossible to uproot and move backward when he anchors. He has shown progress as a pocket-pushing pass rusher but needs to keep improving in that area. An intriguing physical specimen at 6-foot-2/328 pounds with above-average length (33’ ¾ arms, 81' wingspan), Orange is a two-time Feldman Freak Lister who is expected to test well in Indianapolis. He has vertical-jumped 34 inches at 325-plus pounds in the past, and ESPN reported Orange benches 450, squats 650 and cleans 365.

24. Zion Young | Missouri | EDGE5 | 6051/255 | SR

Young is off to a sizzling start, with an 87.4 PFF grade through five games. He’s already posted 13 hurries and 21 pressures, showing the improvements we were looking for in the pass-rushing department to start seriously considering Young as a first-rounder after the NFL’s scouting services gave him Day 2 grades over the summer. Young is a stretched-out 6-foot-5, 255-pounder with length (33-inch arms and 80½' wingspan) and athleticism (projected 4.7 40). He’s a bruising, assignment-minded run defender.

25. Germie Bernard | Alabama | WR4 | 6006/209 | SR

Overshadowed by Rome Odunze/Ja'Lynn Polk/Jalen McMillan earlier in his career at Washington and now Ryan Williams at Alabama, Bernard seems destined to likewise be underappreciated during his draft process. He’s a slick combination of traits. Bernard’s build is more reminiscent of a running back, and he adds value with his ability to generate yards off manufactured touches. He’s also a strong route runner with sudden, concise footwork. Bernard has proven that he can win at all three levels and that he’s interchangeable between the boundary and slot. 

26. C.J. Allen | Georgia | LB3 | 6010/235 | JR

Allen is in the race with Arvell Reese and Anthony Hill Jr. for LB1 honors. Allen is force-multiplier elite in run defense. He’s consistently around the ball, and he doesn’t miss tackles. Stout and violent, Allen is blessed with mid-4.5s wheels. He reads and triggers very, very quickly. Allen’s issues in coverage are why I can’t rank him higher. The instincts Allen has attacking forward leave him when he’s asked to drop back—you have to hide him in zone.

27. Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | RB1 | 6000/210 | JR

Love hasn’t been as good in the early going as he was during his dominant 2024 season, in part because of an offensive line that has taken a step back. Still, Love’s elusive rating and yards after contact are both way down, and I think it’s fair to say that Love hasn’t successfully made the argument that he’s a no-doubt NFL bell cow. Some have wondered how much better he is than teammate Jadarian Price. In Love’s defense, he has looked improved as a receiver. Either way, he’s an elite athlete who is going to have a big pre-draft process by shining in workouts. The 210-pounder is expected to run in the 4.3s with a vertical around 40 inches this spring.

28. Christen Miller | Georgia | DL3 | 6040/305 | rJR

A four-star 2022 prospect, Miller has looked good with full-time reps for the first time in 2025. He is a pivotal component of Georgia’s elite run defense, and has also shown the makings of push-the-pocket ability. To be guaranteed of hearing his name called in Round 1, Miller is going to have to show more progress in the latter department down the stretch—something Georgia’s beleaguered pass defense could badly use as well. But Miller is an intriguing evaluation because he’s exactly what the NFL looks for in interior defenders—long-limbed and explosive, with the situational awareness and lateral agility for two-gap responsibilities.

29. Gennings Dunker | Iowa | OG1 | 6040/317 | rSR

Dunker is a standout collegiate right tackle who is likely headed inside at the next level. His frame, reach (80⅝” wingspan) and game are all well-suited to the inside in the NFL. Dunker is an elite run blocker, with a 90.2 PFF run-blocking grade in 2024. He’s a student of leverage, and he boasts forklift power. On the inside, Dunker’s issues with elite movement on the perimeter would be mitigated.

30. Drew Shelton | Penn State | OT5 | 6047/303 | SR

Earlier in his career, Shelton was the understudy to Olu Fashanu. He’s taken over Fashanu’s old post and the Nittany Lions haven’t seen a big downgrade at left tackle. Shelton has a smaller frame, but he’s got adequate length (with 33½-inch arms and a wingspan just an eyelash beneath 82 inches) and really good athleticism. He’s shown improved play strength and run blocking in 2025, crucial developments in Shelton’s push to hear his name called in late-Round 1 in April. The NFL has always liked Shelton—both of its summer scouting services gave Shelton Round 2 grades.

31. Carnell Tate | Ohio State | WR5 | 6030/191 | JR

Tate has taken over Emeka Egbuka’s target share next to Jeremiah Smith and excelled. Tate is a rangy, long-levered, silky-smooth possession receiver. He runs good routes, he has good situational awareness, and he’s very slick with body positioning along the sidelines in particular. He’s an efficient between-the-20s pass catcher who is a legitimate weapon in the red zone.

32. Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | EDGE6 | 6021/249 | rSR

Howell is an undersized 3-4 pass-rushing OLB who has a red-flag lack of length with sub-31 inch arms—a big part of the reason he drew fifth-round grades from both of the NFL’s scouting services over the summer. He is, however, one of the craftiest pass-rushing artists in the 2026 class. Howell finished with PFF pass-rush grades over 90.0 in both 2023 (his last year at Bowling Green) and 2024 (his first at Texas A&M). He’s on a huge heater at the moment, with six sacks and seven TFL in his last four games.

33. Spencer Fano | Utah | OG2 | 6060/302 | JR

Fano is not playing as well as he did in his breakout 2024 campaign, a development that has further dimmed hopes that he could stick at tackle in the NFL—despite his ample collegiate experience at both RT and LT. Fano is a good athlete and a fluid mover who excels in the zone-run game. But he lacks both length and play strength, limitations that have cropped up in specific matchups. He looks like a late first- or early second-round guard for a zone-run offense.

34. Jonah Coleman | Washington | RB2 | 5084/228 | SR

Coleman is a spinning bowling ball of a back, built low to the ground and muscular. His combination of shiftiness and power makes him a nightmare to tackle—he’s drawn lofty comparisons to Maurice Jones-Drew. Last fall, Washington finished No. 106 in PFF run blocking, but Coleman made the best out of a bad situation with a 93rd-percentile finish in yards after contact. Coleman isn’t a burner, but he’s got more juice than you’d expect for a short-striding ball of muscle with an estimated 4.51 40. Coleman has looked more explosive in 2025 after losing 14 pounds in the offseason. Coleman’s hot start combined with Jeremiyah Love’s step back has considerably closed the gap between the 2026 class’ RB1 and RB2.

35. Jermod McCoy | Tennessee | CB4 | 5011/193 | JR

McCoy had 13 passes defended and four interceptions during his All-American coming-out party in 2024, his first in Knoxville after transferring over from Oregon State. But McCoy’s evaluation continues to be clouded by the torn ACL he suffered while training in January. McCoy has yet to make his 2025 debut. Oct. 11 against Arkansas has been the targeted return date … I guess we’ll find out this week. The clock is ticking on a prospect who isn’t expected to test at an elite level to return in time to justify a potential Round 1 pick. 

36. Garrett Nussmeier | LSU | QB5 | 6005/204 | rSR

A slow start has Nussmeier slipping down boards. The son of New Orleans Saints OC Doug Nussmeier, Garrett is an undersized pocket-passing gunslinger who sees the field well and has the moxy to test tight windows. Nussmeier’s aggression is a two-edged sword—it leads to explosive plays and keeps the defense on its toes, but it also gives the defense chances to flip the field on him. The NFL likes Nussmeier—one of the league’s two scouting services gave Nussmeier the highest grade of any senior prospect in the 2026 heading into this season. I was a little less bullish heading into the season, ranking Nussmeier QB4. Nussmeier lacks an ideal frame and high-end arm talent, and he isn’t a great athlete. He has enough skill as a thrower that Round 1 is still in play if he has a big finish to the season. But is he Case Keenum 2.0 or Brock Purdy 2.0? 

37. Chris Brazzell II | Tennessee | WR6 | 6050/200 | rJR

Brazzell is a tantalizing size/speed boundary receiver who has been pushing up draft boards. Brazzell’s career appeared to be at a crossroads as recently as Aug. 8, when he was arrested for driving with a suspended license. But the mercurial Brazzell won a starting job, replacing 2024 fourth-round pick Dont’e Thornton on the boundary and is off to a huge start to the 2025 season. The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder could be a second-rounder in April if he continues on this pace and stays out of trouble.

38. Anthony Smith | Minnesota | EDGE7 | 6060/285 | SR

A smooth-moving power end, Smith is an underrated prospect. He’s a pocket pusher with closing speed, and a very strong run defender. After finishing last season with four sacks in the last six games, Smith started 2025 with six sacks and 16 pressures prior to getting shut out against Ohio State on Saturday night. It’s tough to blame him for that, as the Buckeyes cleverly double-teamed Agent Zero throughout the game. 

39. Caleb Banks | Florida | DL4 | 6061/334 | rSR

Banks’ evaluation is in a holding pattern as we await his return to the field. Banks missed the first two games with a foot injury from camp. He attempted to return for the LSU game, but left early and subsequently underwent foot surgery. Banks is a wide-bodied 6-foot-6 with extension-cord arms (85⅛” wingspan). The high school basketball standout’s playstyle belies his frame. Instead of parking and occupying, Banks is a chaotic hunter, looking to make plays in the backfield. But following surgery, Banks may be done for the season. He’s a fifth-year redshirt senior who could consider applying for a medical redshirt. 

40. Connor Lew | Auburn | C1 | 6030/300 | JR

Lew is going to have an interesting decision on his hands after the season, as it looks like he would have a strong chance to enter the 2026 draft process as the No. 1-rated center in the class. Lew is only a true junior, so he could easily decide to return to Auburn for one more season. He’s a technician with very good athleticism who draws raves for his football IQ.

The rest of the top 60:

41. Keith Abney | Arizona State | CB5 | 6000/190 | JR
42. Olaivavega Ioane | Penn State | OG3 | 6040/334 | rJR
43. A'Mauri Washington | Oregon | DL5 | 6030/330 | JR 
44. Quincy Rhodes Jr. | Arkansas | EDGE8 | 6060/275 | JR
45. Malik Muhammad | Texas | CB6 | 6000/190 | JR
46. David Bailey | Texas Tech | EDGE9 | 6030/247 | SR
47. Emmanuel Pregnon | Oregon | OG4 | 6043/320 | rSR
48. Justice Haynes | Michigan | RB3 | 5010/210 | JR
49. Jermaine Mathews Jr. | Ohio State | CB7 | 5110/189 | JR
50. Cayden Green | Missouri | OG5 | 6050/320 | JR
51. Chris Bell | Louisville | WR7 | 6014/227 | SR
52. Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State | EDGE10 | 6055/265 | SR
53. Sonny Styles | Ohio State | LB4 | 6043/237 | SR
54. Austin Barber | Florida | OT6 | 6067/316 | rSR
55. Nyck Harbor | South Carolina | WR8 | 6050/245 | JR
56. Dillon Thieneman | Oregon | S2 | 6000/205 | JR
57. Zachariah Branch | Georgia | WR9 | 5100/175 | JR
58. Isaiah World | Oregon | OT7 | 6052/321 | rSR
59. Nicholas Singleton | Penn State | RB4 | 6003/218 | SR
60. Kamari Ramsey | USC | S3 | 6000/204 | rJR

     

Top-ranked at each position not listed…

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