The NFL Combine is this week, so here are my first notes on the prospects in consideration of going Round 1. I'll review their tape once again before launching my final Top 100 Big Board, but things can only change so much with zero (0) more games being played before then. As always, my big board adjusts for positional value. This is how I'd draft the players generally without knowing the specifics for a single team.

1. QB1 Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

   • The 22-year-old early declare is a 6'5"/225 rhythm thrower and former 3-star high school recruit. His QBR sits in the 92nd percentile among drafted QBs, and he did it without a loss against an 85th percentile strength of schedule. Mendoza's pocket management is very good without wasted movement, and he hunts the big throw. He's an extremely good decision maker with very few bad reads, who is more likely to take a sack than force a bad throw. His sideline and seam throws have touch and more than enough velocity to fit into zone windows. His 78% on-target rate on intermediate throws (per SIS) is elite, and that's a predictive measure. His 68% on-target rate on sideline throws beyond 10 air yards is also elite. This deep shot is the best throw I've seen from him so far. Indiana ran a healthy amount of RPOs and quick game, but don't let that be a distraction. Mendoza makes big-boy throws.

   • His scramble ability is functional, and he can break tackles because of his size. Here's a fun one and then there was the famous one in the Natty. He ultimately posted 78th percentile rushing EPA among drafted QBs. That's enough for the modern era. He's also very tough. He took big hits to develop deeper routes and just bounced up, which is why his teammates and coaches absolutely love him. Mendoza's growth from a 3-star recruit to the 1st overall pick stands out. There are some similarities to Joe Burrow and Matt Ryan.

2. LB1 Arvell Reese, Ohio State

   • The 20-year-old early declare is a 6'4"/243 former 4-star recruit with split opinions on whether he's an edge rusher or off-ball linebacker for the majority of his snaps. PFF only had him with 12 outside pass rushes the entire year, far off from tweener Jalon Walker (36) in last year's class for example. Ohio State used him as an off-ball linebacker who would line up as a 5th player near the line of scrimmage or as a blitzer, and that's exactly how I'd use him, too. He'd likely need to add some weight to be a full-time edge rusher, but why create a projection when he's a potential All Pro off-ball linebacker in his current state?

   • Reese diagnoses things quickly, has the speed to close space, and the length and strength to finish tackles. He can mirror RBs out in space and just never misses tackles. He also sets the edge with knockout power as good as any LB you'll see. TEs necks are consistently snapped off their shoulder pads, and that even happens against OTs, too. The hands? Well, they're heavy. As a blitzer, Reese has incredible chase-down speed and blows up RBs on contact. He recognizes screens, can play the QB as a spy at a great level, and will chase players down to the sideline. He'll be an amazing player in pure pass coverage with more experience, too. At just 20 years old, he's nowhere near Fred Warner in terms of hook/curl zone defense right now, but I think he'll take the LB crown from Warner within the next couple years, even if they play the game differently. When given pure pass rushes, he doesn't have moves but simply wins often based on his rare athleticism.

3. OT1 Spencer Fano, Utah

   • The 21-year-old early declare is a 6'6"/302 right tackle and former 4-star recruit (42nd overall at 247), though that weight puts him in the bottom 5th percentile. That said, he was beat on the outside maybe 2-3 times his entire career. His 1.2% loss rate on outside moves in 2025 per PFF is extremely good. He's extremely agile with great quickness and fires out of his stance, sticking with outside moves until they are guided beyond the pocket. He's a good enough athlete to recover but usually doesn't need to because he's balanced.

   • His hand timing can get a bit better in pass protection, though. David Bailey got him on two spin moves, but that Texas Tech outing was his worst game by far, and in general, he's clean. His nimbleness also means he's an asset in the screen game and as a run blocker, particularly in a zone scheme. He climbs to the next level with ease and has some nasty to him while hunting linebackers. There are some times where he can get a little upright or get knocked off balance when not expecting contact because he's so light in the shorts, but Fano doesn't have a gut and can add some weight in the pros. There's no reason to believe he couldn't play left tackle if asked to switch either. To reach his obvious ceiling, he simply needs to get denser.

4. EDGE1 Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

   • The 21-year-old early declare is a dumb thiccc edge rusher at 6'3"/275 who can play DE in a 3-4 defense, though he rushed from outside the tackle plenty, too. The former 4-star recruit has bottom 1st percentile arm length, and that's more of a problem because he often wins with head-on power. Despite that, he easily led Power 4 edge rushers with 75 QB hurries (the next closest was down at 51!!!), while posting the 2nd-best win rate (24%) among Power 4 edge rushers.

   • To the surprise of many tackles, Bain has more bend most at his size. He turns the corner and uses his extremely strong core to stay on his path to the quarterback. That led to absurd 38% win rate on outside moves. When bull rushing or caught up in the mess, Bain will collapse pockets for teammate sacks. There isn't the rare first-step explosion and a 9% pressure rate on his 84 wide-9 pass rushers is a concern, but Bain is a very productive rusher in his own way, while being an easy projection against the run. He'll be able to play on the inside on some passing downs and can set the edge against the run on the outside.

5. S1 Caleb Downs, Ohio State

   • The early declare is a 6'0"/205 strong safety or nickel hybrid who was a 5-star recruit (8th overall at 247) and spent a year at Alabama before two years at Ohio State. He has the versatility to be a very modern NFL "position-less" player, capable of thriving in any scheme and over-the-middle position. His 1-on-1 coverage skills are fantastic. He will be a TE eraser in the NFL, but can also stick with slot receivers because he can flip his hips and tracks the seam well. He can play the deep post -- there was huge hit vs. Miami and then a great deflection leading to a teammate INT vs. Purdue -- but it's not his best spot and doesn't maximize his rare traits. Those are found near the box.

   • In run support, he's a great open-field tackler who can drive through a WR/TE block on a screen. He has great eyes and flies to the ball, all while being disciplined. There's a reason he posted 107 tackles as an Alabama freshman, then nearly matched it while playing next to multiple potential top-10 picks on that defense. Downs isn't Derwin James in terms of total athleticism, nor has Kyle Hamilton's size, but he should be as effective as they are in the pros. There's a great clip of Fernando Mendoza breaking down his tape out (here) if you want to nerd out on it.

6. LB2 Sonny Styles, Ohio State

   • The 21-year-old redshirt junior is a converted safety and former 5-star recruit who wore the green dot for Matt Patricia's Ohio State defense. He has great length, a very athletic build, and the range to chase down checkdowns and scrambles at a level that most linebackers in this class can't touch. He also had a great deflection at the goal line that showed off his coverage instincts in tight spaces. As a blitzer, he murders RBs on contact and sheds blocks well, posting 6.0 sacks in 2024 with a high pressure rate throughout. Styles gets a little lost in zone coverage over the middle right now and is still very new to the position. Some RBs and TEs can leak out on him. He also had very few man coverage reps on tape, but there's no reason to believe he won't be extremely good tracking down TEs there.

   • His 5.9 tackles per game is in the 24th percentile among drafted LBs, but LB Arvell Reese, S Caleb Downs, DT Kayden McDonald are largely to blame. The tools are ridiculous, so the production is coming. He broad jumped 11-0, vertical jumped 40 inches, and squatted 675 pounds per the Freak's List. The things that are hard to measure, like moving through traffic in the run game, stand out. It wouldn't be a surprise if he's one tier down from Fred Warner long term. He's that good.

7. EDGE2 David Bailey, Texas Tech

   • The 22-year-old senior is a 6'3"/250 edge rusher who had 3 quality years at Stanford before a true breakout campaign at Texas Tech. Bailey had 19.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and led Power 4 edge rushers with a 24% pressure rate and 25 QB hits. Bailey is a 4-3, speed rusher who beats tackles off the edge from a two-point stance. He posted an elite 25% pressure rate on 184 wide rushes (speed based) versus a 15% win rate on 122 3-4 front rushes (size based). His get off speed stands out instantly. Bailey's counter moves is mostly a spin move. He can handle TE chips and win late into the dropback with quality chase-down ability, too.

   • He occasionally can win with a bull rush or long arm, but he does not win with power or length often, and I don't think he will in the NFL. The schedule was fairly weak, so his forgettable 13.7% pressure rate against Utah, Arizona State, and Oregon is a concern. He did beat top-10 hopeful RT Spencer Fano with a couple of spin moves, however. Only 3.7 tackles per game puts him below average among drafted EDGEs, and against the run, he doesn't handle double teams well. It's a relative weakness, so he may get subbed out for some obvious run downs in the NFL. The good news is he's pound-for-pound strong. He bench pressed 405 pounds, squatted 550, and hit 22.16 mph per the Freak's List. ... Upside comp: Nik Bonitto.

8. WR1 Carnell Tate, Ohio State

   • The early declare is a 6'3"/195 pure outside receiver and former 5-star recruit from the IMG Academy, who put up 79.5 receiving yards per game as a junior in his lone season as a starter. He dunks on DBs at the catch point, posting 3.1 yards per man route removing screens. Against zone, he was equally dominant at 3.2 yards per zone route removing screens with scramble drill grabs and toe drags on the sideline. He eats up space versus off coverage with surprising downfield speed and can create separation deep. There's some underneath work, too, but he's not a tackle breaker or particularly shifty in tight spaces. He fights as a run blocker. In fact, Ohio State lined him up close to the TE on run plays by design to block LBs on edge runs, which tells you something about his willingness. Tate may not be a 150+ target receiver, but he profiles as a team's top receiver who can do most things to a high level. ... Comp: George Pickens.

9. WR2 Makai Lemon, USC

   • The early declare is a 5'11"/190 mostly slot receiver and former 4-star recruit (50th overall at 247) with some clear wins as an outside player (TD vs. UCLA). He's stout and physical in the mold of Amon-Ra St. Brown. He stays on-route against man coverage with balance, a strong core, and hand fighting, and he has push off or a seal off at the catch point on fade routes. His 3.5 yards per zone route removing screens is the best in the class by far. He navigates zone coverage at an elite level, is great in the scramble drill, and toys with off-coverage quarters safeties. He can track the ball off his original route path with diving grabs and takes big hits over the middle. He had nearly 0 drops all year. That's where the Jaxon Smith-Njigba comps come to play. His tackle breaking ability is real and shows itself in the screen game. Overall, Lemon fits the modern NFL as a threat for the most receptions if he goes to the right team. While he'll play in the slot in 3-WR sets, he did enough to stay in 2-WR sets, too. ... Comp: Amon-Ra St. Brown.

10. OG1 Francis Mauigoa, Miami

    • The 20-year-old early declare is a 5-star recruit from the IMG Academy (6th overall per 247, next to Kadyn Proctor) who played right tackle but might be moving to guard long term. I'd still try him at right tackle at first for positional value after the season he had, though. "Sisi" posted a 1.6% pressure rate in 2025 with 0 sacks allowed. He's very powerful with a good, square build and is rarely beat on a bull rush or with power. He's a walking anchor.

    • His 4.8% loss rate versus outside moves and 12.1% versus inside moves are not elite, however. He doesn't have great recovery quickness and can over-reach at times, leaving him exposed to counters. He also doesn't cover a ton of ground out of his stance. These won't be serious problems at guard! His power is extremely obvious in the ground game. He's a monster 1-on-1 and can drive DEs off the line. He does get to the next level with straight-line athleticism and attitude. Mauigoa is a high-floor prospect with projectable traits. As a bonus, he can fire dance.

11. OG2 Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

    • The redshirt junior is a 3-year starter at left guard for Penn State and former 3-star recruit. He has a great base, is very physical, and simply doesn't get beat with power. His 0.7% pressure rate allowed is absurd, and the ones he allowed were on stunts or while pulling upon watch. He straight up didn't lose in pass protection the entire year. He's not an elite athlete, but he's functional enough to do everything asked of him, including working in the screen game. The Nittany Lions also placed him as a lead blocker at FB or TE as a bit. He'd annihilate dudes. While he doesn't have top-end recovery agility, Ioane rarely needed to use them. His interviews have been great from what I've watched.

12. OT2 Monroe Freeling, Georgia

    • The early declare is a 6'7"/315 left tackle and former 4-star recruit (No. 33 overall at 247) with just 16 career starts as a 1.5-year starter. He looks the part. He's lengthy and has the frame to even add some weight long term. In pass protection, he's aggressive in his set and meets contact early, with the athleticism to stick with speed rushers and the strength to anchor. Very rarely are DEs building speed to power against him. His length and movement ability allow him to push speed rushers off the top of the loop, too.

    • His 5.8% loss rate on outside rushes is higher than you'd like, but he was under 3% from Week 8 on, and that late-season tape was nearly flawless in 1-on-1 protection. The issue right now is mental. Too many errors on stunts and sorting out rushers pre-snap. In the run game, being so tall zaps some of his power as a down blocker, but he meets linebackers well after double teams and in the screen game. More reps well allow his processing to catch up with the physical tools. Freeling looks like a franchise left tackle made to order.

13. RB1 Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

    • The 20-year-old early declare is a 6'0"/214 back and former 4-star recruit (top-100 overall at 247) who split reps on great Notre Dame teams and still put up absurd numbers. His adjusted production sits in the 97th percentile according to my model, with an 87th percentile PPR points per game and a career 6.7 YPC. He has incredible speed on cutbacks, pressing outside zone to create backside angles and splitting safeties for explosive runs. He will bounce runs, but he gets away with it because of his short-area burst. In the open field, his change of direction is fantastic. There's an insane spin move against a LB that I keep going back to.

    • As a receiver, Love snagged a one-handed TD on a wheel route and was separately motioned around to find matchups, like on a slot corner route against an Arkansas LB. He ran angle routes and made defenders miss on swing routes. Love is also a quality pass protector with reliable scanning for blitzers. He even feels when OTs need help and has the size and toughness to square up rushers on his own. This is an easy bellcow evaluation. He's a better all-around prospect than Ashton Jeanty, even though they're polar opposites. ... Comps: Jahmyr Gibbs, Dalvin Cook.

14. WR3 KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

    • The junior is a 5'11"/190, speed-based receiver who can work downfield or in the manufactured-touch game as a hybrid outside receiver (66% of his snaps outside). He put up 89 total yards per game as a freshman at NC State before transferring, posting a high of 70.7 receiving yards per game at Texas A&M (and that's with their bad QB play). He can shed some tackles with the ball in his hands, and his speed on run-away routes shows is staggering. He blew by Brandon Cisse in man coverage for an explosive, and then looked way faster than Mansoor Delane in their handful of reps. Both are Round 1 prospects.

    • He's elusive the moment the ball is in his hands, and that electricity is felt very early in the route. There's not a route he can't handle, and he doesn't have to oversell things either. Just gets open and will even finish with toughness. On the flip side, drops were an issue (I counted about 7 of them), and he ran out of bounds when wide open in the end zone. He's was a bad asset in the blocking game and didn't even attempt to make a play in traffic on a 3rd-and-5 slant. That said, Concepcion should contribute on special teams (see: elite punt returns against LSU) and has the route running plus athleticism to be a No. 1 target for an offense. ... Comps: Stefon Diggs.

15. CB1 Mansoor Delane, LSU

    • The 22-year-old senior is a 6'0"/190 outside corner and former 4-star recruit who spent 3 years at Virginia Tech before a full breakout at LSU. He allowed 0 touchdowns and 0 penalties all season!!! Delane is always in control; smooth, can change direction, and closes with a lot of fight at the catch point. He racked up 11 pass deflections because he plays the ball as well as anyone in this class. His best reps come in man coverage, where he gets into the chest of receivers despite not having bully size. He has good zone eyes, too, but his ability to mirror and stay connected in man is what separates him. There's a calmness to his game (complimentary). His two minor concerns are his lack of elite downfield speed (watch him vs. KC Concepcion for example) and his work against the run where's he just okay there because he doesn't break down to make tackles well in space. That said, Delane profiles as a legitimate CB1 who can be trusted on the outside in any scheme because of his discipline and ball skills.

16. EDGE3 Akheem Mesidor, Miami

    • The 25-year-old 6th-year player is going to be a 25-year-old rookie, but the there's context here. The former 3-star recruit came in as a 195-pound OLB from Canada and has developed into a good athlete with length and a motor. He posted a fantastic 21% win rate on all pass rushes with 12.5 sacks and 17.5 TFLs. His 20% win rate on 3-4 pass rushes stands out in particular, with plenty of wins up the B-gap. He has great inside moves, good hand usage, and is violent at the point of attack. He can turn the corner for a big guy, too. The age will scare some teams off, but the production and traits are attractive. Mesidor profiles as a player who can contribute immediately and doesn't need a development year.

17. DT1 Caleb Banks, Florida

    • The redshirt senior is a 6'6"/330 defensive tackle with 35-inch arms who looks like many of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL. Banks suffered a broken foot in September of his senior season and carried his weight worse in 2025 than in 2024, likely due to the injury. His 2024 tape is the real evaluation. He had an 11.6% pass rush win rate that year, which was very strong, along with 7.0 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. His game against LSU was that of a top-10 overall pick, winning in multiple ways from different alignments. He's a 3-technique who can move around the line with good pursuit for a massive DT. He's not as explosive as the All Pro DL talent, but the tools are strong. His run-game numbers are middling, with his 0.83 solo tackles per game sitting in the 7th percentile among drafted DTs, but that Florida DL had a lot of talent for what it's worth. If the medical checks out and he can get back to his 2024 playing weight, Banks has the body type and pass-rush ability to be a long-term plus starter.

18. EDGE4 Keldric Faulk, Auburn

    • The 20-year-old early declare is a 6'6"/285 monster and former 4-star recruit with massive long-term potential. He squatted 700 pounds and bench pressed 415 per the Freak's List. The raw numbers don't tell a great story right now and an 11% win rate on all pass rushes is concerning. But context matters. He didn't get the same wide-9 rushes like others, and Auburn lined him up everywhere. He's arguably the most productive run stopper in this edge class, routinely setting the edge with power and length. As a pass rusher, he's routinely late off the ball and doesn't have counter moves yet, so the wins are mostly on based on his length, strength, and fight. I can't tell how elite of an athlete he is on tape because of how he was used. At only 20 years old, the developmental runway is long, and his character is great per Daniel Jeremiah. The profile is similar to Mykel Williams last year.

19. CB2 Colton Hood, Tennessee

    • The redshirt-sophomore early declare is a 3-star recruit who has played one year each at Auburn, Colorado, and Tennessee. He checks every box: size, speed, tape, age. His best coverage reps come in man coverage, where he's physical and stays on the hip of receivers. He's a bit handsy at times, but that generally works in his favor. He makes plenty of plays on the ball or forces things out at the catch point. His off-coverage reaction time needs to get better, which could limit him early as teams test him with quick-breaking routes. He's a very capable tackler, however. He blew up a screen blocker and made an open-field tackle against Oklahoma for example. Hood switched sides as a primary outside corner and could be used as a shadow option if his upside hits.

20. CB3 Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

    • The outside corner missed the 2025 season after tearing his ACL in January offseason workouts. When healthy, his stop, turn, and explode movement skills look fantastic. He has a thicker build that makes him hard to work through when the ball is in the air. There was a great end zone INT on a back shoulder against Alabama for example. McCoy is a very aggressive press-man corner, primarily lining up on the left side without switching sides or moving into the slot often.

    • That aggression is a double-edged sword, though. He did get beat quickly off the line against top competition. Aside from that interception, the Alabama outing was tough: slant for a first down, dragged beyond the sticks on a screen, a DPI, and multiple press losses. The matchup against Jeremiah Smith in the Ohio State game was rough, too. There was an off-coverage Cover 3 INT against UTEP, but the same rep is a touchdown against Kentucky. He didn't fight to make run-game tackles much, though he's physically capable when he turns up. The ACL is the obvious wildcard. If the medical checks out and he can get back to his pre-injury movement, McCoy has the press-man tools to be a No. 1 CB on the outside.

21. EDGE5 T.J. Parker, Clemson

    • The 21-year-old early declare is a former 4-star recruit (43rd overall at 247) with at least 5.0 sacks and 9.5 TFLs in all 3 of his collegiate seasons. He did have an 11.0-sack year, too. His 15.7% win rate over the past two year is good, not great. Parker wins with a long-arm move that generates power and collapses pockets. His paws can get hands off his chest, and he has the frame to kick inside on pure pass-rushing downs, too. Against the run, he'll be very strong as an outside 4-3 DE on base downs because of his length and ability to set the edge. The knock is that he's kind of a one-trick pony right now. He doesn't have an inside counter move and doesn't have that top-tier first-step explosion. But he's young and already does the hard part: speed-to-power. That's the foundation everything else gets built on.

22. OT3 Max Iheanachor, Arizona State

    • The senior played right tackle in college, but he could play left if asked to. Iheanachor is a 3-star juco recruit who didn't play high school football. He was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States at age 13, so he likely needs time to develop given his limited football background and weaker strength of schedule. Mississippi State got him multiple times, but he also had some very high-level reps and generally played his best ball late in the year. He has a nice build with 34.5-inch arms but looks more maxed out with weight.

    • He's a very solid athlete who can sink his hips and slide around, but his hands and timing can be sporadic. He's sometimes late off the ball, and inconsistent pass set depth led to a few outside pressures. He got bull rushed a couple of times, though that looked more like a technique issue than a permanent physical problem. He'll let defenders get to his chest, forcing him to catch and recover. Consensus reporting was that he played well at the Senior Bowl, which matters a lot for a prospect with his developmental arc. Iheanachor is one of the more fascinating long-term bets at the position. It's a difficult position to get right, so taking on some risk should be okay.

23. WR4 Denzel Boston, Washington

    • The redshirt junior is a 6'4"/209 outside receiver and former 3-star recruit who lines up outside on 85% of the snaps, primarily as an X receiver. His first seasons were quiet due to elite competition around him, but he's come alive recently with 64 and 73 yards per game in his last two years. He had two huge TD grabs against Washington State that showed what he's capable of at the catch point as a huge rebounder type.

    • He can also make sliding grabs and toe taps near the sideline, and Washington got him moving pre-snap to create some underneath moments where he broke some tackles with his size. His 2.6 yards per man route removing screens and 2.5 yards per zone route removing screens are solid and show how balanced of a prospect he is. The intermediate game is where Boston will shine the most. He can run all routes well because he can sink his hips at his size. In general, Boston profiles as a big-bodied No. 1 receiver who can win in contested situations and provide a large catch radius on layered zone throws. ... Comp: Rome Odunze, Diet Coke Mike Evans (from Matt Harmon).

24. S2 Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

    • The early declare is a 3-star recruit who spent 2 years at Purdue (100-plus tackles each year) before a 96-tackle season at Oregon. He's versatile, spending more snaps in the box as a deep safety at Oregon after being a deep safety at Purdue. His production is impressive; 90th percentile tackles per game among drafted safeties. He navigates through traffic and has the speed to run down the alley. He's not an overwhelming size or speed player, so he will miss some tackles that the true elites would make, but he's a very quality tackler in general.

    • In coverage, he was beaten by Indiana for a TD in man coverage but had a great man-coverage rep against a James Madison slot. He got beat deep a couple times in the deep half at Oregon, but had great INTs as a single high at Purdue when working in a straight line. It looks like he'll be a quality coverage player who won't be sitting in 1-on-1 coverage too often. He made a lot of instinctual plays in zone coverage and is strong enough to fight at the catch point. Thieneman is a high-floor safety who will rack up tackles and be in the right spot more often than not.

25. OT4 Caleb Lomu, Utah

    • The redshirt sophomore early declare is a tall (6'6") left tackle who plays a bit upright and narrow at only 305 pounds. The question is whether he has the athleticism to add some weight, and the answer is probably yes. He can move around well at his current weight, though he did roll his ankle a couple times and had some lowlights. His length looks like a strength. He doesn't overextend, stays patient, and plays in control, which led to a very good 4.3% loss rate on outside rushes. His hands were occasionally late, however, exposing his chest to power rushes and doesn't have a great anchor right now. His losses look like Will Campbell's losses. In the ground game, Lomu doesn't drive DEs back but can climb to the second level when needed. If he can add 15-20 pounds without losing his movement skills, there's above-average left tackle upside.

26. DT2 Lee Hunter, Texas Tech

    • The senior is a former 4-star recruit who spent 3 years at UCF, where he once had 38 solo tackles in a season, before his senior year at Texas Tech. His nickname is appropriately "The Fridge." He's a gutty nose tackle (6'4"/325) with some pass-rush juice, which is an odd yet valuable combination. His 11.0% pass rush win rate is very strong, and he racked up 10.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks when being more unleashed on pass downs. He carries his weight more in the midsection but is still pretty active and nimble for his size. It's a joy to watch. His tape against BYU was silly, and he dominated Oregon as a run defender with 7 tackles, showing both penetration ability and block-shedding chops. Hunter will be a good run defender in any scheme, but he may be able to play more pass downs than most nose tackle types.

27. WR5 Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

    • The redshirt junior is a 6'2"/200 outside receiver and former 3-star recruit who had some maturity issues early on at Colorado before transferring out and finding his game at Arizona State, where he put up 92 and 80 yards per game against mediocre competition. He's a very smooth athlete with some explosiveness. He can float in the air and makes diving grabs that look effortless. He lines up outside about 75% of the time, and his 3.0 yards per man route removing screens is strong. He's good out of breaks, can run the full route tree, and had a beautiful double move against TCU for a long TD.

    • There's sometimes too much flashiness in his route running, which could be a bigger deal against more physical NFL corners. He did make some extremely acrobatic grabs and generally has reliable hands. His 2.4 yards per zone route removing screens is more pedestrian, and there were some physicality issues at times. He got shoved out of bounds on a fade, slid short on a 3rd-and-4 with 90 seconds left in a tied game, and didn't survive the ground or fight through contact in some contested situations. He's also missed a lot of time throughout his career, and his slender frame further raises durability questions. Tyson has a wide range of outcomes but most likely slides in as a No. 2 receiver who is best when lined up at Z or in the slot. ... Comp: Jerry Jeudy.

28. TE1 Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

    • The 21-year-old early declare is a former 4-star recruit and 2-year contributor who split time with other pros at Oregon. He came to Oregon at 220 pounds but is now 245, vertical jumped 41.5 inches, power cleaned 365, and bench pressed 435 per the Freak's List. He's definitely explosive in a straight line with a muscular build. In the route, Sadiq looks like a jumbo slot WR with multiple impressive seam wins for explosives. The USC game was his showcase: hurdle in the flats, high-point TD up the seam, and a runaway route TD. He had impressive catches on slightly off-target throws throughout the year, but he also dropped too many passes, a couple of them working through contact. His 1.53 yards per route in 2025 is mediocre, down from 1.97 as a sophomore and far from the likes of Colston Loveland (2.7) and Tyler Warren (2.7). A lot of his production came on busted wheel routes, and there wasn't that much production working in zones. His spatial awareness is unclear. He's just fine after the catch with some stiffness for how short he is.

    • In the ground game, Sadiq offers plus blocking skills, especially at the next level. He has nasty to him and finishes guys to the ground or sideline. He can battle against much bigger DEs because he's pound-for-pound strong, though there's some physics concerns based on his total weight. He also had some balance issues, but in general, he's a better blocker than expected for his listed size. His receiving ability requires some projection, but Sadiq is a great linear athlete who can be a full-time player and No. 2 or No. 3 target in the pass game despite being just 6-foot-3 with years of development. Field Yates notes he led Oregon in special teams snaps in 2024, too. Dog.

29. DT3 Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

    • The early declare is a very heavy nose tackle and former 4-star recruit who doesn't look sloppy despite his size (6'3"/326). He's an impact run defender who could be a top nose tackle in the NFL as a strict two-down player. He murders centers and guards in the run game with extreme power, violence, and great leverage. His 31 solo tackles put him in the 75th percentile among drafted DTs, and his 9.0 TFLs show he's finding the ball consistently. His 9% pressure rate is fine for a nose tackle type, but there's not going to be much upside there, as his pass rush ceiling is mostly walking a heads-up center back with a bull rush. He'll collapse pockets for teammate sacks, however. He's strictly a nose tackle, but he could be one of the very best in the NFL at stopping the run.

30. EDGE6 Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

    • The redshirt senior is a 6'2"/248 pure outside linebacker edge rusher who spent 3 years at Bowling Green before 2 at Texas A&M, where he won SEC Defensive Player of the Year. He posted a very good 20% win rate on all pass rushes with a 24% pressure rate on outside moves. His 14 TFLs and 11.5 sacks were career numbers last year. Howell has a great first-step burst, and his ankle flexion around the corner stands out immediately. His hand usage is good, especially when working back inside against an over-set. He also has a great motor and closing speed to chase plays down from behind. The concerns are that his short arms could cap his ceiling and overall playing time, and he's not very productive against the run. That limits him to more of a specialist pass-rush role, but in that role, he can be effective right away.

31. OT5 Blake Miller, Clemson

    • The senior is a maxed-out right tackle who broke the Clemson record for career snaps from scrimmage, playing 3,778 offensive snaps over 54 career games (all starts). He has a solid build, is long, and isn't heavy in the midsection. He's a good athlete who isn't explosive out of his stance but can cover ground against a wide 9. His recovery quickness is average, as he plays fairly upright and tall. His 5.7% loss rate on outside rushes is solid but, once again, not elite. He finishes with a lot of energy in the ground game and can play in either scheme. Miller isn't going to wow anyone with traits, but there's real value in his experience and overall well-rounded skillset.

32. S3 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

    • The senior is a 3-star recruit who spent all four years at Toledo, which is rare these days. He has a tall, lengthy build and generally moves really well. He spent more snaps in the box than as a deep safety. He's active around the ball with 77 tackles and 5.5 TFLs, and he tackles well flying downhill. He delivers some big hits on the ball, both peanut punches during YAC opportunities and "Jaaacked Up" type plays with the ball in the air. In coverage, there was a great high-point deflection on a post leading to a teammate INT and a great INT as a quarters safety on a curl to the outside numbers where his impressive speed showed up.

    • He can be a little late sometimes when working in the back half, though. He generally plays aggressive, which can be a negative at times when he bites on fakes. He got beat on a wheel route for a long TD, and the same happened on a flea flicker. McNeil-Warren profiles as a box safety who can make an impact near the line of scrimmage, with enough coverage flashes to suggest he can be given difficult assignments when he's locked in.

33. LB3 CJ Allen, Georgia

    • The 20-year-old is a former 4-star recruit out of Kirby Smart's program. He's a pre-snap leader who lines everyone up. On tape, he's a total animal. He has good straight-line explosion against runaway routes, good zone instincts, and can be an effective blitzer who will collapse a pocket at the very least. Allen is a thumper type. That's a pro and a con. He had 88 tackles, though his tackles per game sit in the 41st percentile among drafted LBs. The concerns are in his movement. He lacks a real change of direction, often diving for tackles instead of sliding his feet. He misses tackles on cutbacks in open space because of over-pursuit. Allen profiles as a starter who brings the physicality and leadership that coaches fall in love with, but his pass-game ceiling could be a bit capped.

34. CB4 Brandon Cisse, South Carolina

    • The 3-star recruit spent 2 years at NC State and 1 year at South Carolina with less than 600 career coverage snaps. He's very fast in a straight line, which you can see against runaway routes, and he aggressively chases QBs' eyes with lots of reps with his back to the sideline. He was given difficult island matchups in press coverage. His change of direction is more average, though. He allowed a whip route TD in the red zone and doesn't snap out of zone coverage when driving on the ball. He gave up too many easy slants, and a couple of explosives came from mental errors. Cisse has the speed and aggressiveness to develop into a starting outside corner as he gets more snaps under his belt.

35. CB5 Avieon Terrell, Clemson

    • The early declare is a 5'11"/190 corner and former 3-star recruit with 2.5 years as a starter at Clemson. He's A.J. Terrell's brother. He allowed a jump ball TD against LSU and doesn't have the size to be elite on the outside. He's going to be a nickel in the NFL, where his coverage skills can be maximized without asking him to win size matchups on the boundary.

36. DT4 Peter Woods, Clemson

    • The 21-year-old early declare is a former 4-star recruit who lined up across the DL at Clemson but will be in the 3-technique world in the NFL. He bench pressed 490 pounds, did 34 reps of 225, squatted 700, power cleaned 385, ran a 4.86 forty, and vertical jumped 33 inches per the Freak's List. He's clearly pound-for-pound strong. There was a rep where he launched an LSU linemen to the ground with a rip move.

    • His 8.3% pass rush win rate as a junior is underwhelming, with only 3.5 TFLs and 2.0 sacks, though he was at a strong 13.6% win rate in 2024. His 9% pressure rate is below the typical first-round level. He knifes inside well, can split a double team, and is excellent as a stunter where his explosiveness is maximized. His short arms prevented him from finishing pressures into sacks, and that's a bigger issue in the NFL with the size of most QBs. There are very few wins based on a bull rush or long arm, and he's not going to be a run-game asset against bigger OL. His 0.32 solo tackles per game sits in the bottom 7th percentile among drafted DTs, and his TFLs per game is in the bottom 5th percentile. In general, Woods is a boom-bust run defender who gets himself out of position too often. Woods has real pass-rush tools when the scheme unlocks him, but the lack of length and production make him more of a rotational upside bet than a sure-fire starter.

37. OT6 Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

    • The 20-year-old early declare is a 5-star recruit (5th overall per 247) listed at 6'7"/360 with long arms and absurd strength. He squatted 815 pounds, benched 535, and power cleaned 405 per the Freak's List. Alabama used him as a lead blocker, ran wild cat through him, and even threw him some passes. He has explosive hands and power when actually blocking. Players routinely get launched off of him, and he hops out of his stance well and drops his hips with real explosiveness.

    • The problem is he admitted to ballooning up to 400+ pounds early in his career, and the history with that type of profile is terrible. He is a zero floor prospect, and teams have to get to the bottom of that in interviews. The excess weight is where the lateral quickness stalls out. It's much harder for him to recover once he's beat, and that could push him to guard if the problems continue. His 19.5% loss rate on inside moves is very worrisome, and his 6.1% loss rate on outside moves is also below average. He was surprisingly bull rushed a handful of times due to late hands, so there is some development required here. There's a world where Proctor is a Pro Bowl left tackle, and there's a world where he can't play. The gap between those outcomes is as wide as any prospect in this class.

38. DT5 Christen Miller, Georgia

    • The redshirt junior is a former 4-star recruit who spent his entire career at Georgia, playing 3-technique and moving around the formation for Kirby Smart. He has a shorter, athletic build. His production didn't light up the stat sheet in a loaded group (only 4.0 TFLs and 2.5 sacks), but he's generally athletic and making a difference on tape even when the box score doesn't show it. He needs more work as a pass rusher, but the physical tools are there to develop. Miller is a bet on the Georgia program and his athletic profile more than current production.

39. QB2 Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

    • The senior dealt with an abdominal injury in 2025 that caused his aDOT and efficiency to decline from 2024, and he didn't finish the season. He played well at the Senior Bowl, however, and his 2024 season was good. At 6'1"/205 with outlier small hands (8.5 inches), there are concerns about how he'll play in weather and within NFL pockets. He's a below-average athlete by modern NFL standards, and scrambling is a true last resort.

    • His dad is an NFL coach, and you can see that in his game. He floats away from pressure and doesn't take sacks. His 12.7% pressure-to-sack rate is fantastic and a good sign of his feel and pre-snap understanding. He makes full-field reads and will find backside digs. He steps up with eyes up, slides around the pocket, and has plenty of throws on the move and with funky arm angles. An offense should build in bootlegs for him. The ball doesn't explode out of his hands but is generally fine, maintaining nice velocity on the move. His accuracy is more average than good, though. His just-average 67% on-target rate on intermediate throws backs up the tape where the ball can sail on him, and his 57% on-target rate on sideline throws beyond 10 air yards is, once again, just fine by NFL standards. He's an aggressive decision maker who will push the ball into a difficult window, making him a boom-bust thrower. His EPA per play in 2024 was in the 53rd percentile among drafted NFL QBs reflects that. There are too many physical concerns to have a high ceiling, but he plays the game like a low-end starter. ... Comp: Smaller Andy Dalton.

40. QB3 Ty Simpson, Alabama

    • The early declare has a pretty-thin 6'2" frame with only 15 career starts who dealt with a back injury halfway through the season. I only watched games before it for what it's worth. He needs physical development to last against NFL hits. Luckily for the interim, he's a decent athlete moving around the pocket with designed rollouts and can scramble a bit. That all led to 47th percentile rushing EPA among drafted QBs. While he's a decent athlete, Simpson's success in the NFL will be tied to his decision making. His 37th percentile EPA per play is not that of a 1st-round prospect, even when adjusting for a difficult SEC schedule. He had issues with fumbles and was generally sensitive to pressure, posting a brutal -0.35 EPA per play on pressured dropbacks removing screens. His final game also included just 67 passing yards in a 38-3 Rose Bowl loss.

    • Simpson can make throws while backpedaling and can throw the ball 60-plus air yards to the far sideline, but his accuracy needs work. When he needs to drive the ball into a tight window, the ball sails on him. It's tied to an extra wind up that's needed to overcome his lack of lower-body strength. His average 67% on-target rate on intermediate throws reflects that. He generally scans the field fairly well. There are plenty of backside throws on tape, and he targets the middle at a high rate. He did put the ball into danger a bit too much, sometimes blindly throwing backside passes without checking for zone defenders. In general, he's an aggressive player with tools a tier below Jaxson Dart and Bo Nix, both of whom I had as top-20 overall prospects. Those two also had far more experience, where Simpson could use a half or full year of sitting in the pros. ... Comp: J.J. McCarthy.

My next batch of prospects to watch:

• WR Omar Cooper Jr., WR Chris Brazzell II, WR Malachi Fields, WR Antonio Williams, WR Chris Bell, WR Zachariah Branch, WR Deion Burks, RB Jadarian Price, OG Chase Bisontis, OG Emmanuel Pregnon, OT Gennings Dunker, TE Eli Stowers, TE Max Klare, TE Michael Trigg, RB Emmett Johnson, RB Jonah Coleman, RB Mike Washington Jr.

• EDGE Zion Young, EDGE R Mason Thomas, EDGE L.T. Overton, CB Chris Johnson, CB Keith Abney, LB Jake Golday, LB Anthony Hill Jr., LB Jacob Rodriguez, DT Darrell Jackson Jr.