- Ohio State's Julian Sayin is the top selection: Sayin was the highest-graded FBS quarterback last season, but he will need another full year in the spotlight for the preseason national championship favorites. If this pure pocket passer replicates his play from last year, he should be a top selection.
- Raiders add playmakers around new QB Fernando Mendoza: Wide receiver is the most logical position for the Raiders to address early next year as they look to give Fernando Mendoza a true WR1. No wide receiver has emerged as a clear second option behind Jeremiah Smith, but Cam Coleman is a safe bet to do so next year. The fifth overall player in the 2024 recruiting class has transferred from Auburn to become Arch Manning’s top target.
With the 2026 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror, attention is already shifting to next year’s draft class, which is shaping up to be a strong one.
A lot can change over the course of a year. Fernando Mendoza was not listed among the 30 most likely candidates to be the first overall pick one year ago. In fact, many of the names ahead of him then, including Texas quarterback Arch Manning, are back in the mix for the top selection next season.
Instead of using this year’s draft order for this exercise, the order below is projected from 1-32 based on Super Bowl odds for the upcoming season. The current Super Bowl favorite, the Los Angeles Rams, would pick last. Up first: the Arizona Cardinals.
1. Arizona Cardinals: QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State
It’s difficult to envision a scenario in which the Cardinals are not searching for a quarterback near the top of next year’s draft, even though they selected Carson Beck in the third round this year. Sayin was the highest-graded FBS quarterback last season, but he will need another full year in the spotlight for the preseason national championship favorites. If this pure pocket passer replicates his play from last year, he should be a top selection.
2. Miami Dolphins: WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Jeremiah Smith has been viewed as a future blue-chip prospect since arriving at Ohio State. Carnell Tate was selected fourth overall despite Smith comfortably outproducing him over the past two seasons. This 20-year-old has the size and athletic profile of a Hall of Famer, with 27 touchdowns in just two years.
3. New York Jets: QB Dante Moore, Oregon
Moore would reunite with tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the Jets offense. He led the FBS in big-time throws (30) last season, while Sadiq recorded 30 first-down receptions. While incredibly gifted, Moore will need to develop his often erratic decision-making to warrant a top-five selection — he threw 10 interceptions last year, some stemming from nine turnover-worthy plays over his final seven outings.
4. Cleveland Browns: QB Arch Manning, Texas
Manning may be the most discussed prospect in next year’s class, regardless of where his draft stock ends up. He has all the resources to deliver an impressive 2026 season at Texas, but even if he falls slightly short of expectations, he possesses an athletic profile — 6-foot-4, 219 pounds with legitimate speed — that most other top quarterback prospects cannot match.
5. Tennessee Titans: CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
Moore could have been a top-10 selection this year following his FBS-best campaign last fall, highlighted by a 91.8 overall PFF grade. He recorded five interceptions, emerging as an established star for the Notre Dame defense.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: WR Cam Coleman, Texas
Wide receiver is the most logical position for the Raiders to address early next year as they look to give Fernando Mendoza a true WR1. No wide receiver has emerged as a clear second option behind Jeremiah Smith, but Cam Coleman is a safe bet to do so next year. The fifth overall player in the 2024 recruiting class has transferred from Auburn to become Arch Manning’s top target.
7. New Orleans Saints: ED Colin Simmons, Texas
Similar to Leonard Moore, Simmons would have been in the mix near the top of the 2025 class alongside David Bailey and Arvell Reese. The undersized but remarkably explosive edge defender led the SEC in pressures (59) last season and earned a 91.7 PFF pass-rushing grade as a sophomore.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech
There is a strong possibility that four quarterbacks go in the top 10 next season, heightened by the fact that none of the obvious quarterback-needy teams selected Ty Simpson this year. Sorsby could be one of several quarterbacks to emerge in 2026, and the Steelers are among the teams in search of a franchise option. Teams will value his decision-making and composure under pressure — he took just seven sacks on 114 pressures last season at Cincinnati.
9. Carolina Panthers: CB Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia
Robinson has logged only 550 total reps to date, but he has checked every box, and his lofty recruiting status underscores his top-10 pedigree. He has allowed just 16 receptions on 38 targets so far at Georgia. He will face a gauntlet of receiving talent next season that will help define his final draft stock if he chooses to declare early.
10. Atlanta Falcons: OT Trevor Goosby, Texas
Left tackle Jake Matthews will be 35 next offseason, while right tackle Jawaan Taylor will be an unrestricted free agent. There are several options for the first tackle off the board, but Goosby stands out after looking NFL-ready in his first season as a starter. He posted PFF grades above 80.0 in both pass protection and run blocking after taking over for Kelvin Banks Jr.
11. New York Giants: DI David Stone, Oklahoma
On the surface, the Giants have needs everywhere except at quarterback and the two positions they addressed in the first round of the 2025 draft. Stone is not the same type of pass rusher as Dexter Lawrence — he has just three career sacks — but he is built like a mammoth and could help rejuvenate a defense that was pummeled by run-heavy offenses last season.
12. Washington Commanders: WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, Alabama
Coleman-Williams will still be 19 years old at the end of next year’s college football season, so there is a real possibility he could return to Alabama for his senior season if he does not improve his hands (17 career drops on 114 catchable targets) and address production concerns, including nine games with fewer than 50 receiving yards last season. If he shows more of the electric playmaking ability he flashed against Georgia as a true freshman, he could emerge as a top-10 selection.
13. Minnesota Vikings: ED Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
Aging pass rusher Andrew Van Ginkel will likely need to be replaced after this season, and Dylan Stewart is one of the most explosive athletes in the upcoming class. Similar to Coleman-Williams, he cooled off as a sophomore after a standout freshman season. Regardless, 88 pressures over two years of SEC play warrant early first-round consideration. Quarterback could also be an option for Minnesota if J.J. McCarthy continues to struggle.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Jamari Johnson, Oregon
The Buccaneers passed on an Oregon tight end this year, as the greater need and better value came with Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. They could return to the position next year and select Johnson, who outperformed Sadiq last season. Johnson is a more traditional in-line tight end but still brings top-end speed. He averaged 9.1 yards after the catch last season, compared to Sadiq’s 4.9.
15. New York Jets (via Colts): WR KJ Duff, Rutgers
Duff is a massive receiver listed at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds. His ability at the catch point would complement the Jets’ wide receiver duo of route-running specialist Garrett Wilson and explosive YAC threat Omar Cooper Jr. Duff led all of college football in contested catches (22) last season.
16. Chicago Bears: IOL Cade Pieper, Iowa
The Bears selected Iowa center Logan Jones with the 57th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Pieper will transition from guard to replace Jones at center this season for the Hawkeyes, and if his form carries over, there is no reason he will not be the first interior offensive lineman selected next year. The bulldozing run-blocking style of these Iowa offensive linemen could remind Ben Johnson of players like Frank Ragnow in Detroit.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: OT Cayden Green, Missouri
Green allowed just seven pressures last season and has proven ability at both tackle and guard. These tackle prospects are lining up for first-round evaluations, and the vast majority play in college football’s most competitive conferences. Green will face as many as five preseason top-15 teams next season, including Colin Simmons’ Texas.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Carter Smith, Indiana
Smith is arguably the best offensive tackle in college football entering 2026. However, after deciding to return to Indiana for his fifth season, he will not have the same age advantage as other offensive tackle prospects. Smith won Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season while protecting Fernando Mendoza’s blind side.
19. New York Jets (via Cowboys): S KJ Bolden, Georgia
Bolden is currently the top safety in next year’s class. He already has two years of high-quality play in Kirby Smart’s defense and took a step forward against the run this past season, earning a 91.3 PFF run-defense grade. Bolden does everything well, and while he may not possess the same hype or versatility as Caleb Downs, the gap between the two prospects is not significant.
20. Houston Texans: LB Rasheem Biles, Texas
Azeez Al-Shaair’s contract expires at the end of next season. Biles is another highly touted transfer for the Longhorns following two promising seasons at Pitt. Few prospects boast triple-digit snap counts in the slot, box and along the defensive line. Biles likely profiles best as an off-ball, coverage-oriented linebacker, but his 12 sacks over the past two seasons show he is also an effective pass rusher.
21. Denver Broncos: TE Trey’Dez Green, LSU
This may be an ambitious projection for Green, who has just 46 career receptions as a former basketball recruit. His seven touchdowns last season and strong performances against South Carolina and Houston make him a prospect to monitor for the first round. Green has the athletic profile to excel in pre-draft testing.
22. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers): LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
Despite significant buzz about the Cowboys trading up to acquire Sonny Styles in this year’s draft, Caleb Downs was the defender selected by Jerry Jones at strong value. The Cowboys are not done building out Christian Parker’s defense for the future. Viliamu-Asa has played sparingly through two seasons in South Bend, but his 94.0 PFF run-defense grade led the nation last year.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: ED A.J. Holmes Jr., Texas Tech
The Eagles need long-term solutions on the edge. They have already taken a step in the right direction by landing Jonathan Greenard in a $100 million deal via trade. Holmes was an integral piece of one of the most ferocious defensive lines in college football last season. He will have more to prove in 2026 without David Bailey and Lee Hunter drawing attention, but Holmes projects as a high-level run defender at a minimum.
24. Kansas City Chiefs: ED Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon
The Chiefs traded up into the top 10 this year, but not for a pass rusher as many projected before the draft. Their need at the position next year will hinge on the rookie success of second-round pick R. Mason Thomas. Uiagalelei recorded 52 pressures last season and returns to lead what is projected to be the top defensive line in college football.
25. Detroit Lions: CB Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
Listed at 6-foot-4, Jones is a tantalizing prospect. He is a long, lean, disciplined perimeter cornerback who allowed just 11 receptions on 375 coverage snaps last season. Jones is a pass-breakup machine with strong instincts at the catch point.
26. San Francisco 49ers: S Ty Benefield, LSU
The Boise State transfer already has a significant sample size, with 2,169 career snaps in college football. He must improve his tackling efficiency — an 18.1% career missed-tackle rate — but his versatility to align across the defense gives him significant upside as he transitions to SEC play.
27. New England Patriots: OT Jordan Seaton, LSU
Seaton is the third SEC offensive tackle projected to go in the first round. He missed the end of last season at Colorado due to injury, but when healthy, he allowed just seven pressures on 328 pass-blocking snaps. One year earlier, Seaton was tasked with protecting Shedeur Sanders’ blind side, where penalties became an issue (15). He appears to have cleaned up that problem and brings ideal size for the NFL.
28. Los Angeles Chargers: IOL Iapani Laloulu, Oregon
Laloulu will enter the league as a four-year starter for a blue-blood program with experience at all three interior positions. He has allowed just one career sack and played his best football in 2024 en route to winning a Big Ten title with Oregon.
29. Baltimore Ravens: DI A'Mauri Washington, Oregon
The fourth Duck selected in the first round is the player who will face Laloulu in practice all season. Washington can play either 1-technique or 3-technique, and if he improves his finishing ability — a 22% career missed-tackle rate — he could be considered an early first-round pick. He also logged snaps at fullback last season.
30. Seattle Seahawks: DI Will Echoles, Ole Miss
The Seahawks have several expiring contracts on the defensive line to address. Echoles led all Power Four interior defensive linemen in pressures and defensive stops last season, despite being initially recruited as an offensive lineman.
31. Buffalo Bills: ED Damon Wilson II, Miami
Wilson takes over following first-round selections Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor after transferring from Missouri. He still has question marks as a run defender, but his pass-rushing production is undeniable — 54 pressures and eight sacks last season.
32. Los Angeles Rams: WR Mario Craver, Texas A&M
The Rams bypassed their need for receiving help in the first round this year to draft quarterback Ty Simpson. The odds remain in their favor to win a third Lombardi Trophy next season, in which case this luxury pick could be used on a more dynamic offensive weapon. Craver could be a Rookie of the Year candidate in the right scheme.