2026 NFL Draft: Top 5 prospects at each offensive position

If you’re looking for quarterbacks, running backs or tight ends outside of the first round, chances are you’re going to be disappointed. If you want offensive linemen or receivers, you’ll have a much higher chance of success.

The 2026 NFL Draft class is one where evaluators will have to work overtime to stack their boards. It won’t be like 2021 or 2024, when you could throw a dart in the top 10 and hit a future All-Pro.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t future All-Pros to be had, but rather that they aren’t as obvious on tape.

Quarterback

1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama
3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
4. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
5. Drew Allar, Penn State

There’s a clear tier after No. 1 in this class and then another clear tier after No. 2. Heck, No. 3 on this list was benched last season. That’s how thin this class is. 

Fernando Mendoza won’t be confused for Andrew Luck as a prospect anytime soon, but I’d argue his floor is higher than even last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Cam Ward. Mendoza has the size, arm strength, quick processing and calmness under pressure to excel in the league. His intangibles are also off the charts after leading Indiana to a Cinderella national title.

Ty Simpson will be the most debated quarterback in this class for a couple of reasons. First, he has only one year of starting experience. Second, he dealt with a back injury down the stretch and then cracked a rib against Indiana that ultimately forced him out of the game. There are plenty of high-end throws and performances on his tape to get excited about, but also enough ugly ones to give evaluators pause. In a weak quarterback class, though, chances are he still lands in Round 1.

Running back

1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
2. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
3. Kaytron Allen, Penn State
4. Jonah Coleman, Washington
5. Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest

There are precisely two running backs who will be in my top 100 this year, and both were on the same team last fall. That’s a far cry from last year’s class, which saw 10 players rise to starter or committee-starter roles at some point during their rookie seasons.

Jeremiyah Love is yet another special prospect at the position and has a chance to go inside the top 10 like Ashton Jeanty did last spring. He didn’t handle the same workload Jeanty did — he never eclipsed 200 rushing attempts in a season — but Love has the kind of big-play ability everyone is chasing at the position.

Love’s teammate, Jadarian Price, is no slouch, either, with exceptional vision, speed and run pacing. He’ll consistently maximize runs between the tackles despite not having ideal size. After that, there may not be another starter in this class. That’s why I even included a pure scat back in Demond Claiborne in my top five. At least he has a role I know he can succeed in as a space back. I can’t say that about too many other backs in this class.

Wide receiver

1. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona St.
2. Carnell Tate, Ohio State
3. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
4. Makai Lemon, USC
5. KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

This top five has a little something for everyone. If you want a do-it-all No. 1, Jordyn Tyson is your man. His ability to run the full route tree is truly special for a prospect. It’s his injury history (missed time in three straight seasons) and middling play strength that hold him back from elite status.

Carnell Tate is a ready-made deep threat with the most effortless ball skills in the class. He didn’t drop a single pass this season and hauled in 12 of 14 contested catches, according to PFF. 

Omar Cooper Jr. is the YAC weapon who can turn underneath routes into first downs consistently. He has the kind of running back build to carry that over to the NFL. Cooper’s 27 broken tackles were the fourth-most in college football.

Makai Lemon is your rugged slot receiver who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work over the middle. 

And finally, KC Concepcion is your explosive vertical threat who will terrify opposing defensive coordinators when left one-on-one. With 19 career drops, though, Concepcion’s ball skills will scare off some teams.

Tight end

1. Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
2. Michael Trigg, Baylor
3. Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M
4. Max Klare, Ohio State
5. Josh Cuevas, Alabama

This is not last year’s tight end class — that’s for sure. Last year saw five tight ends drafted in the top 50. This year, I’d be willing to bet we don’t see more than one. 

That will be Kenyon Sadiq. The 20-year-old, built like a jumbo running back, is one of the more intriguing prospects in the class. He’s likely to fill a similar role to what Harold Fannin Jr. did for the Browns last year as a movable TE2 who’s asked to block more in space than inline. If opposing defenses treat him like a receiver, he gives you an advantage in the run game. If they treat him like a tight end, he gives you an advantage as a receiver.

After him, Michael Trigg is easily the next-best athlete in the class. The only problem is he shows little interest in doing traditional tight end things (i.e., blocking). I almost ranked him with the wide receivers for that reason, but he has such a massive frame that if someone can light a fire under him as a blocker, he could be a problem.

After those two, there may not be much dynamism. Nate Boerkircher, however, is the most complete inline option in the draft class. His ball skills, fluid routes and play strength make him a strong candidate to be more productive in the pros than he was in college.

Offensive tackle

1. Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
2. Spencer Fano, Utah
3. Caleb Lomu, Utah
4. Blake Miller, Clemson
5. Max Iheanachor, Arizona State

This is the position that will spark countless debates from now until draft time. Ultimately, the deciding factor for my OT1 was potential. 

It’s hard not to see the special reps on Kadyn Proctor’s tape. The 6-foot-7, 369-pound offensive tackle, who was No. 2 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List last fall, is a physical outlier in every sense of the word. What separates him from other jumbo tackles like Evan Neal is his balance. You won’t find many reps on his tape where he loses his footing or goes tumbling to the turf. That’s a big selling point for someone who doesn’t turn 21 until the summer.

While Proctor is like an NBA lottery pick, Spencer Fano is a much safer bet. His mirroring ability is the best in the draft class. The biggest concern is his arm length, and even then, there are plenty of successful tackles in the league within his range. 

His teammate Caleb Lomu is another easy mover in pass protection, albeit with a more glaring flaw. His play strength must improve before he can hold up to the rigors of NFL power.

After those three, there’s a drop-off in proficiency, but not in athletic traits. Both Blake Miller and Max Iheanachor are high-end athletes whose tools are easy to get excited about. They both fall into the more developmental tier, though.

Interior offensive line

1. Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)
2. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
3. Connor Lew, Auburn
4. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
5. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon

What a fun interior offensive line class. Francis Mauigoa has been a right tackle his entire Canes career, but I love his work in a phone booth so much that I’d kick him inside. The power in his hands and his anchor will serve him well against NFL defensive tackles. 

The top true guard in college football this past fall was fellow Samoan Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane. He put together impeccably clean tape from start to finish. He has an ideal guard frame with unmatched consistency in pass protection.

The top true center on my board is Auburn’s Connor Lew, who is one of the youngest players in the entire draft class. He was only 18 years old when he first broke into the Tigers’ starting lineup and won’t turn 21 until next August. While his play strength needs to improve, his technique is already top-notch.