Ten 2026 NFL Draft Prospects To Get Excited About

It’s time to start getting excited about the 2026 NFL Draft, and these ten prospects are all impressing the league’s scouts.

The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and the NFL’s scouts and front offices are turning the page to next year’s class. These ten prospects, while not necessarily the ten best, are prospects that NFL teams are excited about. Again, if someone got left out, that doesn’t mean they’re not a top prospect.

Texas Edge Anthony Hill

Hill is a superstar edge prospect in the mold of Abdul Carter, whom the giants just took 3rd-overall. Like Carter, he’s played as a box linebacker situationally used as a pass-rusher his first two years in college. That should change this year, as he should be at edge full-time if Texas wants wants to get the most out of him. He has 13 sacks in two years at Texas, a sensational tally given the role he’s been asked to play. He’s an absolute phenom.

South Carolina Quarterback LaNorris Sellers

Sellers is built like a mack truck, has a cannon for an arm, and moves like a player of a much smaller statue. The Gamecock thrived in his first year as a starter, and will have redshirt sophomore eligibility. His combination of traits and burgeoning production means he could be a top five pick next year if he puts good film on tape this year.

Miami Offensive Tackle Francis Mauigoa

Mauigoa features prototypical size and feet for a franchise left tackle, and has been the starter at Miami from Day One. A healthy season will put him in the top ten of the NFL Draft, as he’s a young, productive player with plenty of upside.

Notre Dame Running Back Jeremiyah Love

When you think Jeremiyah Love, think Detroit Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs. Love may not have the frame to be a 20-carry per game running back. That’s okay, because NFL teams rarely want that guy anyways, and he’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball. He’s got legit long speed that translates well on the field, can make guys miss, and has better power than his 6’0 205lb frame would suggest. He’s fantastic out of the backfield, too. He could be the first running back off of the board.

Penn State Quarterback Drew Allar

The average fan doesn’t realize just how much NFL teams love Drew Allar. Allar, who likely would have been a top ten pick in the 2025 NFL Draft had he come out, has prototypical size, great arm talent, and is more mobile than people give him credit for. Even with his poor decision that lost Penn State the College Football Playoff Semifinal, Allar has been remarkable at protecting the football. He’s thrown just ten interceptions in over 800 college attempts despite having a poor group of wide receivers in Happy Valley. That will change this year thanks to the transfer portal. Allar, who completed 67% of his passes last year, needs to tighten up mechanically to avoid the occasional big miss. But, the Ben Roethlisberger/Josh Allen/Justin Herbert comparisons, depending on who you ask, are often floated around for a player who could be the first-overall pick next season if he has a great year.

Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs

If you’re a football fan, you know all about Caleb Downs. Simply put, the Alabama transfer is a flat-out spectacular football player. You have to really squint to find a weakness in his game, and he was one of the very best players in college football from the moment he stepped on the field as a true freshman starter in Tuscaloosa. That continued after transferring to Ohio State last year. Downs is a spectacular tackler, has great ball skills, is dynamic after the interception, and has coverage skills as good as anyone in the nation, even cornerbacks. That sounds like it is hyperbole. It is not. Downs may be the best safety prospect in decades.

Oregon Safety Dillon Thieneman

The picture is of Thieneman in a Purdue jersey, but one of the best players in college football few know about will be an Oregon Duck this season. That’s going to help him become a household name in football circles, because Thieneman can flat-out play. He’s been tasked with doing a ton for terrible Purdue teams, and has notched 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons. And, after picking off six passes as a freshman in 2023, quarterbacks simply stopped throwing at him with any frequency in 2024. In most drafts, he would be the top safety prospect in the country. Caleb Downs will prevent that, but Thieneman is an absolute player.

Clemson Edge TJ Parker

Don’t let his 6’3 frame fool you. Due to his long arms, impressive speed and bend, and violent hands, TJ Parker is very close to a prototypical edge prospect in the mold of Terrell Suggs. He’s a freak athlete despite carrying nearly 270lb, and when he is locked in, dominates both at the point of attack in the run game and rushing the passer. Parker was very productive last year, tallying 57 tackles, 11 sacks, and a fantastic 6 forced fumbles. He has a knack for the strip sack, and NFL teams rightly value that highly. Parker, as of now, would be a top-ten pick and has the ability to vault into the top five with a great true junior year.

Texas Quarterback Arch Manning

Yes, of course Arch Manning is on the list. Manning hasn’t even played very much, throwing just 95 passes in his college career. But, he is quarterback royalty after all, and the small sample size shows every quarterback trait you could want, even mobility. That mobility is something his namesake, grandfather Archie Manning had, and something that skipped a generation with Peyton and Eli. In limited work last year filling in for an injured Quinn Ewers, he threw for 939 passing yards, 9 touchdowns, and 2 picks, and was a threat on the ground as well. There is some speculation that manning will return to school for his senior season in 2026. Both uncles did just that. But, if he lives up to the hype, it would be tough for for him to turn down being a top-five pick.

Alabama Offensive Tackle Kadyn Proctor

It’s unfair to compare someone to Orlando Pace, arguably the best tackle to ever play. But, In terms of the sheer size and athleticism combo, Kadyn Proctor certainly elicits thoughts of the legend. The former dominant high school heavyweight wrestler is a behemoth at 6’7, 370. He carries that weight like someone 100lb lighter, but that weight gives him unbelievable play strength. He’s got incredible feet, too, feet that allowed him to be a day one starter at Alabama. He needs to clean up his technique and pad level. But, the traits are off the charts and he would’ve been a top-ten pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had he been eligible to enter.