The 2026 NFL draft is just around the corner. After months of working through inspections, prospects like Jeremiyah Love are about to learn what it was all for. Up to this point, most prospects have been living on the dream of something bigger. It doesn’t get any bigger than the NFL.
Of course, on the other side, teams are looking to either bring back the glory days or keep them alive for another season. The seeds of victory or destruction will be sown on Apr. 23, so let’s take a look at the biggest names in this year’s draft class.
Biggest 2026 NFL Draft Prospects to Know
#10 – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Jermod McCoy is widely seen as the best cornerback in the NFL draft after producing results at two different schools. McCoy doubled his number of interceptions from 2023 to 2024.
While he was unable to play in 2025, his tape and production left teams with reason to dream about the possibilities. McCoy is set to be a Day 1 starter in most defensive back fields and could be a foundational piece to build a defense around.
#9 – Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State
Arvell Reese is a name that should be at the front of the minds of fans. The pass rusher from Ohio State helped his team to a championship in 2024, but his brightest moment was in 2025. The pass rusher earned an impressive 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 14 games.
With his best season serving as his most recent, one more step up in abilities could make him the Abdul Carter of this year’s NFL draft. While there are bigger names, any franchise would be thrilled to have Reese on its side.
#8 – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Jordyn Tyson’s college injuries are the biggest thing holding him back. A torn MCL, ACL and PCL ended his season as a freshman and nearly took his Sophomore season, according to a Mar. 23 report by Sporting News.
However, in 2024, Tyson dominated the competition with 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, showing his ceiling. In 2025, he was equally impressive, but his nine games of action leaves a question about his long-term health. If he can find a coach and medical staff who can manage him correctly, he could be in for a team-changing run over the next few years.
#7 – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Caleb Downs won the championship with Ohio State in 2024, but he was consistent throughout his college career. He led the SEC in solo tackles as a freshman in 2023 with Alabama, proving that he can get opponents on the ground.
The safety also showed the ability to blitz effectively, with 12.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in his final two seasons. He also taught teams not to throw his way with six passes defended in 2024, but just two in 2025. He finished ninth in voting for the Heisman trophy, underlining his impressive abilities.
#6 – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Carnell Tate is near the top on most draft boards, so don’t expect Tate to last long. The wide receiver will enter the NFL with the closest thing to Super Bowl experience on the heels of a championship in 2024.
However, his most impressive feat was his ability to get better throughout his college career and produce results deeper down the field. In 2024, he averaged 14.7 yards per catch. In 2025, he averaged 17.2 yards per catch in a season in which he earned 875 yards and nine touchdowns in just 11 games.
#5 – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Jeremiyah Love is this year’s Ashton Jeanty-esque prospect. Like Jeanty, Love turned in multiple division-leading numbers in multiple seasons. Love led the Independent conference in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and yards per carry.
In his final two seasons, Love finished with 40 total touchdowns and 2,497 yards on the ground. He also grew as a pass catcher with more touchdowns through the air in 2025 than in any other season. Love is set to be a first-round pick as a running back, which is saying something.
#4 – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
It only took 16 games, but the Ohio State star crossed the 100-tackle mark in 2024. If Sonny Styles can keep a similar pace in the NFL, he would finish near the top of the league. The linebacker earned 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks, in addition to five passes defended and a forced fumble.
Put simply, Styles can do a little bit of everything, including getting pressure and locking down his receiver or tight end. If he can stay hungry, the linebacker will be learning the ins and outs of flag football the week before the Super Bowl this season.
#3 – Rueben Bain Jr, DL, Miami Hurricanes
Rueben Bain Jr. can do it all. The defensive lineman finished with multiple seasons with double-digit tackles for loss and at least 7.5 sacks. The lineman had four forced fumbles in his career and might have been the biggest name on the Miami Hurricanes aside from Carson Beck this season.
Armed with national championship experience, the pass rusher will be no stranger to January, should he land on a team able to get into the postseason. Bain, given a chance, could seal a game as a rookie with a late strip sack if certain factors line up. That alone will be worth the premium price of admission.
#2 – David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
While some of the other prospects on this list have questions to answer heading into the NFL, David Bailey is rock solid. Bailey has played four years in the FBS and is coming off what is easily his best season in an impressive run.
Even without his breakout 2025 campaign in which he led the Big 12 in tackles for loss and the FBS in sacks with 14.5, Bailey’s body of work would have made him a fringe Day 1 pick. On the heels of 2025, however, Bailey is one of the top names to know in the entire class.
#1 – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Hoosiers
Fernando Mendoza is the must-know name of the NFL draft this year. Coming essentially out of nowhere, the quarterback took the FBS by storm with Curt Cignetti to win it all. En route to the national championship, Mendoza led the FBS in passing touchdowns, and led the Big Ten in yards per attempt and air yards per attempt.
Most expect Mendoza to be selected by the Las Vegas Raiders, but if he falls even one spot, it would send shockwaves throughout the NFL. Perhaps the only question would be whether it was Cignetti or Mendoza that caught fire, but almost every quarterback needs an effective head coach to live up to the lofty expectations as a No. 1 pick. Either way, Mendoza is the biggest name in the football world in April.
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