2026 NFL Draft Top-75 Big Board: Ty Simpson and Fernando Mendoza vie for Top QB

Welcome to our second big board drop of the 2025 regular season. After releasing an initial Top-60 in October, we’ve expanded the list to a top 75 this time around. Below, you can see where each prospect ranked on the last big board for “stock check” comparison sakes.

2026 NFL Draft: Top-75 Big Board

1. Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | EDGE1 | 6030/275 | JR | October: 1

Bain has emerged as a two-way force, a dominant run defender and a disruptive pass rusher. He has a sawed-off, muscled-up frame, an explosive first step and speed-to-power juice for days. Bain wins the leverage battle by playing low to the ground and he knows how to use his powerful hands.

2. Caleb Downs | Ohio State | S1 | 6000/205 | JR | October: 2

Downs is a high-octane athlete with estimated 4.3s speed. Downs has recorded an 85.0-plus PFF coverage grade all three years in college, a function of athleticism being amplified by anticipation and trigger. He’s a weapon in run defense, a sideline-to-sideline downhill human vacuum when deployed as a robber. An all-around star, Downs is also a dangerous punt returner.

3. Peter Woods | Clemson | DL1 | 6020/315 | JR | October: 6

Woods is jerky and violent in tight quarters, forcing offensive linemen to deal with an overwhelming combination of power and quickness. He lacks ideal arm length and his pass-rush approach is raw. Woods’ tape is filled with flash plays, and he’s a projectable athlete with a verified 4.86 40-yard dash and 33-inch vertical, per Bruce Feldman.

4. Arvell Reese | Ohio State | LB1| 6040/238 | JR | October: 20

Reese has been one of college football’s true breakout stars in 2025. A former defensive end, Reese has a built-in-a-lab frame and length. He’s also far more fluid and instinctual in space than he has any business being at this point in his development. Reese profiles as a do-it-all weapon who can shift between off-ball linebacker and pass rushing off the edge.

5. Jordyn Tyson | Arizona State | WR1 | 6020/200 | rJR | October: 3

Tyson is boundary/slot interchangeable, and he stresses defenses at all three levels. He was sensational through the first five games of the season while slashing his drop rate. Medicals are the big remaining question mark on his evaluation. Tyson suffered a torn ACL, MCL and PCL as a freshman at Colorado, and he’s been shut down since mid-October with a hamstring injury.

6. Ty Simpson | Alabama | QB1 | 6020/208 | rJR | October: QB6

A first-year starter, Simpson has been making an assault up draft boards since mid-September. Simpson doesn’t have elite physical tools, but his attributes are above-average across the board. Simpson, a coach’s son, excels in the mental aspects of the game. He sees the field well, he manages the pocket like a pro and he boasts picturesque technique with his eyes married to his feet.

7. Francis Mauigoa | Miami (FL) | OT1 | 6060/329 | JR | October: 5

Is Mauigoa a right tackle in the NFL, or is he an offensive guard? I think Mauigoa’s evaluation will be similar to Armand Membou’s, the No. 7 overall pick of the Jets in April. A vaunted athlete, Mauigoa is a two-time member of Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks “ list. Mauigoa is a gifted run blocker with devastating short-area quickness and strength. His pass-pro has improved rapidly the past two years.

8. Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB2 | 6050/225 | SR | October: 7

Mendoza is a big, strapping pocket passer who excels within structure. He keeps his head about him under pressure, and he’s willing to take a hit to deliver a strike, like he did on his viral game-winning TD pass to Omar Cooper to beat Penn State over the weekend. The question with Mendoza is out-of-structure play, but that weakness won’t keep him out of Round 1 in April.

9. Mansoor Delane | LSU | CB1 | 5111/191 | SR | October: 11

While LSU has struggled as a team, Mansoor Delane has been Delane Island in 2025. Delane is skilled and experienced, having logged more than 2,000 career snaps. The question with Delane’s evaluation revolves around being a good-but-not-great athlete in a smaller frame with shorter arms.

10. Keldric Faulk | Auburn | EDGE2 | 6060/270 | JR | October: 10

Faulk has a blue-collar play style, but white-collar physical gifts. He offers a tantalizing combination of size/length/athleticism in a prototypical NFL frame with length. Faulk is an elite run defender —99th-percentile in that category since the start of last season by PFF’s methodology. The next step is adding more pass-rushing moves to his power-based repertoire.

11. Dante Moore | Oregon | QB3 | 6030/210 | JR | October: 8

Moore has an advanced feel for working the pocket, and he’s got legitimate arm talent. Moore doesn’t have a huge arm, but he throws a full-assortment of pitches, augmenting his natural accuracy and placement with touch, arc and varied ball speeds. The big question: Will he declare for the 2026 draft? Still only 20 years old, Moore could also return to Eugene for his senior season.

12. Kadyn Proctor | Alabama | OT2 | 6070/366 | JR | October: 9

Proctor has been Alabama’s LT1 since he stepped on campus. The former five-star recruit is young—he won’t turn 21 until June—and early on the development curve. Proctor needs to keep polishing his pass-pro technique, but he has physical attributes to dream on for days. According to Bruce Feldman, the elephantine Proctor has a 32-inch vertical and 9-3 broad jump.

13. Avieon Terrell | Clemson | CB2 | 5110/180 | JR | October: 12

I love the way that Terrell plays. The brother of Falcons CB A.J. Terrell, Avieon is a sticky man-cover corner who flies downhill with a hit-stick in run defense. Defensive coordinators who like exotic blitzes will appreciate Terrell’s bat-out-of-hell brand of pass rushing from the outfield grass. Don’t worry about his size—Terrell will stick on the boundary in the NFL.

14. Denzel Boston | Washington | WR2 | 6030/209 | rJR | October: 16

Boston is a physically imposing boundary receiver with strong hands and premium ball skills. He tracks the ball well downfield and has a knack for adjusting to give himself advantageous positioning with the ball descending. Boston is also an underrated athlete with reported 4.4s speed. PFF validated that by clocking him at 22 mph on the GPS in 2024.

15. Makai Lemon | USC | WR3 | 5110/190 | JR | October: 18

Lemon is enjoying his national coming-out party in 2025. Lemon is a natural. He and his lightning-quick feet get open with regularity, and he’s a contortionist at the catch point who closes the deal with vice-grip hands (3.3% career drop rate).

16. T.J. Parker | Clemson | EDGE3 | 6030/265 | JR | October: 15

Parker runs an estimated mid-4.5s 40, and he effectively converts speed-to-power off the snap. He has an angular playing style with a little hip stiffness, and he needs to continue diversifying his pass-rush plan. But while Parker’s evaluation lacks sex appeal, the production and well-rounded game speak for themselves. High-floor, moderate-ceiling prospect.

17. Carnell Tate | Ohio State | WR4 | 6030/191 | JR | October: 31

Rangy, long-levered, silky-smooth boundary receiver with enough juice to threaten deep. Tate runs good routes, he has good situational awareness, and he’s very slick with body positioning along the sidelines. Tate has a golden opportunity to continue improving his stock with Ohio State expected to make a deep postseason run.

18. Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | RB1 | 6000/210 | JR | October: 27

Love’s improvements as a pass catcher in 2025 have started to attract more Reggie Bush comps in the draft community. Love, like Bush, is an elite athlete—a 210-pounder with 4.3s wheels. Bush didn’t profile as a traditional bell cow back—the nitpick of Love’s evaluation is the same. In college, Love has shared the workload with the dynamic Jadarian Price.

19. LaNorris Sellers | South Carolina | QB4 | 6020/242 | rSO | October: 4

Sellers is the most physically gifted QB in the class—and you could make the argument that he’s the most physically gifted prospect period (22 mph on the GPS at 245 pounds). He still has a ways to go as a passer. Sellers holds onto the ball too long, and he puts the ball at risk too often. A true boom-or-bust proposition if he declares for the draft. Sellers could return to college—if he entered the transfer portal, there would be a feverish sweepstakes for his services.

20. Kenyon Sadiq | Oregon | TE1 | 6030/245 | JR | October: 13

Sadiq is a mutant athlete with a reported 41.5-inch vertical—he moves like a receiver with the ball in his hands. The wildest thing about Sadiq’s profile is that he’s an absolute dog as a run blocker —one of the class’ best. Oregon has never used Sadiq in a dynamic way downfield as a receiver, and that’s currently the big unanswered question on his eval.

21. Trevor Goosby | Texas | OT3 | 6070/310 | JR | October: 14

Goosby has taken over Kelvin Banks’ old post on the blind side and the Longhorns haven’t seen much of a downgrade. Goosby is an elite athlete with projectable traits. He checked in at No. 17 on Bruce Feldman’s Freak’s List in August. Feldman reported that Goosby has hit 20 mph on the GPS.

22. David Bailey | Texas Tech | EDGE4 | 6030/247 | SR | October: 46

In his first season at Texas Tech, Bailey leads the nation in sacks with 11.5. Interestingly, his PFF pass-rush grade in 2025 of 93.2 is the exact-same as it was last year at Stanford. But Bailey has become more well-rounded in Lubbock. His 26 run stops are already easily a career high.

23. Domonique Orange | Iowa State | DL2 | 6016/328 | SR | October: 23

“Big Citrus” is a north/south load and a force against the run. Orange is impossible to uproot and move backward when he anchors. He has shown progress as a pass rusher but needs to keep improving in that area. An intriguing physical specimen at 6-foot-2/328 pounds with above-average length (33¾ arms, 81' wingspan), Orange is a two-time Feldman Freak Lister.

24. Zion Young | Missouri | EDGE5 | 6051/255 | SR | October: 24

Young has addressed questions about his pass rushing in 2025, putting him firmly in the Round 1 discussion after the NFL’s scouting services assigned Young Day 2 grades over the summer. Young is a stretched-out 6-foot-5, 255-pounder with length (33' arms and 80½' wingspan) and athleticism (projected 4.7 40). He’s a bruising, assignment-minded run defender.

25. Colton Hood | Tennessee | CB3 | 6000/195 | rSO | October: NR

In 2024, Tennessee took an Oregon State transfer and turned him into one of the nation’s best cornerbacks (Jermod McCoy). In 2025, the Vols have turned that same trick with Colorado transfer Colton Hood. Hood, who has broken up eight career passes while ceding only one career touchdown pass, has allowed completions on only 45.9% of targets in 2025.

26. Olaivavega Ioane | Penn State | OG1 | 6040/334 | rJR | October: 42

There are two players on Penn State’s offense who have excelled amid poor circumstances in 2025: Olaivavega Ioane and Kaytron Allen. I would submit to you that the latter is a big beneficiary of the former’s dominance. Always a bulldozer in the run game, Ioane has taken a leap in pass-pro in 2025 —his man hasn’t so much as touched the quarterback once this season.

27. Kayden McDonald | Ohio State | DL3 | 6030/326 | JR | October: NR

Last October, the Lions made Ohio State DT Tyleik Williams a surprise first-round pick. Williams didn’t provide a ton as a pass rusher, but Detroit greatly valued his dominant brand of run defense. One year later, we have another run-stuffing Buckeyes defensive tackle who could slip into the back-end of Round 1. McDonald is the only FBS DT with a PFF run defense grade over 88.0—and McDonald currently sits at 91.4.

28. Spencer Fano | Utah | OT4 | 6060/302 | JR | October: 33

Fano is not playing as well as he did in his breakout 2024 campaign, a development that has begun a debate about whether he’ll stick at tackle or move inside at the next level. Either way, Fano is a superb athlete and a fluid mover who excels in the zone-run game. He lacks length and play strength, limitations that have cropped up in specific matchups.

29. Sonny Styles | Ohio State | LB2 | 6043/243 | SR | October: 53

Styles is a hybrid off-ball linebacker, but not in the same way as his teammate Arvell Reese. Styles is a stretched-out former safety who still moves like a back-end defender even though he now weighs over 240 pounds. Styles is exceptional in coverage—perhaps no surprise considering his history—and he’s also an ultra-reliable run defender. After struggling to finish tackles in 2024 (18.4% missed tackle rate), Styles hasn’t missed a single attempt in 2025.

30. Gennings Dunker | Iowa | OG2 | 6040/317 | rSR | October: 29

Dunker is a standout collegiate right tackle who is likely headed to guard at the next level. His frame, reach (80⅝” wingspan) and game are all well-suited to the inside in the NFL. Dunker is an elite run blocker. He’s a student of leverage, and he boasts legitimate forklift power. On the inside, Dunker’s issues with elite movement on the perimeter would be mitigated.

31. Matayo Uiagalelei | Oregon | EDGE6 | 6040/270 | JR | October: 21

DJ’s younger brother broke out in 2024 with 10.5 sacks for Oregon’s top-10 national defense. He has looked even better in 2025, posting four sacks in five games. Uiagalelei is a high-motor defender with a premium combination of first-step quickness, speed and length. He doesn’t yet have a full arsenal of counters, but he’s shown promising developmental steps.

32. Christen Miller | Georgia | DL4 | 6040/305 | rJR | October: 28

A four-star 2022 prospect, Miller has looked good with full-time reps for the first time in 2025. He is a pivotal component of Georgia’s elite run defense, and has also shown the makings of push-the-pocket ability. Miller is what the NFL looks for in interior defenders—long-limbed and explosive, with the situational awareness and lateral agility for two-gap responsibilities.

33. Anthony Hill Jr. | Texas | LB3 6030/235 | JR | October: 22

Hill, a high school track star, runs a low-4.4s 40, and he moves laterally as well as he does north/south. He’s a sideline-to-sideline ballistic missile in run defense, and a weapon on the blitz with an instant-acceleration button when a crease opens. Hill is not yet a finished product. He can get sloppy when attempting tackles, and he’s a work-in-progress in coverage.

34. Cashius Howell | Texas A&M | EDGE7 | 6021/249 | rSR | October: 32

Howell is an undersized 3-4 pass-rushing OLB who has a red-flag lack of length with sub-31 inch arms—a big part of the reason he drew fifth-round grades from both of the NFL’s scouting services over the summer. He is, however, one of the craftiest pass-rushing artists in the 2026 class. His ability to generate heat on quarterbacks will earn him a top-50 slot in April.

35. C.J. Allen | Georgia | LB4 6010/235 | JR | October: 26

Allen is a force-multiplier in run defense – always around the ball, and rarely missing tackles. Stout and violent, Allen is blessed with mid-4.5s wheels. My issue with Allen is he’s terrible in coverage. The instincts Allen has attacking forward leave him when he’s asked to drop back and play in space. It’s a throwback profile.

36. Germie Bernard | Alabama | WR5 | 6006/209 | SR | October: 25

Bernard has been overshadowed and under-discussed for most of his career, but he boasts a slick combination of traits. Bernard’s build is more reminiscent of a running back, and he adds value with his ability to generate yards off manufactured touches. He’s also a strong route runner with sudden, concise footwork. Bernard has proven that he can win at all three levels, and he’s interchangeable between the boundary and slot.

37. Jermod McCoy | Tennessee | CB4 | 5011/193 | JR | October: 35

McCoy had 13 passes defended and four interceptions during his All-American coming-out party in 2024, his first in Knoxville after transferring over from Oregon State. But McCoy’s evaluation continues to be clouded by the torn ACL he suffered while training in January. McCoy has yet to make his 2025 debut.

38. Chris Brazzell II | Tennessee | WR6 | 6050/200 | rJR | October: 37

Brazzell is a tantalizing size/speed boundary receiver with a fisherman’s net catch radius. This is a rare case of Tennessee losing a fourth-round pick (Dont’e Thornton) and improving at the position—Brazzell has been that good. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Brazzell appears to be on a second-round trajectory.

39. A'Mauri Washington | Oregon | DL5| 6030/330 | JR | October: 43

Washington has a fascinating decision on his hands in January. A third-year junior, Washington could declare for the draft, where he looks like a prototypical Round 2 prospect. Washington could also return to school, hoping his freakish physical traits coalesce into a dominant senior season and ticket into Round 1. He’s a solid player at present, just not a finished product.

40. Keith Abney | Arizona State | CB5 | 6000/190 | JR | October: 41

Abney has emerged as one of college football’s best cover corners in 2025. He’s allowed a minuscule 53.1 QB rating on targets over 329 coverage snaps. And if the true junior declares for this spring’s draft, he’s also going to be one of the class’ best run-defending corners. He’s posted a PFF grade above 76.0 in that metric each of the last two seasons, and he hasn’t missed a single tackle attempt this fall.

41. Jonah Coleman | Washington | RB2 | 5084/228 | SR | October: 34

Coleman is a spinning bowling ball of a back, built low to the ground and shifty. Coleman isn’t a burner, but he’s got more juice than you’d expect for a short-striding ball of muscle with an estimated 4.51 40. Coleman has looked more explosive in 2025 after losing 14 pounds in the offseason. He’s one of the class’ best pass-blocking backs, and he’s a reliable receiver.

42. John Mateer | Oklahoma | QB5 | 6010/219 | rJR | October: 17

Mateer is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback with an elastic arm. He had a meteoric rise in September with stellar performances in victories over Michigan and Auburn. Momentum on that front has stalled following a throwing hand injury that sidelined him and affected his throwing upon his return. He’s another return-to-school candidate barring a hot finish.

43. Caleb Tiernan | Northwestern | OT5 | 6074/320 | rSR | October: NR

Tiernan is starting to look like an early-Day 2 target for tackle-needy teams who miss out on the Tier 1 prospects in this class. Tiernan is a skyscraper with quick feet. This is his fourth year as a starter, and he’s a proven commodity in pass-pro. The biggest question of his evaluation is a lack of length—Tiernan’s 32-inch arms and 78-inch wingspan are both red-flag territory.

44. Quincy Rhodes Jr. | Arkansas | EDGE8 | 6060/275 | JR | October: 44

Landon Jackson was the face of Arkansas’ defense. But incredibly, the Razorbacks unearthed an heir apparent likely to be picked higher (Jackson went No. 72 overall to the Bills in 2024). Rhodes continues to address questions about his pass-rushing aptitude, racking up three sacks the last two games against Auburn and Mississippi State. A 20-year-old true junior, Rhodes is no guarantee to declare.

45. Anthony Smith | Minnesota | EDGE9 | 6060/285 | rJR | October: 38

A smooth-moving power end, Smith is an underrated prospect. He’s a pocket pusher with closing speed, and a very strong run defender. Smith’s 8.5 sacks leads the Big 10, and he’s No. 3 among edge rushers in the conference in pressures.

46. Caleb Banks | Florida | DL6 | 6061/334 | rSR | October: 39

Banks’ evaluation has been complicated by the foot injury that has wreaked havoc on his season (29 snaps). Banks is a wide-bodied 6-foot-6 with extension-cord arms (85⅛” wingspan). The high school basketball standout’s play style belies his frame. Banks is a chaotic hunter, looking to make plays in the backfield. The fifth-year redshirt senior could consider applying for a medical redshirt. If he comes out, he’s likely a Day 2 pick.

47. Emmanuel Pregnon | Oregon | OG3 | 6043/320 | rSR | October: 47

Ignored by recruiting services, Pregnon signed with Wyoming and redshirted his first two years before earning Freshman All-American honors in 2021. He transferred to USC, where he was a standout starter at LG for two years. Pregnon made an inspired decision to transfer to Oregon for a final collegiate season. Both of the NFL’s scouting services gave Pregnon Round 6 grades over the summer, but he now has a real shot at Day 2.

48. A.J. Harris | Penn State | CB6 | 6010/184 | JR | October: 19

Harris broke out in 2024 after replacing Joey Porter Jr. on a dominant defense led by Abdul Carter. Circumstances in Happy Valley have been different this season, and Harris has unfortunately sharply regressed in coverage. The former five-star recruit clings just inside my top 50 for now. But the odds that Harris returns to college in 2025 have increased.

49. Garrett Nussmeier | LSU | QB6 | 6005/204 | rSR | October: 36

The son of New Orleans Saints OC Doug Nussmeier, Garrett is an undersized pocket-passer with pocket-passing chops. Nussmeier has struggled while playing through injuries this fall. His medicals will be scrutinized this spring. There are enough questions here to potentially lock Nussmeier out of Round 1. But he’s shown enough skill as a passer over his career that I can’t see him dropping out of Day 2.

50. Kevin Concepcion | Texas A&M | WR7 | 5011/187 | JR | October: NR

Concepcion was a revelation as a true freshman at NC State in 2023, but he sharply regressed as a sophomore in 2024. He transferred to Texas A&M and is enjoying his best career season. Encouragingly, Concepcion is doing it while playing on the boundary more than ever, and while being used further down the field than he ever was before (his 12.9 aDOT is more than four yards higher than his previous career high). Concepcion is slippery and sudden—if the 2026 class has a Matthew Golden, you’re looking at him.

Best of the rest…

51. R Mason Thomas | Oklahoma | EDGE10 | 6015/249 | SR

52. Blake Miller | Clemson | OT6 | 6064/314 | SR

53. Carter Smith | Indiana | OG4 | 6050/308 | rJR

54. Dillon Thieneman | Oregon | S2 | 6000/205 | JR

55. Justice Haynes | Michigan | RB3 | 5010/210 | JR

56. Dani Dennis-Sutton | Penn State | EDGE11 | 6055/265 | SR

57. Zachariah Branch | Georgia | WR8 | 5100/175 | JR

58. Kamari Ramsey | USC | S3 | 6000/204 | rJR

59. Mateen Ibirogba | Wake Forest | DL7 | 6030/296 | JR

60. Jadarian Price | Notre Dame | RB4 | 5011/209 | JR

61. Cayden Green | Missouri | OG5 | 6050/320 | JR

62. Chris Johnson | San Diego State | CB7 | 6000/182 | SR

63. Iapani Laloulu | Oregon | C1 | 6020/325 | JR

64. Chris Bell | Louisville | WR9 | 6014/227 | SR

65. Darrell Jackson Jr. | Florida State | DL8 | 6052/341 | rSR

66. Joshua Josephs | Tennessee | EDGE12 | 6025/237 | SR

67. Brian Parker II | Duke | C2 | 6050/300 | rSR

68. Caleb Lomu | Utah | OT7 | 6060/304 | rSO

69. Michael Trigg | Baylor | TE2 | 6033/250 | rSR

70. Brandon Cisse | South Carolina | CB8 | 6000/190 | JR

71. Derrick Moore | Michigan | EDGE13 | 6033/265 | SR

72. Antonio Williams | Clemson | WR10 | 5110/195 | rJR

73. Malik Muhammad | Texas | CB9 | 6000/190 | JR

74. Logan Jones | Iowa | C3 | 6024/300 | rSR

75. Isaiah World | Oregon | OT8 | 6052/321 | rSR

The following prospects are among a group not listed due to a projection that they will return to school in 2026: Texas QB Arch Manning, Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt, Baylor RB Bryson Washington, Oregon WR Evan Stewart, Auburn C Connor Lew, Notre Dame OT Charles Jagusah

2026 NFL Draft Top-75 Big Board: Ty Simpson and Fernando Mendoza vie for Top QB