by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 6/7/26 90. Cedric Gray Titans Linebacker Last Year's Rank: Not Ranked Gray is one of the most underrated players coming into the season and likely one of the least known. His reputation has definitely been hindered by being in Tennessee but the work speaks for itself. After a shoulder injury caused him to miss the first 10 games of his 2024 rookie season, he was never 100% until the offseason. When he came back healthy for 2025, he instantly be

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 6/2/2026 Photo Credits to Mark Konezny via Imagn Images It's FINALLY happened Patriots fans, A.J. Brown is now the new Patriots, no. 1 receiver. After the June 1st distinction of the new season, the Eagles have traded their 28-year old receiver for a 2027, 5th-round pick and 2028, 1st-round pick. After 4 seasons in Philadelphia including a win at Super Bowl LIX, Brown and his team had mutually decided to part ways after Brown became cryptic on s

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/24/2026 Photo Credits to Kevin Richardson via Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Services via Getty Images 100. Olaivavega Ioane Ravens Guard Last Year's Rank: Unranked And we start the Top 100 Players of 2026 with an immediate hot take as I have rookie Guard Vega Ioane with the #100 spot. As the clear #1 Guard in the 2026 NFL Draft and being drafted by one of the best running offenses in the league, I'm confident that Vega belongs on this list and I

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/18/2026 Photo by NFL via draftcountdown.com Quarterback Joe Burrow - CIN Let's get the big one out of the way first; IF JOE BURROW CAN STAY HEALTHY, I believe he can have the best season of any QB in the league. Flanked by Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Chase Brown and a much improve offensive line, Burrow could easily throw for 5,000 yards and 40 TDs. Burrow has been a Top-3 thrower in the league for years now but hampered by injuries and bad O-

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 5/15/2026 Quarterback Fernando Mendoza - LV This one's easy, Mendoza may not get the start until a few weeks into the season but either way he'll easily be the #1 Quarterback in the class' first year and possibly the only one that sees actual playing time HM: Carson Beck - ARI Running Backs Jeremiyah Love - ARI Jadarian Price - SEA Photo by Mark J. Rebilas via Imagn Images Another group that was easy for me, Love is the only Day 1 starter I see

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/27/2026 Photo by Sue Ogrocki/ Associated Press 1. New York Jets The Jets and the Giants had the best classes of all to me but I think the Jets just topped their cross-town rivals. With 4 picks in the Top-50, the Jets hit home runs with all of them including filling the 3 biggest needs of the team. David Bailey will be a force on the Edge for years to come. D'Angelo Ponds is a feisty leader on the outside or at slot corner. Then you get two dyn

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/23/2026 Graphic by The Sporting News 1. Miami Dolphins Jeremiah Smith - WR Ohio State Jeremiah Smith is the best wide receiver prospect I've ever seen and the best player in this class. Seeing as Malik Willis just got a contract before the 2026 season, the Dolphins should get him a #1 weapon rather than enter the Quarterback sweepstakes which means this pick will likely be traded for come next April for a team trying to get... 2. New York Jets

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/21/2026 Graphic by ESPN Click here for Full Positional Rankings 1. Caleb Downs Safety Ohio St Best Safety Prospect I've scouted either in the box or in deep zone. The only knock on him is that he's not 6'4" like Kyle Hamilton but to me, his instincts and fearlessness are even better. 2. Jeremiyah Love Running Back Notre Dame The biggest home run hitter in the class both on the ground or through the air. Love may not be the biggest back like

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/14/2026 Photo by Kate Luffman/ Tennessee Athletics 1. Jermod McCoy 6'1" - 188 lbs Tennessee Big Board Rank: 10 Pro Comparison: Stephon Gilmore McCoy is a very elite ball hawking corner with intense man coverage WHEN HEALTHY. And that's really the only knock on him is that he hasn't played real football since January of 2025 after tearing his ACL in an offseason workout. After his Tennessee Pro Day where he got back on the field and had good mo

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/8/2026 Graphic by NFL For the first time in the 2026 Draft season I will be putting out a Mock Draft with trades. This exercise helps with 2 things, the first being it gives everyone an idea of the most likely candidates to move picks when it comes to the First Round on April 24 and also shakes up the normal routine of draft picks we see selected just about at the same selection just about every time. I will probably make a separate list just

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/7/2026 Photo by Samantha Madar/ Columbus Dispatch/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images 1. Sonny Styles 6'5" - 244 lbs Ohio State Big Board Rank: 5 Pro Comparison: Kyle Hamilton Sonny Styles may be the best off-ball Linebacker I've ever scouted and that comes mainly down to his background as a Safety. At 6'5" and 244 pounds, Styles blew away EVERYONE at the NFL Combine and declared himself the biggest "freak" of his class by a longshot. Styles

Credit to Clutch Points via clutchpoints.com After a stunning and breakthrough victory last week against the Buffalo Bills, the New England Patriots will look to keep the momentum going against the 1-4 New Orleans Saints. With optimism at an all-time high, it is games like this, in my eyes, that matter when a team is trying to become a legitimate playoff contender. So, with that being said, will the Pats get the job done at the Superdome? Let's talk about it. Injury Report Cr

Credit to Leanna Puccio/New England Patriots After a dominant win last week against the Carolina Panthers, the New England Patriots will look to keep the ball rolling in their biggest test of the season against the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo, led by reigning MVP quarterback Josh Allen, is coming into this primetime matchup with an undefeated 4-0 record. Meanwhile, New England will look to get above .500 for the first time this season, coming into the contest with a 2-2 record. Af

by Zak Drapeau, Matt Hylen and Joseph McLaughlin 10/1/2025 Sportz Nation Quarterbacks (Zak Drapeau) Photo by Sam Navarro/Imagn Images...

by Zak Drapeau and Matt Hylen 10/1/2025 Sportz Nation Start 'Em (Matt Hylen) Quarterbacks Credit to Carmen Mandato/GettyImages via...