by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/14/2026 Photo by Ryan Kang/ Getty Images 1. Caleb Downs 6'0" - 206 lbs. Ohio State Big Board Rank: 1 Pro Comparison: Ed Reed Look, there are a few cant miss prospects in draft every year and I am more than comfortable saying Caleb Downs is the ONLY prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft that has zero chance in not becoming a Pro Bowler in this year's class. An extremely intelligent and fearless Safety, Downs is brilliant in coverage in a generational

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

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 4/2/2026 Photo by Mark J. Rebilas/ Imagn Images 1. David Bailey 6'4" - 251 lbs Texas Tech Big Board Rank: 3 Pro Comparison: Souped-Up Jared Verse Bailey checks off all of my boxes for an NFL rusher and is the most ready prospect for the next level at current day. Bailey doesn't have elite strength but his twitch, explosiveness, hands and agility are already at an NFL-level. Bailey has fallen out with some teams in the NFL and may go as low as 1

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 3/31/2026 Photo by Matt Pendleton/ Gainesville Sun 1. Caleb Banks 6'6" - 327 lbs Florida Big Board Rank: 18 Player Comparison: Jordan Davis It took me a long time to say that Banks is the better prospetc than Woods in this class but I'm confident now. Banks has the ability to be a brick wall in the middle of the line with his size and strength but his athletic upside is what rose him up my board. Like Peter Woods and most of this group, Banks d

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 3/30/2026 Positions of Need : Tackle Wide Receiver Edge Rusher Defensive Tackle Draft Picks : Round 1 (31) Round 2 (63) Round 3 (95) Round 4 (125) Round 4 (131) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Pick #31 Photo by Jerome Miron/ Imagn Images (What They Should Do) - Draft Best Player Available of WR, OT, Edge or DT (What They Will Probably Do) - Draft Edge or DT (Prospects That Make Sense) - T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson - Denzel Boston, WR, Washing

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 3/26/2026 Photo by Ericka Apolskis/ Onward State 1. Olaivavega Ioane 6'4" - 320 lbs Penn State Big Board Rank: 16 Pro Comparison: Robert Hunt "Vega" Ioane is the best run blocker of the class while also having the technical ability and physical traits to be a future All-Pro. At 6'4" and 320+ pounds, Vega is a bit rigid and it will show sometime when having to battle more finesse rushers, but his pass blocking is still solid if not very good. Ve

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 3/12/2026 Photo by Rick Kimball/ ISD 1. Jeremiyah Love 6'0" - 212 pounds Notre Dame Big Board Rank: 2 Pro Comparison: Christian McCaffrey Jeremiyah Love is different from the other Top-End RB prospects before him like Jeanty and Robinson. While he is not a RB you can depend to get you 4-5 yards every carry, he may be the best "Home Run hitter" we've seen at the position in a VERY long time. As athletic and agile as we've seen in a 215-pound RB,

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 3/10/2026 Photo by Darron Cummings/ Associated Press 1. Fernando Mendoza 6'5" - 236 lbs. Indiana Big Board Rank - 7 Pro Comparison: Trevor Lawrence Mendoza's stock may have risen with his National Championship performance but I'm still not sold on him as a #1 prospect even though he'll go #1 overall. Mendoza is by far the best of a bad QB class and has a lot of what you're looking for in a Franchise QB. Mendoza has the size, the accuracy, a goo

by Zak Drapeau Sportz Nation - 3/5/2026 Graphic by NFL via steelers.com 1. Fernando Mendoza Las Vegas Raiders Big Board Rank: 7 Mendoza is the clear pick here for the QB-needy Raiders. The top Quarterback by a landslide in his class, this pick is al but decided already. 2. Arvel Reese New York Jets Big Board Rank: 4 And now the NFL draft starts, (or so they say.) Arevll Reese has gathered the most hype around his potential so he should be the pick here. As a hybrid off ball l

by Zak Drapeau, Matt Hylen and Joseph McLaughlin ___________________________________ Quarterbacks (Zak Drapeau) Photo by Jayne...