Early Look: Top Prospects to Watch in the 2026 NFL Draft – After the Snap

The NFL season is a year-round spectacle, and while the 2025 season hasn’t even kicked off, it’s never too early to peek at the future stars who could be making waves in the 2026 NFL Draft. With the landscape of college football constantly evolving, several prospects are already generating significant buzz. Let’s dive into some of the top names to watch as they prepare to showcase their talents on the gridiron this fall.

Quarterbacks: The Future is Now

The quarterback position is always under the microscope, and the 2026 draft class is shaping up to be a potentially deep one.

Garrett Nussmeier, LSU: Coming off a strong 2024 season where he threw for over 4,000 yards and 29 touchdowns, Nussmeier is looking to lead LSU back to the College Football Playoff. His arm talent and pro-style preparation under Brian Kelly make him an early-round prospect. Some analysts say that last season there really wasn’t a better quarterback in a clean pocket than Garrett Nussmeier.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson: Klubnik is an athletic quarterback with good size and arm talent. In 2024, he impressively threw 36 touchdowns with only 6 interceptions. He needs to add more muscle to improve his arm strength, but his pocket presence and ability to make plays on the move make him a top prospect.
Arch Manning, Texas: The name carries weight, and Manning has the potential to be a top QB in this class. After throwing for 939 yards and nine touchdowns as a redshirt freshman, all eyes will be on him to see if he can live up to the hype.
Sam Leavitt, Arizona State: Leavitt led the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff and a Big 12 Championship in 2024, while also being one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation with an 80.0 QBR. He passed for 2,885 yards with 24 touchdowns.

Running Backs: Power and Speed

The 2025 NFL Draft running back class was stacked, but the 2026 class still has plenty of talent to get excited about.

Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame: Love was a key piece of Notre Dame’s 2024 national championship run, posting a stellar 91.8 rushing grade. He’s more than just a home-run hitter, though, forcing 0.38 missed tackles per attempt and averaging 4.4 yards after contact per carry.
Nicholas Singleton, Penn State: Singleton surprised many by returning to Penn State for his senior season. He has great size at 6-foot-1 and 226 pounds, and the speed to take it to the house from anywhere on the field.
Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma: Ott was one of college football’s most electric underclassmen at Cal, earning 90.1 and 89.5 rushing grades as a freshman and sophomore.
Makhi Hughes, Oregon: Following two outstanding years at Tulane, Hughes transferred to Oregon and was one of the top players who switched schools this offseason.

Wide Receivers: Explosive Playmakers

The wide receiver position is loaded with talent, and several players are poised to make a name for themselves in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State: Tyson broke out in a big way with the Sun Devils in 2024, tallying 1,098 yards as a redshirt sophomore. He’s fast with easy acceleration and adequate size.
Makai Lemon, USC: Lemon was extremely efficient in his sophomore season with the Trojans. His 3.03 yards per route run average ranks third among returning Power Four wideouts. He has strong hands and is dynamic after the catch, making him one of the best slot receivers in the country.
Carnell Tate, Ohio State: Tate should break out in his junior season as Ohio State’s No. 2 receiver and has intriguing tools for the position. He’s a good separator despite being 6-foot-3, placing in the 93rd percentile of separation rate this past season (86.6%).
Antonio Williams, Clemson: Williams has posted solid receiving grades of 73.9 and 72.6 over the past two seasons, but there’s reason to believe he has another gear.

Defensive Stars: Disruptors and Playmakers

Defense wins championships, and the 2026 NFL Draft has several potential game-changers on the defensive side of the ball.

David Bailey, Texas Tech: Bailey had seven sacks and multiple forced fumbles at Stanford last season and transferred to Texas Tech for the 2025 season. Bailey has a great first step, and he uses his hip and ankle mobility to get around the edge untouched.
Caleb Downs, Ohio State: Downs is the top-ranked safety in the 2026 NFL Draft.
T.J. Parker, Clemson: Parker enters the 2026 NFL Draft as a top-rated defensive end. His production last season was elite: 19.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and a school-record six forced fumbles.
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami: Despite an injury-plagued season last year that caused him to miss four games, he remains one of the most explosive athletes in the 2026 defensive end class.

Keep Your Eye On

Denzel Boston, Washington: The first thing you notice about Boston is his elite size at 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds.
Elijah Sarratt, Indiana: Since 2023, Sarratt’s 90.3 PFF overall grade leads all returning FBS receivers, as do his 2,156 receiving yards.
Jonah Coleman, Washington: Coleman has been one of college football’s most efficient runners since he arrived on the scene three years ago.
Drew Allar, Penn State: Allar is built like an NFL quarterback at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds.

The 2026 NFL Draft is still a ways off, but the foundation for an exciting class of prospects is already being laid. Keep these names in mind as the college football season unfolds, and get ready to witness the rise of the next generation of NFL stars.