We’re in the deadest part of the NFL calendar right now, so what better time to peek ahead to next year’s draft class? College football is just over two months away, so this is a great opportunity to brush up on the best players and get acquainted with some of the names we’ll be talking about for the next 10 months. I’ve put a lot of work into studying this class over the last few months, but this is just the start — many new and exciting prospects will emerge over the course of the season.

Coming off a weaker quarterback class and a group lacking in top-end talent, that doesn’t appear to be a concern this time. This is a pretty loaded group at the top and four quarterbacks made my top 10. Let’s dive in:

1 — Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith

A 6–3, 223-pound superstar, Smith showed up in Columbus in 2024 and immediately made his mark in college football. There’s barely anything to critique in his game: he’s got elite size and speed, great ball skills, is an advanced route runner, can make things happen after the catch, wins at the catch point and is a premier athlete. There’s nothing left for Smith to prove at the college level.

2 — Notre Dame CB Leonard Moore

A near-flawless cornerback prospect, Moore measures 6-2, 195 pounds. He’s battled and won against every top receiver prospect over the last two seasons and is versatile enough to play both man and zone schemes. In man, he uses his plus athleticism and fluidity in space to shut the water off, while in zone he plays smart, disciplined football and watches the quarterback’s eyes.

3 — Miami QB Darian Mensah

A 6-3, 205-point Tulane transfer (via Duke), Mensah is my favorite quarterback in this class. He has exceptional pocket presence, deftly navigating traffic and rolling out to make plays on the move. With the arm to make any throw in the book and plus accuracy to all three levels of the field, Mensah puts on a weekly clinic of NFL-caliber throws.

4 — USC QB Jayden Maiava

A 6-4, 225-pound Hawaii native and UNLV transfer, Maiava is the best touch passer in this class. He can throw from so many platforms and arm angles, delivering pinpoint passes over the middle or deep down the field, dropping the ball right in his receivers’ arms. Though he’s not an overly dynamic rushing threat, he excels on the move and is athletic enough to consistently produce out of structure.

5 — South Carolina ED Dylan Stewart

A 6-5, 245-pound native of Washington, DC, Stewart is a power rusher first and foremost. With incredible length and athleticism, he knows how to use his strength to win consistently as a pass rusher, but he’s not just a pocket pusher. Stewart is adept at chaining together moves to frustrate blockers and he has the speed to bend the edge in an instant when he wants to.

6 — Texas ED Colin Simmons

A 6-3, 240-pound true junior, Simmons is this class’ premier speed rusher. He has an incredible first step, firing off the line like he was shot out of a cannon and establishing an immediate advantage off the snap. Simmons combines that with dynamic pass rush moves and deceptive strength despite his smaller size.

7 — Texas QB Arch Manning

A 6-4, 226-pound Manning legacy, Arch is a prototypical NFL quarterback in every way. He’s got ideal size, an elite arm, is a premier rushing threat and can make every throw in the book. Down the stretch of 2025, he started looking like the projected No. 1 overall pick he was billed as coming into the year. Now he just needs to do that over the course of a full season.

8 — Texas OT Trevor Goosby

A 6-7, 312-pound redshirt junior, Goosby is such a fluid, explosive athlete. He’s a wrecking ball in space, gliding to his spots and putting the pain on anyone who gets in his way. As a pass protector, he maintains solid leverage and has the length to win against anyone, staying light on his feet and absorbing contact with experience beyond his years.

9 — Oregon QB Dante Moore

A 6-3, 206-pound UCLA transfer, Moore was a bit of a surprise to withdraw from this past draft. Though he’s not much of a rushing threat, he’s a natural in the pocket, with a true top-tier NFL arm that threatens every blade of grass on every snap. Last season, he showed improvement attacking the middle of the field and throwing with anticipation.

10 — Oregon DT A’Mauri Washington

A 6-3, 330-pound interior defender from Detroit, Washington is a rare athlete. The way he moves shouldn’t be possible at his size, and he devastates offensive lines with his combination of speed and power. At his best, Washington is a game-changing pass rusher with the strength to maul in run defense, though he needs to get more consistent.

11 — Georgia CB Ellis Robinson IV

A 6-0, 180-pound former five-star recruit, Robinson is a twitchy athlete with a big-play mentality. He can be a riverboat gambler at times, but he has the recovery speed and ball production to make up for his few slips. His ability to stay sticky underneath and carry receivers deep makes him an intriguing prospect.

12 — Missouri OT Cayden Green

A 6-5, 324-pound Missouri native, Green is a converted guard who’s a rare success story as an NFL-projected tackle. He uses his power in both pass blocking and run blocking, carving out rushing lanes and denting the defenses in one while holding the edge in the other. Despite his guard background, Green moves his feet well and has a clean pass set, dissuading speed rushers on the edge with his powerful grasp.

13 — Texas A&M WR Mario Craver

A 5-9, 165-pound true junior, Craver is an elite separator. Watching him weave through defenses is beautiful, and that’s important for him at his size. After the catch, he’s as dangerous as anyone, and he plays bigger than his size at the catch point too. There’s no doubt he’s an outlier, but his production is simply too good to ignore.

14 — Georgia S KJ Bolden

A 6-0, 185-pound former five-star recruit, Bolden is an elite athlete for the safety position. He closes on ball-carriers in an instant, wrapping up with consistent technique and reliable hands. In zone coverage, he has the burst to break on the ball whenever he wants, baiting quarterbacks into throws he knows he can make plays on.

15 — Oklahoma DT David Stone

A 6-3, 310-pound Oklahoma native, Stone combines elite run defense production with impressive burst as a pass rusher. He can knife into the backfield with a series of quick, disruptive moves. But his best work comes as a run-stuffer, as he just stonewalls at the point of attack and is quite capable of eating double teams.

16 — LSU OT Jordan Seaton

A 6-5, 330-pound Colorado transfer, Seaton is an advanced pass protector with great technique. He uses his size and length to his advantage, warding off pass rushers with his massive hands and long arms. With two years of starting experience and a rapidly accelerating game, I’d expect Seaton to take another step forward as a junior.

17 — Miami ED Damon Wilson II

A 6-4, 240-pound Florida native, Wilson is an explosive athlete who can really bend the edge. His best reps come one-on-one when he can use his quick feet and fast hands to rip through blockers and apply pressure in the backfield. He’s not limited to just being a speed rusher, though, as he’s got an advanced set of moves and can set up tackles to win over the course of a game.

18 — Ohio State G Austin Siereveld

A 6-5, 325-pound prospect with guard/tackle versatility, Siereveld will be best on the interior in the NFL. His powerful legs are a weapon in drive-blocking situations, as he can really move people off the line and create space in the run game. As a pass protector, he knows how to use his hands and keep his chest clean, leading to some excellent reps.

19 — Texas WR Ryan Wingo

A 6-2, 214-pound true junior, Wingo has the size and speed everyone covets on the outside. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands, racing through the defense and putting moves on would-be tacklers like a running back. Wingo can operate effectively in all three levels of the field, though he needs to become more focused down-to-down to continue to rise up the rankings.

20 — Oregon TE Jamari Johnson

A 6-5, 257-pound former four-star recruit, Johnson is a monster receiving threat at his size. He wins downfield at an impressive clip, but maybe more noteworthy is his production after the catch: he averaged nearly 10 yards after the catch per reception last year, a rare profile at tight end. A good run blocker, Johnson has rare three-down NFL upside.

21 — Indiana CB Jamari Sharpe

A 6-1, 187-pound corner from Miami, Sharpe is a quick-twitch zone corner. His technique in man coverage needs some work, but he’s elite at tracking his area in zone, watching the quarterback’s eyes to make plays. With four forced fumbles last season, he’s a beast in run support as well.

22 — Oregon S Koi Perich

A dynamic safety prospect with functionality as a return specialist, Perich might be better suited to a full-time nickel defender role in the NFL. Measuring 6-1, 200 pounds, he’s a weapon in man coverage, using incredible movement skills and athleticism to stay sticky. Zone coverage is more of a work in progress, but as one of the younger prospects in this class, he has a ton of room to grow.

23 — Rutgers WR KJ Duff

A 6-6, 225-pound specimen, Duff is this class’ premier contested catch receiver. With basketball-esque size and hands, he plays the catch point like a rebounder, hauling in everything thrown his way. His best work comes deep down the field, with the speed to stack cornerbacks and devastate defenses that don’t have the size to truly contest him at the catch point.

24 — LSU TE Trey’Dez Green

A 6-7, 240-pound former SEC basketball player, Green’s on-field production was astronomical as a sophomore. He’s a true red-zone weapon, a size/speed mismatch with the touchdown catches to be proof of concept. In space, he runs away from people, with crazy speed at his size that makes him more than just a situational red zone weapon.

25 — Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy

A 5-10, 206-pound true junior, Hardy is a true workhorse. Though he profiles primarily as a power runner, he has some wiggle to his game and some juice in the open field, forcing consistent missed tackles and creating big plays in space. Between the tackles, he’s nearly impossible for one guy to bring down, demolishing defensive fronts with impunity.

26 — Texas Tech DT A.J. Holmes Jr.

A 6-3, 300-pound Houston native, Holmes was a key part of the loaded Red Raiders defensive line a year ago that saw four members drafted. Now he’s the lone returning star, and he’ll get to showcase his raw strength in a more featured role. He’s a devastating power rusher who eats double teams but isn’t limited to just that — he has plenty of backfield production.

27 — LSU ED Jordan Ross

A 6-5, 245-pound Tennessee transfer, Ross’s college production to this point won’t jump off the page. But he’s been stuck behind some NFL pass rushers, and now he’ll get a chance to prove himself in a larger role. He’s got true quick-twitch athleticism with great bend and length to collapse the pocket or flatten around the edge and make quarterbacks’ lives miserable.

28 — Miami DT Ahmad Moten Sr.

A 6-3, 325-pound redshirt senior, Moten uses his size to be a devastating interior pass rusher. He knows how to push the pocket and has some wiggle to his game even with that bigger frame, using a variety of moves to win at the line. In run defense, he uses his stout build to hold the line effectively.

29 — Indiana OT Carter Smith

A mammoth 6-5, 308-pound tackle, Smith knows how to move people. He generates so much vertical displacement off the line of scrimmage, bench-pressing defenders off their spots to bulldoze huge rushing lanes. In pass protection, he moves well and uses quick hands to keep pass rushers guessing, stymying their plans with his disruptive presence.

30 — Ole Miss DT Will Echoles

A 6-3, 310-pound four-star high school recruit, Echoles is a classic run-stuffing tackle with more juice to his game than you’d expect. He can knife into the backfield and make plays, putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but he knows where his bread is buttered. Echoles is a powerful presence in the middle of the line and can really push the pocket when he wants to.

31 — Notre Dame LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa

A 6-3, 230-pound linebacker snake-bitten by injuries, Viliamu-Asa is an explosive athlete who can close on the ball so quickly. He can line up all over the defense and uses his speed to his advantage, covering sideline-to-sideline with ease and causing near-constant havoc in the backfield. His health will be important to monitor this season.

32 — Oregon ED Matayo Uiagalelei

A 6-5, 272-pound hybrid inside/outside player, Uiagalelei knows how to punish offensive linemen who don’t put in the work in the weight room. He will ruin your day if you don’t have the proper anchor strength, bulldozing straight through blockers, then darting around them when they overcompensate and don’t stay light on their feet. In run defense, he sets as hard an edge as anyone, with good backfield production to boot.

33 — Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr.

A 6-2, 225-pound bruiser, Fletcher broke out in a big way during the College Football Playoff. He’s deceptively fast at his size and way too strong for arm tackles to phase. When he gets some momentum in the open field, it’s a house call, and he has solid production as a receiver as well.

34 — Alabama WR Ryan Coleman-Williams

A 6-0, 178-pound true junior, Coleman-Williams was a breakout star as a true freshman in 2024. His sophomore season was more up-and-down, but his speed and separation ability will absolutely play in the NFL. He needs to get stronger and kick his drop problem, but he’s an advanced route runner and a dangerous deep threat.

35 — Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker

A 6-3, 211-pound North Texas transfer, Mestemaker is a true gunslinger in the best way possible. He isn’t afraid of anything and he slings it all over the field, with dynamic out-of-structure playmaking and real pocket presence on his tape as well. Mestemaker has never seen a throw he doesn’t want to take, though he does need to reel it in a little and make smarter decisions as he gets more experienced.

36 — Indiana WR Charlie Becker

A 6-4, 204-pound Nashville native and Gus Johnson’s favorite player, Becker is a true deep threat with the most reliable hands in the class. He has the speed to take the top off the defense and can high-point the football with the best of them, vaulting up to reel in difficult passes. It should be noted that he’s more of a contested catch guru than a real separator, but with his body control and hands, he makes it work.

37 — Syracuse CB Chris Peal

A 6-1, 200-pound corner from Charlotte, Peal is a standout in zone coverage. He’s quick on his feet, closing throwing windows and recovering deep as needed to make plays on the ball. With good size and physicality, he is effective in run support and can run even with bigger receivers. Peal’s ball production is lacking, but he simply doesn’t allow big plays.

38 — Iowa G Kade Pieper

A 6-4, 290-pound Nebraska native, Pieper is an exceptionally powerful run blocker. He excels on the move, hitting his marks with speed and precision and delivering crushing hits when he gets there. In pass protection, he has a strong anchor despite his leaner frame, and he uses his speed to recover quickly when needed.

39 — Michigan ED John Henry Daley

A 6-4, 247-pound Utah transfer, Daley’s one of college football’s most accomplished pass rushers. A late-season Achilles injury clouds his outlook somewhat, but his bend and foot speed are a dangerous combination. He knows how to win quickly off the snap, applying immediate pressure that destroys an offense’s ability to stay in rhythm.

40 — Notre Dame QB CJ Carr

A 6-2, 215-pound redshirt sophomore, Carr can tear defenses apart from the pocket. He’s a quick processor and knows how to read defenses, impressive stuff for such a young quarterback. Despite his lack of NFL-caliber athleticism, he navigates the pocket well and has a cannon for an arm, dicing up defenses with timely throws into tight windows.

41 — Georgia RB Nate Frazier

A 5-10, 210-pound speedster, Frazier is a home-run threat on every snap. He’s dynamic in space, with a combo of moves at the ready to make people miss, and he’ll explode through any crease the defense presents. Though his work as a receiver is limited, he shows upside with soft hands and a rather diverse route tree.

42 — Mississippi State CB Kelley Jones

An imposing 6-4, 195-pound cornerback, Jones uses his length to his advantage on every snap. He’s built for man coverage and is good at it, closing on the ball quickly with his long arms and using his nice long speed effectively. Not only that, but he’s a good tackler too, and has solid ball production to his name.

43 — Utah S Jackson Bennee

A 6-2, 189-pound Utah native, Bennee is an expert man-coverage safety who has slot utility as well. The ball production jumps off the tape with him and he sets up his assignments well, putting himself in position to make plays on passes the quarterback isn’t ready for. He plays a lot in the box, too, adding to his versatility.

44 — Oregon C Iapani Laloulu

A 6-2, 329-pound center from Honolulu, Laloulu is an iron man in the middle of the Ducks’ offensive line. He’s as polished a pass protector as you’ll find, with his years of starting experience showing up on tape as he belies his size with quick feet and smooth hands. His anchor is the best in the class, too.

45 — Texas Tech CB Brice Pollock

A 6-0, 195-pound former Mississippi State transfer, Pollock excels in his ball production. He’s liable to pick off anything thrown his way, playing with anticipation and positioning to thwart receivers. Combined with his physicality and willingness to get his hands dirty in run support, it makes him a popular player with his coaches.

46 — Oregon ED Teitum Tuioti

A 6-3, 263-pound power rusher, Tuioti knows what he’s in the game to do. He won’t win with quick burst off the edge — instead, he’ll push the pocket, moving people off the line and disrupting the flow of the offense. You won’t find a better edge-setter in run defense, as Tuioti can wall off his entire side of the line.

47 — Louisville ED Clev Lubin

A 6-3, 250-pound member of the all-names team, Lubin is exceptionally productive as a college pass rusher. He can set a hard edge in run support but he’ll make his money as a pass rusher, with a veteran’s bag of tricks up his sleeve to defeat blocks and apply backfield pressure. With experience lining up all over the defensive line, Lubin’s versatility is another feather in his cap.

48 — Texas Tech TE Terrance Carter Jr.

A 6-2, 245-pound Texas native, Carter is both a willing blocker and productive receiver. His work as a deep threat stands out for the tight end position, and he pairs that with great hands and good functional athleticism. Despite being on the smaller side, he plays bigger than his listed size, with good middle-field production and in-line work that can keep him on the field in all situations.

49 — Texas WR Cam Coleman

A 6-3, 201-pound Auburn transfer, Coleman is an electric deep threat. He just eats up cushion on the outside, blowing past corners who don’t give him the respect he deserves and making them pay on the back end. One of the rarer receivers who creates a lot of separation and dominates contested catch scenarios, it’s easy to see Coleman’s fit in the modern game.

50 — South Carolina WR Nyck Harbor

A 6-5, 235-pound athletic monster, Harbor is built like a tight end and runs like a wide receiver. The production finally started to shine through in 2025, and combined with his blocking prowess it makes him a very unique prospect. A candidate to make a full switch to tight end, Harbor is an explosive vertical separator and added some middle-field utility to his game last season.