2026 NFL Draft: Top 50 Big Board 3.0
2026 NFL Draft: Top 50 Big Board 3.0
Another professional armchair scouts top 50 big board 3.0
Couple notes about the criteria of the list:
Extremely weak top 10 class, S, RB and 2 LBs in the consensus top 10.
Positional value is factored in if players are in the same bucket/tier
A + beside name indicates injury designation
1- Ioane OG: Elite pass pro, moves well for his size. His anchor is extremely elite. Good in the run game, can maul on the 2nd level. Upside to be one of the best guards in the league.
2- McCoy+ CB: Best CB tape since Stingley. Did drills at his pro day and looked good. Fluid hips. Good recovery speed. Good length. Elite ball skills. Tracks ball extremely well. Sticky CB. Still very young, huge upside. May still have some injury concerns but he looked good testing. Health and CB volatility would be main concerns. Upside to be a lockdown CB.
3- Freeling OT: Elite pass pro. Elite get-off/kick and pass set. Elite length. Great foot speed. Moves extremely well for his size, which should translate to the next level. Can plant and hold up vs bull rush. Can improve his hand usage and gets caught leaning at times. Should only get better. Upside to be a top 5 LT in the league.
4- Tyson+ WR: Clear WR1 on tape. Best seperator in the class. Best movement skills in the class, almost like he glides out there. Extremely fluid. Explosive. Great at selling routes. Can win at the LOS and get open quick. Health is the main question and it is a legit one.
5- Tate WR: Very good WR. Tape just screams 10 year+ NFL starter with a bunch of 1k+ yard seasons. Best jump ball skills since Devonta Smith. Similar play style to Devonta as well. Just knows how to get open and knows how to come down with the ball.
6- Bain DE: Solid edge with relentless motor. Elite power/bull rush. Has learned to play with his shorter arms, he uses little angles to keep OT off him that extra split second so he can get into their chest. At worst he is a 5-10 sack guy that holds the edge in the run game and can shift inside when needed. Dunno if he ever a 15+ sack guy, but this class is weak at the top. There is value in a 3-down edge with versatility to move all over the line.
7- Mauigoa OG: Will get a shot at tackle but I think he will be an elite guard at worst. Moves like a guard on tape, frame of a guard as well. Dont love his pass set/ability to get to his spot on the edge. Could end up being Joe Thuney-like, elite guard who can play OT in a pinch
8- Love RB: Elite RB prospect. Elite longspeed. I wish he was a little more elusive, he doesnt make the 1st guy miss as much as I would like. A lot of his runs are behind massive holes his OL opened up for him. Elite receiver which I honestly think is getting missed/ignored by a lot of draft analysts. I dont have him in that Bijan/Saquon/Jeanty tier, just below it. He just doesnt make the 1st guy miss as much as I would like.
9- Reese LB: Tweener. Personally I liked Jalon Walker tape from last year a little better. Jalon had more pass rush instinct and a better motor. At worst Reese is a good LB who can line up on the edge at times, also good as a delayed blitzer. He is extremely raw as a pure edge. Extremely good LB coming downhill, can play as a spy, pretty good instincts, keys pretty quickly in the run game. Not great in coverage but can do the job. Project player.
10- Downs S: Elite box safety. Elite coming down hill. Would be my #1 player if he was a little better as a deep safety as well. Insane instincts which is my #1 trait for a S. Lack of athleticism shows up on tape. Not sure I trust him playing center field deep, lacks the range. Lot of ankle/shoe string tackles on tape that could end up being missed tackles in the NFL.
11- Mendoza QB: Insanely clutch QB. Plays his best in big moments which cant be taught. Great arm/accuracy. Tape scares me a bit because a ton was 1st-read fire the ball to that guy. Can get through progressions but didnt do it regularly. Watched his Cal tape and it was RPO heavy as well. Tends to drop his eyes under pressure and take off running. I like when QB keep their eyes up looking to pass as they scramble. Chance to be a top 6-12 QB if he hits his upside.
12- Styles LB: Elite coverage LB, which shows coming from his safety background. Wish his instincts were a bit better coming downhill, doesnt key quickly all the time but when he gets going he gets there quick. Tape reminds me of Jihaad Campbell a little bit but Jihaad was better downhill and Styles is better in coverage, both great athletes.
13- Bailey DE: Great get-off/1st step but not on an Abdul Carter level. Wish he had more bend. Decent array of pass rush moves. 23 years old gives me a little pause. Really like his spin move. Not really elite at any one thing. Feel like there are pass rushers in his mould in every draft class. Potential character concerns.
14- Faulk DE: Elite run defender. Flashes some great burst off the line when he times up the snap properly, but he is trash at timing the snap the majority of the time. Should be a 4-6 sack guy at minimum who is elite at holding the edge in the run game. Lots of upside here. Versatility to play all over the line is valuable. Reminds me of Mykel Williams from last year a bit.
15- Iheanachor OT: Huge upside. Elite kick/pass set. Elite foot speed. Great length. Good anchor. Hand usage will only get better with coaching. Newer to football so should only get better. Hand usage can improve and blocking in the 2nd level could improve, but pass pro is what I value in OT and his pass set is elite. Reminds me of Membou a little bit.
16- Lomu OT: Great pass set. Good length. Pretty good get-off/foot speed. Great body control. Not amazing run blocker but I value pass pro more. Ton of upside.
17- Proctor OG: Team will probably let him fail at OT first but I have him as an OG. Elite size/length. He is a good mover for his size but he has mediocre redirection speed. He also tends to get off balance when he needs to redirect which leads to him being susceptible to bull rushes/power, which is crazy at his size. Could struggle vs NFL speed on the edge. I just dont love him at OT and I'm guessing he starts out at OT. Should be an elite guard.
18- Pregnon OG: Elite movement skills. Great in pass pro. Will be a good NFLer at worst, chance to be really good. Only knock is he is 24 but OL can play into their mid-30s so I wont knock him as much as say an RB or CB.
19- Fano OT/iOL: Elite movement skills in space. Personally don't like his pass set as much as the 2 above him, his kick/get-off is good not great. Plays a bit upright. Short arms show up all over his tape. Tape does remind me of Will Campbell a little bit. I think he could be an elite center cause he moves insanely well in space which centers need to do on the 2nd level. I wonder if he would struggle calling pass protection since he hasn't played center. Maybe he could be a better version of Tyler Steen at guard but his lower body makes me wonder how would handle bigger DTs. I'm guessing he gets a shot at OT though, similar to Mauigoa.
20- Simpson QB: Really good pocket presence. Really good at maneuvering around pressure in the pocket while keeping eyes down field. Goes through progressions. Keeps his eyes down field while scrambling. Mediocre arm, hes not Mahomes/Allen. Lots of NFL type throws on tape
21- Lemon WR: Very good slot WR who knows how find holes in zone and sit down. Elite hands. Dunno if he offers a ton on the outside but he can do it on tape. Really lacks separation skills, got blanketed vs Oregon. Should be productive NFLer but I'm a bit lower than consensus.
22- Delane CB: Can play man/press but might be better in zone. Pretty fluid. Length worries me a bit. Break out year worries me a bit. Has good recovery speed. Tape vs Concepcion wasnt great. I'm not as in love with him as some draft analysts but he can play
23- B.Miller OT: Great pass set. Decent foot speed. Decent get-off. Plays a bit upright. Good body control. Tons of experience. Probably a day 1 starter at RT but not as much upside as Iheanchor/Lomu
24- Thieneman S: Elite range as a center fielder. Pretty good ball skills. Pretty good coming down hill. Not shy to come down hill and gets there fast.
25- Cooper WR: Elite YAC. Moves alright, not the most fluid/elusive, more just run through you. Might be a pure slot, get the ball in his hands quick WR. I just see his game translating to the NFL.
26- Parker DE: Good get-off. Good vs the run. Good get-off. Decent array of pass rush moves. Really good long-arm move. Fairly fluid for his size. Think he has chance to be a 6-10 sack guy who can hold the edge in the run game. Should be a 3-down edge
27- Young DE: Good get-off. Good vs the run. Good power/bull rush. Pass rush developed last season. Wish he was a little more fluid but not bad for his size regardless. Potential to be a 6-10+ sack guy in a Jared Verse mould. Should be a 3-down edge as well. Just got a DUI so character concerns
28- Woods DT: If we are going off 2024 tape he is a top 10 pick. 2025 tape was mediocre at best. He can win quick when he on his game. Good burst/get-off. Great at knifing through the line. Can hold up in the run game but he not eating double teams like McDonald. Since the 2024 tape is elite I have to give him some credit for it, that player must still be in him some where
29- McDonald DT: Elite at eating double teams. Elite at holding the point of attack. Actually has surprisingly good burst/get-off on the snap, which people arent talking about . Can win if he left 1 on 1 and collapse the pocket. He more a run stopper but he does have pocket collapsing ability.
30- Banks+ DT: Would be top 10 if not for injury. Not many humans built like him that can move like he does. Absolute beast at times, some of his highlights are beyond impressive. Consistency could definitely improve. Huge worry that his foot is an issue the rest of his career. Age a knock too, he will be 24 as a rookie, but he possesses elite NFL size regardless. Who will gamble on him?
31- C.Miller DT: Solid DT. Holds point of attack well. Little bit of juice as a pass rusher/collapsing the pocket but more holds down the middle of the line. Really good at stunts for his size. Should be solid NFLer.
32- EMW S: Elite instincts which I highly value for S. He trusts his eyes and goes. Has decent range and good ball skills. I may be a tad low on him here.
33- Concepcion WR: Another fluid WR. Very smooth route runner. Lot of underneath stuff available with him and he can also win deep. Hands scare me a bit. Questions about long speed. Had good tape vs Delane. Punt return ability a bonus. I'm bit lower on him than consensus but he does have solid tape.
34- Lawerence DE: Great array of pass rush moves. Decent size. Good get-off/burst. Good at swiping OL hands. Could see him being a 6-10 sack guy who is decent enough vs the run. Potential to be a 3-down edge if he can improve his discipline vs the run.
35- Howell DE: Elite burst/get-off. Elite dip move. Elite ghost move. Decent spin move. Doesnt have a ton of other moves. Could struggle vs NFL length. Not the best play strength. Decent vs the run at best. Not sure he will be a 3-down edge.
36- C.Johnson CB: Another sticky corner. Wish his reaction time/trigger was a little better. Sometimes he will react half step slow and trail but he has the recovery speed so it's not terrible. Good in zone as well. When he plants in zone and drives down hill he gets there fast. Extremely fluid which is important for CB.
37- Thomas DE: Great burst/get-off. Plays stronger than his listed size, holds up fine in the run game majority of the time. Great motor. Good array of pass rush moves. Could see him being a 6-10 sack guy as well, maybe even better if he fills out a little more and maintains that burst off the snap. Potential to be a 3-down edge.
38- Sadiq TE: WR speed at TE. Can run outside routes if needed. Pretty good at finding holes in zone. Tough cover for LBs. Very willing blocker and better than people willing to admit it seems from consensus. Offensive weapon that some team will value higher than I do. Definitely not on Loveland/Warren level for me.
39- Brazzell WR: Extremely fluid for his size. Gets in and out of routes well at his size. CB have to respect his long speed/deep threat ability but he can throttle down his route and break it off getting wide open because of how fluid his hips are. I may be higher on him than most. Maybe you are better off getting Hurst/Stribling/Lance/Caldwell later on. I just think there is big upside with Brazzell.
40- Bisontis OG: Solid prospect. Hard to knock anything with his game. Good in pass pro and good run blocking. Could see him being a solid 10 year+ starter
41- Boston WR: Good size/catch radius. Pretty good route runner but doesnt get great separation. Reminds me of Jayden Higgins last year. Or a poormans Drake London. Not sure I get the 1st round hype, but definitely could carve out an NFL career.
42- Mesidor+ DE: Decent get-off/burst. Ok bend. Decent vs the run. Does have a good array of pass rush moves. Being 25 years old definitely dings him for me. I cant do that in the 1st round unless the tape is elite and it's not elite. At least he can be a 3-down edge. Any team rebuilding should not draft him early. I definitely lower on him than consensus. History of foot injuries. Apparently some teams have him red flagged
43- Hill LB: Quick to diagnose and key. Gets down hill extremely fast. Trusts what his eyes tell him. Decent in coverage. I like his instincts/tape more than most. Reminds me a bit of Jordyn Brooks/Willie Gay.
44- Jacas DE: Good size/length. Relentless motor. Decent get-off. Solid vs the run. Should be a productive NFLer.
45- Ponds CB: Obvious size concerns but the tape is legit. Sticky corner. Fluid hips. Good speed. Doesnt shy away from contact in the run game. Played fine on the outside and can play on the inside. Could end up being really good. I might be low on him here, but size limitations are fairly obvious..maybe it wont matter.
46- Hood CB: Bit stiff on tape. Pretty good recovery speed. Bit handsy/physical at times. Slow to react off the snap at times. Can play man or zone. Potential solid CB2
47- Nussmeier QB: Solid QB prospect. Wish his pocket presence was a little better, doesnt sense pressure as good as Simpson does. Good arm. Good accuracy. Makes lots of NFL throws. Goes through progressions decently well. Wish he maneuvered the pocket a little better. Definitely higher on him than most people. Positional value bumps him up a bit but hes still a good QB prospect and most players in this class have question marks, even in the top 10.
48- C.Bell+ WR: Torn ACL. Very similar play style to AJ Brown. Slants and Go routes. Bully ball, box you out type WR. Good YAC. Actually has break away speed which is surprising at his size. Limited route tree. His game should translate to the NFL.
49- K.Louis LB/S: Could see him playing a role similar to Cooper Dejean. Worse in coverage than Dejean but better blitzer and just as good vs the run. Has to be used right but the tape is legit.
50- Klubnik QB: Probably higher on him than most. Gets through progressions. Keeps eyes down field while scrambling. Good pocket presence. Decent/mediocre arm strength. Definitely has some traits solid traits. Dont see a massive gap between him and Nussmeier.
Players who just missed in no specific order: Haulcy, Cisse, Terrell, Rodriguez, Allen, Barham, Crawford, Rutledge
Definitely a polarizing draft class with the top of the draft being so underwhelming. Cant wait to see how it plays out on draft day.
Hope ya enjoyed the read.