2026 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 50 Prospects at the Combine

2026 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 50 Prospects at the Combine

Larry Parkson Published:

The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine opens with a draft class that looks “thin” only if you’re shopping for quarterbacks. The league’s decision-makers will find premium depth elsewhere—especially at receiver, cornerback, and across the defensive front—while the week’s medical checks and interviews threaten to reshuffle a board heavy on athletes and light on consensus at the glamour positions. Fox Sports draft analyst Rob Rang’s latest top-50 list captures that imbalance: two quarterbacks, one tight end, and a long line of defenders and playmakers ready to win jobs in April.

A draft class shaped by scarcity at QB—and surplus everywhere else

Quarterback scarcity changes negotiating leverage. It also changes behavior: teams that can’t stomach a first-round QB reach may spend early capital on pass rush and coverage, then hunt value later at quarterback or in free agency.

Rang’s board illustrates the point. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza sits as the class’s top quarterback, while Alabama’s Ty Simpson is the only other passer to crack the top 50. That scarcity elevates the week’s interview circuit—teams need to decide whether they’re buying traits, poise, or simply the best available option.

The Combine’s real ordering: medical, interviews, then speed

Front offices say it quietly every year and act on it loudly: health and character drive risk pricing. Rang frames the combine the same way—medical evaluations first, then interviews, then testing.

That matters in this class because several high-end players bring clear decision points:

  • Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy missed the 2025 season with an ACL injury, yet remains graded as a top-tier cover prospect when healthy.
  • Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson has missed multiple games in each of the last three seasons, keeping durability at the center of his evaluation.
2026 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 50 Prospects at the Combine

Position groups setting the tone: corners, receivers, and edge heat

Three trends jump out:

Cornerback looks like a first-round factory

LSU’s Mansoor Delane leads Rang’s corner stack and arrives with a clean headline stat—no touchdown passes allowed in 2025. Clemson’s Avieon Terrell profiles as a modern nickel with forced-fumble production that fits how defenses are built now.

Receiver offers multiple “types,” not just track speed

Ohio State’s Carnell Tate sits atop Rang’s receiver class, but the broader top 50 includes big red-zone finishers (Washington’s Denzel Boston with 20 TDs over two seasons) and versatile scorers (Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion with 28 rushing/receiving TDs across 38 games).

Edge rushers dominate the premium tier

Texas Tech edge David Bailey is billed as the class’s top pure pass rusher, while Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. brings a rare collision style and 33.5 tackles for loss across 38 college games.

2026 NFL Draft Top 50 Prospects: Quick capsules (Rang board, re-framed)

Below is the same 50-player ranking, recast into clean, draft-room capsules—what the player is, why teams care, and what could move during combine week. (Rankings attributed to Fox Sports’ Rob Rang.)

1–10: Franchise pieces, with a positional value debate baked in

  1. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State — High-floor defensive organizer; plays fast, tackles clean, and projects as an immediate starter even if safety value caps “No. 1 overall” talk.
  2. Arvell Reese, OLB, Ohio State — Hybrid chess piece with pass-rush upside; the kind of versatility coordinators build sub-packages around.
  3. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame — Rare acceleration and finish; the combine will test how high teams will draft an elite back in a league that keeps trying to devalue the position.
  4. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana — The QB1 by default and by résumé; interviews will matter because teams need conviction to take a quarterback early in a two-QB top-50 class.
  5. David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech — Burst-plus-bend rusher who threatens protection plans; teams will weigh run-defense power versus third-down havoc.
  6. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami — Power tackle with plug-and-play traits; teams chasing stability at RT will circle him early.
  7. Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami — Violence and production (33.5 TFL in 38 games) that jumps off the sheet; size debates won’t stop teams hunting disruption.
  8. Sonny Styles, OLB, Ohio State — Position-flex defender who can live in multiple alignments; testing and interviews will clarify his best pro role.
  9. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State — Complete receiver skill set; wins with body control and competitiveness, not just stopwatch hype.
  10. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU — Man-cover specialist with a 2025 “no TD allowed” calling card; teams will probe who he faced and how translatable his technique is.
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11–20: Trenches and playmaking corners define the next tier

  1. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah — Athletic tackle with balance and range; could fit wide-zone or protection-heavy teams.
  2. Keldric Faulk, DL, Auburn — Long, flexible front-seven piece with inside-outside potential; strength development becomes the swing factor.
  3. Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia — Prototype frame (6-foot-7, 315) with limited starts; teams will bet on the body and the coaching.
  4. Makai Lemon, WR, USC — Compact, run-after-catch weapon; role clarity (slot, gadget, Z) can boost his value.
  5. Cassius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M — Speed and bend with coverage hints; a coordinators’ favorite if the testing matches the tape.
  6. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State — Top-shelf tape with durability questions; medical checks loom large.
  7. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee — ACL recovery is the whole story; teams must price the risk against high-end ball skills.
  8. Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State — True interior mauler profile; the kind of guard who settles pass protection by existing.
  9. Caleb Banks, DT, Florida — Massive interior disruptor with Senior Bowl momentum after a surgically repaired foot; medical clarity can push him up.
  10. Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama — A size-and-power bet (listed 366 pounds); teams will evaluate whether he stays at tackle or slides inside.

21–30: Scorers, stoppers, and turnover hunters

  1. KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M — Touchdown production across roles (28 rushing/receiving scores in 38 games); a coordinator’s matchup toy.
  2. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson — Young interior athlete whose impact can outpace box-score sacks; teams will chase pressure potential.
  3. Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee — Easy-moving cover man with playmaking flashes and portal mileage; interviews will matter.
  4. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington — Red-zone finisher with 20 TDs over two seasons; contested-catch skill travels.
  5. Kayden McDonald, NG, Ohio State — Space-eating anchor who still plays with effort; projects as a three-down run defender.
  6. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon — The lone tight end in the top 50; blocking baseline with explosive moments as a receiver.
  7. Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois — Production edge (Big Ten-leading 11 sacks, three forced fumbles in 2025) with a power-forward style.
  8. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson — Nickel specialist with forced-fumble knack; modern role value can lift him into Round 1 conversations.
  9. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo — Turnover résumé (nine forced fumbles, five picks) that scouts chase; tackling and angles will be scrutinized.
  10. CJ Allen, ILB, Georgia — Traditional MIKE profile in an era of hybrids; teams looking for steadiness will like him.

31–40: Development bets and scheme fits

  1. Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina — Traits corner with youth on his side; teams will ask how quickly he learns.
  2. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama — Big production season (28 TD, 3,567 yards) with limited starts (15); interviews and board work will decide his ceiling.
  3. Zion Young, Edge, Missouri — Senior Bowl stock riser with size and effort; wins with tone-setting, not finesse.
  4. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State — Toolsy tackle prospect still learning; teams buying upside will push him up.
  5. R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma — Speed-to-power profile with durability questions; a role-rusher early with starter upside.
  6. Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami — Older prospect (24) but productive (ACC-leading 10.5 sacks; four forced fumbles); teams will weigh age versus polish.
  7. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon — Stabilizer safety with communication and tackling; “quiet starter” archetype.
  8. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State — Technician corner; 2025 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year with pick-sixes on his tape.
  9. Anthony Hill Jr., ILB, Texas — Versatility résumé (edge, inside, nickel) that signals football IQ; teams will map his best pro usage.
  10. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah — Young left tackle starter with pass-pro traits; strength development is the swing.
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41–50: Specialists, value picks, and “better than their slot” candidates

  1. Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame — Reliable back with return value (three kickoff TDs on 22 returns); can win a roster spot two ways.
  2. T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson — Rugged edge who must answer why 2025 didn’t match his 2024 peak; teams will chase the 2024 version.
  3. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia — Speed element who tilts coverages; if he tests like a burner, teams will start talking about packages immediately.
  4. Lee Hunter, NG, Texas Tech — Senior Bowl trench bully; quick first step for a big body can change a defensive front.
  5. Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame — Senior Bowl stock up despite modest season totals (36 catches, 630 yards, five TD); size and routes create intrigue.
  6. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska — One-cut, make-you-miss runner; if he tests clean, he’ll look like a mid-round steal.
  7. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson — Experience and competence; teams that prioritize “startable” over “spectacular” will like him.
  8. Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M — Tackle movement skills inside; zone teams will study his feet.
  9. Kyle Louis, OLB, Pittsburgh — Undersized but productive (24 TFL, 10 sacks, six INT over two seasons); a role fit that could outperform draft slot.
  10. D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana — Size questions (5-foot-9, 173) but big production (33 PBUs, seven INT in three seasons); teams will debate ceiling versus instincts.

What to watch next

If the week delivers anything, it’s separation: medical clarity for McCoy and Banks, role definition for Styles and Hill, and a market signal on how high teams will draft a running back (Love) or safety (Downs) when positional value models argue against it.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2026 class looks strongest at WR, CB, EDGE, with QB scarcity shaping draft behavior.
  • The combine’s pecking order—medical, interviews, testing—matters more than ever for several top-20 players.
  • Mendoza is QB1, while Simpson is the only other quarterback in Rang’s top 50.
  • Delane’s 2025 shutdown stat and Bain’s tackle-for-loss production headline a defense-heavy premium tier.
  • Late-top-50 names like Ponds and Louis carry “outperform the slot” profiles if teams can manage size and scheme fit.

Source: Fox Sports (Rob Rang, updated Feb. 23, 2026). Additional combine context: Reuters.