Which CFB Players Are Projected As Top Picks In The 2026 NFL Draft Right Now? Who Is The Likely No. 1 Overall Pick?
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
NFL Draft season never truly ends. Teams with losing records have already plotted their boards. Scouts break down film while fans argue bowl results.
The 2026 class brings a rare combination. A Heisman winner leading an undefeated champion. Multiple edge rushers who could go top five. A running back defying positional value trends. Here’s who gets picked first when April arrives.
1. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Heisman Trophy. National championship. Undefeated season. Mendoza checks every box that screams No. 1 overall pick. He threw for 3,535 yards with 41 touchdowns. The 71.5% completion rate shows surgical precision. Big games against Ohio State and Oregon proved he doesn’t shrink when the stakes rise.
Scouts drool over his timing throws. He wins tight windows consistently. Pre-snap recognition and coverage reads look NFL-ready now. Elite pocket command matches high-velocity arm strength. He extends plays when protection breaks. Franchise quarterback profile doesn’t get cleaner than this.
2. EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bailey tied for the national sack lead at 14.5. Then add 52 tackles, and three forced fumbles. That’s not production. That’s domination. His burst off the snap creates immediate problems. The move set includes everything: dips, cross-chops, speed-to-power conversions. Backfield disruption comes standard.
Edge rushers command top-five money. Bailey’s pressure rate projects double-digit sacks immediately. Pro Bowl ceiling included.
3. LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Reese is what happens when you build the perfect modern linebacker. Six-four, 240 pounds, runs sideline to sideline like a safety. He racked up 69 tackles and 6.5 sacks from multiple alignments. Two pass deflections prove he can drop into coverage. Blitz packages, zone drops, run fits. He handles everything.
Think Micah Parsons without saying Micah Parsons. That hybrid edge-linebacker role fits any defensive scheme. Coordinators build around this talent.
4. RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Running backs don’t crack the top 10 in NFL Drafts anymore. Love might flip that script. He ran for 1,372 yards and scored 18 total touchdowns. Doak Walker Award winner. Heisman finalist. Explosive plays define everything he does.
His acceleration hits different. Open-field vision creates chunk gains weekly. Receiving skills make him a mismatch weapon against linebackers. Three-down backs with home-run speed still matter when they’re this good. Love proves it wasn’t a fluke.
5. EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Power separates Bain from typical edge prospects. So does constant production despite double teams. Fifty-four tackles, 9.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss against top competition. Inside-outside versatility lets him line up anywhere on the line. Strong run defense makes him valuable on every down.
Four-three or three-four schemes both work. NFL-ready strength and technique seal the projection. Every-down starter from week one.
6. S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
True impact safeties are rare finds. Downs qualifies without question. Sixty-eight tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles. Slot coverage and deep safety both come naturally. Run support never slips.
His instincts create plays other safeties can’t make. Route recognition looks veteran-level already. Defensive backfield centerpiece with All-Pro ceiling.
7. OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Franchise left tackles protect franchise quarterbacks. Mauigoa’s massive frame and anchor strength scream blind-side protector. Multi-year starting experience matters. Power pass protection against elite edge rushers proves he’s ready now. Size-movement combinations this rare don’t often appear. Long-term protector for a decade-plus. That’s the floor, not the ceiling.
8. OT Spencer Fano, Utah
Technical polish wins immediately. Fano’s hand placement and leverage create consistent victories in the trenches. Zone-blocking schemes love his mobility. Tackle-guard flexibility adds roster value. High-floor starter with scheme versatility. Plug-and-play from day one. Teams picking in the NFL Draft teens will fight over him.
