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The 2026 NFL Draft will be centered around Texas quarterback Arch Manning – if he decides to leave Texas after his junior season.
That is the trick with Sporting News Top 50 Big Board. Last year, we put Shedeur Sanders in the No. 1 spot – and he lived up to expectations as one of the best quarterbacks in the draft. Manning will be a first-year starter – so we are betting even more on potential here.
Ignoring that potential would be a mistake. Manning – even in a limited sample – has showcased some of the traits that make him one of the best quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Aug. 30 opener at Ohio State will put our top two prospects on the same field. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has a strong case to be atop our Big Board.
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The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
Clemson will have a presence in that draft. The Tigers lead all schools with five players on our Big Board, including edge rusher TJ Parker and quarterback Cade Klubnik. Ohio State – led by Downs – has four players on this list. Penn State and Alabama also have four players on this list.
Here is a look at the top 50 best players projected to be available in the 2026 NFL Draft regardless of position, and how high each might be selected based on team needs, position scarcity and other factors.
MORE: Top 10 QBs for the 2026 NFL Draft
NFL Draft prospects 2026: Big board of top 50 players
1. Arch Manning*, QB, Texas
Manning (6-4, 225) might seem too presumptuous in this spot given he has not yet started for a full season at Texas, but this is a case where that patience the last two seasons will pay off. He passed for 939 yards, nine TDs and two interceptions and added four rushing TDs last season. He is consistent in play-action reads, and the touch on his deep ball is next level. Manning also had a 66.7% completion percentage with five TDs and no interceptions against the blitz. The Manning quarterback bloodline produced two No. 1 picks in Peyton and Eli and a No. 2 pick in Archie. We believe Arch lives up to the hype. The only question will be whether he returns for his senior season.
2. Caleb Downs*, S, Ohio State
Downs (6-0, 205) has a strong case to be No. 1 on this list after a strong sophomore season with the Buckeyes where he totaled 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. He has the ability to fill on the run and be active in coverage – where he allowed an average of 5.1 yards per target. Downs is the rare player opposing coordinators have to account for on every play – and he should thrive with new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
3. TJ Parker*, EDGE, Clemson
Parker (6-3, 265) had a breakout sophomore season with 12 sacks and 28 hurries, and he can be a total game-wrecker. He proved that with four sacks against Pitt in Week 12. That was part of a five-game stretch where he had six sacks and 12 hurries to close the season. He is a nasty stand-up rusher off the edge with a technique that produced six forced fumbles. The Tigers have produced five first-round picks off the defensive line since 2019. Parker will be the next one.
4. Kadyn Proctor*, T, Alabama
Proctor (6-7, 369) is a massive tackle with five-star pedigree whose career at Alabama has taken a few turns. He settled in as a starter last season and allowed just three sacks, and a second year with Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer should lead to better results. He has enough ability to get down-field in the run-blocking game, and the power is undeniable. He will be in the conversation as the No. 1 pick if a team needs a tackle instead of a quarterback.
5. Francis Mauigoa*, T, Miami, Fla.
Maugioa (6-6, 315) could also be the No. 1 pick in this draft. He is a massive offensive tackle and two-year starter at right tackle who allowed just one sack last season in 534 pass attempts. He was Cam Ward's protection, and the consistency and improvement showed. Mauigoa has a five-star pedigree from his days at IMG Academy, and another year with Miami coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal should solidify his status as a top-five pick.
6. Anthony Hill Jr.*, LB, Texas
Hill Jr. (6-3, 235) has that throwback aura as a well-rounded linebacker for the Longhorns. He totaled 117 tackles with 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks and five forced fumbles. That talent has the attention of Dallas edge rusher Micah Parsons. He will need to improve in coverage in the middle of the field, and he missed eight tackles in four CFP games. Still, Hill Jr. has the talent to be the top linebacker in his class – and the leadership qualities that make for an old-school franchise linebacker. He's a safe pick.
7. Jeremiyah Love*, RB, Notre Dame
Love (6-0, 206) could be the first Notre Dame running back selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since Jerome Bettis in 1993. The hype is real. Love rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 TDs last season, and he added 28 catches for 237 yards. He played through injuries in the CFP run, and there are bursts of freakish athleticism – the hurdles – that get attention every Saturday. He is efficient with 6.9 yards per carry, and he averages 117 carries the last two seasons. How will Love handle an increased workload? If he answers that, then he will be a top-10 pick for a team looking for that game-changer in the backfield.
MORE: Why Jeremiyah Love loves to hurdle
8. Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Allar (6-5, 235) will be the most argued-about quarterback prospect in the 2026 class. He does have a good two-year track record with Penn State that includes 53 TDs, 10 interceptions and good awareness against the blitz. Allar is 23-6 as a starter, and he's done that without a five-star receiver room. What is the downside? Allar struggles with accuracy at times – especially in marquee games. He had a 60% completion percentage or less against Ohio State, Oregon and the three College Football Playoff games. Still, the size, arm talent and improved touch in the deep passing game has continued, and Allar can improve that stock with another deep CFP run. Penn State's last first-round quarterback was Kerry Collins, who was taken with the No. 5 pick in 1995.
9. Keldric Faulk*, EDGE, Auburn
Faulk (6-6, 288) is one of the top returning edge rushers with two years of experience for the Tigers. He also had 31 hurries with just four missed tackles. He has the ability to move to the interior if needed. He had seven hurries against Texas A&M and two sacks against Georgia. He should reach full potential as a junior – and the SEC offers more than enough opportunities to add to that highlight reel.
10. Rueben Bain Jr.*, EDGE, Miami
Bain (6-3, 275) likely would be ranked higher if not for a calf injury that caused him to miss four games last season. He is a classic hand-down defensive end who can collapse the pocket with his strength, and he's totaled 13 sacks with 46 hurries the past two seasons. The tools to be a dominant pass rusher are there – and the chance to move up this board with a strong junior campaign awaits.
11. Jermod McCoy*, CB, Tennessee
McCoy (6-0, 193) is the top cornerback prospect in this draft. He graded out as a top-six cornerback in coverage on PFF last season. The Oregon State transfer had four interceptions and nine pass breakups in his first year in the SEC, and he added 44 tackles. He's a tough player who allowed 50% completion percentage with 12 forced incompletions. He had numbers similar to Ole Miss' Trey Amos – who was a popular cornerback in this year's draft. McCoy will be trust-worthy cover cornerback at the next level.
12. Spencer Fano*, T, Utah
Fano (6-5, 304) is lighter than the other elite tackles in the top 10, but he's a technical pass blocker who allowed just one sack and two hurries as an all-Big 12 offensive lineman last season. He has 11 starts at left tackle and 13 starts at right tackle, and that ability to flip to either side is a huge plus. He also comes from a family where four of his uncles played in the NFL. This is a by-definition safe first-round pick, and Fano easily could push into the top 10.
13. Carnell Tate*, WR, Ohio State
Tate (6-3, 192) is the top receiver in a class with six top-50 wideouts. It is a prove-it year considering he had 52 catches for 733 yards and four TDs. Tate had a 77.6% catch percentage last season according to PFF, and he will slide into the WR2 role opposite Jeremiah Smith in 2026. If Tate improves on his yards after the catch as a junior, then he has a chance to be the sixth Ohio State receiver selected in the first round since 2022.
14. Matayo Uiagalelei*, EDGE, Oregon
Uiagalelei (6-5, 270) was a blue-chip pass rusher who had 10.5 sacks and 18 hurries for the Ducks last season. He teamed with Jordan Burch last season as part of an aggressive pass rush and will have to adjust to more double teams this season. Uiagalelei has good technique off the edge as a stand-up rusher, and he showed he can dominate a game with two of Oregon's 10 sacks against Washington in the regular-season finale. Uiagalelei was quiet against Penn State and Ohio State late in the season. Those are the types of games that can push him into the top 10.
15. LaNorris Sellers*, QB, South Carolina
Sellers (6-3, 242) will have to prove he's a franchise quarterback this year, but the play-making skills are there. He finished with 2,534 passing yards, 18 TDS and seven interceptions with 674 rushing yards and seven TDs. He is an efficient play-action passer, and he showed development in the second half of the season. He had a completion percentage of 70% or better in four of South Carolina's last five games, and he played well against Alabama and Illinois. The Sellers hype has pushed into the Heisman Trophy conversation, and the size, arm strength and rushing ability – he had 100-plus rushing yards against Texas A&M and Clemson – are attractive for scouts. He could push into the top 10 with ease.
16. Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Banks (6-5, 325) is a massive defensive tackle who had four sacks and 21 hurries last season, and he's averaged 20 hurries from the interior the last two seasons. He had just two missed tackles in Florida's last seven games – and that continued development as a run-stopper should increase his stock. The 2026 NFL Draft as a wide-open class of defensive tackles who will need to earn that first-round grade. Banks is in that discussion.
17. LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama
Overton (6-5, 283) is the classic Crimson Tide first-round pick with the ability to pressure the passer and defend the run. The Texas A&M transfer should be more impactful in his second season with Alabama, and that ability to be versatile in a 4-2-5 defense should carry over with more conventional looks. Overton needs to add to that sack total to stick in the first round – and we think he will as a team leader for the Crimson Tide.
18. Nick Singleton, RB, Penn State
Singleton (6-1, 226) has two 1,000-yard seasons with Penn State, and the time-share with Kaytron Allen might make him a more attractive prospect because he has never had more than 172 carries in a single season. Singleton also had 41 catches for 375 yards. He had 51 carries for 366 yards in Penn State's last four games. He needs to improve on yards after contact, but the big-play ability in the running game has been consistent. He's an all-around back who should creep into the first round. Singleton and Allen feel like TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins in 2024. Both translate well to the NFL in either order.
19. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Tyson (6-1, 195) could be this year's version of Tetairoa McMillan. He had a fantastic season for the Sun Devils with 75 catches for 1,098 yards and 10 TDs before his season was cut short because of a collarbone injury. Tyson caught five TDs in that intermediate range and ranked eighth among qualifying receivers with a 66.7% contested catch rate. He should be getting more first-round interest – and another year with Sam Leavitt should increase that exposure.
20. AJ Harris, CB, Penn State
Harris (6-1, 193) is one of the best cover corners in this draft. The Big Ten has a solid group of cornerbacks returning in 2026, including Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds, Michigan's Jyaire Hill and Ohio State's Davison Igbinosun. Harris graded out well last season, and he allowed a 56.3% completion percentage and one TD as the primary defender. How will Harris fare with new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles? Penn State has never had a cornerback selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
21. Jalon Kilgore*, CB, South Carolina
Kilgore (6-2, 214) could play cornerback or safety in the NFL. He played slot cornerback and free safety for the Gamecocks in 2024, and he finished with 48 tackles, five interceptions and five pass breakups. He had 76 tackles the previous season. He was inconsistent at times in coverage in the middle of last season, but he closed strong and should build on that performance. The ability to play multiple positions in the secondary is a huge plus, too. He will have to step up in a secondary that loses Nick Emmanwori and O'Donnell Fortune.
22. Trey White, EDGE, San Diego State
White (6-2, 245) was a consistent pass rusher for the Aztecs. He had 13 sacks and 20 hurries, although he had just one sack in his last five games. He will have to deal with more attention in the Mountain West this season. Still, White has the prototype edge rusher lean, and he finished with 19.5 tackles for loss. He could be the 2026 version of Marshall's Mike Green if he replicates that production in 2025.
23. Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Klubnik (6-2, 210) will be a three-year starter for Clemson, and he has meshed well with offensive coordinator Garrett Riley. That produced 3,639 yards, 36 TDs and six interceptions in an ACC championship run last season. Klubnik compiled a 57.7% completion percentage, 15 TDs and no interceptions against the blitz, but how much emphasis will be put on the struggles against teams such as Georgia and South Carolina? Clemson plays LSU in the season-opener, which features the next quarterback on this list, too. Is that battle of future first-round quarterbacks?
24. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Nussmeier (6-2, 200) can make the most of a five-year college career with the Tigers. He led the SEC in passing attempts (525) and completions (337) and enjoyed a strong finish to the season with 307.3 yards per game in LSU's last three victories. He has a gunslinger vibe and threw 12 interceptions – including four games with at least two interceptions. Still, he was one of only two SEC quarterbacks with at least 4,000 passing yards in 2024. Jaxson Dart was the other one. He will either be a late first round or early second-round pick – and we're leaning on that upside for now.
25. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Styles (6-4, 235) started his career at safety but shifted to linebacker last season, where he totaled 100 tackles, six sacks and five pass breakups. He improved against the run – especially during the national championship run – and the ability in coverage makes him an intriguing hybrid-type player at the next level. He is the next player off the Pickerington pipeline to the NFL.
26. Darrell Jackson Jr.., Florida State
27. Tacario Davis, CB, Washington
28. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
29. Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt
30. Sam Leavitt*, QB, Arizona State
31. Isaiah World, T, Oregon
32. Harold Perkins, LB, LSU
33. Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
34. Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
35. Peyton Bowen*, S, Oklahoma
36. Keon Sabb, S, Alabama
37. Adon Shuler*, S, Notre Dame
38. D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
39. Suntarine Perkins, EDGE, Ole Miss
40. Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati
41. Ethan Onianwa, T, Ohio State
42. Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
43. Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
44. Parker Brailsford*, C, Alabama
45. Rashaun Benny, DT, Michigan
46. Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU
47. Drayk Bowen*, LB, Notre Dame
48. Rod Moore, S, Michigan
49. Zachariah Branch*, WR, Georgia
50. Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
2026 NFL Draft prospect ranking by position
Quarterback
1. Arch Manning, Texas (1)
2. Drew Allar, Penn State (8)
3. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (15)
4. Cade Klubnik, Clemson (23)
5. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (24)
6. Sam Leavitt, Arizona State (30)
Running back
1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (7)
2. Nick Singleton, Penn State (18)
3. Kaytron Allen, Penn State (50)
Wide receiver
1. Carnell Tate, Ohio State (13)
2. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (19)
3. Antonio Williams, Clemson (42)
4. Evan Stewart, Oregon (43)
5. Aaron Anderson, LSU (46)
6. Zachariah Branch, Georgia (49)
Tight end
1. Oscar Delp, Georgia (34)
Tackles
1. Kadyn Proctor, Alabama (4)
2. Francis Mauigoa, Miami (5)
3. Spencer Fano, Utah (12)
4. Isaiah World, Oregon (31)
5. Ethan Onianwa, Ohio State (41)
Interior line
1. Parker Brailsford, Alabama (44)
Defensive end/Edge rushers
1. TJ Parker, Clemson (3)
2. Keldric Faulk, Auburn (9)
3. Reuben Bain Jr., Miami (10)
4. Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon (14)
5. LT Overton, Alabama (17)
7. Trey White, San Diego State (22)
6. Suntarine Perkins, Ole MIss (39)
Defensive line
1. Caleb Banks, Florida (16)
3. Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State (26)
4. Peter Woods, Clemson (33)
5. Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati (40)
6. Rayshaun Benny, Michigan (45)
Linebackers
1. Anthony Hill Jr., Texas (6)
2. Sonny Styles, Ohio State (25)
3. Kyle Louis, Pitt (29)
4. Harold Perkins, LSU (32)
5. Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame (47)
Cornerbacks
1. Jermod McCoy, Tennessee (11)
2. AJ Harris, Penn State (20)
3. Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina (21)
4. Tacario Davis, Washington (27)
5. Avieon Terrell, Clemson (28)
6. D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana (38)
Safety
1. Caleb Downs, Ohio State (2)
2. Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma (35)
3. Keon Sabb, Alabama (36)
4. Adon Shuler, Notre Dame (37)
5. Rod Moore, Michigan (48)
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