Field YatesMar 19, 2026, 06:25 AM ETCloseField Yates is a fantasy football expert and NFL draft analyst for ESPN. You can find him on Fantasy Football Now on Sunday mornings and regularly on NFL Live throughout the week, as well as the Fantasy Focus and First Draft podcasts. A graduate of Wesleyan University (CT) and native of Weston, Mass., Yates has previous experience interning with the New England Patriots on both their coaching and scouting staffs.Follow on XMultiple Authors
play0:17Jordyn Tyson gives Arizona State a two-score leadArizona State goes up 16-7 on Jordyn Tyson’s short-touchdown reception.
play0:37Jermod McCoy: I’m all good for my pro dayTop NFL cornerback prospect Jermod McCoy breaks down his physical health ahead of his pro day.
play0:35Zion Young gets the strip sack on Ty SimpsonZion Young punches the ball away from Ty Simpson and Missouri recovers deep in Alabama territory.
play2:33Orlovsky to McAfee: When I watch Ty Simpson, I see so much of Brock PurdyDan Orlovsky joins “The Pat McAfee Show” and explains the pros and cons he sees in Ty Simpson’s game.
play0:29Jadarian Price muscles in a TD for the IrishJadarian Price scores a 1-yard rushing touchdown for Notre Dame vs. Stanford.
Orlovsky: Jeremiyah Love is the best player in the draft (1:02)Dan Orlovsky confidently declares Jeremiyah Love as the best player in the 2026 NFL draft. (1:02)
Jordyn Tyson gives Arizona State a two-score leadArizona State goes up 16-7 on Jordyn Tyson’s short-touchdown reception.
Jermod McCoy: I’m all good for my pro dayTop NFL cornerback prospect Jermod McCoy breaks down his physical health ahead of his pro day.
Zion Young gets the strip sack on Ty SimpsonZion Young punches the ball away from Ty Simpson and Missouri recovers deep in Alabama territory.
Orlovsky to McAfee: When I watch Ty Simpson, I see so much of Brock PurdyDan Orlovsky joins “The Pat McAfee Show” and explains the pros and cons he sees in Ty Simpson’s game.
Dan Orlovsky joins “The Pat McAfee Show” and explains the pros and cons he sees in Ty Simpson’s game.
Jadarian Price muscles in a TD for the IrishJadarian Price scores a 1-yard rushing touchdown for Notre Dame vs. Stanford.
We’re inching closer to the 2026 NFL draft, as the combine concluded on March 1 and pro days are happening around the country. I released my top 25 rankings in January, but we’re expanding the list to 50 prospects amid the predraft events.
Remember that this ranking isn’t representative of where I think players will ultimately be drafted. This is simply my personal ranking of how I stack the prospects based on their overall talent and what I see on tape. It doesn’t factor in team needs or positional value. And these aren’t quite my final rankings — those will come in April.
With that disclaimer out of the way, here is my updated ranking for the top 50 prospects in the 2026 class — including scouting reports for each player. Beyond my top 50, I also have my rankings by position listed at the bottom.
Fresh off a Heisman Trophy winning season, Mendoza is an experienced quarterback with functional athleticism. He has ideal body armor for an NFL quarterback at his size, which he used in college to stay tough and durable against aggressive defenses.
With a powerful, accurate arm that can stretch to any level of the field, Mendoza completed 73% of his passes in 2025 (third highest in FBS). That included 19 touchdowns on throws outside the numbers. Mendoza showed improved pocket awareness in his lone season at Indiana, and he was outstanding in the red zone (27 touchdowns and zero interceptions).
Put your positional value conversations aside while discussing Love, as the Notre Dame star has every necessary skill for an elite running back. He has excellent speed and overall acceleration, posting a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine and averaging nearly 7.0 yards per carry over the past two seasons.
Love is also a patient runner, using his exceptional vision and lateral agility to make defenders miss in the hole. He is inarguably the best receiving back in this class, averaging 10.4 yards per catch in 2025 from a variety of positional alignments. On top of it all, he did not lose a fumble in three college seasons and prides himself in his pass protection skills.
Bailey capped off his college career at Texas Tech after three seasons at Stanford, during which he tied for the most sacks in the FBS with 14.5. His most dominant traits as a rusher are his explosive first step and aggressive approach to the game; he gets both around and through offensive tackles in pass protection.
Bailey routinely hurled offensive tackles onto their heels last season, allowing him to barrel through with brute force at the point of attack. He’s not a dominant force yet defending the run, but he has the size to improve in that area. He posted an astonishing 71 pressures in 2025 to go along with three forced fumbles, bringing him to eight over the past two seasons.
One of the most distinctive defenders in the class, Reese is following a recent path for NFL stars: inside linebacker to edge rusher. He logged only 17 snaps rushing the passer in 2024, seeing that number boost to 97 in 2025. His range as an inside linebacker pops on the tape, while his explosiveness as a rusher really showed up in the first half of the 2025 season (6.5 sacks in the first eight games).
Reese still needs time to develop, relying more on athleticism than crafty pass-rush moves at this juncture. But that’s an understandable reality given his lack of experience as a pass rusher. His upside is extremely enticing given how fluidly he moves at his size.
Though Styles’ profile has risen to new heights after a combine performance for the ages (including a 43½-inch vertical jump), the former safety is much more than just an athletic dynamo. His game is also highlighted by forceful tackling, a quick trigger defending the run and natural coverage instincts.
Tackling was one of Styles’ most improved traits in 2025. He had only two missed tackles compared to 17 in 2024. Styles brings pass-rush ability to the table too, recording six sacks in 2024. Positional value will be considered by every team on Styles, but the quick-study linebacker is one of the cleanest prospects in the class.
Downs spent one year at Alabama before two at Ohio State, holding massive roles as a tone-setter at both stops. He has solid size for the position, packing an extensive punch as a tackler and force player.
Downs was used in a litany of ways throughout his college career, as he has the versatility to patrol in the center of the field or function as a linebacker in the box against the run. His physicality at the point of attack stands out, as he has impressive power blended with a tenacious mentality. He picked off two passes in each of his three seasons, with strong ball skills and an opportunistic mindset.
To cap off this run of Ohio State players is Tate, who made the most of his opportunities in a jam-packed wide receiver room this past season. He set career highs in receiving yards per game (79.5), contested catches (10) and touchdowns (nine).
Tate has wiry strength and plays faster than his 40-yard dash time of 4.53 seconds. His superpowers are his hands (one drop in 2025 and 10¼-inch hands), disciplined route running and body control. He averaged 17.2 yards per reception this past season, with strong vertical tracking skills and catch strength on the sidelines. Tate also has versatility to play in a big slot role in the NFL.
Maugioa started in every game over three college seasons, playing all but 11 snaps at right tackle. He has a strong, thick lower half, with exceptional balance and footwork in pass protection. He is light, fluid and reactive enough to handle elusive edge rushers. Plus, he’s strong enough at the point of attack to make a big difference in the run game.
Mauigoa surrendered a mere two sacks over the past two seasons, and he finished with the lowest pressure percentage allowed out of all FBS tackles in 2025 (1.2%). He has shown plenty of evidence that he can be a right tackle in the NFL, though some evaluators believe his best long-term fit could be at guard.
Tyson’s final six games of the 2024 season were the kind that scouts don’t forget when looking at a player: 50 catches, 732 yards and six touchdowns. Teams will have their own evaluation of his injury history (a torn ACL, broken collarbone and the aforementioned hamstring injury), but there’s little doubt how he can impact an offense at 100%. He’s a threat for a big play on every snap, with unique ability to make plays at all levels of the field.
Arizona State goes up 16-7 on Jordyn Tyson’s short-touchdown reception.
One of the headliners in this class, Bain won ACC Defensive Player of the Year after posting 9.5 sacks for Miami during its run to the CFP National Championship game. His undersized frame has been a talking point in the predraft process, as he has sub-31-inch arms. No edge rusher over the past two decades has been drafted in the first round with those measurements.
But Bain more than makes up for his frame with his hands. He is at his best when engaging with offensive tackles and barreling through them, plus he can contribute as a violent run defender (nine run stops in 2025). Bain isn’t a premier athlete, but he’s a full-tilt rusher who wears down opponents and would be best in an even front at the NFL level.
With only 18 starts to his name, Freeling is a greener prospect than almost any other player so far in this ranking. That’s a testament to his enticing skill set and exciting measurables (34¾-inch arms, 4.93 40-yard dash and 33.5-inch vertical jump).
Freeling showed dramatic improvement over the course of the 2025 season, and he’s a smooth mover who covers a ton of surface area despite his frame. Freeling needs to further improve his body control and strength, so he would be best suited in a situation in which he could develop before being thrust into a starting role.
I am bullish that Freeling has as much upside as any offensive lineman in this class; he has all the skills to be a longtime left tackle.