- LAST CHANCE FOR 40% off: Use promo code BLACKFRIDAY to unlock the PFF Player Prop Tool, Premium Stats, fantasy dashboards, the PFF Mock Draft Simulator, industry-leading fantasy rankings and much more. Act fast, the deal ends tonight!
At the very top, the 2026 NFL Draft class is shaped by defensive talent, particularly a good group of edge defenders and a nice crop of wide receivers and cornerbacks that occupy a significant share of the top 50.
Overall, this class blends blue-chip defensive playmakers, a deep perimeter talent pool and a more meaningful cluster of quarterbacks worthy of early consideration than last cycle.
For the full ranking of draft prospects — including three-year player grades and position rankings — click here. And if you want to go hands-on with the class, check out the PFF Big Board Builder to create your own rankings or fire up the PFF Mock Draft Simulator to run full mock drafts in seconds.
Editor’s note: The analysis included here comes from Trevor Sikkema’s preseason scouting series, while the rankings themselves have been fully updated. This analysis is provided to give readers context on how these players were viewed entering the season.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL 2026 NFL DRAFT BIG BOARD
1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Big board rank: 6
Love is a future impact back at the NFL level. He checks every athletic box: speed, burst, agility and change-of-direction and pairs it with sharp footwork and natural receiving ability. While his power game between the tackles and in pass protection still needs refinement, the foundation is strong. Love projects as a versatile offensive weapon with first-round potential.
2. Jonah Coleman, Washington Huskies
Big board rank: 56
Coleman has an NFL build and outstanding rushing grades over the first three years of his college career. At over 225 pounds, he runs with good power and balance to gain yards after contact, yet shows surprising foot quickness and lateral agility for his size. He's also a dependable pass-catcher and a very effective pass protector. The primary concern with Coleman is his speed, as both his top-end burst and acceleration appear to be below average by NFL standards. He projects as a strong power back in a two-back committee, with most of his production likely to come between the tackles.
3. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Big board rank: 65
Analysis Coming soon!
4. Kaytron Allen, Penn State Nittany Lions
Big board rank: 131
If you view Allen through the lens of a power back, there's a lot to like. He converts speed to power well and uses a strong leg drive to fight through arm tackles, making him effective in short-yardage situations. However, he lacks the top-end speed to fully capitalize when he breaks into space. While he's built like an NFL running back, he may need to improve his elusiveness and become more of a factor on third downs both as a receiver and in pass protection to earn a lead role at the next level.
5. Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Big board rank: 133
As a smaller back, Claiborne can cover ground quickly when he sees daylight and can be a home run threat if he gets to the edge. However, Wake Forest's long mesh RPO scheme makes it difficult to fully evaluate his vision in man or gap concepts. He's an agile athlete with the ability to force missed tackles and run clean routes out of the backfield, though his tempo sometimes borders on hesitation. Claiborne doesn't break many tackles when defenders square him up, so avoiding contact is key to his success. He also offers upside as a receiver and pass protector on third downs.
6. CJ Baxter, Texas Longhorns
Big board rank: 142
Baxter has the build and athletic traits of a future NFL contributor. However, there's limited film to evaluate — he looked inexperienced as a true freshman in 2023 and missed all of 2024 due to injury. At this stage, he's a high-upside, wait-and-see prospect whose 2025 return will be key in determining his draft outlook.
7. Justice Haynes, Michigan Wolverines
Big board rank: 143
Haynes easily passes the off-the-bus test for an NFL running back, with solid size and a well-developed frame. He has the body type to lower his shoulder and run through contact, supported by a decent yards-after-contact per attempt average. However, his limited playing time likely contributes to some of his current drawbacks, including a straightforward running style that lacks creativity and hesitation in early game reps. When confident, he's capable of impressive runs. A larger role at Michigan could reveal the next step in his development.
8. Terion Stewart, Virginia Tech Hokies
Big board rank: 152
As a pure runner, Stewart is absolutely NFL-caliber. Though listed at 5-foot-8 with shorter strides, he accelerates quickly and runs with a powerful frame. He bounces off contact, uses his stiff arm aggressively, and boasts a career missed tackles forced per attempt rate of 0.47, an elite figure over four seasons. However, his vision and anticipation remain inconsistent, both as a runner and in pass protection. Stewart also brings minimal value as a receiver, which could limit his role early in an NFL offense.
9. Quintrevion Wisner, Texas Longhorns
Big board rank: 159
Wisner plays like he has something to prove every time he touches the ball. He runs with more power than his listed weight would suggest and thrives in one-cut scenarios behind man/gap and inside zone schemes. As an underclassman, his approach emphasized ball security and north-south efficiency rather than creativity and elusivity. He also shows some potential as a third-down back, though he'll likely need to improve his strength and pass protection technique to fully earn that role.
10. J'Mari Taylor, Virginia Cavaliers
Big board rank: 160
Analysis Coming soon!
11. Le'Veon Moss, Texas A&M Aggies
Big board rank: 165
Moss has a track background that clearly translates to the football field when he gets into open space, especially on outside zone runs. His yards after contact and overall balance improved significantly in 2024. While he hasn't been a major factor in the passing game and has struggled in pass protection, there's potential in both areas. His return from a knee injury will be a key factor, but Moss has an NFL-caliber skill set even if his role ends up being that of a rotational back.
12. Nicholas Singleton, Penn State Nittany Lions
Big board rank: 168
Singleton is a gifted athlete who converts top-tier speed and acceleration into power. He is also used quite a bit as a receiver out of the backfield. While he has all the tools you want from a running back, his style is very straightforward: if it's blocked up well, he gets the yards; if not, he'll sometimes leave you wanting more. This can lead to a lack of creativity in his vision and in forcing missed tackles in space. More of a playmaker mentality could make Singleton a highly coveted back.
13. Jaydn Ott, Oklahoma Sooners
Big board rank: 196
Ott is a very well-rounded running back prospect. When he's healthy, there just aren't many things he doesn't do well. He's not an elite athlete, but he's absolutely athletic enough both linearly and laterally for the NFL. He has excellent patience and awareness to let blocks develop and find open space. He has some misses in pass protection, but he generally has his eyes in the right area and the body type to block well. As a receiver, Ott has consistently produced in all three years at Cal. He's an NFL back for all three downs.
14. Darius Taylor, Minnesota Golden Gophers
Big board rank: 198
Taylor's patient, one-cut style fits well behind man or gap schemes, with some effectiveness in inside zone as well. He has strong vision and quick feet, allowing him to sort through chaos at the line of scrimmage. As a receiver, he brings plenty of experience and solid career grades. His primary limitation is athleticism — while he's quick and balanced, his top speed and explosiveness fall well short of NFL expectations.
15. Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (FL) Hurricanes
Big board rank: 220
Fletcher has earned strong PFF rushing grades over the past two seasons as a spot starter. His standout trait so far is his pass protection, as he's already among the best backfield blockers in the country and this draft class. However, he lacks the quickness and balance to make sharp cuts or sudden moves in space, and his physicality at contact doesn't quite match his build. To elevate his draft stock, Fletcher needs to seize a lead-back role in 2025 and prove he can be more than just a third-down, pass protection specialist.
16. Dante Dowdell, Kentucky Wildcats
Big board rank: 236
Dowdell is a big back who checks all the boxes you expect from that archetype, reliable in short-yardage situations and brings physicality in pass protection. That combination should earn him a draft selection and a legitimate shot in the NFL. However, to grow into more than a niche role, he'll need to become more dynamic and versatile on early downs in a committee backfield.
17. Hollywood Smothers, North Carolina State Wolfpack
Big board rank: 239
Smothers has strong vision and balance behind zone-blocking schemes. While his frame isn't physically imposing and his top speed doesn't stand out, he runs with good shiftiness and core strength, allowing him to stay upright and gain yards after contact. He's also a reliable receiver out of the backfield and could thrive as a change-of-pace option in the right system.
18. Dean Connors, Houston Cougars
Big board rank: 245
Connors brings a blend of track speed and receiving ability that gives him clear NFL potential in a committee backfield. His missed tackles forced and yards after contact metrics were strong in 2023, though they dipped in 2024. While his pass protection remains a bit inconsistent, he shows a solid foundation. As a runner, his delayed one-cut style is better suited to man or gap schemes than mid or outside zone. He projects as a versatile third-down specialist with real impact potential in the passing game, including split-out receiver usage.
19. Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh Panthers
Big board rank: 283
At 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, Hammond is the latest case study in the question: How small is too small for an NFL running back? Despite the size concerns, he's been consistently productive, surpassing 800 rushing yards in each of the past three seasons while also contributing significantly as a receiver and return specialist. History hasn't been kind to backs of this size in the pros, even those with elite college production like Donnel Pumphrey. Still, if Hammond continues to produce at a high level, he could warrant a late Day 3 flier as a change-of-pace back and special teams contributor.
20. Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Big board rank: 288
Haynes, a former wide receiver who transitioned to running back in 2023, brings a compact frame and short-area explosiveness as his top traits. Despite his receiving background, his production in that phase has been limited, and he's struggled with ball security both in terms of fumbles and drops. His top-end athleticism also appears below NFL standards for the position. To carve out a role at the next level, Haynes may need to lean more heavily into his receiving skill set and refine his technique in that area.
21. Jahiem White, West Virginia Mountaineers
Big board rank: 294
White shows good vision and fits well behind man or gap scheme blocking, supported by encouraging rushing efficiency in 2024. However, he'll need to build a more robust overall profile to overcome size concerns at 5-foot-7, as his short stride length limits his explosiveness and top speed. He must also improve in third-down areas, particularly in pass protection and receiving, to earn a depth role at the NFL level.
22. Bryson Washington, Baylor Bears
Big board rank: 300
Washington runs with zero fear — he's trying to hit top speed quickly and lower his shoulder with maximum power. He plays the position like someone who's been on the defensive side of the ball, which makes sense given his background as a safety. That mindset is both a strength and a weakness. While his physicality is admirable, his lack of vision, patience, and tempo often leaves yards on the field. If he can improve his feel for space and develop more of a playmaker's mentality, Washington could rise as a physical depth option in this class.
23. Noah Whittington, Oregon Ducks
Big board rank: 304
Whittington enters the 2025 season as one of the older backs in the 2026 draft class, dating back to the 2020 recruiting cycle. He's posted decent rushing production at both Western Kentucky and Oregon, but lacks the physical and athletic traits that typically translate to NFL success. He'll need a standout season to improve his stock and separate from a deep group of prospects.
© 2026 PFF - all rights reserved.