The dead period of the NFL offseason is over, and we’re in the midst of training camp, which means the regular season is right around the corner. The Chicago Bears will have plenty to keep us busy here at Windy City Gridiron, which means there’s less time for our summer activities.
For me, one of my go-to summer activities to kill time is watching prospects for next year’s NFL Draft. As of this writing, I’ve been able to scout and grade 200 prospects for the 2026 class. That’s obviously not enough
to get through every single player selected in the draft, which is my ultimate goal.
However, I have nine more months to add more prospects to my board. Off the sample I have now, I have a decent understanding of what the draft class offers in terms of its strengths and weaknesses going into the regular season. I’ve decided to share my findings with you all.
You can see the entirety of my big board edited in real life on my Patreon, as well as my full watchlist of players I still need to get to. I’ll also have exclusive Bears content there, as well. But I wanted to share my top 75 prospects on my big board for the 2026 NFL Draft. Additionally, I created some superlatives at each position to provide additional insight into what these prospects specialize in.
Quarterbacks
- Strongest arm: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
- Most athletic: LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
- Most accurate: Cade Klubnik, Clemson
- Most well-rounded: Arch Manning, Texas
- Highest ceiling: LaNorris Sellers
- Highest floor: Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
- Biggest question mark: Arch Manning
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
Running backs
- Best vision: Makhi Hughes, Tulane
- Best agility: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
- Best power: Jonah Coleman, Washington
- Fastest back: Tre Wisner, Texas
- Best pass blocker: CJ Baxter, Texas
- Highest ceiling: Jeremiyah Love
- Highest floor: Jeremiyah Love
- Biggest question mark: Justice Haynes, Michigan
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Jamarion Miller, Alabama
Wide receivers
- Best hands: Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
- Best route runner: Antonio Williams, Clemson
- Most physical: Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
- Best YAC receiver: Zachariah Branch, Georgia
- Craftiest release package: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
- Highest ceiling: Carnell Tate, Ohio State
- Highest floor: Jordyn Tyson
- Biggest question mark: Nyck Harbor, South Carolina
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
Tight ends
- Best route runner: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
- Most athletic: Kenyon Sadiq
- Best hands: Luke Hasz, Ole Miss
- Best blocker: Tanner Koziol, Houston
- Highest ceiling: Kenyon Sadiq
- Highest floor: Max Klare, Ohio State
- Biggest question mark: Kenyon Sadiq
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Brett Norfleet, Missouri
Offensive tackles
- Best hand usage: Spencer Fano, Utah
- Most athletic: Trevor Goosby, Texas
- Strongest blocker: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)
- Most physically gifted: Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
- Best pad level: Spencer Fano
- Highest ceiling: Kadyn Proctor
- Highest floor: Francis Mauigoa
- Biggest question mark: Isaiah World, Oregon
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Trevor Goosby
Interior offensive line
- Best hand usage: Drew Shelton, Penn State
- Most athletic: Connor Lew, Auburn
- Strongest blocker: Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
- Most physically gifted: Charles Jagusah, Notre Dame
- Best pad level: Davion Carter, Texas Tech
- Highest ceiling: Cayden Green, Missouri
- Highest floor: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
- Biggest question mark: Charles Jagusah
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: DJ Campbell, Texas
Defensive line
- Quickest off the ball: Zane Durant, Penn State
- Best two-gapper: Tim Keenan III, Alabama
- Best hand usage: Peter Woods, Clemson
- Best pass rusher: Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
- Highest ceiling: Caleb Banks, Florida
- Highest floor: Peter Woods
- Biggest question mark: Christen Miller, Georgia
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Edge rushers
- Quickest off the ball: Damon Wilson II, Missouri
- Best hand usage: TJ Parker, Clemson
- Best at setting the edge: Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)
- Best power rusher: Keldric Faulk, Auburn
- Highest ceiling: Rueben Bain Jr.
- Highest floor: TJ Parker
- Biggest question mark: Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Damon Wilson II
Linebackers
- Best instincts: Whit Weeks, LSU
- Most reliable tackler: CJ Allen, Georgia
- Most athletic: Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss
- Best in coverage: Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
- Best blitzer: Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
- Highest ceiling: Anthony Hill Jr.
- Highest floor: CJ Allen
- Biggest question mark: Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Whit Weeks
Cornerbacks
- Best instincts in coverage: Avieon Terrell, Clemson
- Most physical: Will Lee III, Texas A&M
- Most athletic: D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
- Best ball skills: Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
- Best tackler: DJ McKinney, Colorado
- Highest ceiling: Avieon Terrell
- Highest floor: Jermod McCoy
- Biggest question mark: Josh Moten, Southern Miss
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Chandler Rivers, Duke
Safeties
- Rangiest in coverage: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
- Most athletic: Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
- Best tackler: Keon Sabb, Alabama
- Best instincts: Caleb Downs
- Best ball skills: Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
- Highest ceiling: Caleb Downs
- Highest floor: Caleb Downs
- Biggest question mark: Jalen Catalon, Missouri
- Player outside the top 75 to watch: Amare Ferrell, Indiana
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