It’s the best day of the year: draft day.
The 2026 NFL Draft begins tonight (Thursday, April 23) with the first round, followed by the second and third rounds on Day 2 (Friday, April 24) and rounded out with rounds four, five, six and seven on Day 3 (Saturday, April 25). For Northwestern, there is one name that is almost certainly going to be called, plus a few others that could be announced. Here are the Wildcats to keep an eye on for the 2026 NFL Draft:
Caleb Tiernan
For Northwestern offensive linemen, the 2020s
have been a huge success in terms of making the NFL. In 2021, Rashawn Slater was selected 13th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. Two years later, in 2023, Peter Skoronski was taken 11th overall by the Tennessee Titans. Although it would be surprising to hear Caleb Tiernan’s name in Round 1, it should be penciled in that he’s a Day 2 pick, or at the latest, an early Day 3 pick.
Offensive line comes at a premium in the NFL Draft, especially this year, where a run on offensive tackles seems more than inevitable. Tiernan doesn’t necessarily fall into the tier of being selected as part of the run on O-line, but the teams that don’t get their guy early will likely look at Tiernan near the Round 2 to Round 3 flip. ESPN’s Jordan Reid released a seven-round mock draft on April 20, 2026, in which he had Tiernan going to the Titans at pick No. 66, the second pick of the third round.
Tiernan brings experience from his time playing at Northwestern, starting in every game across the last three seasons with the Wildcats. Tiernan was also on the roster at the same time as Skoronski, so he was able to learn from him and likely still gets advice from his time so far in the NFL, especially with Tiernan a candidate to move inside to guard. He excels in pass protection and has a strong anchor — both things that are valued highly by NFL teams — but at times struggled against high-end athletes.
There are some concerns about Tiernan’s arm length and hand size, making him a player who will more than likely bump inside to play guard at the professional level, with the ability to still play on the outside if need be. His quickness and ability to block while on the move further enhance his potential as a guard or a swing tackle who can eventually elevate himself into a starting role.
My prediction: early to middle of Round 3
Aidan Hubbard
Hubbard is the second Northwestern player whose name could be called during the 2026 NFL. Before the 2025 college football season, the Wildcat edge rusher receiving all the buzz was Anto Saka. But now, Hubbard has outplayed his former teammate.
Hubbard finished his final collegiate season with a career-high 7.5 sacks, good for first on the Wildcats and ninth in the Big Ten. He did this in just 11 games as well, missing the final two regular-season contests. The two seasons prior, Hubbard had six sacks in each season, with his career total across 46 games amounting to 20.5 sacks.
Hubbard is better as a pass rusher than a run defender. His athleticism, combined with his change-of-direction, agility and burst, allows him to succeed when rushing the quarterback. The drawback is that his size and strength limit him in the run game, making his role at the professional level more of a rotational pass rusher.
My prediction: mid-to-late seventh round
Evan Beerntsen
Beerntsen is the second Northwestern offensive lineman with a shot at getting drafted. If he were to get selected, it would almost certainly be on Day 3, and likely near the end of it in Round 7. Beerntsen has experience, starting in 51 collegiate games. While the amount of run he’s gotten is great, Beerntsen will be an older rookie after seven seasons of college football. This is something that could draw teams away from using a pick on him.
In his lone season with the Wildcats, Beerntsen was a staple on one of the Big Ten’s best O-lines, starting all 13 games and allowing zero sacks or quarterback hits. Per PFF, he graded out as a top-five guard in the Big Ten in run blocking and in regular grade, while also being near the top at his position in the country. Even though most of his career was spent at the FCS level, many NFL players have had successful careers that came from that background.
Beerntsen is a very strong run blocker, something NFL teams could see as a reason to take a shot on him, even as a rotational guard (or even center) early on. He moves efficiently, especially for his size, and brings a lot of toughness. The main drawback, apart from being an older rookie, is that his size isn’t ideal for an NFL player. If he wants to succeed, a move inside to center is all the more likely. His tape is consistent in the run game, but his length could be a problem in the NFL.
My prediction: late seventh round
