Quarterback and running back are two of the most high-profile positions in college football, but this year, we could see a record-low number of QBs and RBs selected inside the top 100 of the draft. Meanwhile, it is becoming a recurring theme, but edge defenders sit atop the prospect food chain once again. Notably, the linebacker position offers a far greater number of starters (and potential starters) than we usually see.
In total, I rank the 2026 NFL Draft very slightly ahead of last year's talent pool, but by a small margin.
Before we dive into my ranking of the 11 major position groups in this year's draft, it's important to explain the criteria I used. In assessing each position, I identified star-caliber players, future starters and overall depth. Generally speaking, I concentrated on prospects who are most likely to be drafted in Rounds 1 through 5. I weighed star players and future starters twice as heavily as overall depth, and my ranking scale ranged from 10 to 30 points. A score of 20 points or higher for a position group is considered strong. Anything below 17 is poor for the position as a whole.
1) Edge defender (24.5 points)
There were five edge defenders drafted in last April's first round and 11 selected on Day 2. This year, we have another loaded group of QB hunters. Arvell Reese is a developmental prospect with huge upside, while David Bailey is rush-ready as a true pocket pillager. Rueben Bain Jr. brings unique power, while fellow Miami product Akheem Mesidor is the most skilled rusher in this class. Zion Young majors in block destruction as a run defender, and Malachi Lawrence is getting some buzz behind the scenes. This class figures to provide a strong number of future starters, with as many as 17 players poised to come off the board in the first three rounds, but the quality of depth will trail off on Day 3. The edge defenders will rule the first round.
2) Linebacker (22.5 points)
Off-ball linebacker became a consistently sparse offering in the draft over the last several years, but this is one of the strongest groups we've seen in a while. Sonny Styles could be a top-10 draft pick, which would mark the first time that's happened for the position since 2020, when the Arizona Cardinals took Isaiah Simmons eighth overall. Anthony Hill Jr. is a talented three-down option who could go on Day 1, while Jake Golday, CJ Allen and Jacob Rodriguez look like Round 2 selections as potential early starters. The linebacker group stays strong in Rounds 3 and 4, with decent depth stretching into the fifth round.
3) Interior offensive line (22 points)
There hasn't been a draft with four full rounds worth of quality interior offensive linemen in quite some time. This year's prospect pool offers just that. There is a clear Big Three at guard with Vega Ioane, Chase Bisontis and Emmanuel Pregnon leading the way, but Keylan Rutledge will be a strong Day 2 option. Furthermore, this draft is filled with potential tackle-to-guard converts who bolster the position group even more. Meanwhile, Connor Lew, Sam Hecht, Logan Jones and Brian Parker II could all become future starting centers, while Trey Zuhn III might not be far behind. The number of starters and the depth into Round 5 is what helps this group stand out.
4) Wide receiver (19.5 points)
The 2025 receiver class stepped up last season -- with Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, Emeka Egbuka and Luther Burden III leading the way -- and this year's group compares favorably with last year's crop. Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon and Jordyn Tyson all have early-starter talent and polish as probable first-round picks. KC Concepcion is a premium separator for teams seeking a slippery slot, while Omar Cooper Jr. is ascending due to his enticing combination of size, speed and strength. In terms of starting talent, this offering is a little softer than those from some recent years, but there will be plenty of quality depth for WR3/4 roles inside of the first five rounds.
5) Cornerback (18.5 points)
In each of the past two drafts, we've seen three cornerbacks go in the first round. That could be the number this year, as well. While I believe Mansoor Delane has star-caliber talent on tape, some in the league see him slightly below that. Viewpoints also vary on the two Tennessee products, Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood. The depth at wide corner is lacking, but there are some very talented nickelbacks who will step into starting roles fairly quickly, including Avieon Terrell, Treydan Stukes, D'Angelo Ponds and Keionte Scott. It's worth noting that this might be the fastest cornerback group, from top to bottom, that we've ever seen.
T-6) Safety (18 points)
Last year's safety class outplayed where I ranked it in this exercise, with Day 2 picks Nick Emmanwori, Xavier Watts and Jonas Sanker leading the way. This year, Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren should all go in Round 1. Ballhawking safeties like Bud Clark and A.J. Haulcy offer future starting value in the second round, as does Jalen Kilgore, who is a big, explosive down safety. I'm also a fan of VJ Payne from Kansas State, but in general, this group becomes average, depth-level talent fairly quickly on Day 3.
T-6) Tight end (18 points)
Kenyon Sadiq offers star potential but won't carry the same caliber of grade as Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland did last year. Sadiq is a mismatch piece who could warrant an earlier pick than expected, though he's the only first-round option. We might not see many second-round TE picks, but this group is fairly deep in Rounds 3 through 5, featuring some solid pass catchers and a very strong run blocker in Sam Roush out of Stanford. The 2026 draft could produce a sneaky-high number of tight ends who earn second NFL contracts.
T-8) Interior defensive line (17 points)
With Caleb Banks apparently , we now have three defensive tackles who could be borderline first-rounders in the Florida product, Kayden McDonald and Peter Woods. Beyond that talented trio, the position offers a series of future starters/rotational contributors on Day 2. Zxavian Harris isn't for everyone, but the 6-foot-8, 330-pounder has impressive flashes on tape. Your team might need to draft a DT inside the first 120 picks in order to ensure quality.
T-8) Offensive tackle (17 points)
Unfortunately for tackle-needy teams, this year's class features more questions than answers over the first two rounds. Top prospects like Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano come with shorter-than-desired arms, while the gargantuan Kadyn Proctor is coming off a highly uneven season in pass protection. Caleb Lomu, Monroe Freeling and Max Iheanachor all have talent but are less polished than teams might like. There is an adequate number of starting-caliber bookends available early, but it becomes highly speculative for teams hunting quality depth by the middle of the third round.
10) Running back (15 points)
Last year, running back was one of the deepest positions in the draft. This year's group is easily one of the weakest in the class. There is star quality at the top with Jeremiyah Love -- and his Notre Dame teammate, Jadarian Price, looks like a very good future NFL starter. But this RB crop gets very light, very quickly. With his size (6-1, 223) and speed (4.33 40-yard dash), Mike Washington Jr. appears to be the clear third back in the draft. There has never been an NFL draft since 1960 that had fewer than four running backs selected inside the first three rounds, but this could be the year.
11) Quarterback (13.5 points)
While Fernando Mendoza carries a higher grade and more star potential heading into the draft than Cam Ward did a year ago, the 2025 QB crop actually felt like it had better backup depth, which is a small separator from this year's group. Ty Simpson has a chance to become an NFL starter, but this is a below-average quarterback class with a low number of future starters and quality backups to choose from. It wouldn't shock me to see QB-hungry teams kick the can down the road and wait until next year.
