One of the most challenging aspects of evaluating prospects is figuring out how to align players at different positions. However, that’s one of the most important parts of the rookie process. We will spend endless hours ranking prospects by position, but we don’t draft that way. We draft from a pool of prospects. Our Rookie Big Board Series aims to help you navigate the gap in positional rankings and prepare you for upcoming dynasty rookie drafts following the 2026 NFL Draft. These articles will provide you a variety of opinions and will be updated throughout the pre-draft process, leading up to rookie draft season. Each 2026 Rookie Big Board will be tailored for 12-team SuperFlex Tight End premium (SF TEprem) leagues unless otherwise noted.
Round 1 | 2026 Rookie Big Board
No. 1 | Garrett Nussmeier | QB | LSU | 6’1’’ | 205 lbs
If LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, there’s a good chance he would have heard his name called during the 1st Round. Ultimately, he decided to return to the bayou for one more season. Nussmeier was one of the biggest risers in my 2025 rankings and starts this Way Too Early 2026 Dynasty Rookie Big Board as my top prospect.
Nussmeier has a strong arm and isn’t afraid to show it off. He will routinely fit the ball into tight windows. One more year in college will help address any inexperience questions which leaves the only notable concern being his size. As I’ve noted before, we have not seen many quarterbacks come into the NFL below the 200-pound threshold. He’s listed five pounds heavier than he was in 2025, but we’ll see what his true weight comes in after the season. If I was betting on a player to go 1st overall in the upcoming draft, it would be Garrett Nussmeier.
No. 2 | Arch Manning | QB | Texas | 6’4’’ | 219 lbs
Somewhat surprisingly, Arch Manning is not my top-ranked QB for 2026—at least not yet. We saw him for short periods of time last season, but his overall performance was inconsistent. No one will question his talent or pedigree, but Arch Manning is far from a finished product. It wouldn’t shock me if he ends up as my top-ranked QB or if he decides to return to Texas for another season.
My inclusion of Arch Manning here is because I believe in his talent and ability to develop more than I’m enthralled by the on-field performances. While I don’t often like to make projections without much evidence to back it up, there are already rumblings of NFL GMs anxiously awaiting Arch Manning’s entrance to the NFL. WIth the current collegiate landscape, there’s no pressure on Manning to head to the NFL. Even with a strong year, he may choose to play out the 2026 season in Austin.
No. 3 | Nicholas Singleton | RB | Penn State | 6’0’’ | 224 lbs
The next player on my Way Too Early 2026 Dynasty Rookie Big Board, Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton, surprisingly returned for his senior year rather than entering the 2025 NFL Draft. In doing so, Singleton is now primed to fight for the RB1 position in the class. My analysis of Singleton hasn’t changed much since his standout freshman season.
As a runner, he has quick feet, good vision, and gets up to speed quickly. He’s a capable pass catcher, who has improved throughout his collegiate career. My biggest concern is that Singleton has a tendency to wait too long in the backfield before hitting the hole. With a weaker RB group in 2026, Nicholas Singleton may be the most athletic running back in the class.
No. 4 | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame | 6’0’’ | 214 lbs
The other contender for 2026 RB1 is Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame. I have Singleton a slight notch above, but this is largely a two-horse race heading into the 2025 college football season. We saw Love routinely make explosive plays with his game-breaking speed. His ability to maintain speed while evading defenders is unique for this RB class.
Love dealt with some injuries down the stretch last season, struggling to make a major impact during the College Football Playoff. The injuries coupled with a relatively light workload does lead to some durability questions, but an offseason to get fully healthy should put Love in a position to answer those in doubt. There’s a clear RB-tier break after these two backs for me.
No. 5 | Jordyn Tyson | WR | ASU | 6’2’’ | 200 lbs
You could ask five people and get five different answers for who is the WR1 heading into the 2026 college football season. For my money, I’ll take Jordyn Tyson, the intriguing receiver from Arizona State. Sadly for Tyson, he’s dealt with some significant injuries in his career. First, a season-ending knee injury during his time with the Colorado Buffaloes and then a season-ending collarbone injury this past season.
When he’s been on the field, Jordyn Tyson has left little doubt as to his receiving prowess and NFL potential. The major hitch in his NFL giddy up is if he can stay healthy. This class lacks a consensus WR1. But, as a prospect that can get open from both inside and outside alignment, he has the best shot to become a true WR1 for an NFL team.
No. 6 | Antonio Williams | WR | Clemson | 5’11’’ | 190 lbs
While he may not have the sparkle or allure of some of the other top WRs in the 2026 NFL Draft class, Clemson’s Antonio Williams is one of the most-intriguing receivers. His versatility to line up all over the field makes him a hard player to guard and the kind of weapon that NFL offenses covet. He took a big step forward in 2024 and I expect more of the same in 2025.
No. 7 | Eric Singleton Jr. | WR | Auburn | 5’10’’ | 180 lbs
Speaking of players that create mismatch opportunities, Eric Singleton Jr. is exactly that. He transferred to the Auburn Tigers after two productive seasons for Georgia Tech with the hopes of improving his NFL Draft stock. Singleton has both long-speed and short-area quickness, making him a fun player to watch.
No. 8 | Darius Taylor | RB | Minnesota | 6’0’’ | 215 lbs
One of the biggest questions of this class is who the RB3 is after the aforementioned duo of Singleton and Love. More importantly however, I think we should also be asking ourselves, how does the RB3 in the 2026 class stack up to the other positions? I have a notable tier-break after Love (my RB2), but a player I’m intrigued to watch is Minnesota’s Darius Taylor. He nearly eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in 2024 as a true sophomore, but more excitingly, Taylor caught 54 passes.
No. 9 | Makai Lemon | WR | USC | 5’11’’ | 195 lbs
As we move down my Way Too Early 2026 Dynasty Rookie Big Board, it is apparent that there are many players bunched together. Makai Lemon is far from a lock to go off the board at this point in rookie drafts next summer. But, his route-running skills coupled with his short-area quickness give him the opportunity to be highly productive as a slot receiver in the NFL for years to come.
No. 10 | Cade Klubnik | QB | Clemson | 6’2’’ | 210 lbs
Clemson’s Cade Klubnik is a fascinating case study. After a lot of hype as a recruit, he fell flat as a player for the Clemson Tigers. However, in 2024, Klubnik started a draft stock reclamation campaign. He’s shown an impressive feel for the quarterback position while also flashing impressive athleticism. If we see more of the 2024 version of Klubnik, he’ll probably end up much higher on this list.
No. 11 | Jaydn Ott | RB | Oklahoma | 5’11’’ | 208 lbs
Another player who transferred to the SEC with the hopes of improving his draft stock, Jaydn Ott, faces an important year. After a perplexing injury that nagged him all season in 2024, Ott returned to college but headed East to Norman, OK. If he can remain healthy, Ott is an explosive runner with good vision and patience. All he needs to do is stay healthy.
No. 12 | Drew Allar | QB | Penn State | 6’5’’ | 235 lbs
Drew Allar is another player that will likely be either much higher or lower on this list by season’s end. He possesses all of the physical traits that you’d want out of a quarterback. Allar has a very strong arm and is athletic for his size—able to fight off defenders and extend plays with his feet. The major question is his decision-making, especially under pressure. We saw what hurt him in the CFP. He’ll need to improve it to move up draft boards.
Round 2 | 2026 Big Board
No. 13 | Zachariah Branch | WR | Georgia | 5’10’’ | 180 lbs
At one point during his freshman season, Zachariah Branch (formerly of USC) had his eyes set on the WR1 position in the 2026 class. He showed flashes of game-breaking speed and quickness, proving to be a threat from anywhere on the field. Unfortunately, his 2024 season fell flat, barely eclipsing his first campaign. After transferring to Georgia, Branch is poised to take on the bright lights of the SEC.
No. 14 | Nico Iamaleava | QB | UCLA | 6’6’’ | 215 lbs
As probably the most-controversial ranking in this list, Nico Iamaleava had a tumultuous offseason, transferring from Tennessee to UCLA. Despite his remarks, there is a significant amount of belief that he left Tennessee after being unable to secure a more-lucrative NIL deal, rather than to be closer to family. As a prospect, Iamaleava has the tools you covet. But, these are uncharted waters, so we’ll see how his NFL hopes are impacted.
No. 15 | LaNorris Sellars | QB | South Carolina | 6’3’’ | 240 lbs
If Iamaleava is the most-controversial ranking for being too high on this list, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellars is going to be viewed as far too low on my Way Too Early 2026 Dynasty Rookie Big Board. My biggest concerns with LaNorris Sellars are inexperience and lack of consistency. When he plays well, the sky’s the limit. But, when he plays quickly or gets sloppy, he struggles.
No. 16 | Makhi Hughes | RB | Oregon | 5’11’’ | 210 lbs
I am always intrigued by players who transfer up from a non-power conference to a Power 4 school, particularly a top-tier one. However, it’s not always exciting intrigue, sometimes it’s more concerning. Makhi Hughes left Tulane for Eugene, OR and the revamped Oregon Ducks. The best trait Hughes possesses is his contact balance. If that translates, he could do big things.
No. 17 | Denzel Boston | WR | Washington | 6’4’’ | 209 lbs
Breaking the mold of the quick, shifty wide receiver, Denzel Boston brings size, physicality, and contested-catch ability to the wide receiver position. His biggest questions are going to be speed and separation ability.
No. 18 | Justice Haynes | RB | Michigan | 5’11’’ | 210 lbs
After two seasons of light usage for the Crimson Tide, Justice Haynes transferred to the Michigan Wolverines for the 2025 season. He lacks top-tier speed but runs decisively and with good contact balance. He should have an opportunity to have a bigger role for Michigan in 2025.
No. 19 | Kaytron Allen | RB | Penn State | 5’11’’ | 217 lbs
Somewhat stuck in the shadow of Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen is a well-rounded back, but doesn’t possess any elite skills. His vision, patience, power, burst, and agility are all above average. However, his top gear is a major question mark.
No. 20 | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State | 6’3’’ | 195 lbs
Carnell Tate is a different build than many of the WRs we’ve seen come through Ohio State in the last several years. He is a strong-handed, good route runner who lacks long-speed. If he has a better-than-expected 40-yard dash, he’ll jump up draft boards.
No. 21 | Sam Leavitt | QB | ASU | 6’2’’ | 205 lbs
Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt has generated quite a lot of draft buzz over the summer. He led the surprising Sun Devils to a CFP performance and an iconic battle against Texas. Leavitt performed well in crucial situations but his size is a question mark.
No. 22 | Eli Stowers | TE | Vanderbilt | 6’4’’ | 235 lbs
The first and only TE on my Way Too Early 2026 Dynasty Rookie Big Board is Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers. He built on a strong 2023 campaign with a breakout 2024 season. Stowers catches the ball well and can be a mismatch all over the field.
No. 23 | Eugene Wilson III | WR | Florida | 5’10’’ | 194 lbs
A quick-twitched, explosive receiver, Eugene Wilson III can play all over the field. He catches the ball well and is elusive with the ball in his hand. The major question he has is if he can hold up in the NFL at his size.
No. 24 | Jonah Coleman | RB | Washington | 5’9’’ | 228 lbs
After finally breaking out in 2024, Jonah Coleman decided to take one more season at Washington to improve his draft stock. While he does not possess the top-gear of many running backs, Coleman runs with power, vision, and good quickness for his size.
2026 Big Board Sleeper
No. 25 | Nyck Harbor | WR | South Carolina | 6’5’’ | 235 lbs
My sleeper in this class isn’t quite your traditional “sleeper.” South Carolina’s Nyck Harber is one of the best athletes in all of college football. He’s listed as a wide receiver, but truly could excel at a variety of positions. He claimed the top spot on Bruce Feldman’s 2024 Freak List (paid). He warrants a mention in this article because if he puts it all together, the potential is limitless. However, he’s far too unproven and inconsistent to warrant anything further.
Whenever you have a list of of prospects, the focus will inevitably shift toward the players not included. The beauty of the Rookie Big Board Series is that it is a living thing. Prospects will move up and down the rankings throughout the remainder of the pre-draft process, based on performance, new information, and potential draft stock. Players will be added, and players will fall out. That is the nature of the beast. Please check back regularly to see our most recent 2026 Rookie Big Board update.
More NFL Prospects Content | Rookie Big Board 1.0
Our staff is working on a new mock draft each week, so be sure to check back regularly for more 2026 NFL Draft content. In case you missed it, here’s our most recent SuperFlex Rookie Mock Draft:
