Overlooked 2026 NFL Draft Prospects Who Can Emerge as Potential 1st-Round Picks

The 2025 football season is right around the corner. NFL teams are preparing to start training camps, and college teams are looking ahead to fall practices.

Every summer, the most well-known NFL draft prospects carry hype and high expectations. Then there are the prospects who are often overlooked but have high ceilings and first-round potential.

Here are eight to watch out for.

Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana

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Elijah Sarratt led the Indiana Hoosiers offense in most major receiving categories last season. The 6'2", 210-pound pass-catcher is a strong-handed playmaker with good play strength. He is difficult to bring down on first contact.

Last season, he generated nearly six yards after the catch per reception, according to Pro Football Focus.

He was the favorite target of former starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke. Now, Fernando Mendoza comes in as the program's new starter. Sarratt and Mendoza's strengths complement each other.

Sarratt works as an outside/boundary receiver and a power slot. His ball skills and body control down the sideline will fit well with Mendoza's accuracy on back-shoulder fades. Sarratt is proficient at tracking the ball in flight. He dominated in contested-catch situations, converting 59 percent of them into completions.

The 2026 wide receiver class is talented and wide-open. Sarratt is coming off a season in which he accounted for 53 receptions, 957 yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He will have the quarterback play and target opportunities to push his stock into first-round consideration.

Zane Durant, IDL, Penn State

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Penn State's defense lost its best player, Abdul Carter, to the NFL, but don't worry: The Nittany Lions have a few more prospects to know about. Zane Durant has developed over the last two seasons. He accounted for three sacks, seven hits on the quarterback, 17 pressures and 42 tackles.

Durant is a three-down, disruptive interior defensive lineman. He plays with great power at the point of attack, and his first step is sudden, allowing him to get upfield and clear blockers. He lettered in weight lifting and shot put with his high school track-and-field team.

Strength and power come naturally to Durant. He has a compact, densely built frame with a natural leverage advantage. Listed at 6'1", 290 pounds, he's an outlier due to his height and weight. This means he will not be for every NFL team, but that will not completely hinder him from being a first-round pick.

Durant must continue to elevate his game as an interior play disruptor. Reminiscent of former Pitt Panther Calijah Kancey being drafted in the first round, Durant plays stronger to take on blocks against the run.

As an outlier, you must provide potential to be a highly impactful player. Durant fits that description. He creates quick backfield penetration from multiple alignments on the defensive front.

Ideally, he projects best as a single-gap penetrator in an even-front NFL defense. Durant has the tools and upside to ingratiate himself with at least one team that is willing to buy in on him.

Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas

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Taylen Green's road to becoming a tantalizing draft prospect was a little rocky. The quarterback started 22 of the 26 games he appeared in at Boise State after his redshirt freshman season.

He entered college football as a 3-star recruit and dual-threat quarterback. Green flashed big-time playmaking ability for the Broncos offense but didn't protect the ball enough before transferring to Arkansas.

The best words to characterize Green as a draft prospect are tools, tools and more tools. He is among the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the nation. Green is listed as 6'6" and 225 pounds with outstanding athleticism and rushing ability.

He was in Louisiana at the Manning Camp recently, and an analyst in attendance told us Green "has a laser for a right arm."

He is coming off a solid start in 2024 and his first experience in the SEC, having thrown for 3,146 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He added 129 carries for 823 rushing yards, eight touchdowns and 12 fumbles.

His most significant step forward in 2025 begins with improving his protection of the football—as a runner and passer. Green's natural ability cannot be taught or developed, but being disciplined in the pocket and mechanically are teachable traits.

Heading into 2025, he has the opportunity to uplift the Razorbacks offense to new heights.

If he can continue to develop from the pocket, improve his turnover numbers and efficiency on third downs, Green will rise on draft boards. He needs to raise his floor into the safe territory for NFL teams. He has a star-caliber ceiling, but can he improve enough to get within arm's reach of it or will this forever be a "what could've been" situation?

Nic Anderson, WR, LSU

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2024 was not a kind year to former Oklahoma Sooners star wide receiver Nic Anderson. He played one game all season due to a quadriceps injury. The 6'4", 210-pound pass-catcher transferred to LSU in December, joining fellow transfer Barion Brown with their new quarterback, Garrett Nussmeier.

Anderson was coming off his best year in 2023 before suffering the quad injury. He caught 38 passes for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is a tall and lean-framed receiver with good athletic ability. He has the speed and stride needed to stretch the field vertically.

Due to his height and wingspan, Anderson is a mismatch for smaller defenders after the catch. He quickly transitions from receiver to runner once the ball is secured.

Anderson is more twitchy than a receiver of his size/stature would suggest. He can change directions as a route runner with suddenness. The combination of traditional outside receiver size with smaller receiver movement skills and speed will have NFL scouts attention this season. He must begin to win more of his contested targets.

LSU is known as WRU for its reputation of producing top-tier receiver talent for the NFL. Anderson projects to be the "Next Man Up." Anderson is the most complete receiver for LSU's offense and offers the biggest frame and catch radius for Nussmeier to target. He caught three of his 12 targets in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.

Anderson looks ready to roll from his training videos. After a disappointing season that was stolen by injury, he enters the SEC with a point to prove. Anderson is what an NFL first round wide receiver looks and plays like.

R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma

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2024 was a breakout year for Oklahoma star edge-rusher R Mason Thomas. After spending his first two seasons with the program as a rotational defender, he became a starter and produced at a high level. Thomas accounted for nine sacks, 23 tackles, 10 quarterback hits and 16 pressures.

He was consistently in the opposing offense's backfield, making his presence felt. The former four-star recruit enters 2025 as a "stock on the rise" prospect. Listed as 6'2" and 250 pounds, Thomas is a change of pace compared to the other top edge-rushers eligible for the 2026 draft.

The majority of these edge-rush prospects are 6'3" or taller and clear the 260-pound threshold.

Thomas projects best as a standup outside linebacker in a 3-4/odd-front defense. He can rush from a wide nine alignment from a four-point stance. His first-step quickness and acceleration place the offensive tackle in a perilous situation. Thomas combines his suddenness off the snap with good pad level to stay low and the hand usage needed to stress the outside arc of the pocket. His burst makes flattening and closing on the quarterback look effortless.

After a strong showing in his first year as a starter, Thomas enters a pivotal senior season in 2025. He can raise his stock into round one by replicating last year's success and/or improving upon it.

We saw Jalon Walker, who was a hybrid defender for Georgia last season, get selected at No. 15. Thomas is a more proven, nuanced rusher. Brent Venables is a defensive mastermind and should put Thomas in advantageous situations to wreak havoc on passing downs.

CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

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Georgia has another dominant defensive prospect the world must take notice of.

Linebacker CJ Allen seems to be the forgotten man in a good linebacker class, at the top at least. We know about Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. and Alabama's Deonte Lawson, but Allen will push them for the crown of LB1 in the 2026 draft.

Linebackers are often devalued in the NFL and underappreciated until a team lacks a competent one. For linebackers to hear their names called on night one of the NFL Draft, they need to be a special and highly impactful player. Allen is that level of prospect. Last season, he had 76 tackles, one interception and four passes defended.

Listed as 6'1", 235 pounds, Allen is a three-down linebacker prospect. As the Mike (Middle) linebacker for the Bulldogs' defense, Allen is an impact player. He plays with the physicality and demeanor of former Bulldogs great Roquan Smith.

Equipped with a compact build, he holds up against the run well and is not a timid downhill player. Allen attacks the ball-carrier with ill intentions. He plays with outstanding instincts and play recognition ability. He diagnoses and processes plays quickly, allowing him to play full speed.

Allen is a fast linebacker with sideline-to-sideline speed. He covers ground quickly, constantly tracking the football and in the vicinity. Allen is a reliable zone/spot dropper in coverage and keeps his head on a swivel to pass routes entering and exiting his zones. In man coverage, he defends running backs well. Displaying his speed and athleticism to stay in phase and wrap up if a pass is completed for a minimal gain.

Allen is everything teams want from an intellectual, playing style, and play demeanor standpoint. What he lacks in traditional measurements, he makes up for with the rest of his talent and skill set. Keep your eyes out for him this season to help elevate the Bulldogs defense.

Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama

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Domani Jackson is one of the better cornerbacks returning to the college football landscape in 2025. He began his career at USC as a 5-star recruit out of powerhouse Mater Dei. Jackson played 18 combined games for the Trojans before transferring to Alabama last offseason.

There is a lot to like about Jackson as a draft prospect. He is a height, weight and speed prospect. Listed at 6'1" and 200 pounds, Jackson is a high school state champion in the 100-meter dash with a career fastest time of 10.25.

This sprinter speed shows up as he chases the ball down as a run blitzer from the back side of the formation. The longest catch he allowed for Alabama last season was 31 yards. He kept everything in front of him and rallied to the ball as a tackler.

Jackson is a versatile defender who is effective in man and zone coverages. Last season, he allowed eight receptions on 21 targets for 86 yards, one interception, and two pass breakups in man coverage. He aligns in press and off-man coverage with the explosiveness to trigger downhill quickly. He has to refine his technique to get closer to his high potential.

A cornerback with his coverage ability and versatility combined with explosive athletic traits will be coveted by NFL scouts and decision-makers. Playing at Alabama in the SEC ensures Jackson will be battle-tested weekly with some of the best athletes at the receiver position in the nation.

Keep your eyes open for his development and impact on the Tide's defense this season.

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

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Transferring from Cal to Indiana will be a leap in competition for quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Earlier this summer, I ranked him as the top early QB prospect for the 2026 draft. There is a lot to like about Mendoza's prospect profile.

For starters, he will check the height and weight boxes listed at 6'5" and 225 pounds. He excels standing in the pocket and finding throwing lanes, unaffected by the height of his offensive line or defensive hands at the line of scrimmage. Credit to his high-release point paired with his prototypical frame.

Mendoza's pocket navigation and willingness to stand tall in the pocket to deliver accurate passes at every level of the field is NFL-caliber right now.

Mendoza possesses exciting physical tools, from arm talent to being at worst, a functional athlete who can extend plays with his legs and create second reaction opportunities for his receivers down the field.

The NFL has veered away from the old school, standardized pocket passers. Quarterbacks must come into the league with a baseline and functional athletic profile. The days of sitting ducks and living on pure anticipation are gone. Can you navigate the pocket well enough to evade rushers and get throws off and create outside of the pocket when flushed? Mendoza can!

Mendoza is a pinpoint-accurate passer who is effective on play-action passes, completing 67% of his attempts for 1,023 yards, six touchdowns to one interception, per PFF. He isn't a play-action only quarterback, Mendoza works well on true-dropback attempts.

He is among the best anticipatory throwers in college football entering 2025. Against pressure or kept clean, he has access to every part of the field from the pocket. He was under pressure on over 150 snaps last season. Indiana's offensive line kept its signal-caller, Rourke, upright consistently last season.

Mendoza will face a solid but not an overwhelming schedule in the Big Ten this season. He and star wideout Elijah Sarratt should be must-see TV every week. If any non-consensus quarterback has the physical and mental tools to climb their way into round one of the draft next April, look no further than Mendoza.