Filling Top College Football Positions Left Open by 2026 NFL Draftees
Spring practice is the main story around college football, and part of those workouts are focused on finding replacements for NFL-bound players.
Soon enough, we'll officially hear the next-level landing spot of many recognizable college stars. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, for example, is fully expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Indiana, meanwhile, is shifting from Mendoza to Josh Hoover.
Using the latest mock draft from the B/R Scouting Department, we're looking at top selections and identifying the plans—some readily apparent, some a bit uncertain—of how college teams will replace those NFL prospects.
Big-Name QBs
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Fernando Mendoza, Indiana: There's no replacing the first-ever Heisman winner and national champion in program history. Landing a veteran quarterback is a good way to pivot, though. Indiana brought in TCU transfer Josh Hoover, who threw for 9,627 yards and totaled 79 touchdowns over the last three seasons. He started 31 games for the Horned Frogs.
Ty Simpson, Alabama: Down in Tuscaloosa, meanwhile, there's a competition to follow Simpson. Bama will start recent top recruit Keelon Russell or Austin Mack, an older QB with more familiarity in Kalen DeBoer's system. Neither player has logged many significant snaps in college.
Ohio State's Top Prospects
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Arvell Reese, LB: Reese's playmaking ability will be missed, but OSU already has plenty of confidence in Payton Pierce. He notched 43 tackles with an interception as the team's No. 3 linebacker last season.
Carnell Tate, WR: The undisputed leader of the receiving corps is Jeremiah Smith, a two-time All-American. However, the Buckeyes need to replace Tate's complementary production. Assuming that Brandon Inniss stays in the slot, the candidates are freshman Chris Henry Jr. and transfers Devin McCuin and Kyle Parker.
Caleb Downs, S: If semantics are your thing, the most accurate player may be Jaylen McClain. He's likely to take on some of Downs' responsibilities on the back end. Given that McClain started last year, however, the vacated snaps at safety will likely move to Florida State transfer Earl Little Jr. or Duke transfer Terry Moore—with Leroy Roker III making some noise this spring.
Sonny Styles, LB: Ohio State has a couple of options to replace Styles in Christian Alliegro and Riley Pettijohn. Alliegro is the front-runner after collecting 53 tackles at Wisconsin last season, but Pettijohn is a talented sophomore.
Star Defenders
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David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech: As expected, the Red Raiders leaped into the portal and brought back a few gems. You might prefer we say Trey White, who racked up 29 tackles for loss during the last two years at San Diego State. Your brain may lean toward Adam Trick, a disruptor with 8.5 sacks for Miami (Ohio) last season. Either way, Texas Tech appears ready for life after Bailey.
Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami: Similarly, a transfer is filling the void at Miami as Bain and Akheem Mesidor head to the NFL. Damon Wilson II left Georgia and assembled a breakout year for Missouri, posting nine sacks.
Keldrick Faulk, DL/Edge, Auburn: The exact nature of the role is part of the conversation here, too. Even if you're bogged down in specifics, the logical defender to know is Ole Miss transfer Da'Shawn Womack. He typically played on the edge but occasionally moved toward the interior for the Rebels.
Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU: Lane Kiffin went on a spending spree in the portal to reshape the LSU roster, but didn't need to prioritize corner. DJ Pickett played a ton of snaps as a true freshman, yet technically did not start for most of the year. That's going to change in 2026 as he aligns opposite PJ Woodland.
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee: McCoy missed the 2025 campaign while recovering from a torn right ACL. Nevertheless, for the sake of thoroughness, the Vols are expected to start Lee Redmond and Auburn transfer Kayin Lee at corner.
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Key Playmakers
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Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame: Not only is Love rising to the NFL, but the Fighting Irish must also replace Jadarian Price, too. Aneyas Williams put up 224 yards and five scores as a third-stringer in 2025. Kedren Young should soon be healthy after last year's ACL injury. They'll probably get the first carries for ND.
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State: The transfer-infused ASU offense is banking on one of these two newcomers to fill Tyson's void. Omarion Miller had 45 receptions for 808 yards and eight touchdowns at Colorado last season. Reed Harris tallied 39 catches for 673 yards and five scores for Boston College.
Makai Lemon, WR, USC: Tanook Hines is a valuable returning target, but USC needs NC State transfer Terrell Anderson to build on a mini-breakout. Last year, he turned 39 grabs into 629 yards and five trips to the end zone.
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon: Yeah, the Ducks are pretty spoiled! Gone is a likely first-round pick, and in Sadiq's place, the position will be turned over to Jamari Johnson. He reeled in 32 passes for 510 yards and three touchdowns last season. Johnson is already a well-respected 2027 NFL draft prospect.
Offensive Linemen
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Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia: It's not always this simple, but Georgia is merely flipping Earnest Greene back from right tackle. Greene, who's approaching 2,000 career snaps in college, started on the left side in 2023 and 2024.
Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami: Initially, it seemed Jackson Cantwell would follow in Mauigoa's footsteps as a highly recruited true freshman to start at right tackle. Cantwell has been working at left tackle, bumping senior Matthew McCoy to Mauigoa's vacated role. McCoy started at left guard the last two seasons.
Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State: The new staff in Happy Valley is expected to trust Cooper Cousins and Trevor Buhr as the starting guards. They swapped sides in spring practice, so their respective roles are unclear. One of them, nevertheless, will step in for Ioane at left guard.
Spencer Fano, OT, Utah: While the Utes revamp the entire blocking unit, a lower-division transfer may provide a steadying force. Cedric Jefferson started at right tackle last season for Montana State, the FCS national champion.
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama: For the first time since 2022, the Crimson Tide will have a new full-time starter on the left side. Fortunately, they're not searching. Bama has already named Jackson Lloyd as LT1.
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