New NFL Draft Rumors on Jeremiyah Love, David Bailey, Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese Landing Spots

The 2026 NFL draft is set to begin on Thursday, and it's still not yet clear how the first round will play out.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that "there are some who believe" that Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love could be selected as high as No. 3 by the Arizona Cardinals, which would trigger a domino effect.

If Love is off the board, Schefter noted that the Tennessee Titans could target Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles at No. 4. The New York Jets are believed to be deciding between Ohio State linebacker Arvel Reese and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey at No. 2, and in this scenario, the player that they don't pick would slide all the way to No. 5, where the New York Giants are slotted.

If Bailey or Reese is available at No. 5, Schefter noted that it would "suddenly be very tempting" for a team like the Dallas Cowboys to trade up to land one of them.

The debate between Bailey and Reese has been a hot topic in recent weeks, though B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted that the Jets would select Reese with the No. 2 pick. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman spoke to four NFL defensive line coaches, and three of them preferred Reese over Bailey.

"He is the best of the bunch," said DL coach No. 3. "He has everything: the violence, the power, the strike, the length, the bend, the acceleration. His pro day was so impressive. He's the best defensive player for sure. He's the best edge defender I've seen in a few years. I'm not sure about pure pass rush, but edge defender, yes."

"I think he's the best," said DL coach No. 1, who thinks Reese is "a tad more athletic" than Bailey. "He's pretty dynamic, but I'd just put him at one position and let him be. Learn it. Watch his film; it's a lot of off-ball. When you come into the league, you gotta have clean eyes right away."

"He's just so raw," said DL coach No. 4. "He has everything. He has the burst, the bend and the power. But everything is so new to him. You have to explain to him that this is what you work and why you're working it. But once you tell him why or the mistake that he made, he's not going to make it again."

An NFL personnel director favored Bailey over Reese, telling Feldman, "He's a cleaner fit. Arvell's upside is rare, but his pass rush is from blitzes. He's just raw. You understand why he's a one-year starter."

"He is an elite pass rusher," DL coach No. 2 said of Bailey. "His game will transition to our league extremely well. I think he's better than Abdul Carter, who went third last year. He is super explosive. In his pass rush, I see some of the things that Von Miller used to do. I don't know if he's that loose and twitchy, but the explosion and the 10-yard time and the vertical, that is a comp. Von used to dip and jump out; that's what this kid does."

While there aren't any questions surrounding Bailey's pass-rushing acumen, some are still wondering about his toughness.

"Will he push through adversity? The league has changed in the past few years," DL coach No. 3 said. "People are really running the ball to run it, and not just to set up the pass. He's gonna have to be able to take on tackles and fend for his life on early downs because people are gonna want to run right at him."

As for Love, one national scout told Feldman, "I think he's the best offensive player in this draft. I love him." Feldman noted that Love is one of the few prospects in this year's draft who is "in a different class at his position from the rest."

"He's pretty special," said an NFL scout. "[Ashton] Jeanty was a really good back. Has good vision and balance, but (Love) has a different gear. When he makes someone miss in space, he can really turn it on and make home run plays. He's more in the Bijan Robinson category than Jeanty."

"Does he run faster than Bijan? Yeah. Is he as big? Yeah. Is he more physical on contact? Yeah, he is," the personnel director added. "Jeremiyah Love is always trying to get that extra yard."