By this point in the college football season, we typically start to get a pretty good feel for the upcoming NFL Draft’s consensus top prospects. That’s not quite the case this year.
Because of varying positional values, an uncertain quarterback class and a projected draft order that keeps spinning, the 2026 draft class still has far more questions than answers. Still, gradually, the potentially elite prospects are starting to separate themselves.
What’d we learn during Week 12 of the college football schedule? The Athletic’s NFL Draft experts, Dane Brugler and Nick Baumgardner, take a look.
1. Jeremiyah Love ranked No. 5 on Dane’s latest draft board and fourth in The Athletic’s latest Heisman poll. He dominated again Saturday. Which of the teams on track for an early Round 1 pick are fits for the talented running back?
Dane Brugler: The “should teams draft a running back early?” debates will be non-stop during the draft process, because Love is one of the 10 best prospects in the class. The reality: It just depends on the situation. Some teams aren’t on the roster timeline that would support drafting a running back over other glaring needs (see the Raiders). For others, it would make sense to invest in a difference-making back.
Love would be an exciting fit for the New York Giants, for example, and it would make more sense to add the draft’s most explosive offensive player over reaching for an offensive lineman or cornerback. The Arizona Cardinals have a glaring quarterback question that they might not be able to answer in the draft, so a dynamic weapon such as Love wouldn’t be a bad backup plan to help a bridge quarterback. If the Houston Texans address their offensive line in free agency, it might free them up to target Love, who would help everyone on that offense.
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE☘️
THERE. HE. GOES. #GoIrish☘️ | @JeremiyahLove pic.twitter.com/C2cSTYLo2N
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) November 15, 2025
Nick Baumgardner: Love is one of those guys who is going to make an offense better, period. There is no need to overthink it. There are bad teams who could benefit from adding Love immediately, such as the Cardinals, Titans and even Jets (depending on their offseason). I do, however, really like the idea of a better football team — with a pick later in Round 1 — finding a way to add Love. Look at how effortlessly he broke off that spin move Saturday and remind yourself he can also hurdle people, catch anything in his area and run away from the pack with ease.
We’ll see where Washington lands, but pairing Love with Jayden Daniels would be very interesting. The Texans, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears should be on the list of possibilities, too. Some of those teams might have to move up for Love, but he is arguably the best offensive player in this draft class. He’s a threat on every down, as a runner or receiver. Put him in the right system, and he’ll be the next Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson.
2. The scouting reports for Oklahoma’s John Mateer and Alabama’s Ty Simpson could have changed almost series to series during the Sooners’ win, but consistency has been hard for the 2026 QB class to pin down.How much of the QB1 discussion simply will come down to which prospect is the steadiest performer?
Brugler: For all of these quarterback prospects, how they finish will go a long way toward determining their draft grades. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza just had a rocky three-and-a-half quarters last week against Penn State, then elevated his play on the game-winning drive. Imperfect play is part of the job description, so rising through adversity can be a separating factor. That is also why NFL scouts are hoping Indiana plays Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, because they want to see how Mendoza fares against (clearly) the best defense he’ll have faced all season.
Simpson did make several clutch throws against an impressive Oklahoma defense, but this was also his sloppiest game of the season, including a pick six interception and lost fumble (he had two turnovers combined in his first nine games). How does he answer in the Iron Bowl and then a potential playoff game? When a QB only has 10 starts on his resume, as Simpson does, each game means a little more.
Baumgardner: That’s such a good question, and it’s probably harder to balance with a player such as Simpson, who just hasn’t had the number of career starts we usually see from potential first-round prospects. Simpson has been a consistent player all season, although there were more throws than normal against Oklahoma that he’d like to have back — but the Sooners might have the best defense Simpson has played.
If Simpson continues to play at or near the standard he’s set for himself this year, he’ll be just fine. If he’s up and down during the stretch drive, his lack of starts will get more attention.
Oklahoma, meanwhile, has a chance to make a run here, and it’s probably not going to be its defense that stands in the way. Mateer needs to be done with the careless decision-making that’s gotten him into trouble and balance out.
3. Mansoor Delane cracked Dane’s top 20 this week, then showed up huge (four tackles, two passes defended, an end-zone INT) in an LSU win over Arkansas. What’s his ceiling in the 2026 draft?
Brugler: It is hard to imagine Delane not being a good pro. His ceiling is debatable, but his NFL floor is very high because of his coverage awareness and route anticipation. He understands how receivers are trying to attack and puts himself in position to make plays. Though he won’t have some of the measurables certain NFL schemes demand, Delane knows how to play sticky coverage and make things difficult for an offense.
Baumgardner: I love this guy. Delane has not allowed the chaos happening around him at LSU — during his first season as a Tiger, by the way — to impact his play. He has brought the goods every week and been a pro.
He might have heard his name called last spring had he entered the draft but instead opted to challenge himself by transferring from Virginia Tech to LSU. He’s a big-time competitor who just attacks the ball and always looks to make a play. His eagerness can get him into trouble, and he could be bigger, but I’m a fan.
Give Him The Thorpe
4 | Mansoor Delane pic.twitter.com/zGQF7HqFTZ
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) November 15, 2025
4. This certainly isn’t Kirby Smart’s most talented Georgia team, but the Bulldogs look like they’re headed toward another playoff berth after clobbering Texas. Which of their ‘26 prospects has been most impressive this season?
Brugler: Linebacker CJ Allen. He is the heart and brain of Smart’s scheme, and he uses his speed and physicality to make plays all over the field. The Bulldogs were without him for most of the Texas game after he suffered a leg injury, so we will have to wait and see if that might sideline him for an extended period of time.
Ironically, the only other Georgia prospect to make my latest top 50, defensive tackle Christen Miller, also left the Texas game for a bit with an apparent injury. He did return in the second half.
Baumgardner: Wide receiver Zachariah Branch has been outstanding for the Bulldogs, and a huge asset for QB Gunner Stockton. He’s already set career highs in catches and yards after transferring in from USC, and though his size (5 feet 10, 175 pounds) is problematic, he’s been very productive after the catch and extremely consistent in general. Branch has made at least five catches in nine straight games.
He’s just a junior, so we’ll see what happens after the season, but he’s been a difference-maker and a reliable, QB-friendly target.
I’ve also been impressed with big junior left tackle Monroe Freeling (6-7, 315), especially over the last month.
5. Which other prospects impressed you this weekend?
Brugler: Because of their hybrid wing-T offense, Navy isn’t known for moving the ball through the air, but Eli Heidenreich has added an extra dimension. He became the school’s all-time leading receiver on Saturday.
Lining up at the “snipe” position, Heidenreich is asked to do a little bit of everything, but he was a wide receiver in high school — and it shows.In Navy’s win over South Florida, Heidenreich made an impressive one-handed grab that went for 82 yards, and he finished with 146 yards on five catches. With his route quickness, hands and toughness, he projects as a pass-catching running back in the NFL.
HEIDENREICH WITH ONE-HAND?!?! 🤯
📺| @ESPNCFB #BuiltToRise x @NavyFB pic.twitter.com/Qs6E1HFgGB
— The American (@American_Conf) November 15, 2025
For Oklahoma’s defense, the Bowen brothers have been playing at a high level all season. Eli, who had the pick six of Simpson, is only a true sophomore and not draft-eligible. But Peyton, a junior, could look at his NFL options after the season. He was outstanding last week, with an interception in a win over Tennessee, and had the key pass breakup on fourth down against Alabama to seal the win. Whether he is driving on throws or rallying versus the run, Bowen does everything fast and physical, and it is fun to watch.
And we have to mention Jacob Rodriguez again, for another standout performance in Texas Tech’s win over UCF. He led the Red Raiders with nine tackles (giving him 100 on the season) and notched his fourth interception. With buzz growing for his possible Heisman campaign, Rodriguez, a high school quarterback, also received a goal-line carry and cashed in a two-yard touchdown. He is receiving mostly Day 3 grades from NFL scouts but might be able to sneak his way into the top 100.
Baumgardner: One guy I’ll note from Friday night is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. A bit of a mutant physically as a space blocker, Sadiq had eight catches for 96 yards and a score in Oregon’s romp over Minnesota. The catches and yards both set new career highs for Sadiq, whose touchdown hurdle will be one of those clips that gets replayed for a while.
USC receiver Makai Lemon showed up in a big way again Saturday, as the Trojans fought from behind against a very stout Iowa defense. Lemon had 10 catches for 153 yards and a score — his third game this season with double-digit catches. Lemon might not be able to top Jordyn Tyson or Carnell Tate for WR1, but he should get heavy Biletnikoff Award consideration.
Another receiver who looked great Saturday was Notre Dame big man Malachi Fields (6-4, 220). He has been a tad inconsistent this season while playing with a first-year starting QB, but he’s posted 13 catches for 248 yards and three touchdowns over his last three games. He was a highlight waiting to happen against Pitt on Saturday, finishing with seven grabs for 99 yards and a touchdown.