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Mel Kiper Jr.Aug 29, 2025, 06:25 AM ET<\/p>\n
Close<\/a>Mel Kiper Jr. has served as an NFL draft analyst for ESPN since 1984. He is a regular contributor on “SportsCenter,” ESPN studio shows and ESPN Radio. He is the co-host of the First Draft podcast<\/a>, and he writes regularly for ESPN+.<\/p>\n We’ve finally arrived at Week 1 of the 2025 college football season<\/a>. I can’t wait to see some of the top prospects from the 2026 NFL draft<\/a> class in action. Texas quarterback Arch Manning<\/a> facing off against Ohio State safety Caleb Downs<\/a>? LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier<\/a> vs. defensive tackle Peter Woods<\/a> and a loaded Clemson defense? This is going to be fun.<\/p>\n Now, it’s really early. The 2026 draft is still almost eight months away. But in celebration of college football kicking off — and the NFL season<\/a> not being far behind — I decided to make some way-too-early predictions about this class and what might happen when the clock starts on Round 1 next April.<\/p>\n How many QBs will go on Day 1? Which schools could take over the draft? Which prospects might headline the class? Here are 10 things I think will happen, plus my picks for the College Football Playoff<\/a> champ and Super Bowl<\/a> winner as an added bonus. Let’s start with what I believe could be a super talented group of signal-callers.<\/p>\n We’ve seen six quarterbacks selected in Round 1 only twice in the common draft era (since 1967). The first was in 1983<\/a>, a few years after I began evaluating prospects. That class featured John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino. The second time came more than 40 years later in 2024<\/a>, when Caleb Williams<\/a> led six QBs taken inside the opening 12 picks<\/a>. After this year’s draft produced only two first-round quarterbacks, I think the position could boom again in 2026 — with or without Texas’ Arch Manning<\/a>.<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks<\/p>\n 2 Related<\/p>\n Manning’s draft status is the elephant in the room; it’s still very unclear. His grandfather, Archie Manning, recently told Texas Monthly<\/a> that Arch would be back at Texas next season. But Arch Manning rolled that back<\/a>, telling reporters, “I’m really just taking it day by day right now.” The truth is we won’t know if the 2026 class will include Manning for a while. But even if he returns to school for another season, this QB class still has the juice to dominate Day 1.<\/p>\n Here are some names to watch as potential first-rounders, in no particular order: LaNorris Sellers<\/a> (South Carolina), Drew Allar<\/a> (Penn State), Cade Klubnik<\/a> (Clemson), Garrett Nussmeier<\/a> (LSU), Sam Leavitt<\/a> (Arizona State), Fernando Mendoza<\/a> (Indiana) and Nico Iamaleava<\/a> (UCLA). That’s seven guys, and Manning makes eight. I’d bet six of them go in the first 32 picks.<\/p>\n Which teams could be taking those QBs? The Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> definitely come to mind since they didn’t address the position until Round 6 this year (Will Howard<\/a>) and have a 41-year-old at the helm<\/a> this season in Aaron Rodgers<\/a>. The Los Angeles Rams<\/a> also make sense, considering Matthew Stafford<\/a> seems to be on year-to-year status at 37. Perhaps the Indianapolis Colts<\/a> are in play? The New York Jets<\/a>, New Orleans Saints<\/a> and Cleveland Browns<\/a> have all been linked to QB changes next offseason, too — but remember those teams all hand-picked their 2025 quarterbacks and could stick with what they got. Watch for some more teams to emerge, as well.<\/p>\n 2. The race to go No. 1 will come down to three players.<\/p>\n We have to start by narrowing this to the QB class. Nineteen of the past 25 drafts have seen a quarterback go No. 1 overall. Considering the number of teams that might need a QB in 2026, we can anticipate it being 20 of the past 26.<\/p>\n I see three names who could really go No. 1. Of course, we’ve seen big risers in recent years. Joe Burrow<\/a> came out of nowhere in 2020; I had him as a fifth- or sixth-rounder in the preseason. But I view Manning, Sellers and Allar as the guys who rise above the rest at the moment.<\/p>\n Manning flashed in 2024 when given a chance, albeit mostly against bad teams. He threw nine TD passes to two interceptions over 10 games (two starts), and he ran for four more scores. I think he’s going to have a huge season in Year 3 at Texas.<\/p>\n But … I also think he’s going to return to school. That opens the door even more for Sellers and Allar. These two are what I call “LTPers” — they look the part. They have great size and strength, and they move well. Sellers threw 18 touchdowns last season, his first as the starter. The physical traits are all there. He just has to put it all together. I’m also a fan of Allar’s game, and Penn State’s upgrades at wide receiver should help him step up to another level in 2025. I know I’m projecting a little bit with both signal-callers, but hey, these are predictions after all.<\/p>\n 1:16<\/p>\n Kiper: The pressure on Arch Manning is immense<\/p>\n Mel Kiper Jr. expresses his concerns over Arch Manning ahead of Texas’ Week 1 game vs. Ohio State.<\/p>\n This would be the first time Clemson has had this many first-rounders. The closest comp is 2019, when Clelin Ferrell<\/a> (No. 4), Christian Wilkins<\/a> (No. 13) and Dexter Lawrence II<\/a> (No. 17) were all picked on Day 1. The 2026 class could be better.<\/p>\n The Tigers’ defensive front has two top prospects right off the bat. Defensive tackle Peter Woods<\/a> has incredible strength, and he’s versatile along the line. He took the majority of his snaps inside last season, but he can move outside to cause disruption off the edge. He finished 2024 with 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Speaking of disruption off the edge, take a look at T.J. Parker<\/a>‘s tape. He is a sack artist who can beat blockers with speed-to-power. His 11 sacks ranked ninth in the FBS last season, and he also had 43 pressures and 16.5 tackles for loss. Woods and Parker form the best DT-Edge combination in college football, and they both look like clear top-10 picks. In fact, one — or both — of them could go in the top five.<\/p>\n The other two Clemson players who should go in Round 1 are Klubnik and cornerback Avieon Terrell<\/a>. Klubnik, who is entering his third season as the starter, looks like a QB3 or QB4 candidate in this class. He has the arm to dice up defenses through the air (36 touchdown passes last season but only six INTs) and the legs to move the sticks on the ground (seven rushing scores in 2024). And Terrell is a talented cover corner with three picks over two seasons. His 12 pass breakups tied for 10th in the nation last year, and he limited opponents to a slim 4.7 yards per pass attempt into his coverage. Watch for both of these guys to hear their names in the first 32 picks.<\/p>\n Clemson might have a bunch of first-rounders, but it will be Penn State with the most overall draft picks. I count 17 draftable players based on my preseason grades — 11 on offense, six on defense. Some will go back to University Park and some might fall off, but even so, I’m calling for at least 12-13 Nittany Lions to get selected in April.<\/p>\n Here are some names, beyond the previously mentioned Allar: running backs Kaytron Allen<\/a> and Nicholas Singleton<\/a>; wide receivers Kyron Hudson<\/a>, Devonte Ross<\/a> and Trebor Pena<\/a>; offensive linemen Drew Shelton<\/a>, Nolan Rucci<\/a> and Olaivavega Ioane<\/a>; defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton<\/a> and Zane Durant<\/a>; linebacker Tony Rojas<\/a>; cornerback A.J. Harris<\/a>; and safety Zakee Wheatley<\/a>.<\/p>\n 1:25<\/p>\n Why Penn State has the best shot at winning the CFP<\/p>\n Heather Dinich and Harry Douglas explain why they believe Penn State has the best chance at winning its first college football national title since 1986.<\/p>\n The Big Ten has been a draft factory in recent years. Michigan had 13 players picked in 2024, and Ohio State led all colleges with 14 this year. But Penn State will take the crown for the most selected players in 2026. PSU has produced at least a dozen draft picks only once before, when it had 13 in 1987, according to ESPN Research. That was one of two previous instances when the Nittany Lions led all colleges in selections, with 10 in 1996 being the other. Big year on deck!<\/p>\n Downs has the goods to be a top-five pick. He’s the best pure football player in the class and definitely has the cleanest tape. Downs — the brother of NFL receiver Josh Downs<\/a> and son of former NFL running back Gary Downs — played like a senior as a freshman at Alabama in 2023. He then transferred to Ohio State before the 2024 season and made an immediate impact as the centerpiece of a national champion defense.<\/p>\n At 6-foot and 205 pounds, he is a great tackler in the open field (186 tackles over the past two years). He diagnoses quickly with great pre-snap instincts. And Downs’ coverage skills are solid; he has four career interceptions from the back end.<\/p>\n We’ve seen some great safeties get picked in the top 20 in recent years, despite it not being considered a premium draft position. Kyle Hamilton<\/a> went 14th in 2022. Minkah Fitzpatrick<\/a> went 11th in 2018, six spots ahead of Derwin James Jr<\/a>. We even saw Jamal Adams<\/a> go No. 6 in 2017. But Downs will best them all and be the highest-picked safety since Eric Berry went No. 5 in 2010. Per ESPN Research, Berry is one of six safeties taken in the top five in the common draft era (Kenny Easley, Bennie Blades, Rickey Dixon, Eric Turner and Sean Taylor), so Downs would be joining a select group. He’s that good.<\/p>\n There have been 12 running backs selected in the top 10 over the past 20 drafts. After a four-year hiatus, we saw two in the past three years (Bijan Robinson<\/a> and Ashton Jeanty<\/a>). Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love<\/a> will be the next.<\/p>\n Look ahead to the 2026 NFL draft \u2022 Early mock drafts: Yates<\/a> | Miller<\/a> | Reid<\/a> Love (6-foot, 214 pounds) has all the traits that scouts want to see to take a running back this early. He has burst both inside and outside. He breaks tackles with ease and creates yards after contact (62 forced missed tackles last season). He has the vision and breakaway speed to hit home runs. And he displays plenty of receiving talent. Love — who will be only 20 years old at draft time — is an elite running back prospect.<\/p>\n In 2024, Love ran for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns (at 6.9 yards per rush); he caught 28 passes for 237 more yards and an additional two scores. The key to Love hitting another level in 2025 might fall on another part of the Fighting Irish roster — the play of quarterbacks CJ Carr<\/a> and\/or Kenny Minchey<\/a>. The passing game has to be effective to keep opponents from just stacking the box to stop Love. But if everything comes together, Love could have another great year to lock in early-Round 1 status.<\/p>\n Only three Texas defensive players have been picked in the top five in the common draft era. Defensive tackle Kenneth Sims went No. 1 overall in 1982 thanks to his interior pass rush and ability to stop the run. Cornerback Bryant Westbrook went No. 5 in 1997. And finally fellow corner Quentin Jammer was the No. 5 pick in 2002.<\/p>\n Hill could join the group — if things go the right way. At 6-foot-3 and 238 pounds, he eats up a lot of field at linebacker. Hill is coming off an impressive season that included 111 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He also forced three fumbles and picked off a pass. That’s an impact player.<\/p>\n But to go in the top five, he needs the Longhorns to play him more on the outside and let him get after the passer. We rarely see linebackers taken early. Recent notables include Devin White<\/a> going fifth in 2019 and Roquan Smith<\/a> going eighth in 2018. I’d put Hill in the top 10 right now comfortably, but there’s no doubt he improves his ceiling and stock if he has the chance to slide outside more often in 2025. Consider that Hill’s 16.9% pressure rate would have tied for sixth in the nation last season, had it qualified. He just needs the opportunity.<\/p>\n Right now, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson<\/a> would be my WR1 in the class. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he caught 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 scores last season. He was balling late in 2024 with at least 125 yards in three straight games before an injury<\/a> forced him out. With Leavitt throwing him the ball, the production should keep rolling in for Tyson now that he’s back on the field.<\/p>\n All of ESPN. All in one place.<\/p>\n Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now<\/a><\/p>\n However, I have a sleeper in the race to be the first receiver off the board next April: South Carolina’s Harbor. He’s basically the offensive version of former Gamecocks teammate Nick Emmanwori<\/a>; he’s huge, fast and loaded with NFL-level traits. Harbor was on the South Carolina track team as a sprinter before quitting to focus on football. So I’m expecting an eye-popping 40-yard dash time at the combine for the 6-foot-5, 235-pounder.<\/p>\n Harbor has only 38 career catches, which he converted into 571 yards and four TDs over two seasons. But he should be a much bigger part of the game plan this season, and with a talent like Sellers throwing him the ball, Harbor could be a fast riser. File this one away. NFL teams love guys with a ton of high-end physical traits.<\/p>\n Singleton can fly. He’s only 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, which some teams will discount at draft time. But with his speed and production, he’s a potential first-round talent. Singleton transferred to Auburn after two very good 700-plus-yard seasons at Georgia Tech. Watch for those numbers to explode with the Tigers, in part because Cam Coleman<\/a> will be taking away some attention on the other side of the field. Singleton is a dynamic player, and he was the 100-, 200- and 400-meter Georgia state champion in high school.<\/p>\n Pound for pound, he is the fastest player in the class … and I think he could become the 23rd player since 2003 to run in the 4.2s at the combine.<\/p>\n 10. Highest-drafted FCS player will come down to three players.<\/p>\n I’m hedging a little bit here, because these three guys are all really close. But the first FCS player taken will be either North Dakota State receiver Bryce Lance<\/a>, Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings<\/a> or William & Mary cornerback Jalen Jones<\/a>. All three are currently in the fourth-round range, but good 2025 seasons could propel them into the later parts of Day 2. And good all-star game performances to prove the ability to compete with FBS-level competition will be crucial.<\/p>\n You might remember another Lance out of NDSU. Yes, Bryce is Trey Lance<\/a>‘s brother. In 2022 and 2023 combined, Lance had one catch for 7 yards. In 2024, he had 75 catches for 1,071 yards and 17 touchdowns. That’s quite the breakout. In the playoffs alone, he had 25 catches for 375 yards and seven scores. The 6-foot-3, 209-pounder high-points the ball with his length, and he has strong hands to secure the catch. Lance has shown some after-the-catch ability, too. He has played special teams in the past, and that will only help his draft status and ability to stick on an NFL roster.<\/p>\n Demmings (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) is a hard-working and instinctive football player. He makes plays on the ball, with five picks and 26 pass defenses over the past three seasons. His game is still developing since he didn’t play football until his senior year in high school, which means there is a lot of upside there, too.<\/p>\n And Jones’ speed, length and athleticism will entice some NFL teams in the middle rounds. He’s explosive, and he was a Virginia state champion long jumper in high school. Jones is going to test really well at the combine and William & Mary’s pro day. But the 6-foot, 195-pound corner also has the consistent on-ball production to make an impact. He had 22 pass defenses last season! Jones also has six career interceptions, including four in 2022.<\/p>\n 1:45<\/p>\n Mel Kiper Jr.’s top players to watch for the 2026 NFL draft<\/p>\n Mel Kiper Jr. breaks down his top prospects to watch for the 2026 NFL draft, including Penn State quarterback Drew Allar,<\/p>\n Bonus: Championship picks Penn State will win the national championship. I have the Nittany Lions beating Texas to win the College Football Playoff, with Clemson finishing just a beat behind those two. This feels like a three-team race, but Penn State has so much talent on that roster, and I’m buying a big year for Allar. (By the way, the CFP national champion has produced the most draft picks in college football — or at least tied for the most — for six straight years.)<\/p>\n The Baltimore Ravens<\/a> will win the Super Bowl. This is Baltimore’s year. Lamar Jackson<\/a>. John Harbaugh. A ton of talent on both sides of the ball. I have the Ravens beating Micah Parsons<\/a> and the Green Bay Packers<\/a> to win their third Super Bowl.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mel Kiper Jr.Aug 29, 2025, 06:25 AM ET CloseMel Kiper Jr. has served as an NFL draft analyst…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":105306,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[436],"tags":[49,48,514,82],"class_list":["post-105305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105305\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/_end_rule.png\")
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1. Six quarterbacks will be drafted in Round 1.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/251.png&h=110&w=110.png\")
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3. Clemson will have at least four first-round picks.<\/p>\n4. Penn State will have the most drafted players.<\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
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5. Caleb Downs<\/a> will be the highest-drafted safety since 2010.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/87.png&h=110&w=110.png\")
6. Another running back will go in the top 10.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/nfl_reid-too-early_16x9_608x342.jpg\")
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\u2022 Kiper’s 10 preseason predictions<\/a>
\u2022 Top five by position<\/a> | Top QBs to know<\/a>
\u2022 Race to No. 1<\/a> | 10 sleepers<\/a> | Read more<\/a><\/p>\n7. Anthony Hill Jr<\/a>. will be the highest-drafted Texas defender in more than 20 years.<\/p>\n8. Nyck Harbor<\/a> will rise into the WR1 mix.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/r1531432_1296x729_16-9.jpg\")
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9. Eric Singleton Jr<\/a>. will run a sub-4.3 at the combine.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/2449.png&h=110&w=110.png\")
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<\/p>\nplay<\/p>\n
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