Analysts discuss potential steals in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft, including prospects like Caleb Downs and Jordyn Tyson. The draft is set for April 23-25, with expectations for multiple trades in Round 1.
Key points
2026 NFL draft scheduled for April 23-25
Caleb Downs and Jordyn Tyson are notable prospects
Expectations for multiple trades in Round 1
Weak defensive tackle class raises questions about top picks
Analysts provide insights from scouting notebooks
Caleb DownsJordyn TysonKenyon Sadiq
With less than a week until the 2026 NFL draft (April 23-25), we asked analysts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates to break down the latest intel from around the league.
Who could be the biggest steals in the second and third rounds? In what's considered a weak defensive tackle class, which prospect could be the first one off the board? Will we see at least five draft-day trades in Round 1 for the fourth straight year? And what are the ceilings and floors for when Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq could get picked?
We also took a fresh look at some interesting teams, with help from Eagles reporter Tim McManus, Giants reporter Jordan Raanan and Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor. And to wrap it up, Miller, Reid and Yates emptied their scouting notebooks with what they're hearing, seeing and thinking.
Yates:Chris Bell, WR, Louisville. If not for an ACL tear in late November, we'd be talking about Bell as a Day 1 consideration. He has elite physical traits at 6-foot-2, 222 pounds, with explosive acceleration and power in the open field. Bell's three-game stretch versus Pitt, Virginia and Miami was arguably as good as any wideout this season; he totaled 31 catches, 341 yards and five touchdowns over that span.
Miller:Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson. If he slides into Round 2 as expected, he'll be the steal of the class. The 5-foot-11 cornerback injured a hamstring while attempting the 40-yard dash at his pro day but showed on tape in 31 starts that he's the type of tough, feisty cornerback who can win on the inside or outside of the formation. Scouts are interested in competitive toughness, and Terrell is dripping with it.
Reid:D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana. My 27th overall prospect, Ponds won't be for everybody at 5-foot-9, 182 pounds. But he has continued to silence his critics throughout the process and has some of the cleanest tape of any cornerback in this class. I believe Ponds is capable of playing on the outside and at nickel in the NFL. His control in route stems, ball skills and eagerness to help in run support make me think he's in a similar range as Mike Sainristil, the No. 50 pick in 2024. Sainristil faced size questions as a prospect, and he has stayed on the outside with the Commanders.
What are you hearing on the Giants' plans at No. 5?
Raanan: In an ideal world, the Giants would like to move back a few spots, add more picks (they have just two in the top 100) and draft a player like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. But that's easier said than done.
Staying at No. 5, the three players who seem to be most squarely on their radar are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Downs. Coach John Harbaugh and the Giants are especially high on Love. If he's available, it's hard to see them passing up that opportunity. Guard, defensive tackle or cornerback are likely targets on Day 2.
Who will be the first pure defensive tackle go off the board?
Miller:Kayden McDonald, Ohio State. My final board didn't include any defensive tackles in the top 40 players, with Peter Woods (Clemson) and McDonald taking the top spots. However, word around the league is McDonald will be the first interior defender off the board.
Just 21 years old, he had remarkable on-ball production for a nose tackle with 65 tackles, three sacks and nine tackles for loss. The arrow is pointing up on him enough in terms of potential that we might see a team grab him late in the first round. The last year without any first-round defensive tackle picks was 2021.
Yates: McDonald. Out of our analysts, I'm the only one with McDonald as my top-ranked defensive tackle. Although he will not be a major factor against the pass, he is the best run-stuffer prospect after serving as the anchor of Ohio State's 3-4 front. Although McDonald ranks as a fringe first-rounder on my board, we saw the Dolphins take a player with a similar profile 13th last year in Kenneth Grant (Michigan).
Reid: McDonald. We're all in agreement here because McDonald has been the most consistent defensive tackle, and he's healthy (Florida's Caleb Banks is another top DT prospect but just had foot surgery). McDonald doesn't only withstand his gaps, but he can also penetrate the first level and make plays in the backfield. In a league that's starved for consistent run defenders, he will likely be picked inside the top 40.
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Kayden McDonald's NFL draft profile
Check out some of the top highlights from Ohio State's Kayden McDonald.
What are you hearing on the Steelers' plans at No. 21?
Pryor: Unlike recent years, there doesn't seem to be a consensus player -- or even position -- for the Steelers to take in the first round. The front office addressed some of the most glaring needs (wide receiver, cornerback, safety) in free agency, giving them the flexibility to play the board. The Steelers' predraft visits also don't necessarily tip their hand because many of those brought in are considered middle-round picks.
Though the Steelers have done their homework on the quarterbacks, including first-round hopeful Ty Simpson, it doesn't appear they'll go that way at No. 21. They continue to believe Aaron Rodgers will ultimately return for another season. Instead, they could take best available player among wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line or any spot in the secondary.
How many draft-day trades will there be in Round 1?
Reid: Five. I think we're in for an exciting first round, but teams will remain cautious about giving up early draft capital for 2027. It always takes two teams to tango, though sources are telling me the Cardinals (No. 3) and Browns (No. 6) both want to move back in the top 10 itself.
Yates: Six. We've seen at least five draft-day trades involving first-round picks in each of the past three drafts. Identifying specific teams that will aim to be active is no easy chore, but there is plenty of reason to believe that the same amount of activity will continue this year.
Miller: Eight. The flat nature of this draft class might make people think there will be fewer trades, but teams I've spoken to expect activity due to the fact that there are so few blue-chip-caliber prospects. Like Jordan, I heard from a GM that there could be two trades in the top 10 picks alone. The Cowboys (No. 12) and Jets (No. 16) are two teams to watch in terms of moving up, as teams picking in the teens would like to snag the highly rated players before they're off the board.
What are you hearing on the Eagles' plans at No. 25?
McManus: The offensive line was an issue for the first time in a long time last season, and there's evidence the Eagles could invest early in the trenches after the bulk of their predraft visits were dedicated to that position group. Right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson both contemplated retirement this offseason, further emphasizing the need to fortify the front.
However, they won't force a pick. Philadelphia is primarily focused on walking away with what it considers a first-round talent, whether that's at O-line, receiver, tight end or otherwise.
Let's size up the ceilings and floors for three first-round prospects with potentially wide pick ranges.
Yates: The Giants loom at No. 5 as the first logical landing spot for Downs, which would make him the first safety to go in the top 10 since Jamal Adams in 2017. It's hard to envision him getting past the Cowboys at No. 12, as one of the ways Downs would still be available there is if an early run on defenders removes prospects such as David Bailey, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and Mansoor Delane from the board.
Miller: Tyson's tape is top-15 caliber when he's on the field, but the best ability is availability. He missed 17 of the possible 51 games he could have played in; he also missed the spring program for the Sun Devils last year. Tyson's most recent injury was to a hamstring, which caused him to sit out of three games in 2025.
Teams will have varying levels of acceptance with injuries, but Tyson's range is all over the place because of that -- and eight drops in the 2024 season haven't helped his stock either. He could come off the board as early as No. 8 to the Saints or slip to the Jets at No. 33 if those injury concerns prove valid.
Reid: Sadiq has a tighter range due to the lack of tight end depth for teams picking in the teens. The Ravens are an obvious landing spot at No. 14 after losingIsaiah Likely to the Giants in free agency. Sadiq could fill Likely's role immediately and develop into Mark Andrews' replacement. The Vikings at No. 18 are another obvious fit as this could be T.J. Hockenson's last season with the team, but the Panthers at No. 19 also make sense. They could look to add a more explosive playmaker.
What else did you hear and see this week?
Miller's notes:
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was the driver in a 2024 accident that ultimately led to the death of a passenger following a coma, according to a report from The Read Optional on April 12. Bain was cited at the time of the incident, but the charges were later dropped. Teams I've spoken with have said they investigated the automobile accident and discussed it with Bain. To my knowledge, most teams are satisfied with his explanation, and it's unlikely his draft stock will be affected. Bain is projected to be drafted within the top 15 picks.
Expect a heavy run on offensive linemen in Round 1, as one scout told me that we could see up to 10 O-linemen selected in the top 32 picks. He predicted as many as eight offensive tackles and two guards. At the latter position, Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane could be a top-14 selection, and Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis could sneak in as a late first-round pick.
Reid's notes:
Edge rushers Gabe Jacas (Illinois) and Malachi Lawrence (UCF) are two names receiving a heavy amount of first-round buzz from scouts I have talked to. Lawrence can accelerate up the field in a hurry, posting a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. Teams love his upside as a pass rusher but also recognize his need to develop as a run defender. Jacas could be one of the biggest surprises on Day 1. Scouts pointed to his age (21 years old), heavy hands as a run defender and the flashes that he showed as a pass rusher en route to 11 sacks in 2025.
Yates' notes:
There are times when it has felt like Washington's Denzel Boston has been overlooked in the wide receiver shuffle, but he comes up often with teams as one of the steadier first-round options. Other wideouts have seen their public stock soar during the predraft process, including Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr.
If you asked me to cast a vote for the most polarizing prospect in the class, it's hard to not go with defensive tackle Peter Woods (Clemson). He came into this past season with hopes of being a top-10 pick, but that's extremely unlikely now. Scouts point to not enough production, a lack of ideal size and uncertainty of what scheme fit is best for Woods at the NFL level. Some still believe he will go in the first round, but other evaluators are much warier on his pro outlook.
