The 2026 NFL Draft will feature 257 players, including several with ties to Michigan. Notable prospects include Germie Bernard from Alabama and Max Bredeson from Michigan.
Key points
257 players will be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft
Several prospects have ties to Michigan
Germie Bernard is a notable prospect from Alabama
Max Bredeson played for the Michigan Wolverines
Bernard had a successful senior season at Alabama
Mentioned in this story
Michigan WolverinesAlabama
Germie BernardMax Bredeson
There will be 257 players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, and a number of them have ties to the state of Michigan.
Below is a list of 19 prospects who either grew up in the state or went to one of its colleges. Each of these players were either invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in February or have a consensus ranking on NFL Mock Draft Database's big board within the top 300.
Offense
▶ Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama (No. 56 on big board): Bernard, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, spent his first collegiate season at Michigan State (2022) before transferring to Washington (2023) and later Alabama (2024-25). He caught seven passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns with the Spartans. As a senior at Alabama in 2025, Bernard had 862 yards and seven touchdowns on 64 receptions.
▶ Max Bredeson, FB/TE, Michigan (No. 286): A former walk-on who was put on scholarship in 2023, Bredeson spent five seasons at Michigan, helping the Wolverines win the national championship in 2023. He caught 12 passes for 132 yards in college while making his biggest impacts as a blocker. He had a consistent role from 2022-25, averaging about 284 snaps on offense per season.
▶ Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma (No. 103): Rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 809 overall recruit in the Class of 2021, Burks, who attended Belleville High School, played at Purdue (2021-23) and Oklahoma (2024-25). Belleville went 13-1 in 2019. Burks contributed 871 yards and 12 touchdowns that season, good enough to earn first-team all-state honors for Division 1-2 by The Detroit News.
▶ Matt Gulbin, OL, Michigan State (No. 202): A one-year starter at Michigan State (2025), Gulbin spent his first four collegiate seasons at Wake Forest (2021-24) before transferring to the Spartans in December 2024. Gulbin started 11 contests at center last season. He allowed five pressures, including two sacks, across 426 snaps as a pass blocker, according to Pro Football Focus.
▶ Matthew Hibner, TE, SMU (No. 222): Hibner committed to Michigan in June 2019 and enrolled at the school 10 months later. After limited production (two catches, 15 yards) in three seasons with the Wolverines, Hibner transferred to SMU, where he posted 55 catches for 804 yards and eight touchdowns over two seasons. Hibner hauled in nine of his 16 chances for a contested catch.
Q&A
Which Michigan players are projected to be drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Several players with ties to Michigan are projected for the 2026 NFL Draft, including Germie Bernard and Max Bredeson.
What are Germie Bernard's college stats before the 2026 NFL Draft?
Germie Bernard had 862 yards and seven touchdowns on 64 receptions during his senior year at Alabama in 2025.
How did Max Bredeson contribute to the Michigan Wolverines?
Max Bredeson, a former walk-on, helped the Wolverines win the national championship in 2023 and averaged about 284 snaps on offense per season.
How many players will be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft?
A total of 257 players will be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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▶ Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan (No. 174): Klein saw an increase in production every year from 2022-25 with the Wolverines, culminating in a senior season that included 248 yards on 24 catches. He recorded his first touchdown in Michigan's season opener against New Mexico in August, scoring from 15 yards out on a pass from quarterback Bryce Underwood.
▶Donaven McCulley, WR, Michigan (No. 449): Originally a quarterback coming out of high school in 2021, McCulley, who was at Indiana from 2021-24, switched to receiver in 2022. His most productive season saw him collect 644 yards and six touchdowns for the Hoosiers in 2023. In his one year at Michigan, the 6-foot-4½ McCulley caught 39 passes for 588 yards and three touchdowns.
▶ Caleb Tiernan, OL, Northwestern (No. 67): Tiernan is an experienced offensive lineman with 43 starts over his five seasons at Northwestern, including 38 at left tackle since 2023. Tiernan was a team captain for Detroit Country Day, where he played both offense and defense. He had 59 tackles (22 for loss) and 8½ sacks on the defensive line in 2019.
Rayshaun Benny (26) went to Oak Park High School and played five seasons at Michigan.
Rayshaun Benny (26) went to Oak Park High School and played five seasons at Michigan.
Defense
▶ Jaishawn Barham, DL, Michigan (No. 87): Barham's first two seasons in college came at Maryland, about 30 minutes away from where he grew up. Barham hopped in the transfer portal in December 2023 and chose Michigan later that same month. He produced 13½ tackles for loss, five sacks and 41 pressures over 25 games with the Wolverines.
▶ Caleb Banks, DL, Florida (No. 41): Perhaps one of the draft's most talented players, Banks played at Southfield A&T before attending Louisville (2021-22) and Florida (2023-25). Early projections had Banks as a first-round pick, but a foot injury limited him to three appearances in 2025, damaging his draft stock. Banks was a two-time captain in high school.
▶ Rayshaun Benny, DL, Michigan (No. 136): Like Klein, Benny's contributions increased every year over his five seasons at Michigan. As a fifth-year player in 2025, Benny totaled 35 total tackles (three for loss), 1½ sacks and 15 defensive stops, as well as 17 pressures. Before his time at Michigan, Benny, a four-star recruit in the Class of 2021, played at Oak Park High School.
▶ Michael Heldman, edge, Central Michigan (No. 280): Heldman broke out in his fifth and final season at Central Michigan, posting 16½ tackles for loss and 10½ sacks across 13 appearances. He also had 53 pressures. Heldman, a Romeo High School product, made 42 starts in college. He ranks top 10 in career tackles for loss (34) and sacks (19) in CMU's record books.
▶ Derrick Moore, edge, Michigan (No. 60): Teammates with Barham in high school, the Wolverines landed a commitment from Moore, a top-50 recruit in the Class of 2022, in December 2021. He played a rotational role as a true freshman and sophomore before becoming a full-time starter from 2024-25. He had 21 sacks at Michigan, including 10 last season.
▶ Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan (No. 167): Another player who has spent the last four campaigns at Michigan, Rolder never made a start until the second game of his senior season. He took off in his fourth year, collecting 73 tackles and an interception. He was an impressive tackler, earning a low missed-tackle rate of 4.7% (it was 3.3% in 2024).
▶ Nadame Tucker, edge, Western Michigan (No. 181): No one in 2025 epitomized the phrase "breakout player" better than Tucker, who didn't have a sack over his three seasons at Houston (2022-24) but popped for 14½ sacks with the Broncos, tied with Texas Tech's David Bailey for the most among FBS players. Tucker also led FBS in tackles for loss, with 21.
▶ Zion Young, edge, Missouri (No. 38): Young played his first two collegiate seasons at Michigan State, compiling 29 pressures and 2½ sacks before he transferred to Missouri. He was solid in 2024 (26 pressures, 2½ sacks) but become a top prospect with his efforts in 2025 (57 pressures, 6½ sacks). He also had 16½ tackles for loss, more than he had in his other three seasons combined.
Special teams
▶ Tommy Doman, P, Florida (No. 381): Doman, from Orchard Lake St. Mary's, was Michigan's starting punter from 2023-24, averaging 43.5 yards on 102 attempts. He transferred to Florida, where he averaged 44 yards across 50 punts. He placed his team's opponent inside its own 20-yard line 56 times from 2022-25.
▶Ryan Eckley, P, Michigan State (No. 348): There isn't a punter with a better a grade from The Athletic's Dane Brugler than Eckley, who led all FBS players last season with an average of 48.5 yards. Eckley also had strong averages in 2024 (47.9) and 2023 (46.8).
▶Dominic Zvada, K, Michigan (No. 329): Zvada, initially at Arkansas State (2022-23) before Michigan (2024-25), made 82.8% of his field goals in college, and he missed only two extra points. Zvada was exceptional in 2024, making 21 of his 22 field goals.
