By Henry Hansen
Today, I will be ranking the draft prospects on how well I believe that they will transfer to the NFL.
#1 Fernando Mendoza
Coming off a National Championship title, Mendoza has shown his quarterback prowess to every NFL GM. His completion percentage is the highest point of his appeal, and he has good decision-making skills. He does not fail under pressure, and he is willing to stand in and take a hit to make a throw. He is at #5 because of his inconsistency with the deep throw, which leaves questions about how teams will combat him.
#2: Jeremiyah Love
The running back from Notre Dame is, in my opinion, the highest floor prospect in this draft. His explosiveness out of the backfield, paired with his receiving prowess make him a valuable asset in the draft. All of these skills are paired with his ability to break tackles and extend plays after the line of scrimmage through contact. These skills make him my highest floor prospect in the draft.
#3: Caleb Downs
Coming out of Ohio State, Caleb Downs has proved to be one of the best defenders in the country. He has established himself as a staple of one of the best defenses in the country and fits perfectly into the new revolution of safeties in the NFL. His elite play recognition, along with his ability to cover and stop the run, make him the most versatile defender in the draft.
#4 Sonny Styles
Styles has elite play recognition and an amazing ability to secure tackles. His blitz as a linebacker is exquisite. He can read plays like a veteran and has the mind to make plays that others could not. His coverage leaves something to be desired. If he can improve his coverage, he will be great in the NFL.
#5: Arvell Reese
Arvell Reese was a staple of the Ohio State defense this year. His exceptional block shedding and his solid coverage skills have allowed him to sack the quarterback often and claim many TFL’s. I have him at 3 because I have doubts about his coverage skill when transitioning to the NFL. However, his block shedding makes him a highly touted prospect.
#6 David Bailey
His elite speed, coupled with his raw strength make David Bailey a threat to quarterbacks across America. His speed allows him to cruise around offensive tackles and get to the quarterback. I put him at #4 because I do not believe that his power will translate immediately into the NFL
#7 Rueben Bain
Coming off a National Championship appearance, Rueben Bain has shot up in draft stock. His elite gravity, coupled with his stellar moves, makes him a feared opponent. My largest gripe with Bain is his speed. There have been numerous times where he has infiltrated the backfield, where the quarterback has been able to scramble away and make an easy throw. If he can improve his speed, I think he will be an amazing player.
#8 Carnell Tate
Carnell Tate is a prospect who is overshadowed by the generational talent on his team, Jeremiah Smith. Tate is an amazing player, but his skill is not being watched as much as Smith’s. Tate is a true deep-threat wide receiver, and his ability to run routes well makes him a highly touted prospect. Tate will make whichever team that drafts him very happy.
#9 Francis Mauigoa
His ability to get to the second level and take defenders out of the play on running concepts, along with his ability to stand his ground on passing concepts, makes Francis Mauigoa my favorite O-line prospect in the draft. He is a solid tackle who can make a difference in plays on his own. He also has the ability to play guard, depending on the team.
#10 Kenyon Sadiq
Sadiq is an amazing route-runner, receiver, and a huge threat on passing plays. However, his frame concerns me with his blocking capability against edge rushers. He has shown a habit of leaning as a point of attack blocker, and he may not be able to be effective in the blocking game if this habit persists. I often compare him to a Kyle Pitts or a David Njoku.
#11 Mansoor Delane
Delane will play through contact and guard receivers who are larger than him and receivers who are faster than him. His ability to be one step ahead of the receiver is very important when selecting cornerbacks. The only glaring problem with his game is that he is a bit handsy. If he keeps this bad habit, flags will fly all over him, and he will cost his team yards. If he can fix this problem, he will be a good player in the NFL.
#12 Jordyn Tyson
Tyson’s quick twitch allows him to create space between himself and the defender. His ability to catch the ball is very good, and he can also run decoy routes to free up other players. He needs to improve his high-pressure hands. He can catch amazingly well, but drops the ball in focus situations.
#13 Spencer Fano
Fano is a good tackle who is widely projected as the second-best tackle in the draft. His large frame, accompanied by his good strength allow him to bully defensive players across the field. He has a good ability to hold his blocks, but his struggles against elite power rushers make his ranking #13.
#14 Jermod McCoy
McCoy has the ability to play physical off the line, along with his skill of tracking the receiver; he will be a solid player in the NFL. His 4 interceptions on the season show how he has good hands for a cornerback. He is a complete player, but his ranking is this low because of his lengthy injury history, being sidelined with an ACL injury for the entire 2025 season.
#15 Peter Woods
Woods has the ability to disrupt plays from the interior. He blows up run plays and makes quarterbacks have limited time on pass plays. The flaws with Woods are his shorter arms, his lack of anchoring ability against double-teams, and his tendency to overcommit to gaps. If he can resolve these issues in the NFL, the team that drafts him will be satisfied for a long while.