2026 NFL Draft consensus rankings: Which defender will come off the board first?
Texas Tech edge David Bailey was a consensus All-American with 19.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Christian Petersen / Getty Images
Feb. 18, 2026Updated 12:34 pm EST
As the NFL descends on Indianapolis for its annual scouting combine, the 2026 draft class continues to come into focus.
Our consensus NFL Draft board combines rankings from a wide range of experts to identify how the top prospects are viewed relative to the rest of the class. In theory, by the time we reach draft weekend, these rankings should help give us a handle on how the picks could (or, at least, should) play out.
The updated consensus top 100:
(Note: Our previous consensus board included 50 prospects, hence the large number of players without a previous ranking on our new board.)
NFL Draft consensus board (Feb. 18)
RK Player Pos School Prev Rk Change
1
Fernando Mendoza
QB
Indiana (+1)
2
Arvell Reese
LB
Ohio State (1)
3
Jeremiyah Love
RB
Notre Dame (+1)
4
Caleb Downs
S
Ohio State (3)
5
David Bailey
EDGE
Texas Tech (5)
6
Rueben Bain Jr.
EDGE
Miami (+1)
7
Sonny Styles
LB
Ohio State (+3)
8
Carnell Tate
WR
Ohio State (+1)
9
Francis Mauigoa
OT
Miami (+2)
10
Spencer Fano
OT
Utah (8)
11
Jordyn Tyson
WR
Arizona State (6)
12
Mansoor Delane
CB
LSU (+4)
13
Makai Lemon
WR
USC (+2)
14
Keldric Faulk
EDGE
Auburn (12)
15
Jermod McCoy
CB
Tennessee (14)
16
Kenyon Sadiq
TE
Oregon (+1)
17
Peter Woods
DT
Clemson (13)
18
Avieon Terrell
CB
Clemson (18)
19
Kadyn Proctor
OT
Alabama (+6)
20
Denzel Boston
WR
Washington (20)
21
Cashius Howell
EDGE
Texas A&M (+1)
22
Caleb Banks
DT
Florida (+1)
23
Vega Ioane
IOL
Penn State (-2)
24
Kayden McDonald
DT
Ohio State (-5)
25
Caleb Lomu
OT
Utah (24)
26
Akheem Mesidor
EDGE
Miami (+7)
27
Ty Simpson
QB
Alabama (26)
28
CJ Allen
LB
Georgia (+1)
29
Monroe Freeling
OT
Georgia (+1)
30
KC Concepcion
WR
Texas A&M (27)
31
T.J. Parker
EDGE
Clemson (+1)
32
Brandon Cisse
CB
South Carolina (28)
33
Dillon Thieneman
S
Oregon (+8)
34
Colton Hood
CB
Tennessee (31)
35
R Mason Thomas
EDGE
Oklahoma (+3)
36
Lee Hunter
DT
Texas Tech (+11)
37
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
S
Toledo (+5)
38
Christen Miller
DT
Georgia (34)
39
Zion Young
EDGE
Missouri (NR)
40
Chris Johnson
CB
San Diego State (39)
41
Chris Bell
WR
Louisville (35)
42
Omar Cooper Jr.
WR
Indiana (NR)
43
Anthony Hill Jr.
LB
Texas (43)
44
Jake Golday
LB
Cincinnati (37)
45
Emmanuel Pregnon
IOL
Oregon (36)
46
Max Iheanachor
OT
Arizona State (NR)
47
Germie Bernard
WR
Alabama (40)
48
Blake Miller
OT
Clemson (NR)
49
Eli Stowers
TE
Vanderbilt (NR)
50
Max Klare
TE
Ohio State (NR)
51
Keionte Scott
CB
Miami (NR)
52
D'Angelo Ponds
CB
Indiana (NR)
53
Caleb Tiernan
OT
Northwestern (45)
54
Chris Brazzell II
WR
Tennessee (NR)
55
A.J. Haulcy
S
LSU (NR)
56
Zachariah Branch
WR
Georgia (44)
57
Keith Abney II
CB
Arizona State (46)
58
Derrick Moore
EDGE
Michigan (NR)
59
Gabe Jacas
EDGE
Illinois (50)
60
Jadarian Price
RB
Notre Dame (NR)
61
Chase Bisontis
IOL
Texas A&M (49)
62
Davison Igbinosun
CB
Ohio State (NR)
63
Gennings Dunker
OT
Iowa (NR)
64
Elijah Sarratt
WR
Indiana (48)
65
LT Overton
EDGE
Alabama (NR)
66
Connor Lew
C
Auburn (NR)
67
Antonio Williams
CB
Clemson (NR)
68
Romello Height
EDGE
Texas Tech (NR)
69
Josiah Trotter
LB
Missouri (NR)
70
Malachi Fields
WR
Notre Dame (NR)
71
Dani Dennis-Sutton
EDGE
Penn State (NR)
72
Darrell Jackson Jr.
DT
Florida State (NR)
73
Kyle Louis
LB
Pittsburgh (NR)
74
Devin Moore
CB
Florida (NR)
75
Domonique Orange
DT
Iowa State (NR)
76
Deontae Lawson
LB
Alabama (NR)
77
Jake Slaughter
IOL
Florida (NR)
78
Trinidad Chambliss
QB
Ole Miss (NR)
79
Kamari Ramsey
S
USC (NR)
80
Zakee Wheatley
S
Penn State (NR)
81
Joshua Josephs
EDGE
Tennessee (NR)
82
Jacob Rodriguez
LB
Texas Tech (NR)
83
Ja'Kobi Lane
WR
USC (NR)
84
Julian Neal
CB
Arkansas (NR)
85
Carson Beck
QB
Miami (NR)
86
Joe Royer
TE
Cincinnati (NR)
87
Keyron Crawford
EDGE
Auburn (NR)
88
Ar'maj Reed-Adams
IOL
Texas A&M (NR)
89
Dontay Corleone
DT
Cincinnati (NR)
90
Garrett Nussmeier
QB
LSU (NR)
91
Chandler Rivers
CB
Duke (NR)
92
Malik Muhammad
CB
Texas (NR)
93
Michael Trigg
TE
Baylor (NR)
94
Isaiah World
OT
Oregon (NR)
95
Nicholas Singleton
RB
Penn State (NR)
96
Ted Hurst
WR
Georgia State (NR)
97
Sam Hecht
IOL
Kansas State (NR)
98
Billy Schrauth
IOL
Notre Dame (NR)
99
Gracen Halton
DT
Oklahoma (NR)
100
Genesis Smith
S
Arizona (NR)
Fernando Mendoza is almost a lock to be the first offensive player taken in the ’26 draft, but what about the first defensive pick?
Mendoza has taken over the top spot from Arvell Reese on the consensus board, but I’m not confident Reese will be the first defensive player selected. Though the Ohio State standout could be an edge rusher in the NFL, some have him slotted as an off-ball linebacker — and that’s why he may slip behind some of his defensive counterparts. Some teams simply won’t want to invest a high draft pick on a player who may play off the ball.
So, who is likeliest to jump Reese? I’m actually going to skip past the next defensive player on the consensus board, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs, and land on David Bailey or Rueben Bain Jr. Those two are squarely penciled in as edge rushers, which would make it easier for a front office to pull the trigger.
Reese and Downs may be the better prospects, but it’s hard not to factor in positional value when comparing them to Bailey or Bain.
Feb 18, 2026
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Austin Mock (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/austin-mock/) uses advanced statistical models and simulations to predict outcomes and rate performances in the NFL, college football, MLB and other sports. Follow Austin on Twitter @amock419 (https://twitter.com/amock419)
