Ohio State fittingly tops the list with five players

With the NFL season more than halfway finished and six teams with two or fewer wins, mock drafts and prospect rankings are starting to be hot in the streets. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is one of the more well-respected voices in prospect rankings, and he recently released his Top 50 list for the 2026 class. Let’s dive into it.

Ohio State Leads the Way With 5 Out of Top 26

Fittingly, the No. 1 team in the country tops Brugler’s rankings. The Buckeyes have been dominant on both sides of the ball this season, and Ohio State’s defense is playing at another level. Surprisingly, Brugler has LB Arvell Reese at No. 1 overall. Followed by S Caleb Downs (No. 3), WR Carnell Tate (No. 10), DT Kayden McDonald (No. 23), and LB Sonny Styles (No. 26).

Brugler admits that Reese likely won’t be the first player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, but his ability to play on the edge, off the ball, and rush the passer makes Reese one of the most versatile players in the class. Downs has been at or near the top of just about every ranking this season, and that doesn’t change here. Tate has established himself as one of the country’s best receivers, but Brugler has Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson ahead of him.

4 QBs In Top 15

Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson have separated themselves as the two best QBs in the country. Indiana’s signal-caller (No. 7) is the Heisman favorite, but Brugler has Simpson ranked higher (No. 2). He admits that Simpson’s lack of starting experience (nine right now) could make NFL teams hesitate, but the tape doesn’t lie. It will be interesting to see if Brugler flips these two by the end of the season, should Indiana win the Big 10.

Oregon’s Dante Moore (No. 12) and South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers (No. 15) round out the QBs.

Auburn’s Faulk Tops Competitive EDGE Stack

Keldric Faulk beats out Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. in Brugler’s list. These two have seemingly gone back and forth with who is EDGE1 this season. Faulk has the measurables that NFL decision-makers salivate over, while Bain is a complete DE who will contribute on all three downs.

After Bain, Texas Tech’s David Baily is the next EDGE at No. 14 overall. Bailey is a twitched-up edge rusher who has added solid run game ability this season. Keep an eye on him.

16 Defensive Linemen Make the List

Clemson DT Peter Woods is the first interior DL to make the list at No. 13 overall. Woods (and Clemson’s overall defense) hasn’t lived up to the preseason hype he was getting, but he’s still a high-level prospect who should be drafted early. Fellow Tiger T.J. Parker (No. 27) has also been disappointing in 2025. Nine EDGE defenders and seven DTs cracked the top 50.

Spencer Fano Is OL1, Only 8 OL in Rankings

Both of Utah’s tackles made Brugler’s list, with Fano leading the group at No. 11. Fano, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa (No. 16), and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor (No. 18) have been in their own battle for OT1. Three other tackles made the cut, while only two guards made the top 50. Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane (No. 28) is an old-school grinder of a guard and is deserving of the top OG spot. Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon (No. 47) rounds out the group. No centers were listed.

2 RBs Make the Cut, Both From Notre Dame

Jeremiyah Love, unsurprisingly, is the top RB in Brugler’s rankings. He’s my RB1, and that shouldn’t change before the draft. The next ball carrier to appear on the list is fellow Golden Domer Jadarian Price at No. 39 overall. Brugler mentioned that while Price doesn’t have the same explosive ability as Love, he may be a better all-around running back.

Only 1 TE

Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is the only TE in the top 50, according to Brugler. Sadiq is a young, explosive athlete who has the potential to become a passing game mismatch in the NFL. Being capable as a blocker adds another element to Sadiq’s game and how scouts will evaluate him. It seems like this isn’t the year to find a game-changing TE in the draft.

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