Feb. 24, 2026, 4:05 a.m. ET

It’s finally here. The annual spectacle known as the NFL Scouting Combine has arrived, officially kicking off the 2026 offseason. The path to the 2026 NFL Draft officially begins in Indianapolis and fans will begin to hear free-agent rumors about which teams are interested in specific free agents.

Just before the Combine kicked off, NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com and the NFL Network revealed his latest version of the top 50 prospects. It’s Jeremiah’s second top 50, the first of which he revealed on January 27, when we learned of every early entry in the draft.

Jeremiah made some changes in his second top 50. After the Combine, there will likely be more changes. For now, let’s focus on his latest top 50 ahead of this week’s Combine. Here are five takeaways from Jeremiah’s top 50 list 2.0.

Welcome, Omar Cooper

When Jeremiah revealed his initial top 50, Indiana WR Omar Cooper missed the cut. Just an oversight on Jeremiah’s part? Probably so. Here’s what he said about Cooper:

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Cooper is one of my favorite players to study in this year’s draft. He’s strong, reliable and explosive. He uses his lower-body strength to run through press coverage and he’s a loose/fluid route runner. He plays without fear in the middle of the field, making combat catches look easy. He can really pluck the ball and stays grounded through the catch on crossers. Also, he can elevate and play above the rim (SEE: game-winner against Penn State) when necessary. After the catch, he has the power to break tackles and enough speed to pull away. Sources at the school rave about his makeup and competitiveness. Overall, Cooper fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL.

Cooper isn’t getting enough love as a potential first-round pick. He was outstanding for the Hoosiers in their run to the national championship. He does a little bit of everything. He’s strong at the point of attack, he can block, he can win deep and he’s really fun after the catch. It will be interesting to see how he tests this week at the Combine.

David Bailey leaps Arvell Reese

The Washington Commanders badly need an edge rusher. While the Commanders could attack that need in free agency, they’re often linked to David Bailey (Texas Tech) and Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami). It’s looking more and more like Bailey will be long gone before Washington is on the clock at No. 7. In Jeremiah’s new top 50, he has Bailey at No. 3 — up one spot — and ahead of Ohio State linebacker/EDGE Arvell Reese. Reese falls one spot to No. 4. Could Reese fall to Washington? It’s possible. It’s beginning to look like Bailey’s ceiling is No. 2 overall to the New York Jets, while his floor is No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans.

Carnell Tate is the No. 1 WR ahead of Makai Lemon

Jeremiah has Ohio State WR Carnell Tate as his No. 7 overall prospect, up from No. 9 last month. USC’s Makai Lemon falls from No. 7 to No. 10. Why the drop? Both are strong prospects. The biggest knock on Lemon is health. That hasn’t changed. They are completely different receivers. Tate is bigger (6-foot-3, 195) and is a smooth route runner. Lemon is built differently (5-foot-11, 195) and plays differently, too. Lemon can play outside or in the slot, although he can be a Day 1 slot in the NFL. He is electric after the catch and wins consistently off the line. If Washington can adequately address its defensive needs in free agency, Lemon could be a fun pick for Washington to grow with quarterback Jayden Daniels. Jeremiah mentions Amon-Ra St. Brown as a comparison. It’s easy to see. New offensive coordinator David Blough played with St. Brown in Detroit.

Jeremiah loves this safety class

Jeremiah has three safeties in his top 25.

Caleb Downs, Ohio State: 9th, up 1 spotEmmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo: 15th, up 4 spotsDillon Thieneman, Oregon: 23rd, up 2 spots

It’s a good year to need a safety. Downs is a legitimate option for Washington at No. 7. He’s often linked to the Commanders in different mock drafts. Washington could use another safety and Downs would solve a lot of Washington’s problems in the secondary.

Commanders should have no issues finding an EDGE rusher

Jeremiah has nine edge rushers ranked among his top 50 players. Ideally, the Commanders could trade back a few spots, add some much-needed picks, and still land a quality player. The problem is that there doesn’t appear to be any players that teams will move up for. Having only one quarterback projected to go high isn’t ideal for teams wanting to move back. There’s a good chance that Bailey, Bain and Reese are gone when Washington is on the clock at No. 7. That’s why it wouldn’t be a surprise if Washington is aggressive attacking the EDGE position in free agency. The Commanders would still likely draft an EDGE, but could choose a developmental prospect in the third round and look elsewhere with their top pick. The good thing is that Washington’s needs align well with this draft’s depth.