NFL scouts pick 10 early sleepers for the 2026 draft: Which prospects could rise quickly?

In each NFL draft class, determination are the headliners who request nary introduction. In 2026, that includes the likes of Ohio State information Caleb Downs and Clemson backmost Cade Klubnik. But this is not astir players everyone already knows. Instead, we're identifying prospects who fans volition get to cognize implicit the upcoming college shot season and beyond.

After talking to scouts and unit radical astir the NFL, I picked 10 under-the-radar players who could beryllium primed to emergence up draught boards implicit the adjacent 10 months. This is the 3rd twelvemonth I've done this exercise, with last year's list featuring Day 2 picks specified arsenic defender Jonah Savaiinaea and information Kevin Winston Jr.

Who is primed to marque a akin leap this cycle? The players beneath are successful nary peculiar order, but we commencement with a backmost who ended past play connected a blistery streak.

More connected the 2026 draught class

Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor

We're ever searching for the backmost who's primed to look from nether the radar and ascent to the apical of the draft. While Cameron Ward wasn't quite considered nether the radar, helium was overshadowed by players specified arsenic Carson Beck, Quinn Ewers and Shedeur Sanders astatine this clip a twelvemonth ago. Ward yet changeable past each of them and was drafted No. 1 overall. (Beck did not state and transferred from Georgia to Miami.)

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Robertson has the carnal tools to perchance leap implicit much well-known quarterbacks. The erstwhile four-star enlistee transferred to Baylor from Mississippi State anterior to the 2023 season.

"If you privation a dude that's going to travel retired of nowhere, it's [Robertson]. He's what everyone wants [Penn State's] Drew Allar to be," said an AFC South country scout who covers the Southwest. "Big, large arm, and helium tin move."

Robertson threw for 3,071 yards with 28 touchdown passes and 8 interceptions past play -- his archetypal arsenic a starter -- and had different 230 yards and 4 scores rushing. With a almighty close limb and plus-level mobility, Robertson tin onslaught defenses vertically and make with his legs erstwhile needed. He had 52 passes of much than 20 yards past season. Robertson has ne'er seen a heavy one-on-one way helium didn't privation to attack, truthful helium indispensable enactment connected his decision-making and velocity up his delivery, which tin get hitchy astatine times. But determination are a ton of carnal tools for scouts and coaches to beryllium excited astir here.

Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Ohio State is arguably the existent "WRU" aft a beardown caller tally of first-rounders and NFL superstars. But portion sophomore Jeremiah Smith is the Buckeyes receiver astir scouts and analysts are raving about, don't slumber connected Tate.

A erstwhile five-star enlistee retired of Chicago, Tate has been overshadowed since signing with the Buckeyes successful 2023. Marvin Harrison Jr. was the prima during Tate's freshman season, portion past play saw Emeka Egbuka and Smith look arsenic Ohio State's apical 2 WRs. But with Egbuka gone to the NFL, Tate stands to payment from one-on-one looks arsenic antiaircraft coordinators effort to halt Smith.

One NFC East determination scout praised Tate's toughness and route-running ability, reasoning he's poised to radiance this season.

"I'm all-in connected Tate," the scout said. "He's big, but his method quality arsenic a way runner is impressive. He's truly bully astatine generating separation with his size and his start-stop ability. He's a truly bully WR2 successful the pros."

The 6-foot-3, 191-pound Tate has lone 70 receptions for 997 yards and 5 touchdowns successful 2 seasons, but overmuch much is expected from him successful 2025. And helium has the tools to capitalize connected the opportunity.

Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma

Halton's breakout started successful 2024, erstwhile the 3-technique posted 5 sacks successful 13 games aft not signaling a azygous backmost takedown the erstwhile 2 seasons.

Despite being undersized astatine 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds, Halton's quickness and explosive quality disconnected the shot marque it pugnacious for interior violative linemen to get their hands connected him. He led the FBS with a unit complaint of 14.1% astatine antiaircraft tackle past season, making him 1 of the apical returning interior walk rushers successful the nation. Scouts person taken notice.

"I loved his progression from seeing the tract arsenic a existent freshman to moving much arsenic a sophomore, and then, boom, helium has that immense twelvemonth past year. The Gerald McCoy comparisons are coming," said an NFC West country scout.

"G-Baby", arsenic his teammates telephone him, could person entered the 2025 draught but opted to enactment successful school. With his versatile pass-rush moves, quickness into gaps and heads-up tally defense, don't beryllium amazed if Halton lands successful the apical 2 rounds adjacent April.

Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

If this sanction sounds familiar, it's due to the fact that of Hunter's efforts astatine UCF. After initially signing with Auburn arsenic a four-star recruit, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Hunter played 3 seasons with the Knights, racking up 5 vocation sacks and earning second-team All-Big 12 honors past season. "The Fridge" present heads to Lubbock with a accidental to radiance successful the Red Raiders' 3-4 scheme.

"Hunter is simply a large dude, but his spot and quality to bid double-teams is wherever he'll basal retired successful the 30 front," said an NFC South country scout who has seen him play successful person.

The 3-4 strategy isn't known for producing immense stats for antiaircraft linemen, but Hunter's play astatine UCF has him connected NFL scouts' radar. Much similar Byron Murphy II (No. 16, 2024) and Kenneth Grant (No. 13, 2025), Hunter is simply a monolithic interior imaginable who could onshore successful Round 1.

Jack Endries, TE, Texas

The Longhorns person heavy utilized their choky ends the past 2 seasons, with Ja'Tavion Sanders and Gunnar Helm being the featured targets. Endries has a accidental to beryllium the champion of the trio.

At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, the Cal transfer is built much similar Sanders and has the versatility to beryllium a flex choky extremity who tin enactment up successful the slot, backfield oregon in-line adjacent to the violative tackle. Endries grabbed 56 passes for 623 yards and 2 scores arsenic a sophomore past play with lone 1 drop, showcasing his beardown hands.

"[Texas manager Steve Sarkisian] is doing a large occupation processing choky ends and moving his discourtesy astir them, but I wonderment however overmuch Endries volition spot the shot with Arch Manning's heavy ball," 1 AFC West nationalist scout said earlier adding that Endries' versatility should radiance successful Austin. "He's specified a bully jock and helium tin play anywhere. He's 1 of the 2 astir talented choky ends successful the country."

Endries has 2 seasons of eligibility remaining, truthful he's not a fastener to beryllium successful the 2026 draft. But expect his sanction to beryllium mentioned a clump successful the lead-up to the season.

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Cal's Jack Endries breaks escaped for 57-yard TD vs. Miami

Cal's Jack Endries shakes his defender and gallops down the sideline into the extremity portion to necktie the people astatine 7-7 against Miami.

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

After 2 seasons arsenic a starter astatine Purdue -- successful which helium had six interceptions arsenic a existent freshman successful 2023 portion emerging arsenic a unsafe punt returner -- Thieneman transferred to Oregon. Ranked arsenic ESPN's No. 1 antiaircraft backmost successful the transfer portal, he'll pb the Ducks' secondary and should go a household sanction successful Dan Lanning's NFL-style antiaircraft scheme, which utilizes its safeties successful aggregate alignments.

At 6-foot and 207 pounds, Thieneman isn't a supersized imaginable similar Nick Emmanwori successful this past draft, but helium is simply a versatile defender who tin align astatine either information spot oregon adjacent arsenic a slot cornerback.

"When you look astatine shot IQ, versatility, velocity and range, helium has it all. Safeties ever look to autumn successful the draft, but helium has first-round tools," an AFC West country scout said.

Thieneman tin get overaggressive successful his pursuit angles, but he's a cleanable open-field tackler and provides a existent split-safety worth that fits immoderate antiaircraft scheme. If helium slots into Lanning's defence similar we deliberation helium will, Thieneman has first-round ability.

Cayden Green, G/OT, Missouri

Mizzou has go a spot of an violative enactment mill successful caller years, with 3 players selected successful the past 2 drafts (including 2025 No. 7 prime Armand Membou) and 2 much slated to beryllium selected aboriginal successful 2026. NFL scouts deliberation Green has the agility and spot to beryllium drafted early.

At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, Green -- who transferred from Oklahoma aft the 2023 play -- has perfect size for an NFL guard, but determination are immoderate who deliberation helium could besides play near tackle. That's thing to ticker arsenic Missouri's grooming campy begins, arsenic the Tigers look to regenerate Marcus Bryant, who was drafted by the Patriots successful the seventh circular successful April. Green has the footwork, agility and magnitude to excel connected the perimeter if needed.

"Watching his feet astatine near guard, I deliberation helium could play tackle. He's a batch similar Membou successful that way. He's truly versatile athletically," said an NFC violative enactment manager who studied his tape.

Green's run-blocking dominance stands retired connected tape, but helium indispensable amended his equilibrium successful walk blocking. If that betterment happens, helium has All-American quality and first-round potential.

Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Spencer Fano is typically the archetypal sanction mentioned erstwhile discussing NFL prospects connected Utah's violative line, but Lomu is besides catching the oculus of pro evaluators. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound near tackle allowed lone 2 sacks past play arsenic a redshirt freshman. Lomu's run-blocking quality and question successful walk extortion person scouts excited astir what he'll bash successful a follow-up campaign.

"Utah went done a batch of adversity connected discourtesy past year, but helium stood out. And if you're bully capable to determination Fano to the close broadside aft each his accomplishments, that says a lot," an AFC North scout said.

Lomu has 3 years of eligibility remaining, but his question quality and poise successful walk extortion are indicative of a precocious draught pick. He's tailor-made for zone-blocking schemes, and with much experience, the 19-year-old could go 1 of the nation's apical players.

CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

Allen started 13 games past play for the Bulldogs and stood retired connected portion portion I was scouting his draft-eligible teammates. Now it's his turn. At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, he's built for the pro crippled and has the velocity and explosiveness to beryllium a coagulated modern linebacker prospect.

Allen's 2024 portion showed a downhill attacker who posted 49 solo tackles and 1 interception. He had a immense crippled against Georgia Tech, erstwhile helium had 10 tackles. He's a rising prima connected a defence known for producing early-round prospects.

"You look astatine his instincts, his toughness, and however good helium plays coming into gaps to instrumentality connected the run, and he's a throwback to guys similar Fred Warner and Lavonte David aboriginal successful their careers ... but he's a amended walk rusher," an NFC wide manager said.

Playing connected a defence which had 3 first-round picks successful 2025 near Allen nether the radar, but helium won't beryllium kept retired of the spotlight for long.

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Who volition beryllium the transportation backmost to rocket up draught boards this year? A batch of aboriginal buzz is centered astir erstwhile Cal backmost Mendoza ... and for bully reason. After a breakout past play successful which helium threw for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, Mendoza transferred to Indiana to play successful Curt Cignetti's Air Raid offense. Expectations soon followed the redshirt junior, particularly considering Cignetti's strategy and the beingness of legit NFL wide receiver imaginable Elijah Sarratt connected Indiana's roster.

At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Mendoza has perfect size, a speedy release, accelerated decision-making and the limb endowment to powerfulness the shot to each country of the field.

"Watch that dude propulsion back-shoulder fades and you spot the touch, timing and powerfulness to beryllium a baller successful the NFL," different determination NFC East scout said. He added that Mendoza's toughness is besides a cardinal trait but worries astir residual effects from the violative enactment helium played down past season.

"He got deed and pressured a batch past twelvemonth down a atrocious O-line, truthful that's thing to ticker for this year. Is helium a small traumatized by what helium had successful beforehand of him past year?" the aforesaid scout said.

A two-star enlistee coming retired of precocious school, Mendoza has been slept connected since primitively committing to Yale. Bigger names similar Allar, Manning and Beck mightiness thrust aboriginal backmost talk, but Mendoza has fans successful the NFL.