The players expected to be called first in Green Bay — their college careers, playing styles, what they offer at the next level, and what makes each one compelling (or complicated) as a draft pick.
These profiles represent the top prospects heading into the 2026 NFL Draft based on their college careers and pre-draft evaluations. Draft order projections are editorial and speculative — the actual selections belong to 32 NFL front offices with far more information than any outside analyst.
The most scrutinized position in the draft — and the one that changes franchise trajectories most dramatically.
The most pedigreed quarterback prospect in NFL history — grandson of Archie Manning, nephew of Peyton and Eli, two of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game. The family name creates unparalleled scrutiny, but Arch Manning has shown at Texas that the pressure doesn't faze him. His football intelligence is advanced beyond his years — reading defenses pre-snap, going through progressions methodically, and making decisions that suggest he has studied the game his entire life.
At 6'4" and around 230 lbs, Manning has ideal size for the position. His arm talent is elite — he can throw with anticipation, drive the ball into tight windows, and adjust trajectory on the fly. The knock on any young quarterback is experience and consistency; Manning's development timeline will be closely watched heading into the 2025 season and through pre-draft workouts.
The player who handed the reins to Arch Manning is himself a legitimate NFL prospect. Quinn Ewers entered Texas as one of the highest-rated recruits ever, forgoing his senior year of high school to enroll early and earn NIL compensation. His college career was marked by flashes of genuine brilliance — the ability to make throws few quarterbacks can attempt — alongside inconsistency that has kept his draft status variable.
Ewers is an elite athlete with a cannon arm and natural footwork. When he's confident and the protection is clean, he looks like a first-round pick. The question every scout asks: how does he respond when the pocket breaks down, when teams dial up pressure, when the game isn't flowing? His answers during the 2025 season will define his draft board position in Green Bay.
A dual-threat quarterback whose athleticism gives NFL teams a dimension they almost never get at the position. Milroe is a legitimate running threat — not just a scrambler, but someone who can be designed into the run game as a ball-carrier without compromising the passing scheme. He ran for over 500 yards in multiple college seasons while also improving his passing year over year.
The projection question for Milroe is the same as every run-first college QB: can the passing game scale to the NFL's speed and complexity? Alabama's system under Kalen DeBoer has put Milroe in more traditional drop-back scenarios, which has helped his development profile. His raw tools — arm strength, mobility, football IQ — are all present. The refinement question remains.
The quarterback's worst nightmare — and the most impactful non-QB position in the modern NFL.
Among the most disruptive pass rushers in recent college football history. Carter plays with a rare combination of first-step quickness, bend, and power — he can convert speed to power, convert power to speed, and has the feel for rushing in combination with a partner that elevates everyone around him. At Penn State, he was unblockable in single coverage at his best, and his motor never stops.
Carter profiles as a 4-3 defensive end or a 3-4 outside linebacker — versatile enough to fit multiple systems. His counter moves are already well-developed, which typically emerges only after years in the NFL. If he can stay healthy and translate his college disruption rate to NFL production, he is the kind of player who changes games from a single position.
Pearce is a long, rangy pass rusher with the athleticism that evaluators dream about. At 6'5" with elite wingspan, he has the physical tools to play defensive end in a 4-3 or stand up as an edge rusher in a 3-4. His length disrupts passing lanes when he can't reach the quarterback, and his upside as a rerouter and rusher is significant.
The development question for Pearce is consistency — translating freakish athleticism into a repeatable pass rush plan. His sack production at Tennessee was impressive, but the refinement of his pass rush arsenal and his ability to set the edge against the run will determine whether he's an elite starter or a rotational pass rush specialist at the next level.
The positions that protect the quarterback — elite left tackles are the second-most valuable players on any offense.
Considered by many evaluators one of the most polished offensive tackle prospects to enter the draft in years. Banks plays with exceptional technique — his punch timing, hand placement, and anchor against power rushers are ahead of most college linemen. He has protected highly-recruited quarterbacks at Texas and been tested against SEC-caliber pass rushers.
At approximately 6'4" and 310 lbs, Banks has prototypical left tackle size. His pass set is clean, his footwork is advanced, and he rarely gives up sacks in pass protection. The question for any offensive tackle entering the NFL is whether the gap between college and pro-level edge rushers exposes technical flaws — for Banks, the consensus is that his floor is high and his ceiling is a long-term starting left tackle.
A massive, powerful tackle who has drawn comparisons to the elite run-blocking linemen of the modern era. Ersery's physical dominance at the point of attack is rare — he can move defenders off the line in both run and short-yardage situations — and his athleticism for a player his size is unusual. His pass protection technique is strong enough that teams project him as a starter at either tackle spot.
Minnesota's system hasn't always showcased elite edge rushers to test him, which creates some projection uncertainty. But the physical profile — size, strength, movement skills — is among the best in this class at the position.
In a pass-first league, elite corners who can lock down receivers in man coverage are worth their weight in picks.
Will Johnson — son of former NFL cornerback Deon Johnson — is the consensus top cornerback in the 2026 class and one of the cleanest prospects at the position in recent memory. At 6'2" with long arms and elite ball skills, he disrupts passing lanes at the catch point and has the length to cover multiple wide receiver body types.
Johnson's technique in coverage is already NFL-ready — his footwork in back pedal, his transition, and his ability to stay on top of routes without gambling are all polished. He rarely gives up separation, and when he does, his recovery speed is elite. Teams that need a true #1 cornerback will have him at the top of their defensive board.
A versatile defensive back who has played corner, nickel, and safety for Texas — the kind of multi-position flexibility that NFL defensive coordinators prize. Barron is a tough, physical corner who plays well in press coverage and shows excellent instincts as a zone defender. His ball-hawking ability — regularly breaking up passes and generating interceptions — puts him among the draft's top defensive backs.
His size (under 6') limits him against larger receivers in man coverage at the boundary, but his combination of football intelligence, technique, and closing speed makes him projectable as a starter in multiple defensive schemes. Teams that play a lot of nickel and dime packages will find Barron particularly valuable.
The players who clog running lanes, pressure quarterbacks up the middle, and clean up the second level.
The anchor of Michigan's dominant defensive line, Graham is a physically imposing interior presence who can both stop the run and penetrate into the backfield as a pass rusher. His combination of size (~6'3", 310 lbs), hand strength, and leverage make him a natural 3-technique in a 4-3 or a nose tackle in a 3-4.
Interior defensive linemen rarely go very high in the draft anymore, but Graham has the profile of the exceptions — players who are impactful enough on third down to justify a top-15 selection. His combination of run-stuffing ability and consistent pass rush push up the middle gives offensive coordinators genuine problems.
A pass-rushing linebacker who can line up at multiple spots — as a traditional inside linebacker, a stand-up edge rusher, or a blitzing hybrid. Walker's athleticism is rare for a linebacker: he has the speed to cover running backs and tight ends in space, the quickness to rush the passer off the edge, and the instincts to make plays in run support. Georgia's NFL-pipeline defensive program has put him against elite competition.
Walker projects most cleanly as a weakside linebacker or hybrid edge/linebacker in a modern, multiplicity-based defense. His floor is a high-level special teams contributor and situational pass rusher; his ceiling is an every-down defensive chess piece.
The playmakers who turn good quarterbacks into great ones — and occasionally rescue bad ones.
At 6'5" and around 220 lbs, McMillan is a rare physical specimen at wide receiver — combining exceptional size with the athleticism and route-running ability of a much smaller, more nimble player. His catch radius is massive; he high-points the ball the way elite red zone receivers do, but he's also a threat as a route runner in the middle of the field.
McMillan dominated in the Pac-12/Big 12 with production that translated against both man and zone coverages. His YAC (yards after catch) ability is above average for a receiver his size, and his blocking effort is the kind of detail that coaches notice. A true number-one receiver who can win in multiple ways.
A slot receiver and YAC monster who has made defenders miss at an extraordinary rate in college. Burden runs routes with deceptive sharpness — his routes look simpler than they are until the moment he creates separation — and his ability to make the first man miss after the catch sets him apart from most college receivers.
Burden doesn't have McMillan's size, but he doesn't need it. His value is in his quickness, his hands in contested situations, and his ability to turn short catches into big plays. Teams that run a lot of quick-game concepts with designed YAC routes will find Burden an ideal fit.
The final line of defense — and increasingly, the most versatile defensive players on the field.
A rangy, intelligent free safety with excellent instincts in zone coverage and the athleticism to match up with tight ends and slot receivers in man situations. Starks has been the anchor of Georgia's secondary — a program that produces more defensive backs for the NFL than almost any other — and his playmaking in the back end has been elite for multiple seasons.
His ball skills (interceptions, pass breakups) are at the top of the safety class, and his ability to read quarterback eyes and break early gives him a head start on every route. Safeties rarely go in the top 15 picks, but Starks is the kind of complete defender who can change a team's defensive approach.
A statistical outlier from a non-power-five school who puts up numbers that demand attention regardless of competition level. Fannin's reception and yardage totals at Bowling Green were historic — the kind of production that forces scouts to look past the competition level and ask: is this an elite receiving talent, or just a great college player against lesser competition?
The consensus is that Fannin is legitimately special. His route running, hands, and ability to separate from linebackers in the middle of the field all project to the next level. The comparison point is Travis Kelce — a mid-round tight end who became the greatest at his position. Fannin likely won't fall that far, but the ceiling is tantalizing.
Every team's biggest needs are mapped out in the All 32 Team Needs guide — see which franchise should be calling which prospect's name in Green Bay.