Ranking of projected 1s round players by Dane Bugler of The Athletic

After LP posted this I decided to look around a little. I 'found' a "backdoor" into the Athletic through another article that was available without a subscription. Apparently the Athletic maintains a "consensus" board as well as their articles. They have it 'labeled' as "consensus", and I have no reason to doubt that. There is, however, precious little information about "how" the data is gathered, and from where - other than to say that the board "combines rankings from a wide range of experts.".

Consensus boards can be VERY valuable as long as we understand the process. A single "big board" or a "mock draft board" represents what a single person thinks and is based upon their perceptions subject to their own specific bias. A "consensus" board is a compilation of data points from possibly thousands of sources. When properly compiled a "consensus" board allows the data set to be "smoothed" so that 'outliers' do not affect the data set in a non-representational way. The results, when compiled, should be more representative of reality.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7166382...s-top-100/

The last time I checked, this article was available without a subscription.  In any event, the data presented here is a direct quote from the Athletic article linked above.  


***This data represents the TOP 100 players available in the 2026 NFL draft***

2026 NFL Draft consensus rankings:
Jacob Rodriguez, Dillon Thieneman rising

By Austin Mock
April 3, 2026 Updated April 8, 2026

Our 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.

Consensus NFL Draft board
Rankings as of April 2, 2026  ***this date is updated see above***

A table ranking the top 100 NFL prospects for 2026. Arvell Reese, a linebacker from Ohio State, holds the No. 1 spot. The list highlights the rarity of top-tier passers in this class, with only three quarterbacks making the top 100, including Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza who ranked No. 2.  ***This statement is interesting - obviously something did not get "updated" the last time - not sure if it was the 'listing'  or this statement.***

Page 1 of 2 
Table with 6 columns and 100 rows. Currently displaying rows 1 to 50. (column headers with buttons are sortable)

RANK -  PLAYER -  POSITION -  SCHOOL -  LAST -  CHANGE

1 Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame 3 2

2 Arvell Reese LB Ohio State 1 −1

3 Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana 2 −1

4 David Bailey Edge Texas Tech 4 0

5 Caleb Downs S Ohio State 5 0

6 Sonny Styles LB Ohio State 6 0

7 Mansoor Delane CB LSU 7 0

8 Rueben Bain Jr. Edge Miami 9 1

9 Carnell Tate WR Ohio State 8 −1

10 Francis Mauigoa OT Miami 10 0

11 Spencer Fano OT Utah 12 1

12 Kenyon Sadiq TE Oregon 14 2

13 Makai Lemon WR USC 11 −2

14 Olaivavega Ioane IOL Penn State 15 1

15 Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State 13 −2

16 Monroe Freeling OT Georgia 17 1

17 Keldric Faulk Edge Auburn 18 1

18 Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee 16 −2

19 Dillon Thieneman S Oregon 24 5

20 Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama 23 3

21 Avieon Terrell CB Clemson 21 0

22 Akheem Mesidor Edge Miami 19 −3

23 Omar Cooper Jr. WR Indiana 22 −1

24 Denzel Boston WR Washington 20 −4

25 Caleb Lomu OT Utah 26 1

26 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo 25 −1

27 KC Concepcion WR Texas A&M 28 1

28 Kayden McDonald DT Ohio State 27 −1

29 Colton Hood CB Tennessee 31 2

30 Blake Miller OT Clemson 39 9

31 Peter Woods DT Clemson 29 −2

32 Zion Young Edge Missouri 33 1

33 Cashius Howell Edge Texas A&M 32 −1

34 T.J. Parker Edge Clemson 34 0

35 CJ Allen LB Georgia 36 1

36 Ty Simpson QB Alabama 38 2

37 Max Iheanachor OT Arizona State 35 −2

38 Chris Johnson CB San Diego State 42 4

39 Caleb Banks DT Florida 30 −9

40 Jacob Rodriguez LB Texas Tech 47 7

41 Germie Bernard WR Alabama 43 2

42 Anthony Hill Jr. LB Texas 37 −5

43 Lee Hunter DI Texas Tech 46 3

44 Brandon Cisse CB South Carolina 41 −3

45 Malachi Lawrence Edge UCF 60 15

46 Chase Bisontis IOL Texas A&M 45 −1

47 R Mason Thomas Edge Oklahoma 40 −7

48 Jadarian Price RB Notre Dame 44 −4

49 Emmanuel Pregnon IOL Oregon 56 7

50 D'Angelo Ponds CB Indiana 52 2

 Page 2 of 2

RANK -  PLAYER -  POSITION -  SCHOOL -  LAST -  CHANGE

51 Jake Golday LB Cincinnati 55 4'

52 Keionte Scott CB Miami 48 −4

53 Gabe Jacas Edge Illinois 51 −2

54 Eli Stowers TE Vanderbilt 58 4

55 Christen Miller DT Georgia 50 −5

56 Antonio Williams WR Clemson 53 −3

57 Keylan Rutledge IOL Georgia Tech 72 15

58 Zachariah Branch WR Georgia 57 −1

59 Malachi Fields WR Notre Dame 54 −5

60 Chris Brazzell II WR Tennessee 49 −11

61 Derrick Moore Edge Michigan 59 −2

62 A.J. Haulcy S LSU 64 2

63 Chris Bell WR Louisville 63 0

64 Max Klare TE Ohio State 61 −3

65 Gennings Dunker G Iowa 65 0

66 Dani Dennis-Sutton Edge Penn State 86 20

67 Treydan Stukes CB Arizona 75 8

68 De'Zhaun Stribling WR Ole Miss 85 17

69 Keyron Crawford Edge Auburn 71 2

70 Josiah Trotter LB Missouri 62 −8

71 Bud Clark S TCU 73 2

72 Kyle Louis LB Pittsburgh 69 −3

73 Ted Hurst WR Georgia State 70 −3

74 Elijah Sarratt WR Indiana 74 0

75 Davison Igbinosun CB Ohio State 66 −9

76 Jalon Kilgore S South Carolina 82 6

77 Keith Abney II CB Arizona State 68 −9

78 Domonique Orange DT Iowa State 80 2

79 Caleb Tiernan OT Northwestern 77 −2

80 Malik Muhammad CB Texas 79 −1

81 Jake Slaughter C Florida NR NR

82 Mike Washington Jr. RB Arkansas 97 15

83 Zxavian Harris DT Ole Miss 81 −2

84 Connor Lew C Auburn 67 −17

85 Sam Hecht IOL Kansas State 90 5

86 Zakee Wheatley S Penn State 76 −10

87 Jaishawn Barham Edge Michigan 84 −3

88 Skyler Bell WR Connecticut 83 −5

89 Logan Jones C Iowa 95 6

90 Gracen Halton DT Oklahoma 91 1

91 Joshua Josephs Edge Tennessee 87 −4

92 Romello Height Edge Texas Tech 89 −3

93 Chandler Rivers CB Duke 88 −5

94 Garrett Nussmeier QB LSU 93 −1

95 Sam Roush TE Stanford 100 5

96 Drew Shelton OT Penn State 99 3

97 Kage Casey OT Boise State 98 1

98 Eli Raridon TE Notre Dame NR NR

99 Brenen Thompson WR Mississippi State NR NR

100 Tyler Onyedim DT Texas A&M NR NR