Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love Declares For Draft
Widely considered the RB1 of this year’s draft class from the start of the season, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has surprised absolutely nobody with his announcement today (via Instagram) that he is declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. While the perpetual debate around this particular position being first-round-worthy is sure to rear its ugly head, Love has garnered several first-round grades following an impressive junior year. 
A consensus top 100 prospect coming out St. Louis, Love fielded offers from nearly every major program as one of the top backs in the Class of 2023. He took official visits the summer before his senior year to Texas A&M, Oregon, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Alabama. When the paid trips were done, only the Aggies and Fighting Irish saw him on campus on his own dime before his eventual commitment partway through his final season of high school ball.
As a true freshman in head coach (for now) Marcus Freeman‘s second season at the helm, Love was the team’s second-leading rusher, though it was a distant second as bell-cow back Audric Estime led the team with 210 carries (compared to Love’s 71). After seeing Estime get drafted in the fifth-round to Denver, Love took over the lead back role, though the rushing attack in his sophomore campaign proved to be much more of a committee than in 2023.
Dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard led the team in carries (184) and tied Love for the team-lead in rushing touchdowns (17), but with a healthy 6.9 yards per rush attempt, Love led the team with 1,125 rushing yards on 163 carries as a sophomore. That year redshirt sophomore Jadarian Price got a healthy secondary dose of his own, as well, logging 120 carries for 746 yards and seven touchdowns in the Irish’s three-headed rushing attack that took them to the College Football Playoff championship game.
With a new, more stationary quarterback under center for his junior year, Love saw a nice boost to his usage. Despite opening up his 2025 campaign with a season-low 33 yards in a loss to the Hurricanes, Love rattled off a few monster performances in games against Purdue (19 carries-157 rushing yards-2 rushing touchdowns), USC (24-228-1), Boston College (17-136-2), Pittsburgh (23-147-1), and Syracuse (8-171-3). In four fewer games than his sophomore season, Love tallied 199 carries for 1,372 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, all while redshirt junior Price still accounted for 113 carries for 674 yards and 11 touchdowns of his own.
In Dane Brugler of The Athletic’s midseason rankings of his top 50 draft prospects, Love registered at No. 5 overall as one of only two running backs to make the top 50 — the other being Price at No. 39. Love runs with a smooth yet explosive style. He displays impressive patience as he floats through the first level before exploding to the second. He finds several ways to be elusive and hard to bring down — his favorite of which tends to be the “Y” or “triangle” button on your controllers at home as he frequently attempts to put opponents on highlight reels with his hurdles.
He’s not a prolific pass catcher out of the backfield, but that doesn’t stop him from being dangerous once the ball is in his hands via checkdown or swing pass. He’ll have a lot of room to improve with pass pro at the next level, but few college rushers really come in as elite blockers. While ultimately, the efforts he and his teammates put on the field fell short of qualification for the College Football Playoff, Love’s efforts earned him a trip to New York as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, where he finished third in voting for the award behind Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Heisman-winner Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback out of Indiana.
Overall, there isn’t going to be much argument over who the best running back in this class is. Love finished the season 5th in the NCAA in rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns. At this point, it doesn’t look like there will be any debate over which running back will come off the board first. Instead, the question to posit will be exactly when Love’s name comes off the board in April.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
Top QB Prospect LaNorris Sellers To Return To South Carolina In 2026
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, one of the top draft-eligible college quarterbacks, will return to school for the 2026 college football season, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Sellers reached an agreement on an NIL deal with the school for his redshirt junior year that will keep him in Columbus – and out of the NFL – for at least one more year. He was viewed as one of the top quarterbacks eligible for the 2026 draft; now, he will likely join what is considered to be a loaded 2027 class.
Sellers, 20, is a two-year starter who burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2024. He dazzled with his dual-threat capabilities and earned plenty of recognition at the end of the season, including SEC Freshman of the Year, third-team All-SEC, and Freshman All-American honors. That positioned him as one of the top prospects to watch in 2025, but he regressed statistically and raised concerns about his readiness for the pros.
Though many early draft rankings – including those from Pro Football Focus, The Athletic, and multiple ESPN analysts – ranked Sellers as a top-five quarterback prospect in the 2026 class, some scouts and league insiders believe he would benefit from another year in college. Apparently, Sellers and his team at Equity Sports agree.
With the growing payouts of NIL deals, Sellers can continue to make money as a college quarterback while improving his perception in the NFL. Right now, he could be taken late in the first round or sometime on Day 2, but improving his stock could make him a surefire first-rounder and a potential top-10 pick, which could mean a difference of tens of millions of dollars on his rookie contract.
However, there is risk in Sellers’ decision. If he does not take a step forward next year, teams may hesitate to use a top draft pick on a quarterback who has not demonstrated the ability to develop from one season to the next.
As a result, 2026 will be crucial for Sellers’ ability to stand out among the rest of the 2027 quarterback class and raise his draft slot and earning potential.
Louisville’s Chris Bell Suffered Torn ACL
One of the draft’s top receiver prospects is recovering from a serious injury. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Pete Thamel, Louisville’s Chris Bell suffered a torn ACL in late November.
[RELATED: WRs Starting To Emerge From 2026 Draft Class]
Bell suffered the injury in a November 22 matchup against SMU. The wideout finished that contest with five receptions for 46 yards. He was sidelined for the team’s regular season finale against Kentucky, and we now know why. Schefter notes that the player is believed to have suffered a “clean” tear, and he’s set to undergo surgery this week.
The six-foot-two, 220-pound receiver earned first-team All-ACC honors this season after hauling in 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns. This was a breakout season for the Cardinals star, who entered the year with 1,249 receiving yards in 36 games at Louisville.
This is obviously a tough development for the NFL prospect, who was recently projected by ESPN’s Field Yates to be a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Yates cited the player’s size and “uncommon power and burst” as reasons for why he’d be highly touted in the draft. This latest development will surely hurt the receiver’s draft stock, and in an update, Yates notes that the injury will likely force Bell out of the first round. Still, considering the wideout’s upside, a team will still surely take a chance on him, perhaps even earlier than Day 3.
Ohio State’s Carnell Tate and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson are still expected to be the first receivers off the board, but Bell could have pushed to be the third player taken at his position. Instead, this injury will likely open the door for the likes of USC’s Makai Lemon and Washington’s Denzel Boston to be scooped up by WR-needy squads drafting later in the first round.
South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse Declares For 2026 Draft
Projected first-round pick South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse is declaring early for the 2026 NFL Draft, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
“I’m excited to fulfill my lifelong dream,” Cisse said (via Thamel). “It’s definitely been a special feeling. It’s something I prayed for my whole life.”
Cisse, 20, is a true junior and former three-star recruit who originally committed to North Carolina State. He lined up in dime packages as a freshman and took on a bigger role in 2023, leading to a transfer to South Carolina earlier this year.
The six-foot, 190-pound corner started every game for the Gamecocks this year and recorded 19 tackles, one interception, and five passes defended. Cisse’s production is not particularly exciting, but his age, athleticism, and coverage skills are. He has allowed catches on only 34.6% of his targets this season, per ESPN’s Jordan Reid, as part of a breakout season that has seen him shoot up big boards.
Many early draft rankings – including those from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Pro Football Focus, and ESPN’s Matt Miller – have him pegged as a first-round pick and one of the top cornerbacks available. Cisse’s youth gives him tremendous upside, so he could be viewed similarly to Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins, who was taken 29th overall in the 2024 draft.
Stock Still High For Texas QB Arch Manning
In the first few days following the 2025 NFL Draft, rumors were already abuzz that Texas quarterback Arch Manning was the favorite to follow in his uncles’ footsteps as the future No. 1 overall pick of the event in 2026. Months later, it became clear scouts had fallen out of love with the 2026 crop of passers, after expressing hope for improvement over last year’s. 
Several quarterbacks projected to emerge as stars failed to meet expectations early, and Manning was not spared from that group. It seemed as if Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza was the only early name who lived up to the hype, though he was joined by new standout starters Ty Simpson (Alabama) and Dante Moore (Oregon). According to Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, though, Manning’s stock hasn’t dropped nearly as much as you might think. In conversations with three college scouts and two NFL executives, all five evaluators told Vacchiano that Manning would still be a Day 1 pick; three of them said he’d still be QB1.
There are a couple factors at play here. Namely, Manning’s first season wasn’t nearly as bad as people may think, the 21-year-old still oozes talent and potential, and his last name still carries a lot of weight in the NFL.
Manning came into the 2025 season with sky-high expectations, mostly dictated by the media but also fueled by flashes of success shown in backup duty to Dolphins rookie Quinn Ewers. In his redshirt freshman year, a pair of performances in mop up duty against UTSA and as an injury replacement starter against Mississippi State, Manning showed what could be, completing 35 of 43 passes for a completion percentage of 81 and throwing for a combined 548 yards and six touchdowns in the two contests. As a result, many expected an immediate emergence as a Heisman-favorite when Manning was named the new starter.
There’s no way around it, the start of his first season as a starter was rough. Struggles against a tough Ohio State defense were to be expected, but when Manning’s issues carried over into intended cupcake games versus San Jose State and UTEP, cries of overrated began to fall. Eventually, though, Manning started to come around, churning out some strong performances over tougher teams as he got his feet wet. In three late-season games against Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, and Arkansas, Manning averaged 354 passing yards while throwing 10 touchdowns to one pick and completing 66 percent of his passes.
Vacchiano’s sources argue that Manning’s first season as a starter is only a disappointment when compared to the impossible expectations that had been set up for him before he was ever even named starter. Taking a step back and viewing the improvements that took place over time, Manning had a season most schools would be perfectly happy with.
In addition, Manning showed that he was learning to use so many of the tools that impressed scouts to begin with. He has a deceptive mobility — 244 rushing yards for eight touchdowns — given his prototypical quarterback frame at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds. There’s still plenty that needs polishing in Manning’s game, but at times this year, he displayed the arm, the legs, the head, and the overall ability to play quarterback at a high level.
NFL scouts and execs will view him the same way, too. Knowing there will be some wrinkles to iron out will do little to discourage some teams from adding a Manning to their franchise. Vacchiano quoted one executive telling him not to “underestimate the power of the Manning name.” He is viewed best as a project, though, not an NFL-ready product. Most seem to think he’d benefit best from sitting a year or two before starting à la Patrick Mahomes or Jordan Love. A dream scenario Vacchiano offered sees Rams head coach Sean McVay parking Manning behind Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles for a year or two.
Manning has until January 14 to declare for the draft as an underclassman, but ultimately, he is still expected to return to school for another year, at least. Some expect him to follow his family’s example and fully exhaust his collegiate eligibility, but others believe it’ll be hard to keep him from coming out in 2027 at the latest. If he were to make the decision to depart from Austin after just one year as the starter, though, he may just fulfill those early expectations of becoming a No. 1 overall pick after all.
NFL To Adjust First-Round Time Limit For 2026 Draft
The NFL draft has gone through numerous changes throughout its 90-year history. Another will adjust how much time teams have to make picks come April.
Rather than the usual 10-minute time limit for teams to make their first-round selections, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports there will be an eight-minute limit in 2026. This is being framed as a TV-geared adjustment, as last year’s first round ended at around 11:45pm on the east coast. Teams were on board with the change, per Schefter. Roger Goodell had mentioned this as a possibility in April.
This represents a second notable trim in pick time for teams’ top selections. In 2009, the league reduced teams’ time on the clock in Round 1 from 15 minutes to 10 minutes. That change came about because the league tried a two-day setup in which the first and second rounds unfolded on the draft’s first day and then Rounds 3-7 commenced on Day 2.
Even the 15-minute period brought memorable hiccups, as the 2003 draft showed when the Vikings missed their first-round pick. The Jaguars and Panthers jumped them in line, though Minnesota regrouped and chose tackle Bryant McKinnie at No. 9 following the snafu. In 2011, the Ravens — who had been negotiating a trade with the Bears — missed their first-round pick, which went to the Chiefs after Baltimore’s 10-minute clock expired. The Ravens ended up OK after that, drafting long-serving cornerback Jimmy Smith one pick later (No. 27).
This change to eight minutes will truncate teams’ time to pull off trades. Although trade parameters are regularly worked out before draft night — with some being agreed to before a team goes on the clock — they only represent framework due to clubs not knowing if coveted players will actually be on the board at the time their pick goes live. As more intel on teams’ processes while on the clock surfaces each year, it will be interesting to know if the new time limit will make an impact.
This change is less significant than the 15-minute to 10-minute switch 16 years ago, and the 2010 draft broke up the format for TV purposes by dividing the draft into a three-day event — rather than the two-day run that had been in place for many years. The draft has also seen its place on the calendar fluctuate, with the event not settling into its April slot until 1976. It had previously been held in January and then during the season in prior years.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)
Clemson DT Peter Woods To Enter 2026 Draft
After a stellar run as a three-year starter at Clemson, defensive tackle Peter Woods is on his way to the pros. Woods announced that he’ll enter the 2026 NFL Draft.
[RELATED: Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order]
Woods could have remained with the Tigers in 2026, but he’ll forgo his senior year after earning first-team All-ACC honors this season. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder put up 30 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, and two sacks in 12 games in 2025. With 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, he logged even stronger numbers across 11 games last year.
While plenty could change between now and April’s draft, Woods is currently considered a slam dunk to go somewhere in the first round. ESPN ranks the 20-year-old as the third-best player and top defensive tackle in the class.
Woods is versatile enough to line up inside or outside, and with 42 hurries, he showed the ability to disrupt quarterbacks in college. Although Matt Miller of ESPN notes that Woods didn’t produce great sack numbers at Clemson, his “position-specific traits” may make him a top 10 pick.
Mason Graham, the fifth overall selection of the Browns, was the first defensive tackle to come off the board in the 2025 draft. Woods could follow in Graham’s footsteps as a top five pick next spring.
Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. Declares For Draft
Anthony Hill Jr. will be among the prospects available in April’s draft. Per an announcement from the Texas linebacker, he has elected to turn pro. 
As a true junior, Hill could have remained in place with the Longhorns for 2026. Instead, that year will represent his rookie season in the NFL. Hill will no doubt be among the top options at the linebacker spot during the pre-draft process.
In 2023, Hill emerged as a key presence on Texas’ defense, making 14 appearances and six starts. He was named Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and also took home Freshman All-American honors. Expectations were raised in Hill’s case for his follow-up seasons with the Longhorns moving to the SEC, and he delivered.
The 6-3, 238-pounder filled the statsheet during Texas’ run to the CFP semifinals in 2024. Hill totaled a team-leading 113 stops, along with 16.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and four forced fumbles. That production led to a number of accolades, including first-team All-SEC and All-American honors. Hill remained highly impactful against both the run and pass in 2025, although a broken hand left him sidelined for the final two games of the season.
Now, Hill’s attention will turn to the pre-draft process. If things go well on that front, he could be one of the top defensive prospects in the 2026 class. There is of course plenty of time for things to change, but for the time being Hill is ranked 33rd overall by ESPN and fourth in terms of linebackers.