Not all legends of Saturday will be first-round picks, so we created a list of the most impactful college football players aiming to make an NFL Draft splash
By Brandon Marcello Apr 20, 2026 at 11:18 am ET • 13 min read 
Getty Images The NFL Draft is a projection based on talent, measurables and production. That doesn't always mean college football's most productive players are Day 1 selections.
While NFL general managers make multi-million dollar decisions — and gambles — based on "measureables" and "traits," diehard college football fans know that the best players on Saturday aren't always the first names called on Thursday night.
So, we're conducting a different type of mock draft here today at CBS Sports. We opted instead to examine the best draft-eligible players from college football based strictly on their production and achievements on the field. It's a rewards system for the winners, stat-pilers and legends who defined the last three-plus years of the sport.
The NFL Draft rewards potential. We reward production.
Obviously, college production doesn't always translate into the NFL, which is why scouting and projections based on talent and skill are so important for NFL general managers making multi-million-dollar decisions. The same can be said for the high school recruiters in college football.
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The NFL Draft is also a celebratory farewell of the big names that defined college football, but let's not forget those men who may not hear their names called in the early rounds.
Transformative players like quarterback Diego Pavia, who lifted Vanderbilt and New Mexico State to new heights, will not be first-round picks, yet he is definitely a factor on this list despite not possessing the measurables of a prototypical NFL quarterback. It also means projected top-five selections like Ohio State pass rusher Arvell Reese, who exploded in his final season and has a high ceiling in the pros, will not be found here because he's lacking a three-year career arc.
If you want to know who has the highest ceiling, check the mock drafts. If you want to know who owned the sport on Saturdays over the course of their career, read on.
These are the 32 most impactful college players aiming to make a difference in the NFL.
1. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The only back-to-back unanimous All-American in this year's draft, Caleb Downs was a superstar the moment he stepped on campus, starting with his SEC Freshman of the Year campaign at Alabama in 2023. He won a national championship at Ohio State in 2024, securing a win vs. Texas with an interception and also returning a punt 79 yards against Indiana. He has the best career defensive numbers in this class, with more than 250 career tackles, six interceptions and two punt returns for touchdowns. Super. Star.
2. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
The Virginia transfer was a stat-eater at Texas Tech, where he swept the Bednarik, Nagurski, Butkus and Lombardi Awards last season. Only two other players in history have won three of those awards in the same year. He got four. He had 316 career tackles and forced 13 fumbles, including an NCAA single-season record with seven last season. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting and helped lead the Red Raiders to a Big 12 title.
3. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner led Indiana to its first national championship with a 16-0 record, throwing for 41 touchdowns against only six interceptions while completing 72% of his throws. He was transcendent. He was also phenomenal at Cal, though it took Curt Cignetti and Co. to tap into his full potential with a wealth of veteran talent around him -- and one of the best staffs in the country. He threw for 8,257 yards in three seasons.
4. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The mainstay of Notre Dame's offense over the last three seasons, he led the Irish to the national championship in 2024 and also won the Doak Walker Award last season as the nation's best running back. He broke Jerome Bettis' single-season record at Notre Dame with 21 touchdowns last season. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry and ran for 2,882 yards across three seasons.
5. Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
The Heisman Trophy runner-up transformed two football programs — New Mexico State and Vanderbilt — and may have changed the trajectory of SEC cellar-dweller Vanderbilt, which is recruiting like never before, thanks in part to the Pavia Effect. He threw for 5,832 yards and ran for another 1,663 across two seasons at Vanderbilt, garnering SEC Player of the Year and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards in 2025. He was also the 2023 Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year at NMSU, where he led an upset of Auburn on the road. He'll forever be remembered as a legend in college football circles.
6. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
The right tackle started all 42 career games at Miami and almost always received elite blocking grades. He was a consensus All-American in 2025 and was named the ACC's top blocker while leading all right tackles in the FBS with a pass-block grade of 87, according to Pro Football Focus. He was named a Freshman All-American by 247Sports in 2023. He embodied everything Mario Cristobal wants in the beefy Miami offensive line.
7. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
No one was playing better last season at defensive end than Rueben Bain Jr., particularly in the playoffs, as he earned consensus All-American honors and was named the nation's top DE with the Ted Hendricks Award. He was credited with 83 total pressures, the most in the FBS since 2017. He finished his career with 20.5 sacks across three seasons and was at his best during the four-game run to the national championship game with five total sacks. Split this man out wide and let him tee off. Not many tackles can slow him.
8. Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
The two-time All-American started three pivotal years just as Texas got things back on track with playoff-caliber seasons. He finished with 249 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and forced eight fumbles to go along with three interceptions during his career. He was a hit from the start, garnering All-American honors and Big 12 honors as a freshman in 2023. As Texas transitioned to the SEC, he led the conference with 16 tackles for loss in 2024.
9. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The prototypical Buckeye, he started at safety and linebacker, won a national title and earned All-American honors in his final season with 82 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. Sonny Styles arrived at Ohio State a year earlier than expected, reclassifying to start his college career early in 2022. He moved to linebacker ahead of Ohio State's national championship season in 2024 and was immediately a hit, recording a career-best 100 tackles and six sacks.
10. Logan Jones, C, Iowa
The ultimate Iowa offensive lineman, Jones arrived at Iowa as a defensive tackle before a knee injury led to a position change. The rest is history. He stepped in for other injured starters at center in 2022 and never gave up the job. He started 50 games across four seasons at center and won the Rimington Trophy while picking up unanimous All-American honors for the Hawkeyes last season.
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11. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Utah's beast was a three-year starter along the most physical offensive line in the Big 12 (and, previously, the Pac-12). He allowed zero sacks on 382 passing snaps last season, and Utah led the nation with an incredible 6 yards per carry on the ground. Fano took home the Outland Trophy in 2025 and was named the Big 12's Offensive Lineman of the Year.
12. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
The three-time All-American was phenomenal at Oregon and Purdue, earning freshman of the year honors from multiple publications in 2023, and is the only defensive player ever to win five player of the week awards during a single season in the Big Ten. He picked off eight passes in three years, including six at Purdue in 2023 as a freshman, which was a record, and finished his career with 306 tackles. He sealed Oregon's win at Penn State last season with an interception in double overtime.
13. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
He didn't allow a single touchdown on 357 coverage snaps last season at LSU, his only year at the program. He spent three years at Virginia Tech, earning FWAA Freshman All-America honors in 2022. He started in 40 of 44 career games, picked off eight passes, forced four turnovers and defended 41 passes. He'll be a high pick in the NFL Draft after earning unanimous All-American honors last season.
14. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
One of the anchors of Texas Tech's elite defense, he co-led the nation with 14.5 sacks last season, his only year with the Red Raiders. Remember, he was great in three previous seasons at Stanford. He earned True Freshman All-American honors from 247Sports in 2022. Since 2023, he led the FBS with a pressure rate of 21.6%. No one was better over those three years, which is why Tech went after him so hard in the transfer portal a year ago.
15. Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State
Penn State's all-time leader in all-purpose yards (5,586 yards), rushing touchdowns (45) and total touchdowns (55) across a decorated four-year career, Singleton was the face of a program that was too often in the headlines because of what it couldn't achieve because of shortcomings at other skill positions. He eclipsed 1,000 yards in two seasons and was a consistent threat in the passing game, catching 102 career passes for 987 yards and nine touchdowns.
Getty Images 16. D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
The three-time All-American transitioned from James Madison to Indiana with ease, leading the Big Ten in passes defended last season as the undefeated Hoosiers won the national title. He was the defensive MVP in the Rose and Peach bowls during the title run. Ponds was rated among the nation's best cornerbacks in power football in both seasons at Indiana, according to PFF grades, and allowed only a 42 passer rating when targeted last season. At James Madison, he ranked 11th nationally with 15 passes defended as a freshman.
17. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Howell terrorized quarterbacks in two conferences, jumping from the MAC to the SEC, where he became only the 11th unanimous All-American in Texas A&M history. His best season? Not at Bowling Green. He had an incredible 41 pressures and 11.5 sacks at Texas A&M last season, his second year as a starter for the Aggies. He previously co-led the MAC with 9.5 sacks in 2023.
18. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
The four-year starter earned all-conference or All-America honors in all four seasons as a starter at Clemson, where he set the school record with 54 straight starts. Durable, dependable and elite, he played more than 2,800 snaps in his career at Clemson. That's hard to replicate in college football, especially across four straight seasons.
19. Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech
He played six seasons in a career that spanned two schools, ending with ACC Player of the Year honors in 2025. King threw for 9,486 yards and 65 touchdowns in a career that blossomed at Georgia Tech after three years at Texas A&M. He rushed for 36 of his 37 touchdowns at Tech, where the Yellow Jackets emerged as an ACC contender under coach Brent Key.
20. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
The Bilentikoff Award winner and unanimous All-American led all power conference players in receiving (1,156 yards) and was productive across his three-year career, catching 137 passes for 2,008 yards and 14 touchdowns. He finished 2025 as the top-rated receiver in the FBS, according to PFF. He was also an important contributor on special teams for the Trojans.
Getty Images 21. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Tate always seemed primed to be an elite receiver, but even the great ones have a difficult time unseating others at Ohio State, the unquestioned WRU over the last five seasons. Tate finally broke through over the last two seasons, earning All-American honors while combining to catch 103 passes for 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns. That's quite the jump from his 18-catch freshman season in 2023. And yet he – well, everyone – played second fiddle to the sensational Jeremiah Smith.
22. Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
Slaughter was one of the bright spots from the last two seasons of disappointment at Florida. He allowed only two sacks over the last two years, earning All-America honors twice and a finalist nod for the Rimington Trophy in 2025. He played in 51 games across five seasons – all at Florida – and started 33 games.
23. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
A six-year player who blossomed at Miami after transferring from West Virginia, Mesidor deserves his flowers for a fantastic college career. He tied for third in the FBS with 12.5 sacks last season, despite teammate Rueben Bain Jr. sucking the air out of the offensive backfield with his elite pass-rushing moves. He started his career in 2020 at West Virginia and earned Freshman All-America honors while also being recognized on the All-Big 12 team. His 2023 season was cut short with ligament damage in both feet, but he reemerged at Miami, starting 28 straight games in a two-year span that included 18 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss.
24. Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
Ioane was the centerpiece of an elite offensive line at Penn State, which paved the way for the school's most productive rushing duo in history (Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen). He started multiple years, culminating with first-team All-America honors last season.
25. KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
He needed only three years to prove himself as one of the most dependable and explosive players in college football, earning All-American honors in two of those three years and picking up the Paul Hornung Award as the nation's most versatile player in 2025. He led Texas A&M with 919 receiving yards to go along with nine touchdowns, and also returned two punts for touchdowns, tying for third in the FBS. He emerged as a freshman at NC State, catching a team-high 71 passes for 839 yards in 2023.
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26. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
The former 5-star signee never did get that national title he was aiming for when he came back to Alabama after a brief spring at Iowa two years ago, but he made his mark with All-SEC honors in all three years with the Tide. The left tackle peaked with second-team AP All-America honors last season and was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. He even got to touch the ball, lining up in the backfield in jumbo packages. He had five carries for 16 yards, and three were for first downs.
27. T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson
He slipped a bit last season at Clemson, but Parker was extremely productive in his first two years. He earned freshman All-American honors in 2023, setting a school record with 12.5 tackles for loss. He exploded with 19.5 TFLs and 11 sacks, and forced an insane six fumbles in 2024. He earned honorable mention All-ACC honors with 9.5 TFLs and five sacks last season.
28. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
He made the most of his three years at Oregon, breaking out last season with 51 catches for 560 yards and eight touchdowns, which led all FBS tight ends in scores. He was named the Big Ten's tight end of the year and earned second-team All-American honors from three outlets while also garnering a finalist nod for the Mackey Award last season.
29. Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
The mid-round prospect was fantastic in his final two seasons at Pitt. He earned AP All-American honors in 2024 after leading the Panthers with 15.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and four interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown. He also blocked an extra point, which he returned for two points. He followed that up with 8.5 TFLs, three sacks, two interceptions and 3 pass breakups last season.
30. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
He would be much higher on this list if he were able to stay healthy at Colorado and Arizona State. Still, he was a two-time All-American (third team) and was the Big 12's Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2024 with 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns as Arizona State made its surprising run into the CFP. He missed time at Colorado (2022) and Arizona State (2024, 2025) due to injuries, and yet he finished his career with 2,282 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns.
31. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
He practically started from Day 1 at Auburn and didn't disappoint, earning All-SEC and All-Freshman honors in 2023 to begin a career that was overshadowed by the disastrous Hugh Freeze era. He was versatile, too, breaking up four passes with his long arms at the line of scrimmage last season. He blossomed in 2024, his second season and first as a full-time starter, finishing with 11 TFLs and seven sacks.
32. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
Jacas made history at Illinois. He broke through the ceiling as the first true freshman in program history to earn All-American honors (FWAA) and followed that up with back-to-back all-conference performances, including the 11-sack campaign in which he led the Big Ten in 2025. He finished his career ranked second in Illini history with 27 sacks. He was impressive at the Senior Bowl
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