- Three offensive deal with prospects already mission as first-rounders: Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Utah’s Spencer Fano need not do rather more in 2025 to strengthen their draft shares.
- The 2026 large receiver class’ PFF grades are decrease than we’re used to: Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson leads the way in which after incomes an 83.3 mark final season, however Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt is the one different receiver on PFF’s 10 large receivers to know checklist who topped 80.0.
- Subscribe to PFF+: Get entry to participant grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy soccer rankings, all the PFF fantasy draft analysis instruments and extra!
Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes
PFF grades could be a nice indicator of the general strengths and weaknesses of a draft class. Though it is not an actual science, a place group with greater grades tends to be extra potential-heavy than people who carry out at decrease ranges.
Let’s have a look at some early positional strengths and weaknesses for the 2026 NFL Draft, utilizing PFF grades as a place to begin.
QUARTERBACK
[Read More: 10 quarterbacks to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
The 2026 NFL Draft is affected by high-potential quarterbacks, however many are “in principle” gamers proper now. Of the ten quarterbacks on PFF’s “names to know” checklist, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik leads the way in which with an 87.7 PFF passing grade from 2024. Garrett Nussmeier, Sam Leavitt and Carson Beck additionally recorded PFF passing grades above 80.0, however every comes with drawbacks, too.
Cade Klubnik’s Career PFF Grades
Nussmeier racked up turnover-worthy performs in 2024, Beck was dangerous beneath stress and Leavitt wasn’t requested to win along with his arm very a lot. Arch Manning additionally earned an 80.0-plus PFF passing grade, albeit on a really small pattern dimension.
The quarterback who may take the most important lead is South Carolina‘s LaNorris Sellers, however his 70.6 PFF passing grade in 2024 ranked tied for 82nd amongst FBS quarterbacks. It’s an intriguing group, however it’s arduous to say whether or not it’s a power or weak spot proper now. Too a lot must play out.
Strength or Weakness: Undecided
RUNNING BACK
[Read More: 10 running backs to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
The early projected names within the 2026 working again class enter the 2025 season with robust PFF grades. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love earned a 91.8 PFF speeding grade final season — tied for the fifth-best mark within the FBS — and is the early RB1 within the 2026 NFL Draft. Makhi Hughes additionally earned an elite speeding grade at Tulane final season (90.9); we’ll see if he can replicate that manufacturing at Oregon.
Kaytron Allen, Nicholas Singleton, Darius Taylor, Jonah Coleman and Le’Veon Moss from PFF’s 10 working backs to know article all recorded 80.0-plus PFF speeding grades in 2024. But Love, Coleman and West Virginia’s Jahiem White have been the one ones on that checklist to common greater than 0.25 compelled missed tackles per try. This group’s effectivity metrics have been usually decrease than perfect, so it looks like a down yr for the place.
Strength or Weakness: Weakness
WIDE RECEIVER
[Read More: 10 wide receivers to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
If trying solely at 2024 PFF receiving grades, the 2026 large receiver class isn’t as robust as we’re used to. Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson leads the way in which after incomes an 83.3 mark final season, with Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt being the one different receiver on PFF’s 10 large receivers to know checklist who topped 80.0.
Ohio State’s Carnell Tate may engineer the most important soar in PFF grade with Emeka Egbuka now off to the NFL. We know the league covets big-time playmakers within the passing recreation, and the place is large open for unheralded gamers to soar up the rankings, even to WR1, in what seems to be a down yr for the place.
Strength or Weakness: Weakness
TIGHT END
[Read More: 10 tight ends to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
Though the 2026 tight finish class doesn’t characteristic family names like final yr, it is an intriguing group with excessive PFF grades. Among PFF’s high 10 tight ends to know for the 2026 NFL Draft, Eli Stowers, Jack Endries, Tanner Koziol and Max Klare all earned 80.0-plus PFF receiving grades.
Highest-Graded FBS Tight Ends in 2024
All however Stowers are with new programs this season, and two consecutive years of success at two completely different spots would enhance the outlook of this group. Georgia’s Oscar Delp and Lawson Luckie, in addition to Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, may be risers. There will not be two top-20 tight ends like within the 2025 NFL Draft, however it seems to be a deep class.
Strength or Weakness: Strength
OFFENSIVE TACKLE
[Read More: 10 offensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
Three offensive tackles already mission to be first-rounders in 2026: Kadyn Proctor, Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano. Fano leads the way in which with an elite 93.0 PFF general grade final season, powered by a 93.6 PFF run-blocking grade. He recorded a 21%-plus affect block price whereas maintaining his negatively graded run-block price under 10%.
Proctor recorded a 72.4 PFF general grade in his second season as Alabama’s left deal with, whereas Mauigoa earned a 71.7 mark as Miami’s proper deal with. Both have been five-star recruits within the 2023 class and are scheduled to be first-rounders on account of their sky-high potential.
Strength or Weakness: Strength
OFFENSIVE GUARD
[Read More: 10 offensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
The 2026 guard class leaves lots to be desired proper now.
Texas A&M’s Ar’maj Reed-Adams is the one participant from PFF’s early high 10 checklist who earned an 80.0-plus PFF general grade final season (82.3). Alabama’s Jaeden Roberts, one of many strongest gamers within the nation, posted only a 69.1 mark after permitting a career-high 11 pressures and getting tagged with 4 penalties. Missouri‘s Cayden Green was stable in each key aspects, incomes 73.0-plus PFF run- and pass-blocking grades, however isn’t a standout participant but.
Overall, this is perhaps one of many weaker place teams within the class except a brand new title emerges.
Strength or Weakness: Weakness
CENTER
[Read More: 10 offensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
Florida‘s Jake Slaughter leads the way in which by PFF general grade amongst facilities heading into the 2025 season. He is the one returning Power Four heart to have recorded 80.0-plus PFF run- and pass-blocking grades in 2024.
Iowa‘s Logan Jones was additionally stable, incomes an 83.6 PFF general grade in 2024, however he might have missed out by not declaring for final yr’s draft. Oregon’s Iapani Laloulu may stand up boards, as he earned an 80.6 PFF pass-blocking grade and allowed solely 4 quarterback hits and no sacks on greater than 500 pass-blocking snaps final season.
Then there are some acquainted faces. Each of Missouri’s Connor Tollison, Alabama’s Parker Brailsford and Kansas’ Bryce Foster was draft-eligible however opted to return for the 2025 season. I wouldn’t say heart is a power of the 2026 class, however it might be first rate.
Strength or Weakness: Undecided
EDGE DEFENDER
[Read More: 10 defensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
It’s early, however the edge defender group is spectacular from high to backside. LT Overton, Tyreak Sapp, Derrick Moore and Dani Dennis-Sutton are returning gamers whose 2024 tape was ok for every to be picked within the first 4 rounds at worst, many a lot greater.
Clemson’s T.J. Parker is the brand new title on the high of the checklist. He earned an 87.7 PFF general grade in 2024, a top-20 determine amongst greater than 500 qualifying FBS edge defenders. He additionally posted 80.0-plus PFF pass-rush and run-defense grades. Auburn‘s Keldric Faulk is a high-floor run defender whose 23 run stops ranked tied for 14th amongst FBS edge defenders in 2024. Indiana‘s Mikail Kamara earned an 88.5 PFF pass-rush grade in a profession yr.
This seems to be one of many 2026 NFL Draft’s strongest place teams.
Strength or Weakness: Strength
Interior Defender
[Read More: 10 defensive linemen to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
Clemson’s Peter Woods is a first-time draft-eligible participant who earned an 83.8 PFF general grade in 2024 and might play nearly each place on the defensive position. Alabama’s Tim Keenan III garnered a 90.1 PFF run-defense grade final season, even on the Crimson Tide’s crowded defensive position.
Cincinnati‘s Dontay Corleone is again for one more season, and although he didn’t submit an elite PFF run-defense grade in 2024 like he had in years previous, he’s nonetheless able to wreaking that sort of havoc. Similar to the sting defenders, the inside defender class appears to make up one of many strongest place teams within the early 2026 NFL Draft scouting course of.
Strength or Weakness: Strength
LINEBACKER
[Read More: 10 linebackers to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
Several newly draft-eligible prospects headline the 2026 linebacker class. Texas A&M’s Taurean York (considered one of my favourite prospects up to now), Kansas State‘s Austin Romaine and Texas’ Anthony Hill Jr. may very nicely be the primary linebackers drafted.
Romaine boasted the very best PFF general grade of the group final season (90.1), adopted by Notre Dame’s Drayk Bowen (80.7). Then there are the undersized speedsters from Pittsburgh in Kyle Louis and Rasheem Biles, who earned 83.4 and 82.9 PFF general grades, respectively. Most of the linebacker class graded very nicely in run protection however fared worse in protection. The group’s efficiency within the latter will inform us whether or not it is a place of power or weak spot within the 2026 NFL Draft.
Strength or Weakness: Undecided
CORNERBACK
[Read More: 10 cornerbacks to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
This yr’s cornerback class seems good on paper. Tennessee‘s Jermod McCoy recorded an elite PFF protection grade final season as a real sophomore. He tore his ACL in January however needs to be again sooner or later in 2025. Duke’s Chandler Rivers earned a powerful 89.8 PFF protection grade, rating eighth amongst practically 500 qualifying FBS cornerbacks.
Texas’ Malik Muhammad recorded a 71.8 PFF protection grade however will now have the prospect to step right into a full-time beginning position. Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, NFL cornerback A.J. Terrell’s youthful brother, earned a 77.7 PFF protection grade final season to rank eighth amongst ACC cornerbacks. Finally, Penn State’s A.J. Harris sported an 81.3 PFF protection grade in his first yr with the Nittany Lions after transferring from Georgia.
I like how the 2026 cornerback class is shaping up. It might be one of many higher place teams.
Strength or Weakness: Strength
SAFETY
[Read More: 10 safeties to know for the 2026 NFL Draft]
The security class boasts maybe the No. 1 general participant within the class: Ohio State‘s Caleb Downs, who has recorded 85.0-plus PFF general grades at two faculties in every of the previous two seasons.
Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman earned a near-elite 89.5 PFF protection grade as a real freshman at Purdue however took a step again final yr. Michigan‘s Rod Moore is a top-tier athlete for the place when wholesome. Texas’ Michael Taaffe, a former walk-on, earned an 84.4 PFF general grade as a starter final season, putting fifth amongst SEC safeties. Duke‘s Terry Moore recorded a 90.1 PFF general grade to rank second amongst all FBS safeties.
The security place is a sneakily robust group within the 2026 NFL Draft.
Strength or Weakness: Strength