Jordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN and can be heard hosting on ESPN Radio. Raanan joined ESPN in 2016.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Former New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul doesn’t hesitate. He owns that Fourth of July accident 10 years ago that cost him “2½” fingers — the same as he does each of his 94.5 career sacks.
He has no choice but to be reminded of it when putting on a dress shirt and reaching for a button — or when he reminisces about a career he hopes is not over.
“I wouldn’t want my kids to go through something I went through. … I learned from it,” Pierre-Paul told ESPN in a phone conversation last week. “At the end of the day, I’m a big person, but this happened to me. It could happen to anybody.
“So put it out there. What’s to be embarrassed about? There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s just you live and learn from it.”
Pierre-Paul was lighting fireworks he’d purchased for a neighborhood party in Deerfield Beach, Florida, that Independence Day evening in 2015. He was having trouble lighting the last batch, and when it finally discharged, it was at the cost of Pierre-Paul’s right hand.
He remembers being on the verge of fainting because he was losing so much blood while being driven by a friend to nearby Broward Health North Hospital. After seeing the insides of his hand under the light inside the hospital, he told doctors, “Don’t cut my hand off!”
Pierre-Paul had his right index finger amputated after the accident. Despite wondering whether his Giants career was over, he managed to return for eight games in the 2015 season. Al Bello/Getty Images
Pierre-Paul had his right index finger amputated. Despite wondering whether his Giants career was over, he managed to return for eight games in the 2015 season. He played two more seasons in New York, logging a total of 16.5 sacks in the three years that followed his injury.
“In absolutely no way did we think he would play,” former Giants vice president of player personnel Marc Ross said. “He’s a medical marvel, really.”
Pierre-Paul went on to have a double-digit sack season in 2018 with the Editor’s Picks
Pierre-Paul’s dad, Jean, lost his sight not long after his son was born. It hasn’t stopped him from living a happy and productive life. Pierre-Paul said that helped keep everything in perspective following the fireworks accident.
Now, it’s about learning from his mistakes and passing that knowledge down to the next generation. His kids don’t play with fireworks. If he has anything to say about it, they never will.
“I tell [Josiah] straight up, ‘You got 10 fingers, right?'” Pierre-Paul said. “He says, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Well, you want to stay with them? Once they’re gone, you can’t replace them.'”
Pierre-Paul continues to do speaking engagements and talks about the dangers of fireworks. He views that as part of his purpose.
He said he’s been talking with the cousin of former teammate and NFL cornerback Marcus Peters after he had a similar fireworks accident and lost four fingers. Peters connected the two and they now talk regularly, Pierre-Paul says.
“My message to kids is you never know how life is going to go,” he said. “Don’t put yourself in a predicament that you’re going to regret later.”
Pierre-Paul said there is no regret on his part. But he does sometimes wonder what his career would have been like if the accident had not happened. Would he have more than 100 career sacks? (He currently sits at 94.5.) More Pro Bowls and Super Bowls?
Getting to 100 sacks matters to Pierre-Paul, who is still training to play despite not being with a team in 2024. He says he works as hard now at 36 as he did a decade ago, waiting for that call from a team willing to give him a chance.
Once unable to hang straight from a pull-up bar, he says he’s now doing 25 to 30 pull-ups easily.
Pierre-Paul still believes he can help a team, that he can be a veteran closer.
“I can still do it,” he said.
If he had the opportunity to do it for a Giants team that drafted him in the first round out of USF in 2010, it would be something he welcomed — a full-circle moment.
“I think that’ll be dope. Tremendous,” Pierre-Paul said. “To go back somewhere where my career started … the fans know me and know the type of player that I am. I’ll always be that type of player and just give ’em everything I got, which I know it’ll be more than enough.”
The accident a decade ago is something Pierre-Paul carries with him, but he remains focused on the opportunity to try to get back and be the best version of his self.
“I got 7½ fingers. You’re still living,” he said. “You get an opportunity every day to take that deep breath, taste that nice drink you want to taste? Getting a glass of milk or having coffee in the morning, whatever is your thing.
“You get another chance of it every day. So why not be great at what you got going on?”
Kris Rhim is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Kris covers the Los Angeles Chargers, including coach Jim Harbaugh’s franchise-altering first season ( In Kris’ free time, he lives his NBA dreams at men’s leagues across Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Chargers safety Rodney Harrison will be the 36th player inducted into the team’s hall of fame, the organization announced Monday.
Harrison’s enshrinement will come during halftime of the Chargers’ Week 8 game against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, Oct. 23.
The Chargers selected Harrison in the fifth round of the 1994 draft. In his first season the Chargers made the franchise’s only Super Bowl appearance, losing to the San Francisco 49ers 49-26.
Harrison spent nine of his 15 NFL seasons with the Chargers, evolving from a special teams contributor into one of the NFL’s best safeties and gaining fame for his hard hits, earning the moniker “The Hitman.”
this one’s for the hitman pic.twitter.com/8xHOMLlNVO
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 30, 2025
He racked up 21.5 sacks during his time with the Chargers, the most in franchise history by a defensive back, and 26 interceptions — ranking third among Chargers defenders and first among safeties. He also made two Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 1998.
“Rodney personified an era of Chargers football defined by physicality, emotion, relentless effort, toughness and grit,” president of football operations John Spanos said in a statement. “For nearly a decade, he gave everything he had to the Chargers, establishing a standard of accountability and setting the bar for competitive greatness.”
The Chargers created their hall of fame in 1976, which includes coaches, a former general manager and part owners. Tight end Antonio Gates is the most recent player inductee, earning the honor in 2023. Former majority owners Alex and Faye Spanos were inducted in 2024.
“What I remember most about Rodney is his incredible toughness,” former head coach Bobby Ross said in a statement. “He was a hard-hitting, relentless safety — fearless in every sense of the word. He had all the tools: speed, instincts, and range — but what separated him was that physical edge, that toughness you don’t always see, even among the best. He stood out from day one.”
Following the 2002 season, the Chargers released Harrison. He went on to sign a six-year deal in February 2003 with the New England Patriots, where he played six more seasons, won two Super Bowls and was a two-time All-Pro.
Bill Barnwell is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com. He analyzes football on and off the field like no one else on the planet, writing about in-season X’s and O’s, offseason transactions and so much more.
He is the host of the Bill Barnwell Show podcast, with episodes released weekly. Barnwell joined ESPN in 2011 as a staff writer at Grantland.
It’s time to bestow a new honor on a handful of NFL legends. While many of these players do great work on the field, I’m happy to finally give them the credit they deserve for what they’ve done in fighting some of the most penurious people on the planet: NFL team owners. It’s time to induct the inaugural class of players into the Bag Hall of Fame (BHOF).
Now, I need to be very clear here. This isn’t an attempt to honor players who were overpaid or didn’t deserve the money they made during their time in the NFL. I’d reject that concept in principle: Just about every player, past or present, was or is underpaid relative to the risks they take by playing professional football. There’s no fun in poking at backup quarterbacks who were able to collect checks while rarely stepping on the field.
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Instead, I want to reward the players who did the best job of maximizing their leverage and getting paid for their ability. Players who pushed holdouts to the next level. Players who bet on themselves and were handsomely rewarded for doing so. Players who even managed to represent themselves in negotiations and pocket millions of dollars that would have otherwise gone to an agent.
For this first class, the selection committee (me) is inducting eight players into what will surely one day be a physical Hall of Fame. Most of the players are still active, but they’ve already done enough to earn their way into the BHOF without a five-year waiting period. Many of them have won Super Bowls, and a handful are either in the Pro Football Hall of Fame or should end up in Canton someday. That Hall of Fame, though, won’t be the only institution honoring them for their work. Here’s our first class of players:
Jump to a Bag Hall of Famer: Kirk Cousins | Joe Flacco Dak Prescott | Jalen Ramsey Darrelle Revis | Deion Sanders Matthew Stafford | Laremy Tunsil
Cousins signed a second franchise tag for just under $24 million. After the year, Washington traded for Alex Smith, signaling the end of the Cousins era. It netted a third-round compensatory pick and turned that into running back Bryce Love and guard Wes Martin, who started a combined 10 NFL games. Thirteen different quarterbacks started at least one game for Washington between Cousins’ departure and the arrival of Jayden Daniels last season, a stretch in which it went 36-62-1.
Quarterbacks in their 20s with a track record of above-average play and no significant injury history almost never hit free agency, which gave Cousins the ability to dictate terms on the open market. With significant interest from multiple teams, he chose the Vikings over the Jets on what was a massive deal at the time — three years and $84 million, $82.5 million of which was fully guaranteed. Cousins also landed a no-trade clause and a no-transition tag clause, allowing him to hit free agency again unless the Vikings franchised or extended him.
The Vikings chose to extend Cousins in 2020, giving him another $31 million in guarantees for an additional season in 2021. The following year saw the new Kwesi Adofo-Mensah-led regime pay him $35 million for another year, using the new deal to reduce what had become an onerous cap hit for the signal-caller. Only after 2023, when Cousins tore his Achilles during one of the best seasons of his career, did the Vikings finally extricate themselves, replacing Cousins with Sam Darnold and first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.
Given one more shot at unrestricted free agency as a viable starter, Cousins quickly inked a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons. Atlanta’s aggressive decision seemed bizarre when it used its first-round pick on Michael Penix Jr. the following month, but Cousins was well-protected. His deal was essentially a one-year pact for $90 million, a two-year deal for $100 million or a three-year contract for $135 million.
With the Falcons promoting Penix to the starting job amid Cousins’ struggles last season, it seems likely they’ll choose the two-year option. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cousins landed some guaranteed money from another team in 2026 if he returns for another season, but even if he retires, he has become the best-compensated free agent in league history. Most of the highest-paid players ever — such as Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson — earned the majority of their money from extensions with the teams who drafted them or signed new deals after being traded elsewhere. Cousins, currently the sixth-highest-paid player in league history, will finish this Falcons deal having earned more than $285 million from teams that signed him as an unrestricted free agent.
While the salary cap will eventually grow to the point where that figure is topped, the only other player in the same stratosphere in terms of earning money as a free agent (and the extensions that followed) is Drew Brees, who made more than $256 million after signing with the Saints. The only other players who topped $100 million in earnings from teams that signed them as free agents are Ryan Tannehill ($123.4 million) and Ndamukong Suh ($104 million). Is Cousins going to be a Hall of Famer like Brees or Rodgers one day? No. Does he belong in the Bag Hall of Fame? There can be no doubt.
Prescott got everything he wanted and more. He received a four-year, $160 million deal with that $40 million average annual salary. By never signing the tag and limiting his new deal to four years, he got a chance to hit free agency again after his age-31 season, still firmly in the peak years for quarterbacks. And crucially, his new deal had no-tag and no-trade clauses, meaning he would potentially have even more leverage at the end of this contract.
Sure enough, after Prescott finished second in MVP balloting in 2023, the Cowboys had little choice but to give their long-term starter a record-setting deal. Prescott’s next four-year deal was for a whopping $240 million, with records for average annual salary ($60 million), most single-season cash ($86.3 million), cash over the first three years ($174.1 million) and the largest signing bonus ever ($80 million). Again, he was able to negotiate no-trade and no-tag clauses, giving him added leverage at the end of this pact.
It seems telling that other teams haven’t even been willing to match this Prescott deal for their own quarterbacks and, at least so far, have treated it like an outlier. Josh Allen’s 2025 extension with the Bills, while it consists entirely of new money and erases his old contract, averages $55 million per season, despite the fact that he has been a more productive and successful quarterback than his Cowboys counterpart. The 49ers’ Brock Purdy, who was similarly underpaid as a late-round pick, signed a deal with an average salary of $53 million. At the moment, Prescott’s deal stands alone as the richest in all of football.
Between 2021 and 2024, Prescott took home a staggering $212.3 million, nearly $47 million more than any other player. We can (and often do) debate whether he’s that caliber of player, but it’s only a small factor in how and why he has gotten paid. The Cowboys haven’t been willing to face a future without him, and after playing the franchise tag game with their quarterback at the end of his rookie deal, they’ve been operating from a position of desperation during their negotiations. After being an afterthought and the league’s biggest bargain for four years, Prescott has turned the tables on Jones and the Cowboys.
Illustration by ESPN
In a difficult cap bind because of the deals and their spending elsewhere, the Lions repeatedly restructured Stafford’s and Suh’s deals to create short-term cap space. After Stafford’s fourth season, he signed a relatively player-friendly extension (three years, Catch up on the NFL offseason
As a quarterback entering the prime of his career with a Super Bowl ring in his pocket, Flacco was suddenly in the driver’s seat. After their prior Super Bowl win in 2000, the Ravens had let starting quarterback Trent Dilfer leave, replacing him with Elvis Grbac. They cycled through future starters over most of the next decade before eventually landing on Flacco. Even with franchise icon Ed Reed simultaneously hitting free agency, the Ravens needed to prioritize Flacco.
Flacco and his representation were able to extract what was, at the time, the richest deal in NFL history. The Ravens signed Flacco to a six-year, $120.6 million contract. Before the season, the ceiling for Flacco’s negotiations was two franchise tags, which would have paid him about $33 million for two years. Instead, after his Super Bowl success, they paid him $51 million over two seasons and practically guaranteed another $11 million.
Even that undersells how great of a deal this was for Flacco. Because the Ravens were in rough cap shape, the structure of the contract kept the cap figures low before the accounting jumped from $14.6 million in Year 3 to $28.6 million in Year 4. As a result, Baltimore was always likely to be in a position in which it would need to hand him a second contract after three seasons. And indeed, before the 2016 season, Flacco signed a three-year, $66 million extension, guaranteeing him another $44 million.
Between 2013 and 2018, Flacco ended up taking home $124 million in cash, the fourth-most money of any player over that time frame. (That’s the equivalent of about $240 million relative to the current salary cap.) Over that run, he made just one run back to the postseason, winning a total of two playoff games and going 42-41 during the regular season. His 53.6 QBR ranked 20th out of the 26 quarterbacks who threw at least 1,500 passes over that six-year stretch. Coach John Harbaugh nearly lost his job after the 2017 season and was on the hot seat in 2018 before Flacco went down with a hip injury and the Ravens were forced to turn to first-round pick Lamar Jackson. You know what happened next.
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With the Bucs, Revis got the sort of deal we haven’t seen from a star player since. Wanting to reset the market with a standout salary at the time, he signed a six-year, $96 million deal with the Buccaneers. It was a massive salary at the time (and the equivalent of a $36.3 million annual salary for a cornerback today), but the deal contained no guaranteed money. While that gave him the ability to potentially renegotiate if he exceeded expectations, it also gave Tampa Bay complete flexibility to move on from him.
After one year, it did, releasing Revis with five (unguaranteed) years remaining on his existing deal. It was a rare misstep from the legendary defensive back, but things worked out fine for him. He signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Patriots, placing one of the best man-to-man cornerbacks of his generation on a Bill Belichick defense that relied heavily on man coverage. This was essentially a one-year franchise tag, given that the corner tag in 2014 was $11.8 million.
Revis proceeded to win the Super Bowl and was named a first-team All-Pro. With the structure of the deal preventing the Patriots from franchise-tagging him, the four-time first-team All-Pro got one more chance to hit free agency before turning 30. He returned to the Jets, with a five-year deal making him the highest-paid cornerback in the league and guaranteeing him $39 million. The contract paid him $16 million per season over the first three seasons on paper.
Instead, the Jets paid Revis $39 million for two years, as the organization decided to move on after an excellent return in 2015 gave way to a disappointing second season. He parted ways with his agents in May 2016 and signed with the Chiefs late in the 2017 season, but after an underwhelming performance in a playoff loss to the Titans, he was cut. He retired in July 2018.
In all, between signing that first extension with the Jets in 2010 and finishing his career with the Chiefs in 2017, Revis took home more than $101 million — nearly $26 million more than any other cornerback in the league over that span. The only non-quarterback who made more money over that stretch is Ndamukong Suh, who might be part of the 2026 BHOF class next offseason. As good as Revis was as a player, he might have been an even better negotiator.
That move didn’t work, but Ramsey’s next play did. Two weeks into the season, a conversation with an unnamed member of the organization that Ramsey characterized as “disrespectful” led the star corner to request a trade. He then played one more game with the Jaguars before he began to miss time with a nagging back injury.
I don’t like suggesting that a player was faking an injury, as every NFL player deals with meaningful aches and pains throughout the season. In the annals of medicine, though, few doctors and scientists have explored what appears to be a salve for back injuries: going to Los Angeles. Ramsey missed three games with a back injury that wasn’t “debilitating” before the Jags gave into his request and traded him to the Rams for two first-round picks. He stepped right into the lineup and played eight consecutive games before missing a meaningless Week 17 game with a knee injury.
Ramsey wasn’t shy about his happiness in Los Angeles; he called the day of the trade “probably one of the best days of my life.” The Rams were more motivated to keep their new addition around. Ramsey waited to negotiate his extension with the Rams until after his fourth season was completed. Just before the 2020 season began, he inked a five-year deal worth $100 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback in league history. The Jags turned the first-rounders they got for him into pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson and running back Travis Etienne Jr.
After playing out three years of the new deal and winning a Super Bowl in Los Angeles, Ramsey was eager to get another deal done. With just $12.5 million in guarantees remaining on his existing contract, he prayed for another trade and got his wish, with the Rams sending him to the Dolphins for a third-round pick and backup tight end Hunter Long. As part of the deal, the Dolphins guaranteed the rest of his $17 million salary in 2023 and $14.5 million in 2024, adding $19 million in guarantees to his existing deal.
While Ramsey missed half of his debut season in Miami with a knee injury, the Dolphins’ defense soared after his return to the lineup. One year after adjusting his deal as part of the trade, the Dolphins locked him up on a larger contract: his three-year, $72.4 million extension made him the league’s highest-paid cornerback for a second time, topping the deal that Pat Surtain II had signed days earlier. The deal came with more than $50 million in practical guarantees for Ramsey, who was locked in to earn just over $25 million in 2025.
Ramsey is going to get his money, but it won’t be in Miami. Just one year after giving him his second contract in two years, the Dolphins and their star cornerback decided that it would be best to part ways. They made this decision in mid-April, long after the Dolphins had paid him $4 million and the rest of the league had spent the vast majority of their budget in free agency. Even if they did, with Ramsey turning 31 in October, there weren’t many teams that saw a $21 million investment in a veteran cornerback as great value.
As a result, the Dolphins dealt Ramsey to the Steelers earlier this week in a fascinating challenge trade for veteran safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Given what happened in Jacksonville, the Dolphins probably didn’t want to face a regular-season scenario in which they were relying on Ramsey to be a part of the lineup with a trade request on the cards. And Ramsey, to his credit, reportedly landed a $1.5 million bonus to sweeten the deal.
Ramsey has played his cards well. He has been able to repeatedly maneuver to different organizations and get significant guarantees in the process. He signed two deals to be the highest-paid cornerback in football. He has repeatedly left struggling teams for more competitive ones, which is even true about his move this offseason. And I don’t think any NFL player has ever made an executive more angry with a novelty car rental. He’s a great player and a spectacular negotiator.
According to Sanders, the 49ers never offered him a deal to stay in San Francisco. He was instead forced to settle for their archrivals, who made him the highest-paid defender in league history. Again, he waited until after the season started to sign with the Cowboys. His seven-year, $35 million deal included a record $12.99 million signing bonus. For reference, the salary cap in 1995 was just $37.1 million; this is something like an elite cornerback signing a seven-year, $263.4 million deal with a $97 million signing bonus under the current cap.
The move inspired reverberations around the league. Teams complained to the league that Sanders’ deal and its large bonus circumvented the salary cap. Jerry Rice went on a tirade about how Sanders hadn’t won the Super Bowl for the 49ers. Emmitt Smith’s agent tried to use the Sanders contract to prevent the Cowboys from using the franchise tag to keep their star back. And Sanders delivered the goods. While he was limited to nine games in his debut season with the Cowboys, he suited up in the postseason and helped bring the Cowboys a Super Bowl title, his second in two years.
Four years later, Sanders signed another massive deal with the Cowboys; this time, a five-year pact for $51.4 million. This deal didn’t last quite as long, with the Cowboys cutting Sanders after one year to avoid triggering $23 million in guarantees for the 2000 and 2001 seasons. He then signed a seven-year, $56.1 million deal with Washington. But after earning $8.5 million for his first year in Washington (modern equivalent: $38.1 million), he chose to retire from football, returning $2.5 million of his signing bonus in the process.
While Sanders later returned to the NFL and made $1.5 million per year with the Ravens in 2004 and 2005, the vast majority of his earning was done. We don’t have exhaustive data on salaries for players in the mid-1990s, but he was likely the highest-paid defender of his generation or somewhere very close. He was able to bend owners who might have scoffed at the notion of their star cornerback playing baseball to his will. (Sanders also convinced the Cowboys to let him play wide receiver, catching 36 passes in 1996.) He was arguably the best one-year addition as a free agent in NFL history for the 49ers and then signed a market-altering deal with the Cowboys to bring them another ring. He’s an easy Hall of Famer on and off the field.
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1:06
Riddick praises Commanders offseason: ‘This offense is rolling’
Louis Riddick and Dan Orlovsky break down how Laremy Tunsil’s move to the Commanders positively impacts Jayden Daniels.
Crucially, Tunsil didn’t sign a contract extension as part of the trade deal. By the time the two sides sat down after his first year in Houston, he was already through his fourth season in the league and one year away from unrestricted free agency. O’Brien struggled with overpaying players during his time in charge of player personnel, and after paying so much to acquire Tunsil, he wasn’t going to be operating from a position of strength in negotiating his left tackle’s new deal.
Tunsil signed one of the best deals I’ve seen for a player’s second contract. His three-year, $66 million extension pushed the top of the offensive line market forward from $18 million per year to an average annual salary of $22 million. Going year-to-year, paying him his fifth-year option and using two franchise tags, would have cost $47 million over three years without any long-term guarantee. Instead, the Texans paid him nearly $58 million over that time frame without many unguaranteed years on the back end to use as leverage.
As he was 25 at the time, the short length of Tunsil’s extension ensured that he would get another crack at free agency in the absolute prime of his career. With one year left on his existing deal in the 2023 season and the Texans wanting to protect their new long-term QB in C.J. Stroud, Tunsil negotiated another player-friendly deal. This time, it was a three-year, $75 million extension that practically guaranteed $60 million at the time of signing. And again, he put himself in position to hit free agency at age 32, which is still within the peak time frame for NFL tackles.
After two years, the Texans traded Tunsil to the Commanders for a pair of draft picks, clearly targeting him as a long-term left tackle to protect their own sensational young quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Now, with two years and $42.7 million left on his existing deal, guess what he’s in position to do again? He can sign another extension from a team that implicitly committed to him with a trade. It will be his third significant extension by virtue of the fantastic deal he negotiated with the Texans several regimes ago.
Matt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.
We’re a long way from the 2026 NFL draft — the 2025 college football season is nearly two months away, after all — but it’s never too early to start breaking down film of the top prospects in the upcoming class. Based off that film and conversations I’ve had with scouts and talent evaluators throughout the league, I’m doing an early projection of all 32 picks in next year’s draft.
The 1-32 order for this mock draft comes from ESPN’s Football Power Index, which uses thousands of simulations to predict the 2025 NFL season. FPI right now has the Cleveland Browns in the No. 1 spot, one of their two first-round picks. The Browns aren’t alone in having multiple Round 1 picks, as the Los Angeles Rams will also have two selections. Of course, a lot will change between now and when the 2026 draft starts next April in Pittsburgh. Prospects will move around draft boards, and some of these players will ultimately return to school for another year. One player you will not see in this mock draft is Texas quarterback Arch Manning; I still think he will stay in college for the 2026 season.
We have an entire season of game tape ahead of us — and I admittedly haven’t watched a ton on everyone just yet. So this is an early look meant to identify how things stand right now. Let’s dive in with Cleveland. (Note: Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.)
Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
Spending two picks on quarterbacks in 2025 — Dillon Gabriel (third round) and Shedeur Sanders (fifth round) — shouldn’t prevent the Browns from looking for a long-term passer here. Klubnik enters the season as my No. 1 QB. In 2024, he threw for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions, highlighted by a gutsy performance against Texas in the College Football Playoff (336 passing yards, three TDs, one INT). Klubnik reminds me of Baker Mayfield — whom Cleveland selected with the No. 1 pick in 2018 — in terms of arm strength, mobility and playmaking awareness.
Mauigoa enters his third college season as a player on the rise. After allowing five sacks during his true freshman season in 2023, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound right tackle didn’t allow a sack last season and drew only three penalties. Mauigoa is best as a run blocker in a zone scheme, with quick feet and the agility to get to the second level. He’d serve as a replacement for disappointing 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal and join a youthful offense which also features 2025 first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart, star second-year receiver Malik Nabers and emerging running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson*
Tennessee has long needed a premier edge rusher, and Parker is definitely that. Not only did the 6-foot-3, 265-pound junior have 11 sacks last season, but he also forced six fumbles. He would be an ideal fit in the Titans’ 3-4 base defense thanks to his ability to play in space and rush from multiple alignments. His quickness off the corner is the best in the class when watching last season’s tape. While the Titans could use offensive help, Parker is the defensive menace they desire.
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas*
The Jets could look for a receiver to help Garrett Wilson, but there’s not one who’s likely to be picked this high right now. Instead, defensive-minded head coach Aaron Glenn would get a true, three-down difference-maker. Hill was a stat-sheet filler in 2024, posting 113 tackles, 8 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and a 32-yard pick-six. His range in coverage and blitzing ability reminds of Fred Warner, but at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Hill could get the Micah Parsons treatment and move to an edge rusher role. That makes him the rare linebacker worthy of a top-five pick.
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State*
Safeties usually get pushed down the board, but Downs is different. The 6-foot, 205-pounder is my No. 1 overall player because of his range, versatility and proven playmaker DNA. Downs has four interceptions in his two college seasons while showing the skills to play in the box or man center field as a deep safety. He’s routinely utilized as an eraser against whatever offenses do best. The Saints need good football players throughout their roster, and there’s no better one in this class than Downs.
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How Caleb Downs developed his football IQ at a young age
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs discusses how he took his game to the next level by honing his football IQ in both conventional and unconventional means.
Peter Woods, DT, Clemson*
The Panthers bucked conventional wisdom with their 2025 first-rounder, eschewing a defense that finished last in EPA for wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 pick. They did add edge rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen on Day 2, so now it’s time for them to get defensive tackle Derrick Brown some help. That’s where the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Woods comes in. He posted three sacks and 17 pressures in 11 games this season, and his quickness and leverage would be a welcome fit in Carolina’s revamped defense.
Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami*
Seven of the Raiders’ 11 picks in 2025 came on offense, including five of the first six. So it’s time to pick up a defense that has to face Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix twice per season. Las Vegas needs to find Maxx Crosby help on the edge, and Bain’s speed-to-power ability could give it that Crosby complement. Bain has 11 sacks in his two college seasons, using his length to create space he can crash through with his trademark power. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Bain has the build and tools to make an immediate impact from the left edge.
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State*
Upside is intriguing when devising summer mock drafts, and Tyson has the potential to rise into the top 10. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he reminds me of Jaxon Smith-Njigba with his route-running ability and poise in space while effortlessly moving through a route tree. Tyson broke out in 2024, catching 75 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns. But drops are a problem, with eight coming on 114 targets. If he cleans that up, Tyson has the speed and route technique to be a top-10 pick and a prime target for young Patriots QB Drake Maye, who has shown franchise potential.
With two first-rounders in the 2026 draft, the Rams have plenty of flexibility. Proctor would already be one of the NFL’s strongest players upon entering the league, as the 6-foot-7, 370-pounder plays with physicality and a mean streak that is impossible for defenders to handle when he’s locked in. But Proctor isn’t always on his A-game and can run hot-and-cold. The Rams are looking for an heir apparent to Rob Havenstein at right tackle and Proctor has more potential than any lineman in this class … if he can improve his consistency.
Spencer Fano, OT, Utah*
It was surprising that the Seahawks waited until Round 7 to draft a tackle in 2025, considering that Abraham Lucas’ injuries have created instability at right tackle. If that continues, Seattle could go with a tackle very early in 2026. Fano has played both left and right tackle at Utah, but his size (6-foot-5, 304 pounds) has some scouts projecting him as an NFL guard. Fano enters 2025 as one of the nation’s best linemen after allowing one sack in 2024, and his movement ability and understanding of angles and leverage make him an ideal NFL right tackle.
Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Anthony Richardson’s injuries and lack of development led to the Colts signing Daniel Jones this offseason. Barring major improvement from Richardson (or a breakthrough by Jones), Indianapolis will be in search of a quarterback. Nussmeier showed flashes in his first season as a starter, throwing for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, Garrett plays with fire and energy and isn’t afraid to take chances. If he cuts down on his interceptions, Nussmeier has the velocity, accuracy and playmaking ability to move up draft boards.
Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah*
With right tackle Jack Conklin slowing down and unproven Dawand Jones set to start at left tackle, it was a bit surprising that the Browns punted on the position in the 2025 draft. But 2026 looks deeper in true left tackle prospects, and Lomu is a player with considerable growth potential. He performed well as a redshirt freshman, allowing three sacks and committing one penalty. Lomu should break out further in 2025, with his easy movement ability in the run game and quick reaction time in pass protection. While Lomu isn’t currently OT1, he has top-five potential if he expands on what he showed last season.
Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn*
The Cowboys enter the season still needing to sign Micah Parsons to a long-term extension. While they signed Dante Fowler Jr. this offseason, Dallas needs more on the edge after passing on the position in the 2025 draft. At 6-foot-6, 288 pounds, Faulk is a versatile player who can play along the defensive line, from 3-technique to a true outside edge. He can generate pressure from inside and out, as evidenced by his 24 edge pressures and five interior pressures last season. Faulk’s size and strength would be fun to pair with Parsons’ speed.
The Cardinals got excellent value early in the 2025 draft, getting defensive tackle Walter Nolen III and cornerback Will Johnson later than each player was expected to go. But receiver is still an area of concern opposite 2024 first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr. Williams is my current WR1 after a 75-catch, 11-touchdown season as a sophomore in 2024. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Williams is a quick shifty wideout who has the ability to play outside and in the slot. That would make him an ideal complement to the bigger Harrison.
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee*
There are some questions about McCoy’s status to start the season after he tore an ACL in January during offseason training, but there’s no question about his tape. The 6-foot, 193-pound corner has six career interceptions and emerged as a true No. 1 CB last season. He has the length, height and speed to run with NFL-caliber wideouts and the ball skills to flip the field. He’s my CB1 as long as he recovers and stays healthy. The Dolphins need a capable outside cornerback — especially after trading Jalen Ramsey to the Steelers on Monday.
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina*
Aaron Rodgers eventually signed with the Steelers, but all signs indicate it’s a one-year arrangement, which makes quarterback Pittsburgh’s offseason focus again in 2026. Sellers is one of the nation’s most exciting prospects, as he threw for 18 touchdowns to seven interceptions last season while rushing for 674 yards and seven scores. The 6-foot-3, 242-pounder is big, strong and mobile and could be picked way before this if he cleans up some decision-making mistakes. With two years of eligibility following next season, Sellers is no lock to be in the draft, but his potential excites evaluators.
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame*
The Bears were rumored to be interested in Ashton Jeanty had he fallen to them in the 2025 draft, so perhaps 2026 is when they’ll get a running back. Love was one of the best running backs in the country last season as a sophomore, rushing for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns. He is a bruising runner at 6-foot and 206 pounds but can also break off big plays — see his 98-yard TD against Indiana in the first round of the playoffs — and shake tacklers in space. That, plus his receiving skills, makes him the perfect feature back for new coach Ben Johnson’s offense.
Where could Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier be selected? ESPN
While the Vikings bolstered their offensive line in Round 1 in 2025 with guard Donovan Jackson, they were linked to many interior defenders during the predraft process and made a run at Milton Williams in free agency. So defensive tackle is a need, and the 6-foot-2, 326-pound Keenan is a physical, tough-nosed anchor with the prototypical nose tackle build. He has some pass-rush ability (2.5 sacks last season), but Keenan’s strength against the run and on-field leadership have scouts discussing him as a potential first-rounder.
LT Overton, Edge, Alabama
When the Packers broke their 20-plus-year first-round receiver drought by selecting Matthew Golden in 2025, they bypassed a need on the edge. So edge rush help should be a priority for Green Bay in 2026, and Overton fits what Packers GM Brian Gutekunst likes at the position. The 6-foot-5, 283-pounder is big, long and versatile and likely would have been a top-50 pick had he entered the 2025 draft. But he returned to Bama to develop his game, refine his pass-rush moves to better match his speed-to-power flashes and improve on the two sacks he had in 2024.
Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
Sean Payton has been vocal about wanting to diversify the Broncos’ passing game, most notably adding hybrid players he calls “jokers.” He signed one in veteran tight end Evan Engram and drafted another in running back RJ Harvey but is looking for more. Stowers is my TE1 and is expected to break out even more after catching 49 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns last season. He’s more of a slot tight end at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, resembling Engram. Stowers would serve as a younger version of Engram with greater upside, though.
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Diego Pavia finds Eli Stowers for Vanderbilt TD
Diego Pavia throws a nice pass to Eli Stowers to extend Vanderbilt’s lead vs. Georgia Tech.
Austin Barber, OT, Florida
The Texans went through a massive offensive line overhaul after surrendering 52 sacks in 2024, trading left tackle Laremy Tunsil, signing several free agents and selecting tackle Aireontae Ersery in Round 2 of the past draft. But the work in finding better protection for C.J. Stroud is far from over. The 6-foot-6, 314-pound Barber started 12 games at left tackle last season, showing pro-level starting upside thanks to efficient hand placement in pass protection and ideal quickness for zone running schemes.
Patrick Payton, Edge, LSU
Payton has been on scouts’ radar since 2022, flashing as a freshman at Florida State before compiling seven sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore in 2023. He struggled along with the rest of the Seminoles in 2024, with his sack total falling to four. He’ll look to regain his first-round status at LSU in 2025. If he does, Payton would be an intriguing fit for the Buccaneers, as his quickness and speed off the edge would be an ideal match to the power that defensive tackles Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey possess.
Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
Many thought the 49ers would draft the eventual successor to All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who turns 37 in July. But San Francisco passed on tackles in the 2025 draft, so that need still exists. World transferred to Oregon after dominating at Nevada, and the 6-foot-8, 310-pounder has all-world potential with his elite reach, elite agility and experience. The 49ers need to get younger at core positions, and left tackle should be atop their wish list.
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Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson*
Defensive line could become the No. 1 need if the Bengals can’t resolve the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart contract situations. But assuming cooler heads prevail, Cincinnati should concentrate on its secondary. The Bengals have several young cornerbacks in Cam Taylor-Britt, DJ Turner II and Dax Hill, but they’ve been held back by injuries and inconsistency. Terrell, the younger brother of Falcons standout A.J. Terrell, had two interceptions and broke up 13 passes last season. His versatility, speed and production point to him being a value add late in Round 1.
A.J. Harris, CB, Penn State*
The Commanders traded for Marshon Lattimore last season and picked Trey Amos in Round 2 of the 2025 draft but still have a need at corner, especially when considering Lattimore’s age and injury history. At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Harris has the length Dan Quinn loves in his corners. Harris has shown ball-hawking skills and loves to press and jam receivers. He’s still a bit green, having started only one season, but last season’s tape — along with Penn State’s track record in developing defenders — makes Harris one of the most promising corners in the country.
CJ Allen, LB, Georgia*
Sometimes when you’re watching film, a player jumps out as a perfect fit for an NFL scheme or coach. That’s what Allen is with Jim Harbaugh, as the 6-foot-1, 235-pounder fits the mold of linebackers that Harbaugh had with the 49ers and what he recruited at Michigan. Allen crashes rushing lanes with power while showing the agility to excel in pass coverage. He’s protected by Georgia’s top-tier defensive line, but Allen’s read-and-react ability makes him a good bet to be an immediate NFL starter.
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
With Matthew Stafford entering his age-37 season, this would be a good spot for the Rams to pick his eventual successor. Allar is a big-armed quarterback with good mobility for his size (6-foot-5, 238 pounds), but he hasn’t quite put it all together. He has the arm to make any throw and can escape crowded pockets but goes through cold stretches where his decision-making and accuracy drop off. His development in 2024, in which he increased his completion percentage from 59.9% to 66.5%, is encouraging and suggests that more improvement is on the way.
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D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana*
The Ravens added two short-term cornerback options in veterans Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie, but they need a long-term solution. Ponds projects as a slot corner because of his 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame, but he’s a feisty cover man with ball skills (five career interceptions) and the quickness to match up with inside receivers. Having him join a pair of young safeties in 24-year-old All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and 2025 first-rounder Malaki Starks would give Baltimore a fierce group of youthful playmakers.
Tyreak Sapp, Edge, Florida
Surprisingly, the Lions chose not to draft an edge rusher to help Aidan Hutchinson — especially considering the star pass rusher is returning from a season-ending leg injury. Sapp is coming off a career-best seven sacks last season and has the ideal strength at 6-foot-3, 272 pounds to stack up against the run while also showing the quickness to win with his first step. Adding Sapp to Hutchinson, defensive tackle Alim McNeill and 2025 first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams would give Detroit one heck of a defensive front.
Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon*
The upcoming season will be key for young Chiefs safeties Jaden Hicks and Chamarri Conner, who have each shown promise but haven’t emerged as consistent starters. That could open the door for Kansas City to select Thieneman, who intercepted six passes at Purdue in 2023 and racked up 104 tackles last season. He transferred to Oregon, where he’ll be able to play both deep and box safety in Dan Lanning’s pro-style defense. His size (6-foot, 207 pounds) and playmaking instincts should allow him to thrive with the Ducks.
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington*
The Eagles have thrived on finding top-20 players who slip through the cracks. Boston could fit that mold, as the 6-foot-4, 210-pounder had 63 catches, 834 yards and 9 touchdowns last season. His physical, above-the-rim style is a lot like Tetairoa McMillan’s style. Philadelphia has two bona fide star receivers in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but there isn’t much behind them. With Brown entering his age-28 season, it’s worth taking a young receiver like Boston for three-wide sets now and to eventually replace Brown later.
Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
Buffalo has had solid interior line play in Josh Allen’s tenure as a starting quarterback, but this would be a good place for the Bills to replenish with a starting-caliber player. Slaughter didn’t allow a sack last season and was penalized only twice. He’s already pro-sized at 6-foot-5, 308 pounds and is a clean pass protector with strength, quickness and great awareness. Slaughter has the athletic profile to play guard or center in the NFL at a high level.
