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NFL Rookies to Watch 2026-2027

The 2026 NFL Draft has now officially come and gone, and after an incredibly fun 2025 season, things are shaping up to be just as exciting next year. Although the new season is still six months away, the excitement is already building, and with every team vying to knock off the Seattle Seahawks, there’s been plenty of improvement around the league.

Free agency saw plenty of change as well, and with so many teams expected to be competitive, it’s the rookies that could make all of the difference for teams that are looking to take the next step forward. Injuries and roles may change things when the season finally arrives, but for now with months before the season begins, the following are the rookies best set up to succeed in the NFL next season.

Here is a look at the Top 10 Best NFL Rookies 2026-2027 Prediction Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Caleb Downs

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Position: safety

The safety position was highly under represented in the 2026 NFL Draft, but a player like Caleb Downs is one that could end up standing out for years from this rookie class. He’s landed in a place that features plenty of pressure to win, but after playing in big games for Alabama and Ohio State over the past three seasons, he’s built to be a winning player and a leader of a defense.

ESPN had Downs ranked as the No. 6 player in this draft, and after landing in Dallas at No. 11, the team may have an absolute steal that could benefit them for years to come. The instincts and the physical tools lead the way for Downs, and after a three-year stint that includes 16 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 6 interceptions, he is going to play a major role for Dallas next season and for years to come.

Kenyon Sadiq

Team: New York Jets

Position: tight end

The New York Jets needed to add some big time weapons to the lineup this off-season, and with Garrett Wilson on the outside and Breece Hall in the back field, they used their No. 16 overall pick on tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Some saw it as a reach, but with 560 yards and 8 Touchdowns a year ago, he proved that he can be very effective in a traditional pass catching role.

However, in the NFL he’ll likely be used more as a gadget player that lines up all over the field, and with Geno Smith under center, he’ll have a great veteran looking to get him involved. His success in 2026 will depend on just how big a role he plays in New York, but if he’s prioritized alongside Mason Taylor, this is a Jets offense that could turn things around in a big way.

Top 10 Best NFL Rookies

10. Jadarian Price

Team: Seattle Seahawks

Position: running back

The Seattle Seahawks were a surprisingly dominant team in 2025, as they went on to win the Super Bowl with one of the deepest teams in the entire NFL. In the off-season, they’ve lost starting running back Kenneth Walker III, and after he had 220+ touches a year ago, those could be picked up by the No. 32 pick Jadarian Price.

The backup to Jeremiyah Love was the second Notre Dame running back taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, and after putting up over 700 all purpose yards with 13 TD’s as the No. 2, he’s the perfect fit in Seattle. He won’t be forced into the starter role, but will be eased into it with his immense potential, and by seasons end, he may very well be a contender for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

9. Sonny Styles

Team: Washington Commanders

Position: linebacker

Offensively, the Washington Commanders are set up for a big bounce back season in 2026, and in the draft, the team added an impact player on the defensive side in linebacker Sonny Styles. For Styles, the physical tools jump off the page, and with 1 interception, 17 sacks and 8 passes defended over the past two years, he’s as versatile as any defender in this years rookie class.

Styles is expected to jump in and be an immediate impact player and leader for this Commanders defense, especially after he helped lead Ohio State to a National Championship in 2025. We’ll see if he can adjust to coaching and the speed at the next level, and while the statistics may not match up against other stars in this draft, the potential to be a Pro Bowl level player is certainly there.

8. Makai Lemon

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Position: wide receiver

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, there were several tiers of wide receivers, and at the top of the second tier was USC star Makai Lemon, who simply got better and better over the three seasons he spent at USC. He may have slipped in the draft, but that’s to the benefit of the Philadelphia Eagles, who will now use him as their No. 3 behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, which will allow him the best possible start to his career.

Last season, Lemon hauled in 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 scores as a very polished route runner in the slot, making him the perfect fit for Jalen Hurts and this Eagles offense. If this was a team more committed to the pass, there’s a chance that Lemon could be much higher on this list, but regardless, given the veterans around him, he’s set up to have a big rookie campaign in Philadelphia.

7. Mansoor Delane

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Position: cornerback

Cornerback was not a position that was loaded in the 2026 NFL Draft, but clearly there is some star potential, as the Kansas City Chiefs moved up several spots in a draft day trade to land LSU star Mansoor Delane. The 6-foot-0 cornerback is all about physicality and press coverage, and after 6 picks and 18 passes defended over the past two seasons, he’s got the consistency behind him for this pick to make sense.

On one side, the Chiefs will now have Delane and on the other veteran Nohl Williams, and with the team hoping to bounce back from a difficult season, they will need their rookie to be a star. Simply put, Delane is physical, confident and in full control of his body, and if he can keep up with the speed at the NFL level, he should make an impact early in his NFL career.

6. Jordyn Tyson

Team: New Orleans Saints

Position: wide receiver

The New Orleans Saints turned to Tyler Shough as their permanent starting QB a season ago, and with Chris Olave on the outside already, they made sure to get him another weapon in the 2026 NFL Draft. That would be Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, with great size, speed and versatility tempting New Orleans into picking him with the No. 8 overall pick.

While he was hampered by injuries throughout his college career, over the past two seasons he tallied over 1800 receiving yards along with 18 scores, with that including 711 yards and 8 TD’s in just nine games a season ago. He may take some time to adjust in the NFL, but as a great route runner with speed and physicality, don’t be surprised to see him and Olave make a top tier 1-2 combination on the outside as the Saints offense starts to come together in a big way.

5. Carnell Tate

Team: Tennessee Titans

Position: wide receiver

Last year, the Tennessee Titans landed their star of the future in Quarterback Cam Ward, and with the No. 4 pick this season, they may have drafted his long-term No. 1 weapon. That would be Carnell Tate out of Ohio State, who is one of the most polished route runners the draft has seen in quite some time with the skill, the confidence and the high end ball skills to match.

The numbers in college don’t jump off the page, as his best season in 2025 saw him haul in 51 catches for 875 yards and 9 Touchdowns. Obviously, that production isn’t indicative of what the Titans believe he can be at the NFL level, and with good size at 6-foot-2, he can get physical with defenders and play well after the catching, making him a future star in Tennessee.

4. David Bailey

Team: New York Jets

Position: edge rusher

The New York Jets have struggled for over a decade now, but with three picks in the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft along with their young, ascending roster, their hopes are high heading into 2026. One of the reasons for that is edge rusher David Bailer, whom the team landed with the No. 2 overall pick on the back of a 14.5 sack season for Texas Tech a year ago.

With a 4.5 second 40-yard dash, Bailey combines immense speed and size, and with the likes of Will McDonald and others rushing the passer in New York, Bailey could put up some big numbers this season. He may not finish as the best defensive player to come from this draft, but Bailey has all the tools to be an impact player immediately in the NFL, and he may be the long awaited star that can lead this Jets defense for years to come.

3. Fernando Mendoza

Team: Las Vegas Raiders

Position: quarterback

From the moment the 2025 NFL regular season wrapped up, it was clear that the Las Vegas Raiders were going to take a Quarterback at No. 1 overall, and after Dante Moore committed to Oregon again, the choice of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza was obvious. With 41 Touchdowns to just 6 interceptions, Mendoza was the clear best player in college football a year ago, but coming into the NFL with the struggling Raiders is going to take some adjusting.

Right now, he figures to be QB2 behind Kirk Cousins, but a team doesn’t spend the No. 1 overall pick on a player to sit on the bench all season, so expect him to be starting sooner, rather than later. At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Mendoza has the size, the IQ and the arm to be an impact player in the NFL, and while there’s a lack of elite talent on the outside in Vegas, he should flash enough potential to be a star for the Raiders.

2. Jeremiyah Love

Team: Arizona Cardinals

Position: running back

The last time a running back was drafted top-five in the NFL Draft was Saquon Barkley back in 2018, and while it wasn’t a guarantee this season, the Arizona Cardinals took a risk on Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love. Last season, the star running back took a major leap, going from 70 to 114 yards per game while adding 21 total Touchdowns as he could become the focal point of the Cardinals offense.

With Marvin Harrison Jr. on the outside and a veteran in Jacoby Brissett under center, the Cardinals offense could be very good, and given the workload Love is expected to get, he may be the most productive rookie in the entire NFL. Right now, there’s no option in Arizona that will take touches away from Love, and if the offense runs through him as many expect, don’t be shocked to see a Pro Bowl caliber campaign and an Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

1. Arvell Reese

Team: New York Giants

Position: Edge rusher/linebacker

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, the No. 1 pick was known, but at No. 2, there was plenty of expectations that Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese could be the pick. However, he fell to No. 5 and the New York Giants, and just a season after the team used a top pick on Abdul Carter, they’ve now got another major threat to opposing QB’s.

After just 0.5 sacks in his first two seasons, Reese exploded in 2025, picking up 6.5 sacks and 10.0 tackles for loss in 14 games, and given the hybrid nature of his edge rusher/off-ball linebacker talents, he could hit the ground running in the NFL. As a team, the Giants are expected to take a step forward, and while they may not be an NFL Playoffs team, if Reese can adjust to the physicality of offensive lines in the league, he could be a favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year and the title of best rookie in the NFL.