The 2026 NFL Combine has finished, and the skill group delivered mixed performances. Some players confirmed their spot at the top, while others left something to be desired. Jeremiyah Love showed off his blazing speed and overall skillset. Kenyon Sadiq set tight end records. The wide receiver room left some meat on the bone, but overall, it had a decent day. Carnell Tate was slower than anticipated, and Denzel Boston couldn’t catch. But Makai Lemon owned the gauntlet drill, and Jordyn Tyson flexed his NFL physique by finishing 1st in the bench press.
For those of us who follow college football, we believe that 2027 will be a special draft, and the skill positions are a big reason why. Let’s take a look at the best draft-eligible skill players for the 2026 college football season and the 2027 NFL Draft.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
2025 Stats: 87 catches, 1,243 yards, 12 TDs, 14.3 Y/R
Wide receivers such as Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, and Andre Johnson were selected with the 2nd and 3rd picks in the NFL Draft. Smith is a heavy favorite to be picked in these spots as well. Smith is a 6’3 220-pound receiver with an NFL route tree and 4.4 speed. He’s the prototype of the position. With his starting QB, Julian Sayin, returning, Smith is expected to have a monster season. After having 1,315 and 1,243 yards in the last two seasons, Smith is looking to push for 1,500 in 2026. Smith is likely to have his name in the Heisman finalist conversation this season, along with a top 3-5 draft status.
Cam Coleman, WR, Texas
2025 Stats: 56 catches, 708 yards, 5 TDs, 12.6 Y/R
Don’t let the numbers deceive you, Coleman is one of the best players in college football. In his past two seasons at Auburn, Coleman has dealt with some of the nation’s worst quarterback play. His head coach, Hugh Freeze, had Coleman running RPO slants and curls- that’s pretty much it. Coleman will now take his talents to Texas, where he’ll catch passes from Arch Manning and play in a more receiver-friendly offense. With his 6’3 210-pound frame, Coleman catches the eye of every NFL GM. He has a wide catch radius and sticky hands. He’ll likely finish the 2026 season as an All-American and easy 1st round pick, pushing the top 10-15 picks.
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri
2025 Stats: 256 carries, 1,649 yards, 16 TDs, 6.4 YPC
Hardy is the definition of a workhorse. At 5’10 210 pounds, he uses low center of gravity and thick stature to attack defenders head-on. When you think he’s running straight at you, he makes a cut that leaves you standing still. His ability to plant and get downhill makes him a perfect fit for Missouri’s wide zone offense, a rushing scheme that is taking over the NFL as well. Hardy has rushed for 3,000 yards in the last two seasons, and he’s the early favorite to win the Doak Walker Award for college football’s best running back. He’ll need to improve his hands to play on 3rd downs frequently, but the NFL will cherish an RB of Hardy’s abilities.
Kewan Lacy, RB, Ole Miss
2025 Stats: 306 carries, 1,567 yards, 24 TDs, 5.1 YPC
Talk about a guy being able to juke in a phone booth. Lacy’s combination of agility, contact balance, and breakaway speed makes him an easy candidate for RB1 in the 2027 NFL Draft. He even had 29 catches this past season. At 5’11 210 pounds, Lacy possesses the frame necessary to be a featured back, and he possesses all the traits that a top draft pick requires. With Trinidad Chambliss returning at QB, Lacy will have his fair share of light boxes to run against. He should reach 1,500 yards again and challenge Hardy for the Doak Walker Award. I’m surprised that Lacy didn’t go to LSU with Lane Kiffin, but he keeps Ole Miss in the title contender category.
Trey’Dez Green
2025 Stats: 33 catches, 433 yards, 7 TDs, 13.1 Y/R
Green is the early favorite to be TE1 in the 2027 NFL Draft. He’s 6’7 245 pounds, and has a massive catch radius. Despite the long frame, Green is quite agile. He can run after the catch and force defenders to miss. He lines up in the slot or on the perimeter. He can be used as an underneath threat or an over-the-top jump ball threat. He’s too fast for most linebackers to cover, yet he’s too big for DBs. Now that Lane Kiffin and Sam Leavitt have arrived at LSU, Green’s usage should see a boost. LSU was a dumpster fire in 2025 when Brian Kelly was fired.
Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville
2025 Stats: 101 carries, 884 yards, 7 TDs, 8.8 YPC
Brown is perhaps the best big-play threat in college football at the RB position. Any play that he touches the football can go to the house. He has a mixture of top-end speed and vision that make him a player that defenses must identify on every snap. Over his last two seasons at Louisville, Brown has totaled 2,057 yards on 7.7 YPC, making him the most efficient down-to-down runner in the nation. He’s a receiving threat as well, grabbing 43 catches in those two years. The only knock for Brown will be his size, coming in at 5’9 190 pounds. Can he be a reliable game-to-game option in the NFL? Regardless, he’s one of college football’s best playmakers, and the Cardinals will be in good shape as long as he’s there. He was On3’s #1 transfer RB before returning to Louisville.
Nick Marsh, WR, Indiana
2025 Stats: 59 catches, 662 yards, 6 TDs, 11.2 Y/R
Marsh is another player whose total yardage might deceive you. Marsh has spent the last two seasons at Michigan State, where quarterbacks struggled to make progress through the air. Marsh is 6’3 and 200+ pounds, meaning he’s exactly what the NFL is looking for. He’ll be taking snaps for the reigning national champions this season, catching passes from transfer QB Josh Hoover. Curt Cignetti will undoubtedly tap into Marsh’s potential, and we can likely expect an All-Big Ten season from the wideout. Marsh is a threat at every level. He can run after the catch or take the top off the defense.
Justice Haynes, RB, Georgia Tech
2025 Stats: 121 carries, 857 yards, 10 TDs, 7.1 YPC
Haynes was having a monster 2025 season before his injury. On pace for roughly 1,500 yards in 12 games, Haynes went down with an injury halfway through the season. Had the injury not occurred, he wouldn’t be on this list, because he’d be a 1st round pick in this current NFL Draft. Haynes is a perfect blend of size, strength, vision, and breakaway speed. Despite being in college football for three years, Haynes only has 225 carries under his belt, so he’s got plenty left in the tank. If all goes as planned for Haynes, we’re looking at an additional name to add to the RB1 conversation in the 2027 NFL Draft. The Yellow Jackets will literally go as far as Justice Haynes carries them. I expect Haynes to be the top challenger to Ahmad Hardy and Kewan Lacy for the Doak Walker Award.
Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
2025 Stats: 49 catches, 689 yards, 4 TDs, 14.1 Y/R
As someone who put Ryan Williams on his Top 10 Players list for 2025, I’m almost too embarrassed to put him on this list. However, given Williams’ overall route running and run-after-catch abilities, I have to bet on him having a bounce-back season. Lotzeir Brooks will be the primary slot receiver for Alabama, allowing Ryan Williams to play on the outside, unlike last season. Williams’ size concerns, at roughly 6′ 175 pounds, are less important playing on the perimeter. He still possesses the ability to get himself open against any defense. But, he must eliminate his drops from last season. Williams is one of the most intriguing players in college football for 2026. Will he return to his electric freshman form, or will he hold steady in his regression?
Nate Frazier, RB, Georgia
2025 Stats: 173 carries, 947 yards, 6 TDs, 5.5 YPC
Georgia managed to hold off other teams bidding for Frazier’s services over the transfer portal window. Frazier will now serve as potentially the primary catalyst for a Georgia college football playoff run. Frazier received 133 carries in year one and 173 carries in year two. We can expect 200+ carries for him in his junior season, likely his final season. Frazier is a bit of a bowling ball. At 5’10 and 215+ pounds, he’s incredibly difficult to tackle. His large legs make it difficult for DBs to tackle him low, and his raw strength carries him through solo tackles. If Georgia gives Frazier true workhorse carries, he’s easily a 1,200+ yard back, but Georgia has given split carries to running backs in recent years. Regardless, the NFL knows how good Frazier truly is. He’ll have plenty of competition regarding making an All-SEC team, but he undoubtedly has the potential.
Nyck Harbor, WR, South Carolina
2025 Stats: 30 catches, 618 yards, 6 TDs, 20.6 Y/R
I wanted to add Harbor to this list because of his generational athleticism. Even if he plays average football this season, his NFL combine performance could put him in the first round. But Harbor has shown solid progression since arriving at South Carolina as an athlete. He caught for 195 yards as a freshman, 376 yards as a sophomore, and 618 yards as a junior. Harbor is the fastest man in football, regardless of level, and he’s 6’5 225-230 pounds. Harbor runs a 10.1 100m dash. The next-closest time among college football players is Rodrick Pleasant at 10.14, but Pleasant weighs 180 pounds. Tyreek Hill’s time was 10.15. Harbor’s athletic profile is jaw-dropping, and if he progresses again this season, he’ll be in the first round no doubt.
