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As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, we’re breaking down position rankings individually based on the big boards of Yahoo Sports NFL Draft experts Nate Tice and Charles McDonald.
More position rankings: QB | WR
1. Peter Woods, Clemson
Woods has flashed like an interior game-wrecker who has the quickness to shut a play down in the blink of an eye and the overall athleticism to play across the line. Woods has light feet for his size and can impact the run or pass on every down. His top-notch combination of strength and agility would fit in any type of defense, but there are still more flashes than sustained high-end play in Woods’ game so far. Woods underwhelmed this past season on a disappointing Clemson squad. Missed tackles and a lack of pass rush refinement and effort show up a bit too often at this point in time in Woods’ film. His lack of length might be the culprit (31 ¼-inch arm length) for both negatives. While Woods does have the ability to blow pass blockers back and collapse the pocket, but if he doesn’t land his first move, he becomes a bit too easily nullified as a rusher. He’s essentially a sawed-off shotgun that sometimes misses. He doesn’t capitalize enough on his best attribute: using his quick feet and hands to get into the backfield and leave offensive linemen in a daze. He’s a young player, and the talent is there, but I think he’ll be all over the place on teams’ boards. — Nate Tice
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2. Caleb Banks, Florida
This is pure planet theory stuff here but Banks has a combination of size, athleticism and smarts to grow into an impact NFL defender. He played in only three games this season, but his ability to be disruptive off the snap and affect offensive lines is already incredibly impressive. The tackling has a long way to go, but everything else is NFL-ready. — Charles McDonald
3. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
McDonald is another Ohio State defender who should hear his name called fairly early in April’s draft. McDonald is a classic nose tackle who can really clog up holes on the interior and help put his defense in advantageous spots by hunkering down and winning the early down plays. There’s some pass rush upside here, but the main thing is the main thing — stopping the damn run. — CM
4. Christen Miller, Georgia
Miller is not the most dynamic defensive lineman Georgia has had during the Kirby Smart era, but he’s a steady player who should be a quality piece on the interior in the NFL. He runs hot and cold, but his best tape is good enough to land him on this top 50 in what is perceived to be a weaker class. — CM
5. Domonique Orange, Iowa State
Orange is a sturdy body in the middle but will surprise blockers with his quickness and violence right after the snap. Orange will get into the backfield and disrupt plays, but doesn’t have a lot of production to speak of. Some of that is because of how Iowa State plays defense, but some of that is also Orange’s lack of consistency in capitalizing on his instant wins. He also shows real effort in trying to run after the quarterback and ball carriers down the field on things like draws and screens. I do think there’s something here with his length, quickness, and play strength to both eat blocks and get into the backfield. His passing down role is still limited right now, but he is valid on defensive loops and twists to stay on the field on late downs. Overall, I like Orange's combination of length, violence, and quickness that speaks more than what his college career production pointed to. — NT
