We are only a few weeks from the 2026 NFL Draft officially kicking off. With not much time remaining, this is the home stretch to gain as much information about some of the top prospects as possible. As is the case in every draft, there is a lot of context to consider, skills to dissect, and upside to explore.

To help gain some understanding about a few of the top prospects, player comparisons can be a valuable exercise. This is not a predictor of success, but merely a comparison due to size profiles, skill sets, and play styles. Here are some of my favorites so far, with the end of April right around the corner.

QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) – Matt Hasselbeck 

At around 6-4 and 236 pounds, Mendoza is a pure pocket quarterback who wins with his combination of accuracy and football IQ. Mendoza is also mobile enough to extend the pocket and possesses good arm strength to threaten multiple levels of the field. That skill set is eerily similar to former Seattle Seahawks signal caller Matt Hasselbeck, who made three Pro Bowls during his NFL career. His game isn’t always flashy, but Mendoza just seems to make the big play. 

WR Carnell Tate (Ohio State) – souped-up Robert Woods 

Tate is a very smooth wide receiver who wins more off precision and nuance. Woods made a long NFL career after seemingly gliding into soft spots of a defense, having a solid catch radius while threatening multiple levels of a defense. The movement skills for Tate are very similar to Woods’, except in a bigger and more explosive package. 

LB Arvell Reese (Ohio State) – LaVar Arrington 

If you remember Arrington, he was a versatile linebacker who was asked to do a lot of different things, both at Penn State and in the NFL. He would serve as an inside linebacker at times, an outside linebacker at others, and also made plays rushing off the edge. That usage is very similar to Reese’s, while also bringing a near mirror image from a physical and athletic perspective. 

DT Caleb Banks (Florida) – John Henderson 

At 6-6 and 330 pounds, Banks is an uncommon athlete for a player his size. For those who remember Henderson, he made up one of the more terrifying defensive tackle duos in recent NFL history. Assuming the foot injury doesn’t become a chronic issue, Banks has a chance to be special on the NFL level. Banks just shouldn’t move as well as he does at his size. There is some rare upside on the table if he is able to keep tapping into it.

EDGE Keldric Faulk (Auburn) – Gregory Rousseau 

While Faulk isn’t the bendiest EDGE of all-time, he is very smooth and long. His game is pretty reminiscent of Rousseau when he came out of Miami a few years ago. Both players were used up and down the line of scrimmage due to their unique skill sets. That has hurt Faulk’s development to a degree, but there is still time to realize his upside. Fit will matter on the NFL level, just like it did for Rousseau.

CB Chris Johnson (San Diego State) – Johnathan Joseph

From a height-weight-speed perspective, there are a lot of parallels between Johnson and former Houston Texans Pro Bowl cornerback Johnathan Joseph. Possessing good long speed and overall football IQ, Johnson is perfect for the modern NFL, excelling in match coverages. There just aren’t many holes in Johnson’s game, much like Joseph. That high floor brings a lot of comfort for a prospective defensive coordinator. 

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