The 2026 NFL Draft is inching closer with the NFL and collegiate football seasons in full swing.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler compiled his latest top 50 Big Board as the with the college football regular season having less than a month remaining.
And there has been a shift from his initial list back in August.
Brugler has 28 defensive players to 22 offensive players in his top 50 this time around, as initially it was 26 offense to 24 defense, with edge rushers leading the way with nine.
The draft analyst's top five rankings also defense, however, with Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese as his new top player.
Behind him is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 2, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 3, Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk at No. 4 and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 5.
Brugler wrote:
However, there are also several reasons to be excited about this year's class. There are plenty of defensive linemen who will be able to upgrade NFL fronts. Optimism about the wide receivers and cornerbacks continues to grow. And this is a really fun linebacker group, starting with Ohio State's Arvell Reese, who has emerged as the top draft-eligible prospect.
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Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
QB Justin Herbert (10)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
QB Trey Lance (5)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
General Manager Joe Hortiz and DB Deane Leonard (33)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), DL Teair Tart (90) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
OLB Bud Dupree (48)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
LB Denzel Perryman (6) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
LB Denzel Perryman (6) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Kimani Vidal (30)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10) and OLB Khalil Mack (52)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
DL Da'Shawn Hand (91)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and WR Ladd McConkey (15)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and WR Ladd McConkey (15)
OLB Khalil Mack (52) and WR Ladd McConkey (15)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
DL Naquan Jones (96)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
C Bradley Bozeman (75), OL Austin Deculus (74) and G Zion Johnson (77)
K Cameron Dicker (11), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77) and P JK Scott (16)
C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77) and P JK Scott (16)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13), CB Donte Jackson (26) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
WR Keenan Allen (13) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
TE Tyler Conklin (83) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
WR Keenan Allen (13) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
WR Keenan Allen (13) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
WR Ladd McConkey (15) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
LB Denzel Perryman (6) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
S RJ Mickens (27)
S RJ Mickens (27)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10), CB Donte Jackson (26), K Cameron Dicker (11) and C Bradley Bozeman (75)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), QB Justin Herbert (10) and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Cam Hart (20)
CB Cam Hart (20), DL Naquan Jones (96) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and TE Tyler Conklin (83)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and CB Isas Waxter (37)
CB Donte Jackson (26)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, C Bradley Bozeman (75), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, C Bradley Bozeman (75), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, C Bradley Bozeman (75), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, C Bradley Bozeman (75), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Ladd McConkey (15), Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, C Bradley Bozeman (75), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Tyler Conklin (83) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
TE Tyler Conklin (83) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
TE Tyler Conklin (83) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Denzel Perryman (6)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Denzel Perryman (6)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and C Bradley Bozeman (75)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
As opposed to his initial rankings, offensive tackle prospects now have the third-most players in the top 50 at six after having 10 in his initial list.
Defensive tackles and wide receivers are tied for second with seven players each, the highest ranked being Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson at No. 8.
Brugler's colleague at The Athletic Nick Baumgardner released a recent mock draft, where he had the Bolts taking defensive tackle A'Mauri Washington out of Oregon. Washington is the third-highest ranked at his position on Brugler's list and at No. 30 overall.
The remaining college football season and College Football Playoffs will surely bring some change ahead of the offseason, but the draft board is beginning to take some shape.
