26 names to watch out for this season in college football…Caleb Downs, Anthony Hill or Peter Woods would be absolute home runs and reshape our defense overnight with their additions. We’d have to really suck to be in a position to grab Wood or Downs so I think Hill is the most realistic target…think Jihad Campbell with instincts, would love a guy like that manning the middle for us.
It’s never too early to start dreaming about which players your team might select in next year’s draft
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Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
I’ve been waiting for Downs to be draft eligible since the first time I watched him early in his career at Alabama while he was playing for Nick Saban. He transferred to Ohio State before last season, and even while playing on a Buckeyes defense loaded with future pros, he was often the best player on the field. He has a natural feel in pass coverage, knowing when to undercut routes when in man and where quarterbacks want to go with the ball when he’s playing zone. His closing speed is as good as I’ve seen from a safety in years, and he has the ball skills to turn any pass into a turnover. He’s probably the most complete safety prospect I’ve watched since Minkah Fitzpatrick. If this were a formal big board, I’d have him as my top overall player in the 2026 draft class.
Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
If there’s a defensive player capable of challenging Downs for the top spot in this class, it’s Woods. Just about every draft evaluator liked Mason Graham’s tape before the 2025 draft, and Woods’s Clemson film is better. Woods, who has prototypical size for an NFL defensive tackle, has powerful hands when he’s striking blockers, the anchor to fight double-teams on the interior, and the quick twitch to win as a pass rusher. His repertoire of pass-rush moves is impressive as an interior lineman. With defensive tackle becoming a premium position in the current NFL, Woods could be considered the top pick next spring. At worst, he might be the first non-quarterback taken.
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
You know I couldn’t get through this piece without stumping for a linebacker. Hill has a hybrid skill set, similar to what we saw out of Jihaad Campbell in this year’s draft. Had Hill been in the 2025 class, he might have been the first linebacker selected. The burst he shows while in pursuit is attention-grabbing, and he attacks ballcarriers and quarterbacks aggressively. He’s a violent tackler and does a good job at diagnosing plays. Texas moves him around in the front seven, using him as a blitzer, coverage defender, or additional rusher. He’s just 20 years old right now, so there is plenty of room for him to continue developing.
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