2026 NFL Draft Preview: The 10 Names You Need to Know

Which potential Round 1 players is the media ignoring right now? We got you.

Every April, draft coverage is dominated by the blue-chip names — the elite edge rushers, the freak-athlete receivers, the centerpiece prospects whose stock soars on hype alone. But hidden beneath the bright lights and the combine buzz are the players who can quietly tilt a roster’s balance of power. These are the maulers and the mismatch creators, the under-the-radar prospects who offer real Day 1 value without the first-round price tag. From Auburn’s immovable tackle with mauling power to Alabama’s back-shoulder specialist, this list zeroes in on ten prospects flying just under the mainstream radar—guys whose tape, traits, and workout floors suggest they belong on every team’s draft board. Think of this as your cheat code: the breakout names you’ll be glad you scoped before everyone else did.

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Xavier Chaplin, T, Auburn

Chaplin offers a truly rare blend of mauling strength and natural hand violence. In Auburn’s run-first system, he consistently delivers highlight-reel rep after rep, showing off a violent punch that knocks defenders back, then understandably kills momentum with a firm anchor. His play strength shines on combo blocks, where he latches onto his man and transitions to the second level, sustaining blocks on linebackers to spring wide-zone and power-run schemes. He stacks and drives—and he does it from rep one to rep 75 without any drop-off.

That said, Chaplin’s game is far from flawless. His lateral agility thresholds fall short when tasked with mirror responsibilities in 3-tech rotations or speed-to-space concepts. On cut-block heavy schemes, his default upright reset under duress can see him leaning into the friction of traffic, yielding unexpected lane penetrations. Stunt recognition—particularly inside counter techniques—also reveals a reset issue: he plants high and can be washed down the line. To secure an early Day 2 role, he must demonstrate improved bend in workout settings and sharpen his foot-to-hand sync on reach-to-recover angles. As a true left tackle, he profiles as a top-50 pick in drafts that covet maulers, but only if he refines that lateral profile.