6 Small-School Prospects to Know Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft
After a lengthy pre-draft process, many fans are well acquainted with top 2026 NFL Draft prospects like Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese. Programs like Ohio State, Miami, Oregon and Indiana will likely have multiple players taken in Round 1. However, it’s always worth shedding light on some of the draft gems from smaller schools who could eventually become well-known.
Ahead of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, here are a few small-school prospects fans should know about who could be picked quite early. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo James Snook-Imagn Images Of all the smaller-school prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has the best shot of being picked in Round 1. This past season with the Toledo Rockets, he earned Second-Team All-American honors after recording 77 solo tackles with 5.
5 tackles for loss, 5 pass deflections, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. At the NFL Combine, he measured at 6-foot-3 and put up an excellent time in the 40-yard dash of 4. 52.
He drew an NFL comparison to Talanoa Hufanga by ESPN ‘s Matt Miller, with McNeil-Warren’s outstanding range, instincts, and ability to close ground quickly all standing out. He’ll be a top-50 pick, at a minimum, and could develop into a high-end starter. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State James Snook-Imagn Images While San Diego State Aztecs star Chris Johnson probably hears his name called early on Day 2, instead of joining Rashaad Penny as the program’s recent first-round picks, he is one of the best cornerbacks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
He offers good size (6-foot) with excellent speed (4. 4 40-yard dash time) along with instincts and a feel for the position that could make him a Week 1 starter. At the very least, Johnson will be playing plenty of snaps in his rookie season, and there’s at least a possibility that five years from now he’s the second-best corner from this draft class.
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