One NFL Draft Prospect To Watch On Each College Football Playoff Team

The New England Patriots have plenty of football left to play this season, but it’s time to shift some focus on the organization’s future.

I’ll be among the many with a watchful eye on the 2026 College Football Playoff, which features some top prospects — and schools like Ohio State, Alabama, Oklahoma, Georgia, Oregon, Indiana, Ole Miss and Texas A&M — who will be available in the 2026 NFL Draft.

I’ve got a few in mind that could fit at (or around) One Patriot Place:

No. 1 Indiana: QB Fernando Mendoza

Matchup: Rose Bowl vs. Oklahoma/Alabama
Date: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Kickoff: 4 p.m. ET
Stadium: Rose Bowl — Pasadena, Cali.
TV: ESPN

Fernando Mendoza isn’t going to be drafted to replace Drake Maye, so take your hands off the keyboard before you leave a comment that can’t be taken back before you read the rest of this entry.

I’ll eventually get to guys who could be targeted by New England, but what better time than now to profile someone who could be targeted by one of its arch rivals?

The New York Jets currently own two first-round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, which could easily be packaged in order to put them in position to take the first quarterback off the board — especially if the No. 1 pick ends up with someone who recently invested in a first-round signal-caller like the New York Giants (Jaxson Dart) or Tennessee Titans (Cam Ward).

Mendoza has steadily improved his draft stock, as he entered the season as a fringe first-round talent and suddenly looks like an obvious candidate to be the first player selected overall. Indiana’s sudden success has as much to do with him — 2,980 passing yards, 33 touchdowns — as anyone, and potential matchups with Oklahoma, Alabama, Texas Tech and Oregon will help us figure out whether or not he’ll be in consideration to go first.

No. 2 Ohio State: LB Sonny Styles

Matchup: Cotton Bowl vs. Texas A&M/Miami
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Stadium: AT&T Stadium — Arlington, Texas
TV: ESPN

Ohio State is going to put double-digit players into the NFL in 2026 — with wide receiver Carnell Tate, tight end Max Klare, offensive lineman Austin Siereveld, defensive linemen Kayden McDonald and Kenyatta Jackson, linebackers Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, cornerback Davison Igbinosun and safety Caleb Downs all serving as surefire draft picks, and that doesn’t even include the team’s two best players who won’t be eligible until 2027.

Styles fits best for our purposes.

The Patriots have recently seen just how important linebacker depth can be, as they were forced to shuffle the defensive rotation with injuries knocking out Christian Elliss and Robert Spillane.

Styles fits the mold of what they’ve been looking for at the position lately, as the converted safety possesses the athleticism of a much smaller player but can still stick his nose in the middle of things. New England would be smart to not just add depth, but upgrade that spot alongside Spillane.

No. 3 Georgia: OL Monroe Freeling

Matchup: Sugar Bowl vs. Ole Miss/Tulane
Date: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Stadium: Caesars Superdome — New Orleans, La.
TV: ESPN

Maye’s long-term health needs to be this organization’s top priority moving forward, which means they need to think long and hard about bringing aboard another offensive tackle at the top of the draft.

Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Oregon’s Isaiah World are options, but for our exercise the best option is Monroe Freeling.

Freeling is yet the latest offensive lineman to come out of Georgia who needed to wait his turn before being handed the reins as the full-time starter — much like Patriots offensive lineman Jared Wilson. The Bulldogs probably didn’t need to wait as long on their current left tackle, however, as he carries an exceptional athletic profile for someone who stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs 315 pounds and allowed zero total pressures across matchups with Ole Miss and Alabama.

It’s rare that you have opportunities to take franchise offensive tackles in back-to-back drafts, so when you do, you have to take advantage.

No. 4 Texas Tech: LB Jacob Rodriguez

Matchup: Orange Bowl vs. Oregon/James Madison
Date: Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET
Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium — Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: ESPN

Jacob Rodriguez definitely isn’t the same level of athlete as most of the other linebackers who are in consideration to be drafted on Day 2, but you’d be hard pressed to find one with better instincts.

I’ll be interested to see which teams value that aspect of his game, because there are few better linebacker prospects in terms of overall knowledge and ability to play off the ball.

No. 5 Oregon: TE Kenyon Sadiq

Matchup: vs. James Madison
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Stadium: Autzen Stadium — Eugene, Ore.
TV: TNT

If you want to get cocky, draft Kenyon Sadiq.

Sadiq definitely isn’t polished like some of the other guys we’ve seen have success immediately after entering the NFL — Indianapolis Colts’ Tyler Warren, Las Vegas Raiders’ Brock Bowers, Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride — but the dude is an insane athlete and a potential matchup nightmare.

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels literally made his name off of designing systems to take advantage of mismatches with his tight ends, so why not grab him another one?

No. 6 Ole Miss: TE Dae’Quan Wright

Matchup: vs. Tulane
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
Stadium: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Miss.
TV: TNT

If it would be considered cocky to draft Sadiq, it would probably best be described as practical to take Dae’Quan Wright.

Wright is an every down player at the position, which have been hard to come by in recent seasons. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper probably have a couple of good seasons left in the tank, but it can’t hurt to add another player with a similar skill set to complement them.

No. 7 Texas A&M: EDGE Cashius Howell

Matchup: vs. Miami
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET
Stadium: Kyle Field — College Station, Texas
TV: ESPN

Cashius Howell gets after the quarterback better than anyone in the country, he’s just undersized and doesn’t have a true position.

The Patriots almost certainly wouldn’t care about that, as they’ve received the most edge contributions this season from Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson — players who have seen their snap counts in early downs decrease throughout the season.

Howell has an incredible opportunity ahead of him against the Miami Hurricanes, which just might push him further up the draft board after his incredible rise this season.

No. 8 Oklahoma: EDGE R Mason Thomas

Matchup: vs. Alabama
Date: Friday, Dec. 19, 2025
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Stadium: Memorial Stadium — Norman, Okla.
TV: ESPN

R Mason Thomas can play on first down, second down, third down, fourth down, in the kicking game and, probably, somewhere on offense.

The Patriots need someone who can play on all three downs on the edge, and there’s no better second- or third-round option than this man.

No. 9 Alabama: WR Germie Bernard

Matchup: vs. Oklahoma
Date: Friday, Dec. 19, 2025
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
Stadium: Memorial Stadium — Norman, Okla.
TV: ESPN

Germie Bernard won’t end up with the best speed, agility and explosiveness scores at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, but he’ll play as long as anyone who is drafted in this class.

Bernard’s play-strength is genuinely impressive, as has been his growth into becoming the Crimson Tide’s most trusted wide receiver in 2025 — in which he’s led them in receptions (57), receiving yards (762) and total touchdowns (9).

The Patriots can’t have too many options at wide receiver, can they? 

No. 10 Miami: DL Akheem Mesidor

Matchup: vs. Texas A&M
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET
Stadium: Kyle Field — College Station, Texas
TV: ESPN

Akheem Mesidor won’t be the flashiest player to take the field in Miami’s matchup with Texas A&M, but he’s a killer.

New England can never have too much depth along the defensive line, so keep your eye on anyone with their hand in the dirt across the playoff.

Mesidor is a sixth-year senior who has 30.0 sacks and 47.0 tackles for loss under his belt across stunts with Miami and West Virginia. It’s clear that he can produce.

No. 11 Tulane: OL Shadre Hurst

Matchup: vs. Ole Miss
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
Stadium: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium — Oxford, Miss.
TV: TNT

Tulane doesn’t have very many options for us to choose from, so we chose the only option: Shadre Hurst.

Hurst is undersized, but he has versatility and was named an All-American (The Sporting News) in 2025.

No. 12 James Madison: WR Nick DeGennaro

Matchup: vs. Oregon
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Stadium: Autzen Stadium — Eugene, Ore.
TV: TNT

James Madison, much like Tulane, doesn’t have very many options for us to choose from, so we chose Nick DeGennaro.

It’s not going to happen, so let’s not waste any time.

Sahir West, the club’s superstar redshirt freshman, is someone to keep your eye on moving forward. If he ends up alongside head coach Bob Chesney at UCLA, we could see his draft stock skyrocket.