WCG’s lead draft analyst shares some of his top breakout candidates for the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Going into the dead of summer, NFL fans and analysts alike find themselves with plenty of free time that’s normally spent discussing their favorite team or players.
Truthfully, there’s not a lot of news going on in the football world currently, particularly surrounding our beloved Chicago Bears. That said, I like to use this dead period to pick up my preparations for the next NFL Draft class.
I feel like I write this in every summer draft article I write, but a lot will change between now and the 2026 NFL Draft next April. If anything, I like to try and predict which players could potentially break out and shoot their way up my draft board.
Whether it be a first-year starter or a raw prospect with tools to develop further, I’ve identified six players I think could break out in the 2025 college football season and cement themselves as top 2026 NFL Draft prospects. These are those six players.
Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Current ranking: No. 24
Given that he’s only started in two career games at the collegiate level, Arch Manning doesn’t have a big enough sample size to warrant being my QB1 at this stage, nor does he hold a true first-round grade for me yet. If he performs the way I expect him to in 2025, though, that will probably change.
Aside from his obvious NFL lineage, Manning is a poised and intelligent passer who reads the field well and has shown he can scan past his first read to find the open man. He has a quick release with some nice zip behind his throws and good anticipation. He’s also a much better athlete than his two Super Bowl-winning uncles, as he showcases impressive agility and breakaway speed. If he can improve his footwork and his sense of backside pressure, he could end up being my QB1 in this class with a very high grade when it’s all said and done.
Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
Current ranking: No. 92
Leavitt fared well in his first season as a collegiate starter, throwing for 2,885 passing yards with 24 touchdowns to just six interceptions. He also contributed on the ground, rushing for 443 yards and five touchdowns. Grading in at 89.1 by PFF in 2024, he was the only Power 4 quarterback with 80+ grades as both a passer and a runner.
I get J.J. McCarthy vibes from Leavitt based off what I saw from him as a redshirt freshman last year. He’s a skinny quarterback but has good arm elasticity with the ability to hit targets in tight windows from any platform. He’s an agile quarterback who maneuvers the pocket well with his head on a swivel and above-average athleticism for the position. The flashes he shows in terms of deep-ball accuracy are enticing, as well. His anticipation and timing are a bit hit-or-miss, but with more consistency, he’ll skyrocket up my board.
Charles Jagusah, OG/OT, Notre Dame
Current ranking: No. 65
Heading into the 2024 season, Jagusah was slated to be Notre Dame’s starting left tackle, but a pectoral injury saw him miss all but their last two games. He stepped in as a guard in the postseason, and he impressed enough to project as a starter there going into 2025.
Jagusah hasn’t been a full-time starter yet in college, but the tools are palpable with him. He’s 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds with great length and tremendous raw power proportioned well throughout his frame. He packs a mean punch at the point of attack and generates serious push in the run game with how he churns his legs through contact. For such a tall lineman, he’s more flexible than you’d expect, and his recovery strength in pass protection is really good. Jagusah’s lateral quickness isn’t anything to write home about, but his size, power and inside-outside versatility could see him rise up boards with a strong 2025.
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Current ranking: No. 44
Terrance Ferguson was a second-round pick in the 2025 draft, and with Sadiq being an underclassman, the former was naturally going to receive more playing time. That said, with a strong season as a full-time starter, I think Sadiq could end up drafted even higher than Ferguson, who got picked No. 46 by the Rams this April.
I come away seriously impressed with Sadiq’s tape from 2024, particularly in how athletic he is. He has tremendous deep speed, which helps him stretch the field as a vertical threat better than most tight ends. He senses soft spots against zone coverage well and can work himself open as a security blanket for his quarterback. With his explosiveness out of his breaks, he can separate against man coverage from safeties or linebackers, and he showcases ideal effort as a blocker. Though smaller at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds and a little light in the play strength department, Sadiq has immense receiving potential and is super close to being my TE1 in this draft class, even without a full season as a starter to his name.
Anto Saka, EDGE, Northwestern
Current ranking: No. 29
Saka is an interesting case, as he’s been a rotational defender his first two seasons at Northwestern but has still tallied nine sacks in that time. He was the first player the program has had since 2008 to tally three sacks in his first five collegiate games, and though his sack numbers dipped in 2024, he increased his pressure count from 14 the previous year up to 27.
An explosive edge rusher with a dynamic first step, Saka is a top-notch speed rusher who maximizes his first-step quickness with ideal bend and flexibility turning the corner outside. He maintains proper hand activity at the line of scrimmage, stringing moves together to win off counters and beat offensive tackles at the initial point of contact with a variety of moves. Saka is a bit light for an edge rusher at 247 pounds, and I get the sense he’s a much better fit in a base 3-4 system. That said, I see many similarities to Ravens second-round pick Mike Green coming out. Considering Saka doesn’t have known off-the-field issues, he could go even higher with a similar breakout year to what Green had in 2024.
Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Current ranking: No. 38
When you’re competing for playing time with two top-60 draft picks in Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton, it’s difficult to carve out a starting role. That was the case for Howell at Texas A&M in 2024, after having tallied 9.5 sacks and 11 tackles for a loss at Bowling Green in 2023. However, he still managed to put up four sacks and seven pass deflections as a backup, finishing the year with an insane 91.4 PFF pass-rushing grade.
Howell has a deep arsenal of pass-rushing moves like swims, rips and cross-chops he can use to win at the line of scrimmage. He has solid spatial awareness in how he frees up his hands to make plays in run support. In addition to his refined skill set, he’s a dynamic athlete with impressive first-step acceleration and really good bend off the edge. He stays low to the ground with proper pad level and flexibility. Similar to Saka, Howell is a lighter edge rusher at 245 pounds and doesn’t seem to have elite length or anchor strength. As a stand-up EDGE who can rush the passer, though, there’s a lot of allure.