2026 NFL Mock Draft: Top 10 Prospect Risers

We ran a way-too-early 2026 NFL Mock Draft in May when the 2025 NFL Draft wrapped up. Here are the biggest risers in values between that draft and our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft. It shows where the league recalibrated. Quarterback evaluations flipped. Trench players surged. And one passer went from afterthought to the top pick.

2026 NFL Draft Prospects Rising in Value

Here are the 10 biggest risers in the 2026 NFL Draft cycle, with the new QB1 headlining the list.

Fernando Mendoza (QB – Indiana)

Preseason: Outside Round 1 → Now: No. 1 overall

This is the most dramatic rise in the class. Mendoza wasn’t part of the preseason first-round conversation at all. Now, he’s the clear-cut QB1 and the projected top pick.

The appeal isn’t overwhelming arm talent or athleticism. It’s processing, timing, and command. Teams buying into Mendoza are prioritizing decision-making and structure over traits, and that philosophical shift matters. He didn’t just rise. He reset how the top of the board looks.

Spencer Fano (OL – Utah)

Preseason: No. 28 → Now: No. 3

Fano made the rare leap from late-first placeholder to top-three cornerstone. His movement skills and positional flexibility pushed him past more “traditional” tackles. Even if he starts inside, teams now see a long-term answer rather than a developmental option.

Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE – Miami)

Preseason: No. 23 → Now: No. 4

Bain’s rise follows the classic EDGE pattern. Production plus disruption equals draft helium. Concerns about arm length didn’t matter once teams saw consistent pressure. He’s now viewed as a potential defensive centerpiece.

Jordyn Tyson (WR – Arizona State)

Preseason: Outside Round 1 → Now: No. 5

Tyson entering the top five signals a reshaped WR hierarchy. He played his way into WR1 status, and evaluators clearly believe his skill set translates cleanly to the NFL level. Medicals are the only remaining hurdle.

Carnell Tate (WR – Ohio State)

Preseason: Outside Round 1 → Now: No. 6

Tate’s rise is about reliability. He’s seen as a quarterback-friendly receiver who can win early in routes and stay on schedule. That profile carries more weight when teams are stabilizing young offenses.

Caleb Downs (S – Ohio State)

Preseason: No. 12 → Now: No. 7

Safeties rarely climb into the top 10 without universal buy-in. Downs’ jump reflects his value as a coverage eraser rather than a box-only defender. He’s being evaluated as a modern chess piece, not a traditional safety.

Makai Lemon (WR – USC)

Preseason: Outside Round 1 → Now: No. 8

Lemon’s emergence reinforces how much deeper this receiver class became. He wins with sharp routes, toughness, and versatility, and teams now view him as an immediate contributor rather than a developmental option.

Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame)

Preseason: No. 14 → Now: No. 9

Any running back climbing into the top 10 is noteworthy. Love’s vision and three-down profile separated him from the pack. In a league that rarely spends premium capital at RB, this rise is meaningful.

Francis Mauigoa (OT – Miami)

Preseason: No. 17 → Now: No. 10

Mauigoa’s climb was steady, not explosive. That often matters more. Teams kept moving him up as they cycled through offensive line needs, and now he’s viewed as a top-10 solution rather than a mid-first gamble.

Arvell Reese (LB – Ohio State)

Preseason: Outside Round 1 → Now: No. 2

Linebackers don’t usually go this high. Reese did because teams see flexibility, pressure ability, and scheme adaptability. EDGE or off-ball, he fits modern defenses and climbed accordingly.

Fantasy Takeaways

Fernando Mendoza (QB – Indiana) becoming the projected No. 1 pick reshapes the entire 2026 QB conversation for dynasty and superflex formats.
Offensive line risers like Spencer Fano (OL – Utah) and Francis Mauigoa (OT – Miami) often signal longer-term QB stability for NFL teams.
Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame) earning top-10 capital puts him in rare fantasy territory at the position.
The WR class is deeper and stronger than preseason expectations suggested, led by Jordyn Tyson (WR – Arizona State).
Early mock risers matter most when they align with premium NFL positions, not just college production.