Each week, Yardbarker monitors the 2026 NFL Draft, scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
We’re answering the biggest questions about the draft. With that in mind, here are five:
Who could emerge as QB3 in the draft at the Senior Bowl?
Fernando Mendoza (Indiana Hoosiers) and Ty Simpson (Alabama Crimson Tide) have separated themselves as the top QBs in the class. Others, however, are still competing for QB3, including Garrett Nussmeier (LSU Tigers).
Nussmeier (6-foot-1, 202 pounds) is set to play for the American Team in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Saturday (2:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network). ESPN’s Jordan Reid expects him to raise his stock during the week of practice.
“LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier will be the most impressive passer this week because his anticipation and accuracy will shine in this setting,” wrote Reid in a story published Monday. “In speaking to scouts over the past few weeks, the highest projection I’ve heard is Round 3, but others had Round 5 or 6 grades on him. I think Nussmeier will improve on those this week.”
A solid week at the Senior Bowl won’t put Nussmeier back into the first-round conversation. In 2025, he averaged 6.7 yards per pass attempt (1,927 yards in nine games), the second-lowest mark of his college career. The QB also tossed 12 TD passes and five interceptions.
His underwhelming senior season may tie to chronic tendinitis in his left knee. Teams will gather more information on the medical issue during the predraft process.
How big a concern is Vanderbilt Commodores QB Diego Pavia’s size?
Ahead of the Senior Bowl, Pavia measured at 5-foot-9 7/8 inches and 198 pounds. The lack of prototypical size for an NFL QB hampers his chances of making it in the league. Kansas City Chiefs superstar QB Patrick Mahomes, for example, is listed at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds.
“Pavia’s measurements fall under the ideal threshold for NFL quarterbacks,” wrote The Draft Network in a preseason scouting report. “This may hinder his ability to see the field fully, which may result in missing open receivers or not seeing defenders who can make a play on the football.”
However, 2025 Heisman finalist Pavia — who tossed 29 TD passes in 13 games this past season — is determined to prove his skeptics wrong.
“Whoever takes a chance on me, they’re gonna win,” the QB said Monday (via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson).
Which position group is the deepest at the Senior Bowl?
Teams that need pass-rush help should keep a keen eye on the Senior Bowl. It’s flush with talented edge-rushers.
“There’s no Myles Garrett [Cleveland Browns] or even Abdul Carter [New York Giants] in this class, but the list of draftable edge-rushers (especially in the top 100) is a long one,” wrote The Athletic’s Dane Brugler in a story published Monday. “Unfortunately, the top guys such as Texas Tech’s David Bailey and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are no longer participating in the Senior Bowl. The roster remains rich at the position, though.”
Illinois Fighting Illini LB Gabe Jacas (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) and Texas Tech Red Raiders LB Romello Height (6-foot-2, 234 pounds) could be two of the biggest risers. Jacas tied for ninth in the FBS in sacks (11) in 2025, while Height tied for 15th (10).
Will Florida Gators D-lineman Caleb Banks solidify himself as a first-rounder despite injury issue?
A broken left foot limited Banks to two games in 2025. The 6-foot-6, 330-pounder logged six tackles this past season after totaling 21 in 12 games in 2024.
Sitting may have been the right move for Banks. Last season, former Kentucky Wildcats DT Deone Walker (6-foot-7, 331 pounds) played with a back injury and had a career-low 37 tackles in 11 games. He fell to the fourth round, where the Buffalo Bills took him with pick No. 109.
“Both are towering human beings,” wrote CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards in a story published Tuesday. “Walker, like Banks, was regarded as a likely first-round pick prior to his final season and then spent that year playing through injury in Lexington. Walker may be a cautionary tale that benefits Banks.”
NFL Mock Draft Database projects that Banks is a first-rounder. He could still use an impressive week at the Senior Bowl to prove the injury isn’t a concern.
Where will Indiana Hoosiers WR Omar Cooper Jr. land in the draft?
After helping Indiana win its first national title in football, Cooper (6-foot, 201 pounds) declared for the draft on Monday. This season, he led the Hoosiers in receiving yards (937) and finished second in TD catches (13).
Makai Lemon (Southern California Trojans) and Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State Sun Devils) headline a deep WR class. Cooper isn’t on the same tier as the aforementioned prospects, but he should still be a Day 2 pick. Tankathon’s latest mock draft has the Baltimore Ravens taking him with pick No. 80 in the third round.
