With the 2026 NFL Draft just one week away, Big 12 programs are poised to make serious noise as NFL teams evaluate elite offensive talent across the conference. From potential top‑10 picks to fast‑rising linemen, these five offensive players are drawing the most attention from scouts.
Jordyn Tyson, Wide Receiver, Arizona State
Tyson is a playmaker and should be one of the first wide receivers off the board on day one of the 2026 NFL Draft. He could even be taken in the top 10. A few recent high profile mock drafts had Tyson going to the Kansas City Chiefs at pick No. 9.
Tyson can play out wide or be a mismatch out of the slot and has the potential to be a WR1 at the next level. He has great hands and is willing to make tough catches, can be a red zone threat, and is a willing blocker at all levels. He’s what you want to see in a first round wide receiver.
The biggest knock on Tyson has been his injury history. Although that doesn’t mean the injury history can’t make him stronger. His receivers coach at Arizona State, former NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward, recently told a story about what makes Tyson so tough. Ward said when he saw Tyson play through a hamstring injury, and nearly single-handedly beat Texas Tech after he went down, was one of the most impressive things he has ever seen out of a wide receiver.
Any team would be lucky to have a receiver like Tyson in their locker room and he has the chance to be the first wide receiver taken in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Fano has experience playing left tackle and right tackle for the Utes and has a lot of experience. He started at left tackle his freshman year before moving to right tackle his sophomore year. He earned All American honors as a right tackle his second season at Utah and won Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year his junior season in 2025.
Fano would be a great addition to any team, with flexibility to play at either tackle spot. It’s likely he would play right tackle at the next level since that’s what he has excelled at during his time at Utah. His athleticism pops off the tape and that was shown again at the combine.
There is some speculation that he may kick to guard at the next level due to his shorter arm length, but his experience and domination as a right tackle should give him plenty of chances to stick there with the right team.
Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Another tackle from Utah, Lomu is also projected to be drafted in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He took over the starting left tackle job from Fano in 2024 after redshirting in 2023. He did not allow a sack in 2025 and earned First Team All-Big 12 after his excellent season with the Utes.
Like Fano, his arm length and hand size may be an issue for some teams, but the production and athleticism are there to make him an excellent addition to any team’s offensive line room. He’s a better pass protector than run blocker, but the traits are there to get him to a point where he can be an immediate starter after being drafted and potentially a staple on someone’s offensive line for a decade.
Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Another Sun Devil and offensive tackle makes the list. Iheanachor is a massive figure who didn’t start playing football until he was 18. He was initially a basketball player but leaned into football and went the JUCO route before ending up at Arizona State for his final two collegiate seasons.
The right tackle earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, only behind Fano, allowing zero sacks in 484 pass blocking reps. He dominated at the Senior Bowl and put himself in position to possibly be taken in the first round.
With his background in other sports like basketball and soccer, his athleticism stands out, and can get him to the next level. Some teams may be hesitant to take him since he was late to the game of football, but his experience in college and tools should make whatever team takes him very happy over the course of his NFL career.
Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor
Trigg would be an intriguing prospect for any team looking to add depth at the TE position with a chance for him to become a starter at some point in his career. He has the size (6’4” and 240 lbs) to cause mismatches all over the field. He moves well for his size and has the largest wingspan of any tight end to be measured at the NFL combine in the combine’s history. He isn’t afraid to go across the middle and make the tough catches and has good contact balance to create yards after the catch.
Trigg will need to work on his run blocking if he wants to be used consistently at the next level, but he has the tools to get there with coaching. His stand out moment at Baylor was a 155 yard game against Kansas State that set a school record for most receiving yards by a tight end in a single game. He finished the 2025 season with 694 yards and six touchdowns.
He started his college career at USC as a freshman before transferring to Ole Miss where he set a single-game record for touchdowns by a tight end, getting three in one game against Central Arkansas in 2022. He finished his career playing two seasons at Baylor. Trigg is an older prospect, which may scare some teams away, but his athletic profile and chance to be a playmaker at the next level is there for someone to take a chance on in the middle rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
As the countdown to the draft gets closer, Big 12 fans can gear up in hopes to hear someone’s name from their favorite team called across all three days of the NFL’s biggest offseason event of the year.
