2026 NFL Draft Roundup: Jordyn Tyson a fit for Broncos, Trinidad Chambliss impresses

Week 5 of the college football season may have been the best yet. Top teams like Georgia, Penn State, and Florida State suffered tough losses, while Alabama, Oregon, and Ole Miss proved they are serious National Championship contenders.

Several NFL Draft prospects also made statements, including three quarterbacks who went from backups last year to possible top picks in 2026. In this week’s NFL Draft Roundup, we break down those QBs, highlight two wide receivers who are opening eyes, and spotlight a couple of prospects making Ohio State’s defense elite this season.

Quarterbacks flying up the draft board

Coming into the season, most experts had Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Texas’s Arch Manning, and Penn State’s Drew Allar ranked among the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class. All four have stumbled. The only one to meet expectations so far is South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers, who some, including our own Tarringo Basile-Vaughan, still project as the number one overall pick.

Their struggles have opened the door for a new wave of first-year starters to climb the board.

Oregon’s Dante Moore faced his biggest test against Penn State and delivered. He went 29-of-39 for 248 yards and three touchdowns, showing the athleticism and poise that have defined his year. He has also been outstanding at protecting the football with 14 touchdowns to just one interception.

Alabama’s Ty Simpson also impressed in Week 5, guiding the Tide past fifth-ranked Georgia. Simpson runs the offense with command well beyond his experience. He had thrown only 50 career passes entering the season, but his ability to progress through reads and hit receivers in stride makes him one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the country.

Then there is Ole Miss’s Trinidad Chambliss, a transfer portal afterthought who entered the season as a backup. Rated the 60th quarterback available by 247Sports, he is now lighting up defenses with back-to-back 300-yard passing and 60-yard rushing games. If he sustains this pace, Chambliss could go from overlooked journeyman to legitimate draft prospect by 2026.

Jordyn Tyson is locking up the number one receiver spot

Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is making a strong case as the top player at his position. In last week’s upset of 24th-ranked TCU, he hauled in eight passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns, including a game-tying score in the final two minutes.

That performance marked his third 100-yard outing of the season. Tyson has caught at least six passes in every game, while no other Sun Devil wideout has more than five receptions or 93 yards all year. He is proving he can handle the role of a true go-to receiver, producing even when defenses game plan to stop him.

As a prospect, Tyson brings traits that translate well to the NFL. He plays with physicality, consistently outmuscling defensive backs at the catch point. He has ideal size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, pairs it with impressive agility for his frame, and has shown clear progress in his hands. After dropping seven passes last year, he has only one drop so far this season.

Two franchises that stand out as strong fits in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft are the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos. Both teams have lacked consistent production at wide receiver and could use a true number one target to support their second-year quarterbacks.

Another standout receiver

USC wide receiver Makai Lemon is another wide receiver who stood out in Week 5. He caught 11 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois, and nearly had a third score if not for a penalty. His performance earned a 91.3 Pro Football Focus grade, the highest mark of any wideout last weekend.

Lemon showed several traits that make him a strong 2026 NFL Draft prospect. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, he plays with impressive strength, winning three contested catches including a late touchdown. That physicality also makes him dangerous after the catch, adding 26 yards after the ball was in his hands.

He also flashed the reliable hands that have been a calling card of his game. Lemon has just one drop this season and only one drop all of last year, a big reason he landed on NFL Mock’s Preseason All-Big Ten Draft team.

Buckeye’s defensive linemen rising up the board

The Ohio State Buckeyes might be the best team in college football this season. They are on track to capture the Big Ten title and finally knock off Michigan. A key reason for their dominance is an elite defense that leads the nation by allowing just 5.5 points per game, even after losing eight players to the NFL Draft last year.

Two defensive linemen, Caden Curry and Kayden McDonald, have been central to that success and are seeing their NFL Draft stock rise. Curry ranks fourth in the nation with five sacks this season and recently posted career highs with 11 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks in a single game. As a prospect, he brings a relentless motor and should be considered a mid-round pick.

Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald is a massive 6-foot-3, 326-pound presence who clogs running lanes, helping Ohio State hold opponents to just 2.9 yards per carry. He has also added a pass-rushing element to his game, recording three sacks over the last two games after entering the season without any.

Impressive return

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards missed most of the first part of the season due to an ankle injury. He finally looked fully healthy in Week Five, rushing for 166 yards, the fifth-best mark in the FBS this weekend. Edwards also showed the game-breaking speed that allowed him to lead all Power Five running backs with at least 70 carries last season, averaging 7.4 yards per attempt.

His biggest play came in the third quarter when he broke off a 75-yard run, giving Kansas State a 31–10 lead over UCF. In addition to that run, he had seven other carries of at least 10 yards, finishing the day with a 7.5-yard average.

One potential NFL fit for Edwards, whom I currently grade as a sixth-round prospect, is the Atlanta Falcons. He could complement Bijan Robinson effectively, especially if the Falcons lose current backup Tyler Allgeier in free agency. Edwards’ speed also draws comparisons to Warrick Dunn, who made a name for himself with Atlanta in the early 2000s.

The next Billy Bob

One of my favorite movies growing up was Varsity Blues, where offensive lineman Billy Bob made a crucial play as a ball carrier to help beat a rival. This week in college football gave us a similar moment as another big man made a statement play in the open field.

Alabama drew up a play for 6-foot-7, 355-pound offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor, who rumbled 11 yards after hauling in the ball. More importantly, Proctor also delivered his best night in pass protection, not allowing a single pressure for the first time this season.