The 2026 NFL Draft is officially 30 days away, and teams are starting to lock in how they want to attack it. You can see it in who they’re bringing in for top-30 visits and which pro days they’re showing up to. In this week’s notebook, we read into those signs, highlight a few sleepers, and hit on key team needs.
Lee Hunter could be a fit for Green Bay
The Packers are expected to run primarily a 3-4 defense this season under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, and to make that work they need to address the nose tackle spot in the 2026 NFL Draft. One player who makes a lot of sense with their first pick, likely in the late second round, is Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter. He’s a natural fit for the scheme at 6-foot-4, 318 pounds with strong play strength. This past season he was a big reason Texas Tech led the nation in rushing defense, and he could step in and make an immediate impact against the run in Green Bay.
Harold Perkins turns heads
One of the most impressive performances from Pro Days over the last week is Harold Perkins from LSU running a 4.38 40-yard dash. To say the least, that’s elite speed for a 223-pound linebacker. However, he is still a risky prospect who may get drafted too high, and that’s due to his average play the last couple of seasons after being one of the top freshmen in the SEC earlier in his career. In terms of on-field traits, he still needs to prove he has the instincts needed to play in the NFL and quit letting his speed work against him by overrunning tackles at times.
LB Harold Perkins Jr. at LSU Pro Day:
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) March 23, 2026
4.38 in the 40-yard dash 👀 pic.twitter.com/LuKjOQdEhX
Linebacker is a pressing need in Indy
One position the Colts must address in the 2026 NFL Draft is linebacker. Right now there is not a reliable starter on the roster and the defense needs more speed at the position. One prospect they are bringing in for a visit who could help at outside linebacker is Texas Tech’s Romello Height. This past season, Height recorded 10 sacks and showed he can consistently get to the quarterback.
Day 3 pass rusher
A late-round, super productive sleeper in the 2026 NFL Draft is Central Michigan’s Michael Heldman. The First Team All-MAC pick put up 16.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks this past season, while earning a 93.2 PFF defensive grade, the second-highest in the FBS. As a prospect, he’s a bigger defensive end at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds who uses that size to bull rush in pass-rush situations and set the edge against the run. One team that could be a fit is the Dallas Cowboys, who have already met with the Chippewas defender.
Explosive runner for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are looking to add an explosive runner to bring much-needed speed to a backfield that currently leans on more power backs in Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. One player they recently brought in for a visit is Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, who is one of the more dynamic backs in the 2026 NFL Draft. This past season, he had 12 carries go for at least 15 yards and showed off his speed at the NFL Combine with a 4.37 forty. I currently have a fifth-round grade on Claiborne.
Chiefs cornerback depth
The Chiefs have a real need at corner after losing both starters this offseason, trading Trent McDuffie and seeing Jaylen Watson leave in free agency. That leaves them thin at the position, and while there is some upside with Nohl Williams and Kristian Fulton, neither is a proven option you can fully trust right now. Because of that, expect them to address corner in the 2026 NFL Draft, with Washington’s Tacario Davis as a mid-round option. He has an intriguing mix of size and speed at 6-foot-4 with a 4.41 forty, and while he only had three interceptions in college, he led the Pac-12 with 15 pass breakups in 2023, showing he can consistently make plays on the ball.
One more mid-round corner to watch
Another corner who will likely hear his name called in the third or fourth round is Georgia’s Daylen Everett. He has the tools to be a high-quality nickel corner at the next level, starting with his quickness, which showed up with a 4.38 forty. He also plays physical and, in coverage, will challenge receivers, while being excellent against the run, earning a 90.1 PFF run defense grade this past season. A few teams that have shown strong interest in him include the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dolphins showing interest in Ted Hurst
After Miami traded Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, their wide receiver room is in a rough spot, with Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, who had a combined 24 receptions, currently set as starters. That’s not going to cut it, so this is a position they’ll have to address in the 2026 NFL Draft. One prospect they’ve brought in is Georgia State’s Ted Hurst, who carries a third-round grade on my board. He’s a big, agile target and the kind of athlete new quarterback Malik Willis needs in this passing game.
Mid-round center option for the Bears
The Bears took a hit this offseason when center Drew Dalman unexpectedly retired. They tried to patch it by trading for Garrett Bradbury, but he’s only under contract for one more year and is coming off his worst season since 2019, per PFF. That’s not a long-term answer. Because of that, Chicago is digging into mid-round options, including Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge. He earned All-American honors at guard last season, but his skill set translates, and he could make the move to center at the next level.
Jalen Catalon calls it a career
Former Missouri safety Jalen Catalon has informed scouts that he is medically retiring from football. It’s an unfortunate end to his career, as he was once viewed as one of the better safeties in college football, earning All-SEC honors in 2020 and later recording four interceptions and 96 tackles in 2024 at UNLV. Injuries were the constant issue throughout his career, though, and they ultimately caught up to him.