With Titans Sitting No. 1 (Again), Braden Gall's Top 10 Players in the Draft

By BRADEN GALL, college contributor

Each week, 440 Sports’ Braden Gall dives into the most important matchups and developments from the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

These are my top 10 prospects in the NFL Draft for 2026 and how I think the Titans should be building their board based on need, trajectory and what could happen over the final few weeks of the season. 

Carnell Tate
Carnell Tate from his Instagram

1) Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama (6-2, 210)
James Foster: 2 | ESPN: 7 | Athletic: 2 | Consensus Big Board: 3

The Titans aren’t taking a QB, but they need to understand the value of what they have in a top-three pick. The top three picks in the draft should be viewed as quarterbacks and those picks should be treated as such. This is why trading back is so important. Simpson will face a nasty pass rush this weekend against Oklahoma.

2) Arvell Reese, OLB, Ohio St (6-4, 240)
James Foster: 1 | ESPN: 2 | Athletic: 1 | Consensus Big Board: 4

Reese isn’t a pure No. 1 overall prospect like Myles Garrett and may not grade out as highly as even Abdul Carter last year. But he might be the best pure athlete in the class and would fill a huge need for Tennessee. Tests against Indiana and Michigan loom large over the final few weeks.

3) Rueben Bain, DE, Miami (6-2, 275)
James Foster: 3 | ESPN: 4 | Athletic: 6 | Consensus Big Board: 1

Bain is undersized but is incredibly productive. He’s not the freak that Reese is and may not have an elite ceiling. But his work ethic, combined with a scouting report that features almost no weaknesses, gives him an extremely high floor. He should be slightly higher on Titans boards than some other teams.

4) Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (6-5, 225)
James Foster: 10 | ESPN: 16 | Athletic: 7 | Consensus Big Board: 2

Size, athleticism, clutch moments, big stats, elite smarts. Mendoza has it all. He might eventually grade out higher than Simpson. Either way, the Titans have to value him as a top of the draft talent and need to convince other teams they see it that way too.

5) Dante Moore, QB, Oregon (6-3, 205)
James Foster: 7 | ESPN: 11 | Athletic: 12 | Consensus Big Board: 5

Moore is a former five-star who waited like Simpson and has benefited greatly from it. His composure, compact release and tight accuracy make him an elite passing prospect. His composure and added athleticism give him even more upside.

6) Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (6-0, 205)
James Foster: 18 | ESPN: 6 | Athletic: 3 | Consensus Big Board: 6

Safety isn’t a priority for the Titans, but Downs might just be the best football player in the college game this year. He’s an elite athlete who plays all over the defense. He can drop down into linebacker situations, play high point center field and will match up with all manner of receivers and tight ends. He is also the best return man in college football. His floor might be the highest of any player in this class.

7) Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State (6-2, 200)
James Foster: 4 | ESPN: 13 | Athletic: 8 | Consensus Big Board: 7

If Tyson didn’t have an injury history in each of the last two seasons, he’d be higher on my list. He has tremendous… everything. Good size, great ball skills, big time plays in key moments, more than adequate speed and some YAC-ability as well.

8) Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State (6-3, 190)
James Foster: 5 | ESPN: 14 | Athletic: 10 | Consensus Big Board: 11

Tate is tricky to pinpoint in the NFL. He’s got a unique body make-up compared to other smaller, more dynamic OSU wideouts in the NFL today (think JSN, Egbuka, Olave, Wilson). But for a player of his length, he runs incredible routes and uses his size in traffic extremely well. He has zero drops this year and is averaging over 18 yards per catch.

9) Peter Woods, DL, Clemson (6-3, 310)
James Foster: 2 | ESPN: 3 | Athletic: 13 | Consensus Big Board: 9

Woods would be far more intriguing and higher on the board had the Titans traded Jeffery Simmons or T’Vondre Sweat (which is still possible come the new league year). Either way, he’s the best pure defensive lineman in the class and has three years of tape to prove it. Like Clemson, this season has been a disappointment for Woods, but he’s an incredible athlete for a player of his size.

10) Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU (5-11, 195)
James Foster: 9 | ESPN: 18 | Athletic: 19 | Consensus Big Board: 12

The truth is, Jermod McCoy might be slightly better. But the Vols coverman didn’t play football this season. Delane, on the other hand, might be the most experienced defensive back in the country. He has started more than 40 games between Virginia Tech and LSU. He doesn’t have elite size, but he more than makes up for it with perfect coverage skills, incredible instincts and elite quickness.

The Next 10: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech; Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee; Makai Lemon, WR, USC; Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame; Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn, Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon; Spencer Fano, OT, Utah; Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn St; Kadyn Procter, OT, Alabama.