What Would Prospects Pick as No. 1 Overall if Not Fernando Mendoza?
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain leads the 2026 NFL Draft's alternative top pick considerations, with 11 out of 34 votes from prospects at the NFL Scouting Combine.
INDIANAPOLIS β The Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to draft Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the reigning Heisman winner, with the top pick in 2026. But strip him from the equation, and the answer gets murkier.
We posed that hypothetical to 42 prospects at this week's NFL Scouting Combine. The results weren't close.
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain dominated the field, capturing 11 of 34 votes. Eight prospects abstained entirely.
"Rueben Bain was unstoppable in the playoffs," one prospect said.
Bain produced 9.5 sacks this season, including a devastating 5 sacks in the College Football Playoff. While some raised questions about his arm length measurements at the combine, an AFC executive assured teams the concern shouldn't move the needle on his draft grade.
Arvell Reese of Ohio State came in second with seven votes. The off-ball linebacker and edge rusher hybrid represents one of the draft's most versatile defensive prospectsβa quality teams clearly value.
Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs tied for third, each receiving four votes. One voter seemed unfamiliar with Mauigoa's name, describing him as "61, whoever that is, however you say his name."
Several other expected first-round selections picked up single votes: Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, and Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate among them.
The survey revealed predictable quirks of asking prospects to evaluate peers. Some named teammates or training partners. Others offered honest abstentions: "I have no idea" and "I haven't paid much attention."
Full Results
- Rueben Bain, Edge Rusher, Miami: 11
- Arvell Reese, Linebacker, Ohio State: 7
- Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State: 4
- Francis Mauigoa, Offensive Tackle, Miami: 4
- One vote each: David Bailey (OLB, Texas Tech); Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas); Lee Hunter (DL, Texas Tech); Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (DB, Toledo); T.J. Parker (DL, Clemson); Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State); Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State); Logan Taylor (OL, Boston College)
