Replacing the first round of the NFL draft: Who's up next in college football?
Apr 27, 2026, 07:20 AM ET The NFL draft is behind us, and teams across the country are going to have to find replacements for the top players they lost to the pros. Who is ready to step up and replace the 32 players who were selected on the first night? Our reporters have some…
The NFL draft is behind us, and teams across the country are going to have to find replacements for the top players they lost to the pros.
Who is ready to step up and replace the 32 players who were selected on the first night? Our reporters have some thoughts:
Replacement: Josh Hoover
Mendoza’s lone season with the Hoosiers brought him a Heisman Trophy and the program’s first national championship. He capped a productive and efficient regular season with a near-perfect playoff, throwing eight touchdown passes, no interceptions and adding a rushing touchdown against Miami in the championship game. Indiana once again hit the portal for a veteran replacement in TCU’s Josh Hoover, a onetime Hoosiers commit who started his last 31 games, passing for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns on 65.2% completions. The key for Hoover is cutting turnovers, both interceptions and fumbles, especially as he replaces a quarterback who rarely gave the ball away. — Adam Rittenberg
Replacements: Trey White, Adam Trick
Bailey’s decision to transfer from Stanford to Texas Tech last spring completed a historic portal haul that helped the program with its first Big 12 championship. Bailey’s consistently elite play as an edge rusher was a big factor in the Red Raiders’ defense ranking No. 1 in FBS in both run defense and pressures per game. Joey McGuire and his staff restocked their D-line in the portal this offseason with more proven pass rushers, led by San Diego State’s Trey White and Miami (Ohio)’s Adam Trick. White has racked up a total of 29 tackles for loss and 19.5 sacks over the past two seasons, and Trick finished with the third-best edge pressure rate (20.3%) in FBS last year, according to ESPN Research. — Max Olson
Replacement: Aneyas Williams
Notre Dame is losing one of college football’s most explosive playmakers in Love, the 2025 Doak Walker Award winner, who averaged 6.9 yards per carry in each of his final two seasons and combined for 35 rushing touchdowns. Last fall, he had a run of longer than 35 yards in seven games and reached the end zone in all but one. It will also lose another draft prospect in Jadarian Price, meaning Aneyas Williams likely will move into a featured role. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry in limited work during his first two seasons. Williams rushed for touchdowns in four of the five games he played in 2025. — Rittenberg
Replacement: Devin McCuin
Chris Henry Jr., the top-ranked wide receiver recruit this year, arrived in Columbus with plenty of hype. He has all the tools to become Ohio State’s next superstar wideout. But in the short term, UTSA transfer Devin McCuin could fill much of the void left by Tate on the outside opposite All-American Jeremiah Smith. The 6-foot, 190-pound McCuin had 152 receptions and 16 touchdowns for the Roadrunners the past three years, including a team-high 65 grabs for 726 yards last season. The Buckeyes also return inside receiver Brandon Inniss, who had 36 catches last year, and added LSU transfer Kyle Parker, who caught 31 passes for the Tigers as a sophomore, to round out what should be another formidable receiving corps. — Jake Trotter
Replacement: Payton Pierce
Both of Ohio State’s starting linebackers last season went in the first round, including Reese, who was one of college football’s breakout defensive stars in his first year as a starter. Reese’s versatility as a playmaking off-ball linebacker and ferocious edge rusher will be impossible to replace. But the Buckeyes do have intriguing options ready to step up in his place, most notably rising junior Payton Pierce, who had 44 tackles in a reserve role in 2025 as well as a fumble recovery in Ohio State’s playoff loss to Miami. The Buckeyes also have Cincere Johnson, the No. 1 2026 recruit from the state of Ohio, who attended the same high school (Cleveland Glenville) as Reese, adding depth. — Trotter
Replacement: DJ Pickett
Delane was a terrific player at Virginia Tech, but he took it to another level in his one season at LSU, earning unanimous All-America honors after recording 45 tackles, 13 passes defended, 11 pass breakups and two interceptions. In 358 pass coverage snaps, Delane allowed only 13 receptions all season for 147 yards and six first downs. But the cupboard is not bare at LSU. DJ Pickett returns after a freshman All-American season, where he led the team with three interceptions and played 524 defensive snaps. At 6-foot-5, Pickett is an imposing presence in the defensive backfield and has the potential to cause as many — if not more problems — than Delane did for opposing receivers. — Andrea Adelson
Replacement: Riley Pettijohn
Reese wasn’t the only Ohio State linebacker to go high in the first round. Styles, an All-American, had a terrific final season in Columbus, then tested off the charts at the combine, solidifying his standing as the draft’s clear top off-ball linebacker. Like Reese, Styles won’t be easy to replace after racking up 183 tackles the last two seasons. But the Buckeyes have options. Alongside Pierce, rising sophomore Riley Pettijohn also appears ready for a starting role. The No. 55 overall recruit in last year’s recruiting class, Pettijohn has the versatility that could allow defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to deploy him in a variety of ways. Behind Pettijohn and Pierce, the Buckeyes also added veteran transfer Christian Alliegro, who had 124 career tackles at Wisconsin, to solidify the depth at the position. — Trotter
Replacement: Omarion Miller
Tyson has quite simply been one of the most consistent pass catchers across college football over the past two years, ranking seventh in touchdowns (18) and 11th in receptions (136) and receiving yards (1,812) among FBS receivers since the start of the 2024 season, per ESPN Research. Replacing that production will be difficult, but Colorado transfer Omarion Miller should be part of the solution. The fourth-year pass catcher logged nine receptions of 30-plus last fall during a breakout 2025 campaign, when Miller caught 45 passes for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. If Miller builds on his 2025 production, he has the playmaking ability to become a key weapon for offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo and a top target for whichever transfer quarterback — Kentucky’s Cutter Boley or Michigan’s Mikey Keene — wins the Sun Devils’ starting job. — Eli Lederman
Replacement: Cedric Jefferson
New Utah offensive line coach Jordan Gross was a top-10 NFL draft pick back in 2003. Now it’s his job to develop the next great one for the Utes as they work to replace Fano, their consensus All-American right tackle, and all five starting linemen from last season. Utah won a critical recruiting battle in January for Montana State transfer Cedric Jefferson and hopes he can be an ideal plug-and-play successor. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound junior started all 16 games at right tackle last season during the Bobcats’ FCS national championship run and surrendered just three sacks over 475 snaps in pass protection, per Pro Football Focus. Isaiah Garcia also impressed this spring in coming back from a season-ending injury in fall camp and should factor in at right tackle as well. — Olson
Replacement: Jackson Cantwell
Mauigoa played right away as a true freshman and never looked back, making 42 career starts for the Hurricanes at right tackle. As a junior last year, he won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the top blocker in the ACC and was a consensus All-American. Mauigoa allowed just one sack in 2025, so replacing him will be tough. But Miami feels good about its options. True freshman Jackson Cantwell — the No. 3 recruit in the class of 2026 — was brought in to start right away. He has been taking snaps this spring at both left tackle and right tackle. The coaching staff is not expected to finalize where they want him to play until fall camp. If he ends up at left tackle, veteran Matthew McCoy would shift over from left guard to right tackle. — Adelson
Replacement: Terry Moore
Downs, last season’s Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Jim Thorpe Award winner, given to the nation’s top defensive back, essentially is irreplaceable. The two-time unanimous All-American was the cornerstone of a Buckeyes defense that allowed the fewest points in the country (11.2 per game) over the past two seasons. But to help ease the loss of Downs, Ohio State added Duke transfer Terry Moore. Before missing last season with an ACL injury, Moore was a standout safety for the Blue Devils. In 19 career starts, he put up 116 tackles and four interceptions, earning second-team All-ACC honors in 2024. Moore, however, will have to fend off sophomore Leroy Roker III for the starting job alongside returning safety Jaylen McClain. — Trotter
Replacements: Jackson Lloyd, Jayvin James, Nick Brooks
The Crimson Tide’s offensive line is facing immense pressure to improve dramatically after the offense struggled to run the ball and protect quarterback Ty Simpson last season. Alabama ranked 125th in the FBS in rushing offense (104.1 yards) and tied for 111th in sacks allowed (2.13). Tide coach Kalen DeBoer hired new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm to help turn things around. Proctor was a massive offensive tackle at 6 feet, 7 inches and 366 pounds. He struggled with his weight early in the season but played better down the stretch. Redshirt freshman Jackson Lloyd, who played in five games last season, was the No. 1 left tackle in the spring. Mississippi State transfer Jayvin James and Texas transfer Nick Brooks were battling for the right tackle job. — Mark Schlabach
Replacements: Keelon Russell, Austin Mack
Alabama’s quarterback competition figures to stretch into the summer and preseason camp after Simpson entered the NFL draft after only one season as the starter. Redshirt freshman Keelon Russell, who played in two games as Simpson’s backup in 2025, was the star of the spring game, completing 21 of 33 passes for 240 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. He was the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback prospect in the class of 2025, and his mobility will be important if Alabama’s offensive line isn’t better. Austin Mack followed DeBoer from Washington to Alabama and knows offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb’s system well. He completed 6 of 12 passes for 101 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the spring game. Russell got more snaps in the spring game, but DeBoer said it was because Mack was dinged up. — Schlabach
Replacement: Trevor Buhr
Ioane might have been the most consistent performer on Penn State’s offense the past two seasons, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024 and first-team honors last fall, when he also received All-America recognition. According to Pro Football Focus, he didn’t allow a sack in 28 consecutive starts and allowed no sacks or hits in 311 pass-blocking snaps last season. New coach Matt Campbell is familiar with Ioane’s likely replacement in Trevor Buhr, who started games the past two seasons for Campbell at Iowa State and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors last fall. Penn State also will lean on third-year guard Cooper Cousins, who started two games in 2025. — Rittenberg
Replacement: Damon Wilson II
There is a reason Rueben Bain Jr. won ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Bain is a true difference-maker who can make plays on the quarterback and in the run game on the most crucial downs and situations. He led the Miami defense with 867 snaps played, a number that shows its clear reliance on him and his ability to change games. Getting a player with experience to replace him became a need in the transfer portal, so Miami signed Damon Wilson II from Missouri. Wilson had a standout year at Missouri in 2025, leading the team with nine sacks and earning second-team All-SEC honors. Wilson has played in 39 career games (14 starts) and showed growth as a pass rusher last year, making him the natural choice to replace Bain. — Adelson
Replacement: Jamari Johnson
Everyone in college football seemed to know just how good Sadiq was, but it still felt like his unique combination of size and skill was underrated. It’s why losing him to the NFL will be a big blow for the Ducks. Jamari Johnson is ready for his moment in the spotlight, however. The sophomore from California had a strong year behind Sadiq, totaling 510 yards and three touchdowns on 32 receptions. With Dante Moore returning at quarterback, look for Johnson to be an even bigger part of the offense this coming season. Ducks coach Dan Lanning also dipped into the portal to strengthen this position group, snagging the commitment of former five-star prospect Andrew Olesh from Penn State. Olesh didn’t play in his first year with the Nittany Lions but presents plenty of intrigue, as well. — Paolo Uggetti
Replacement: Brayden Jacobs
While the Tigers tackled other positions of need in the portal, Dabo Swinney opted to look in-house for replacements on the O-line — and for good reason. The Tigers have recruited well over the past few cycles at the position, and youngsters such as Brayden Jacobs appear poised for a breakthrough. At 6-7, 355 pounds, Jacobs is big, but he also moves well. He got four starts a year ago and held his own, but with a year of college development under his belt, the Tigers think he could be on the brink of stardom. There’s no easy replacement for Miller’s experience, and Clemson will have three new starters on the line, making chemistry a hot topic, but talent shouldn’t be a concern for the Tigers. — David Hale
Replacements: Brendan Bett
A foot injury limited Banks to just three games his senior season with the Gators, and surgery on the same foot before the NFL combine had some questioning whether Banks would go in the first round. But given his size — 6-foot-6, 327 pounds — and capability when healthy, Banks came off the board earlier than some anticipated. Florida is in good shape moving forward, as Brendan Bett is slated to take over Banks’ spot. Bett, who transferred to Florida last year from Baylor, played in all 12 games and made three starts, finishing with 39 tackles and four tackles for loss (three sacks). He has said watching Banks when he arrived in Gainesville helped him learn. — Adelson
Replacement: Earnest Greene III
Even without Freeling, who emerged as one of the top offensive tackles in the FBS in only 18 career starts, the Bulldogs should have one of the best and most experienced units in 2026. Senior Earnest Greene III is moving back to left tackle to replace Freeling. He started 14 games at the position as a redshirt freshman in 2023. He started 18 games at right tackle the past two seasons. Juan Gaston, who started four games at right guard as a freshman last season, is kicking out to right tackle. Junior Jahzare Jackson and freshman Ekene Ogboko were the top backup tackles in the spring. Center Drew Bobo and left guard Dontrell Glover are returning starters. Freshman Zykie Helton was a breakout star during the spring and might start at right guard. — Schlabach
Replacement: Tanook Hines
The reigning Biletnikoff Award winner, given to the country’s top wide receiver, was a walking highlight reel for the Trojans last year and by far their best player. Lemon caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns and continued USC’s run of producing stellar wideouts. In the wake of Lemon’s departure, Tanook Hines steps into the void. The rising sophomore had an impressive freshman campaign, totaling 561 receiving yards on 34 catches, including two touchdown receptions. Hines has all the tools to be the next great USC wide receiver, but the rest of the Trojans’ room is also packed with talent. — Uggetti
Replacement: Champ Westbrooks
A second-team All-Big 12 selection last fall, Iheanachor transferred from East Los Angeles College in 2023 and became a fixture on the Sun Devils’ offensive line, starting 31 games at right tackle over the past three seasons. He’s one of four offensive line starters Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham must replace in 2026, but the Sun Devils do have options at the position. Redshirt sophomore Champ Westbrooks, who started in Iheanachor’s place at the Sun Bowl last December, projects as the program’s strongest returning candidate at right tackle. He’ll face competition from Oklahoma transfer Luke Baklenko, a veteran lineman who started 16 games in two seasons at Stanford before taking on a reserve role with the Sooners in 2025. — Lederman
Replacement: Marquise Lightfoot
Mesidor had a career year for the Hurricanes in 2025, leading the team with 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks in his final season. His experience as a sixth-year senior and his versatility as a lineman who could play inside and outside will certainly be missed. But Marquise Lightfoot has been preparing for his opportunity to start since he got to Miami. When the Hurricanes did rotate Bain and Mesidor out of games, Lightfoot got the most run, finishing with 25 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Though Miami loses a lot in starting experience with Bain and Mesidor gone, the Hurricanes feel good about the depth they have at the position. — Adelson
Replacements: Isaiah Nixon
Lawrence was one of the bright spots for UCF last season in Year 1 under Scott Frost, as he became a first-team All-Big 12 selection with a career-high 28 tackles — including a career-best 11 tackles for loss (seven were sacks). Replacing his production and experience will not be easy, as Lawrence was an anchor for the Knights as a fifth-year senior. But Isaiah Nixon provides the best option as next man up. Nixon has waited his turn to start at UCF, gaining valuable playing time behind Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly. Last year, he played a career-high 289 snaps, more than double the previous two seasons combined. A former four-star prospect, Nixon said this spring, “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. These past three years, being behind Malachi and Nyjalik, this gives me the opportunity to soak all this in and just play hard.” — Adelson
Replacement: Isaiah Horton
Wide receiver has been one of the most improved positions during Mike Elko’s tenure in College Station, and despite Concepcion’s departure, it’s still in good shape, particularly with the arrival of Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton. The 6-4, 208-pound outside receiver gives Marcel Reed, his former 7-on-7 teammate in Tennessee, a big target and will take pressure off Mario Craver, a speedster who caught 59 passes for 917 yards and four touchdowns last year in his first season at A&M after transferring from Mississippi State. — Dave Wilson
Replacement: Koi Perich
After two seasons at Purdue, Thieneman transferred to Eugene and made the most of the bigger stage, proving himself to be one of the top defenders in the country. How do you replace his impact in the secondary? By following the same playbook. Lanning and new defensive coordinator Chris Hampton went and grabbed one of the more talented defensive prospects in the portal, Minnesota’s Koi Perich. Although Perich was billed as a potential two-way phenom with the Gophers, his addition to this Oregon team will allow him to focus on excelling as a defensive back in one of the more talented defensive units in the sport. — Uggetti
Replacement: Malachi Carney
Georgia Tech coach Brent Key, himself a former offensive guard, called Rutledge the best interior lineman he has ever coached. So, no, it’s unlikely the Jackets can replace all that Rutledge brought to their O-line. But Key is also thrilled with the potential of his 2026 line, including 335-pound Malachi Carney, who started at right tackle a year ago but will slide inside to fill the gap left by Rutledge. Key wanted a “wide body,” and there’s no doubt the former Alabama transfer fits the bill. Add him alongside another Tide transfer, center Joseph Ionata, and the interior appears in good hands — even if Key will be hard pressed to find anyone who matches the personality, drive and brute force of Rutledge. — Hale
Replacements: Jason Oliver
Johnson had a big rise up the draft boards during the 2025 season and in the predraft process, becoming the first Aztecs defensive back to be drafted in the first round since Willie Buchanon in 1972, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune, and the first SDSU draft pick since 2022. The Aztecs will be replacing holes all over the defense, losing eight starters, including four of five in the secondary. The Aztecs brought in Jason Oliver, a senior and three-year starter from Sacramento State who began his career at Colorado, to add veteran experience at corner. Caleb Ricks, an FCS freshman All-American last year at Idaho and the younger brother of former Alabama CB Eli Ricks, also is making the step up to the FBS. — Wilson
Replacement: Kelvin Obot
How can Utah effectively replace a two-year starter and All-Big 12 performer at left tackle? Signing one of the top offensive tackle recruits in the country is a good place to start. Kelvin Obot, ESPN’s No. 5-ranked tackle in the 2026 class coming out of Fruitland, Idaho, chose the Utes over Oregon, Michigan and Nebraska knowing he’d get an opportunity to compete for a starting spot right away. Sixth-year senior Zereoue Williams established himself as the front-runner to start at left tackle in spring practice, but it’ll be interesting to see how quickly Obot works his way into the rotation and which position on this rebuilt offensive line fits him best in his first year. — Olson
Replacement: Amare Adams
It would be nearly impossible for Clemson to replace Woods’ combination of size and athleticism, and though his stat line in 2025 rarely included gaudy numbers, he always had the attention of opposing coaches. With Woods gone — along with Demonte Capeheart — the Tigers will have a completely fresh interior line in 2026 and figure to build around their top signee from a year ago, Amare Adams. He was a consensus top-60 player coming out of high school and got a taste of action last year as a true freshman. He has the skill set to approach Woods’ level of production. Clemson has a pair of transfers — Markus Strong from Oklahoma and Andy Burburija from the juco ranks — who figure to push for snaps, too, along with former top-100 recruit Vic Burley, who played 175 snaps for Clemson a year ago. — Hale
Replacement: Nick Marsh
Cooper made the catch of the 2025 season, a toe-tapping touchdown in the back of the end zone to help Indiana rally past Penn State. He finished with 69 catches for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last fall and had 20 scores in his final two seasons at IU. The Hoosiers also lose standout Elijah Sarratt and bring back postseason hero Charlie Becker. But Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh is pegged as the true Cooper replacement. Indiana made a significant investment for Marsh, who had 100 receptions, nine for touchdowns, in two seasons at Michigan State and has the same acrobatic catching ability as Cooper. — Rittenberg
Replacement: Jared Smith
The Tigers are hoping two former highly ranked prospects can tap their potential to help replace Faulk’s production off the edge. Faulk had 29 tackles, two sacks, five tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries in 2025. New Auburn coach Alex Golesh identified sophomore Jared Smith as one of the Tigers’ most improved players during the spring. He was named defensive MVP of the spring game after recovering a fumble and returning an interception 75 yards for a touchdown. At 6 feet, 6 inches, Smith has the physical tools to be an effective edge rusher. Ole Miss transfer Da’Shawn Womack is entering his final season to prove to NFL scouts that he is as good as was advertised coming out of high school. The No. 5 defensive end in the class of 2023, Womack had 4.5 sacks in three seasons at LSU and Ole Miss. — Schlabach
Replacement: Kedren Young
Before Thursday, Notre Dame had not had a running back selected in the first round since Jerome Bettis in 1993. The Irish produced two with Love at No. 3 and Price capping the draft’s first night. NFL evaluators are looking for running back prospects without much tread, and Price checks the box, having logged only 280 carries in college and no more than 120 in any season. He brought tremendous value on kick returns, averaging 36.1 yards per runback with three touchdowns. Aneyas Williams projects as Notre Dame’s featured running back, and Kedren Young is likely to fill Price’s rushing role after averaging 5.5 yards per rush in limited work last season. The Irish could turn to Williams for kick returns, too, although wide receiver Jordan Faison, Notre Dame’s primary punt returner, and transfer receiver Mylan Graham are also candidates. — Rittenberg
