Week 1 wonders: Why you can already pencil in these prospects as top-10 picks for 2026 NFL Draft

With a week off in the NFL, Week 1 of the college football season gets a lot of eyeballs from scouting staffs across the league. If a prospect balled out over the course of the weekend, chances are most of the NFL not only saw it, but that performance will anchor their perception of the player throughout the season. 

With that in mind, I thought I'd highlight the prospects who put together the kind of tape in Week 1 that can get your name highlighted in blue (meaning blue-chip prospect) on a draft board. 

Every year, preseason first-round mocks are littered with prospects who don't ultimately make the cut come April. These are the four players who aren't just going in the first round, but I'd be surprised if they don't end up in the top 10.

All prospect rankings via CBS Sports' consensus.

Caleb Downs

OHIOST • S • #2

Prospect ranking: No. 4 (No. 1 S) | 2025 debut: 5 tackles (3 solo)

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Going into this season, I thought Caleb Downs had a realistic shot of being the first safety drafted in the top 10 since Jamal Adams in 2017. Now, I'd say it's more likely than not. He was simply playing at a different speed from everyone else against Texas in Week 1. He's the kind of defensive player who can alter progressions simply because he covers more ground in zones than quarterbacks are anticipating.

And the 6-foot, 205-pound safety looks even more physically imposing when dropping down in the box. Downs finished with eight tackles on the day and only allowed one catch for six yards. He's the kind of player every team and every scheme in the NFL could use.

Spencer Fano

UTAH • OT • #55

Prospect ranking: No. 2 (No. 1 OT)

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With arms that are only a shade over 32 inches, Spencer Fano may very well be a guard at the next level. Even so, I feel strongly saying he'll be a top 10 pick. He was one of the lucky ones who didn't get a cupcake matchup Week 1 facing off against UCLA, but he still turned it into one. Fano was dominant in the run game, where he generates some of the best movement you'll ever see from an offensive lineman barely tipping the scales over 300 pounds (he's 6-foot-6 and 309 pounds).

What jumps off the screen first with Fano is how easily he moves. He could pass for a tight end with how quick his feet are and how easily he can locate defenders in space. What separates Fano from the other athletes at tackle around college football is how well he uses his hands. If you pause Fano's reps midway through, it's almost a guarantee he'll have found the inside shoulder pads of a defender. When you see that already with his traits, you know you've got a great one.

Rueben Bain Jr.

MIAMI • EDGE • #4

Prospect ranking: No. 6 (No. 1 EDGE) | 2025 debut: 6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT

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Rueben Bain Jr. lived up to his namesake against Notre Dame. He did a little bit of everything for the Hurricanes with a sack, a hit, two hurries, three run stops and an interception. The tackle duo for the Irish showed early on they didn't stand a chance.

Bain is a unique body type for a defensive end prospect at 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds. There are defensive tackles playing in the NFL at that weight! While Bain can do a little bit of that, one of the obvious changes under new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman was that Bain is a full-time edge rusher -- often even a wide-9 in obvious passing situations. 

I support that change because when Bain has a head of steam, he's darn near unblockable. He's so densely built and explosive that it's like blocking a freight train coming down the tracks. Good luck to college offensive tackles the rest of the season. It will only be this season, though, because I feel very confident Bain is making his way to a top 10 selection next April.

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Josh Edwards

Jordyn Tyson

ARIZST • WR

Prospect ranking: No. 12 (No. 1 WR) | 2025 debut: 12 catches, 141 yards, 2 TD

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Jordyn Tyson was the only receiver I had a first-round grade on heading into this season, but it was a borderline one. After watching him Week 1, it's safe to say that borderline grade has been solidified, and I fully expect him to be the first receiver off the board in April.

The senior reminds me of Rome Odunze not only in his career arc, but also on the field. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, he has the kind of versatile body type to line up anywhere and not look out of place. That's exactly what he did against Northern Arizona this past week, taking 31 snaps out wide and 16 in the slot en route to 16 targets, 12 catches, 141 yards and two scores.

I love his ability to manipulate defenders with his stems and shoulder fakes at the top of his routes. It's the kind of skill that consistently leads to separation from guys like Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams and the aforementioned Odunze in the NFL. When you see high level route-running like Tyson's already, you can feel certain his game is going to translate.