Jared Zhang's 2026 NFL IOL BIG BOARD

Image 1: OG Kade Pieper (74), my highest graded IOL prospect in the 2026 NFL draft class

INTRODUCTIONS

My name is Jared Zhang, and I have been doing draft evaluations for the past few years. While I started off doing this as a hobbyist, I have been blessed with the opportunity to write for a draft publication and intern for an agent during my scouting journey so far. Throughout the draft cycle, I will be dropping positional big boards when I get a sufficient amount of names watched and written up. Though I will not be listing my thoughts on the prospects on this list, I can fully elaborate more on my grades via dms and Substack/X/Reddit comments. This document will be updated throughout the cycle with updated grades, new players, and linked reports.

For positions where players may switch positions in the NFL (this is mainly talking about OL), I will give a brief note at the beginning of my rankings articles on where I have the player listed currently (Ex. in 2025 I would have listed on the top of my 2025 OT big board that I had Grey Zabel as an OG despite him being a college OT).

GRADING

With grading being different per evaluator, I am grading not based on where I believe players will go in the NFL, and more on what I believe they can be as an NFL player. I have what I look for in each grade for an IOL prospect listed below (this has OG and OC prospects grouped together, with OC only prospects being noted). For anyone who has any off-field/profile issues that can affect grading, then I will be noting them down with a * with a note explaining the issue (Ex. I would put a * down for Josh Simmons due to his patellar tendon injury and reported off-field concerns). While many prospects fit round grades, I do have players that teeter between rounds (a second/third round grade is someone I believe should go in the late second or early third).

First round - Immediate ability to start year one with the tools to have pro bowl+ potential. While pure OC prospects will be drafted later due to positional value, first year high-end impact players with good potential should still go in the first. (Ex. Tyler Smith, Brandon Scherff, Tyler Linderbaum).

Second round - Immediate ability to start year one with the tools to have good starter potential. The main difference between first and second round prospects is the upside and/or the level of provided immediate play, (Ex. Steve Avila, Aaron Banks, Zach Frazier)

Third round - Players that can provide acceptable play to start year one with enough tools to develop into a starter. These players are ideally your worst starter or first depth piece year one. (Ex. Cooper Beebe, Dylan Parham, Lloyd Cushenberry).

Fourth round - Players that need technical development, but have high-end tools to develop into potential quality starters. These players could have higher upside due to physical tools than players graded higher, but they are not in a state to provide starting-level play year one (Ex. Mason McCormick, Tanor Bortolini, Drew Dalman).

Fifth round - Players that are not capable of providing a starting caliber player year one, but have enough tools to develop into capable starters. These players generally end up as replacement-level players/high-end depth pieces. The difference between fourth and fifth-round players is the level of upside if they develop technically. (Ex. Luke Wattenberg, Olusegun Oluwatimi, Danny Pinter)

Sixth round - Players that lack the tools to develop into starters, but can provide acceptable depth at multiple positions (OG/OC, OT/OG, occasional OT/OG/OC). These players could wind up with a starting job, but they are unlikely to be viewed as long-term pieces. (Ex. Jamaree Salyer, Cade Mayes, Jarrett Patterson).

Seventh round - Players that lack the tools to develop into starters, but can provide acceptable depth at a singular position/players that do not have rosterable talent but could win a 53-man job by being depth at multiple positions. These players could wind up with a starting job, but they are unlikely to be viewed as long-term pieces. (Ex. Nick Allegretti, Jonah Monheim, Mason Richman).

PUDFA - Players that lack the tools/technique to be drafted, but are interesting enough prospects to be considered a lock for a PS while having enough talent to win a 53-man roster spot. This grade is also given to players who had draftable talent but have off-field or medical issues/IPP-eligible players. These players can develop into rosterable players (Ex. Seth McLaughlin, Federico Maranges, Dalton Tucker)

UDFA - Players that lack the tools/technique to be drafted, but have enough talent or versatility to be locks for a preseason T90 and compete for a practice squad spot. This also included IPP-eligible players who were not eligible for the draft. These players can develop into rosterable players. (Ex. Eli Cox, Joshua Gray, Jordan Meredith).

Camp - Players who have lots of snaps and experience, but are too poor of tools or technique prospects to be considered locks for a preseason T90. These players are unlikely to develop into rosterable NFL players. (Ex. Marcus Wehr, Gus Hartwig, Sebastian Pares)

Reject - Players I don’t believe have any realistic future in the NFL. These players can have a future in alternative leagues (UFL, CFL, etc), but they often retire from the sport or go into coaching.

GRADES

1. Kade Pieper (First Round) (Blue Chip)

2. Anez Cooper (First/Second Round

3. Francis Mauigoa (First/Second Round)

4. Olaivavega Ioane (Second Round)

5. Jaeden Roberts (Second/Third Round)*

   1. Dealing with injuries throughout the 2025 season

6. Joshua Braun (Third Round)*

   1. Older prospect

7. Logan Taylor (Third Round)

8. Emmanuel Pregnon (Third/Fourth Round)

9. Isaiah World (Fourth Round)

10. Max Iheanachor (Fourth Round)

11. Keylan Rutledge (Fifth Round)

12. Aliou Bah (Fifth Round)

13. Eryz Daughterty (Fifth Round)

14. Jordan White (Fifth Round)*

    1. Older Prospect

15. Tristan Leigh (Sixth Round)

16. Fernando Carmona (Sixth Round)*

    1. Older prospect

    2. On-field Incident in the 2024 Liberty Bowl

17. Jake Slaughter (Sixth Round)*

18. Kobe Baynes (Seventh Round)

19. JC Davis (Seventh Round)

20. Kage Casey (Seventh Round)

21. Gennings Dunker (Seventh Round)

22. Sam Hecht (Seventh Round)*

    1. OC only

23. Ka’ena Decambra (PUDFA)

24. Trey Zuhn III (Camp)

25. JaQuan Adams (Reject)

If there are any draft eligible/declared IOLs you want grades on, then let me know in the comments of this article or cross posted platforms. If you want a detailed scouting report (Here is an example of my report on Vega Ioane), then consider subscribing to my substack where paid subscribers can commission one report per month.

Date Published: 12/3/2025

Date Last Updated: 12/3/2025