By admin 
If you’re an NFL Draft fan, most of your attention right now is obviously going to be spent on prospects who are eligible in 2027.
Read more What Miami’s Jeff Hafley Got Right – and Wrong – Against Cincinnati
But if you watch college football closely enough to care about the draft, I’m betting there are a few underclassmen who have already caught your eye and sent you on a journey to disappointment when you look up whether or not they’re eligible for this draft cycle.
While the 2027 class has its share of stud prospects, some of the best players in the country right now are freshmen and sophomores who will be making the NFL wait at least a year before they can bring their skills to the next level.
2027 NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | Interior OL | Edge | Interior DL | LB | CB | S
Team Needs | Top 100 Big Board
Here are four such players who are already stealing the show at the college level:
Keelon Russell is the Real Deal
Heading into fall camp, it wasn’t a sure thing that Russell would even be the Crimson Tide’s starter for the 2026 season. Six games later, Russell looks the part of a potential No. 1 overall pick in 2028.
While leading Bama to a 5-0 start and scoring 45 points or more in every game, Russell displayed a ton of impressive traits that will transfer extremely well to the next level. He ran into the buzzsaw that is the Georgia defense in their first loss of the season this past weekend, but even against the Bulldogs, there were plenty of flashes that will get NFL scouts excited about his potential as both a passer and a playmaker with his athleticism.
Keelon Russell did everything he could against Georgia
16/30, 185 YDS, 1 PTD, 0 INT, 41 RUYDS
A TD to Marshall Pritchett and a pair of 20-yard scrambles to keep Alabama alive. Georgia made one more play. pic.twitter.com/grKNOWY7Xd
— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) October 11, 2026
So far this season, he’s accounting for more than 300 yards of total offense per game, with 12 touchdown passes to just two interceptions, along with four more scores on the ground. Listed at 6-3, 207 pounds, his frame and skill set are likely to draw Lamar Jackson comparisons, and while it’s always unfair to compare young college prospects to future Hall of Famers, it’s easy to see the resemblance in how Russell stresses opposing defenses as both a passer and a runner.
There are still some tough tests ahead for Russell this season, including road matchups in hostile environments against Tennessee and LSU over the next few weeks, which will continue to give us a fuller picture of what he’s capable of against top competition. But the early film shows a dynamic playmaker with limitless potential, and it won’t be surprising if he heads into the 2028 NFL Draft cycle with a ton of hype at the top of the board.
Jesse Legree Did What?!
Every year, there are a handful of college players who make us do a double-take when we come across their box scores after a few weeks. A freshman receiver for Oregon State, Legree is one of those guys so far this year, putting up ridiculous numbers that usually only happen when you’re playing a video game on the lowest difficulty level.
In the first game of his collegiate career, Legree turned five receptions into 136 yards (27.2 yards per catch) and a touchdown against a Houston team that’s currently ranked 20th in the nation. In Game 2, Legree carved up Texas Tech’s defense (the Red Raiders are still undefeated and ranked No. 10) for 240 yards on eight receptions (30 yards per catch), with two touchdowns. He hasn’t looked back ever since, lighting up the stat sheet on a weekly basis, topping 100 yards in each of his six games (easily, most of the time), with four multi-score games over that stretch.
Oregon State freshman Jesse Legree among FBS WRs this season:
932 receiving yards (1st)
12 receiving TDs (1st)
24.5 yards per catch (3rd)
4.76 yards per route run (4th)
13 missed tackles forced (t-5th)
pic.twitter.com/XiJq79ryA4
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) October 12, 2026
His numbers are on par with what we’re seeing from Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, the top overall prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft class. Legree won’t be eligible to make the jump to the pros for another two years, but these are the kinds of performances that will force NFL teams to pay attention early.
Read more Jerry Jones, Cowboys Announce Major Defensive Move After Christian Parker Comment
The only thing likely to limit his future draft stock will be his lack of ideal size (he’s listed at 5-10, 172 pounds), but Legree has plenty of time to add some quality bulk to his frame, and the NFL has been willing to take chances in the early rounds on smaller receivers who bring this kind of explosiveness and big-play ability to the table. Earmark this name for 2029, and enjoy watching every Saturday in the meantime.
Nate Sheppard is Running Wild
If you’re looking for the leader in the clubhouse to be the first running back off the board in the 2028 NFL Draft, Sheppard might just be your guy.
After an impressive freshman season at Duke that saw him tally over 1,400 total yards and 12 total touchdowns, Sheppard has kicked things into another gear to start his 2026 campaign. Through five games, Sheppard has already racked up 743 yards and eight scores on the ground, adding another 161 yards and three more touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield.
Nate Sheppard did everything he could for Duke 💔
27 CAR, 190 YDS, 2 TDS, 7 REC vs Georgia Tech
Playing through a foot injury, he put up 190 yards from scrimmage and scored the go-ahead TD with 2:40 left. A missed field goal ended Duke’s eight-game win streak. pic.twitter.com/tT5flhGoFc
— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) October 11, 2026
Even in Duke’s first loss of the season this past weekend against Georgia Tech, Sheppard carved up the Yellow Jackets with 190 yards of total offense and a pair of touchdowns, showing off his dual-threat skill set as both a dynamic runner and an explosive pass-catcher. He also did it while playing through a foot injury.
Another true sophomore who won’t be eligible for next year’s NFL Draft, Sheppard isn’t the biggest back (listed at 5-10, 205 pounds), but I don’t expect his frame to limit his potential at the next level. Staying healthy will be key, but with his versatility, explosiveness, and combination of toughness, effort and competitiveness, Sheppard will have plenty of fans among NFL scouts and coaches heading into the 2028 draft process.
There’s a Reason QBs Avoid Brandon Finney Jr.
It might be tempting to look at a box score and think a cornerback isn’t making a big impact when you don’t see a high number of interceptions or pass breakups, but with guys like Finney, it’s because opposing quarterbacks are smart enough to not throw the ball in his direction at all.
Finney made an immediate splash for the Ducks as a true freshman last season, showing off a combination of athleticism, intelligence, technique and ball skills you don’t typically see from such a young player. So far this season, other teams have wised up to the idea of testing his side of the field most of the time, leaving him with just two pass breakups and no interceptions.
This is why Brandon Finney Jr. was moved to the nickel.
For moments like this. Oregon now in a great spot to go up by two scores. pic.twitter.com/cBLz6vBl59
— Logan Brown (@LoganABrown) September 27, 2026
But the tape shows a smooth, savvy corner who knows how to use his size (listed at 6-2, 205) and length to his advantage, frustrating receivers at the line of scrimmage and erasing them from the progression. He’s more fluid than you typically expect from a corner with his measurements, and he’s proven he can make splash plays on those rare occasions when the ball does come his way. He’s also spending more time in the slot this season, proving he can line up wherever the defense needs him.
As a true sophomore, Finney won’t be eligible for the NFL Draft until after the 2027 season. Even if opposing quarterbacks continue to avoid him for the next year and a half, that won’t deter NFL teams from spending a high pick on him with expectations that he can quickly develop into a shutdown corner at the next level.
Read more Bills Announce WR Move After DJ Moore News
Other NFL Draft Notes
- Three winless teams remain in the NFL after the first five weeks of the season, and one of them is quite a surprise. While nobody will blink an eye at the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans taking up space in the basement, the Los Angeles Chargers are off to a shocking 0-5 start after getting tons of playoff buzz heading into the year. Justin Herbert has been awful in Mike McDaniel’s offense, and the departure of Jesse Minter to Baltimore has had a predictably negative impact on the defense. The one silver lining to such a dismal start? It looks like the Chargers might get a shot at one of the truly elite players in the 2027 NFL Draft class. Even if they don’t end up picking high enough to land Jeremiah Smith, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore or Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons would be huge additions to a team that looks like it’ll be needing a huge bounce-back campaign in 2027.
- It’s impressive to see how many college programs have multiple top prospects in the same position group as we continue to evaluate the 2027 class. Both of the Texas offensive tackles look like first-round talents (Trevor Goosby, Melvin Siani), and the same is true for Indiana’s wide receivers (Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh) and to nobody’s surprise, the Iowa offensive line (tackle Trevor Lauck, center Kade Pieper). Arizona State’s receiver tandem (Reed Harris, Omarion Miller) has a ton of pro potential, and the Longhorns’ pass-catching duo (Cam Coleman, Ryan Wingo) is in a similar bucket. On the other side of the ball, both of Miami’s interior defensive linemen (Justin Scott, Ahmad Moten Sr.) look like top-50 picks right now.
- After a short in-house suspension from head coach Shane Beamer, South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart returned to the field Saturday against Florida, and immediately made his presence felt. Stewart bagged a sack and forced a pair of fumbles for the Gamecocks defense, continuing to show off the same big-play ability we’ve seen throughout his career so far. His physical tools are obvious, and if he can continue to mature throughout the rest of the season, I still see him being a top-10 lock come April.
- Who’s the fastest-rising prospect in the 2027 class right now? It might be Utah offensive tackle Zereoue Williams, who has emerged as a potential first-round talent after an impressive start to his 2026 season. Listed at 6-8, 305 pounds, Williams is making the most of his first year as the starter at left tackle, showing a strong blend of power and movement skills that will have NFL scouts buzzing. Balance and pad level will always be consistent challenges for taller, leaner tackle prospects, but Williams has room to add a few pounds of good bulk, and if he lands with the right offensive line coach in the NFL, he could end up developing into a dominant blocker.
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 2:18 PM.