Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas TechSeveral defenders from Texas Tech are expected to come off the board early in the 2026 NFL Draft. Pass rusher David Bailey might be drafted second by the New York Jets, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez could sneak into the first round, and defensive tackle Lee Hunter and pass rusher Romello Height are expected to be Day 2 picks.Safety Cole Wisniewski, however, might slide late into Day 3. But there is a lot to like about his game.

Wisniewski racked up 78 total tackles for the Red Raiders last season, along with six pass breakups and a sack. He did this after missing the entire 2024 season due to a foot injury.While Wisniewski is more of a deep safety, you could draw a comparison to Caleb Downs in terms of his versatility. Wisniewski is on the bigger size, weighing in at 220 pounds, which allowed Texas Tech to drop him down into the box in certain situations, even when he might be playing in a traditional single-high role during the same possession.Take this play against UCF, where he slides down into the box, feels the run play perfectly, and makes a tackle for a short gain:Texas Tech has several defenders that should be drafted this week.Including Wisniewski.

Expected Draft Round: Rounds 6-7Lewis Bond, WR, Boston CollegeLewis Bond did almost everything a wide receiver can do to earn an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine. He caught 88 passes for 993 yards and a touchdown in 2024, with those 88 receptions setting a new team record. He leaves Chestnut Hill having set a new career reception mark with 213, and also checks in at fifth in the school’s record book with 2,385 career receiving yards.

He was also a second-team All-ACC selection, and garnered praise for his performance at the Senior Bowl.Yet when it came time for Combine invitations, he was left on the outside looking in. Watching Bond on film, you see a player with great feel for the position, great awarness for his nearest threat in the secondary, and the ability to play both outside and in the slot. If you needed just one play to sum up what he can bring to an NFL offense it is this reception against Syracuse, where he beats the man coverage defender, makes a tough adjustment to an off-target throw, and finishes the play with an explosive gain in the passing game:That will work.Expected Draft Round: Rounds 6-7Tanner Koziol, TE, HoustonWhile measurements vary, tight end Tanner Koziol checks in with a wingspan around 83 inches based on his measurements at the Combine.And the tight end puts every bit of that wingspan to use on plays like this one:Koziol’s ability to play above-the-rim stands out, and his ability to win in contested catch situations will serve him well at the next level.

There is some “big wide receiver” to his game, along with good feel for finding soft spots in zone coverage. Add in some ability as a blocker — and a whole lot of willingness — and you have a nice find on the third day of the draft. Expected Draft Round: Rounds 5-6Dallen Bentley, TE, UtahBentley was mired on the depth chart at Utah for the two previous seasons, catching just three passes over two years with the Utes.

But he got a chance to see more playing time this past season and caught 48 passes for 620 yards and six touchdowns for Utah this past season.Those numbers saw him finish second on the team in both receptions and receiving yards, and he tied for the team lead in touchdown catches. The 6’4, 253-pound tight end also posted a 4.62-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.But what might help him the most is what he can do as an in-line blocker. Bentley is every bit the complete tight end, with an ability to execute blocks on both gap and zone designs from an in-line or a wing alignment.

For many tight ends coming out of college, picking up the blocking part of the job is the toughest part of the transition, but Bentley looks ready to step in right away in that area. Expected Draft Round: Rounds 5-6Keionte Scott, CB, MiamiRueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor generated the most buzz on the defensive side