NFL
By: Randall Slifer
Folks, we are in the mix of the NFL Draft, and it is approaching fast. This class is intriguing, and Arkansas brings a lot of good players to the table. The number of Razorbacks draftable in this class leads to one answer: coaching led to a record number of 1-score losses. But I digress. Let’s jump into it and talk about the prolific Razorback athletes in this 2026 NFL Draft:
CB Julian Neal – 6’2 203lb 32.75” arms 9.5” hands
Testing: 4.49 Forty, 40” vertical, 11’2” broad jump
2025 Stats: 3 Pressures, 1 Sack, 56% reception rate, 2 INT, 8 PBU
Julian Neal is a fantastic corner who has a great size profile for a smaller cornerback class. His length shows on tape with 8 PBU. He is a high-IQ corner who can work the boundary and inside for an NFL team. Neal has a great trail technique and has fluid hips to stay in motion with his wide receiver. In addition, Julian has also held notable SEC-wide receivers under 60 yards, including KC Concepcion, Chris Brazzell II, Cam Coleman, and Barion Brown.
Draft Projection: Top 100 pick
OL Fernando Carmona – 6’5 316lb 31” arms 9.5” hands
Testing: 1.85 10-yard split, 8’7” broad jump, 26 reps on bench
2025 Stats: 16 pressures allowed, 1 Sack, 3 QB Hits
Fernando Carmona will be a steal in the NFL Draft for any team needing a versatile offensive lineman. Fernando Carmona played left tackle for his whole collegiate career, until the switch to guard for his final season. The move to guard results from his heavier feet moving back, but he has good lateral movement and is an absolute mauler. He runs well on outside runs, and has the grip strength and hand placement to lock in in pass protection. Teams can draft him as a guard, and he can certainly play tackle in a pinch.
Draft Projection: 150-200
DT Cameron Ball – 6’4 310lb 33” arms 9.5” hands
Testing: 5.13 Forty (1.79 10-yard), 32” vert 9’1” broad jump
2025 Stats: 21 Pressures, 0 Sacks, 3 QB Hits, 27 Tackles, 4.5 TFL (Tackles for Loss)
Cameron Ball will be a better NFL player than a collegiate player. Arkansas had some issues on the interior defensive line in its final year. It affected his production as he was constantly rotating guys around him. Cam Ball is a lunch-pail defensive tackle who will line up anywhere on the line and has the juice to rush the passer and stop the run. He plays around 320 pounds, and his anchor can handle double teams. He has a wicked swim move on the interior that lets him blow past guards and centers, creating chaos in the pocket. Not a single Arkansan I know has said a bad thing about Cam Ball.
Draft Projection: 150-200
RB Mike Washington Jr – 6’1 223lb 33.5” arms 9.25” hands
Testing: 4.33 Forty (1.51 10-yard), 39” vert 10’8” broad jump
2025 Stats: 1066 rushing yards, 8 TD, 3 Fumbles, 226 receiving yards, 1 TD
Mike Washington Jr might have been one of the highest risers from the beginning of the season until now. Starting at the University of Buffalo, then heading to New Mexico State, Mike Washington made it to an SEC school known for its running backs. A bruiser for a runner who has 3.86 yards after contact, once he hits that gap, he is off to the races. His testing was surprising, running one of the top forty-yard dashes in the whole class, but his explosion matches it on tape. He is a perfect candidate to be knuckles in a “Sonic and Knuckles” duo.
Draft Projection: Top 100 pick
LB Xavian Sorey Jr – 6’2 228lb 31.5” arms 9.75” hands
Testing: 4.63 Forty (1.66 10-yard), 37.5” vert 10’0” broad jump
2025 Stats: 23 Pressures, 3 Sacks, 5 QB hits, 81 Tackles, 7.5 TFL
Xavian Sorey Jr. is an athletic weakside linebacker who fits both a 4-3 WILL and a 3-4 ILB. His speed and agility allow him to cover slot receivers and tight ends in man coverage, and he can spot drop in zone coverage. He is patient in run support at the 2nd level and makes sound decisions when shooting gaps to stop the run. His stats are impressive for how the Arkansas defense finished, and he was touted before the year as a promising NFL candidate. He may need to gain some strength to improve his run support, but he is a linebacker with a good foundation to start in the NFL.
Draft Projection: 200-250
QB Taylen Green – 6’6 227lb 34.75” arms 10” hands
Testing: 4.36 Forty (1.55 10-yard), 43.5” vert, 11’2” broad jump
2025 Stats: 2713 yards passing, 19 TD, 11 INT, Adjusted Completion %: 71.3, 994 rushing yards, 8 TD, 5 Fumbles
Taylen Green is one of the most polarizing players in the 2026 NFL Draft. This Quarterback class is generally weak, and only one quarterback is not a developmental player. Taylen Green is the most athletic quarterback in this class, and his testing backs it up. He is a dual-threat quarterback to say the least, rushing for 1,817 yards and 16 touchdowns in the last two years.
Taylen Green is a project at quarterback, but his ceiling is the highest in the draft. Bobby Petrino was the first coach to get Taylen Green to play as a thrower first and a runner second. His improvement from 2024 to 2025 was very noticeable, and NFL teams should draft him and expect that trend to continue. His flaws are mechanics and decision-making, both of which are fixable with a couple of years behind an NFL starting quarterback.
I personally like to call him the project that Josh Allen was in Wyoming. It’s a lot, I know, but Josh Allen has the athletic prowess like Taylen Green (More with Taylen Green), and his flaws and raw talent out of college were similar. The most important thing was Josh Allen’s drive to get better. It is up to Taylen Green to become a starter in the NFL, and NFL teams should take that chance in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Draft Projection: Top 125
