Best available OL in 2026 NFL Draft: Updated results, top prospects still on board originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NFL Draft has arrived. No more conjecture or hypothetical. Five months of preparations and the biggest job interview in the world will now become real. Viewers have become accustomed to certain similarities. The best quarterbacks, edge rushers, offensive linemen and cornerbacks are towards the top, while running backs, safeties and linebackers are less prioritized at the top. In 2026, they throw out almost all the positional tendencies and trends. The offensive line is one of the more intriguing position groups in this draft. Like most groups, OL has no Joe Thomas. That one elite guy at the top. The top 6 tackles bring something different, but almost all have one factor teams will have to consider. Side specific (LT vs RT), some have limited starting snaps, some are undersized. The offensive line group may not have anyone we will call the best offensive lineman in the league a few years from now, but it has several players that could be decade-plus starters.
The 2026 NFL draft kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday in Pittsburgh (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network-- available on Fubo), The Las Vegas Raiders will likely select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.
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