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Jeff Legvold
multiple authors
During a discussion last season about putting together a scouting staff, Washington Commanders general manager adam peters how to reveal timetable on a nfl draft The board has been constructed.
“You’re essentially making it every year for a year,” Peters said. “From spring to season to the Combine, Pro Days, tours and back to next spring, that’s when scouts are looking at the calendar to see the first places they’re going. The real movement for players and grades at that time probably comes much earlier than people think.”
This makes the concept of a March “riser” undoubtedly rarer than a franchise quarterback. The actual rise of a potential up draft board is a multi-month process that involves on-field production and predraft work.
With less than two weeks until the 2026 NFL Draft, we’ve identified the seven players who have gained the most upside since the start of the 2025 season. last year list This included two first-round offensive linemen Armand Mambou (number 7, New York Jets) And gray zabel (No. 18, Seattle Seahawks). Here are the top rushers in 2026, starting with one of the best offensive tackle prospects in this class.
Scouts Inc. Ranking: number 14
How far did he climb the boards: Freeling opened his first season as a full-time starter. Possibility The sophomore was selected by many scouts solely because of his impressive measurements (6-foot-7, 315 pounds). But he’s now a solid first-rounder after making 13 starts last season, holding up well against SEC pass rushers and producing some high-quality work in predraft windups.
turn: SEC monitoring scouts said they could see the improvement in Freeling’s pass-protection technique in real time. His hand placement got better throughout the season against some of the most explosive defensive players on this draft board. game against golden brown color And texas Last season is frequently mentioned by evaluators.
Why did he get up: Some of it is physics. He has rare fluidity in his lower body for a player his size and should be able to add more strength as he won’t turn 22 until July. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.93 seconds, has 34¾-inch arms and moves like a tight end in space. Freeling also showed a quality ability to react to rush inside counters, recover, correct his feet and win games.
What they are saying: “To be honest, yoga really helps with injury prevention. It’s huge on being comfortable, being flexible, and having mindfulness be part of it. Being conscious of your body and how you feel is really important to how you stay dynamic and play fast on the football field.” — Opening up on how his training routine has helped him improve
Scouts Inc. Ranking: number 20
How far did he climb the boards: There are some players in every draft who have enough extensive work to make league evaluators comfortable. Then there are the players who shake things up a bit at the Senior Bowl or Combine, forcing evaluators to take a second look. Thieneman fits into the latter bucket and is likely moved from a mid-to-late second-round pick to the first round as part of a strong safety class.
turn: Thieneman has an extensive resume as a three-year starter (two at Purdue, one at Oregon), with 302 tackles and eight interceptions in his career. This is a significant sample size. But then he unleashed a 4.37-second 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical at the combine at 6-foot, 201 pounds. Due to this people have to turn back.
Why did he get up: Along with statistical production, Thieneman displays excellent instincts. The best example of this came win over penn state Last season, as his interceptions Drew Allar The Ducks’ victory was confirmed in double overtime. Thieneman fits the NFL game with his frame, reach and plus-level athleticism.
What they are saying: “I just felt like his eyes were in the right place and he didn’t lose eye contact. The guy understands which way to run an offense and which way to finish it. And he can move forward.” — afc area scout
Scouts Inc. Ranking: number 41
How far did he climb the boards: Iheanachor is likely to be considered a projection player as early as Day 2, having improved faster than expected. He moved to the United States from Nigeria as a teenager and did not play football until he enrolled at East Los Angeles College before transferring to Arizona State.
turn: The 6-foot-6 321-pounder started five games in his first season at Arizona State in 2023, but it’s the full summary of his 26 college starts that shows how far he’s come. Scouts noted Iheanachor’s one-on-one work against Texas Tech’s leading players last seasonAnd he was consistently impressive in Senior Bowl workouts.
Why did he get up: For some, the draft is more about production than ability, and Ihanochor is still an emerging player who needs to smooth out some rough edges. But with his size, mobility (4.95-second 40) and 83¼-inch wingspan, he has the attributes offensive line coaches want in a tackle.
What they are saying: “I would say mainly [playing] Actually protect. Like, slide in, box out, all that stuff. I feel like, as an offensive lineman, you need to have good legs… I mean, that’s one of the biggest parameters.” – Iheanachor explains how basketball helped him transition to football in junior college
Ted HurstWR, Georgia State
Scouts Inc. Ranking: number 71
How far did he climb the boards: Hurst has worked himself from being the last player on day three to the player hearing his name called on day two. A three-year starter – one at Valdosta State and two at Georgia State – after being a zero-star recruit as a prep player, he has been a regular on the top-30 visitation circuit in recent weeks.
turn: This has continued to increase as his game has reached his measurable level at 6-foot-4, 206-pounds. Hurst had 1,004 receiving yards in one season while Georgia State had 3,049 passing yards; In other words, he accounted for nearly a third of the Panthers’ passing attack.
Why did he get up: In combination with his size and a 4.42-second 40, Hurst presents as an intriguing option for offenses. Teams will have to figure out how he will perform against professional defensive backs, while Hurst will have to learn how to apply his size to win the ball in tight spots.
What they are saying: “You’d like to see more against the best corners, but I like the arc. He’s got a lot of good football waiting for him.” — NFC General Manager
Scouts Inc. Ranking: number 146
How far did he climb the boards: This varies among evaluators, as Caldwell has some rough spots in his game and needs to strengthen his route tree. But he’s probably done enough with his high-level metrics in one season in Cincinnati (after three seasons at FCS Lindenwood) to potentially move up from late to early third day consideration.
turn: People watched Caldwell’s final season at Lindenwood in 2024, when he averaged 19.5 yards per reception with 11 touchdowns and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award as the top FCS player. He had a stellar season with the Bearcats – six of his touchdown catches came in five games – and his work at the combine was hard to dismiss.
Why did he get up: Offenses looking to win matchups in the red zone will always look to Caldwell’s size/speed combination. He was the tallest receiver at the combine at 6-foot-5, and his 4.31-second 40 rushing yards was the second fastest among receivers.
What they are saying: “I look at the board, and you don’t see a lot of guys with that kind of length who run like that. He needs work, he needs coaching, he needs to attack the ball, but the quality is there.” — AFC Director of College Scouting
Scouts Inc. Ranking: number 222
How far did he climb the boards: There are plenty of evaluators who said they could see the 6-foot-7-inch, 228-pound Gentry going in the fourth or fifth round. The biggest question is what his body will look like and where he will fit after going through an NFL strength program for a year or two. And this may require significant crystal ball skills.
turn: Gentry made 12 starts for the Trojans after playing in just five games last season multiple strokes. He returned to USC bowl game There were no issues with finishing the 2024 season and having a 75-tackle season in 2025.
Why did he get up: He worked out with defensive linemen at the combine, and his measurements are attractive to teams that feel he can add strength and extra mass to improve his ability to get off blocks. He has an 86¼-inch wingspan and ran a 4.6 out of the 40 at his pro day (some scouts had him at 4.5 seconds), which offers a pass-rush option. Gentry was also productive, with five forced fumbles last season and nine in his college career.
What they are saying: “He’s a unique body type, but he’s played a lot of games (52 in five seasons), has some sacks, knocks the ball down, punts the ball out. If he’ll put in the work, there are snaps for him, [he has] Spreading the wings to attack the ball.” — afc defensive coordinator
Scouts Inc. Ranking: uncategorized
How far did he climb the boards: Emerging as a potential priority free agent, Kepinu exploded as a senior with 1,005 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns last season. But some around the league say he has the potential to be drafted as late as Day 3.
turn: The Bison are known for drafting offensive linemen who give running backs a clean yard before contact, but Kepinu averaged 5.3 yards per carry in his career. That type of production always catches the eye of scouts, and evaluators like his consistency and willingness to pass protect. Last season he also had seven games with at least two rushing touchdowns.
Why did he get up: While his 4.68-second 40 at North Dakota State’s pro day will cause some people to pause, Kepinu gained 10 or more yards on 17% of his runs last season. He had two 100-yard rushing games last season in which he carried the ball less than 15 times (14 carries for 116 yards). state of illinois And 107 against 10 st thomas). I also liked what we saw and heard from the teams at the American Bowl.
What they are saying: “I’ll take a Flyer, he’s strong, completes the run, is tough and will commit in pass protection.” — nfc running backs coach
