28. Geno Smith, New York Jets
Word out of Jets training camp is that Geno Smith and the offense are not looking too shabby. The past couple of seasons, Smith has done nothing to inspire confidence that he's going to be able to right the ship for the Jets. He was a turnover machine last year for the Raiders, he's been sacked 105 times over the last two years combined, and his QBR of 34.1 was lower than even his rookie season in which he threw 21 interceptions.
If the Jets can get the version of Geno Smith that Seattle got in 2022 and 2023, they might have someone who can help them truly get a strong evaluation on all of their skill position talent this season.
27. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Many in the football community -- myself included -- are bullish on Tyler Shough for this upcoming season. I don't think that means he's going to be an All-Pro or anything like that, but he's got some game.
Shough was considered a laughable pick by many when the Saints took him in the 2nd round last year, and he proved a lot of doubters (haters) wrong when he actually got the chance to take over for Spencer Rattler last season.
He's dynamic, a dual-threat at the position, and he's got a big arm with much better field vision and feel for the game than anyone really expected. He operated Kellen Moore's offense really well as a rookie, and he's got even more weapons around him in 2026.
26. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
To be fair to Tua Tagovailoa, there have been plenty of instances in which he has played outstanding football. We don't always see Tagovailoa out there struggling.
He's been an MVP candidate and Pro Bowl selection on multiple occasions. He threw for over 4,600 yards in the 2023 season. Part of the issue in projecting Tagovailoa is that we don't know whether or not he will stay healthy. He missed three games last season and six games the year before that. Concussions are a very real problem for him, and that's only one of the injury issues he's dealt with.
But with the talent around him in Atlanta, and Kevin Stefanski calling the offense, he could absolutely thrive.
25. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward is everyone's favorite breakout player candidate for the 2026 season, and for good reason. The stars are aligning for the Titans to make a big jump in the AFC South, not only because Ward is going to progress, but because the coaching staff and roster got so much better this offseason.
Getting Brian Daboll to be the OC for Ward was a major hire for head coach Robert Saleh, and going bold with that 4th overall pick, selecting Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, could be the addition that really makes all of these bold predictions come to fruition.
Ward has the type of ice in his veins to be a top-tier quarterback in the NFL, and he's ready for a big jump.
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