NFL Combine Survey: 42 Prospects Pick Which Player Was the Best They Faced in College

INDIANAPOLIS — Who is the best player in the 2026 NFL Draft? Well, there's one way to find that answer: ask the prospects who was the best player they faced in college.

I did just that in the latest version of my NFL Combine Survey, asking 42 prospects who were invited to the combine who was the best player they went up against in their college days. It's a fun question that can yield three different kinds of answers — big-name former college stars already in the NFL, top prospects in this year's draft class or players who will be back in college football in 2026.

In all, we had 34 different players get name-dropped, including seven who were picked by two prospects. No player received more than two votes, though, showing the depth of talent currently in the game. One player abstained from answering this question.

Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was among the group of seven players who received two votes in this exercise. Only two prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft received two votes: Penn State guard Olaivavega "Vega" Ioane and Miami (Fla.) edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.

Miami (Fla.) Rueben Bain Jr. is one of the top edge rushers in this year's draft class. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Of the seven players returning to college to receive a vote in this exercise, none of them received more than one vote. Miami (Fla.) wide receiver Malachi Toney made a strong enough impression in his freshman year to receive a vote, though. Unsurprisingly, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith received a vote for the second straight year in this exercise. Smith is widely considered to be a top prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft. 

One surprise from this question was that the reigning Heisman winner and