Big 12 Spotlight: Comparing top 2026 standouts with NFL Draft prospects
As the NFL Draft creeps closer, the national analyst team at Rivals is taking a look at some current 2026 recruits that compare favorably with upcoming draft picks. Next up is the Big 12.
MORE: Comparing top 2026 standouts to Big Ten NFL Draft prospects | SEC comparisons | ACC comparisons
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WR JORDAN CLAY – Jayden Higgins (Iowa State)
Clay has emerged over the last many months after a great showing at the Navy All-American Bowl as one of the top receivers in the 2026 class. The San Antonio (Texas) Madison four-star is big and strong. He’s not super electric but he can get open, make contested catches and shows incredible consistency.
Higgins is very similar. Iowa State’s offense is not going to blow anybody out of the water but the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Higgins caught 87 passes for 1,183 yards and nine touchdowns last season as one of two receivers with more than 1,000 yards. He’s projected to be picked somewhere in the early to middle rounds of the NFL Draft.
Clay has received far more recruiting attention than Higgins (who started his career at Eastern Kentucky) but he could end up at Baylor playing for position coach Dallas Baker, who starred at Florida before being a seventh-round pick.
QB KEISEAN HENDERSON: Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)
To start, there are some major differences between Henderson and Sanders at the same stage. One, Sanders was going to FAU before his dad got the Jackson State job and then went to Colorado. One wonders what would have come of Sanders’ development if he went to FAU. On the other hand, Henderson has every offer in the world and the Houston commit is trying to be flipped by every power out there.
But there are many similarities. There were questions about Sanders’ throwing mechanics in high school and Henderson was considered an athlete less than a year ago before really putting all the pieces together and showing he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the class.
Both have really live arms. Both are tremendous playmakers. Both can dodge pressure, keep their eyes downfield and make plays. Sanders is projected as an early first-round pick and with his five-star ranking, so is Henderson.
OL KODI GREENE: Logan Brown (Kansas)
What makes Greene so special is that he can play with power and handle that at the high school level but is also so incredibly athletic and quick that he does an excellent job stopping any edge rusher. Playing at powerhouse Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei after originally being from the Pacific Northwest, Greene has acclimated well and might not throw everybody around like a rag doll but rarely loses.
The same can be said for Brown, who doesn’t have a phenomenal resume with only one full year as a starter after transferring from Wisconsin to Kansas, but that one season in Lawrence was really impressive. He’s a mid-round NFL Draft pick and Greene has a chance to go much higher especially with a more established career at Oregon.
RB DAVIAN GROCE: Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State)
Groce was super impressive at the Navy All-American Bowl as a bigger running back with power and speed who can break tackles, make people miss and then run through or around people with ease.
Gordon was exactly that player in high school – finishing as the eighth best running back in the 2022 class – and then carried that over to Oklahoma State where he finished with nearly 3,000 yards in three seasons.
There is one significant difference though: Gordon has and always will intend to play running back. Groce only plays running back at Frisco (Texas) Lone Star out of necessity and will almost definitely play wide receiver at the next level.
OL TYLER MERRILL: Wyatt Millum (West Virginia)
Merrill is all business on the field, loves to play physical and goes after people not only to move them out of the way but to overpower them and wish they didn’t step on the football field with him. The Notre Dame commit isn’t super explosive but he’s tough and strong, and likes to impose his will.
At roughly the same size, Millum did the same thing at West Virginia. In his NFL.com draft profile, he’s described as “tough, strong and assignment-oriented.” He’s projected in the second-round range of the draft and Merrill could absolutely be in that range after his time in South Bend as well.
