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Pony Watch List
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Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza looks like a lock at #1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders |
The 2026 BDFL Pony Draft Watch List
TITLETOWN
- The BDFL is built on integrity,
but thrives on innovation. The BDFL invented the Pony Draft. The
BDFL drafts incoming college players even before the NFL does.
The BDFL has
been on the cutting edge of college player evaluations. They took it to
a new level in 2006 when they instituted the league's annual Pony Draft.
The BDFL was the first fantasy football league in the world to draft
incoming college players before the NFL Draft. It all started in 2006
when the fledgling Helena Fighting Slovaks drafted Southern Cal running
back Reggie Bush and the league has been holding this annual ritual ever
since. Along these lines, the BDFL monitors the college game and the
players that will be eligible for the upcoming NFL
Draft in April of 2026. The 2026 BDFL Pony Draft class will have some superstars
for sure, but it can be difficult to
project stardom at this stage of the draft evaluation process.
However, the league offers up their official "2026 BDFL Pony Draft
Watch List" for the Class of 2026 consisting of the top 32 college prospects
who the media experts believe will have the best chance of being selected in the 2026
BDFL Pony Draft. Each prospect has been assigned an NFL team that the
BDFL media experts believe would be a good fit. 32 players. 32 NFL
teams. No duplication. No BS. Listed below are the best fantasy football
prospects for now for the 2026 NFL Draft and from this list should come the BDFL's final 16 BDFL Pony Draft
picks in April of 2026. These are the 32 players the BDFL's media
experts have identified as "Pony-worthy" going into the 2025
college football season. For
the sake of simplicity and it keep it fair and square,
Iron Hand limits one Pony prospect per one NFL team. It will be
interesting to keep an eye on this 2026 BDFL Pony Draft class to see where they go in the 2026
NFL Draft and which 16 "ponies" actually make it to opening day rosters for the 2026
BDFL season.
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2026 BDFL Pony Draft Watch List |
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Mendoza keeps moving up the "Line" as the hype coming out of Bloomington is blasting like a John Cougar Mellencamp tune. The 2025 Heisman winner is still riding his 10-speed through town, speaking French and fittin' in with the Smalltown Stonies. |
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The Rams would be an ideal team for Ty Simpson. He could learn from two of the best in the business with Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford. Simpson needs more confidence and more development, but is a good piece of clay that will be valued in this draft. |
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This is a dream pick for the Buffalo Bills since not having a true #1 receiver has plagued them since Stephan Diggs left Upstate New York. The Bills have a wizard at GM and we're not putting this move to trade up and get Tyson past him just yet. |
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The Panthers have been in search of a true #1 receiver since Steve Smith retired. Tate could be the best receiver in this class and Bryce Young needs all the weapons he can get. The BDFL media experts see Tate as one of the first WRs off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. |
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We don't want to wish the New York Jets on any player and Cooper does deserve better, but the NFL Draft can be a tough reality sometimes. Cooper's former Indiana Hoosiers team may actually have more talent and be better than the Jets. |
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Bo Nix and Sean Payton need all the help they can get in the receiver room out in the Mile High City. Lemon is coming from a pro-style offense under Lincoln Riley at Southern Cal and should be NFL ready by next fall for the Broncos. |
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Mike Evans can't play forever and the Bucs will be in the market for another big play wide receiver this upcoming NFL Draft. It could be Sarratt and a couple more as they try to replace the first ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer and others aging in their receiving corps. |
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K.C. can shake and bake like the proverbial Sunshine Band. The Dolphins need help everywhere you look and Tyreek Hill may be as out of style in Miami as Don Johnson. Concepcion could be a nice compliment to Jaylen Waddle no matter who is the quarterback. |
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Bernard has shot up the BDFL's latest Pony Draft "Watch List" with an impressive opening to the 2026 season. Bernard is big and physical in the mold of Nabers, Brown and Metcalf. His pedigree runs through the UW/DeBoer receiver tree of Ozunde, McMillan and Polk. |
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Taylor has been a bit under the radar for the last couple years now, but hasn't slipped past the BDFL's media experts. The 49ers like to stockpile running backs and Taylor wouldn't be a bad one to stack on the depth chart behind Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson. |
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Penn State's #10 running back reminds us of another #10 - Isiah Pacheco. Like Pacheco, Singleton runs with his hair on fire. The Viks running game really hasn't been the same since cutting ties with Dalvin Cook, so Singleton makes a lot of sense in Minnesota. |
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With Arch Manning staying in college for another year, the Saints turn their attention to running back as Kamara and Miller near free agency. The Arizona transfer was under the radar coming into to the 2026 season, but didn't slip past the BDFL's media experts |
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Boston is another in a long line of productive receivers from the "W ". Boston is one of the top wide receivers in this class and he should be one of the first WRs drafted in April of 2026. It's time for Denzel to "Please Come To Boston" and play for the Patriots. |
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Bell is like a Swiss Army knife, he can do alot of things for an offense. He can basically play five positions in the NFL - Wide receiver, tight end, fullback and running back and special teams. The Colts need more targets for and Bell |
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A lot of teams will be looking for a kicker next season and Sandell seems to be one of the best in this class. The NFL should make him wear football pants instead of bike shorts. The Falcons seem to be a logical place for Sandell to land with their kicking woes this season. |
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Delp should give the Brownies more depth at the tight end position and eventually become the starter once Njoku leaves Cleveland, or retires. Delp isn't Brock Bowers, but who is? He had a good final season in Athens that helped with his experience and draft stock. |
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The Ravens have a new head coach and he'll need some new players, if he plans to stay there for awhile. Bryce is the brother to Packers quarterback Trey Lance and also played for the Bison at North Dakota State. He should make a nice pro player in the NFL. |
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Altmyer made the BDFL's 2026 Pony Draft Watch List with a good showing at the 2026 Senior Bowl in Mobile. He seems to have the right mind set for the league and the Cardinals have a need for some quarterback depth in the desert. |
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The Texans looked kind of lost at running back this season with just Chubb and Marks. Johnson was one of the top rushers in the nations and could come in an compete immediately for the starting job in Houston where they like to control the clock and rest their defense. |
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The Bears could use some quality depth in the backfield and Price is versatile enough to play on most downs and special teams. Price packs a punch, has breakaway speed and catches the ball well coming out on the corner. |
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Branch is an explosive player that Georgia didn't really know how to use last year. The Cowboys could use some more receivers for their high-flying offense and he's the type player that usually falls in Jerry Jones' lap. |
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Nussmeier got a raw deal at LSU under Brian Kelly. He could learn alot behind Aarron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Look for the teams with a future need at quarterback to select Nussmeier late in the 2026 NFL Draft in late April. |
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Last season when Josh Jacobs went down, so did the Super Bowl hopes of the Green Bay Packers. The Pack desperately needs more quality depth at the running back position and Kaytron Allen could be a good place to start. |
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It is time for the Lions to be thinking about life post-Jared Goff. Are all Penn State quarterbacks just clones of Tony Sacca? Nonetheless, the BDFL's media experts rank the big Nittany Lion ahead of Carson Beck and Diego Pavia in the 2026 NFL quarterback class. |
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Former LSU wide receivers have a history of being productive in the NFL and the Alabama transfer is the next one in line to be successful. We think he'll follow Brian Thomas to Jacksonville and give Trevor Lawrence another deep threat option for the Jaguars. |
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Lane is a junior, and he's making some noise in the Trojans offense this season. He's big at 6'4" and looks the part. He and Lemon may be the best WR combo in the country, or just behind Bernard and Williams at Alabama. Eagles are just stockpiling talent at this point. |
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The Commandos seem to be set at quarterback and running back for the short haul. McLaurin and Samuel both seem to have the Travelin' Jones gene. Depth at wide receiver and and tight end could be needs this draft cycle. Stowers should make a good pro receiver. |
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With Keenan Allen approaching retirement, Jim Harbaugh will need to add more talent around Justin Herbert. Williams hasn't had anybody at Clemson to get him the ball the last few years, but should be a good receiver once he gets a good quarterback. |
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The Yazoo City, Misssissippi native could be a hot commodity in the 2026 BDFL Pony Draft. The Gamblers will like his roots and the Bellcows and Grenadiers would like to see his name on their roster. The Chiefs like to stockpile wide receiver talent and could take Bell. |
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Klare could be the best tight end in this class and should be NFL ready after playing at Ohio State. The Giants have a history of productive tight ends going back to Howard Cross and Mark Bavaro. It's time to get another one and hold onto him for a while. |
#24
QB-
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