Heel Tough Blog: 2026 Tar Heel NFL Draft Rankings- Pre-Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft will commence in Pittsburgh on Thursday night as thousands of NFL hopefuls wait to hear if their name will be called over the course of the three day event. Amongst those waiting to hear their names are a handful of Tar Heels who worked out for NFL scouts in the team’s pro day late last month. Here’s a look at where these prospects stand in the latest mock drafts heading into the draft.

CB Thaddeus Dixon

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Jordan Reid (ESPN): Round 7, Pick 224 to the Pittsburgh Steelers

Dane Brugler (The Athletic): Round 6, Pick 186 to the New York Giants

Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): Round 5, Pick 150 to the New Orleans Saints

Chad Reuter (NFL.com): Undrafted

Brian Bosage (DraftCountdown): Round 6, Pick 200 to the Carolina Panthers

Dixon is a guy whose stock has been all over the place throughout the process, but as we approach the opening of the draft, it appears that he has positioned himself as a guy that will hear his name at some point on Saturday. His peak seems to be that 5th Round at this point, but it is more likely that he will be a name that is called somewhere in the 200s. If he lands with the right team, he’ll have a good shot at making the team he gets selected by.

CB Marcus Allen

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Jordan Reid (ESPN): Undrafted

Dane Brugler (The Athletic): Undrafted

Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): Undrafted

Chad Reuter (NFL.com): Round 6, Pick 205 to the Detroit Lions

Brian Bosage (DraftCountdown): Undrafted

Allen’s stock seemed to be trending upwards heading out of the Combine, but ever since the Tar Heels pro day, it seems to be heading in the other direction. Because we don’t have any stats from the pro day and very little reporting on it, it’s hard to tell if something went wrong that is causing this sudden change. It isn’t impossible that a team likes him enough to select him late on Day 3, but it is looking more likely that he will have to wait for a team to call him as an undrafted free agent.

OG Daniel King

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Jordan Reid (ESPN): Undrafted

Dane Brugler (The Athletic): Undrafted

Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): Undrafted

Chad Reuter (NFL.com): Undrafted

Brian Bosage (DraftCountdown): Undrafted

King is the only other prospect that appears on any big board of significance, but he is not showing up on any mock drafts. It feels like King will get looks from NFL teams as an undrafted free agent, but it may not be as immediate as it was for someone like Allen if he goes undrafted.