NFL · 1 hour ago

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Picks Superteam Formed of Top Prospects Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

John Canady

Host · Writer

Mel Kiper's Full Team:
QB: Carson Beck
RB: Jeremiyah Love
WR: Jordyn Tyson
TE: Kenyon Sadiq
OT: Monroe Freeling
G/C: Francis Mauigoa
DL/LB: Zion Young
DL/LB: CJ Allen
DB: Dillon Thienemen
DB: Chris Johnston

Kiper on his team: I'm not sure I've ever felt better about my roster in all the years we've done these superteams drafts. You guys just let me have all the players I wanted! Playmakers = winning, and I have them up and down this lineup.

My offense will run through Love, who should have plenty of gaps to exploit behind the blocking of my top two-ranked tackles. I waited until my final pick for a QB because the class drops off so much after Mendoza, but I'm happy to land my QB3 in Beck. He'll have familiarity with former teammates in Mauigoa and Freeling, and the after-the-catch ability of Sadiq and contested-catch prowess of Tyson will lead to some big plays.

Then I have speed, length, and ball hawking on defense. My one regret: I probably should have taken Bailey instead of Thieneman at No. 15, but the edge group is just deeper than the safety class. Doesn't matter -- I'm dominating the rest of these teams.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Picks Superteam
Mel Kiper Jr. joined three other ESPN analysts in a snake-style draft, where the order flipped each round, and it turned into a straightforward exercise in taking the best players available. No concern for team needs or roster balance in the traditional sense, just identifying top-tier talent and stacking it together. The result is a group that’s less about realism and more about how much ability you can fit onto one field at the same time.
Running Back: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (No. 2)
Jeremiyah Love is just unfair in a setting like this. You’re giving a superteam a back who can hit a crease and be gone before the defense even realizes what happened. He’s got that easy burst and big-play feel where every touch looks like it could flip the field.
Tight End: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon (No. 7)
Kenyon Sadiq is such a classic “superteam” pick because he’s basically a weapon, not a traditional tight end. Move him around, create mismatches, let him run, that’s the whole idea. He’s the guy defensive coordinators get annoyed with by the second quarter.
Wide Receiver: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (No. 10)
Jordyn Tyson feels like the perfect fit here. Smooth, effortless, and dangerous once he gets rolling, he’s the type of receiver who makes everything look easy. With this much talent around him, he’s going to see space, and that’s a problem for everyone else. Kiper needed a wideout and selected one of the top available.
Safety: Dillon Thieneman, Oregon (No. 15)
Dillon Thieneman is just a football player, plain and simple. Always around the ball, always making something happen. On a team like this, he’s the one cleaning things up and making sure nothing slips through the cracks on the back end.
Offensive Line: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (No. 18)
Francis Mauigoa is where things start getting real up front. Big, strong, and not moving off his spot anytime soon. You need guys like this in a build like this, otherwise all the flashy pieces don’t matter.
Offensive Line: Monroe Freeling, Georgia (No. 23)
Monroe Freeling is more of a bet on traits, but that’s kind of the luxury here. Long, athletic, and still figuring it out — but if it clicks, it really clicks. This is the type of swing you take when the rest of your roster is loaded.
EDGE: Zion Young, Missouri (No. 26)
Zion Young brings some edge to the defense, literally and figuratively. He’s got juice off the corner and plays like he knows he’s supposed to be in the backfield. Feels like one of those guys who ends up with a sack when you need it most.
Linebacker: CJ Allen, Georgia (No. 31)
CJ Allen is a steady selection. Nothing crazy, nothing flashy, just consistently in the right spot doing his job. Every stacked team needs a guy like this in the middle to keep everything from getting out of control.
Cornerback: Chris Johnson, San Diego State (No. 34)
Chris Johnson is a fun one because he’s got that confidence you want at corner. You’re not building a team like this to play soft, and he fits that mindset. Let him line up and compete.
Quarterback: Carson Beck, Miami (No. 39)
Carson Beck might be the most interesting pick of the bunch. He doesn’t have to be Superman here; just get the ball out and let everyone else do what they do best. And honestly, that’s when he’s at his best anyway, directing traffic and getting the ball out quickly.
Mel Kiper's Full Team:
QB: Carson Beck
RB: Jeremiyah Love
WR: Jordyn Tyson
TE: Kenyon Sadiq
OT: Monroe Freeling
G/C: Francis Mauigoa
DL/LB: Zion Young
DL/LB: CJ Allen
DB: Dillon Thienemen
DB: Chris Johnston

Kiper on his team: I'm not sure I've ever felt better about my roster in all the years we've done these superteams drafts. You guys just let me have all the players I wanted! Playmakers = winning, and I have them up and down this lineup.

My offense will run through Love, who should have plenty of gaps to exploit behind the blocking of my top two-ranked tackles. I waited until my final pick for a QB because the class drops off so much after Mendoza, but I'm happy to land my QB3 in Beck. He'll have familiarity with former teammates in Mauigoa and Freeling, and the after-the-catch ability of Sadiq and contested-catch prowess of Tyson will lead to some big plays.

Then I have speed, length, and ball hawking on defense. My one regret: I probably should have taken Bailey instead of Thieneman at No. 15, but the edge group is just deeper than the safety class. Doesn't matter -- I'm dominating the rest of these teams.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Picks Superteam
Mel Kiper Jr. joined three other ESPN analysts in a snake-style draft, where the order flipped each round, and it turned into a straightforward exercise in taking the best players available. No concern for team needs or roster balance in the traditional sense, just identifying top-tier talent and stacking it together. The result is a group that’s less about realism and more about how much ability you can fit onto one field at the same time.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Picks Superteam Formed of Top Prospects Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft

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