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Wisconsin Badgers stud is snubbed from PFF's Top 10 list for NFL Draft

Wisconsin Badgers right tackle Riley Mahlman is a projected Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but he didn't make it into one analyst's Top 10 ranking
Lorin Cox|
Wisconsin offensive lineman Riley Mahlman (71) provides pass protection during the second quarter of their game against South Dakota Saturday, September 7 , 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.
Wisconsin offensive lineman Riley Mahlman (71) provides pass protection during the second quarter of their game against South Dakota Saturday, September 7 , 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Wisconsin Badgers

Redshirt senior right tackle Riley Mahlman probably won't be a first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft, but he looks like the next great product from the Wisconsin Badgers' offensive line factory.

He's on the radar for NFL scouts, but he was snubbed by PFF analyst Trevor Sikkema on his preseason offensive tackle rankings for the 2026 draft.

Mahlman has been a mainstay on the Badgers offensive line the last two seasons, allowing just three sacks and six QB hits over that span.

He was named preseason first-team All-Big Ten and fourth-team All-American by Athlon Sports as expectations rise for his final year.

PFF seems to have some disagreement about Mahlman internally. Earlier this year, a different analyst ranked him as one of the Top 10 returning offensive tackles in the country.

He also came in at No. 82 on PFF's initial big board for the 2026 NFL Draft, ranking as the seventh highest-rated tackle in the draft.

Sikkema has a few players in his Top 10 that are ranked lower than Mahlman on the PFF big board.

He'll still need to put together a strong senior season to cement his NFL Draft stock, but if Mahlman continues at his current level, he'll hear his named called early on draft weekend next spring.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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