6th year players are emerging as top NFL draft prospects in the age of NIL

Much of the buzz around this draft surrounds the productivity of the pass rushers. This class is undoubtedly led by the success of top players like Rueben Bain and David Bailey. Meanwhile, Akheem Mesidor and Romello Height are gaining steam in draft discussions. As older prospects, they will likely be more of a target for teams who need immediate contributors. Immediate may become normalized in this new formation of college football.

Pass Rush Production

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) lines up during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mesidor’s 10.5 sacks and Height's 10 in 2025 are important in a year lacking clear dominant prospects. Much like Bain, Mesidor and Height have unique body types and are far more pass rush oriented. Affecting the passer is still the biggest impact an edge player can make in this sport. There will be questions about consistency against better competition, but a good pre-draft process will continue to build their draft case.

Mesidor is a little stouter, but doesn’t possess Bain’s hand strength. He’s a tweener body type who plays more naturally on the edge, but can use lateral quickness if necessary to beat bigger guards. Height is more of the stand up outside linebacker type. He has the speed and first-step quickness to win quickly on clear passing downs. At 24 years old for each, there’s generally a sense that these playes have less room for growth than Bain. However, all it takes is one team committed to these playstyles for that to change.

Shifting Development Curves

Dec 6, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Romello Height (9) celebrates during the game between the Red Raiders and the Cougars at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

With the addition of name, image, and likeness to college football, the Mesidor/Height model will become more common. College players are incentivized to stay in school, earn money, and develop their games for the NFL. With increasing transfer options, more years become a tool for finding the right development location. A player who transfer multiple times may need the extra years to round out his game.

In the NFL, we're seeing more and mroe players asked to perform well immediately. Front offices and coaching staffs have had their timelines quickened. If something isn't working in roster construction, NFL teams are more open to restarting the process. This means rookies are expected to produce by year two. The best way to prepare for this is to spend more time developing in college. The NFL is now less and less a league that values long term development.

Draft Range

We’re beginning to see some draft boards where Mesidor receives first round buzz. At the very least, he’s a Day 2 player. The national championship provided a a breakout performance in front of a large audience. This type of impact can sway NFL front offices especially when you consider the pressure of a national championship game. Height is more of a Day 2 target, but good testing could also move him into Day 1 discussions. Many teams are looking for speed rushers to finish off quarterbacks once the pocket is closed around them.