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The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off tonight in Pittsburgh, and collectors have been raving about this class for months. With Topps now holding the NFL license, every name called this weekend will get their first true rookie cards on the new flagship products. But the pre-rookie market is already telling us who the hobby is betting on.
Based on Field Yates’ final ESPN mock draft, here’s a look at the biggest prospect/college card sales from this year’s most hyped draftees, ranked from smallest to largest.
Carnell Tate, WR (Ohio State) – $1,349 Sale
According to the ESPN mock, Tate is projected to go No. 7 overall to the Washington Commanders. Washington is thin at receiver behind Terry McLaurin, and Tate is among the most pro-ready wideouts in the class. Only four drops on 162 career targets at Ohio State tells you everything about his hands.
His 2025 Prizm Draft Picks Black Shimmer 1/1 sold for $1,349 on December 9, 2025. Landing in a Jayden Daniels offense would be the kind of situation that moves Tate’s cards up fast.
Ty Simpson, QB (Alabama) – $1,525 Sale
According to the ESPN mock, Simpson is projected to go No. 30 overall to the Arizona Cardinals via a projected trade with the Miami Dolphins. It’s the only new trade in Yates’ mock. Simpson is the clear QB2 of this class, and pairing him with Jeremiyah Love and Marvin Harrison Jr. would give Arizona one of the most exciting young offensive cores in the league.
His 2025 Bowman U Now Foilfractor Auto 1/1 PSA 10 sold for $1,525 on April 22, 2026, just a day before the draft. Alabama QBs always draw hobby attention, and a Round 1 landing in the desert would only amplify that.
Jordyn Tyson, WR (Arizona State) – $1,550 Sale
According to the ESPN mock, Tyson is projected to go No. 8 overall to the New Orleans Saints. The Saints need firepower behind Chris Olave, and Tyson is one of the most explosive prospects in the class regardless of position. Size, vertical burst, and yards-after-catch ability.
His 2025 Bowman Chrome University Sapphire Padparadscha Auto 1/1 sold for $1,550 on April 19, 2026. It’ll be exciting to see what this explosive receiver can do in the NFL.
Garrett Nussmeier, QB (LSU) – $2,899 Sale
According to the ESPN mock, Nussmeier is not projected to go in Round 1. That doesn’t mean his cards don’t have room to grow, though. His 2024 Bowman Chrome University Sapphire Padparadscha 1/1 sold for $2,899.99 on September 1, 2025. A Day 2 landing spot could mean a dip in his pre-rookie market short-term, but LSU QBs with starting opportunity have historically proven to play well under the brightest lights.
Carson Beck, QB (Miami) – $3,000 Sale
According to ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Beck is now tracking as a third- or fourth-round pick alongside Penn State’s Drew Allar. Both bring the size and arm strength that teams like the Steelers and Jets want under center on Day 2.
His 2023 Bowman Chrome University Red Shimmer Auto 5/5 PSA 10 sold for $3,000 back on May 12, 2024. That peak came during his Georgia run, and his market has moved with his play ever since. The right landing spot on Day 2 could quietly reignite Beck’s card market for collectors hunting a discount.
Jeremiyah Love, RB (Notre Dame)
According to the ESPN mock, Love is projected to go No. 3 overall to the Arizona Cardinals. He’s No. 2 on Yates’ board, and late momentum has him heading to Arizona. Love racked up an FBS-best 40 scrimmage touchdowns since 2024, and his dual-threat profile is why collector’s are buying up his cards.
His 2024 Bowman Chrome University Superfractor Auto 1/1 BGS 9.5 hit $10,750 on April 19, 2026. Pair him with Marvin Harrison Jr. and a potential young QB core in Arizona, and Love cards have a clear runway to growing even more in the future.
Fernando Mendoza, QB (Indiana)
According to the ESPN mock, Mendoza is projected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. Yates notes Mendoza to Vegas has been the only sure thing in this draft for months. If it holds, he joins Joe Burrow, Jameis Winston, and Cam Newton as the only QBs since 1967 to win a Heisman, a national championship, and get picked No. 1.
The hobby sees it. His 2025 Bowman Chrome University Superfractor #109 /1 BGS 9 sold for a staggering $78,000 on January 29, 2026. That’s top-of-the-class money and the biggest prospect/college card sale from any player in the class. With Mendoza pairing up with rookie head coach Klint Kubiak, the new era in Vegas could send his rookie card market even higher.
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