Scout Notebook: 2026 NFL Draft Hot 100, Birmingham Bowl Prospect Watch + Latest Buzz
All Access Football unveils the latest 'Hot 100' prospects for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, plus players to keep an eye on for the JLab Birmingham Bowl, latest all-star game invites and more.
AAF Scout Notebook Presented By Sports Management Worldwide Football Career Conference — Featuring Two Days of Networking & Educational Panels. Held During The NFL Scouting Combine — February 26-27, 2026, Early Bird Discount: SAVE $150 Before January 1st.
AAF SCOUT NOTEBOOK: NFL DRAFT BIBLE HOT 100 UPDATE
Welcome to the December 29, 2025 edition of the AAF Scout Notebook.
In today’s post, we have updated the ‘Hot 100’ list, featuring the top players eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, courtesy of NFL Draft Bible. Updated changes have been made to reflect current overall ranking, while players who have since announced their return to school, or intend to enter the transfer portal having been omitted. We will unveil our 2027 NFL Draft rankings once the January 14th deadline for underclassmen to declare passes.
In addition, the inaugural American Bowl has announced the coaching staff for their first ever game and we have the details below, along with the latest all-star invite announcements. Plus, we check in on the Hula Bowl, which is less than two weeks away and whose roster is nearly full. All Access Football will be on location in Florida for both events, so be sure to check back throughout January for our exclusive practice reports, as we bring boots on the ground analysis from every major all-star game!
Plus, college football bowl season mania rolls on with a look at the JLab Birmingham Bowl, set to kickoff later today. We have a pair of pro prospects on the draft radar that NFL scouts will be monitoring this afternoon. Also, be sure to check out the newest Scouting The League podcast, which takes an inside look at what is transpiring around NFL war rooms as we speak.
Please note, our bowl game prospect primer and ‘NFL Draft Bible Hot 100’ is for AAF subscribers only. Become a draftnik today and unlock our insider content, subscription includes the Official 2026 NFL Draft Bible publication, featuring 500+ in-depth scouting reports, exclusive interviews, verified measurements, projections and more.
AAF 2026 NFL DRAFT HEADQUARTERS
POSITION RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C | DT | ER | LB | CB | S
SCOUTING THE LEAGUE: CHRISTMAS WEEK EVALUATIONS
Scouting The League host and former NFL scout Rodrik David takes us through what pro evaluators are doing to prep for the upcoming NFL Draft during the holiday season. Scouting The League on All Access Football brings you behind the scenes of the draft process.
INAUGURAL AMERICAN BOWL ANNOUNCES COACHING STAFF
The American Bowl is the newest all-star game added to the circuit in 2026. It has quickly emerged as the No.3 showcase behind the Panini Senior Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl. Over the weekend, the event announced the coaching staff for their first ever game, which features over 200 combined years of NFL coaching experience.
TEAM GUARDIANS COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Mike Smith
Offensive Coordinator: Ron Turner
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Nolan
Special Teams: Gary Zauner
Running Backs: Gerald Brown
Wide Receivers: Mike Jones
Offensive Line: Mike Limegrover
Defensive Line: Ray Hamilton
Linebackers: Glenn Pires
Defensive Backs: Corey Chamblin
TEAM WARHAWKS COACHING STAFF
Head Coach: Brian Billick
Offensive Coordinator: Scott Phillips
Defensive Coordinator: Ted Cottrell
Special Teams: Gary Zauner
Running Backs: Larry Kirksey
Wide Receivers: Andrew Weidinger
Tight Ends: Kevin Sumlin
Offensive Line: Wade Harman
Defensive Line: Jay Hayes
Linebackers: Steve Thompson
Defensive Backs: Carnell Lake
LATEST AMERICAN BOWL ROSTER ADDITIONS
The American Bowl Tracker is now up to 70 confirmed invites, as they continue to add a significant amount of players from Power-Four programs. Here’s a look at the latest additions:
POSITION | PLAYER | SCHOOL
RB Kejon Owens, Florida International
WR Lewis Bond, Boston College
WR Lincoln Pare, Texas State
OG Albert Reese IV, Mississippi State
C Luke Petitbon, Florida State
DT Anterio Thompson, Washington
LB TJ Quinn, Louisville
S Austin Brown, Wisconsin
HULA BOWL INVITE ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Altrua HealthShare Hula Bowl Tracker roster is nearing capacity, as they event has announced over 100 confirmed invites thus far, including a pair of east coast signal-callers. Below are the latest updates since the weekend:
POSITION | PLAYER | SCHOOL
QB Derek Robertson, Monmouth
QB Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers
RB Leshon Williams, Kansas
WR Tre Shackelford, Tulane
WR Dreyden Norwood, Missouri
OG Daniel King, North Carolina
OG Fintan Brose, Delaware
OG Ryan Schernecke, Kutztown
DT Keeshawn Silver, USC
DT Bobby Jamison-Travis, Auburn
ER Marvin Jones Jr., Oklahoma
LB Dariel Djabome, Rutgers
CB Cam Miller, Rutgers
S Duce Chestnut, Syracuse
PK Noe Ruelas, UCF
*Programming Alert: Catch the latest edition of the AAF NFL Draft Watch Show, as hosts Ric Serritella & Russ Lande preview the names you need to know for the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals. Streaming Here.
NFL DRAFT WATCH: JLAB BIRMINGHAM BOWL
The JLab Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium is scheduled for Tuesday, December 29, 2025 at 2:00pm eastern time. The game should feel like a home game for Georgia Southern, which plays approximately 500 miles away, while Appalachian State is expected to be without nearly three dozen players who have opted out, or gone home for the holidays after not expecting to receive a bowl invite. Below are two participants expected to be in action for the contest that NFL scouts will be keeping close tabs on:
