He used to be a tennis player. Seriously. Imagine a 325-pound man sprinting toward a drop shot with a racket in hand. That’s the origin story of Fernando Carmona Jr., the Arkansas offensive lineman who has become one of the most fascinating studies in the 2026 NFL Draft cycle.
If you’re looking for a polished, 10-year veteran of the trenches, you aren't going to find it here. Carmona didn't even start playing football until late in high school. He was a tight end who barely saw the field before a COVID-shortened season forced him to recruit himself via Twitter DMs. Now, he’s an All-SEC caliber tackle who has spent the last two years proving that "bad bulk" can be turned into elite Sunday muscle.
The Fernando Carmona NFL draft conversation is basically a debate between two camps: those who see a raw, high-ceiling starter and those who worry about his "waist-bending" tendencies. But in a league starved for tackles who actually like to hit people, his stock is doing anything but falling.
The Transformation: From 220-Pound Tight End to SEC Powerhouse
Most guys in the draft grew up in the dirt. Carmona grew up on the courts and the hardwood in Las Vegas. When he arrived at San Jose State, he was a 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end. He looked more like a guy who’d grab a rebound than a guy who’d stonewall a 5-star edge rusher.
Then came the "bad bulk."
💡 You might also like: Por qué los partidos de Primera B de Chile son más entretenidos que la división de honor
To get on the field, he lived on a diet of Panda Express and Ben & Jerry’s. He ballooned up to 325 pounds, a transformation he’s joked about in interviews as being necessary but not exactly healthy. Since transferring to Arkansas to play for Sam Pittman—a guy who knows a thing or two about O-line play—Carmona has leaned out. He’s still 325, but it’s a different kind of 325.
He started every single game for the Razorbacks in 2024 and 2025. That’s 42 consecutive starts dating back to his time with the Spartans. Reliability is a trait NFL GMs value more than almost anything, and Carmona has it in spades.
Fernando Carmona NFL Draft Scouting: What the Tape Says
If you watch the LSU or Tennessee film from 2024 and 2025, you see why he’s a Day 2 or early Day 3 lock. He is a "motor" player. He doesn't just block; he seeks out contact. In the run game, he’s a punisher. He has that "mean streak" coaches talk about but rarely see consistently.
The Strengths
- Initial Explosiveness: For a guy who was a tennis player, his footwork in the first three steps is surprisingly twitchy.
- Versatility: While he’s been a left tackle at Arkansas, many scouts project him moving to guard at the next level. His frame and power profile make him a "swing" candidate who can provide depth across the line.
- High Effort: He’s been caught on mic saying, "If you're not cheating, you're not trying," regarding holding. It's that old-school, gritty mindset that makes him a favorite for teams like the Ravens or Steelers.
The Concerns
He isn't perfect. Not even close.
The biggest knock on his 2026 profile is his pad level. Because he's tall and still relatively new to the technical side of the position, he has a habit of "leaning" or "lunging" at defenders. In the NFL, if you lean against a guy like Maxx Crosby, you’re ending up on your face.
📖 Related: South Carolina women's basketball schedule: What Most People Get Wrong
His lateral agility is also a question mark. He can struggle with speed-to-power transitions on the edge, which is why a move to the interior might actually save his career.
Why NFL Teams Are Obsessed With His "Levers"
In scouting parlance, "levers" refer to arm length and height. Carmona is 6-foot-5 with a massive wingspan. Even when his footwork fails him, he has the reach to recover.
During the 2025 season, he was an integral part of an Arkansas line that paved the way for five straight games of 500+ yards of offense. That doesn't happen by accident. He was named to the Outland Trophy watch list and earned All-SEC honors for a reason. He’s the guy you want leading a screen pass or pulling on a power run because he actually has the athleticism to hit a linebacker in space.
Honestly, his "tight end" past shows up most when he’s asked to move. He doesn't look like a lumbering giant; he looks like an athlete who happens to weigh as much as a small car.
👉 See also: Scores of the NBA games tonight: Why the London Game changed everything
Draft Projection: Where Does He Land?
Right now, the consensus is that Fernando Carmona is a mid-round gem.
Some mocks have him going as high as the 3rd round to a team that needs a developmental tackle with high-end physical traits. Others see him slipping to the 5th or 6th round because of those technical "waist-bending" issues.
Watch the Senior Bowl. That’s going to be the deciding factor. If he can hold his own in 1-on-1 drills against the best pass rushers in the country without losing his balance, he’s going to fly up boards. NFL coaches believe they can fix hand placement; they can’t fix a lack of "want-to," and Carmona has plenty of the latter.
Actionable Insights for Draft Observers
- Track the 10-Yard Split: During the NFL Combine, don't just look at his 40-yard dash. Look at his 10-yard split. For an O-lineman, that’s the metric that proves he still has that tight-end explosiveness.
- Watch the Hands: In pre-draft highlights, look at whether he’s catching the defender or punching. If he starts punching more consistently, he’s a starter-level talent.
- Monitor the Position Designation: If teams start talking about him exclusively as a Guard (IOL), expect his value to rise for zone-blocking schemes that need mobile interior players.
Fernando Carmona Jr. represents the "new age" of offensive line prospects—athletes who transitioned late and have the frame to hold the weight. He’s a high-risk, high-reward pick that could easily end up being the steal of the 2026 class if he lands with a coach who can settle his feet and keep his pads low.