2 weeks ago
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With less than a week until the 2026 NFL Draft, this is my final mock draft based on what I think will actually happen, not what I would do if I were the GM of all 32 teams.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
My mock drafts go 3-for-3 with this pick. Mendoza has NFL size with a great arm and will fit well in Klint Kubiak’s offense.
2. New York Jets
Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
I’m holding firm with Reese at No. 2. There was a brief moment when betting marks made Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey the favorite. The Jets have since canceled their top-30 visit with him, seemingly indicating that they are going in Reese’s direction.
3. Arizona Cardinals
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Bailey won’t have to wait long to hear his name called. The Cardinals could also go offensive line here, but Bailey is a blue chip EDGE and Arizona needs more firepower on defense.
4. Tennessee Titans
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Love doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Titans in my opinion, but that’s not the point of this mock draft. There has been smoke around this pairing dating all the way back to the NFL Combine, and the betting markets are also penciling it in. Cam Ward would get an electric back to help redirect the attention of defenses, and Love is considered arguably the best player in the class, if ignoring positional value.
5. New York Giants
Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
With two top-10 picks, the Giants could go in several directions here. There’s been some buzz that they could be in the mix for a skill position player, but John Harbaugh’s No. 1 job is to protect Jaxson Dart. He does so in this mock with the best offensive lineman in the class.
6. Dallas Cowboys (projected trade with CLE)
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Cowboys are one of the few teams, along with the Chiefs, seemingly interested in moving up in what is considered a weak draft class. With an extra first-rounder to play with, they can afford to do so. Styles is a do-it-all defender who will immediately get the Cowboys' disoriented defense headed in the right direction.
7. Washington Commanders
Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Commanders will be happy to see a top-tier skill position player here, regardless of where they line up on the field. Tate profiles as a big-play WR2 early in his career. As a Commander, he would have a clear runway to succeed Terry McLaurin as his team’s WR1 in a few years.
8. New Orleans Saints
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Even after a breakout season, Chris Olave alone isn’t enough to carry an entire skill positions corps. Tyson’s stock was on the rise before his private workout, which didn’t put a lid on the hype in any capacity. He’s now set up to be a top-10 pick, potentially to a receiver-needy squad like the Saints.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
I think Kansas City is taking a high-value position with this pick, no matter what. It just so happens that the CB1 of the class is still on the board, and the Chiefs just traded their top corner to the Rams a few months ago. Beyond that, they let Jaylen Watson, their No. 2 corner, walk in free agency, also to the Rams. Delane is a shutdown No. 1 corner who will give the Chiefs their best shot at backfilling Trent McDuffie’s role.
10. New York Giants (via Bengals)
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Giants acquired this pick over the weekend by trading DT Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals. Now, John Harbaugh gets a chance at finding his new Kyle Hamilton in Ohio State’s Downs.
11. Miami Dolphins
Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Miami just needs someone to soak up targets, and no player is better suited for that role than Lemon. He should earn loads of short and intermediate looks out of the gate, making Malik Willis’ job much easier as he adjusts to life in South Beach.
12. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with DAL)
Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
The Browns would very much prefer there to be a franchise left tackle here, but beggars can’t be choosers. Fano is an elite right tackle prospect who profiles as a long-term starter, even if this pick still leaves Cleveland with an outstanding question mark on the other side of the line.
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
The Rams are one of the true wildcards in the top half of the draft. They are in play for any skill position player who makes it here, but in this mock draft, all three of the tier-one wideouts were gone. Instead, the pivot is to the best developmental tackle in the class.
14. Baltimore Ravens
Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
I ultimately think Bain goes earlier than pick No. 14, but some players have to fall in every draft. If Bain does make it this far, he won’t last any longer. There are concerns about his size and arm length, but those are more than outweighed at this spot in the draft by both his production (20.5 sacks in three years) and his film (It’s good).
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
The Bucs have both tackle spots accounted for as of right now, but the interior is a work in progress. Even with right guard and center likely spoken for, GM Jason Licht needs to continue setting up Baker Mayfield for a rebound. Given what’s available, one of the highest-floor offensive linemen in the class is a great way to accomplish that.
16. New York Jets (via Colts)
Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana
Cooper is a YAC monster whose skill set would complement Garrett Wilson’s well. Even if the Jets don’t fix their quarterback woes in this class, they will need to set up their guy in the 2027 draft for success.
17. Detroit Lions
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
After releasing Taylor Decker, offensive line is an easy choice for the Lions. The only question is how do they address it? With a behemoth left tackle who moves well for his size on the board, that’s an easy question to answer.
18. Minnesota Vikings
Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
This connection has been made on repeat since the NFL Combine, only because it’s extremely easy to see. Thieneman is a Swiss Army Knife safety who would make an immediate impact in Brian Flores’ scheme.
19. Carolina Panthers
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
This is the make-or-break year for Bryce Young. If he doesn’t look like a true franchise passer in 2026, the Panthers could be headed back to the quarterback well in the 2027 class. With that in mind, GM Dan Morgan should be giving his quarterback every chance to succeed. That includes adding an athletic phenom at tight end with this pick.
20. Cleveland Browns (projected trade with DAL)
KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
In my only hypothetical trade in this mock draft, the Cowboys move up from No. 12 to No. 6 at the cost of pick No. 20. They likely get a Day 2 pick back from Cleveland as well, though the finer details of the trade don’t need to be worked out here. The Browns should be running to the podium with this pick. Concepcion is dynamite with the ball in his hands and could be the centerpiece of their offense down the line. Given the barren state of their receiver room, he is a no-brainer.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
This pick is a bit early for Lomu, but the Steelers desperately need a left tackle, and he is more than worth a first-round pick. The Steelers have run the Broderick Jones experiment into the ground and he has now reportedly suffered a setback in his recovery from the neck injury he suffered last year. Lomu is one of the only true left tackles in this class, and he is likely the safest bet at his position.
22. Los Angeles Chargers
Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
The Chargers lost Odafe Oweh in free agency and only kept Khalil Mack on a one-year extension. Their pass-rush room could look entirely different from 2025 to 2027, and they need to get ahead of that change in the draft. Mesidor is a six-year player, but the final season was more than enough to earn him a spot on night one of the draft. He notched 12.5 sacks and 55 pressures while earning a top-five grade from Pro Football Focus.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Patriots are expected to trade for A.J. Brown after June 1, when his contract becomes more manageable for the Eagles to move on from. Assuming Brown is gone, Boston would be a solid boundary wideout replacement for the former Philly star.
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo
The Browns have openings at nearly every spot on the roster, save for their front-seven. Bypassing DT and EDGE, McNeil-Warren is the highest-ranked player on Grinding the Mocks, a mock draft aggregator that predicts actual draft capital quite well. EMW is a downhill thumper who wreaks havoc in the run game but can also affect the pass. He totaled five interceptions and eight forced fumbles in his three years as a starter at Toledo.
25. Chicago Bears
Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
The Bears have most positions taken care of on offense. The same can’t be said of their defense after they failed to land any of the big-ticket pass-rushers available via free agency or trade this offseason. In a class of undersized pass-rush specialists, Faulk sticks out as a true defensive end, standing at 6-foot-6 and 276 pounds. He would immediately improve the Bears’ defense on all three downs.
26. Buffalo Bills
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
McDonald opened the draft process as a longshot to be the DT1, but his ability to contribute in all phases on defense has him vying for the top spot at his position. The Bills in particular need someone who can defend the run, something they were comically bad at in 2025. McDonald was PFF’s No. 1 graded run defender among defensive linemen last year.
27. San Francisco 49ers
Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
I originally had a tackle at this spot, but the 49ers have agreed to terms with Trent Williams on a contract extension, keeping him in San Francisco for two additional years. Even though that is likely the end of Williams' storied career, it gives them enough time to address tackle at a later date. Here, they add to their front seven. Woods is a strong pass-rusher who is tenacious against the run, even if he doesn’t have run-stuffing size for a defensive tackle.
28. Houston Texans
Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Despite my mock draft taking several different forks in the road since I last tested the waters a month ago, this pick remains unchanged. The Texans need offensive line help and they can’t be picky about what position the best prospect on the board plays. In this scenario, Miller takes over at right tackle while Trent Brown acts as an emergency option for second-year left tackle Aireontae Ersery.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via Rams)
Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
Lawrence is the latest newcomer to my first round. He’s absurdly explosive both on tape and at the NFL Combine, where he logged the second-best vertical and broad jump of the class.
30. Miami Dolphins (via Broncos)
Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Iheanachor did not play football in high school and cut his teeth at the JUCO level before committing to Arizona State. He became a full-time starter at right tackle in 2024 and improved in his final season, though his technical abilities still need refinement. He remains a work in progress, but a high-upside bet is exactly what the Dolphins need.
31. New England Patriots
TJ Parker, EGDE, Clemson
I will assume the Pats’ 2026 first-round pick doesn’t get involved in any A.J. Brown trade. Eagles GM Howie Roseman might even prefer it that way, as he likely nets a higher pick in a better class by waiting to get New England’s 2027 selection. With the Patriots keeping this pick and having receiver taken care of, they move to EDGE, now their most pressing need.
32. Seattle Seahawks
Chris Johnson, CB, SDSU
To no one’s surprise, the defending Super Bowl champs have very few holes on the roster. Their biggest need is at running back, though I don’t see any runner outside of Jeremiyah Love worth a first-round pick. Having lost Riq Woolen in free agency, Seattle opts for a versatile corner to pair with Devon Witherspoon.
