We are about a week away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and the rumors are starting to settle in. The picture is becoming clearer and has caused some shake-up in this new mock:
- Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza – QB – Indiana
Yeah, nothing’s changed with this pick at least. The other 31 picks are a different story. - New York Jets – David Bailey – ED – Texas Tech
The tides have turned. All the circles are now leaning towards the Jets taking Bailey instead of Reese. We’ll see if they flip again before next Thursday’s draft. - Arizona Cardinals – Arvell Reese – LB – Ohio St
If Reese does fall to the Cardinals at three, then I find it very unlikely they’d pass up on him. Arizona has a history of taking versatile defensive pieces in the front seven. - Tennessee Titans – Jeremiyah Love – RB – Notre Dame
Now that Bailey is off the board, I can comfortably put arguably the best prospect in this year’s class with Tennessee. It’s not that the running back room is bad, but having a do-it-all back like Love is needed to take pressure off Cam Ward going into his second year. - New York Giants – Caleb Downs – S – Ohio St
At this point, I expect this pick to be either Downs or Styles. It’s practically a coin flip, which would change a couple of things, but nothing too much beyond the top 10. Downs fits well as a safety and nickel, positions the Giants need to improve. - Cleveland Browns – Carnell Tate – WR – Ohio St
Now that Mauigoa is available in this mock, I’m much more open to the Browns passing up a receiver for a lineman who can play either tackle or guard. Tate, however, is still a great option and would be a legit option on the outside to catch passes. - Washington Commanders – Sonny Styles – LB – Ohio St
There’s no world where Styles goes any later than seventh overall. If New York does go with Downs, then this is a perfect setup for the Commanders to get a dominant linebacker. Otherwise, Carnell Tate or Mansoor Delane are the other players I expect Washington to go with. - New Orleans Saints – Reuben Bain Jr – ED – Miami
The more I’ve thought about how this draft plays out, the more I believe the top guys I’d want for the Saints either won’t be available or they don’t see them as a priority. Bain is still a good option that fits what the Saints want to do: continue to upgrade the trenches. - Kansas City Chiefs – Mansoor Delane – CB – LSU
Delane solidified himself as a top 10 pick after his great year in Baton Rouge and Pro Day a couple of weeks ago. Kansas City’s top three needs are corner, receiver, and an edge rusher. They’ll address another one of those positions with their next pick at the end of the round. - Cincinnati Bengals – Jermod McCoy – CB – Tennessee
It feels a little odd to have corners go back-to-back, but many sources point to the Bengals trying to fix their secondary. McCoy looks to be healthy after missing last season with an injury and should be the second to come off the board. - Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa – OT – Miami
Going from a top-three projection would be quite the drop for Mauigoa and would be a great pickup for the Dolphins, who need just about every position. They’d knock out a huge need with this selection. - Dallas Cowboys – Akheem Mesidor – ED – Miami
Dallas is a wildcard in this first round. They could easily trade up to the top six and also move back to the late teens/20’s. One thing I do know is they want another pass rusher, and Mesidor fits that need well. - Los Angeles Rams – Kenyon Sadiq – TE – Oregon
The belief is that the Rams are still all in and want another weapon, whether it’s a receiver or tight end. Los Angeles unlocked something with their 13 personnel and can further build on that formation by taking Sadiq, Oregon’s explosive tight end, who can also split out wide. - Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane – IOL – Penn St
Since Sadiq is gone, Baltimore can focus on the interior of the offensive line and take other tight ends later in the draft. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CJ Allen – LB – Georgia
Nothing has changed when it comes to the need for Tampa. Linebacker feels like the number one priority, and CJ Allen fits the hole on the inside of that unit. - New York Jets – Makai Lemon – WR – USC
I fully expect Lemon to be the second receiver taken in this draft, and it’d be great for the Jets. Lemon could attack the middle and be a great security blanket for Geno Smith. - Detroit Lions – Blake Miller – OT – Clemson
Slight switch for Detroit. The idea is they still take a tackle, but instead of Proctor, who is falling on many teams’ boards, the Lions pivot and go with Blake Miller out of Clemson as the next best option. - Minnesota Vikings – Dillon Thieneman – S – Oregon
Thieneman could be a foundational piece for a defense that needs a real playmaker on the back end. - Carolina Panthers – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren – S – Toledo
Much like Dallas, I’m not very confident in what Carolina will do here. No team has ever drafted a wide receiver in the first round three years in a row, so I’m skeptical until it happens. Even though Thieneman is gone, I don’t see why the Panthers wouldn’t take another highly graded safety and address offense on day two. - Dallas Cowboys – Avieon Terrell – CB – Clemson
Edge rusher is taken care of. Next up is cornerback. Terrell is the best remaining player on the board with plenty of boundary experience, something Dallas is looking for. - Pittsburgh Steelers – Spencer Fano – OL – Utah
Offensive lineman is the biggest need on this team, and Fano should translate to an interior lineman. - Los Angeles Chargers – Keldric Faulk – ED – Auburn
I’m going back to Faulk here. They can take an interior lineman next round and still feel good compared to probably not feeling as good about their defensive line if they pass up on Faulk. - Philadelphia Eagles – Max Iheanachor – OT – Arizona St
It feels weird to not have Philly taking a Georgia or Bama player, but here we are. There are legit questions about the future of that unit, so why not take a new one early? - Cleveland Browns – Caleb Lomu – OT – Utah
The pass catcher was addressed. Now it’s time to get a new offensive lineman. Lomu looks to be one of Cleveland’s top options if they don’t take Mauigoa at six. - Chicago Bears – Zion Young – ED – Mizzou
Chicago could use another interior defensive lineman, but the Bears could also use another pass rusher. Young brought it for Mizzou last season and could be the number one option for them soon after Montez Sweat leaves. - Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell – ED – Texas A&M
Instead of another pass catcher, how about an edge rusher? Texas A&M has a good track record of those guys succeeding in the league. - San Francisco 49ers – Denzel Boston – WR – Washington
San Francisco’s wide receiver has been absolutely depleted over the last couple of years. Time to regroup and rebuild that unit. We’ll start by giving them a big body receiver who can play on the outside at the X. - Houston Texans – Kadyn Proctor – OT – Alabama
Many believe Proctor will fall in the draft with worries about the tape he put out there. While understandable, I don’t believe he’ll fall out of the first round. Houston can definitely take a shot at him as they continue to try to fix the offensive line. - Kansas City Chiefs – Jordyn Tyson – WR – USC
The injury concerns with Tyson have caused his big slide. He will be taken on day one, though. The Chiefs need more weapons with all of the question marks on offense about many players’ futures with the team. - Miami Dolphins – Colton Hood – CB – Tennessee
Too many edge rushers were taken in the first round, so that position will have to wait. Another high-value position is corner, and Hood can fit in to fix that hole. - New England Patriots – KC Concepcion – WR – Texas A&M
I’ll still roll with Concepcion to New England. Even with the drop issues, he can still be a player taken in the early twenties, but for now, the Patriots add a dynamic weapon to the offense for Drake Maye to work with. - Seattle Seahawks – Jadarian Price – RB – Notre Dame
This may look like a weird pick to make, but unless Seattle trades out of the first round on up in the second, they are taking a big risk. They’ve been linked to Price for a while now, and I doubt he’d last to the end of the second round.
