We’re less than 24 hours away from the start of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, PA. All the rumors and speculation have led up to this: my final mock draft of the season.
- Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza – QB – Indiana
Just send this pick up to the podium already. - New York Jets – Arvell Reese – LB – Ohio St
I’ve been going back and forth on this pick since my first mock. I’m rolling with Reese, even with the recent development and the stock of David Bailey rising. - Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey – ED – Texas Tech
With that being the case, I envision the Cardinals taking Bailey. I don’t buy the last second change to Jeremiyah Love. - Tennessee Titans – Jeremiyah Love – RB – Notre Dame
If Tennessee can’t trade down and both edge rushers are off the board then Love is the pick. The Titans need more weapons for Cam Ward. - New York Giants – Sonny Styles – LB – Ohio St
I lean towards Styles instead of Downs. The Giants will want to get someone who has experience and linebackers and safety. - Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa – OT – Miami
Cleveland is prioritizing the offensive side of the football. As much as I want to give them Tate, they’ll want to get a tackle now and a wide receiver later. - Washington Commanders – Carnell Tate – WR – Ohio St
There is no support on the outside beyond Terry McLaurin. Not only that, but Washington prioritizes finding his heir apparent. - New Orleans Saints – Reuben Bain Jr – ED – Miami
The trenches are where the Saints always lean towards. If Bain was already taken I’d go with Downs but the Saints want to continue to build up both lines of scrimmage. Bain doesn’t normally fit what they’re looking for but things have changed with a new coaching staff in place. - Kansas City Chiefs – Caleb Downs – S – Ohio St
I want to go Delane but it’s be too hard to pass up on Downs. He can line up all over the field and be what the team has been missing since Eric Berry left. - New York Giants – Mansoor Delane – CB – LSU
Now that Downs is off the board, I had to pivot but still stay on defense with this second pick. I don’t think they’ll go receiver here, instead they take Delane and make him the top 10 pick he deserves to be. - Miami Dolphins – Spencer Fano – OT – Utah
Miami will take the top available offensive tackle on the board. Since Maui is gone Fano is the next best target. - Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy – CB – Tennessee
I could find a trade partner for Dallas to move up. The way the board fell, cornerback makes the most sense after moving on from some of their top secondary pieces. - Los Angeles Rams – Makai Lemon – WR – USC
Lemon fits the type of receiver the Rams want in a multitude of ways. The organization is all in and wants to win another Super Bowl before Matthew Stafford retires. They do that by getting him another weapon. - Baltimore Ravens – Vega Ioane – IOL – Penn St
No matter what, Baltimore is going offense with this pick. Whether it’s a receiver or offensive line is a toss-up. I’ll roll the dice on the trenches since Tyler Linderbaum signed with the Raiders. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Akheem Mesidor – ED – Miami
Tampa tends to take defensive linemen and they should go in that direction with how they’ve lost this offseason. Mesidor was amazing at Miami and would be a great addition to the defense. - New York Jets – Jordyn Tyson – WR – Arizona St
The plan is for the Jets to get a pass catcher with size that can play well alongside Garrett Wilson. I don’t buy the sudden hype to put him as high as the top 5. Getting taken in the middle of the first round is much more realistic. - Philadelphia Eagles (TRADE) – Omar Cooper – WR – Indiana
Philly is bound to trade up in this draft and I believe Detroit wants to trade back. Perfect opportunity for the Eagles to get a new receiver if they plan to trade AJ Brown to the Patriots later in the summer. - Minnesota Vikings – Dillon Thieneman – S – Oregon
Everything points to Minnesota wanting to find a replacement for Harrison Smith. This would be a great transition after Thieneman had a consistent and productive college career. - Carolina Panthers – Kenyon Sadiq – TE – Oregon
Carolina is such a wildcard. I want to go with safety but so many reports are saying thy want another pass catcher. Taking wide receiver in the first round for three years in a row has never been done before and I don’t think the Panthers will be the first team to do so. However an explosive weapon like Sadiq is very much in the cards. - Dallas Cowboys – Keldric Faulk – ED – Auburn
If the Cowboys don’t take an edge rusher early they’ll surely do so with this pic. Many sources point towards Faulk after a good career at Auburn. - Pittsburgh Steelers – Monroe Freeling – OT – Georgia
Pittsburgh took a big loss letting one of its top offensive linemen leave in free agency. They have a prime opportunity to reload at that position and take Freeling who was projected to go in the top 14. - Los Angeles Chargers – TJ Parker – ED – Clemson
The main focus for the Chargers is to find a new edge rusher with Khalil Mack likely to retire in the next year or two. - Detroit Lions (TRADE) – Kadyn Proctor – OT – Alabama
This feels like a win-win. Philly gets their guy and Detroit not only gets more draft capital but can still take a quality player that was already high on their board. Proctor also fills a position of need and had plenty of experience at Alabama. - Cleveland Browns – KC Concepcion – WR – Texas A&M
Perfect set up for Cleveland to still top one of this draft’s top offensive weapons. Concepcion has high potential and can be the team’s return specialist. - Chicago Bears – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren – S – Toledo
I’m back at it when it comes to rebuilding Chicago’s secondary. McNeil-Warren is near the top of many team’s boards can be a key piece to thi Bear defense. - Buffalo Bills – Cashius Howell – ED – Texas A&M
Nothing’s changed with this pick. The belief is to take an edge rusher with this pick instead of a receiver in previous mocks. - San Francisco 49ers – Malachi Lawrence – ED – UCF
There seems to be a lot of buzz for San Fran to take edge rusher. I would’ve thought they’d go in a different direction whether it was another edge rusher or a wide receiver. Instead Lawrence pops up as one of the top options for the 49ers late in the first round. - Houston Texans – Blake Miller – OT – Clemson
The offensive line still feels like the move at this pick. There’s been so much attention spent this offseason fixing the line so CJ Stroud can revert back to his old self. Why not continue that progress with an offensive tackle who graded great in the pass game. - Kansas City Chiefs – Denzel Boston – WR – Washington
I’m not too sure there’s an edge rusher that’s high enough on KC’s board they’d be comfortable taking here. Therefore, make the move to offense and select a big-body receiver to play on the outside so Rashee Rice can put in work in the slot. - Miami Dolphins – Avieon Terrell – CB – Clemson
We tackled another pillar of positional value in grabbing a corner and one that could go in the top 20. Terrell also has an instinct for making game-changing plays. - New England Patriots – CJ Allen – LB – Georgia
This would be a great fit in New England and good value. Allen would be on the inside and help stop the run for New England. - Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse – CB – South Carolina
And to end it off, we’ll go with Cisse out of Tennessee. The former Gamecock is projected as one of Seattle’s top options after moving on from some pieces in the secondary this offseason.
