The first round of this 2026 NFL Mock Draft comes into focus as teams balance long-term vision with immediate roster pressure, and this mock reflects how quickly league priorities can shift.
Quarterbacks headline the top of the board once again, but the real story is how franchises are attacking the trenches, premium defensive positions, and versatile skill players who can tilt matchups early in their careers. From stabilizing quarterback rooms to loading up on edge rushers and cover defenders, this class emphasizes upside, flexibility, and scheme fit.
Here’s how this week’s mock shakes out:
2026 NFL Mock Draft
1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza – Indiana
A calm, rhythmic distributor with excellent touch and timing. Mendoza fits a Raiders offense looking for efficiency, poise, and command rather than chaos under center.
2. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate – Ohio State
A smooth, reliable separator with strong hands and route discipline. Tate gives the Giants a technician who can win on schedule and move the chains.
3. New York Jets: QB Dante Moore – Oregon
A high-upside passer with quick processing and natural arm talent. Moore gives the Jets a long-term answer with real playmaking potential.
Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images4. Tennessee Titans: LB Arvell Reese – Ohio State
Explosive, physical, and assignment-sound. Reese brings speed and edge to a Titans defense that values violent downhill linebackers.
5. Arizona Cardinals: T Spencer Fano – Utah
A tough, technically refined tackle with a strong anchor. Fano fits Arizona’s desire to build physicality up front around its franchise quarterback.
6. Cleveland Browns: WR Jordyn Tyson – Arizona State
A dynamic run-after-catch weapon with vertical juice. Tyson adds speed and improvisational ability to Cleveland’s receiver room.
7. Washington Commanders: ED Rueben Bain Jr. – Miami
A powerful, disruptive edge with inside-out versatility. Bain gives Washington a tone-setter who wins with strength and relentless effort.
8. New Orleans Saints: S Caleb Downs – Ohio State
An elite football mind with range, instincts, and leadership. Downs becomes the Saints’ defensive centerpiece on the back end.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jeremiyah Love – USC
A slashing, explosive runner with receiving upside. Love gives Kansas City another space weapon who stresses defenses horizontally and vertically.
Brett Davis-Imagn Images10. Cincinnati Bengals: DI Peter Woods – Clemson
A rare blend of size, power, and burst. Woods upgrades Cincinnati’s interior with a true disruptor who can collapse pockets.
11. Miami Dolphins: WR Makai Lemon – USC
A sudden, explosive slot weapon tailor-made for speed-based offenses. Lemon fits Miami’s identity as a yards-after-catch accelerator.
12. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Jermod McCoy – Tennessee
A physical, competitive cover man with press ability. McCoy aligns perfectly with the Rams’ aggressive coverage philosophy.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: ED David Bailey – Texas Tech
A twitchy, high-motor rusher who wins with speed and angles. Bailey adds juice to Tampa Bay’s pass-rush rotation.
14. Dallas Cowboys: LB Sonny Styles – Ohio State
A hybrid defender with size, range, and versatility. Styles gives Dallas a modern chess piece who can match up all over the field.
15. Detroit Lions: CB Mansoor Delane – LSU
Long, physical, and competitive at the catch point. Delane fits Detroit’s desire for tough, press-capable corners.
16. Baltimore Ravens: DI Caleb Banks – Florida
An athletic interior defender with pass-rush upside. Banks keeps Baltimore’s defensive front deep and disruptive.
17. Minnesota Vikings: Avieon Terrell – Clemson
A smooth mover with strong instincts and recovery speed. Terrell bolsters Minnesota’s secondary with reliable man-coverage ability.
18. New York Jets (via IND): WR Denzel Boston – Washington
A clean complement to Garrett Wilson — long, smooth, reliable. Boston gives the Jets size and consistency on the perimeter.
19. Carolina Panthers: ED Keldric Faulk – Auburn
A high-ceiling edge with length and power. Faulk gives Carolina a foundational piece for its defensive rebuild.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: T Francis Mauigoa – Miami
Massive, powerful, and still ascending. Mauigoa fits Pittsburgh’s long-standing blueprint in the trenches.
21. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): ED Cashius Howell – Texas A&M
A versatile rusher with inside-out flexibility. Howell adds depth and matchup value to Dallas’ defensive front.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: G Olaivavega Ioane – Penn State
A powerful interior blocker with strong hands. Ioane helps stabilize the Chargers’ offensive line.
23. Buffalo Bills: ED Romello Height – Texas Tech
A speed-based rusher with bend and closing burst. Height gives Buffalo a situational pass-rush weapon.
24. Los Angeles Rams: QB Ty Simpson – Alabama
A developmental passer with athleticism and arm talent. Simpson fits the Rams’ long-term quarterback pipeline approach.
David Leong-Imagn Images25. Philadelphia Eagles: WR KC Concepcion – Texas A&M
Explosive, versatile, and dangerous after the catch. Concepcion adds another matchup problem to Philadelphia’s offense.
26. Houston Texans: T Kadyn Proctor – Alabama
A massive, powerful tackle with starting upside. Proctor continues Houston’s commitment to protecting its franchise quarterback.
27. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): T Caleb Lomu – Utah
A tough, technically sound lineman with positional flexibility. Lomu reinforces Cleveland’s physical identity up front.
28. San Francisco 49ers: DI Kayden McDonald – Ohio State
A stout interior presence with disruptive potential. McDonald fits seamlessly into San Francisco’s defensive rotation.
29. Chicago Bears: ED T.J. Parker – Clemson
A twitchy, explosive edge with finishing ability. Parker adds much-needed juice to Chicago’s pass rush.
30. New England Patriots: CB Colton Hood – Tennessee
A competitive cover corner with zone instincts. Hood fits New England’s demand for discipline and versatility.
31. Denver Broncos: LB CJ Allen – Georgia
Fast, physical, and assignment-clean. Allen brings SEC-tested toughness to Denver’s second level.
32. Seattle Seahawks: CB Brandon Cisse – South Carolina
Long and competitive with developmental upside. Cisse gives Seattle another moldable defensive back with tools to grow.
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