Now that the Super Bowl is over and the 2025 NFL season has come to a close, we can now turn our attention to the NFL Scouting Combine and prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft. The draft is where months of scouting, speculation and debate finally collide. All of these go into a 2026 NFL mock draft.
Every pick has the power to reshape a franchise, and every decision is made under the pressure of long-term expectations. This 2026 NFL mock draft projects how the first round could unfold, factoring in team needs, roster construction and the league’s ever-evolving trends as draft day approaches.
- 2026 NFL Draft Guide
- 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Reports
- 2026 NFL Mock Drafts
- Dynasty Rookie Mock Drafts
2026 NFL Mock Draft
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza (QB – Indiana)
The Raiders haven’t had a legitimate quarterback option since Derek Carr left in 2022. Enter Fernando Mendoza, who is more solid than spectacular.
Mendoza takes what a defense gives him and is a proven winner. Two things the Raiders have been sorely lacking at the position.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Fernando Mendoza 
2. New York Jets: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE – MIAMI)
I think Rueben Bain Jr. is one of the two best players in this draft. His measurements will garner plenty of attention in Indianapolis, but in a draft starved for true difference makers, he stands out.
The Jets need help everywhere, and adding Bain to their defensive line would represent a strong start.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Rueben Bain Jr.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Spencer Fano (OT – UTAH)
I think the Cardinals could trade out of this pick to a team looking for a receiver. For this mock draft, I have them taking Spencer Fano, who is the top offensive lineman on the board.
Arizona gave up 3.5 sacks per game and allowed a 38.7% pressure rate. Fano should step in and be a Week 1 starter.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Spencer Fano
4. Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate (WR – Ohio State)
Tennessee needs to get Cam Ward some playmakers at receiver, and Carnell Tate is the best one in this draft. Tate has good size (6-foot-3, 195 pounds), and Ohio State has a strong track record of producing NFL talent at the receiver position.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Carnell Tate
5. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa (OT – Miami)
With John Harbaugh overseeing his first draft for the Giants, it seems like the offensive line will be a focus. Francis Mauigoa has been a stud since high school, garnering Freshman All-America honors, and he was an Associated Press First Team All-American this year.
Harbaugh will prioritize running the football, and Mauigoa will give him a foundational piece to do that.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Francis Mauigoa
6. Cleveland Browns: David Bailey (EDGE – Texas Tech)
Cleveland could look at a receiver, but this is a deep class, so they take David Bailey, who finished with 14.5 sacks and a 20.2% pressure rate last fall.
The Browns had one of the better defensive units in the league, and putting Bailey opposite Myles Garrett gives Cleveland the top pass-rushing duo in the AFC North.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for David Bailey
7. Washington Commanders: Caleb Downs (S – Ohio State)
Caleb Downs is the best safety prospect in the draft, and while I know safeties rarely go in the top 10, he is one of the better ones to come out in the last decade.
Downs gives Washington a quarterback in the secondary, as he will be able to get them into coverages immediately. He is one of the most technically sound defenders in the draft and should help a unit that gave up the fifth-most passing yards per game in 2025.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Caleb Downs
8. New Orleans Saints: Makai Lemon (WR – USC)
The Saints could go a couple of different directions here, but I think they will look to get Tyler Shough some weapons. Makai Lemon is electric and would be a nice compliment to Chris Olave.
Lemon would be best suited for the slot where his refined route running would be a matchup problem for defenses.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Makai Lemon
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Arvell Reese (EDGE – Ohio State)
The Chiefs don’t typically pick this high, and there is a fun scenario where they take Jeremiyah Love. I think if Love is here when they are on the clock, there will be a long discussion in the Kansas City draft room.
However, running back can be addressed later, so they take Arvell Reese to fill a need at EDGE rusher.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Arvell Reese
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Mansoor Delane (CB – LSU)
The Bengals were very leaky on defense again in 2025, giving up 235 passing yards PER game. Mansoor Delane would immediately step in and be their best defensive back, giving them a boundary corner they have been lacking.
I have Delane slightly ahead of Jermod McCoy.
11. Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy (CB – TENNESSEE
The Dolphins will look very different next season, and with Jeff Hafley in town, they will focus on defense early in this draft. Jermod McCoy missed all of 2025 with an ACL tear, but he was one of the top corners in the country in 2024.
Miami was 32nd in opponent completion rate. In a division with Josh Allen and Drake Maye, secondary help should be a priority.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Jeremiyah Love (RB – Notre Dame)
Dallas should probably focus on defense, but I think Jerry Jones will have a hard time passing up on Jeremiyah Love, who is the best playmaker in the draft.
Running back is a tricky position to project in a mock, and I think there is a decent chance Love doesn’t make it out of the top 10. I don’t see him getting past Dallas, however.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Jeremiyah Love
13. Los Angeles Rams (From ATL): Sonny Styles (LB – Ohio State)
If Jermod McCoy or Mansoor Delane slip to 13, I think the Rams will snatch one of them. They need help in the secondary after getting torched in the playoffs.
In drafting Sonny Styles, they get the best linebacker in the draft. Styles has the size (6-foot-5, 240 pounds) to play the run, and he can match up with tight ends in the passing game.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Sonny Styles
14. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Woods (DL – Clemson)
The Ravens had trouble stopping the run at times in 2025, and I would imagine Jesse Minter wants to correct that. Drafting Peter Woods is a good start, as he is an athletic 310-pounder who takes up a lot of space inside.
Woods is the best interior defensive lineman in the draft and is the exact type of player Baltimore would look at.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Peter Woods
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Brandon Cisse (CB – South Carolina)
Tampa Bay will almost certainly look at defense here, and Brandon Cisse makes a lot of sense. He excels in man coverage but should do fine in Tampa Bay’s zone-heavy scheme.
Cisse is also one of the best tackling cornerbacks in the draft, giving the Buccaneers a big upgrade in their secondary.
16. New York Jets (From IND): Ty Simpson (QB – Alabama)
While I would hope they would go with the best player available, I don’t think the Jets are capable of that type of decision-making. Instead, they use their additional first-round pick from the Sauce Gardner trade to get a quarterback.
Ty Simpson is probably more of a project than people believe, but he has a strong arm and can extend plays. In a lot of other years, he probably slips to the third round, but the quarterback position is shallow.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Ty Simpson
17. Detroit Lions: Kayden McDonald (DL – Ohio State)
Kayden McDonald is less refined than Peter Woods, but he may have a higher ceiling. He is a brawler inside and will be a big help to the Lions in stopping the run and rushing the passer.
McDonald will pair with Tyleik Williams to take some of the focus off Aidan Hutchinson on the outside.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Kayden McDonald
18. Minnesota Vikings: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S – Toledo)
Harrison Smith won’t be around forever, so enter Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who is a 6-foot-3 ballhawking safety. The Vikings have one of the better defensive units in the NFL, but they should be looking for the best player available at this spot. Keldric Faulk could also be in play here.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
19. Carolina Panthers: Kadyn Proctor (OT – Alabama)
Carolina needs to do whatever it can to keep Bryce Young upright. Enter Kadyn Proctor, who has the size (6-foot-7, 355 pounds) you are looking for in an edge protector. He will be a help in the running game as well. If Proctor is motivated, he will be a solid NFL starter.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Kadyn Proctor
20. Dallas Cowboys (From GB): Keldric Faulk (EDGE – Auburn)
Dallas using one of the picks acquired in the Micah Parsons trade to take an EDGE rusher with upside is the most Dallas thing in the draft.
Keldric Faulk is a better run defender than a pass-rusher, but he is only 20 years old. At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, there is a lot of projection here if Dallas is patient.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Keldrick Faulk
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Olaivavega Ioane (OG – Penn State)
I originally had the Steelers going receiver here, but I am moving away from that. Pittsburgh has done well with mid-round receivers, and they need help along the offensive line.
Enter Olaivavega Ioane, who paved the way for Penn State to rush for more than 5,500 yards over the past two seasons. He didn’t allow a single sack last fall, either, making him the best interior offensive lineman in the draft.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Olaivavega Ioane
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Chase Bisontis (OG – Texas A&M)
Chase Bisontis has some shortcomings, most notably his lack of length. But he is a mauler up front, and the Chargers need a lot of help along their interior offensive line.
Getting Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater back will be a big help to Justin Herbert on the outside, but Bisontis will fortify the interior.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Chase Bisontis
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Kenyon Sadiq (TE – Oregon)
The Eagles may be in the market for a receiver, depending on what happens with A.J. Brown, but they will almost assuredly lose Dallas Goedert to free agency.
Kenyon Sadiq makes sense as his replacement, and he will be a more athletic option at the position. Sadiq needs to work on being more consistent catching the football, but his size and speed cannot be taught.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Kenyon Sadiq
24. Cleveland Browns (From JAX): Denzel Boston (WR – Washington)
At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Denzel Boston is a big body who can bully defensive backs. He can also work in the slot, where his speed will make him a tough matchup for linebackers and safeties.
The Browns could use a bigger target to go with Harold Fannin Jr. and Jerry Jeudy in the passing game.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Denzel Boston
25. Chicago Bears: Colton Hood (CB – Tennessee)
Chicago needs someone rugged on the outside of their secondary, and Colton Hood is a smart choice here. The Bears were in the bottom third of the league in pass defense, and they have numerous needs on that side of the ball.
Hood is a bigger corner (6-foot-0, 190 pounds) who can also come up and play the run. In the NFC North, he would be a welcome addition.
26. Buffalo Bills: Jordyn Tyson (WR – Arizona State)
Jordyn Tyson falling to 26 is a dream scenario for a Bills team that badly needs receiver help. Josh Allen isn’t getting any younger, and with the Patriots back in the driver’s seat of the division, Buffalo suddenly looks like an underdog of sorts.
Tyson would be a big upgrade to what is a lackluster group of receivers.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Jordyn Tyson
27. San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Lomu (OT – Utah)
Although he is a tier below teammate Spencer Fano, Caleb Lomu is a technically sound blocker who only gave up three sacks in his time at Utah.
San Francisco has an aging offensive line, especially Trent Williams, who will turn 38 before the 2026 season. Lomu could be his heir apparent.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Caleb Lomu
28. Houston Texans: Blake Miller (OT – Clemson)
The Texans could look at a running back here, but the safe pick is Bryce Miller, who made 54 starts at Clemson. Houston’s offensive line was one of the worst in the league in 2025, and they need to build around CJ Stroud.
Miller is a more veteran player, even if he lacks elite upside.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Blake Miller
29. Los Angeles Rams: Monroe Freeling (OT – Georgia)
If Blake Miller is a safe pick, Monroe Freeling is the upside selection. He made only 13 starts at Georgia but has prototypical size at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds.
The Rams don’t have a lot of glaring needs, so they can let Freeling develop before inserting him into their offensive line rotation.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Monroe Freeling
30. Denver Broncos: Cashius Howell (EDGE – Texas A&M)
The Broncos play in a division with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and (presumably) Fernando Mendoza. Getting to the quarterback is important.
Cashius Howell led the SEC in pressures (41) and had 11.5 sacks last season for the Aggies. He would fit nicely on a Broncos team that led the NFL in sacks.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Cashius Howell
31. New England Patriots: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE – Miami)
Akheem Mesidor was a disruptor all season for the Hurricanes, and he is the type of complete player Mike Vrabel covets. He is more of a power rusher off the edge, but he holds up well against the run.
Mesidor will be 25 years old on draft day, but I don’t think the Patriots will let that scare them away.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Akheem Mesidor
32. Seattle Seahawks: Eli Stowers (TE – Vanderbilt)
Eli Stowers has a high ceiling, and the Seahawks need to take some pressure off Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the passing game. Stowers led all Power Four tight ends in receiving yards last fall (769), and he would be a great target underneath for Sam Darnold.
Check out the full 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report for Eli Stowers
More 2026 NFL Mock Draft Picks
Here are more 2026 NFL Mock Drafts.
- 2o26 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round (2/3)
- 2026 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round (1/26)
- 2026 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round (1/23)
- 2026 NFL Mock Draft: First-Round (1/20)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | TuneIn | RSS | YouTube
Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.
