2026 NFL MOCK DRAFT: The Raiders (and 16 other teams) are officially on the clock

The NFL regular season is over, and we have the first 18 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft set (for now). Four teams finished a NFL-worst 3-14, but it’s the Las Vegas Raiders who will take the honors with the No. 1 pick. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants will round out the top five.

While a lot is bound to change between now and the final weekend in April, here’s my first stab at predicting all 32 picks of the first round (with a few second-round picks for the teams without a first-round pick, just for good measure).

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1 – LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – QB FERNANDO MENDOZA – INDIANA

It’s obviously early and there are changes abound in Las Vegas, but sitting with the top pick in this spot I would be surprised if the Raiders don’t select a quarterback. There’s a lot up in the air, still, regarding which of these passers will be available for teams to select this spring. One we can say with almost 100 percent certainty WILL be in this class is the reigning Heisman Trophy Winner, Fernando Mendoza. Is he the most toolsy passer you’ll find? No. Second-year GM John Spytek was asked last year about Tom Brady, his former college teammate who is now one of the owners of the team he works for, and Spytek responded by saying that Brady set the standard for what he looks for at quarterback, saying he had a ‘love of the game and competitive desire that did not allow him to quit.’ I’m not comparing Mendoza to Brady, but I bet the Indiana quarterback’s personality resonates well with Raiders brass this cycle.

2 – NEW YORK JETS – QB DANTE MOORE JR – OREGON

At this point we do not know if Moore will be in this draft. Early inclinations pointed to him returning to school, but after the departure of OC Will Stein to Kentucky, the door cracked open for those plans to change. In my personal evaluation, I love Moore, and have a higher grade on him than I do Mendoza. That said, I want him to go back to school to further refine his skillset before entering the NFL. Until that decision is made, I think it’s okay to leave him in an exercise like this. The Jets coaching staff has some close ties to the Ducks program, so they’ll get all the info they need into the type of person they’re getting with Moore, a former five-star recruit with all of the talent to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL.

3 – ARIZONA CARDINALS – EDGE ARVELL REESE – OHIO STATE

This is a tough spot for the Cardinals, because I think they’d love to add some young talent to the offensive side of the ball. Unfortunately for them, the players available just do not match right now. It’s certainly possible that GM Monti Ossenfort does some wheeling and dealing to move up, down or both in this draft, similar to his first when they selected T Paris Johnson. Reese started one season for the Buckeyes at linebacker, but what gets him drafted this high is because of his potential upside as a rusher. Now, this is scary for Cardinals fans, because they’ve been sold this bill of goods before. Isaiah Simmons. Haason Reddick. Zaven Collins. There have been a handful of defensive players who were viewed as hybrids who just did not work out in the desert (though Collins settled into being a fine edge rusher after struggling at off-ball linebacker to start his career). Some will make the comparison to All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons, and while I won’t throw that lofty moniker on him, I will say that he’s the closest thing we’ve seen to Parsons since the former Penn State linebacker entered the league. He’s explosive, he’s violent, he’s versatile. If the coaching staff had remained the same, I would have really liked the fit here with Reese under Nick Rallis: obviously that will have to be put to the side. I was also very close to selecting Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk here, because he also checks a lot of boxes for this organization. Maybe in a future mock … but for now, Arizona taps into the Ohio State program yet again. 

4 – TENNESSEE TITANS – EDGE/DT KELDRIC FAULK – AUBURN

This is a team without a head coach, so things could change rapidly here, but this is a roster that needs playmakers on both sides of the ball, so I can’t really go wrong. In general, I think the landscape of the league makes it harder for teams to find premium offensive talent on the pro market, which makes me think a quality pass catcher is possible early in the draft. That said, it just feels a bit early, and second-year GM Mike Borgonzi has to stick to the board here. Faulk is a big, versatile, explosive, violent athlete off the edge. He’s young, disruptive, and has clean character and medical histories (as far as I know, anyway). He has the makings of a player you build around, and the Titans are looking for those types of profiles in this stage of their team build. The Titans traded away Dre’Mont Jones mid-season, and Faulk is cut from the same cloth as a big, sturdy edge or disruptive interior player. If the Titans were to keep DC Dennard Wilson (who has done a good job there considering the talent at his disposal), I think he’d be a good fit for what they look for, schematically. 

5 – NEW YORK GIANTS – WR CARNELL TATE – OHIO STATE

Another franchise without a head coach, so keep that caveat in mind here. I really debated hard on this pick. GM Joe Schoen really needs this pick to hit, and he needs to feel the impact of the player right away. What can help this offense more right now? Another pass catcher to pair with Malik Nabers, or an offensive lineman to keep everyone (including their, at times, reckless quarterback) upright? I think the more prudent choice is the offensive tackle, but you could absolutely sell me on them just taking Carnell Tate here from Ohio State. I can hear the press conference now, ‘we’re in a division where you have AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, and we know we need the firepower to keep up with them.’

6 – CLEVELAND BROWNS – T FRANCIS MAUIGOA – MIAMI

If the Browns had retained HC Kevin Stefanski, then I think they would gift him a quarterback in this spot. I think that still could be on the table, depending on whether or not Alabama’s Ty Simpson declares for this draft. That said, I think the organization takes their cache of picks and holds off (again) on the position as they hit a bit of a reset point in the team build. When they have been the best version of themselves over the last decade, it’s been with a quality offensive line. With a large majority of their linemen hitting the free agent market this spring, they need reinforcements in a big way. There are three big tackles at the top of this draft, and I could make a case for any of the three in this spot, but I think Mauigoa may make the most sense. A skilled pass protector and tough, violent run blocker, he has the type of intangibles that a young, inexperienced team needs as a potential building block. Some have questioned whether he can stick at tackle, but I’m willing to let him fail there before forcing a move to the inside, where he could flourish as well. 

7 – WASHINGTON COMMANDERS – EDGE DAVID BAILEY – TEXAS TECH

A year ago this team was in the NFC Title Game, and now they enter the offseason with definitive needs with their pass rush, secondary and pass catchers. They need young difference makers and, unfortunately, don’t have a lot of chances at acquiring them. They are missing their second- and fourth-round picks after the Laremy Tunsil trade last spring, so they’d love a trade down here (but I don’t know if that’s happening for them in this class). With how the board is playing out, I think this comes down to a pass rusher…but which one? Do they go with the explosive, moveable speed rusher in David Bailey from Texas Tech? Or with the more tough, rugged rusher in Reuben Bain JR from Miami? At first blush, I was leaning Bain here. I think he’s the type of alpha personality that this staff craves and he represents a lot of what they stand for. In a lot of ways, on the field, Bailey is the opposite. He’s more of your typical speed rusher who gets upfield and wreaks havoc with his first step. Both players brought their best when the lights shined brightest against the toughest competition (something that Adam Peters talked about with both of Washington’s top two picks in last year’s draft, so I think that’s important to them). I really think Bain would make a lot of sense for them, and he might be the ‘safer’ selection, but I went Bailey here. When I think of the success that coach Dan Quinn had in Dallas moving around Micah Parsons and leveraging his athleticism to create favorable matchups, I can envision him doing similar things with Bailey. Bain is not that type of talent. Like I said, though, I could very easily see this going the other way. 

8 – NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – WR JORDYN TYSON – ARIZONA STATE

If Carnell Tate were available, I think they’d run the card in as fast as possible. That would be the no-brainer for this team, in particular. With him off the board, I think they could go a number of ways. Obviously I went with Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson. I think he is a plug-and-play starter for this team opposite Chris Olave (who is entering a contract year), and when you look at the current state of that depth chart, it’s easy to see why this is the biggest need for this team. This is also my early ceiling for Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, as Alvin Kamara also enters a contract year. Interior defensive line makes a lot of sense, and between Peter Woods and A’Mauri Washington, they have choices at their disposal. Caleb Downs makes sense. Sonny Styles makes sense. There are a lot of paths here for the Saints, but adding a playmaker for their young quarterback in Tyler Shough is the path that makes the most sense at this juncture, especially as they try to ascertain whether or not he is THE guy to build around in 2026.

9 – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS – TE KENYON SADIQ – OREGON

As we await the future plans of Travis Kelce, the Chiefs are in a spot where they need to add more playmakers on offense. This group needs juice. They need someone who can make a big play. Sadiq is the type of athlete who can be the same type of mismatch weapon that Kelce has been for years in that offense. He’s not a finished product yet as a route runner, but Kelce was far from that when he came out of Cincinnati. I’d love to see Sadiq in this offense. 

10 – CINCINNATI BENGALS – S CALEB DOWNS – OHIO STATE

This team needs a difference maker on defense, plain and simple. When I look at the board, it comes down to three players; Downs, Reuben Bain JR and Peter Woods. In Al Golden’s defense, safety play is important, and it’s not good enough on the back end right now for the Bengals. Golden worked for Buckeyes DC Matt Patricia in Detroit, and so a lot of the things Patricia did with him could apply to Golden’s usage (not to mention a resource to tap into pre-draft on what he brings to the table). This is higher than we typically see safeties go in the draft, but – in this class – I think we could see multiple exceptions made in some of these picks. Downs to Cincy makes sense. 

11 – MIAMI DOLPHINS – EDGE RUEBEN BAIN JR – MIAMI

We’re in the middle of a new GM hire, so this decision making process is definitely in flux, but this is a team with plenty of needs. The Dolphins traded away one former Hurricane edge rusher this fall in Jaelan Phillips, so it just feels right to replace him with another one here with Bain. Miami needs more playmakers on that side of the ball (though I would have loved to add one in the secondary). Not for nothing, this is also a team that just needs more toughness and physicality across the board. Bain brings that in spades. His ability to win both inside and outside should play well in DC Anthony Weaver’s scheme. This could be where we see Clemson CB Aveion Terrell or DT Peter Woods go off the board as well. 

12 – DALLAS COWBOYS – LB SONNY STYLES – OHIO STATE

Do the Cowboys go linebacker? DB? Running back? Pass rusher again? It’s all on the table at this point, but I think they strike at the linebacker position first and take the best ‘pure’ player at that position in this draft, and he checks a lot of their boxes. Styles is big, physical, a dynamic athlete and versatile. We’ll see what the defensive scheme is in Dallas, and that could determine some things here, but a pairing of Styles with DeMarvion Overshown on the inside would be instantly one of the best linebacker duos in the NFL. That position has been such a sore spot for them (with Overshown often on the sidelines due to injury), and this would go a long way towards fixing it. They have another pick coming up later in the round, and that’s right in the sweet spot for a number of the talented cornerbacks in this draft. After what they got out of Javonte Williams this year with their rushing attack, I don’t think they need to force the issue at that spot with Jeremiyah Love just yet. 

13 – LOS ANGELES RAMS (FROM ATL) – T SPENCER FANO – UTAH

The Rams have two first-round picks at this stage of the process, and I think they use their first one on the offensive line. Fano comes from a football family and is as steady as they come, having started seasons at both left and right tackle as a physical run blocker and skilled pass protector. Right tackle Rob Havenstein is getting up there in age and is entering a contract year, and while that situation is likely resolved before April, I could see the Rams throwing another lineman into the pipeline come draft weekend.

14 – BALTIMORE RAVENS – G KADYN PROCTOR – ALABAMA

The Ravens need pass rushers, but there just isn’t one here that fits the value of this selection. I thought about a pass catcher here, and while I think Makai Lemon fits their mold and ‘plays like a Raven’, I think that’s a bit rich for me in this spot as well. One player who has the ceiling to be a real difference maker for them is Proctor. A physical marvel at 6-foot-7, 360 pounds, Proctor is a pure people mover in the run game. He’s had some issues in pass protection at times, but those would be mitigated by sliding inside at the next level. The Ravens are also a team that has not worried about their guards being too big for the inside; look no further than starting RG Daniel Faalele, who also happens to be hitting the free agent market this spring. 

15 – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS – DL PETER WOODS – CLEMSON

The Bucs need more difference makers, that was evident watching this team down the stretch. They’ve struggled to generate much of a pass rush at all. Starting DT Logan Hall is set to hit the free agent market, and Woods has a versatile skillset similar to Hall’s in that he can win from multiple techniques along the front. If you link him up with Vita Vea and a healthy Calijah Kancey, that can help this defense affect the quarterback at a higher clip. Kancey’s inability to stay healthy is also a contributing factor to this selection as well.

16 – NEW YORK JETS (FROM IND) – WR MAKAI LEMON – USC

The Jets took their quarterback of the future at the top of the round and they get him a dependable target with their second selection. Lemon has the tough, physical mindset that matches what this coaching staff is looking for. He complements Garrett Wilson very well. He also has drawn comparisons to former USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. Where did the majority of this coaching staff come from in 2024? Detroit. This pick fits like a glove.

17 – DETROIT LIONS – CB MANSOOR DELANE – LSU

The Lions need to continue adding pieces on defense, as that unit has consistently been depleted by the time they reach midseason the last couple of years. On the back end, their identity is physicality, aggression, and corners that like to get physical at the line. That describes Delane to a tee, and I’m sure DC Kelvin Sheppard (a former LSU staff member and alum) would love to add another Tiger into the mix. I do think Clemson CB Avieon Terrell would be a fit in this spot as well, and you could see the Lions decide to add another offensive or defensive lineman into the fold to boost the trenches.

18 – MINNESOTA VIKINGS – RB JEREMIYAH LOVE – NOTRE DAME

The slide ends for Love, who could very well go earlier than this – he just didn’t in this exercise. The Vikings showed everyone this year that they wanted to be able to run the football, but injuries to both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason throughout the year capped the ceiling on that. Both guys are entering contract seasons, and Love could come in and offer them a potential bellcow from the jump. Minnesota is a tough team to pick for, because the roster is in pretty good shape from my vantage point, though the quarterback conversation will continue into the offseason.

19 – CAROLINA PANTHERS – DL A’MAURI WASHINGTON – OREGON

The Panthers are another team that will have difficult conversations regarding the quarterback position entering the offseason, but they need to continue adding to the rest of the roster as well. Washington is a young, traitsy, one-year starter with the ceiling to go higher than this when it’s all said and done. The Panthers have taken one of the highest-rates of underclassmen under this regime, and he’s the type of player they can add into the fold and continue to build around. If he doesn’t start right away, he can learn behind veteran NT A’Shawn Robinson, who has one more year left on his contract. 

20 – DALLAS COWBOYS (FROM GB) – CB JERMOD McCOY – TENNESSEE

From a physical skillset standpoint, McCoy reminds me a lot of Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland and other big, physical ballhawks the Cowboys have added in recent years. He plays with great energy, he takes the ball away, he’ll be 20 years old on draft night, and they can make the argument that he would have gone much higher than this had he not missed the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL last January. The Cowboys have not been afraid of mucky profiles in the past, and this would be another example of exactly that. Like the addition of Styles earlier in the round, the defensive scheme will be important here, but McCoy hits a lot of the markers the Cowboys have looked for in the recent past. 

21 – PITTSBURGH STEELERS –  QB TY SIMPSON – ALABAMA

We don’t know if Simpson will be in this draft and after seeing how the Tide’s season ended, with him on the sidelines in a blowout loss in the Rose Bowl, that decision is certainly a layered one. If he does declare, I do think he’d be in the first-round discussion. He certainly could go higher than this, but this would not be the worst landing spot. I think Simpson would fit in well with OC Arthur Smith, he wouldn’t have to play right away if Aaron Rodgers decides he wants to give it one more go with this team (I won’t even try to predict what he’s thinking at this juncture), and the value matched. If you look at Pittsburgh’s recent draft history in early rounds, they’ve also taken a lot of guys that were one-year starters or ‘one-year wonders’ from a production standpoint, and that certainly fits Simpson right now. 

22 – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS – CB AVEION TERRELL – CLEMSON

I think Terrell is the best player on the board at this point and could easily be long gone, so this makes sense for the Chargers. He has a similar skillset to starting CB Donte Jackson, who enters a contract year. Benjamin St-Juste is set to hit the market this spring, so depth will be needed. He can play inside or outside, so that gives them the versatility that they crave. I just really like this fit. Terrell’s teammate, pass rusher TJ Parker, would make a lot of sense in this spot as well.

23 – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES – WR KC CONCEPCION – TEXAS A&M

To me, this pick came down to two players, Concepcion or Penn State G Vega Ioane. I really like both guys, and it’s time for the Eagles to add young talent on this side of the ball. Jahan Dotson is set to be a free agent, and who knows what AJ Brown’s future holds with this team, regardless of how the season ends. So I’m placing more of a priority at this point in the calendar on the wide receiver spot. Concepcion is a bit undersized but has been productive since he first reached the college level in 2023 at NC State, bursting onto the scene as a Freshman All-American. He transferred to the SEC this offseason and proceeded to finish fourth in the conference in yards and tied for the lead in touchdowns. He’s explosive, he’s got a good plan as a route runner, he’s got physicality to him, and he can impact the game as a return man as well. He can work underneath and down the field, both outside and from the slot. I think he fits this receiving corps really well, with or without Brown in 2026. 

24 – BUFFALO BILLS – DL KAYDEN McDONALD – OHIO STATE

McDonald could go higher than this, for sure, but he definitely checks a box in the ‘position of need’ category for the Bills, who will have to wait to add another receiver to the fold. A big reason why this defense doesn’t have the same feel to it this year is that defenses have been able to run on them with regularity. McDonald’s addition would go a long way towards correcting that. He’s big, young, sturdy and disruptive. 

25 – CHICAGO BEARS – S EMMANUEL McNEIL-WARREN – TOLEDO

The Bears need more teeth to that defense and a consistently effective pocket pusher who can stop the run and affect the quarterback would be a big addition here. So I thought about Clemson’s TJ Parker in this spot, but McNeil-Warren is staring me in the face. Admittedly, I’m a bit higher on the Toledo safety than consensus seems to be, but I think he has first-round upside. He’s a rangy athlete with size, physicality and the ability to defend the run from depth and make plays on the ball in coverage. Both of Chicago’s starting safeties are set to hit free agency and I doubt they go into the draft with this big of a question mark, but if either of those starting spots are up for grabs, I think this kid can go in and take one. He has the ability to be an impact player in the secondary for a defense that was so good at creating turnovers this year.

26 – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS – WR CHRIS BELL – LOUISVILLE

Considering Bell just tore his ACL at the end of the season, this would be a bit surprising, but the fit was just too good to pass up. The 49ers are HURTING at the wide receiver position long-term. Former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall has developed into a good deep threat when on the field with Brock Purdy, so having a slasher that can work the middle of the field and be that YAC monster would be a big addition to this offense. The 49ers are also an example of a team that has taken plenty of medical risks in the past, so I don’t think they’d be scared off by this injury, as long as everything looks good this offseason during the pre-draft process. I thought about getting more help for that defense, potentially with a cornerback, but they added so many young pieces last spring that I thought they could wait until Round Two.

27 – HOUSTON TEXANS – G VEGA IOANE – PENN STATE

This Houston offensive line got completely re-worked from 2024 to 2025, but still needs tweaking. They continued to shift pieces around as the season wore on. Rookie LT Aireontae Ersery lived up to my pre-draft expectations, and I think they’re best with Tytus Howard manning the RT spot. That opens up LG, where Ioane would slide in nicely. If they want to put Howard back at guard, then Ioane can compete right away to take Ed Ingram’s job on the right side. Either way, it’s an upgrade for the Texans. 

28 – CLEVELAND BROWNS (FROM JAX) – WR DENZEL BOSTON – WASHINGTON

The Browns get a big possession receiver to plant on the outside in Boston, one of the best pure ‘ball winners’ in this draft class. Separation is not his forte but he complements Jerry Jeudy well, skillset-wise, and his presence allows everyone else in that room to potentially slide down the pecking order. In this iteration of the draft, the Browns do not select a quarterback, but they are building an ecosystem for a young quarterback to come in and hit the ground running. 

29 – LOS ANGELES RAMS – CB DEVIN MOORE – FLORIDA

The Rams have multiple starters in the secondary set to hit the market, with others entering contract years. The best version of this defense under Sean McVay had All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey as a satellite player who could line up inside or outside and remove opposing top receivers. I’m not calling Moore Jalen Ramsey … BUT he has an enormous ceiling. At 6-foot-3 and over 200 pounds, he has great size, athleticism and top-end speed. He’s tough, competitive and has great ballskills. So, what’s the rub? Multiple season-ending injuries over the last three years. Moore stayed healthy this year and looked awesome. He’s headed to the Senior Bowl, and with a good week in Mobile I expect his star to continue to rise going into the Combine, where he should excel. I’m anticipating Moore to be a ‘riser’ through the process.

30 – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS – DL CALEB BANKS – FLORIDA

Two straight Gators here at the end of the first round, as Banks goes off the board to the Patriots. He was a Top 15 player for me entering the season, but a foot injury kept him on the sideline for most of this season, and that is a bit alarming for a 320-pound athlete, considering the injury initially occurred over a year ago in the 2024 season finale. When on the field, however? This guy is a menace. He’s tough and physical against the run, with the ability to be a top-end disruptor inside. I think the arrow is pointing up with him as a rusher. He fits the Mike Vrabel mold.

31 – DENVER BRONCOS – TE JUSTIN JOLY – NC STATE

This is a tough spot for the Broncos, value-wise, because I don’t LOVE a lot of the options on the table for them at positions of need. I like Georgia LB CJ Allen a lot, but I think this is a bit rich for him in this spot. I landed on Joly here because he’s a player that fits the coveted ‘Joker’ skillset that Sean Payton talks about all the time. He’s a good receiver and a high-effort blocker. When I look at the Broncos’ recent draft history in early rounds, I think Joly checks a lot of the boxes. I don’t think they’d spend a high pick on a tackle here, and there are a couple of players I’d think about taking. Same thing at cornerback or edge rusher. It’s just a tough slot if this is how the board fell.

32 – SEATTLE SEAHAWKS – CB BRANDON CISSE – SOUTH CAROLINA

The Seahawks continue to stack on top of a strength by adding Cisse, an athletic cover corner who can sit back in off coverage and jump routes. A feisty cover corner with good play energy, he has inside-out versatility (which plays well in this scheme) and has traits to develop into a starter on the outside. Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen are both set to be free agents this spring, so adding reinforcements will be big for Mike McDonald’s defense.

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47 – INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – T MAX IHEANACHOR – ARIZONA STATE

Iheanachor is headed to the Senior Bowl, and with a good week I absolutely could see him ascending into Round One status. He’s a great athlete at his size (so you know he’ll be on the Colts’ radar). He only played right tackle at ASU but has played some left tackle going back to junior college, which happens to be when he first played organized football. He’s still raw but the upside is sky-high.

48 – ATLANTA FALCONS – WR CHRIS BRAZZELL II – TENNESSEE

We have a brand new regime here, so this is completely based off the roster as it currently sits. The Falcons need playmakers on offense. They have blue chip talent at the top, but the depth is non-existent. Here, Atlanta snags one of the receivers with the highest upside in the draft in Brazzell, a 6-foot-5, 200 pound wideout who excels down the field. 

52 – GREEN BAY PACKERS – DL LEE HUNTER – TEXAS TECH

The Packers lost TJ Slaton last offseason, traded Kenny Clark this summer, have Devonte Wyatt hitting the market this spring and have Karl Brooks entering a contract year. Their run defense struggled down the stretch. Adding a player like Hunter to the middle will help keep those rangy linebackers clean. 

60 – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – EDGE DANI DENNIS-SUTTON – PENN STATE

The Jaguars will want to continue adding to their pass rush room, and Dennis-Sutton plays with the temperament that they look for and play with on that unit. A high-floor player with good intangibles, he’s headed to the Senior Bowl this month and figures to be one of the top defensive linemen in Mobile.