The thing about the NFL Playoffs and the offseason, specifically with the 2026 NFL Draft not coming until April, is that things can change rapidly. We have the first 28 picks in the draft set for conference championship weekend, guys like Mike McCarthy and John Harbaugh have found new homes with the Steelers and Giants, respectively, and we have our draft declarations. There’s a lot of information on the table, but with free agency and the NFL Combine still to come, things are still sure to change more in every NFL Mock Draft for 2026, and in the draft itself.
As things currently stand, though, we have to simply go based on the information available, what our eyes have told us about draft prospects and team needs, and make our projections from there. There will be a trade in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, but only one for now, though it does involve a quarterback. From there, it’s all about projecting the smartest fits between caliber of prospect and what teams need.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza
- School: Indiana
- Class: Redshirt Junior
- Draft Notes: Heisman Trophy winner; led Hoosiers to 16-0 National Championship; National Championship Game MVP
Not that it wasn’t already solidified, but Fernando Mendoza’s gutsy performance in the CFP National Championship Game to complete a perfect season for Indiana locked him into the No. 1 pick for the Raiders. Mendoza’s IQ for the position is evident, and he has the innate ability to combine the smart play on a given down with also being able to fit the ball into windows, and use his legs a bit as well. More than all that, it’s abundantly evident that he’s a top-tier leader who can help usher in a new era for Vegas.
2. New York Jets – LB Arvell Reese
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Versatility in the front seven; 6.5 sacks, 10 TFLs, 69 tackles in 651 snaps; slight concern about positionless label
Yes, the Jets need a quarterback. No, there’s not a real chance, as of right now, that they take one with the second overall pick. But one of the things I can’t escape right now is Aaron Glenn’s hot seat. I think that factors in quite heavily to their 2026 draft plans, which is why someone like Arvell Reese is well in play for New York with this pick. While he could be a stand-up linebacker or an edge rusher (or a hybrid player) at the next level, he has the tools as a defensive chess piece to be a difference-maker wherever he lines up.
3. Arizona Cardinals – OT Francis Mauigoa
- School: Miami
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Behemoth with over 2,700 snaps in three seasons; right tackle all three seasons with Miami; well-rounded, but better pass-blocker
It’s good to see that some people are shifting more to my side of the coin with having Francis Maugioa slightly ahead of Spencer Fano in terms of offensive tackle rankings. The Miami product just has the blend of physical tools and size that are hard to come by — but he’s also proven he knows how to put those traits to good use. The Cardinals have a ton of work to do in order to build a new roster infrastructure, but having Mauigoa and Paris Johnson Jr. together is a good start.
4. Tennessee Titans – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
- School: Miami
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Nearly a 25% pressure rate in 2025; 68 hurries and 12 sacks as junior; concerns about arm length relative to position
While there should be a possibility of trying to throw Cam Ward a bone with a Top 5 pick and the Titans, thus, looking at wide receiver, I’ve talked myself into the idea that passing on Rueben Bain Jr. in this spot would be nothing short of criminal. One of Miami’s two star pass-rushers, Bain is just a monster off the edge with elite get-off, an incredible amount of power with that explosive burst, and looks the part of an instant-impact edge defender that the Titans need to rebuild with.
5. New York Giants – WR Carnell Tate
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Sure hands with 0 drops this season; breakout year in 2025 with 875 yards and 9 TDs in 11 games; movable around formation
With John Harbaugh now in-tow, the Giants have to be feeling great. And they’ll be feeling even better if they can bring Carnell Tate into the fray. Make no mistake, there are plenty of needs in New York right now, but they also need to ensure that they put Jaxson Dart and this enticing young offensive core into the best position to succeed. Putting the uber-versatile Tate with Malik Nabers as the top pass-catchers in this offense would undeniably assure that’s the case.
6. Cleveland Browns – OT Spencer Fano
- School: Utah
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: One sack allowed over two seasons and 800+ pass blocking snaps; right tackle for the Utes the last two seasons
The Browns are another team where the quarterback scarcity creates some issues. However, let’s also not pretend like Cleveland has a good situation for any signal-caller to walk into at this point. For me, that starts with the offensive line, which is why Spencer Fano is an obvious pick. Once upon a time, the O-line was a strength for the Browns, but that group has aged and/or fallen apart. Fano has been great as a pass-blocker with steady improvement in the run game in his career at Utah, and has as much upside as any tackle prospect in the class.
7. Washington Commanders – EDGE David Bailey
- School: Texas Tech
- Class: Senior
- Draft Notes: 15 sacks and 43 hurries in 14 games as senior; pass-rusher first, but above average run defender; strong, prototypical frame with elite first step
For a few months now, I’ve had Bain going in this spot because the Titans have been mocked a wide receiver. With that getting flipped a bit, I don’t think anyone in the nation’s capital would be upset to add David Bailey to this defense either. The burst off the edge from Bailey is truly unreal, the type of trait that should make him an instant force for the Commanders pass rush. More importantly, Dan Quinn and Washington desperately need this influx of juice on that side of the ball.
8. New Orleans Saints – WR Jordyn Tyson
- School: Arizona State
- Class: Redshirt Junior
- Draft Notes: Some injury concerns after lingering ailments; wildly productive over last two seasons; excels in man coverage with blend of skills
Unlike the Titans with Ward, it feels more likely that the Saints would try to put better weapons around Tyler Shough after an impressive end of the regular season. That’s where Jordyn Tyson makes a ton of sense for New Orleans in this mock draft. While there have been some nagging injuries that will be well worth monitoring at the NFL Combine when he goes through medical evaluations. Having said that, his nuance in his route-running combined with ideal size and above-average athleticism will make him a valuable weapon in this burgeoning offense.
9. Kansas City Chiefs – RB Jeremiyah Love
- School: Notre Dame
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: 1,372 yards and 18 TDs this season despite just 199 carries; 60 forced missed tackles, highlighting elite tackle-breaking and elusiveness
I’ll maintain that the Chiefs should be looking at someone like David Bailey if he were to fall to them. Having said that, if he doesn’t then the board opens up quite a bit for Brett Veach and Kansas City. Taking a running back with a Top 10 pick is going to be met with some criticism, but Jeremiyah Love is the type of prospect you take that risk for. He’s an elite player with speed, burst, great contact balance, the ability to make defenders miss at all levels of the field, and could revolutionize the Chiefs run game moving forward.
10. Cincinnati Bengals – S Caleb Downs
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Two-time unanimous All-American and three-time All-Conference; top-tier athlete with unreal versatility; return potential on special teams
If you were to say that the Bengals were committing malpractice by not moving on from Zac Taylor — especially when every other AFC North team is also looking for a new coach — I wouldn’t argue with you. But regardless of the coaching regime, Cincinnati undeniably needs to add any elite talent they can on defense, and Caleb Downs is the obvious choice in that light. Whether dropping into coverage or running down into the box, his instincts and physical tools are unmatched among defensive backs in this class, and he’d become a tone-setter for the hapless Bengals defense.
11. Miami Dolphins – WR Makai Lemon
- School: USC
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Smaller than Tate and Tyson; 1,156 yards and 11 TDs in 12 games this year; dynamic movement ability across formation and in space
There’s a lot of work that will need to be done for Jeff Hafley with the Dolphins, not to mention new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan. However, with their hamstrung situation with Tua Tagovailoa’s contract, it would make a great deal of sense to move on from Tyreek Hill and give Quinn Ewers an honest look at QB. To do that, drafting someone like Makai Lemon fits the plan. The USC product is truly electric and dynamic in space, but grew up in his ability to win contested catches this past season. While not a big-bodied player, he can be a do-it-all weapon, especially alongside Jaylen Waddle, in the Miami offense.
12. Dallas Cowboys – LB Sonny Styles
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Senior
- Draft Notes: Complete linebacker with top-end run defense and coverage grades; son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles
Ball-knowers who watched a lot of Cowboys football this past season will be sure to tell you how massive of a problem the linebacker spot was for this team. Getting Matt Eberflus out of the equation will certainly help, sure, but so too would adding a player like Sonny Styles. The field general in the front seven for Ohio State, Styles would be an upgrade over Kenneth Murray right now in terms of his ability to defend the run downhill and drop into coverage. He also offers more as a blitzer, and could be a force multiplier in Dallas.
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