Though the Senior Bowl proper will take place on Saturday, that’s not what NFL Draft evaluators and the 32 NFL teams actually care that much about. Sure, it can help, but the bulk of the scouting is done at practices throughout the week in Mobile. Now that those are in the books and we’ve had some fresh eyes in practice settings on draft prospects, we have to update our projections and thoughts looking forward in our latest NFL Mock Draft for the 2026 class.
The 2026 NFL Draft class is interesting because it does feel like we already have a pretty firm grasp on the top of the class. Thereafter, however, things feel much more fluid, and something like showing out at the Senior Bowl could push players into the first round conversation. You’ll see plenty of that in this latest projection, but we’ll start the newest 2026 NFL Mock Draft with a pick that might as well be set in stone, even some three months away from the Raiders officially being on the clock.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza
- School: Indiana
- Class: Redshirt Junior
- Draft Notes: Heisman Trophy winner; led Hoosiers to 15-0 and National Championship Game berth; more TDs than incompletions in CFB Playoff
Somehow, it’s not even February and the No. 1 pick already feels like a formality. Even when Caleb Williams was the clear top selection, we at least feigned some drama about what the Bears would do. But Fernando Mendoza is far and away the best QB in the class and the Raiders need to solidify the position in the worst way. While there’s still quite a bit to accomplish with this roster, but getting quarterback situated if possible with the No. 1 pick — which it is — can’t be ignored.
2. New York Jets – LB Arvell Reese
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Hybrid piece with off-ball and edge potential; 6.5 sacks, 10 TFLs, 69 tackles in 651 snaps this season
On the flip side of the Raiders’ situation is what we have with the Jets. Until Dante Moore elected to return to Oregon, it seemed like the Jets would be in position to take whoever the Raiders didn’t. Now, they should just be taking the best player available at a premium position. Arvell Reese, admittedly, doesn’t fit that as naturally as some. He’s somewhat of a tweener, but in a complimentary sense. He could be a top-tier edge rusher if he focuses there, or could be an elite off-ball linebacker. In either case, he becomes a new defensive cornerstone for the Jets.
3. Arizona Cardinals – OT Francis Mauigoa
- School: Miami
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Monster with three seasons of experience; right tackle with Miami; well-rounded, but better pass-blocker than in the run game
Regardless of who the Cardinals end up hiring to be the next head coach in Arizona, it seems most likely that they completely revamp the offense. That likely includes moving on from Kyler Murray, but it should also be about putting their next quarterback in a better position as well. Francis Mauigoa can pair with Paris Johnson Jr. to be a tantalizing young tackle duo for the Cards, and help set the tone in the trenches for a group that already has some nice skill position talent.
4. Tennessee Titans – 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
There have been a lot of instances in which I’ve mocked a wide receiver to the Titans, with the thought process of helping Cam Ward. You know what would also help the 2025 first-overall pick? Helping him end up on his back less, of course. Spencer Fano has played a ton for Utah in his career, and has consistently proven to be a rock-steady bookend. He’s played primarily on the right side, so it’ll be interesting to see how Tennessee would sort this out, but it’s clear that the previous regime’s offensive line investments in the draft haven’t completely paid off the way the organization hoped.
5. New York Giants – WR Carnell Tate
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Breakout year in 2025 with 875 yards and 9 TDs in 11 games; movable around formation; exceptional balance in all phases
While it was a punchline to say that the Giants played themselves into a worse draft position again, I actually love their spot here. It really could just end up being which prospect they like best and who’s available, because there are holes on the roster, but a talented young core as well. Adding Carnell Tate to that core might be too juicy to pass up in the end, though. He’s phenomenally versatile in how he can be aligned, attack all over the field, and be exceptionally sure-handed in doing so. Him and Malik Nabers would comprise an electric pass-catching duo with Jaxson Dart.
6. Cleveland Browns – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
- School: Miami
- Class: Junior
- Draft Notes: Concerns about arm length; production doesn’t match that with 12 sacks, 68 hurries this year; nearly a 25% pressure rate in 2025
Ideally, the Browns would see one of Mauigoa or Fano fall to them in this spot. That’s not the case in this mock draft, though, so what’s the pivot? Why not lean harder into the strengths of this roster and get Myles Garrett another elite running mate on the edge? Rueben Bain Jr. is perhaps my favorite prospect to watch in this class. You can criticize his short arms, but that’s about it. His burst off the edge, well-developed set of rush moves, and still positive run defense make him a true menace. Even if the offense takes time, Bain and Garrett can keep Cleveland in a lot of games.
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
Though it’s not unfair to wonder what the Commanders’ season would’ve looked like had Jayden Daniels been able to stay health, it actually exposed a fatal flaw in Washington. This defense is old and, in many cases, washed. David Bailey can be the antidote to that poison in the well, however. His get-off is unmatched in this class, and I don’t know if there are many tackles in the game of football at any level who can match his explosiveness. He’s the jolt of youth and life that Washington direly lacked this past year.
8. New Orleans Saints – WR Jordyn Tyson
- School: Arizona State
- Class: Redshirt Junior
- Draft Notes: Over 1,800 yards and 18 TDs in last 21 games; some injury concerns over last two years; all-around weapon at the position
You’d be hard-pressed to find many people as shocked as I was that Tyler Shough was actually a productive rookie quarterback for the Saints this past season. I thought it was a wasted pick, more or less. But he came in as the starter and performed well, so now it’s time for New Orleans to get him more help. If medicals are a green light, I’d still potentially take Jordyn Tyson over Carnell Tate. He moves effortlessly for someone with the size of a true WR1, and could be an exquisite complement to Chris Olave in the Saints passing attack.
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; elite acceleration and burst with contact balance
There are probably one or two cases in which I wouldn’t call taking a running back in the Top 10 an egregious misuse of resources. One of those cases is a team like the Chiefs selecting a prospect like Jeremiyah Love. While there are other problems to sort out for Kansas City — I would love if David Bailey fell to them in this spot — Love would rejuvenate a run game that’s sneakily not been as reliable as Andy Reid needs it to be. He’s a potential game-changer every time he touches the rock, and could be the weapon that unlocks the next evolution of this offense.
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
The rinse-repeat of these mock drafts, I’m going to mock the best defensive player available to the Bengals. I still can’t get over the fact that they’re the only team in the AFC North that didn’t fire their head coach this offseason, but regardless of Zac Taylor, they need defensive reinforcements in the worst way. Caleb Downs might not play a premium position, but he’s a premium player. He can cover in a two-high look just as well as when he drops into the slot, and is also a plus coming into the box to stop the run. That’s a difference-maker that, if Trey Hendrickson does leave, Cincinnati is lacking on that side of the ball.
11. Miami Dolphins – CB Mansoor Delane
- School: LSU
- Class: Senior
- Draft Notes: Broke out in 2025 for LSU after transferring; better in man than zone coverage; 26.7 passer rating allowed this season
Admittedly, hiring Jeff Hafley wasn’t the most inspiring choice for the Dolphins. That’s not to say it can’t work, but I certainly thought there were better candidates available to Miami. Having said that, his defensive-minded nature leads me to believe that’s where they’ll look with their first-round pick. Mansoor Delane was one of the biggest risers this season, and was the stalwart for the LSU defense. Given how brutally depleted the Dolphins secondary was after trading away Jalen Ramsey, Delane can help start rebuilding that DB group.
12. Dallas Cowboys – LB Sonny Styles
- School: Ohio State
- Class: Senior
- Draft Notes: Complete linebacker with top-end run defense and coverage grades; Only two missed tackles in 600+ snaps in 2025; son of former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles
Any Cowboys fan who sat through 17 games with Matt Eberflus consistently relying upon Kenneth Murray at linebacker deserves a medal for surviving that mentally. But drafting Sonny Styles can make sure that we don’t see that again. This offseason is going to be about reshaping the defense in Dallas, and Styles can be at the heart of that. He was a field general for Ohio State and his NFL pedigree shines through brightly, especially with how well-rounded of a player he is.
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