2026 NFL Mock Draft: 1st Round Mock v1.0 (by Ross Jacobs)
1) Las Vegas Raiders - QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
No argument from me with the consensus #1 overall pick. Mendoza has all the components teams look for in a QB, size, arm, accuracy, and character, even if he isn’t the same caliber of prospect as some other former #1 overall QBs. This class has good depth, but the top end is on the weaker side and that opens the door for a guy like Mendoza as he has no competition and plays the most coveted position.
2) New York Jets - LB Arvell Reese, Ohio St
I don’t get the Reese hype. This is the same mistake dumb teams make every year, taking a guy that looks like a great player and totally ignoring the fact that he’s not a great player. “But we can teach him how to play. You can’t teach his athletic gifts.” Yeah, good luck with that. Always seems to work so well.
Be that as it may, the fact is that scouts and teams do love him because of his look, and emotion is going to override logic every day of the week. Reese is going to get massively over-drafted as some team daydreams about turning him into the next Lawrence Taylor before inevitably getting let down two years into his career when he still has no idea what he’s doing. And who is the dumbest team in the entire league? The Jets.
3) Arizona Cardinals - EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The stupidity of the Jets becomes the excellent fortune of the Cardinals who get by far the best pass rusher and overall player in the entire draft. I really don’t understand why some people still try to put Bailey lower in the top 10 or even out of the top 10. He’s a pass rushing demon in the same category of players as Von Miller, Khalil Mack, and Will Anderson.
4) Tennessee Titans - S Caleb Downs, Ohio St
This is going to be my first very controversial take for most people. “Teams don’t take safeties that high in the draft because of positional value.” Normally that’s true, but sometimes the rule gets broken, and there are a few reasons to believe that’s the case this year.
First, the top of this draft class is very weak, and Downs is not only a complete safety but one of the best safety prospects in years. His raw grade is going to be so much higher than most players from other more important positions that several teams won’t want to pass on him. Some analysts will say the same was true for Kyle Hamilton, but Hamilton had a couple of small question marks including his physicalness and his speed, running just a 4.59 at the combine, and his draft class was much stronger at the top than this one.
And then there’s the question of who takes him. Some teams won’t ignore the positional value argument, but the Titans are not only one of the least talented teams in the league and least able to pass on the best overall talents, but they are specifically one of the weakest defenses, particularly in the secondary. Also, GM Mike Borgonzi clearly stated last year he wouldn’t pass on a generational talent. I just don’t think there’s another player after Mendoza, Reese, and Bailey that anyone could argue is clearly a better player than Downs, and the Titans need good players regardless of position.
5) New York Giants - OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
John Harbaugh wants strong offensive and defensive lines, and this year the offensive side is going to be the focus after heavy investments on the defensive side in recent years. The Giants arguably need interior line more than a tackle, but many scouts think Mauigoa would make a better guard than tackle anyways, and their current starting right tackle Jermaine Eluemenor started out his career as a guard, so they can have a competition at tackle, and the loser can slide inside.
6) Cleveland Browns - OT Spencer Fano, Utah
The Browns have two massive needs at wide receiver and offensive tackle, but as much as everyone wants this pick to be Carnell Tate, I think there is a 0% chance of that for a couple reasons. One, offensive tackle is more important than receiver and you can get good receivers later. And two, Tate is just not the caliber of wide receiver prospect to go in the top 10. What does he do that is worthy of that? He’s not that fast, he’s not that big or strong, and he’s never even reached 1000 yards receiving or 10 TDs in a single season of college football. What in the world makes people think he’s worthy of a top 10 pick?
Tackle is the far more likely pick, whichever of Mauigoa or Fano the Giants don’t take. Mauigoa is a better fit for the power style that Harbaugh wants, so Fano it is for the Browns. Fano is a bit raw but is very athletic and has a much higher overall ceiling than Mauigoa in my opinion.
7) Washington Commanders - CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
You would have to think the Commanders pick will be on the defensive side of the ball given how old and bad they were in 2025, and easily the best remaining prospect by NFL standards is Delane. Rueben Bain is a solid player, but he doesn’t have the traits teams want in the top 10. Delane does, good size and strength, fast, and smooth. He’s not the greatest cornerback prospect I’ve ever seen (and I think McCoy is better), but he’s good enough and safe enough to go highly in this weak class.
8) New Orleans Saints - RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Scouts love nothing more than to claim an RB is the best player in a class because it makes them feel like tough guys with their “smashmouth run game”...even if that RB isn’t remotely a power runner type. Normally a prospect like Love, just a decent RB prospect (my comp for him is Melvin Gordon), would go a bit lower than this, but again we have a weak overall class so everyone gets bumped up a little.
There’s a reason Love is the consensus pick to the Saints and I won’t argue with it. They need playmakers on offense at every position, and GM Mickey Loomis isn’t scared of taking a RB in the top 10, regardless of how unbelievably idiotic it is.
9) Kansas City Chiefs - EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
It’s a bit rare to see Faulk go this high (and ahead of Rueben Bain no less), but he has the kind of profile the NFL prefers over a short, stubby tweener like Bain. Faulk is huge, strong, and has more than enough speed and twitch at his size to be effective. He also fits the exact prototype that Steve Spagnuolo has always preferred at the position, and defensive end happens to be the biggest need this team currently has.
10) Cincinnati Bengals - DT Peter Woods, Clemson
The Bengals obviously have to go defense with this pick, and they could literally go with any position because they need help everywhere. They will simply take the best defender available according to their preferences, and Woods fits the profile of what they historically like, big and athletic, actual football skills not needed. Just see last year’s pick Shemar Stewart for proof.
11) Miami Dolphins - QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
This pick will be controversial right now because everyone wants to hate on Simpson (not necessarily without good reason), but if a QB prospect is remotely plausible the NFL is going to take him highly and Simpson has everything on paper you could want in a QB, decent size, a strong enough arm, very good accuracy, and mostly makes good decisions.
Most people are going to try to speculate him to the Rams because they have desperately wanted the Rams to draft a future QB for years now, but that makes absolutely no sense because Stafford still has several years of good play left and this team is going all-in for Super Bowls the next 2 years.
The Dolphins however, have a new regime that is about to dump Tua Tagovailoa, and they come from the Green Bay system where you attempt to draft a QB every single year regardless of need. Of course, the Dolphins will have a massive need, regardless of who they sign in free agency, so Simpson makes a ton of sense.
12) Dallas Cowboys - CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Much like the Bengals, this pick is clearly going to be on the defensive side of the ball, and the Cowboys need secondary players more than anything. With Delane and Downs off the board, McCoy is the next best prospect in the NFL’s eyes. There is still the lingering question about his injury, and many people will be scared of that after the injury issues the team has had with their other corners, but McCoy is too good to pass up.
13) Los Angeles Rams - WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona St
I discussed it a bit in the Miami section, but I don’t believe for a second the Rams are going to select a QB here even if Simpson is available, and frankly I don’t believe they will even be picking at 13. I expect this pick is going to get sent to another team for an established player with the most likely choice being Kansas City’s Trent McDuffie. McDuffie is 25, an All-Pro, fits the Rams defensive system at a critical position of need, and trading him would save the Chiefs a ton of much needed cap space. It’s good for both sides.
But if the Rams do stick and pick, wide receiver makes the most sense to me. Davante Adams likely only has another season or two left and is fading quickly (despite still being a very good player), and Tyson is a perfect stylistic fit for Sean McVay. I expect Tyson, not Carnell Tate, to be the first wide receiver selected.
14) Baltimore Ravens - EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami
Bain finally comes off the board after “falling” according to the media. The reality is he is unlikely to be selected much higher than this due to his tweener size and very short arms. NFL teams draft traits, not players, but the Ravens are one of the teams that cares less about traits than most others. Think about how many players they have selected over the years that fell due to some perceived size or speed flaw, Tyler Linderbaum being the perfect example. They also happen to need more edge rush juice and Bain plays with the physical style and energy that the Ravens love. This is a perfect match between team and player.
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Sadiq rarely goes this highly in most mock drafts to this point, but I believe the NFL is much higher on him than the media. They see a player with similar physical talent and explosiveness to guys like Brock Bowers, Eric Ebron, and Vernon Davis, all TEs that got selected very highly.
As for why the Bucs would pick him when by far the most common pick is Sonny Styles, GM Jason Licht is one of the true Best Player Available drafters, the team has ignored inside linebacker for years in draft (despite the media mocking one every year) because Todd Bowles wants an experienced veteran at the position and not a rookie, and they might be losing Cade Otton in free agency.
16) New York Jets - WR Carnell Tate, Ohio St
And here Tate finally comes off the board and the media once again loudly proclaims how the Jets have “won” the draft by getting two of the best 5 or 6 prospects, a story we’ve heard time and time again which somehow never comes true.
I talked about it before, but Tate is just not the type of receiver that is going to get drafted as high as the media thinks. There’s no logical case for it. Recall the 2020 draft when the media believed both CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy were going to be top 10 picks and both of them “fell” to the middle part of the first round. Why? Because neither had the size or speed NFL teams covet in the top 10. This year the same thing is likely to happen to Jordyn Tyson and Tate.
But the Jets do obviously need more receiving help and a compliment to Garrett Wilson. Tate is a good stylistic complement and should make for a very solid #2. He’s not a true #1 receiver.
17) Detroit Lions - OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Dan Campbell and the Lions have been very clear about what their goal is for 2026…they want to run the ball. And what is the best way to accomplish that goal in their minds? Getting a big masher of an offensive lineman of course.
Proctor is the definition of a road grading tackle at 6’6”/350lbs+ and he reminds me of several other former Alabama offensive linemen like Tyler Booker, Evan Neal, DJ Fluker, and JC Latham, all massive run blockers. He may need to move to guard at some point as I’m not sure he’s got the athleticism to stick at tackle, but Detroit needs help all over the line and can find a place for him.
18) Minnesota Vikings - EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Another edge rusher for the Vikings? But don’t they need cornerbacks badly?
You could make a case for it, but the Vikings have not valued that position highly in the draft in recent years and Brian Flores might believe he can take lesser-known guys and turn them into good players…which he’s pretty much proven several times already. The Vikings gave up the 2nd fewest passing yards in 2025 so why would they think they need corner help?
Edge rusher is a sneaky need because Andrew Van Ginkel will be 31 this year, Jonathan Greenard is a potential cut candidate for desperately needed cap savings after a down year, and the only other notable player at the position is Dallas Turner. Flores wants to rotate these guys and send them in waves. They need bodies. And Howell is just the kind of loose, bendy, elusive rusher that Flores wants.
19) Carolina Panthers - LB Sonny Styles, Ohio St
The Panthers defense showed a lot of improvement in 2025, but their biggest weakness by far was their linebacking corps. They were equally as inept at stopping the run as dropping into coverage, and the team will for sure be bringing in multiple new guys the same way they attacked the edge rushing position last offseason.
Enter Sonny Styles, the better of the two Ohio St linebackers, but the one that might drop farther than most people expect due to positional value and some questions about his ability to tackle.
20) Dallas Cowboys - EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
Dallas already nabbed a corner and now they address another need on defense. Young isn’t normally the kind of edge rusher a Fangio disciple defensive coordinator would bring in, but I don’t think Christian Parker is going to be running a strictly Fangio-style defense either. It seems like he’s going to put his own spin on it, and Young can play as more of a base-end while Donovan Ezeiruaku can be the flex end that occasionally drops into coverage.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers - WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Is this the year the Steelers finally draft a receiver in the first round? Maybe. They need someone to compliment DK Metcalf. I’m not a Concepcion fan, but a lot of people seem to really like him for his speed and playmaking ability.
22) Los Angeles Chargers - OG Ola Ioane, Penn St
Ioane to the Chargers is possibly the most consensus pick in the land of mock drafts outside of the first two picks, and I’m not going to fight it. The Chargers need an entirely new interior offensive line in the worst way and Ioane seems to be the consensus top guard.
23) Philadelphia Eagles - OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
I’m seeing a lot of Kenyon Sadiq to the Eagles, and while I understand why (Goedert is a free agent), I think that’s not the right way to think about it. For one, there’s a decent chance Sadiq isn’t even on the board at pick 23, but I doubt the Eagles will want to roll out a rookie at that position. Easier to just pay someone decent in free agency and use the draft to find a more valuable position.
That valuable position could very well be offensive tackle, a position the Eagles prioritize highly and haven’t addressed in years because they didn’t need to. It’s time to go back to that well though. Lane Johnson seriously considered retirement this year, and Jordan Mailota is starting to have questions about how long he’ll be playing as well.
Enter Freeling, a guy that fits Philly’s ideal at the position, big, athletic, quick feet, and a good pass protector.
24) Cleveland Browns - OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
The Browns have a ton of needs as usual and could pretty much take any position on the offensive side of the ball. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they doubled up on offensive line in the first round as all five of their 2025 starters are free agents, an amazing piece of mismanagement even for the Browns. In this case they could pair up Utah teammates Fano and Lomu. If they don’t take a second lineman here, receiver seems like the obvious second choice.
25) Chicago Bears - DT Caleb Banks, Florida
The Bears can afford to just take the best player available this year, particularly after free agency as they are likely to fill their major needs then. But if they have a shot at a good defensive tackle, that’s probably high up their list of ideal positions to select here, and Banks just feels like a Ben Johnson and Dennis Allen pick, huge, super athletic, but inconsistent. I’ll bet they think they can coach him up…and maybe they can.
26) Buffalo Bills - DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio St
The fans want a receiver here, but I doubt that’s the direction the Bills go. They are much more likely to attempt to fix the defense, particularly the run defense, and a big nose tackle for their new 3-4 scheme is the easiest way to do that. McDonald is big, strong, but surprisingly quick for his size and offers a little more pass rush than your typical nose tackle.
27) San Francisco 49ers - EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson
The 49ers defense has eroded in a big way in recent years, and you know Shanahan believes he can whip up a functional offense from spare parts. I think they’ll address receiver on Day 2 and take a defensive lineman in the first round. Parker isn’t the biggest or most athletic, but he’s got good technique and doesn’t just blindly rush the pocket, he’s a good run defender as well as offering some pass rush ability. They need depth with both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams coming back from injuries.
28) Houston Texans - C Jake Slaughter, Florida
Obviously this pick is going to be an offensive lineman, by far Houston’s greatest need, and almost certainly an interior lineman. But who? After Ioane there isn’t a consensus interior player worth going this high.
One thing I know from watching Nick Caserio over the years…he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks. He’s going to take his guys where he thinks they belong. He also values toughness, technique, and character far higher than athletic traits. And that leads me to wonder if he could take Slaughter far higher than consensus, something that happens frequently late in the first round, particularly with offensive linemen. Slaughter is big, experienced, tough, and supposedly a football savant, able to instantaneously identify defensive schemes and set his protections to combat that, just the kind of player Caserio will love.
29) Los Angeles Rams - CB Aveion Terrell, Clemson
Everyone knows the Rams are looking hard at corners this year, and they may address the position by both drafting someone highly (although that’s not something they have been inclined to in recent years) and trading for a veteran (like Trent McDuffie). When they do draft corners it is usually someone on the smaller side but someone that is tough and plays bigger than their size. That description perfectly encapsulates Terrell, a player many analysts love but have over-projected in the draft at times because of his size.
30) Denver Broncos - WR Makai Lemon, USC
Courtland Sutton will likely be moving on soon, Troy Franklin is just a role player, Pat Bryant has just shown flashes so far, and Marvin Mims is a gadget guy for some reason. The Broncos, against all odds and despite a lot of resources spent on the position, once again will be looking for another receiver. Lemon is on the smaller side and doesn’t have great speed, so I’m not sure he’ll be a fit for Sean Payton, but he is incredibly tough and hard to cover out of the slot, a spot of weakness for this passing attack. I’m sure Payton would love to have his very own Amon-Ra St. Brown and that’s who Lemon reminds me of.
31) New England Patriots - EDGE Gabe Jacas, Illinois
The Patriots have a few obvious needs, receiver, offensive line, corner, but to me edge rusher stands out the most. What traits does Mike Vrabel want on his defensive line? Versatility, power, toughness, a high motor, and an ability to set an edge. Jacas can do all of those things as a hybrid edge type guy that can fit in any system and line up in multiple spots…similar to Vrabel himself as a player.
32) Seattle Seahawks - CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
A defensive player for the league’s best defense? Yes. Seattle is likely to continue loading up on that side of the ball especially with as many free agents as they are likely to lose. Corner is the position that will probably be hit hardest, and I expect Seattle to add at least two corners at various points this offseason.
Hood reminds me a bit of Terrion Arnold, good technique, polished and safe, but not the greatest athlete and could struggle with man coverage. Of course, the Seahawks play almost exclusively zone so he’s less likely to get exposed the way Arnold has in Detroit where they play more man coverage than anyone.
