The 2026 NFL Draft is a mere week away! And with that, it’s time to release the first look at our mock draft before we finalize everything next week, before the festivities kick off on Thursday, April 23rd, at 8 PM ET. Howard Bender and I will be LIVE on the Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Channel from 6-8 PM ET Thursday, then 5-7 PM ET Friday, before the picks begin, so make sure you tune into that!

NFL Mock Draft 2026 1.0: First Round Predictions

If you’d like all of our articles covering the pre-draft process, those can be found via this link here. There you will find pre-draft tiers and rankings, best landing spots articles, positional breakdown videos, and our Free Agent Tracker! Today, however, our focus is set on the most fun and interesting part of the process - mocking all 32 picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft!

 

 

 

#1 Fernando Mendoza - QB, Las Vegas Raiders

This was viewed as a lock until the signing of Kirk Cousins cast a little doubt on it. But when you peel back the layers of the Cousins contract, it’s really just a one-year deal to have a veteran in-house. I truly believe this decision was made some time ago, and the final meetings with Mendoza have been more about getting a jump start on installing the offense than about figuring out whether they are taking him or not. 

#2 David Bailey - EDGE, New York Jets

This is an interesting one.  Some have suggested that Darren Mougey has been given power of the team by Woody Johnson, which would hopefully mean less meddling from him. And Mougey has not been scared of high-risk, high-reward moves, which would skew the raw prospect, Arvell Reese. But then you have insiders reporting that there is pressure internally to take the more polished prospect in David Bailey. Aaron Glenn’s job is on the line if they can’t at least start trending in the right direction. As of this moment, I do think they take the conservative path with Bailey - Mougey can always blame Glenn if it doesn’t pan out like we just saw happen in Buffalo with Keon Coleman. 

#3 Arvell Reese - EDGE, Arizona Cardinals

There’s a lot of talk about the Cardinals potentially trading back. But I would not be surprised if their game plan right now is to simply take the best available edge rusher out of David Bailey or Arvell Reese. They spent a ton on their offense in recent years, especially on weapons, and only really started to build the defense last year. This would be a massive piece at a premier position if it pans out. Drafting converted players and tweeners is always a dangerous game, and it’s one the Cardinals have struggled with, but he’s possibly the highest upside player in the draft. 

#4 Sonny Styles - LB, Dallas Cowboys (via Tennessee Titans)

Do I think trading the 12th overall and 20th overall pick to move up and take a linebacker would be a bit of an overpay? I do. Do I think that Jerry Jones would do that in order to leapfrog the division rival New York Giants? I do. Do I think that Sonny Styles is the best football player in this draft, regardless of position? I do. This would be a big splash, but it’s not crazy. The Titans need the “Leo” or “Elephant” pass rusher for Robert Saleh’s scheme, but the two ideal candidates go before they pick, so they trade back. 

#5 Francis Mauigoa - OT, New York Giants

Whether the Giants wanted Sonny Styles here or not, trading out after the Cowboys trading up would be admitting defeat. I know it’s more fun to have Carnell Tate or Jeremiyah Love here, and I’ve argued why both make sense. I think Harbaugh starts his tenure in New York in the trenches. In comments he made at the annual NFL meeting this offseason, he called the offensive line a “work in progress” while also adding that’s where “games are won and lost”. So this pick is making a lot of sense to me, regardless of what happens at four.  

#6 Jordyn Tyson - WR, Cleveland Browns

As we proceed through this process, I’m hearing more and more hype about Jordyn Tyson being considered the best wide receiver in the class. Whether that’s true or not, Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon might fit better in particular roles, while Tyson can thrive lining up all over the formation, something we’ve seen from top wide receivers like CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase. This class might not have anyone in that tier of player, but Tyson feels like he has the most upside, even if injuries have added a level of risk. We explained what is so exciting about Jordyn Tyson in our pre-draft wide receiver rankings and why we wouldn’t be shocked if he was first off the board. Now the rumors are suggesting that it could be the case. 

#7 Jeremiyah Love, RB Washington Commanders

I know there are some big fans of Jacory Croskey-Merrit (aka Bill) out there. And Rachaad White has his own truthers. But the reality of that depth chart is, after Chris Rodriguez left, you have a 7th round pick in JCM as your main bruiser and then a competition between Jeremy McNichols and two discounted veteran free agents in Jerome Ford and Rachaad White for pass downs. As with Sonny Styles, there are arguments to be made that Love is the best player in this draft, but he just simply doesn’t play a premium position. He’d be a great fit working with RB coach Anthony Lynn while benefitting from Jayden Daniels and the RPO. 

#8 Carnell Tate - WR, New Orleans Saints

If the Saints truly believe in Tyler Shough, this could be a power move. One of the more popular setups is to have a split end on the outside to take the heat off your featured WR operating as the slot/flanker. Tee Higgins/Ja'Marr Chase, George Pickens/CeeDee Lamb, Davante Adams/Puka Nacua, etc. Kellen Moore had AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith in Philadelphia, and Carnell Tate and Chris Olave could be that for him in New Orleans. They extended tight end Juwan Johnson and just added Travis Etienne, so this offense could be dangerous all of a sudden. As we discussed in our ideal wide receiver landing spot article, Tate could go as high as 5 to the Giants as they are a good fit for his skillset as well - just substitute Malik Nabers for Chris Olave. 

#9 Reuban Bain Jr - EDGE, Kansas City Chiefs

The recent publicity of a lesser-known car accident that Bain was involved in, which resulted in a fatality, could see Bain slide slightly in the draft. However, it’s also been reported that teams most likely already knew about it. For better or worse, the Chiefs have their own system of evaluating players that hasn’t seen them shy away from guys with reported character questions. In fact, they’ve benefited at times from ignoring those matters. Getting Bain here could be seen by them as a nice discount at a position of need.  

#10 Caleb Downs - S, Cincinnati Bengals

You never want to be “drafting for need” in the NFL. But, in this case, the best player available just happens to be a big need for the Bengals. They haven’t had an elite safety since they let Jessie Bates walk. And the 2025 Bengals weren’t just the worst team in the league against the tight end - statistically, they were the worst team of all time. Caleb Downs should help change that immediately. 

#11 Makai Lemon - WR, Miami Dolphins

We believe that the Dolphins are going with a pass-catcher here - and could take multiple in this draft to help Malik Willis. Denzel Boston is an option as Bobby Slowik has great results with big split end Nico Collins with Houston in 2023. Kenyon Sadiq is another option if the Dolphins want to use someone as a “big slot” tight end, the way they utilized Jonnu Smith and Darren Waller. Given their complete lack of wide receivers currently, I think they simply go “best available” with the guy that offers the highest NFL floor. And that player would be Makai Lemon, who primarily played slot in college but can also line up out wide at flanker. 

#12 Spencer Fano - OT/G, Tennessee Titans (via Dallas Cowboys)

If things were to pan out like this, then even Titans fans who were upset with the initial trade back would likely change their tune on the result. The Titans need to improve in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and Fano is viewed as a relatively “safe” option that should find a place to contribute somewhere on the offensive line, given his positional flexibility. 

#13 Mansoor Delane - CB, Los Angeles Rams

The Rams end up going “best available” here, which also happens to be a position of need. They did trade for Trent McDuffie, but he primarily hangs around in the slot. That will be huge for combating division foes like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Trey McBride, but they still need guys on the outside. That’s where Mansoor Delane comes in as a long outside corner who can play press coverage on the outside. 

#14 Olaivavega Ioane - G, Baltimore Ravens

It is rare to see quarterbacks running 100+ times at age 28 or older. In fact, only three guys have done it (Michael Vick, Cam Newton, and Josh Allen). I do expect Lamar Jackson to join that list, but keeping him healthy, as well as transitioning to a little more pocket passing, is going to help with longevity here. After the injuries to Jackson last season and the loss of Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, taking the best interior offensive lineman makes a lot of sense. 

#15 Jermod McCoy - CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers could use an edge rusher, but Jason Licht rarely ever trades up. They’re also in limbo at inside linebacker, as you either need to move up to get Sonny Styles or take one later in the draft. Perhaps CJ Allen could be the pick here, but that still feels a little early. Assuming they stay put, Jermod McCoy would make a lot of sense for a team that needs help in the secondary. McCoy could potentially be going even earlier in this draft if it weren’t for a knee injury that saw him miss all of 2025. 

#16 Kenyon Sadiq - TE, New York Jets

Many are projecting Sadiq to the Ravens or Buccaneers. But the Ravens basically have no out of Mark Andrews contract for the next two years (plus I think they take a field-stretching wide receiver later). The Buccaneers scheme uses more of an inline tight end rather than a big slot. Jets fans might scoff at taking a tight end after taking Mason Taylor last year, but it’s no different than what the Raiders recently did with Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers. We wrote in full in our Tight End Landing Spot article about how this fit would work for Frank Reich’s scheme - he has some great examples of “big slot” tight end seasons on his resume with guys like Antonio Gates, Zach Ertz, and Eric Ebron all finishing as top six tight ends. 

 

 

 

#17 Monroe Freeling - T, Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions saw tackle Dan Skipper retire this offseason, while Taylor Decker contemplated it briefly as well before announcing his return. That’s after longtime center Frank Ragnow retired previously, then failed a physical when he tried to come back mid-season. Safe to say, this offensive line needs bodies both for the short and long term. Freeling is a younger prospect who still needs some development, but he has ideal size, so the long-term upside is there.  

#18 Dillon Thieneman - S, Minnesota Vikings

Sometimes a pick feels too good to be true. The Minnesota Vikings just said goodbye to legendary safety Harrison Smith. Now, he technically has not announced his retirement yet. But the odds of the 37-year-old returning on a cheap deal are pretty slim. And, even if he did, they need to think about the future. It just so happens there is a starting caliber safety available who is a willing participant when it comes to stopping the run. Some have even suggested he’s a top 10 talent in this draft if safety were a more premium position. The Vikings benefit from that last caveat. Folks have mentioned Emmanuel McNeil-Warren here as well, but we like Thieneman. 

#19 KC Concepcion - WR, Carolina Panthers

People are saying this is a “weaker” wide receiver class. But we all saw what just happened in free agency - the top-paid guys were Romeo Doubs and Wan’Dale Robinson. So this is a premium position right now, and that’s going to push everyone up the board. Dan Morgan explicitly said he wouldn’t rule out taking a wide receiver for the third year in a row. Well, after missing on Xavier Legette and hitting on big X receiver Tetairoa McMillan, the Panthers could use a slot/flanker and, as we discussed in our pre-draft wide receiver rankings, Concepcion is one we love. Jalen Coker fans might not like it, but Coker is also an undrafted free agent, which doesn’t exactly make his spot secure.  

#20 Cashius Howell -  EDGE, Tennessee Titans via Dallas Cowboys 

The Titans missed out on the top two options for pass rusher. And pick four overall was too early to take the undersized Howell. But being undersized is actually not the end of the world if he’s playing the “Leo” or “Elephant” role in Robert Saleh’s defense. The short and sweet is that they load up the strong side with stouter players, like John Franklin-Myers, Jeffrey Simmons, and Jermaine Johnson, then you can have a smaller EDGE rusher who is solely focused on beating his man and penetrating into the backfield. I think Howell would be a great fit for this, and they pick up two players in the trade back. 

#21 Kayden Proctor - OL, Pittsburgh Steelers

As always with the NFL Draft, there will inevitably be a discussion on “offensive tackle that should probably play guard”. Well, with there still being question marks around Broderick Jones and the Steelers losing Isaac Seumalo, the Steelers could potentially use both. So you take the best available guy, get him into camp, and figure out where he will fit. He’ll start right away for them regardless. If Proctor doesn’t go here, many draft pundits, like Dane Brugler, are suggesting the Eagles will take him at 23 to start at guard and possibly be the long-term successor to Lane Johnson. 

#22 Akheem Mesidor - EDGE, Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are in a position to compete now. On offense, they are loaded with weapons - perhaps more than they even need for a Mike McDaniel scheme. On defense, they could use some pass-rushing help alongside Tuli Tuipulotu, and Mesidor fits the bill. He’s 25 years old, so he could scare off some rebuilding teams, but he’s ready to contribute right away for a team like the Chargers. 

#23 Keldric Faulk - EDGE, Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are no strangers to having great fits fall right into their lap. And for how many hits they have had along the defense line, they have lost guys like Jaelan Phillips and Milton Williams in recent years. Keldric Faulk is another slightly controversial player/pick that will be viewed as a genius one once he falls to Howie Roseman. 

#24 Blake Miller - OT, Cleveland Browns

The Browns got their splashy pick out of the way early on in this mock with Jordyn Tyson. Many have them going offensive line at that spot, then taking a pass-catcher later on. We have them going for a top-tier wide receiver first, then taking the best available lineman later on. Miller has prototypical size at 6’6”, 315, and can actually still add strength to his frame. 

#25 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren - S, Chicago Bears

There is some uncertainty as to who is the second-best safety in the class after Caleb Downs. We have Dillon Thieneman going second to the Vikings. The Panthers could also take either safety off the board. So there might not be a safety available here at all for the Bears. But, if McNeil-Warren is here, it’s a great value on a player that would start right away following the loss of Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker. 

#26 Kayden McDonald - DL, Buffalo Bills

The general consensus around football circles is that the Bills will use this pick somewhere along the defensive line. We have a decent number of edge rushers coming off the board already, so we’ve got the Bills taking the sturdy Kayden McDonald here. At 6’3”, 326 pounds, he is a big-time run stuffer that can potentially require double teams, though he hasn’t offered much in terms of pass rush. Bills new defensive coordinator, Jim Leonard, likes mixing in 3-4 fronts, so McDonald will fit right in at nose tackle for those. 

#27 Caleb Lomu - OT, San Francisco

Trent Williams is in the midst of a contract dispute. I do expect them to sort that out, but the fact of the matter is that Williams is 37 years old now. The 49ers need to start taking shots on who could help bolster this offensive line when one of the greatest tackles in the history of the game is no longer there. His injury history is enough to strongly consider adding a tackle without the rest of the concerns. 

#28 Drew Allar - QB, Arizona Cardinals via Houston Texans 

This could shock some people, as Ty Simpson and Garrett Nussmeier are viewed as the more polished prospects. But, despite never quite putting it together in college, Drew Allar is still the higher risk, higher reward option. And he’s still 22 after all. New head coach Mike LaFleur has talked about how Jacoby Brissett “looks the part” for his system with “how big he is back there, his stature, the play-action game”. There is a lot of overlap here with Drew Allar, whose big arm could be perfect for a play-action-heavy scheme. He needs serious help with mechanics, especially footwork, but they don’t need to start him right away with Brissett and Gardner Minshew there. They recently brought him in for a top 30 visit, and I think there’s a real chance the Cardinals trade back into the first to secure the fifth-year option on him. 

#29 Colton Hood, CB, Kansas City Chiefs

There are some rumors floating around about the Chiefs possibly trading for a veteran cornerback. But I’m just not sold on that happening following the Trent McDuffie trade. Hood bounced around from Auburn to Colorado to Tennessee, but that’s obviously becoming more and more common in the NIL era. He was fantastic with the Volunteers and, most importantly for a team like the Chiefs, he’s ready to be a day one starter and actually play press man coverage on the outside right away. 

#30 Chris Johnson - CB, Miami Dolphins

If the Dolphins don’t take Makai Lemon or any other pass-catcher with their early pick as we have them, this could be a spot for someone like Denzel Boston. Bobby Slowik did well with big split end Nico Collins in Houston. But I doubt they double-tap WR here, and they have needs all over the place, so I imagine they trade back or take the best available player.  That player for me is cornerback Chris Johnson out of San Diego State, who has the size and physicality to start at outside corner for the Dolphins from day one. And I think he deserves to be a Day One pick. 

#31 Omar Cooper Jr - WR, New England Patriots

The Patriots signed Romeo Doubs to be their bigger-bodied split end on the outside. They have guys who can stretch the field in Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and Kyle Williams. What they need is a replacement for Stefon Diggs in terms of a guy who can dominate in the slot and win in the short to intermediate areas. There is a bit of a debate on who should go first as this archetype of player between Omar Cooper Jr, KC Concepcion, or even Makai Lemon, though the Patriots should be happy to get any of them with this pick to help Drake Maye. Josh McDaniels, for years, thrived with guys like Wes Welker and Julian Edelman, and that is something that would take this offense to the next level. We named the New England Patriots the #1 landing spot for a player like this to succeed.  

#32 Mike Washington Jr - RB, Seattle Seahawks

This one might be a bit of a curveball. But the Seattle Seahawks just lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. Not only that, but their other back, Zach Charbonnet, tore his ACL late in the playoffs. Charbonnet can handle short yardage, man/gap schemed played as well as some pass work, while free agent acquisition Emmanuel Wilson can help on pass downs as well. They need someone with explosive, homerun-hitting ability to work on early downs when they use a lot of zone blocking concepts. They were probably looking at Mike Washington already, but their hand may be forced to take him earlier now after his eye-opening combine, with a literal 100th percentile speed score at 6’1”, 223 pounds per Player Profiler.