- The Las Vegas Raiders currently hold the number 1 pick this year’s draft in Pittsburgh. They have been good in the first round in the last couple of years, drafting star tight end Brock Bowers and running back Ashton Jeanty, and I expect them to continue the trend of drafting well by selecting Indiana’s Heisman winner quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza excels in high accuracy and arm strength. He is always amazing in big games, winning the college football championship this year, ending a perfect season. I. do not believe he will be a superstar but, I believe he will be a good quarterback. Like how Jordan Love is now, but he will be good under first year head coach Klint Kubiak and lead the Raiders to the playoffs many times in his career
- The New York Jets currently hold the number 2 pick this year’s draft. They have 2 first rounders, in this draft and 3 in 2027. So whatever they don’t get here, they can get in later picks or drafts. With no quarterback fit to be selected number 2, they will turn to their defense. Two people, could get picked here, Ohio State’s Arvell Reece and Taxas Tech’s David Bailey. They are both are difference makers on the defense and have high potential, but to me Arvell Reece is the better option, because even though Bailey’s ceiling is high, Reece’s goes to the sky.
- The Arizona Cardinals currently hold the number 3 pick this year’s draft. Right now they have holes in every position besides receiver and tight end. With no quarterback fit for number three, they will turn to the defensive side of the football. If Arvell Reece is available, they will take him, but the likely option is David Bailey. He is really quick and has good instincts. He will be the perfect player for the Cardinals here.
- The Tennessee Titans currently hold the number 4 pick in this year’s draft. Last year they drafted quarterback Cam Ward with the number one overall pick. Now he needs some help. The best offensive player available is Notre Dame’s running back Jeremiyah Love. He is really fast, running a 4.36 in this year’s NFL combine, and he easily can carry an offense. He can defiantly be a top running back in the NFL and a huge impact right away for the Titans.
- The New York Giants currently hold the number 5 pick this year’s draft. their offense is great, and their defense is good too. They already have a very promising future, so they will take a guy either extreme potential. Ohio State’s Sonny Styles, is an athletic machine. He had a 4.46 40 yard dash, a 11 feet and 2 inches broad jump and a 43.5 vertical jump. He has all the physical traits to be a super star, with the Giants already having tons of pieces, this would be a perfect selection at number 5.
- The Cleveland Browns currently hold the number 6 pick in this year’s draft. They have two first round picks, 6 and 24. They have 2 main needs, wide receiver and offensive line. With this receiver class being very deep, I predict they will wait on a receiver until later. Therefore they will go offensive line. The best offensive lineman in this draft class is Miami’s Francis Mauigoa. He is really strong and will protect their quarterback for years to come.
- The Washington Commanders currently hold the number 7 pick in this year’s draft. The Commanders made it to the NFC championship just two years ago and in order to get back there they need to fix their secondary. LSU’s cornerback Mansoor Delane is the best corner in this draft. He is great in coverage and his footwork makes him elite. He can be a pro bowler, and the first step for success on this defense.
- The New Orleans Saints currently hold the number 8 pick in this year’s draft. With edge rusher Cam Jordan likely leaving next season, the Saints main priority should be edge rusher. Miami’s Reuben Bain Jr. is the best available. He is another monster off the edge in this year’s class. With almost 10 sacks last season he will be a perfect fit for the team.
- The Kansas City Chiefs currently hold the number 9 pick in this year’s draft. Last year was a huge down season for Kansas city. In order to get back to elite level, they will need to draft an edge rusher or another weapon for Patrick Mahomes. With the three top edge rushers off the board, they will turn and get that playmaker. The best wide receiver in this draft is Ohio State’s Carnell Tate. He can go higher than 9, but if he falls here, that’s an A+ pick. He has incredible ball tracking and route running. He can be Patrick Mahomes’ next elite weapon.
- The New York Giants currently hold the number 10 pick in this year’s draft. The Giants traded super star Dexter Lawrence for this pick from the Cincinnati Bengals. They already went defense, now is the time to go offense and help second year quarterback Jaxson Dart. That is why they will select Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson. He is a great route runner, and he will be the number 2 wide receiver for the team for sure. Fun fact: his brother Jaylon Tyson is in the NBA. All in all, Tyson would be a great fit for the Giants.
- The Miami Dolphins currently hold the number 11 pick in this year’s draft. The Dolphins are in a full rebuild for next season. New coaches, receivers and quarterback. They signed quarterback Malik Willis and in order for him to have success, he needs better receivers, so they will select USC’s Makai Lemon. He has great tracking and can rack up receptions and he will lead the Dolphins in every receiver category if he is selected at 11.
- The Dallas Cowboys currently hold the number 12 pick this year’s draft. They have two picks in the first round of this draft, 12 and 20 and I project they will go defense both times. For their first pick, they will pro Ohio State’s safety Caleb Downs and he will be their elite safety. From watching teams like the Baltimore Ravens we know the difference elite safeties make and know the Cowboys will go so that strategy. Downs is such a difference maker, whether it is tackling or interceptions. He will be the first step in this defensive rebuild.
- The Los Angeles Rams currently hold the number 13 pick in this year’s draft. With this pick they will prepare for the future and help win now. With wide receiver Devonte Adams getting older, they need to prep for him showing his age or retiring and they could get a playmaker that could help them win now at the same time. Indiana’s wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. He is a touchdown monster and he helps the Rams get another weapon for MVP quarterback Matthew Stafford and plan for the future.
- The Baltimore Ravens currently hold the number 14 pick in this year’s draft. The Ravens lost tight end Isaiah Likely in free agency and know quarterback Lamar Jackson operates better with two good tight ends, which will lead them to pick Oregon’s tight end Kenyon Sadiq. He is so talented running a 4.39 at the NFL combine, crazy athletic. He could be lined up anywhere on the field. Sadiq will help Lamar Jackson play his best if he gets drafted here.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently hold the number 15 pick in this year’s draft. A very well rounded and playoff ready team, but a position they can improve on is cornerback so they select Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. He was amazing in 2024 and would be the top corner in the class, but he missed all of last season due to injury. The Buccaneers should take a shot on McCoy because it might be the steal of the draft and he can raise the cornerback room.
- The New York Jets currently hold the number 16 pick in this year’s draft. They already went defense and now it is time for offense. They could go quarterback or they can wait until next year. If they wait, they need players to help the quarterback be successful, therefore they will go Washington’s wide receiver Denzel Boston. He is incredibly crafty, and electric. He will help whoever is next at quarterback if he is picked at 16.
- The Detroit Lions currently hold the number 17 pick in this year’s draft. This is a team that can go to the Super Bowl next year. No huge needs, but they still have some, such as inner offensive line. That is why they need Utah’s Spencer Fano. Hr could go much higher, but if he falls here, that’s a A+ pick for whoever pick him. Fano can play tackle or guard, whatever the team needs, and in this case guard. He will help the Lions run game and this is a great pick.
- The Minnesota Vikings currently hold the number 18 pick in this year’s draft. This pick is a no brainer. The Vikings need to replace aging Harrison Smith so they will select Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman. He is so fast and can get ton of interceptions. A lot of mock drafts have him here, and I agree with that 100%.
- The Carolina Panthers currently hold the number 19 pick in this year’s draft. What they should do is help protect their quarterback by drafting an offensive tackle. The best tackle available is Georgia’s Monroe Freeling. This guy is huge and he can protect Bryce Young for many years but also help the run by giving running back Jonathon Brooks his best chance to be a good heathy running back and Chuba Hubbard to be his best self.
- The Dallas Cowboys currently hold the number 20 pick in this year’s draft. They traded superstar edge rusher Micah Parsons for this pick and more. Now they need an edge rusher to replace him. With owner Jerry Jones wanting to win as soon as possible, the Cowboys will draft the most NFL ready player available, but he is 25. Miami’s edge rusher Akheem Mesidor. He is really impactful on a defense, helping Miami go to the college football championship last season, he is also very NFL ready. The only reason he fell so late is due to his age, but still he is perfect for the Cowboys.
- The Pittsburgh Steelers currently hold the number 18 pick in this year’s draft. This pick can go so many ways, but I expect the Steelers to do the same thing as the Packers did in 2020. In 2020 the Packers still had quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but they drafted a quarterback in the first round (Jordan Love) and had him wait until he was ready and Rodgers was gone. The expectation is the Steelers will re-sign Aaron Rodgers, but they still need a quarterback for the future, and they can’t wait for Aaron Rodgers time to be over and they can plug him right in. That is why they will draft Alabama’s quarterback Ty Simpson. In my opinion, his NFL career will be not that much worse than Mendoza. This to me is the best situation for the Steelers to have.
- The Los Angeles Chargers currently hold the number 22 pick in this year’s draft. The Chargers need huge help on their offensive line. Last year the the line was awful and had tons of injuries. They need reliability, that is why they will draft Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller and move him to guard. He played every game for Clemson and is so reliable, and that is what the Chargers need. This is the perfect fit.
- The Philadelphia Eagles currently hold the number 23 pick this year’s draft. This pick truly is determined by wide receiver A.J. Brown’s future with the team, but even if they trade him they can get a good receiver in the second round. Also a lot of people say General Manager Howie Roseman’s thing was to draft offensive line early, but 4 out of the 5 starters on the offensive line were drafted on day two or three of the draft. What they will end up doing and should do is draft Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker. The Eagles have so much power up the middle with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, it is time they go to the edge. T.J Parker was such a dominant force in college, and he would be perfect for the Eagles. I would trade up to get him if I were the Eagles.
- The Cleveland Browns currently hold the number 24 pick in this year’s draft. If they already drafted an offensive lineman at 6 to protect their quarterback, they should give him a target as well. The best wide receiver available is Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion. He is very well rounded and the best receiver available. He will definitely help the quarterback play his best.
- The Chicago Bears hold the number 25 pick in this year’s draft. They have an emerging superstar quarterback that they need to protect. They will draft the best offensive lineman available and that is Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane. He is just so big and strong, good luck defenders trying to get past him, you’re going to need it.
- The Buffalo Bills currently hold the number 26 pick in this year’s draft. This is definitely a Super Bowl contending team, and they should take the best available, and that is Clemson’s Peter Woods. Lot of Clemson players in the 20’s. He is so strong and his potential is so high, when a team is trying to go far in the playoffs, you need a elite player on defense and with the 26th pick, they will find there future elite player.
- The San Francisco 49ers currently hold the number 27 pick in this year’s draft. This team had so many injuries on defense and had no depth, or extreme talent around the star players, and now they will get some. They will draft Georgia’s linebacker CJ Allen. He really has great football IQ and can get lots of tackles. He will be perfect next to superstar linebacker Fred Warner.
- The Houston Texans currently hold the number 28 pick in this year’s draft. This team desperately needs to help protect quarterback C.J. Stroud. The best offensive lineman available is Kadyn Proctor. This guy is huge, over 350 pounds. One of the strongest players in this draft. When you’re trying to protect, get someone strong and he fits that category.
- The Kansas City Chiefs currently hold the number 29 pick in this year’s draft. The position that they are going to take here is obvious, after trading away star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for this pick and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans in 2024. They have a huge hole at the position and Tennessee’s cornerback Colton Hood is perfect for the Chiefs. A really talented CB that will have tons of production for the Chiefs. He is the first step for their secondary rebuild.
- The Miami Dolphins currently hold the number 30 pick in this year’s draft. They got this pick through a trade with the Denver Broncos where they trade wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and a fourth round pick swap for this pick and a third round pick. The Dolphins just traded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the New York Jets for a Seth round pick and now they are in need of a safety. Busy offseason for the Dolphins. The best and last star safety available is Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. A really tall player who can knock down tons of passes and get interceptions before the ball reaches the offensive player. He is a great replacement for Fitzpatrick.
- The New England Patriots currently hold the number 31 pick in this year’s draft. This team made it to the Super Bowl last season and hope to due that again. Much like the Eagles and Cowboys, they have good defensive tackles, but edge rushers is a need. Missouri’s Zion Young is perfect here. Even if he doesn’t make a huge play, he is making a huge difference with his quarterback pressures. If the Patriots want to go back and win the Super Bowl, they need talent off the edge and Young does just that.
- Last but not least, the defending Super Bowl Champions, the Seattle Seahawks currently hold the number 31 pick in this year’s draft. They lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to the Chiefs in free agency, and the best thing for the Seahawks to do is to replace him. I know they still have running back Zach Charbonnet, but the Seahawks are better in a two running back scheme. The best running back available is already used to a two man scheme playing with projected top five pick Jeremiyah Love. Fun fact: the last time two running backs from the same school were selected in the first round was 2008. That is Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price. He is so explosive and him and Zach Charbonnet will be an amazing duo for years to come.
NFL Mock draft 2026
3 responses to “NFL Mock draft 2026”
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Thank you, HG, for a great article!
Great as always! -
Exciting! So much detail and thought behind these predictions. Thanks for sharing!
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Excellent.
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