Way-too-early 2026 NFL Mock Draft

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Way-too-early 2026 NFL Mock Draft

Tim Crean · ClutchPoints

Sat, Jun 7, 2025 ·

13 min read

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The post Way-too-early 2026 NFL Mock Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books , and the dog days of the offseason are just getting started, so what better time to start looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Mock Draft!

While the current NFL and college football seasons will take this 2026 NFL Mock Draft and flip it on its head multiple times between now and next April, it is a worthwhile exercise to start thinking about what player may come into the league and make a major difference in two seasons, and which teams will reap the benefits of that.

Here, we took the tankathon.com 2026 draft order and matched up every team with a prospect who should fill a need and be able to make the team better in a few years.

Just one note before we jump in: Remember that two teams—the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons — don't currently have first-round picks after trading them to the Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams , respectively, during this year's selection process.

1. New Orleans Saints — QB Arch Manning , Texas

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This is a pick that NFL pundits have predicted since the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning was a few years into his high school career. Only a junior and entering his first year as a starter, Arch Manning may stay in Austin for another season and not come out until the 2027 NFL Draft. However, if he does declare, it's hard not to see him as the No. 1 pick.

The Saints will be terrible in 2025, and their reward may be the ability to draft the grandson of the second-best QB in franchise history . If Archie Manning's grandson does stay in school, the son of the team's offensive coordinator, Doug Nussmeier, who also happens to be the LSU QB could be the selection.

2. Cleveland Browns — QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

Right now, Gamecocks QB LaNorris Sellers is the fourth or fifth quarterback prospects on most 2026 NFL Draft big boards. However, a big third season under center could skyrocket the 6-foo-3, 240-pound passer up the ladder.

While Nussmeier, Drew Allar , Cade Klubnik , and others are all good quarterbacks with lots of NFL potential, Sellers is the only one with a Josh Allen -like physical profile that could make him one of the most dangerous young signal-callers in the league.

3. Tennessee Titans — OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft, there was a lot of talk about college offensive tackles, arm length, and whether or not the top OT prospects will actually be better off at guard. In 2026, there will be no such debate.

At 6-foot-7, 360 pounds, Kadyn Proctor is a mountain of a man who levels people in the run game. He's a solid pass blocker, too, but his size alone makes it tough for pass rushers to get around him and will make him a perfect bookend for Cam Ward .

4. New York Giants — OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami

A mini run on OT comes here as the Giants also look for a blindside protector for Jaxson Dart , who should do enough this season to earn him at least one or two more. In Miami's Francis Mauigoa, Dart will have a 6-foot-6, 315-pound wall who excels at keeping rushers off his quarterbacks, as he'll show Carson Beck this season.

5. New York Jets — QB Drew Allar, Penn State

Drew Allar may have been a top-five pick in 2025, but with another season at the helm of the Nittany Lions, the 6-foot-5 signal-caller will show how well he can command an offense. For the Jets, unless Justin Fields shocks the world , drafting their third first-round QB since 2018 seems like an inevitability.

6. Carolina Panthers — S Caleb Downs , Ohio State

Caleb Downs is the best overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but teams generally shy away from taking safeties this high. Still, Downs is the total package and a true difference-maker on defense, so some team will take a shot early.

The Panthers are a team in need of blue chip talent, which Downs has in spades, and drafting a player from the Ohio State S makes a lot of sense. He won't be the highest-drafted saftey of all time (Sean Taylor and Jamal Adams both went fifth) but he could be the best to go in the top six.

7. Indianapolis Colts — EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson

If Anthony Richardson and the Colts offense implodes this season—which is a real possibility—all bets are off and the team could go back to the QB drawing board. If he shows enough, though, defense will be the focus and Clemson DE T.J. Parker, who put up 11.0 sacks in 2024, would be an excellent building block there.

8. Las Vegas Raiders — QB Garrett Nussmeier , LSU

Geno Smith is a solid short-term solution under center, but Pete Carroll and company need to start figuring out the future. This could be a QB-heavy first round, and if it is the Raiders should take this opportunity to draft their franchise signal-caller.

LSU QBs are on a roll in the NFL right now, with Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels immediately changing the fortunes of their new franchises. With his talent and pedigree, Garrett Nussmeier could be the next Bayou Bengal to do the same.

9. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars) — OL Spencer Fano, Utah

After taking Sellers at No. 2, the Browns will continue with their instant offense starter kit and take a left tackle to protect their new QB's blindside. Spencer is a 6-foot-6, 302-pound tackle with incredible athleticism who allowed just one sack and two QB hits in 2024.

10. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) — QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson

As the Matthew Stafford era draws to a close, Sean McVay needs to find his next QB project. Cade Klubnik is 6-foot-2 and has an excellent arm and great athleticism. He won't be Stafford from a processing standpoint right away, but he seems to have the physical and mental goods to operate the famed McVay offense.

11. Miami Dolphins — CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

The 2026 NFL Draft cornerback class should be a good one, which is good news for the Dolphins as they look to move on from Jalen Ramsey after this coming season. In Jermod McCoy, the Dolphins get a versatile CB who picked off four balls this year and could now terrorize SEC quarterbacks after transferring from Oregon State to Tennessee.

12. Seattle Seahawks — DL Peter Woods, Clemson

Mike Macdonald will continue to build the Seahawks defense in his vision next season, and Clemson D-lineman Peter Wood could be a big part of that. At 6-foot-3, 315 pounds, Woods can line up at multiple spots on the defensive line and give Macdonald a ton of flexibility in scheme and tactics.

13. New England Patriots — WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

The Patriots drafted their quarterback, Drake Maye , in 2024, their left tackle, Will Campbell , in 2025, and will take their WR1 in 2026 with Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. The Sun Devils pass catcher is 6-foot-2, 195 pounds and has all the speed, skill, and route-running polish to immediately become a top target at the next level.

14. Arizona Cardinals — RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

James Conner is now post-30 and heading into the last year of his contract. If the Cardinals hope to keep taking steps and having success, Kyler Murray needs an excellent running game. The Fighting Irish's Jeremiyah Love is like Conner 2.0, with size, speed, power, and the ability to handle a heavy load. This would be a perfect RB transition for Arizona.

15. Dallas Cowboys — LB Anthony Hill Jr., Clemson

Jerry Jones is never afraid to take the best player available, and in this case, linebacker Anthony Hill is that guy. Hill is 6-foot-3, 237 pounds and a little reminiscent of Micah Parsons with the way he can play off ball of blitz from the linebacker position. Teaming Hill and Parsons would give the Cowboys a defense that can scheme it up with anyone.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers — QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State

The truth is, there likely won't be six quarterbacks in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but any of these six could be first-rounders next season with a good 2025. Sam Leavitt is an athletic, scrambling type who knows how to win and make plays. Whether he comes in and starts right away or sits one season behind a 75-year-old Aaron Rodgers , this would be a good fit.

17. Chicago Bears — EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

Rueben Bain Jr. shows incredible flashes, and with a little more consistency in 2025, he could be a true three-down DE in the NFL. He is incredibly powerful and can rush the passer and hold up against the run. If he can build on his total of 11.0 sacks in his first two seasons, the Bears would be lucky to have him across from Montez Sweat in 2026.

18. Minnesota Vikings — CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

The little brother of Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell may only be 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, but he plays much bigger. He is a physical press corner and a willing tackler. Avieon will fit in nicely on the Vikings' defense and finally solve their longstanding corner issues.

19. Houston Texans — OT Isaiah World, Oregon

Just like in 2025, one of the main themes of the 2026 NFL Draft for the Texans will be protecting C.J. Stroud . Luckily, as mentioned above, this could be a deep OT class. Isaiah World moves from Nevada to Oregon this season, and the 6-foot-8, 308-pound linemen mover should prove he belongs at the next level.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

Pass rush is the name of the game for Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers, as the team has yet to find difference-making edge rushers to complement Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey in the middle of the line. In Keldric Faulk, the Bucs get an athletically gifted 6-foot-6, 270-pounder who put up 7.0 sacks in 2024.

21. Denver Broncos — WR Eric Singleton Jr., Auburn

Sean Payton needs more weapons around Bo Nix and could use more speed on offense as well. Eric Singleton Jr. is a 5-foot-11 speedster who won track championships in high school. If his football speed holds up in the SEC while transferring from Georgia Tech to Auburn, he should be a first-round pick.

22. Los Angeles Chargers — WR Denzel Boston, Washington

Denzel Boston doesn't have the speed that Singleton does, but the 6-foot-4, 209-pound Husky is a physically dominating WR in his own way. Boston could provide the reliable mid-range and red zone target that Justin Herbert desperately needs.

23. Green Bay Packers — EDGE LT Overton , Alabama

The Packers finally picked a wide receiver in the first round this past draft, but in 2026, it's back to the defensive line drawing board to find a pass rusher who can consistently rack up sacks. LT Overton doesn't have impressive sack numbers yet after two years at Texas A&M and one at Alabama, but he has 39 pressures, which is encouraging for the 6-foot-5, 280-pound DE.

24. San Francisco 49ers — OT Austin Barber, Florida

Eventually, the ageless Trent Williams will be gon,e and the 49ers will need a new left tackle. Whether Williams goes or not next offseason, taking the 6-foot-6, 322-pound Florida Gator, Austin Barber, makes a lot of sense for the future of the team and, more importantly, Kyle Shanahan's offense.

25. Cincinnati Bengals — EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon

In the 2025 offseason, it seems like there is little chance of Trey Hendrickson being on the roster this coming season, and even less of a chance in 2026. So, look for the Bengals to try to replace him in the 2026 NFL Draft with the Oregon big man who racked up 10.5 sacks and 36 pressures last season.

26. Los Angeles Rams — OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

Holding down the left side across from this 2026 NFL Mock Draft No. 9 pick, Spencer Fano, the 6-foot-6, 304-pound Caleb Lomu is an interesting prospect who is young, athletically gifted, and will have some solid experience after starting again in 2025. With the Rams taking Klubnik early in the draft, another QB/OT double-dip would be nice.

27. Washington Commanders — LB Taurean York, Texas A&M

With Bobby Wagner likely at the end of his career, the Commanders could use another QB of the defense to go across the line from Daniels in practice. Texas A&M standout Taurean York is soon to be a two-time captain and three-year starter for the Aggies, who, even at 6-foot and 235 pounds, is an adept blitzer and excellent sideline-to-sideline 'backer.

28. Buffalo Bills — WR Ja'Kobi Lane, USC

The Bills took their medicine and drafted for all their defensive needs in 2025. In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they go back to having some fun and drafting Josh Allen some new toys. In this case, they take the big, fast, and silky-smooth USC WR Ja'Kobi Lane. The Trojan's production hasn't matched his talent just yet, but the future back-to-back MVP will help change that.

29. Detroit Lions — C Jake Slaughter, Florida

With All-Pro center Frank Ragnow unexpectedly retiring at 29 this offseason, the Lions will need to replace the literal and figurative center of their O-line next season. Luckily, the Gators' Jake Slaughter is worthy of a first-round pick and could come in and seamlessly replace Ragnow on the Lions and on the NFC Pro Bowl roster.

30. Baltimore Ravens — CB A.J. Harris, Penn State

The Ravens now have Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks at safety, so with another blue-chip cornerback in the fold, the team could easily have the best secondary in the NFL (if they don't already). A.J. Harris played inside, outside, and even at safety for the Nittany Lions and could be a chess piece in Baltimore as well.

31. Kansas City Chiefs — TE Eli Stowers , Vanderbilt

After the 2025 season, there is a good chance that Travis Kelce rides off into the sunset with Taylor Swift, meaning the Chiefs will need a replacement. In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the team does exactly that, picking Eli Stowers. For now, the Commodore is basically a 6-foot-4, 235-pound receiver. But with the right tutelage, he can become an all-around TE with elite ball skills, just like his predecessor.

32. Philadelphia Eagles — CB Domani Jackson

Domani Jackson is a big, physical, former 5-star recruit who has done a solid job defending the best the SEC has to offer so far. Does that sound like a Howie Roseman-Eagles pick or what? Plus, in the 2026 NFL, you can never have enough corners, and Philly can use some depth there for sure.

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