'Tis the season for holiday cheer, gifts and time spent with loved ones and football.
A triple-header of games on Christmas
gives millions of Americans lots of NFL
action to enjoy after unwrapping their gifts. It's long been a holiday for NBA games
but lately the NFL has expanded their holiday traditions to Dec. 25 as well.
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Fans of all franchises may have woken up to gifts showing off their favorite team. For fans of nearly half the league, it's a welcome slice of joy as 14 teams have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Another gift they could be looking forward to is the 2026 NFL Draft. The latest crop of college football stars set to hit the NFL in a few months' time could provide a turnaround needed to take a franchise from a top-10 pick to a playoff contender à la the New England Patriots
in 2025.
We're still a couple of weeks away from most of the first-round order finalizing after Week 18. For now, here's a look at the order entering Week 17:
1
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
1. (PROPOSED TRADE) New York Jets (from New York Giants) - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
(Jeffrey Becker, Imagn Images)
1
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
1. (PROPOSED TRADE) New York Jets (from New York Giants) - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
(Jeffrey Becker, Imagn Images)
2
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2026 NFL mock draft: Latest projection with early first-round order set
2. Las Vegas Raiders - Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
(Steven Bisig, Imagn Images)
3
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
3. Tennessee Titans - Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State
(Samantha Madar, Columbus Dispatch)
4
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
4. Cleveland Browns - Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
(Joseph Maiorana, Imagn Images)
5
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
5. (PROPOSED TRADE) New York Giants (from New York Jets) - Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
(Petre Thomas, Imagn Images)
6
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
6. Arizona Cardinals - Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
(Michael Caterina, Imagn Images)
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
7. New Orleans Saints - Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
(Jake Crandall, Advertiser)
8
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
8. Washington Commanders - Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)
(Sam Navarro, Imagn Images)
9
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
9. Cincinnati Bengals - Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
(Barbara J. Perenic, Columbus Dispatch)
10
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
10. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) - Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
(Sean M. Haffey, Getty Images)
11
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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection
11. Miami Dolphins - Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
(Brianna Paciorka, News Sentinel)
12
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
12. Kansas City Chiefs - David Bailey, DE/OLB, Texas Tech
(Nathan Giese, Avalanche-Journal)
13
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
13. Minnesota Vikings - Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
(Alex Martin, Greenville News)
14
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
14. Dallas Cowboys - Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
(Joseph Maiorana, Imagn Images)
15
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2026 NFL mock draft: Where do College Football Playoff top stars rate?
15. Baltimore Ravens - Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
(Ken Ruinard, USA Today Network South Carolina)
16
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
16. Carolina Panthers - Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
(Ben Lonergan, The Register-Guard)
17
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
17. Detroit Lions - Francis Mauigoa, OT/G, Miami (Fla.)
(Carmen Mandato, Getty Images)
18
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
18. (PROPOSED TRADE) New York Giants (from Indianapolis Colts via New York Jets) - Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
(Jeff Le, Getty Images)
19
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection going into the scouting combine
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
20
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2026 NFL mock draft: Latest projection with early first-round order set
20. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
(Gary Cosby Jr., Imagn Images)
21
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NFL mock draft: Big-name prospect drops in latest first-round projection
21. Philadelphia Eagles - Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
(Alex Martin, Greenville News)
22
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2026 NFL mock draft: Where do College Football Playoff top stars rate?
22. Houston Texans - Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
(Adam Cairns, Columbus Dispatch)
23
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2026 NFL mock draft: Proposed trade for No. 1 overall pick
23. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) - T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson
(Ken Ruinard, USA Today Network South Carolina)
24
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
24. Buffalo Bills - Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
(Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images)
25
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2026 NFL mock draft: Proposed trade for No. 1 overall pick
25. Chicago Bears - A'Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon
(Ben Lonergan, The Register-Guard)
26
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
26. Los Angeles Chargers - Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
(Chris Graythen, Getty Images)
27
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection after Trent McDuffie trade
27. San Francisco 49ers - Makai Lemon, WR, USC
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
28
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NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl
28. Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) - Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
(Gary Cosby Jr., Imagn Images)
29
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2026 NFL mock draft: Proposed trade for No. 1 overall pick
29. Los Angeles Rams - Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
(James Snook, Imagn Images)
30
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
30. New England Patriots - Cashius Howell, OLB/DE, Texas A&M
(Maria Lysaker, Imagn Images)
31
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NFL mock draft: Final projection features major shift in early picks
31. Seattle Seahawks - Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
(Wesley Hale, Imagn Images)
32
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NFL mock draft: Free agency, trades change first-round projection
32. Denver Broncos - KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
(Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images)
2026 NFL Draft order
Here's a look at the latest draft order for the first round with strength of schedule information via Tankathon
:
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2026 NFL mock draft
Here's how the top five picks could pan out per USA TODAY Sports' Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz's latest mock draft
:
New York Jets
(proposed trade w/NYG): QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:
NFL draft order 2026: Updated first-round picks for Week 17
