The draft cycle has just about run its course, with all-star games, the scouting combine, and pro-days all in the rear-view mirror now. The 2026 NFL Draft
is two weeks away from kicking off on Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh
.
The rumor mill is running wild across the league in terms of what each team is planning to do in this year's draft. Which makes it feel like a good time to share a new first-round mock draft, and with it so close, let's throw in some trades.
Multiple times over the years, there has been some mystery around the number one overall pick ahead of the draft. This year is not one of them; Fernando Mendoza has been sharpied in as the top pick for months. The Las Vegas Raiders' signing of Kirk Cousins doesn't impact that at all.
This is when the draft really starts. With there being multiple directions the New York Jets could go in with the second pick. Here they land on Arvell Resse, Ohio State's linebacker/edge-rusher hybrid, to give some needed juice to the Jets' defense.
TRADE:
Arizona Cardinals
send pick 3 to the
New Orleans Saints
for pick 8, pick 73 (third round), and a 2027 second-round pick
A trade shakes up the top of the draft. The New Orleans Saints are making a bold move to land one of the top players in the class, David Bailey. The Saints' pass rush needs an upgrade, and Bailey was a legit weapon for Texas Tech's defense and looks pro-ready.
The Tennessee Titans have multiple needs on both sides of the ball, but are in a great spot to fill a big one with a top-five pick. The focus for this pick should be on how they can help Cam Ward take the next step in 2026. I think the best approach to doing that is to give him a reliable wideout with the potential to become their true WR1, and I think Carnell Tate has that type of potential.
Like the Titans, the New York Giants need to focus on getting the most out of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart . They take a different approach to doing that, though, by targeting a top offensive lineman instead of a wideout. Miami's Francis Mauigoa has the potential to play guard and tackle. He would help the Giants build out a starting line they can trust to keep Dart healthy in 2026.
Back-to-back offensive linemen selections in the top 10, with the Cleveland Browns adding Spencer Fano out of Utah. Fano is viewed as the top tackle in the class by some, and he, like Mauigoa, has the flexibility to play multiple positions. On top of tackling, some think he could kick in to center, for example. The Browns have multiple offensive issues, but fixing their line would go a long way.
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) against the Indiana Hoosiers during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Miami star edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.'s fall ends at seven with the Washington Commanders. Bain isn't going to be a strong fit for every team. His arm length does not check an important box that some will have. His tape has utter dominance on display, though, and the Commanders' defensive line needs to add proven talent.
If the Arizona Cardinals had stayed at pick three, I would have still gone offensive line with the pick. Being able to land a top-100 pick and a future second-round to move back just five picks seems like a no-brainer. They still land offensive line help in Georgia's Monroe Freeling. A player many believe has the highest ceiling of any offensive lineman in this year's class.
The Kansas City Chiefs' secondary went through a lot of change this offseason. They traded cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams . They also saw cornerback Jaylen Watson sign with the Rams and safety Byran Cook sign with the Cincinnati Bengals . So it would be smart to see them make major investments towards the secondary in the draft. What better way to start than landing consensus top corner, Mansoor Delane, out of LSU?
The Bengals have been hard at work trying to improve their defense this offseason. I would expect that to continue in the 2026 NFL Draft. One of the top players in the class, Sonny Styles Jr, falls into their lap. He has the makings of being a future NFL All-Pro linebacker.
TRADE:
Miami Dolphins
send pick 11 to the
Minnesota Vikings
for pick 18, pick 82 (third round), and a 2027 fifth-round pick
Another trade, as the Minnesota Vikings see superstar running back Jeremiyah Love falling further than some expect, and they make a bold trade up. They lose a third this year and a fifth next, but land a difference maker that could reshape their running game immediately. Their quarterback situation is still a bit of a mystery. This makes their need for a reliable running game even more important and worth this kind of investment.
Caleb Downs was one of the best players in college football from the moment he stepped on the field at Alabama as a freshman. That only became more true after transferring to Ohio State. He is the exact type of playmaker the Dallas Cowboys defense needs. He wouldn't fully fix their defense, but a near-lock to be a day-one contributor on defense, like Downs, should be their focus with their first of two first-round picks.
Wide receiver is an intriguing option for the Rams to consider, with Davante Adams only getting older and Puka Nacua 's off-the-field issues becoming a real problem not only for him but for the team. USC's Makai Lemon has a skill set that would complement Nacua and Adams and help them plan for the future, where they could be without Adams.
Back-to-back wide receivers come off the board with the Baltimore Ravens landing Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. Tyson's skill alone is enough to make him the first wide receiver on some teams' boards. However, the injury concerns could lead some to rank him second, third, or even lower. If the Ravens feel good enough about his medicals, a duo of Tyson and Zay Flowers would be exciting for them to develop.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost multiple key contributors this offseason. The most notable being their franchise legend, Mike Evans , at wide receiver, which has overshadowed the others. Another important one is corner Jamel Dean , who signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers . The Buccaneers need a true lockdown corner one, the question is, will they be willing to take a risk like using a first-round pick on Tennessee's Jermod McCoy? His film, when healthy, is better than any corner in the class. He could be the exact type of player the Buccaneers need.
Some may think the Jets will try to replace Sauce Gardner with this pick that they gained in the trade with the Indianapolis Colts . I go a different route here by adding Keldric Faulk, who has fantastic size for the position, and his floor game is really high, thanks to his excellent ability against the run. The Jets are in a spot where they can let him play early, let him develop as a pass rusher, and their run defense will improve in the process.
The offensive line has gotta be a priority for the Detroit Lions with Taylor Decker being released. There are a few tackles in this class that the Lions could target and be a good fit. However, there is a lot of smoke out there that Kadyn Proctor, out of Alabama, is a player they are enamored with.
After trading back, the Dolphins land a day one starter for their defensive line in Miami's Akheem Mesidor. Mesidor's already being 25 years old will deter some teams, but he projects as a day-one contributor and should make a seamless transition to the NFL. He was arguably the best pass rusher for a stacked Miami defensive line during the college football playoff, and a large portion of the fan base would likely be ecstatic landing a Miami Hurricane.
The Carolina Panthers took major steps in the right direction last year on the offensive side of the ball. And thanks to the team making win-now moves on the defensive side of the ball in free agency, they have the freedom to explore making improvements to the offense. A star tight end could help take the Panthers offense to the next level and help them get a final answer on whether Bryce Young can be a franchise quarterback. So if Kenyon Sadiq is still on the board, they should seriously consider taking him.
The Cowboys addressed the secondary at pick 12, landing Downs, so going defensive line at pick 20 makes sense. A year ago, T.J. Parker was viewed as a potential number one overall pick, but Clemson's rough year as a whole hurt his stock in a major way. He is still a very talented player and would project as a day-one starter for the Cowboys, who would hope he could show the level of potential many believed he had after his 2024 season.
The Steelers lost starting guard Issac Seumalo to the Cardinals in free agency. This leaves an opening in their starting lineup. Olaivavega Ioane is viewed by most to be the top guard in the class and would pencil in as their starter for 2026 and beyond.
This pick may shock some people, not because the Los Angeles Chargers took a corner, but because of who the corner is. San Diego State's Chris Johnson has been rising up boards for a while now, but his being selected over Clemson's Avieon Terrell would be a shock to many. I think multiple teams in the league rank Johnson higher than Terrell, and I believe he would be a really good starter for LA.
TRADE:
Philadelphia Eagles
send pick 23 to the Miami Dolphins for pick 30, 94 (third-round), 238 (seventh-round)
Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Dolphins pull off another trade in this mock, this time a trade up with the Eagles. The Dolphins landed pick 30 by trading Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos . Therefore, replacing him is likely to be on the table, but with the top three wide receivers already off the board, they decide not to wait and take a proactive approach. They send a third and seventh round pick to Philly and target Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
The Browns go defense here after going offensive line with their first pick. They need a safety, and there are a couple of solid ones they could consider. Oregon's Dillon Thieneman would be their best bet at landing a day-one starter, and that would help an already talented defense take a step forward in 2026.
The Bears' need for a difference maker at defensive tackle is clear. The player you were probably expecting to see here is Clemson's Peter Woods. But I actually think the Bears would value Ohio State's Kayden McDonald's proven ability as a run defender over Woods's potential.
Toldeo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren's ability as a hybrid safety is very enticing to the new age of NFL defenses. The league saw the Seattle Seahawks have incredible success with Nick Emmanwori . McNeil-Warren isn't quite the athlete Emmanwori is, but the role he would play would be similar. And that is something the Buffalo Bills should consider giving their defense.
There is a potential future in which Trent Williams plays somewhere other than the San Francisco 49ers to end his career. Even if that doesn't happen, he will likely be handing up his cleats in the near future either way. So beginning to look for his future successor would make a lot of sense, and Arizona State's Max Iheanachor is an exciting player to project what he could become if he reaches his full potential.
The Houston Texans had one of the best defenses the NFL has seen in quite some time last year, so targeting defense here would be a luxury pick. Their offseason activity to upgrade the offensive line opens the door for them to consider that possibility, though. Peter Woods is coming off a rough year, but putting him on a line led by Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter would certainly set him up to be the best version of himself.
Not only are the Kansas City Chiefs using one pick at corner, but two. This may seem like an overreaction to the offseason, but this approach would allow the Chiefs not just to band-aid the situation but to try to fix it altogether before the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft even arrives. Tennessee's Colton Hood got catapulted into the top corner spot due to McCoy's injury, and he shone. A duo of Delane and Hood would have an incredibly high ceiling.
After trading back, the Eagles prepare for the near future without Lane Johnson , who some thought would retire this offseason. Clemson's Blake Miller seems like one of the safest tackles in the class. He isn't going to be a left tackle at the next level, but will likely be a very good right tackle for a long time. This makes him a possible perfect fit to replace Johnson in the future and be a fantastic swing tackle for Philly in the short term.
The New England Patriots saw the offensive line sink any chance they had of becoming Super Bowl champions this past year, even after making it to the big game. As a result, you have to assume they will make a big move to try to prevent that from happening again. Utah's Caleb Lomu is a fantastic athlete with the potential to be very good in pass protection at the NFL level. He seems like a perfect fit to add to the Patriots' offensive line to protect their franchise quarterback, Drake Maye .
TRADE: Seattle Seahawks send pick 32 to the Tennessee Titans for pick 35 (second-round) and 101 (fourth-round)
To end this mock draft, how about one more trade for the road? The reigning Super Bowl champion, the Seattle Seahawks, decided to wait until round two to make their first selection and gain a fourth-round pick to move back just three spots. The Titans, on the other hand, decide not to sit on their hands and move up to land a proven pass rusher in Cashius Howell to pair with already selecting wide receiver Tate.
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