Every 2026 NFL Mock Draft will look incredibly different compared to how they looked on Wednesday. Oregon quarterback Dante Moore made his decision to stay in school for another year, taking advantage of his extra eligibility.
Had Moore declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, he would have likely been a top-two pick. The New York Jets at No. 2 stood out as his most popular landing spot. However, removed from a disappointing outing in the CFP semifinals against Indiana, Moore arguably made the most intelligent decision for his long-term success: To further develop his game in college.
With Moore no longer in the 2026 NFL Draft class, there becomes a scramble for which quarterbacks top the class after Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Using the PFSN draft order based on the final regular season standings and projected selections for playoff teams, here is our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft after the massive development.
1) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
With the Las Vegas Raiders picking No. 1 in the 2026 NFL Draft, the assumption is that they’ll select a quarterback to replace Geno Smith. Considering he led the NFL in interceptions and finished No. 34 in the PFSN NFL QB Impact Metric, he fell well short of expectations in 2025.
Fernando Mendoza is a well-built, poised, and intelligent quarterback who sees the field well and has a natural sense of timing behind his throws.
The Heisman Trophy winner has excellent pocket presence and a strong arm that can hit targets in stride from all levels of the field. He’s a polished quarterback with a high floor, and he has more than enough arm talent to make big plays in the NFL.
2) New York Jets: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
Do the New York Jets resist the urge to reach for a quarterback just for the sake of taking one? It’s clear they need to move on from Justin Fields, but Ty Simpson is arguably too steep for a No. 2 selection. In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they opt for a defensive player, presumably adding a veteran stopgap at quarterback instead.
Rueben Bain Jr. is a powerful edge rusher who accelerates quickly off the line of scrimmage.
Bain Jr. maintains a low center of gravity at the point of attack, he converts speed to power well, and he has a deep arsenal of moves he can string together to shed blocks. He’s arguably been the best pure edge rusher in college football this year and is easily one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
3) Arizona Cardinals: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The Arizona Cardinals finished 2025 with a bottom-five defense by the PFSN NFL Defense Impact Metric (DEFi). Their pass rush was one-dimensional outside of Josh Sweat and a band-aid solution in Calais Campbell, and they had one of the worst run defenses in the NFL.
It would make sense for them to use their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on that side of the ball. It’s not very often you see an off-ball linebacker selected with a top-five pick in the NFL Draft.
However, Arvell Reese is worth an exception. The 6’4″, 243-pounder is a physical specimen with elite size and length for an off-ball defender, which he pairs with impressive speed and ideal physicality. His play strength, long arms, and craftiness as a blitzing defender even have some projecting him as an edge rusher in the NFL.
4) Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Tennessee Titans found encouraging flashes out of No. 1 pick Cam Ward in 2025, but their roster is far too flawed to get the most out of their young quarterback. Their offense is a significant work in progress, and our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft has them taking a star broad receiver prospect for Ward to throw to.
Carnell Tate can go under the radar sometimes at Ohio State with all the talent they’ve had there, but a good argument can be made that he’s the top wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft. He brings an enticing combination of raw size and high speed that makes him a valuable vertical threat, and his body control attacking the ball in the air is tremendous.
5) New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL)
Their record didn’t exactly show it, but the New York Giants played tough against many talented teams in 2025. They received encouraging early returns from Jaxson Dart, and if they want to take their offense to the next level, it will be critical to provide him with more protection up front.
Though Francis Mauigoa won’t wow you with his arm length measurements, his tape will undoubtedly make up for it. He lands his jabs with accurate placement and expert timing, and his grip strength allows him to lock out edge rushers from the inside of his frame.
Mauigoa redirects pretty well and rarely overshoots his pass sets in pass protection, and he showcases good spatial awareness against exotic rush looks.
6) Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
There’s a chance the Cleveland Browns consider a quarterback early, but in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they look to give Shedeur Sanders a fair chance to be the guy. They have two first-round picks in this year’s draft, and it wouldn’t be surprising if both of those picks were used towards bolstering the offense.
Depending on what you look for in an offensive tackle, Spencer Fano might not be your top choice in the 2026 NFL Draft. He is to me, though, and a lot of that comes down to how polished he is.
Fano is not the biggest or strongest tackle out there, but he moves incredibly well, thanks to great footwork in pass protection and very nice lateral quickness. He lands his strikes accurately and does a good job of winning with proper pad leverage consistently.
7) Washington Commanders: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Let’s face it: 2025 was a disaster of a season for the Washington Commanders. Injuries flooded their roster, but they also exposed their lack of developing young talent outside of injured quarterback Jayden Daniels. They have a serious chance in the 2026 NFL Draft to give their roster a much-needed youth infusion, especially in the trenches.
David Bailey is pass-rushing lightning in a bottle, and he deserves to be selected early in Round 1 in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
He’s a little undersized but brings impressive first-step acceleration, flexibility turning the corner, and an advanced understanding of how to use his hands to exploit the weaknesses of whichever offensive tackle he’s going up against.
8) New Orleans Saints: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Winning four of their last five games may have hurt their draft positioning, but that’s a trade-off the New Orleans Saints will take, considering the growth that Tyler Shough displayed. Now sitting with the No. 8 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they’re no longer in need of a quarterback early, which really opens up more options for them in Round 1.
Keldric Faulk is a physical anomaly, standing at 6’6 “and weighing 288 pounds, with long arms and a frame that carries his weight very well. His size and length help him set the edge in run support, and his anchor is strong enough to stand his ground and plug up gaps up the middle.
Faulk’s pass-rushing production dropped in 2025, but he still brings a high motor and impressive size-adjusted quickness to the table.
9) Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The Kansas City Chiefs were simply unable to get the job done in the clutch in 2025. They went 1-9 in one-score games this season and 0-8 against playoff teams. They have a few glaring needs to address this offseason, but their lackluster run game played a significant role in their middling offense this year.
Excluding positional value, I’d argue Jeremiyah Love is at least a top-five player in the 2026 NFL Draft. Still, he’s an explosive runner who combines sound decision-making between the tackles with elite speed, quick feet, and the ability to change direction, along with toughness that shows up both in the run game and as a receiver after the catch.
10) Cincinnati Bengals: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
When Joe Burrow returned to the Cincinnati Bengals’ starting lineup for the final few games of the year, it showed what this team can be when its franchise QB is healthy. That said, they still have a defense that ranked No. 31 in the NFL in DEFi. Improving that unit should be their top priority this offseason.
As of this writing, Caleb Downs is my top overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. The fact that he plays safety makes estimating a draft slot for him in a mock draft difficult, but there’s no denying the tools he brings to the table.
He’s a significant, physical, athletic, intelligent safety with good ball skills in coverage and the fluidity to cover a lot of ground as a two-high or single-high safety. He’s the real deal.
11) Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Going into this offseason, there’s a lot up in the air surrounding the Miami Dolphins. They’ll likely be moving on from Tua Tagovailoa, and they still have some glaring needs on both sides of the ball. In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they stray away from the quarterback route and address their porous secondary.
Jermod McCoy didn’t play a down in 2025 due to injury, so the fact that he’s selected this high in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft speaks to how well he performed in 2024. He’s an athletic defensive back with excellent ball-tracking skills who mirrors movements well in coverage and plays with a scrappy mentality in press coverage; there’s a lot to like in his tape.
12) Dallas Cowboys: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The bad news for the Dallas Cowboys is that they had the worst defense by DEFi in the entire NFL last year. The good news, though, is that they have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them the chance to double down on that weak unit.
With an allowed passer rating of just 26.7 in 2025, Mansoor Delane was a shutdown cornerback for LSU all year. He’s my top corner in the 2026 NFL Draft because of his instincts in coverage, impressive fluidity in space, competitiveness at the catch point, and his physicality as a tackler.
13) Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons): Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Heading into the 2026 NFL playoffs, the Los Angeles Rams have one of the more complete rosters in the league. They could use an impact offensive tackle to protect Matthew Stafford in the last few years of his career, though. In our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, they do just that.
Caleb Lomu is a smooth, polished left tackle who didn’t allow a single sack in 382 pass-blocking reps during the 2025 regular season. His hand timing, balance, and range in pass protection make him a top offensive tackle prospect and a worthy first-round selection in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
14) Baltimore Ravens: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
After coming just one field goal short of making the playoffs, the Baltimore Ravens chose to hit the reset button and fire head coach John Harbaugh after 18 years with the team.
Having Lamar Jackson healthy would help them get back to form in 2026, but they also have a defensive line that needs enhancements via early-round picks in this year’s NFL Draft.
Peter Woods is an explosive defensive tackle with refined hands, a high motor, excellent agility for his position, and a high football IQ. He’s an effective two-gapping defensive tackle against the run, and he also brings plenty of value on passing downs. That combination alone should make him highly sought after.
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Cade Otton is an impending free agent, and given the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ passing struggles this year, they might not find it worth it to pay him big money for average results. Instead, they could use the 2026 NFL Draft to add a much-needed explosive element to an offense that regressed this season.
Kenyon Sadiq is an elite athlete who can separate from man coverage, has reliable hands as a pass catcher, and battles hard as a run blocker for a smaller tight end.
He caught 8 touchdown passes in the 2025 regular season, taking advantage of his first opportunity at cracking the starting lineup. His upside as a receiver is through the roof, making him worthy of a first-round selection in our 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
16) New York Jets (via Colts): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
It could make sense for the Jets to use the second of their two first-round picks on defense, seeing as though they traded both Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline. Their offense, however, is severely lacking in passing-game weapons. In our latest NFL Mock Draft, we find a talented receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson.
Jordyn Tyson is a threat with his agility, sinking his hips sharply into his breaks and consistently creating separation underneath.
He adjusts his approach through his stems depending on the coverage he sees, showcasing good footwork and strong defensive pattern recognition as a route runner. He’s also an effective YAC receiver with good ball-carrier vision.
17) Detroit Lions: Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
Few expected the level of regression the Detroit Lions experienced in 2025. Part of their step back in play came down to their offensive line, as Kevin Zeitler departed in free agency and Frank Ragnow retired. Losing two star veterans along the interior negatively impacted the offense, and it’s something they look to fix in our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
I had Olaivavega Ioane as one of the top interior offensive linemen in the 2026 NFL Draft this summer, but he’s separated from the pack with his play this year. He is a sturdy guard prospect who knows how to use his hands and pad level to obtain leverage. His anchor strength gives him a higher floor than most at his position.
18) Minnesota Vikings: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
All things considered, it’s a minor miracle the Minnesota Vikings went 9-8, given the instability they faced at quarterback this year. It’s far too early to give up on J.J. McCarthy, but their roster could benefit if they invest in their shaky secondary early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Avieon Terrell is a sharp cover man with excellent speed and short-area burst, as well as good route-recognition capabilities. In 2024, he notched 2 interceptions and 12 pass breakups for Clemson, and he’s combined 21 pass deflections over the course of his last two seasons.
This year, he improved as a tackler, dropping his missed tackle percentage down to 10.4% from 4.1% the year before.
19) Carolina Panthers: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
The Carolina Panthers doubled down on edge rushers on Day 2 of last year’s draft with Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen. The upside there has me doubting they’ll go to that position in Round 1 of the 2026 draft, but they could use one more interior defender to pair with Derrick Brown up front.
Though Caleb Banks played in just three games in 2025 due to injury, he’s shown enough on tape during his time at Florida to warrant an early-round selection.
He’s a 6’6″, 325-pound interior lineman with more pass-rush juice than expected for a player his size, giving him a very high ceiling at the NFL level. Banks are powerful and disruptive, passing down value to entice scouts.
20) Dallas Cowboys (via Packers): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Cowboys added a talented Trevon Diggs replacement to their secondary in Mansoor Delane. They’d be smart to take another defender with the pick they got from the Green Bay Packers, especially considering some of the defensive value still on the board in this hypothetical.
Arvell Reese gets a lot of the 2026 NFL Draft hype in that Ohio State linebacker room, but Sonny Styles is a freak of nature in his own right. His instincts have shown plenty of improvement over time, and he’s an explosive, well-built athlete with a large tackling radius and the ability to make plays in coverage.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
No matter who ends up succeeding Mike Tomlin as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, they’ll have to figure out the quarterback position first and foremost.
Aaron Rodgers’ age and the departure of the coach he came to Pittsburgh to play for make it unlikely that he will return to the Steelers in 2026. Could they look to the draft for a replacement?
Ty Simpson is only a one-year starter in college, but he’s pretty advanced given his limited playing time. A backup to Jalen Milroe last year, Simpson isn’t quite as athletic or has as strong an arm as his predecessor, but he’s a much more polished passer.
He identifies soft spots in zone coverage well and exploits them accordingly. He does a good job of finding the open man, and he’s an accurate thrower of the football.
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Gennings Dunker, OG, Iowa
Injuries to Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater this season revealed just how much of a problem the Los Angeles Chargers’ interior offensive line is when they don’t have two Pro Bowl tackles to mask their mistakes. They’d likely be bummed to miss out on Olaivavega Ioane here, but they get a substantial consolation prize with another top guard prospect.
Gennings Dunker is a three-year starter at Iowa, having played right tackle and both guard positions in college. I project him best as a guard in the NFL due to a lack of length, but I also think his ability to drive defenders off the ball as a down blocker would be better suited along the interior.
He packs a nice punch at the point of attack and can clear defenders off the ball in the run game.
23) Philadelphia Eagles: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
As good as Lane Johnson has been for many years for the Philadelphia Eagles, the team has to know he won’t be able to hold it down at right tackle forever. 2026 will be his 14th season in the NFL, and although he hasn’t slowed down at all, age suggests he’s nearing the tail-end of his career.
The Eagles can afford to swing on upside with a toolsy tackle who could slide into the right tackle spot after a year or two.
Though Kadyn Proctor is arguably the most inconsistent of the top offensive linemen in the 2026 draft, he might have the highest ceiling of the bunch. He’s a massive presence with long arms and powerful hands, helping him dominate physically at the point of attack.
Proctor is not just big; he’s coordinated and can handle power and maintain an anchor in pass protection.
24) Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars): Makai Lemon, WR, USC
After taking an offensive tackle with the first of their two picks in Round 1, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Browns hone in on a wide receiver with the pick they got from Jacksonville. Their top wide receiver in 2025 was Jerry Jeudy with 602 yards, and he was their only player at the position with over 350 receiving yards all year.
The Browns would be ecstatic if Makai Lemon fell this far. He has been the most productive wide receiver in the Big Ten in 2025, which is a notable achievement considering the conference’s wealth of talent.
Lemon holds the triple crown, leading with 79 catches, 1,156 yards, and 11 touchdowns. He is a sure-handed slot receiver who’s quick after the catch and consistently gets open against both man and zone coverage with sharp breaks and good leverage work through his stems.
25) Chicago Bears: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
Ben Johnson led the Chicago Bears to a playoff appearance and an NFC North crown, solidifying them as one of the biggest turnarounds in the NFL this year. Much of that was due to their offense, though. Defensively, they’ve consistently struggled to get home with a four-man rush, and free agent additions Dayo Odeyingbo and Grady Jarrett didn’t live up to the hype in 2025.
Kayden McDonald is a thickly built defender with a 1-technique’s body but the pass-rushing chops of a 3-technique.
He’s a powerful interior defender who can two-gap well with a sturdy anchor and good spatial awareness against the run, but he also has some juice coming off the line of scrimmage for such a big man.
26) Buffalo Bills: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
As one might expect, given that they’ve made the playoffs every year since 2019, the Buffalo Bills consistently have one of the best rosters in the NFL. One thing they’ve lacked in recent seasons, however, is a true WR1: They haven’t had a 1,000-yard receiver since they traded Stefon Diggs.
KC Concepcion is a dynamic receiver with tremendous YAC ability and impressive quickness, excelling as a route runner who shoots out of his breaks.
Throughout his stints at Texas A&M and NC State, he’s been a reliable underneath weapon with inside-outside versatility. His twitchiness underneath and speed-oriented game would be a great addition to Buffalo’s offense.
27) San Francisco 49ers: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
It seems likely that Brandon Aiyuk is on his way out of the San Francisco 49ers’ organization, and Jauan Jennings is a free agent this year. Presumably losing both Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams in consecutive offseasons, they’ll require a talent infusion at the position to complement the likes of George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey in the passing game.
A big-bodied weapon at 6’4″ and 209 pounds, Denzel Boston is a sure-handed receiver with some of the best hands and physicality in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
He has impressive ball skills and coordination to high-point the ball and square up to it properly. As a route runner, Boston uses his hands well through his stems and can attack leverage points by adjusting his footwork to exploit a cornerback’s blind spot.
28) Houston Texans: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
The Houston Texans have arguably the best edge-rushing duo in the NFL in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. As good as their defense has been this season, their interior defensive line is arguably the unit’s biggest weakness. They could use a massive space-eater to complement their stars rushing off the edge.
There were always tools with Christen Miller, but he put it all together in a bigger role for Georgia in 2025. He’s a powerful run defender with a low center of gravity, good hand usage, and great gap awareness working off of blocks. Miller demonstrates some upside as a pass rusher with his first-step acceleration off the ball, too.
29) Los Angeles Rams: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
After addressing the offensive line with their first Round 1 selection of this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Rams have a variety of different avenues they could pursue with their own pick.
They could pursue a quarterback to develop under Stafford, but they might wait to aim higher with their succession choice than what’s available in this class. Adding to their secondary seems like a smart choice, though.
There was plenty to like in Brandon Cisse’s tape at NC State, but his transfer to South Carolina in 2025 saw him unlock his full potential.
He’s a freak athlete with good coverage instincts, allowing him to explode out of his breaks and act on his reads with more efficiency than most cornerbacks. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him make his way into the first round as he does in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
30) New England Patriots: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Speaking of massive turnarounds, the New England Patriots going from 4-13 in 2024 to 14-3 in 2025 is nothing short of incredible.
Their offense is in much better shape with Drake Maye at the helm. With K’Lavon Chaisson slated to hit free agency, they could look for a replacement to pair along the defensive line with Harold Landry III, Milton Williams, and Christian Barmore.
With a starting opportunity now in his reach at Texas A&M, Cashius Howell has lived up to the hype in 2025. He finished the regular season with an SEC-leading 11.5 sacks, and he’s displayed tremendous acceleration and flexibility off the edge. Howell’s arms aren’t incredibly long, but there’s a lot there to be excited about with him on tape.
31) Denver Broncos: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
The Denver Broncos had the second-best defense by DEFi grading in the 2025-26 NFL regular season. Their defensive line has a strong claim to be the best in the entire league, but their group of off-ball linebackers doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. They could use a talented 2026 NFL Draft class to load up at the position.
He’s not the biggest linebacker in the class, but CJ Allen might be the most polished. He’s an intelligent run defender who fills his gaps properly and takes precise angles to the ball.
Allen’s exceptional athleticism enhances his calculated movements; he possesses tremendous straight-line speed, with sideline-to-sideline range and impressive agility. He also brings value as a physical blitzing defender.
32) Seattle Seahawks: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Considering they’re the No. 1 seed in the NFC and that Mike Macdonald is one of the top defensive minds in the NFL, it’s no surprise the Seattle Seahawks have had one of the best defenses in the league this season.
That said, Riq Woolen is slated to hit free agency this year, and instead of paying him big money, it could be smarter to save that cap space and select a cornerback early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
With an allowed passer rating of just 16.1 this season, Chris Johnson is my top Group of 5 prospect in this draft and catapulted himself into first-round pick conversation with a stellar 2025. He’s a smooth, intelligent cornerback who reads route concepts well and also plays with a scrappy demeanor in run support.
