Congratulations are in order for the Seattle Seahawks, who overcame incredible preseason odds and uncertainty with a new coach and a new quarterback to become Super Bowl Champions. Now with that behind us, it is time to see how teams will address the offseason and who they will be looking to draft.
Here is our first one-round NFL mock draft with the confirmed draft order.
1) Las Vegas Raiders
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
With the Raiders securing the top pick in the draft, it feels inevitable that they will go with Heisman Trophy-winning QB Fernando Mendoza with the pick. Mendoza has shone brighter as the lights have gotten brighter, and the Raiders should be excited to bring in a winner.
2) New York Jets
Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
With Dante Moore back at school, there is no obvious play at quarterback here, so I expect the Jets to take the best player available, which I have been saying is Arvell Reese for a few months now.
At Ohio State, he played linebacker and is exceptional at it. Still, with a solid 6-foot-4 frame, he can fill several roles for Arizona. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he has “never coached a player with the versatility and talent of Reese.” Which, to me, means that he could take this defense to the next level and adapt his role to the team’s needs as well.
3) Arizona Cardinals
Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
For a new coach to come in and build a culture, a first draft pick of Francis Mauigoa would send the right message. He is a powerful and talented tackle who should translate immediately into the NFL after playing in Miami’s pro-style offense. I believe that this has prepared him for the next level. He doesn’t take plays off, has proven to be coachable, and continues to improve year over year, so he is a great tackle prospect regardless of the scheme he is in.
4) Tennessee Titans
Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
This is not a destination match among my compatriots, but I think defensive players will want to sign and play with Jeffrey Simmons if the team proves it is committed to making the offense work. After watching Cam Ward progress with an uninspiring expansive receiver room, getting him a wideout with potential to be a legitimate number one would go a long way for this team as a whole.
Jordyn Tyson is the top receiver in a class that I think isn’t getting much love. Love will be considered a strong receiver class in a few years. Tyson caught 61 passes for 711 yards and 8 touchdowns in only nine games. He has prototypical size at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, and I think he is just what the doctor ordered for this offense.
5) New York Giants
Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Carnell Tate has been a mover up draft boards as the next stud wideout to come from Ohio State. He had 51 catches for 875 yards and 9 touchdowns. He established himself as a serious threat this year against elite competition and raised his yards per catch by 3.1 year-over-year.
He is 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds and has the potential to be a matchup nightmare and create a dynamic duo with Malik Nabers for QB Jaxson Dart and the Giants to take a significant step forward
6) Cleveland Browns
Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Few players in the league today possess the ability to shut down opposing pass-rushers quite like Fano has shown at the collegiate level. His experience at both tackle positions has me going with Spencer Fano here.
Fano completed the entire 2025 season without allowing a sack or a QB hit on 382 pass-blocking snaps, and in watching him play, he plays with the tenacity you would expect from your offensive line, which is infectious when he is making plays.
7) Washington Commanders
Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
With Washington looking to rebuild its defensive line, for Rueben Bain Jr. to fall to them at seven, considering where he was discussed being picked just a few months ago, this could be an absolute steal for the long run. Bain possesses skills in both stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback, as he is coming off a career year with 9.5 sacks. He is big, strong, athletic, and just what the doctor ordered for the Commanders here.
8) New Orleans Saints
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
With the Saints hitting a home run with their pick of Tyler Shough, and Alvin Kamara on the dying embers of being a truly successful back, bringing in LovLoveuldmakese, the Saints possess the most dangerous offense they have had since Hall of Fame QB Drew Brees was under center.
After never grading lower than a C in our PFSN RB Impact Rating, Alvin Kamara had the worst year of his career in 2025 with a 48.4 impact score and graded as the 46th-best running back in the league. A reduced workload should help him return to his standard and benefit the offense as a whole.
9) Kansas City Chiefs
Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Reinforcing the defense with another force on the edge can make this Chiefs defense as lethal as ever, and Faulk has the upside to be as good as, if not better than, those currently on the Kansas City line.
Faulk is a physical specimen at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, and has drawn comparisons to Calais Campbell with more athleticism. This sounds like a terrifying sight for opposing offensive lines. Faulk is one year removed from a seven-sack campaign, and I don’t think teams will be able to plan for him in the NFL as they did in College with the aforementioned Burns and Lawrence by his side.
10) Cincinnati Bengals
Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Caleb Downs is the kind of player who comes in and can totally reshape how a defense is structured and gameplanned. How they attack teams, and the Cincinnati Bengals need to start investing more resources in their defense to become dynamic for Joe Burrow’s next healthy season (which we all hope is next year).
Look for the Bengals to surprise some people by adding to the defense beyond just Downs and make a deep run next year.
11) Miami Dolphins
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Jermod McCoy’s injury was about the only thing that could stop him from flying up draft boards, as he has ideal size for an NFL corner and plays with good instincts, which he showed in a stellar sophomore season in 2024-25.
I think the Dolphins’ decision to bring in McCoy is a smart move, as they have had success developing defensive backs in the past, and he has the upside to be among the league’s elite.
READ MORE: Top 100 2026 NFL Free Agent Rankings: Where Do George Pickens, Daniel Jones Rank?
12) Dallas Cowboys
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
With the addition of a smart linebacker like Logan Wilson to man the middle and get everyone in the correct position, bringing in an “oversized safety” to roam the linebacker position. Styles possesses that skill set and instinct, while starting to realize his massive potential against elite competition week after week at Ohio State.
13) Los Angeles Rams (via ATL)
Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
While Delane lacks the top-end speed some teams desire from their corners, he makes up for it with elite instincts and awareness, suggesting he has incredible potential as an NFL player. He has shown astonishing football acumen and the ability to perform consistently year over year against the highest levels of competition, making him a perfect fit for Sean McVay’s Rams.
His upside is limitless, as teams were reportedly worried about his straight-line speed, but he has made up for it with a high work rate and fluid athleticism that should see him succeed for a long time in the NFL.
14) Baltimore Ravens
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
People would be talking about David Bailey as the best transfer by a long way if not for Mendoza, but that doesn’t mean that David Bailey wasn’t an impactful player by any stretch. He was the most productive defensive player in the country. He should be able to come in and make a significant difference on defense for a team that fell off significantly after letting their defensive coordinator go to Seattle.
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
Cashius Howell is a great fit to do just that. He had 11.5 sacks in his most recent season and has consistently shown the ability to get to the quarterback. Howell was a finalist for some of the most prestigious awards in college football and was the SEC defensive player of the year.
16) New York Jets (via IND)
Makai Lemon, WR, USC
I expect the Jets to bring in another weapon for Moore, who will also take some of the target share from Garrett Wilson, who is coming off a tough, injury-filled season for New York. His speed and skill set will give the Jets another option with tremendous upside to complement Wilson and to be a target for Moore (or Fields), thereby improving this offense.
17) Detroit Lions
Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
The younger brother of All-Pro CB A.J. Terrell checks all of the boxes, skills-wise, to be a starting cornerback in the NFL for a long time, but teams are just worried that he may be too small to go against the best in the world. What Detroit will love is his nose for the big play, as exhibited by his 3 sacks and 5 forced fumbles this season.
Look for the Lions to bring him in and Terrell to make an immediate impact on a defensive back room that showed how bad it needed depth this season.
18) Minnesota Vikings
Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
While the Vikings may be upset to miss out on Love, Clemson’s Peter Woods will help them quickly quell any draft-day blues, as he is a highly physical and high-motor player who excels against both the pass and the run. Adding a player like Woods to an already solid defensive front will create more pressure on opposing offenses and create more havoc in what is becoming one of the best divisions in football.
19) Carolina Panthers
Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Getting Bryce Young another weapon has to be the top priority behind Tet McMillan, as while they made the playoffs, they were expected to be an early first-round exit because they could not make the crucial plays. Outside of McMillan, the other pass catchers had constant drops and were a big reason for the season ending that day.
Bringing in Sadiq adds a new vertical threat to the offense and would bring the Panthers into the new age of tight ends in the NFL.
20) Dallas Cowboys (via GB)
CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
CJ Allen has a ton of experience playing in big games and performing well. The Cowboys need another leader on this defense who wants to put in the work to be great, and I think Allen is the next great linebacker to transition from Kirby Smart’s Georgia to the NFL and make a huge impact.
The Cowboys shocked the world in trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay last season, and it is still strange to see him in green, but
21) Pittsburgh Steelers
Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Alabama QB Ty Simpson has passed every test that has been thrown at him, and with the way Rodgers performed in their playoff game against the Texans, I would be shocked to see him get another chance at it. Simpson has played against elite-level talent and has the arm talent to be the next franchise quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
22) Los Angeles Chargers
Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
After a down year for almost everything to do with Penn State, Olaivavega Ioane was a star for the Nittany Lions at guard. He is excellent in both pass-blocking and rush-blocking situations and has an extremely high floor, which is essential for an interior offensive lineman getting picked this early.
23) Philadelphia Eagles
Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
Brandon Cisse has the potential to create an extremely dynamic duo with Quinyon Mitchell in Philadelphia, as he plays with a perfect blend of physicality and explosiveness that makes him a nightmare for opposing receivers. He also plays with great instincts and footwork, which have been consistent and have allowed him to be one of the highest risers in this draft class.
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24) Cleveland Browns (via JAX)
Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Colton Hood would bring Cleveland someone with the potential to be a legitimate number-one corner in the NFL. He possesses sound fundamentals, excellent route recognition, and toughness, which he has consistently demonstrated at each of his college football stops.
He stepped into a bigger role in the SEC after Jermond McCoy was injured and has looked great in it. His main knock is his lack of experience, but that isn’t enough to move him out of the first round for me, as Cleveland needs to grab a player with upside like this, especially after trading Greg Newsome II.
25) Chicago Bears
Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State
I think the scarcity created by A’Mauri Washington returning to Oregon for another year helped solidify Kayden McDonald’s position in the first round of this draft. McDonald is a menace on running downs and has shown potential to make plays in the passing game. Still, the inconsistency in that part of his game is why he is in the latter part of this round, as he has all of the talent and strength in the world to be a dominant force for Chicago in the future.
26) Buffalo Bills
Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
With the failed pick of Keon Coleman and a revolving door at the position, I have the Bills bringing in a steady option with real upside. Boston took his game to the next level in his second season as a starter, with 881 yards on 62 catches and 11 touchdowns. He is a mismatch nightmare for defenses with his 6-foot-4 frame, physicality, and quick feet, and would bring another element to the Buffalo wideout room.
27) San Francisco 49ers
Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
There aren’t many people on earth who are 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds, and are both athletic and skilled enough to be dominant in the SEC. Kaydn Proctor was a five-star recruit who lived up to the hype. He overpowers defenders and has impressive athleticism.
If Proctor masters his technique, he could end up as a top player from this draft class and help San Francisco stay among the top teams in the league.
28) Houston Texans
Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Caleb Lomu is a relatively safe option as a pass-protecting tackle. He’s been elite during his time with the Utah Utes, showcasing himself as part of an excellent offensive tackle duo with teammate Spencer Fano. Lomu is more refined right now, using his strength to anchor in pass protection while being technical with his hand usage.
I think bringing in Lomu will help CJ Stroud have enough time to progress if he is to do so, as I think people want to see a big leap from Stroud next season, and I think the Texans know how good their defense is, so they will do everything they can to help him succeed.
29) Los Angeles Rams
Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
Last time, I had the Rams taking their quarterback of the future with this pick, but with Matthew Stafford winning the NFL MVP this past season, and the team mostly returning to run it back, I think the Rams pivot to filling a need for now with this pick.
30) Denver Broncos
Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
Anthony Hill is a highly skilled linebacker with strong instincts and excellent speed. He was a force in 2024 and has struggled to repeat that success, but I think he can fill a linebacker spot on a talented, schematically sound Broncos defense and be an outstanding player in the NFL. Look for the Broncos to place him in a position where he can succeed and develop his game.
31) New England Patriots
Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
It is debatable if the offensive line is entirely at fault for that Super Bowl performance, or if there were other mistakes made. Either way, this position needs to be addressed. With Morgan Moses in-house for another year, he could learn from a very experienced tackle and be coached up on technical things that need more attention to detail.
Miller has the power and quick feet to be a Pro Bowl-level player if those flaws could be refined.
32) Seattle Seahawks
Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech
The Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks will begin their quest to repeat with this pick, and Romello Height is a great fit. It is impressive to see both edge rushers from the Texas Tech defensive line getting drafted in the first round, but they were both stellar. He has good size at 6-foot-3 and athleticism, and recorded a career-high 10 sacks.
Seattle looks like a force under Mike MacDonald, and with defense being his calling card, I would be shocked if he went any other route with this pick.
