2026 NFL Mock Draft

The Raiders are desperate for a quarterback, so they did whatever it took to obtain one. This included sitting their best player after he expressed a desire to beat his opponent. The nerve!

Geno Smith has been terrible this year, which may have surprised ESPN’s atrocious hires, one of whom said that Smith was a top-10 NFL quarterback when he was traded to Las Vegas. Smith was one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL, so the Raiders will be drafting a new franchise signal-caller.

Fernando Mendoza has great size, arm strength, and accuracy. He was seen as raw entering the 2025 season, but he had a tremendous year. He will be the No. 1 pick in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft unless he gets abducted by aliens.

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The Jets obviously need a quarterback. Unfortunately for them, Dante Moore went back to school, so they’ll have to settle for an option via trade or free agency unless they fall in love with Ty Simpson.

New York will now use this selection on the best defensive player available. Help is needed everywhere on a stop unit ranked 29th in EPA. David Bailey was considered here in this mock draft, but Reese has the edge by a bit.

Arvell Reese is a special player because of his incredible instincts and athleticism.

The Cardinals ranked 28th in defense during the second half of the season, but their offensive line needs help. Paris Johnson is the only viable tackle they have under contract at the moment.

This is another pick in which David Bailey was considered, but Charlie Campbell reported that the Cardinals love Spencer Fano, so I’m going to slot the top tackle in this class to Arizona in this 2026 NFL Mock draft.

Spencer Fano needs to fill out his frame, but he was stationed at left tackle as a freshman.

Pick change; previously Francis Mauigoa, OT

The Titans have one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They need to find the best defensive player possible. They sorely missed Harold Landry last year, so they’ll need to find a new edge rusher, even after acquiring Jermaine Johnson.

David Bailey is a fast edge rusher with great potential. I can’t imagine slotting Bailey later than No. 4 in this mock draft. He could end up going No. 2 or 3.

The Giants need to give Jaxson Dart as much protection as possible, but the best non-quarterbacks in this draft are defensive players. They have issues all over the place on their defense, so they should take the best player possible to improve their horrible stop unit. Bobby Okereke is coming off a down year and will turn 30 this summer.

Sonny Styles is a versatile linebacker who plays well in coverage. This is the highest he’s ever been in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, but he had an amazing combine in which he broke records, and he’s now in the conversation to be the fifth-overall pick.

Pick change; previously Caleb Downs, S

Ty Simpson is not worthy of the sixth pick, and ownership seems to like Shedeur Sanders, so they may want to give him one more year. If so, it wouldn’t hurt to protect him better than they did last year. Jedrick Wills needs to be properly replaced, so a tackle will be the pick in this mock draft.

Francis Mauigoa has immense upside as a potential left tackle in the NFL. His brother was just drafted in the fifth round.

Pick change; previously Spencer Fano, OT

Jacory Croskey-Merritt was a fun story because he liked to be called Bill for some reason, but the Redskins need to make sure that Jayden Daniels can lean on a potent rushing attack so that he’s not taking too many hits. Jeremiyah Love makes sense for that reason, but I’m going to move off of him going to the Redskins in this mock draft because Charlie Campbell reported that the Redskins prefer a pass rusher at No. 7.

Rueben Bain was very productive as a freshman and has a ton of upside.

Pick change; previously Jeremiyah Love, RB

It’s a close call between an edge rusher and a running back with this pick. That’s assuming that Reuben Bain and Jeremiyah Love would both be on the board, but that’s not the case in this version of my 2026 NFL Mock Draft. Love would be the selection in this instance, as Alvin Kamara is old and injury-prone at this stage of his career.

Jeremiyah Love is a powerful, downhill runner with plus receiving ability.

Pick change; previously Rueben Bain, DE

The Chiefs were horrible against the pass last year, and they’ll be even worse if Bryan Cook leaves via free agency. Kansas City has nothing at the position outside of Cook, so safety would be a huge need if he were to leave. No pass rusher this time in this mock draft, but Kansas City can take the best player on the board.

Caleb Downs projects as one of the top play-making safeties in the NFL in several years.

Pick change; previously Keldric Faulk, DE/DT

The Bengals have severe issues throughout their defense, so taking the best player on that side of the ball makes sense. Defensive tackle is a particularly weak point on the team, but any talented defensive player would make sense for Cincinnati in this mock draft.

Peter Woods is a disruptive interior lineman.

The Dolphins have looked like the worst team in the NFL at times this year, and part of that is Tua Tagovailoa’s incompetence. They could go after a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, but perhaps the new ex-Packers regime will go after Malik Willis. If so, they’ll need someone to help protect that quarterback or generate more possessions for that quarterback. Cornerback was a huge for Miami last year, so that’ll be the pick in this mock draft.

Jermod McCoy is an instinctive cornerback who tackles well, but is coming off a torn ACL. He’s healthy and good to go, by all accounts.

Pick change; previously Mansoor Delane, CB

The Cowboys gave up 450 passing yards to Russell Wilson and then allowed Caleb Williams to have the best performance of his career. Dallas’ miserable defense needs help at every level. As with the Bengals, any defensive position makes sense for the Cowboys in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Mansoor Delane is very instinctive with nice size.

Pick change; previously Jermod McCoy, CB

Davante Adams is 33, while Cooper Kupp is gone. The Rams need a receiver for the future. A receiver selection remains unchanged for the Rams in this post-combine 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Jordyn Tyson is a speedy, explosive receiver with quality size.

The Raiders acquired this pick for Maxx Crosby – check out the NFL Trade Grades page – so perhaps they’ll find a No. 1 receiver to pair with Fernando Mendoza. In this mock draft, they can combine Mendoza with a stellar receiver on the other side of the Big Ten Championship.

Carnell Tate didn’t do much as a freshman, but the tall receiver had a breakout sophomore campaign.

The Buccaneers really need to improve their pass rush if they don’t want to be shredded by Michael Penix Jr. and Tyler Shough. Plenty of other defensive positions would make sense for the Buccaneers, but not linebacker anymore because Sonny Styles has skyrocketed in this mock draft.

Zion Young has good size and length. There’s plenty of upside.

Pick change; previously Sonny Styles, LB

This new pick for the Jets could be anything. It could even be Sauce Gardner. Or, perhaps a quarterback, or maybe even someone to protect the quarterback. The Jets have two tackles with huge upside, but their two starting guards are set to enter free agency, so this new mock draft pick for the Jets is a replacement for those players.

Ola Ioane is an explosive guard with a nasty streak.

Pick change; previously Ty Simpson, QB