Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2026 NFL Draft:
New Orleans Saints:
The Saints are in rebuilding mode, whether they like it or not. While they seem desperate to stay competitive and avoid another era of being the ‘Aints, New Orleans has an aging roster in need of difference makers and long-term starters. The Saints will find out this season if Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough can be the long-term starter, but if they land the No. 1 pick, they should probably target a franchise quarterback to build around.
Miami Dolphins:
The Dolphins were blown out and embarrassed in Week 1 at Indianapolis, but played much better in a loss to the Patriots. There has been a lot of talk about Miami having problems with its culture in the locker room and organization. That could lead to a toxic environment that leads to losses and trading away veterans during the season. If the Dolphins land the No. 1 pick, they may need to consider drafting a quarterback and starting a rebuild.
New York Giants:
The Giants have some talent on the roster, but they are 0-2 and a mistake-prone team. Russell Wilson is a declining veteran, and Jaxson Dart could have growing pains. Thus, New York probably won’t win a lot of games this season.
Cleveland Browns:
Even though the Browns have a good defense and some talent on their roster, they could be in the race for the No. 1 pick from their pick, or the one they have from the Jaguars. Cleveland plays in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL, and they have the worst quarterback in the division. The Browns should find out if Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders is capable of being the quarterback going forward. That would give them more clarity for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Carolina Panthers:
The Panthers have some good young talent on offense, but their defense could cost them a lot of games. If Carolina lands the No. 1 pick, they will have to consider whether they should stick with Bryce Young.
Top General Manager Candidates:
- Notre Dame general manager Mike Martin
- Atlanta Falcons vice president of player personnel Kyle Smith
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior personnel executive Byron Kiefer
- Detroit Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew
- Detroit Lions director of college scouting Brian Hudspeth
- Houston Texans assistant general manager Chris Blanco
- Former Indianapolis Colts chief personnel executive Morocco Brown
- New England Patriots senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith
- Buffalo Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray
- Las Vegas Raiders vice president of player personnel Brandon Hunt
Top Head Coach Candidates:
- Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman
- Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden
- Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken
- Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard
- Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
- Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
- Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson
Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll
- Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen
- Dallas Cowboys: Brian Schottenheimer
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
Detroit Lions: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU 
The Lions destroyed the Bears, putting up 52 points with Jared Goff throwing five touchdown passes, including three to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Defensively, Detroit had four sacks and forced a few turnovers to spoil Ben Johnson’s return to Ford Field. Rome Odunze (7-128-2) was the lone bright spot for Chicago, and while Terrion Arnold had an interception called back, the Lions could consider adding more cornerback talent next April. Ennis Rakestraw Jr has been unable to stay healthy, and Amik Robertson is heading to free agency. The Lions could consider drafting a third corner to go with Arnold and D.J. Reed.
Delane has nine tackles with an interception and four passes broken up in 2025. Delane is an instinctive defender with a quality skill set for the next level. In 2024, he had four interceptions with seven passes defended, two forced fumbles, and 54 tackles with Virginia Tech. In 2023, he had one interception, one pass batted, and 54 tackles. He had eight breakups with an interception in 2022 as a freshman. The 6-foot-1, 188-pounder has good size to him with upside to continue to get better as he gains experience. Delane would be a nice scheme fit in Detroit.
Cincinnati Bengals: L.T. Overton, DT, Alabama 
Despite Joe Burrow getting injured, the Bengals got a win over Jacksonville with Jake Browning doing enough to lift Cincinnati to an 2-0 start to the season. Trey Hendrickson got a sack, but the Bengals need more pass rush and could use an interior rusher. Adding an interior rushing presence would make a lot of sense for Cincinnati’s defense.
In 2025, Overton has six tackles and a sack thus far. Overton (6-5, 283) is a tough defender at the point of attack with height, length, quickness, and athleticism. In 2024, he totaled 42 tackles with two sacks, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. Overton could be a nice fit as a three-technique tackle to go between Kris Jenkins and Shemar Stewart.
San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida 
The 49ers got a road win in New Orleans, starting backup quarterback Mac Jones, and allowing Spencer Rattler to throw three touchdown passes with Alvin Kamara running for 99 yards on 21 carries. San Francisco added a young edge rusher in the first round last April, but they could use another run-stuffing tackle with pass-rush ability to pair with Alfred Collins.
Banks (6-6, 325) is a large interior defender who flashed some pass-rush ability in 2024. He recorded 4.5 sacks with 21 tackles, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. He had 19 tackles with a sack in 2023. Prior to that, Banks had two tackles with a sack while playing at Louisville. Banks has a good skill set with upside. He could be an excellent addition for San Francisco to pair next to Nick Bosa, Alfred Collins, and Mykel Williams.
Los Angeles Rams: Anthony Hill, LB, Texas 
The Rams improved to 2-0 with a road win at Tennessee. The Titans managed 19 points, and their receivers were held in check aside. Tony Pollard had some success running for 92 yards on 20 carries, and Los Angeles could stand to add a run-stuffing linebacker. The Rams have a fast and athletic defensive line, but are somewhat undersized. It would make sense to add a physical linebacker behind them.
Hill has 15 tackles and two forced fumbles. Hill (6-3, 235) was impressive as a true freshman in 2023, and it looked like he was scratching the surface of his ability. He totaled 67 tackles with five sacks, one forced fumble, and two passes defended. In 2024, Hill had 113 tackles with eight sacks, one pass broken up, and an interception. Hill could make sense for one of the Rams early-round picks.
Seattle Seahawks: Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU
The Seahawks got a big road win in Pittsburgh to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start. Kenneth Walker ran for 105 yards and a touchdown on only 13 carries, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8-103) played well. Seattle’s defense intercepted Aaron Rodgers twice and held Pittsburgh to 72 yards on the ground. However, Jaylen Warren hurt them through the air with 86 yards on four receptions. Seattle has needed some linebacker youth and difference makers in the middle of their defense. The Seahawks got a few sacks from their interior rushers, but zero from the edge rushers. Perkins could help in both regards.
In 2025, Perkins has 13 tackles, two passes batted, and a sack. In 2024, Perkins had 16 tackles before suffering a season-ending injury early in the year. Perkins was a beast and was all over the field for LSU as a freshman in 2022, totaling 72 tackles, 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one interception, and four passes batted. In 2023, Perkins recorded 7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, 74 tackles, and four passes batted. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder possesses a unique body type and is undersized as an edge defender, but there is no doubt about his explosive speed and tremendous instincts. Perkins would be a great fit in Mike Macdonald’s defense, replicating what Roquan Smith did for Macdonald in Baltimore.
New England Patriots: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State 
The Patriots enjoyed an excellent game from Drake Maye with some big plays from the defense and special teams to get their first win of he season. However, once again, the wide receivers were disappointing. Stefon Diggs (4-32) was a non-factor, and they were led in receiving by running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Not a single Patriots receiver had 33 yards or five receptions. This offseason, New England must get more weapons for Maye.
With teammates like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jeremiah Smith, Tate has gone under the radar, but he is a very talented receiver in his own right. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder has good size, runs well, and has flashed big-play ability while never being the No. 1 featured receiver. Thus far in 2025, Tate has 12 receptions for 219 yards with three touchdowns. In 2024, Tate had 50 receptions for 698 yards and four touchdowns. Tate flashed as a freshman in 2023, catching 18 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. Tate has athletic upside and untapped potential. Tate could be a nice early-round target for the Patriots.
Green Bay Packers: Nick Singleton, RB, Penn State 
The Packers’ tough defense and efficient offense cruised over Washington on Thursday Night Football, and Green Bay improved to 2-0 with wins over two playoff teams from last year. Josh Jacobs totaled 84 yards on 23 carries, but the Packers had only four carries go to offensive players other than Jacobs and quarterback Jordan Love. Jacobs was a massive steal in free agency, and he has been outstanding for Green Bay. However, they put a lot on his plate and he had some injury-plagued seasons with the Raiders. It would be smart of the Packers to add some backfield depth on day two of the 2026 NFL Draft.
In 2025, Singleton has averaged 4.3 yards per carry for 179 yards with five touchdowns. He has five receptions for 44 yards. For the NFL, Singleton (6-0, 224) is a well-rounded back who can attack defenses in a variety of ways. He has a strong build and is a physical runner who shows the strength to pick up yards after contact. In 2024, Singleton ran well for the Nittany Lions, averaging 6.4 yards per carry for 1,099 yards with 12 touchdowns. He was also a nice contributor as a receiver out of the backfield with 41 catches for 375 yards with five touchdowns. Singleton flashed in previous seasons while splitting carries. In 2023, he averaged 4.4 yards per carry for 752 yards with eight scores. That season, he caught 26 passes for 308 yards with two touchdowns. Singleton was very impressive as a freshman when he averaged 6.8 yards per carry for 1,061 yards with 12 touchdowns. He caught 11 passes for 85 yards and a score. Singleton would be a nice back to pair with Josh Jacobs and give the Packers a very dangerous backfield tandem.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.
Philadelphia Eagles:
The defending world champs have one of the best rosters in the NFL, and general manager Howie Roseman is very aggressive to add difference-makers to their roster. Philadelphia has the talent base to be in the hunt for another Super Bowl for many seasons to come. Another good draft in April of 2026 could help put the Eagles over the top.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Eagles taking an understudy to Lane Johnson in Alabama’s Kayden Proctor. Proctor is massive, athletic, and has a ton of upside. He needs some development, but the skill set is there for Proctor to be a special starter as a pro. Johnson has had a great career, but preparing his eventual replacement would make sense. Proctor could compete at guard if necessary to start his career, but adding tackle help would make a lot of sense for Philadelphia. Aside from Proctor, there could be other good options to consider, like Oregon’s Isaiah World, Auburn’s Xavier Chaplin, Clemson’s Blake Miller, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, and Penn State’s Drew Shelton.
On the defensive side of the ball, it would make sense to continue to add some edge rush youth. Philadelphia lost some veterans to free agency, and Brandon Graham retired. Za’Darius Smith was added for this year, but he is not a long-term starter. Some edge rush options to consider include Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton, Stanford’s David Bailey, Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, and Ohio State’s Kenyatta Jackson.
With the talent on both sides of the ball, the Eagles will be in the mix to win the Super Bowl in 2026 and beyond. Continuing to build up the talent in the trenches on both sides of the ball will help Philadelphia to win the line of scrimmage. With Roseman in place, they will always have a talented roster and be looking to add special players that lead to the Eagles winning Lombardi Trophies.
Washington Redskins:
The Redskins lost in Green Bay on Thursday night, but there were some positives for Washington playing a good team on the road. The Redskins have one of the oldest rosters in the NFL, and adding more youth to help Jaylen Samuels for years to come is critical for Washington. They need to build up their weapons for Daniels and add some young core pieces to their defense.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Redskins taking Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton. He is a big, sturdy end with upside that would be a great fit in Dan Quinn’s defense. Obviously, Von Miller is not a long-term starter, and they need more youth on the edge after trading away Montez Sweat and Chase Young. The 2026 NFL Draft could be a good year to land edge rush talent, so Washington might be able to land a good value in the back half of the first round. Some edge rush options to consider include Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Clemson’s T.J. Parker, Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei, Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, and Ohio State’s Kenyatta Jackson.
Another position that would make sense to inject some talent would be linebacker. Bobby Wagner is old and declining. In the early rounds of the draf,t they could consider prospects like LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr., Texas’ Anthony Hill, Ohio State’s Sonny Styles, and Penn State’s Tony Rojas.
Offensively, the Redskins could consider adding a feature back to help take the pressure off of Daniels and create better down-and-distance situations. Austin Ekeler is nearing the end of his career and suffered a torn ACL against Green Bay. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love would be superb, but he may not make it to Washington’s first-round pick. On day two of the draft, Penn State’s Nick Singleton could be a nice addition. Other backs to consider include Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, Alabama’s Jam Miller, and Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price. The wide receiver position could also get consideration if Deebo Samuel is not re-signed. Washington has a bright future with Daniels under center as their franchise quarterback. Now they need to get younger and build up the talent around him to help him get the Redskins back to the Super Bowl.
