Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2026 NFL Draft:
New York Jets:
The Jets currently are the leaders for the No. 1 pick as they are the only winless team in the NFL at 0-5. New York has some talent on the roster, but they are clearly in a big rebuilding project under Aaron Glenn and won’t be a playoff contender this season. New York should win some games this year, and I do not think they will be in serious contention to go winless.
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
- Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
- 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:
- Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll
- Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan
- Dallas Cowboys: Brian Schottenheimer
- Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
Denver Broncos: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville 
The Broncos pulled off the most shocking upset of Week 5 with a road win over the undefeated and defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles. Denver was down 17-3, but scored 18 in the fourth quarter to shock Philadelphia. To help Bo Nix, the Broncos could use more receiving weapons, including some possession run-after-the-catch wideouts. In the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Bell could be a nice addition for Denver.
To open 2025, Bell has 35 catches for 502 yards and four touchdowns. Bell (6-2, 220) was a solid receiver for the Cardinals in 2024, catching 43 passes for 737 yards and four touchdowns. With a strong build, Bell is physical and tough, but he also has good speed and runs well for a thick-built receiver. He could be a great No. 2 receiver across from Courtland Sutton with speed receivers like Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims to finish off a talented group for Nix.
Minnesota Vikings: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson 
Minnesota got a tough road win in London, coming back to drop the Browns. Quinshon Judkins (23-110) ran well against Brian Flores defense, and adding youth to the interior of the defensive line looks necessary. The Vikings added Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen in the offseason, but they are declining veterans, and that is why San Francisco and Washington let them go, respectively. Adding a run stuffer to help the Vikings edge rushers would make sense.
Woods had 15 tackles and a pass batted. Woods got his season off to a strong start against Georgia, and he has been disruptive for Clemson. In 2024, he had three sacks and 26 tackles. Woods (6-3, 315) has upside to be better as he gains experience. At the point of attack, Woods is quick with the speed to shoot a gap and collapse the pocket. He could make sense for Minnesota on the opening night of the draft.
New Orleans Saints: Kamari Ramsey, S, USC 
The Saints got their first win of the season with a home win over the Giants. New York had painful fumbles from Jaxson Dart, Darius Slayton, and Cam Skattebo to help New Orleans. Skattebo’s fumble was returned by Jordan Howden for a long touchdown, and that swung the game to the Saints. The Giants had some success throwing passes to Skattebo and the tight ends. With Tyrann Mathieu retired, New Orleans could use some young talent at safety.
In 2025, Ramsey has seven tackles and a pass defended. Ramsey played well for the Trojans in 2024, totaling 60 tackles with an interception, five passes defended, and two forced fumbles. With his speed and athleticism, Ramsey could fit as a free safety prospect for the NFL. Some team contacts are very high on Ramsey and his coverage skills. He could be a nice option for the Saints on day two of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dallas Cowboys: Dani Dennis-Sutton, DE, Penn State 
The Jets were destroyed by Dallas as Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams, and George Pickens dominated the New York defense. Justin Houston continues to be a steal and an effective pass rusher for the Cowboys. However, they need more long-term replacements for Micah Parsons. Jadeveon Clowney is just a short-term addition. Dennis-Sutton would be a nice addition with one of the Cowboys’ early-round picks.
In 2025, Dennis-Sutton has 18 tackles with two sacks, two passes broken up, two forced fumbles, and a blocked punt. Dennis-Sutton (6-5, 272) is a big body at the point of attack, and he is a tough run defender. In 2024, he recorded 36 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three passes defended, and a forced fumble. He had 26 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2023. Dennis-Sutton is a good run defender who shows some variety in pass-rushing moves, some quickness to close, and is a tough presence to set the edge. Dennis-Sutton would be an excellent end to help improve the Dallas run defense and pass rush.
Indianapolis Colts: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami 
The Colts dominated the Raiders, winning by 34. Indianapolis’ defense intercepted Geno Smith twice and held the Raiders to a pair of field goals. Jonathan Taylor had 66 yards on 17 carries (3.9 average), but Taylor had three touchdowns. Indianapolis lost some veteran interior linemen in the offseason, and they could consider adding a big body to move inside to guard to help open holes for Taylor.
Mauigoa was a star recruit and one of the top players in the nation. After choosing the Hurricanes, Mauigoa has been a starting tackle the past three seasons. The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder has a quality skill set with upside, but has not been dominant. Some team sources feel he might be better off moving inside to guard in the NFL, but he could be a starting right tackle or guard in the NFL.
Washington Redskins: Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma 
The Commanders got back on track with a road win at Los Angeles and enjoyed the return of star quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels distributed the ball with Deebo Samuel carrying the load (8-96-1). However, no other Washington receiver had three catches or 51 yards through the air. Washington needs to get Daniels more receiving weapons in the offseason.
In 2025, Burks has 25 receptions for 275 yards and two touchdowns. Burks (5-9, 190) has playmaking ability and upside for the NFL. In 2024, he had 31 receptions for 245 yards and three touchdowns. In 2023, Burks caught 47 passes for 629 yards and seven touchdowns with Purdue. Burks is a fast and dynamic receiver. Team sources feel that Burks is fast, tough, blocks hard, and has upside. He could be a nice addition for Washington, and would be a good fit if Samuel is not re-signed.
Tennessee Titans: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State 
The Titans were way down and looked like they were going to get blown out by the Cardinals, but Tennessee mounted an epic comeback to get a walk-off field goal and their first win of the season. Calvin Ridley (5-131) had a huge game including, a 47-yard catch to set up the game-winning field goal. But no other Titans receiver had three catches or 19 yards through the air. Tennessee needs to add more receiving weapons for Ward in the offseason.
Tyson has 39 catches for 483 yards and seven touchdowns. Tyson was a dangerous weapon for the Sun Devils in 2024 as he hauled in 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns. Tyson is fast with easy acceleration. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder has adequate size and showed some serious speed and explosiveness in 2022 when he averaged 21.4 yards per reception (22-470-4). He could be a long-term No. 1 receiver for Cam Ward.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.
Seattle Seahawks:
The Seahawks were a tough team to project heading into the 2026 season. Clearly, they have some good young talent on both sides of the ball, and they have drafted well under General Manager John Schneider. In the offseason, Seattle traded Geno Smith to make room for signing Sam Darnold. After some lowlights early in his career, Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-season streak in 2024. So the uncertainty stemmed from which version of Darnold was going to take the field for Seattle. Thus far, Darnold has been solid, and he played well against a good Tampa Bay team on Sunday. The Seahawks are in a position of needing to build up more talent around him in the 2026 NFL Draft.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Seahawks taking South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor. After trading away D.K. Metcalf, Seattle could use a big outside wideout to pair with Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Cooper Kupp is a declining veteran, and Darnold could use a receiver with size who can win on the outside. The huge, fast, and raw Harbor is similar to Metcalf coming out of Ole Miss, and Seattle could develop him into giving them a talented trio with Smith-Njigba and promising rookie Tory Horton. Aside from Harbor, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson and Washington’s Denzel Boston would be good options to consider if they made it to the Seahawks’ first-round pick.
Defensively, Seattle could consider adding help at cornerback or linebacker. Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese would be a great fit in Mike Macdonald’s scheme. Reese could be a three-down starter and plug-and-play contributor next to Ernst Jones. Other early-round linebackers to consider include LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr., Pitt’s Kyle Louis, and Utah’s Lander Barton.
With Riq Woolen poised to hit the open market, cornerback could be a big need if Woolen is not re-signed. There could be some good early-round corners for the Seahawks. Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy, Alabama’s Domani Jackson, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, LSU’s Mansoor Delane, and Texas A&M’s Will Lee are good options to consider. Adding a No. 1 outside corner to go with Devon Witherspoon could be a top consideration if Woolen is not in the long-term plans for Seattle.
General manager John Schneider has drafted very well for the Seahawks, and he could set up Seattle to be a Super Bowl contender for many years to come if Darnold continues to play well and they nail the 2026 NFL Draft.
San Francisco 49ers:
During the tenure of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers have had some great seasons, followed by down seasons, and then quick rebounds into Super Bowl contention. Entering this season, San Francisco looked poised to be back in Super Bowl contention with one of the easiest schedules in the league, a healthy Christian McCaffrey, and other veterans still playing well. However, Nick Bosa has been lost for the season, and the team has had other injuries that have hurt them. Still, the 49ers have the talent on their roster to be a postseason contender this season. With a good draft next April, San Francisco could be poised to challenge the elite of the NFC.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the 49ers taking Alabama defensive lineman L.T. Overton to help them continue the youth movement on their defensive front. Javon Hargrave left in free agency, and they filled his spot with a nice value in second-round pick Alfred Collins. First-round pick Mykel Williams should form a nice end tandem with Nick Bosa, and to finish off the line, San Francisco could use a three-technique tackle. Overton is quick, athletic, and offers some interior pass rush potential. He would be a great scheme fit for Robert Saleh. Aside from Overton, other tackle options they could consider in the early rounds include Clemson’s Peter Woods and Florida’s Caleb Banks. Building a talented young defensive line is clearly a top priority for Lynch and Shanahan.
The offensive line is another position that could use an injection of young talent. Left tackle Trent Williams is a future Hall of Famer, but Williams is old and showing signs of decline. Father time is undefeated, and preparing for life after Williams would be a wise move given the health and investment in quarterback Brock Purdy. Shanahan’s offensive scheme leaves his quarterbacks vulnerable to injury, so adding a young left tackle would make sense. The 49ers may not pick high enough for Utah’s Spencer Fano or Alabama’s Kayden Proctor, but there could be other good options to consider in the first round, including Auburn’s Xavier Chaplin, Oregon’s Isaiah World, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, and Boston College’s Jude Bowry. Continuing to build up the line on the inside could be worth considering after the first round as well.
Aside from addressing the trenches, San Francisco could also consider adding some depth at running back and wide receiver in the mid-rounds. McCaffrey is aging and has durability issues, while they could have more turnover at wideout. Adding some young players that fit the scheme and help Purdy would make sense in the mid-rounds. The 49ers are a well-coached team, and they have been adept at finding talent in the draft. With a productive draft, San Francisco could be back in Super Bowl contention in the very near future.
