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 0-6. 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.
Tennessee Titans:
Tennessee was fortunate to get a win over Arizona, and the Cardinals should have won that game. The Titans could land the No. 1 pick for the second straight season. If Tennessee gets the No. 1 pick, it would make sense to auction the pick to load up on draft picks to rebuild the Titans’ roster.
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.
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
- Tennessee Titans: Brian Callahan
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll
- Dallas Cowboys: Brian Schottenheimer
- Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
Seattle Seahawks: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville 
The Seahawks got back on track with a road win at Jacksonville. Seattle enjoyed a big game out of Jaxon Smith-Njigba (8-162-1), but no other receiver had three catches or 41 yards. Cooper Kupp is a declining veteran and not a long-term starter. It would make sense to add more wide receiver talent for Sam Darnold to work with.
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 Smith-Njigba.
Carolina Panthers: David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech 
The Panthers scored 10 in the fourth quarter to drop the Cowboys 30-27 with Carolina improving 3-3. The lack of pass rush was apparent again, as the Panthers recorded zero sacks against Dallas. Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen could end up being solid contributors, but the Panthers could use an elite quarterback hunter and speed edge rusher to replace Brian Burns.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Bailey is a fast edge rusher with serious speed off the ball and the ability to bend around the corner. In 2024, he recorded 31 tackles with seven sacks and five forced fumbles with Stanford. Thus far in 2025, he has 8.5 sacks and 17 tackles with the Red Raiders. Bailey was not impressive against Utah, but Bailey has natural quarterback hunting ability and could be a riser through the 2026 draft process. He could make a lot of sense for the Panthers’ first-round pick.
New England Patriots: Zion Young, DE, Missouri 
The Patriots improved to 4-2 with a road win in New Orleans. New England could have had a letdown after their huge win last Sunday night over Buffalo, but the Patriots were led by young star quarterback Drake Maye to a win in the Big Easy. Harold Landry had a sack, but the Patriots could stand to add more edge rush talent for Mike Vrabel’s defense.
Young has 18 tackles with three sacks and two passes batted thus far, but has been among the nation’s leaders in pressures. In 2024, Young had 41 tackles with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Young has good size, length, and upside to develop. While Young has good size, he is also quick to close and shows good instincts as a rusher. Young could be a riser throughout the 2026 draft process, and he might be a good early-round selection for New England.
Los Angeles Rams: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State 
The Rams got a road win in Baltimore despite being held to 17 points. But the Ravens were without Lamar Jackson, and the Los Angeles defense shut down backup quarterbacks Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley. However, even though they knew the Ravens would want to establish the run, Los Angeles allowed Derrick Henry to run for 122 yards on 24 carries. Los Angeles has some good young talent on the defensive line, but they could use some run-stuffing linebackers to complement them.
Thus far in 2025, Reese has 38 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two passes broken up. Team sources feel that Reese is a special player as they like his instincts in combination with being big and athletic. At 6-foot-4, 238 pounds, Reese is a large linebacker with a versatile skill set. He would be a great addition to the Rams’ defense with one of their early-round picks.
Las Vegas Raiders: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami 
The Raiders got their second win of the season with Las Vegas’ defense allowing only 10 points. Ashton Jeanty scored, but he only averaged 3.3 yards per carry on 23 carries. Las Vegas needs more blocking talent to open holes for Jeanty, and improving its pass protection would be great as well. Mauigoa could be a good road-grader for Jeanty.
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. Mauigoa is big, and has some power as a run blocker. Mauigoa could be a nice second-round pick for the Raiders to give them a bookend tackle to pair with Kolton Miller.
Green Bay Packers: Amare Farrell, CB, Penn State 
The Packers cruised over the depressed Bengals. Without Joe Burrow, Cincinnati is not competitive and Green Bay didn’t even need their A-game to win. Green Bay did have issues covering Ja’Marr Chase (10-94-1), and given the receivers in Minnesota, Detroit, and Chicago, it would make sense to add more young cornerback talent.
Ferrell has 21 tackles with three interceptions and three passes defended thus far in 2025. In 2024, Ferrell was a tough defender for the Hoosiers. He had 49 tackles with four interceptions and one pass batted. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder has good size to go along with ball skills. He is a gritty player who would fit the Packers’ defense well. He could be a nice second-round pick for Green Bay.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kyle Louis, LB, Pitt 
The Buccaneers dropped San Francisco to improve to 5-1 and maintain their control of the NFC South. Tampa Bay has suffered an insane amount of injuries to start this season, and the superb play of Baker Mayfield has lifted the team to overcome the losses around him. The timeless Lavonte David had a strip-sack, and he has been the constant for Todd Bowles’ defense. Christian McCaffrey had some success, and adding some linebacker youth to help and replace David is necessary for Tampa Bay.
In 2025, Louis has 41 tackles with two sacks, a pass defended, a forced fumble, and an interception. In 2024, Louis was a breakout star and one of the best linebackers in the nation as a sophomore. Louis was all over the field for the Panthers and made some clutch plays for his team. Louis was tremendous with 97 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, one forced fumble, four interceptions, and seven passes broken up. In pass coverage, Louis really stands out as a future contributor for the NFL. He is very smooth dropping in coverage and covers a lot of ground in zone. For the NFL, Louis (6-0, 225) is undersized, so he will need to work on taking on blocks, stacking, shedding, and getting on tackles. Given his size, that could be a persistent issue for him. But some smaller linebackers overcome it, and Tampa Bay knows that well given what they have enjoyed with David and Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.
Los Angeles Chargers:
The Chargers had a hot start to the 2025 season before some surprising losses in recent weeks. Los Angeles got back on track against Miami, and Los Angeles is in the mix to be the top team in the AFC this season. They have an elite franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert and are a well-coached team. With Herbert in his prime, the Chargers have a Super Bowl window that will be open for many seasons to come. Adding more talent in the 2026 NFL Draft could help put Los Angeles over the top.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Chargers taking Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, and he would be a tremendous addition to the offense. Sadiq is a fast, athletic, and twitchy receiver who is a mismatch nightmare. On top of being a dangerous receiver, Sadiq blocks hard and really battles. Sadiq would be a great fit as a receiver for Herbert and a contributor as a blocker in the ground game and pass protection.
Defensively, Los Angeles could use some youth at edge rusher. They just traded with the Ravens to add Odafe Oweh, and getting young talent on the edge of the defensive line is necessary. Joey Bosa is gone, and Khalil Mack is not a long-term player. The 2026 NFL Draft looks like it could be a strong year for edge rush talent, so the Chargers could have some good options to consider with players like Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton, Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Texas Tech’s David Bailey, Missouri’s Zion Young, and Missouri’s Damon Wilson. They won’t be picking high enough for some of those pass rushers, but some should be available for Los Angeles.
The Chargers could also consider defensive tackle help. In the early rounds they could consider tackle options like Clemson’s Peter Woods, Alabama’s L.T. Overton, Florida’s Caleb Banks, and Missouri’s Chris McClellan.
Cornerback is another position that could use an injection of talent. Donte Jackson is not a long-term starter, and adding a true No. 1 corner would make sense for Los Angeles. 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. The Chargers probably won’t be picking high enough for Delane. But adding a No. 1 outside corner to go with Cam Hart could be a top consideration for Los Angeles.
The Chargers are in a position to challenge the elite of the AFC and make a run at the Super Bowl. They have an elite quarterback, a good offensive line, and young wide receiver talent. Adding more talent to their defense could make Los Angeles a top Super Bowl contender in the AFC.
New York Giants:
The Giants started Week 6 of the 2025 season with a tremendous upset of the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles. New York’s defense kept the Eagles below 20 points, and with rookie running back Cam Skattebo running for three touchdowns, the Giants whipped up on their division rival. While there will still be some growing pains, New York can be excited that it may have the quarterback position figured out with rookie Jaxson Dart. With Dart showing promising signs as a rookie, the Giants can build around him in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The offensive line is another position that could be a top candidate in the first round. Evan Neal is a free agent after this season, and other veterans like Greg Van Roten and Jermaine Eluemunor are not long-term starters. It would make sense to add some young blocking talent to protect Dart. If they keep winning, the Giants 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 blocking for Dart and Skattebo would make a lot of sense.
Aside from tackle, New York could consider adding some guard talent on the second day. Penn State’s Ola Ioane would be an excellent long-term right guard to blast open holes for Skattebo and protect Dart. Auburn center Conner Lew is a well-balanced blocker who is tough and gritty at the point of attack. He could be a guard for the Giants who offers the ability to move to center if an injury hits John Michael Schmitz Jr.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Giants taking LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane to give New York a true No. 1 cornerback. Having a cornerback like Delane would help them when matching up against division rivals like CeeDee Lamb, A.J. Brown, and Terry McLaurin. Delane is a smooth cover corner who is physical and instinctive. He would be tremendous to go with their edge rushers.
The other positions they could consider on defense in the first round would be a defensive tackle to go with Dexter Lawrence. Clemson’s Peter Woods could be a nice three-technique to pair with Lawrence. Other early-round tackles to consider include Alabama’s L.T. Overton and Florida’s Caleb Banks. They could consider a linebacker like Ohio State’s Arvell Reese or LSU’s Harold Perkins Jr to bolster the middle of their defense.
With the play of Dart, the Giants can finally feel optimistic about returning to the playoffs and the potential to become a contender in the NFC. Building up the offensive line and adding talent at cornerback could be the top positions to target to continue building for the 2026 season.
