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.
New York Jets:
The Jets won at Cincinnati to get their first win of the season. However, at 1-7, they remain in contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. 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 wouldn’t be surprised if there is a team or two picking ahead of them. If the Jets land the No. 1 pick, they should target Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, Oregon’s Dante Moore, or Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.
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.
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 senior personnel executive John Dorsey
- 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
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard
- 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
Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:
- Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel
- Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon
- New York Giants: Brian Daboll
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
Jacksonville Jaguars: Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama 
The Jaguars won an overtime thriller over the Jaguars despite allowing Geno Smith to throw four touchdown passes, including three to Brock Bowers. Jacksonville is in need of more long-term cornerback talent. They traded Tyson Campbell, have Greg Newsome hitting free agency, and Travis Hunter is not a full-time cornerback. Without a first-round pick, the Jaguars will need to find a good corner value on day two.
Jackson has 19 tackles thus far. In 2024, Jackson had 51 tackles with seven passes defended and two interceptions. Jackson (6-1, 190) has some talent, but he has not been impressive in coverage in 2025. Jackson did not become the star he was expected to be at USC, but he could blossom at Alabama. He had 32 tackles with three passes defended in 2023. Jackson could make sense for the Jaguars on the second day of the draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville 
The Steelers defense dominated, intercepting Daniel Jones three times and forcing two fumbles from the MVP candidate. The turnovers made life easy for Aaron Rodgers, but Pittsburgh’s offense had some struggles. They ran for only 38 yards on 23 carries, and no receiver had six receptions or 60 yards. If the Steelers are successful in convincing Rodgers to return next season, they need to get him more receiving weapons to work with.
To open 2025, Bell has 44 catches for 638 yards and six 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. Bell would be a nice mismatch weapon and chain mover for Aaron Rodgers. He could be a nice value in the mid to late portion of the first round.
Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State 
The Vikings got a tough road win over the Lions, with the Minnesota special teams making two huge plays and a David Montgomery fumble, which was the backbreaker for Detroit. Sam LaPorta (6-97-1) was superb and Minnesota struggled to defend him. With Harrison Smith aging, the Vikings could use a young safety to help them defend a tight end like LaPorta.
In 2025, Downs has 34 tackles with an interception. In 2024, Downs had 76 tackles with six passes broken up and two interceptions. Downs was phenomenal for Alabama in 2023, recording 107 tackles, two interceptions, three passes broken up, and a forced fumble. After the season, he transferred to Ohio State. Downs (6-0, 205) has the potential to be a safety that is a true first-rounder. Downs could be a nice value pick if he got to the Vikings’ first-round selection.
Chicago Bears: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson 
The Bears won a shootout over Cincinnati, and they enjoyed a breakout game from Colston Loveland (5-118-2). The rookie tight end scored the game-winner late in the fourth quarter, and the Bears’ defense picked off Joe Flacco to clinch the win. Chicago struggled to defend Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, and improving their secondary talent is necessary in the offseason.
Terrell has 36 tackles with three forced fumbles, a sack, and a pass batted. Terrell (5-11, 180) is a fast and fluid cover corner who is extremely adept at running the route to prevent separation. He has excellent ball skills, instincts, and plays bigger and stronger than his size. The size and future durability are the biggest concerns for the NFL. Terrell worked his way onto the field as a freshman and had five starts. He recorded 19 tackles with four passes broken up and an interception. In 2024, Terrell started every game and totaled 58 tackles with two interceptions, 12 passes broken up, three forced fumbles, and 4.5 tackles for a loss. Terrell is the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell. Terrell would make a lot of sense for the Bears in the early rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Los Angeles Rams: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The Rams took care of business, cruising to a win over the inept Saints. Los Angeles could use more linebacker talent, as only one linebacker was among their top five tackles on Sunday. The Rams could use more steady production from the middle of their defense.
Thus far in 2025, Reese has 54 tackles with 6.5 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. In 2024, Reese had 43 tackles with .5 sacks as a rotational backup. Reese would make sense for one of their first-round picks next April.
San Francisco 49ers: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Christian McCaffrey ran through the Giants, totaling 173 combined yards with two touchdowns. He led San Francisco in receiving, and Mac Jones was efficient in relief of Brock Purdy. The 49ers receivers have struggled this year, with Brandon Aiyuk still out, Deebo Samuel traded away, and Ricky Pearsall often injured. This offseason, San Francisco needs to ge more receiving weapons to help Purdy.
With teammates like Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, and Jeremiah Smith, Tate has gone under the radar, but he is a talented receiver in his own right. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder has good size, runs well enough, and has flashed big-play ability while never being the No. 1 featured receiver. Thus far in 2025, Tate has 39 receptions for 711 yards with seven 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. He could be a good pick for the 49ers in the back half of the first round.
Carolina Panthers: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina 
The Panthers pulled off a surprising upset at Green Bay. Carolina’s defense allowed some yardage, but they came up clutch to hold the Packers to only 13 points. Carolina could use more coverage talent for their defense and a cornerback to pair with Jaycee Horn. Here is a corner that could be a plug-and-play upgrade for the Panthers.
Cisse has been an impressive cover corner for South Carolina in 2025. He has 20 tackles with an interception, four passes batted, and a forced fumble. In 2024, he had 28 tackles with five passes broken up. The 6-foot, 190-pounder has quality size to go with speed and athleticism. He could be a starting man corner in the NFL. If the Panthers keep winning, Cisse could be a nice value in the mid to late portion of the first round.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.
Buffalo Bills:
Buffalo is being challenged in the AFC East by the upstart New England Patriots, but the Bills are clearly one of the top teams in the AFC, and they could get to the Super Bowl this year. With Josh Allen and James Cook playing elite football, the Bills could bring home their first Lombardi Trophy. If they don’t win it all this year, they will be right back in championship contention next year, as their Super Bowl window should be open for many years to come. Building up their defense should be the priority for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Buffalo could use some young talent at edge rusher across from Gregory Rousseau. Joey Bosa has played well, but he is injury-prone and aging. The 2026 NFL Draft could provide some good options, including 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. Adding one of them would make sense with their first-round pick.
Buffalo could also consider adding interior defensive line talent. Clemson’s Peter Woods or Alabama’s L.T. Overton would be potential targets. Woods and Overton are quick gap shooters who could be a three technique in Sean McDermott’s defense. Oregon’s A’Mauri Washington is more of a disruptive nose tackle. He has a freaky skill set and a ton of upside. He would be a nice fit for Buffalo.
In the secondary, the Bills have some pieces, but if there is an elite safety available, that has to be a consideration. They drafted Cole Bishop in the second round, but Jordan Poyer is not a long-term starter. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is a special player and a rare safety prospect who is worthy of a first-round pick. He would form a nice tandem with Bishop. If Downs is off the board, the Bills could consider other safeties on day two, like USC’s Kamari Ramsey, Alabama’s Keon Sabb, and Alabama’s Bray Hubbard.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Bills taking Texas A&M cornerback Will Lee as he is the best player available, and they could use a third corner to go with Christian Benford and Maxwell Hairston. Tre White is clearly not a long-term starter. While the defensive lineman could be a bigger need, Lee was a good value at that part of the first round, and Buffalo has developed a strong roster by not reaching for need.
The Bills are going to be a top Super Bowl contender for many years to come. Continuing to build up their defense could put Buffalo over the top and bring them a championship in the next few seasons.
Baltimore Ravens:
The Ravens enter the back half of the season with a glimmer of hope after winning two straight games. With Lamar Jackson back on the field, Baltimore could go on a run to get back into postseason contention after digging itself a big hole to start the season. While you can’t close the book on the Ravens’ 2025 season yet, it could be to win the AFC with defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike out for the season. While Baltimore could fall short of a Super Bowl this season, they have the talent on the roster to reload and be right back in contention for a Lombardi next year.
One of the most surprising developments this season has been the struggles of Baltimore’s traditionally tough defense. The Ravens have not looked like the stingy and suffocating defense that they typically are. Losing Madubuike was massive, but there are still talented players in each position group. In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Ravens taking Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk, and he would be a great scheme fit as Faulk can play inside or outside. Faulk is a tough run defender and edge setter who also contributes in the pass rush. He could form a tough front with Madubuike. If the Ravens keep winning, they might end up picking too low for Faulk. Other first-round defensive linemen they could consider include. Clemson’s Peter Woods, Alabama’s L.T. Overton, and Oregon’s A’Mauri Washington.
Last April, Baltimore drafted Mike Green in the second round to give them a young edge rusher. David Ojabo has been a bust, and Odafe Oweh was traded away. The Ravens could use more young pass-rush talent. Texas Tech’s David Bailey is a dynamic speed rusher who is undersized and similar to Green. Bailey could be a candidate for the Ravens. Other edge rushers to consider in the early rounds include Miami’s Rueben Bain, Missouri’s Zion Young, Missouri’s Damon Wilson, Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton, Oklahoma’s R. Mason Thomas, Texas A&M’s Cashius Marsh, Clemson’s T.J. Parker, Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham, and Clemson’s Will Heldt.
Baltimore always prioritizes drafting defensive backs, so you can’t rule out that possibility.. They could consider adding more cornerback talent. Jaire Alexander was traded last Saturday and is headed to be a free agent after the season anyway. However, the Ravens already sunk two first-round picks into the cornerback position and two first-round picks into their safeties. It would make more sense to add a nickel back and cornerback depth on day two and in the mid-rounds. The focus of the early-round picks should be on improving their defensive line and pass rush.
If the Ravens draft well next April and have good luck to avoid serious injuries to key players, Baltimore should be back in the Super Bowl hunt in the 2026 season.
