Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2026 NFL Draft:
New York Giants:
At 2-10, New York is on pace to land the No. 1 pick. If New York gets the No. 1 pick, it could look to trade down and get a lot of picks to build around Jaxson Dart. The Giants’ loss to the Vikings increases their chances of landing the top pick.
Las Vegas Raiders:
The Raiders are dealing with the ramifications of years of bad management by Mark Davis. After Davis allowed the NFL league office to bully him into blowing up the playoff team that had been built by Jon Gruden, Davis has made a number of terrible hires at head coach and general manager. The Raiders roster has a serious lack of talent, and it would be surprising if they won another game this year. Las Vegas needs the Giants to get a win to move into the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. If they don’t get the No. 1 pick, they are still picking high enough to have a shot at one of the top quarterback prospects like Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Oregon’s Dante Moore, and Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
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
- Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley
- Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken
- Green Bay Packers special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia
- Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:
- Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon
- Atlanta Falcons: Raheem Morris
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles
- Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski
- Miami Dolphins: Mike McDaniel
- Cincinnati Bengals: Zac Taylor
Let’s Play Matchmaker:
New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State 
The Saints cruised over the Jets, shutting out New York in the second half. New Orleans’ defense had eight sacks and dominated the Jets at the point of attack. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough threw for 308 yards, with Chris Olave catching 10 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Tight end Juwan Johnson (8-89) played well, but no other Saints receiver had five catches or 40 yards through the air. The Saints could use a big receiver to pair with Olave and give Shough a weapon next season.
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 48 receptions for 838 yards with nine 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 make sense for the Saints’ first-round pick.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida 
The Jaguars got a huge road win in Denver, knocking off the red-hot Broncos. Parker Washington had a huge game for Jacksonville, and the Jaguars were able to win despite Bo Nix throwing for 352 yards. Jacksonville struggled to stop the Denver receivers, and they need more interior pass rush to go with Travon Walker and Josh Allen-Hines. They could also use more interior run defenders.
Banks injured his foot in September and missed over two months. He has three tackles in 2025. In his second season with the Gators, 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 would be a nice second-round pick for Jacksonville.
Tennessee Titans: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville 
With Pat Mahomes out, Tennessee got its third win of the season as it cruised over the checked-out Chiefs. This offseason, the Titans must get more receiving weapons for Cam Ward. While Tennessee will have a high first-round pick, there is no receiver prospect worthy of going that high. They could address the offensive or defensive line in the first round and land a quality wideout in round two.
In 2025, Bell had 72 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns but suffered a torn ACL late in the season. 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 great second-round pick for Tennessee, as they would be getting a first-round caliber player that just slid because he is coming off an injury.
Carolina Panthers: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Panthers got a huge home win over Tampa Bay despite the Carolina offense not producing much in terms of yardage. The defense got a game-clinching interception from Lathan Ransom, and made up for a lack of edge rush. Carolina allowed Tampa Bay to run for 169 yards, and they could use more young talent in the middle of their defense.
In 2025, Styles had 81 tackles, three passes defended, one interception, .5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Styles (6-4, 243) has a lot of talent and started to play up to his potential during the 2024 season. He finished with 100 tackles, six sacks, one forced fumble, and five passes broken up. In 2023, he recorded 53 tackles, two sacks, and one pass batted, plus he has been very good in pass coverage. Styles started out as a safety, but was eventually moved to linebacker. Given his size, he fits best as a linebacker in the NFL. Styles is fast, athletic, and versatile. He could be a valuable zone coverage linebacker who is also a sideline-to-sideline run defender. Styles could be a good first-round pick for the Panthers.
Cincinnati Bengals: David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech 
The Bengals got a 45-21 road win over Miami, flexing the power of their offense when they have Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown playing well. Cincinnati got a few interceptions and a fumble, but they did not put a lot of pass pressure on Quinn Ewers. Trey Hendrickson could leave in free agency, and the Bengals need more pass rush production as Myles Muprhy has been a disappointment, and Shemar Stewart needs development.
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. Thus far in 2025, he has 13.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and 42 tackles. In 2024, he recorded 31 tackles with seven sacks and five forced fumbles with Stanford. Bailey has natural quarterback hunting ability and could be a riser in the pre-draft workouts. Bailey could form a dynamic pass rush tandem with Stewart.
Minnesota Vikings: Carson Beck, QB, Miami 
The Vikings got lucky with a 16-13 win over the lines. An Abdul Carter offside penalty canceled out a pick-six from J.J. McCarthy, and McCarthy also gave the Giants a defensive touchdown by allowing a strip-sack from Brian Burns on a mental mistake that resulted in Tyler Nubin returning the fumble 27 yards for a touchdown. This offseason, Minnesota needs to add some quarterback competition for McCarthy as he has really struggled this season and has been incapable of getting the ball to Justin Jefferson.
In 2025, Beck has completed 75 percent of his passes for 3,175 yards with 26 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Beck has played better with Miami, showing off his power arm and ability to shred a secondary from a clean pocket. Beck will still have some struggles when under pressure. In 2024, Beck completed 65 percent of his passes for 3,485 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with Georgia. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Beck has a power arm that can rip up a defense when he is given time to throw. He could be a mid-round pick that provides competition for McCarthy and another option for a young starter if McCarthy proves to be a bust in 2026.
Seattle Seahawks: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee 
The Seahawks got an epic win over the Rams with a huge comeback to shock Los Angeles. The Rams got a huge night out of Puka Nacua, and that highlighted how Seattle needs more cornerback talent. They could use more cornerback talent and Riq Woolen is entering free agency. Taking a cornerback in the first round would make sense for Seattle.
McCoy did not play in 2025, but his 2024 tape was so good that he could still be a first-round pick. The 6-foot, 190-pound McCoy had an excellent sophomore season with 44 tackles, four interceptions, and seven passes broken up. He played well in 2023 with 31 tackles, two interceptions, and seven breakups. McCoy is an instinctive corner with good ball skills and a willing tackler. He would be a nice addition to the Seahawks defense and help them defend their division rivals.
Team Draft Report:
In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.
Green Bay Packers:
Last year, the broken leg suffered by Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson took away a shot at the Super Bowl for the Lions. Green Bay may have fallen to a similar fate this year with the ACL injury to edge rusher Micah Parsons. Losing Parsons was a devastating blow for this season, but the good news is the Packers have a talented young roster, and they should be a serious Super Bowl contender for many years to come. Quarterback Jordan Love is entering the prime of his career, and the Packers have good players on both sides of the ball. Bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Green Bay is very possible with the talented core of this Packers roster.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Packers taking Indiana defensive back Amare Farrell, and he fits a lot of the traits that Green Bay has drafted in defensive backs. The Packers could use more talent in the secondary, and Farrell is versatile, as he can play some safety or cornerback. Green Bay could use a replacement for Jaire Alexander, and more talent to help them defend the passing attacks in the division. Some cornerbacks they could target include Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, Alabama’s Domani Jackson, Texas’ Jaylon Guilbeau, Colorado’s D.J. McKinney, and Indiana’s Amare Farrell. Adding some cornerback talent on day two has to be a top consideration.
Elsewhere on defense, Green Bay could consider more defensive tackle help after trading Kenny Clark. The Packers could use more interior talent on their defensive line, and there could be some quality second-round tackles like Florida State defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr or Florida’s Caleb Banks. Both could be nose tackles to occupy blocks and fortify the middle of the line. They also could consider mid-round options for a nose tackle like Clemson’s DeMonte Capehart and Penn State’s Zane Durant.
The Packers paid a high price to land Parsons, but he could be the key cog on defense that leads them to a Super Bowl next year or in seasons to come. Helping Parsons with a nose tackle to help him on the inside and coverage to cause quarterbacks to hold the ball an extra second could make the Green Bay defense even more lethal. A good draft in 2026 could provide some role players who help put the Packers over the top to win their fifth Super Bowl.
Detroit Lions:
For the second straight season, the Lions’ hopes to win a Super Bowl were crushed by injuries. A year ago, the defensive line was destroyed, and this season, the secondary had the bad luck. With the majority of their starters out for the season, Detroit is in no position to match up against multiple good passing attacks on the road to the Super Bowl. The loss to the Steelers essentially eliminated Detroit, and the coverage holes to allow third-and-long conversions were the difference. The good news for Detroit is that they have an excellent roster with good coaching, and they should be a top contender for the NFC in 2026 if they can fix some weak spots on their roster. If they can get back to drafting as they did in 2021-2023, the Lions could win the Super Bowl in the next few seasons.
In my latest mock 2026 NFL Draft, I have the Lions taking Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, and that would be a great addition to their defense. Terrion Arnold improved in his second season before going on injured reserve, but Arnold and veteran starter D.J. Reed could be better as No. 2 or 3 corners. McCoy could give the Lions a true No. 1 corner to help them with the passing attacks in the NFC North. Other cornerback options they could consider in the first round include LSU’s Mansoor Delane and South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse. Any of this trio would be a good addition for Detroit.
In the preseason, I said that the Lions made an underrated signing in bringing back Al-Quadin Muhammad as a complement to go with Aidan Hutchinson. Muhammad is a free agent after this season and could be pricey to re-sign. Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal are also entering free agency. Thus, the Lions could consider drafting an end. Some options include Texas Tech’s David Bailey, Miami’s Rueben Bain, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk, Missouri’s Zion Young, and Missouri’s Damon Wilson. Given that the Lions like big ends that are long and strong, the best fits could be Bain, Faulk, and Young.
Offensively, the Lions could consider adding some young talent on the offensive line. Perhaps they have the makings of a good young interior line with Tate Ratledge, Christian Mahogany, and Miles Frazier, but they would need Ratledge to make the move to center. They tried Ratledge there, but it didn’t go well, and he was moved to right guard. Detroit needs a long-term replacement for Frank Ragnow, and if Ratledge can’t do it, they could consider a center in the second round like Kansas State’s Sam Hecht. Depending on whether they move around and add more mid-round picks, a player like Auburn’s Connor Lew could be a good addition. He was a potential second-rounder before a torn ACL.
The Lions also could consider drafting a left tackle. Veteran Taylor Decker is aging and will be in the last year of his contract in 2026. They could draft his replacement in the first round and let that young player develop behind Decker, and compete to start at guard in the meantime. Some first-round tackles for them to consider include Alabama’s Kayden Proctor, Utah’s Spencer Fano, Oregon’s Isaiah World, and Miami’s Francis Mauigao.
The Lions have a great roster and could win a Super Bowl as soon as next year. Along with the coaching staff, Detroit’s front office was raided, and they lost some of their best talent evaluators. It would make sense for the Lions to try to pay to get some of those contributors back. They need to get back to drafting as they did in 2021-2023. If they do, that could lead to them winning their first Super Bowl.
