We have finally made it to the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Weeks of speculation are now over, and teams will make selections that could change the future of their franchise for better or for worse. The Denver Broncos currently do not own a first-round selection due to the blockbuster Jaylen Waddle trade, and are scheduled to make their first selection in the second round on Friday.
Despite that, the first round is expected to be an eventful one. There are a lot of unknowns, and we could see
plenty of trades and surprise picks throughout the night.
Hey Raiders, you’re on the clock!
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
This pick has been known since the Raiders clinched the top pick in the draft, and now the Raiders officially land their hopeful franchise quarterback.
2. New York Jets: Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey
Arvell Reese or David Bailey? There is smoke for both edge rushers, but at the end of the day, I think they’ll land with David Bailey to improve their pass rush.
TRADE ALERT – New Orleans Saints trade up with the Arizona Cardinals
3. New Orleans Saints via Arizona Cardinals: Ohio State LB/EDGE Arvell Reese
TRADE! With Reese not going 2nd overall, the Saints jump up to the 3rd overall pick to land the explosive edge rusher. It’s a big trade for a Saints team looking to make a leap this upcoming season.
4. Tennessee Titans: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love
The Titans could go Sonny Styles here, but I think they’ll give Cam Ward an explosive backfield weapon in Jeremiyah Love.
5. New York Giants: Ohio State S Caleb Downs
Caleb Downs is arguably one of the top players in this entire draft, and John Harbaugh lands his Kyle Hamilton with the Giants.
6. Cleveland Browns: Utah OT Spencer Fano
The Browns’ offensive line is in flux, and they add their hopeful long-term left tackle here in Utah’s Spencer Fano.
7. Washington Commanders: Ohio State WR Carnell Tate
The Commanders need some wide receiver help, and they land the WR1 in Ohio State’s Carnell Tate
8. Arizona Cardinals via New Orleans Saints: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa
The Cardinals trade down and still land one of the top offensive tackles in this draft, and hopefully, their long-term left tackle moving forward.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
The Chiefs are a trade-up candidate, but in this mock, I have them sticking at 9 and landing Jordyn Tyson. He is a talented wide receiver, but has some injury concerns, and has the potential to be a dynamic weapon for QB Patrick Mahomes.
10. New York Giants via Cincinnati Bengals: Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
Styles slipped farther than I anticipated, and if he were available here, I believe the Giants would turn this pick in quickly. Landing both Downs and Styles would be quite the haul for the Giants.
11. Miami Dolphins: Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr.
The Dolphins need a lot of help. After losing Bradley Chubb, I have them landing edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who will stay in Miami and play for the Dolphins.
12. Dallas Cowboys: LSU CB Mansoor Delane
The Cowboys need a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball, but with this pick, they land the top cornerback in the draft in Mansoor Delane.
13. Los Angeles Rams: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq
Do they need a tight end? No, but Sadiq is a rare talent, and Sean McVay, who loves to use multiple tight end sets, will have a hard time passing on Sadiq here.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Penn State OG Olaivavega Ioane
I know the Ravens have had some changes this offseason, but Olaivavega Ioane feels like a Baltimore Ravens-type player, and I really like the fit here.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor
The Bucs pass rush needs some help, and Miami’s Akheem Mesidor will bring some juice off the edge for them.
16. New York Jets: USC WR Makai Lemon
The Jets need plenty of help on the offensive side of the ball, and with this pick, they land Makai Lemon here to pair with Garrett Wilson to be QB Geno Smith’s top weapons on offense.
17. Detroit Lions: Alabama OT Kaydn Proctor
The Lions have been connected to OT help all offseason and land the massive Kaydn Proctor here to be their left or right tackle of the future.
18: Minnesota Vikings: Oregon S Dillon Thieneman
With Harrison Smith’s future in doubt, the Vikings land his potential replacement here in Dillon Thieneman, who can step right in and start on day one.
TRADE ALERT – Houston Texans trade up with the Carolina Panthers
19. Houston Texans via Carolina Panthers: Clemson OT Blake Miller
The Texans need offensive line help and move up to land Clemson right tackle Blake Miller. Their pass blocking improved last season, but Miller should help keep CJ Stroud clean moving forward.
20. Dallas Cowboys: UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence
I gave the Cowboys the top cornerback in the draft earlier, and now I have them selecting a fast-rising pass rusher to help their defense even more.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
The Steelers look set to re-sign 42-year-old QB Aaron Rodgers and will need to improve their offensive line if they want to keep him healthy. Freeling is a 6-7 athletic freak who can step in on day 1 and be the Steelers starting left tackle.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Texas A&M G Chase Bisontis
If this pick isn’t offensive line, Justin Herbert should throw a fit. The Chargers offensive line struggled badly last season and Chase Bisontis is a plug-and-play guard who should be an instant upgrade for them.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor
Right tackle Lane Johnson isn’t getting any younger, and Iheanachor can come in as depth early on, develop for a season, and eventually take over for the veteran down the road.
24. Cleveland Browns: Washington WR Denzel Boston
The Browns could use some help at wide receiver, and Denzel Boston will give them a big weapon on the outside who can win jump balls and be a weapon in the red zone.
25. Chicago Bears: Auburn EDGE Keldrick Faulk
Faulk will give the Bears a big edge rusher who can instantly improve their run defense and someone who should improve as a pass rusher from inside and outside moving forward.
26. Buffalo Bills: Ohio State NT Kayden McDonald
The Bills’ run defense was awful last season, so I have them adding run-stopping specialist Kayden McDonald with their first-round pick.
27. San Francisco 49ers: Utah OT Caleb Lomu
Trent Williams is not getting any younger so I have the 49ers adding a potential replacement down the road here in Utah’s Caleb Lomu.
28. Carolina Panthers via. Houston Texans: Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion
The Panthers added Tet McMillian last season and now give Bryce Young speedster KC Concepcion to pair with him in the passing game.
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Tennessee CB Jerod McCoy
The Chiefs traded away Trent McDuffie earlier this offseason and now will replace him with Jerod McCoy, who slipped a little bit farther than expected in this mock.
30. Miami Dolphins via Denver Broncos: Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.
The Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos for this pick, so I have them replacing him with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. with this pick.
31. New England Patriots: Clemson EDGE TJ Parker
The Patriots could use some pass-rush help here and have a few options available to them, but in the end, I have them selecting Clemson edge rusher TJ Parker with this pick.
TRADE ALERT: The Arizona Cardinals trade up with the Seattle Seahawks
32. Arizona Cardinals via Seattle Seahawks: Alabama QB Ty Simpson
The Cardinals have been connected to Ty Simpson throughout this draft process, and I have them trading back into the first round to land their hopeful quarterback of the future.
