The NFL Draft is finally here, and this one promises to be a fun one just because of the sheer unpredictability after No. 1 overall. I’ve even gotten feisty with FIVE trades just to spice it up and have some fun (that’s been the rough average number over the last few years). Let’s get right into it.
Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Your time is precious, I’m not wasting it. We’ve all known the pick for nearly 4 months, and it is a no-brainer. Next.
New York Jets: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio
State
Many national analysts and reporters have swayed toward David Bailey, but most of the New York beat I’ve seen have remained steadfast on Reese. Cancelling their top 30 visit with Bailey rings strange to me if you’re selecting him second overall, and Reese is a better prospect anyway. A versatile weapon for Aaron Glenn in the defense he wants to run his way seems ideal.
(TRADE) Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Chiefs are in the rare spot of picking Top 10 – a first since 2017 when they drafted some guy named Patrick Mahomes. It’s a roster with a sneaky number of holes, but at the same time they’re in an excellent position to ensure a true blue chip talent with a trade-up.
They can play this in a way that gets them No. 3 overall while pick-swapping with the Cardinals at 29, dropping into the second at 34th overall while giving up their third-rounder and a 2027 Day 2 pick. They still come away with 3 picks inside the top 50 to address other needs while landing major pass rush help in the form of Bailey, who would give them a dimension of speed off the edge that they currently lack.
Tennessee Titans: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
The best offensive player in this draft by a comfortable margin is Love, who is on equal level to Bijan Robinson as a prospect – that’s gone pretty well for the Falcons.
The Titans need to build around franchise QB Cam Ward no matter what, so Love or one of the top receivers fulfills that requirement. Love is extremely dangerous as a receiver as well as a runner, so he’ll give a shot in the arm to the Titans offense from Day 1.
New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
The Giants have the most advantageous standing in the draft currently with two Top-10 picks after the Dexter Lawrence trade, so they could operate in any number of ways here. At the heart of it, it would make perfect sense for one pick to be offense and the other to be defense.
Since they seem to have something in 2025 first-rounder Jaxson Dart, they need to prioritize building around him. Malik Nabers is a superstar in the making but is coming off major knee surgery, and they’re devoid of receiver talent behind him. Carnell Tate would be an ideal WR2 as the most well-rounded receiving option in the draft.
(TRADE) New York Giants: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
It’s widely known the Browns want to get out of 6 to get better value on the offensive line, which is still a massive need for them. If the Giants are huge fans of the Ohio State defenders, why not guarantee your choice of them by moving up and picking back to back?
The Giants could really use a playmaker in their secondary, and Downs is arguably the best safety prospect to come out of college since Kyle Hamilton, someone who new HC John Harbaugh is intimately familiar with. Securing dynamic contributors on both sides of the ball is a massive win for the new regime.
Washington Commanders: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
The Commanders are in a weird spot where they have spent a huge chunk of coin revitalizing their defense and not so much on offense, but it’s hard to ignore the premium talent staring them in the face here.
Styles is widely heralded as the best linebacker prospect in many years – a freaky athlete with rapidly ascending instincts and A+ intangibles. After accomplishing so much over his career with future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner, it’s easy to see the fit for Styles as Wagner’s heir. A linebacker pairing of Styles and new signing Leo Chenal to go along with hellraising utility defender Frankie Luvu would make for a dangerous group.
New Orleans Saints: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
The Saints are moving forward with Tyler Shough as their signal caller, so supporting him as much as possible will be a priority.
Tyson comes with major injury question marks, but it’s hard to debate his sheer talent as standing above every other receiver in the draft. He’s very Justin Jefferson-like in the sense he’s sporting a large chassis (nearly 6-foot-2, 200 pounds) with the movement skills of someone much smaller. Creating a trio with him, Chris Olave, and Devaughn Vele has potential.
(TRADE) Arizona Cardinals: OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami
For a team stuck in rebuilding limbo, it’s really best to fortify the trenches and go from there. Trading back with the Chiefs nets you the extra first-rounder, Day 2 capital, and ammo for next year’s voluminous crop while giving you a shot at this year’s best offensive linemen.
Mauigoa is extremely stout at right tackle and would combine with current left tackle Paris Johnson to give any future quarterback a pair of dependable bookends that Kyler Murray never received the benefit of.
(TRADE) Cleveland Browns: OL Spencer Fano, Utah
Another team that bets on quality offensive linemen being available while gaining valuable 2027 picks, the Browns drop down to the bottom of the top 10 and pounce immediately on the versatile Spencer Fano.
Fano has true across-the-line flexibility, which is rare and beneficial for a Cleveland roster that just needs to get the best 5 on the field and see if Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders are worth salvaging in any possible way – and at the least it sets up their situation better for a 2027 pick.
Miami Dolphins: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
The Dolphins hit the “blow up everything” button this offseason, and as such are candidates to pick basically any position.
With the new regime being Green Bay disciples, the trenches are a very strong bet for this selection given it received such heavy emphasis in the last 15+ years from the Packers. And it’s hard to see the best remaining edge sitting here at 11 and not scoop him, so that’s what we’re going to do. Bain’s outlier arm length and off-field questions will mean something different to every team but there’s no debating how much he wrecked passing attacks for the Hurricanes’ defense.
Dallas Cowboys: CB Mansoor Delane, Louisiana State
The Cowboys may feel the temptation to trade up but decide to keep both of their first-rounders and are rewarded for their patience with the draft’s top cornerback.
Delane has short arms for the position but played phenomenally at both Virginia Tech and LSU, offering impressive scheme versatility and eye discipline. If Shavon Revel continues to rebound from his knee issues and Daron Bland regains his ball-hawking form, the Cowboys have a much steadier secondary situation.
Los Angeles Rams: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
The Rams are a true wild card team who have adapted every possible approach in the many years since Les Snead became the general manager. Could they go full “F them picks” mode and trade into the top 10 for a receiver or Jeremiyah Love? It wouldn’t be that shocking.
You could also see them trade back from this spot since they are a little light on selections (missing fourth and fifth rounders) and they do some of their best work in the later rounds.
Ultimately, let’s not get too spicy and just go with the best fit – and it might surprise some to see it’s not Makai Lemon. The Rams really value inside-outside versatility, and Lemon is not really that. However, Omar Cooper Jr. is, and the Rams have shown in the past that they evaluate receivers their own way. This might be a smidge high, but it seems likely Cooper is going in the top 20 regardless.
Baltimore Ravens: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
The Ravens are Harbaugh-less for the first time in nearly 20 years, so it will be interesting to see if that affects their usual draft strategy. That said, the franchise has always valued tight ends at a premium and basically have no one outside of Mark Andrews, who is 31 and seems to be on the decline.
Sadiq still needs polishing but offers supreme athleticism at the position with demonstrable upside as a receiver and blocker. Since new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle has extensive background with coaching tight ends and comes from a background that heavily features multiple tight ends (Sean Payton and Ben Johnson), this feels like a prime fit.
(TRADE) Pittsburgh Steelers: OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Sorry, Bucs Nation, you’ll need to wait a little longer for the reveal because we’re making like a sail boat and blowing out of here.
As we’ve consistently mentioned here, 15th overall is great if you want a receiver or an offensive lineman, neither of which the Bucs need but several other teams do. It feels likely that the Bucs can coax a team like the Steelers up, and in doing so get an extra third-rounder (85th overall) and seventh-rounder (230th overall).
With that pick, Pittsburgh can snatch the best guard in the draft in Ioane, who should slot right into their vacant left guard spot and form a daunting interior with center Zach Frazier and right guard Mason McCormick.
New York Jets: WR Makai Lemon, Southern California
The Jets very much need a reliable presence in the passing game outside of Garrett Wilson, and that’s been true for several years. They’ll be primed to right that wrong at 16th overall but could also trade down with several options still on the board.
However, it would be hard to pass up Lemon, who would offer excellent playmaking ability in the slot while Wilson and Adonai Mitchell do their best work outside the numbers. Geno Smith is still the one throwing the ball and Frank Reich is still the one calling the offense, but it’s something.
Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
This is a popular fit, and it’s hard to deny the sense of it.
Proctor is a wall of a man at nearly 6-foot-7, 350 pounds, a human bulldozer with ill-intent every time he fires off the line. His combination of power, length, and anchor are definite pluses, though his lack of patience and mirror in the pass game is concerning and requires a lot more seasoning.
He’d get an extended try at which ever tackle spot they feel he’s best at, but becoming a guard is also a viable path to explore if necessary.
Minnesota Vikings: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Another chalky pick but it’s hard to see other realistic alternatives.
Thieneman has a strong argument as a top-15 player in the draft. He touts excellent physical gifts with eye-popping production and understanding of the position. He will immediately insert as a reliable starter in a vulnerable Vikings secondary.
Carolina Panthers: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
The Panthers are in a strange position, as their former top-10 tackle Ikem Ekwonu blew up his knee in January and is in a contract year after limited, but noticeable development. They signed Rasheed Walker as a stopgap, but he’s nothing to write home about.
With a first round flush with offensive linemen, it seems like an ideal time to invest in the future – especially when you also consider right tackle Taylor Moton is 32 and a free agent after 2027.
Freeling has limited experience (18 college starts) but overwhelming physical tools to work with, so he could set up as a high-upside solution at left tackle on a rookie contract.
Dallas Cowboys: DL Keldric Faulk, Auburn
The Cowboys jettisoned DT Osa Odighizuwa because they wanted more presence in the run game, so Keldric Faulk seems like a perfect swap in that case.
Faulk is young (21) and huge (nearly 6-foot-6, 276 pounds with 34 ⅜” arms) with impressive proficiency in run defense already from multiple alignments. The pass rush is still a major work in progress, but interested teams are going to bet on the youth and upside.
(TRADE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
We’ve arrived at the final destination of this long-winding draft journey, and we’ll see if it’s anywhere in the same ballpark.
Two aspects have remained true the entire time: 1. The Buccaneers desperately require pass rush, and 2. No. 15 overall is not where they want to be to address that issue. So with this drop down the board, the Bucs will be much more comfortably in range for the next tier of pass rushers while getting valuable Day 2 capital.
Miami’s Akheem Mesidor and Clemson’s T.J. Parker would serve as traditional options, but could there be a fast-riser waiting in the wings? Lawrence is a tad older (23) but not Mesidor old, and he’s much longer (nearly 34” arms) with a similarly deep bag of pass rushing moves and excellent burst off the line of scrimmage that’s complemented with a red-hot motor.
The run defense needs work (mostly due to lack of mass but also discipline), though his length allows him to disrupt in that area as well so it’s not a full-on detriment. In a class that’s deep with solid but questionable players at edge, Lawrence may represent the best pure pass-rushing upside.
(TRADE) San Francisco 49ers: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
The 49ers lifted our beloved Mike Evans but even then their receiving corps is shallow. George Kittle’s late-season Achilles tear at 33 years old is brutal, while former first-rounder Ricky Pearsall and Evans have been injury prone as well. Christian Kirk and Demarcus Robinson don’t really move the needle in 2026.
To maximize their window now and in the future, the 49ers move up ahead of several other receiver-needy teams to secure the dynamic Concepcion, who’s a menace in the open field thanks to top-tier acceleration and shiftiness. He’ll complete a trio that would give Brock Purdy his best collection of weapons since the healthy days of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
Philadelphia Eagles: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
It’s no secret the Eagles offensive line showed more cracks in 2025 than it ever did in several years prior. Having an elite tackle tandem like Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson is a privilege, but it seems like the end has never been closer for the latter.
In a looking-ahead kind of move, the Eagles seem primed to take an heir-apparent. Blake Miller was a career starter for Clemson (54 starts), and he’s an A+ athlete and off-field personality who just needs a little more development in his technique before becoming ready for a full-time role.
Cleveland Browns: WR Denzel Boston, Washington
After securing their top offensive line target earlier in Round 1, the Browns move to address their subpar receiving corps.
The Browns already have speed and finesse on their roster (Jerry Jeudy, Isaiah Bond), but they could really use a big-bodied contested-catch threat who can align in multiple positions since Cedric Tillman is a constantly injured JAG, and Boston fits the bill. With impressive size and strong hands, Boston is a reliable target who knows how to win hard despite the lack of game-breaking speed or separation ability.
Chicago Bears: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
The Bears have built a conference-contending offense but still need a little more help on defense, particularly at edge rusher where they have just Montez Sweat on the wrong side of 30.
Mesidor will offer them the pass-rush boost they need immediately thanks to his polished pass rush plan and vicious determination. Being 25 years old with an injury history is not optimal, but it’s hard to deny how ready Mesidor is ready to contribute if it all works out.
Buffalo Bills: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
The Bills got absolutely destroyed in the run game last season and are changing schemes under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, and right now they do not have a true nose tackle to anchor the whole unit.
If they want to maximize playmakers like Ed Oliver, Gregory Rousseau, and T.J. Sanders on the defensive line, a commanding presence like Kayden McDonald would be a wise addition. A wide load in the most complimentary sense, McDonald’s heavy hands and stout anchor make him a boulder in run defense, and he has enough pop and hand violence to suggest there’s some pass-rush upside as well.
(TRADE) Los Angeles Chargers: OG Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
If the Chargers learned anything from their sorry display in the NFL Playoffs against the Patriots, they must ensure their offensive line is secure for Justin Herbert.
Getting their elite tackle pair in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will help massively, but the interior is still pretty weak. Waiting between their original first pick at 22 and their next one at 55 presents a lot of risk as far as having the best guard prospects available, so a small trade-down to recoup some early Day 3 capital also puts L.A. in a good spot to select the draft’s second guard in Bisontis.
He’s got the ideal blend of power and quickness to fit into new OC Mike McDaniel’s heavy zone scheme. He’ll need to clean up penalty issues (19 in college), and the lack of arm length will always be trouble against longer defensive tackles, but there’s clear potential as an upper-tier NFL starter.
Houston Texans: DT Peter Woods, Clemson
The Texans have built a supremely dominant defense, but in a league that’s always churning, you need to keep investing in your strengths.
They still have Sheldon Rankins as an interior disruptor, but he’s 33 so there should be a plan for the future. The Texans love rotating defensive tackles anyway, so a pick like Peter Woods would immediately offer someone to spell Rankins before taking over full-time. The production was inconsistent during his final year at Clemson, but there’s no debating his impressive agility and explosiveness.
(TRADE) Arizona Cardinals: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Swapping 34th overall with the Chiefs for this pick, the Cardinals can secure their next developmental QB option from any other interested parties who might be lurking near the top of the second round.
Simpson is very inexperienced and suffered a concerning drop-off in performance down the stretch in 2025, but there’s also no doubt he’s shown some high-level processing and a confident approach that NFL teams covet in their quarterbacks.
It’s hard to envision a clear-cut, top-shelf starter based on what little we’ve seen, but a new regime needs something to work with that’s not Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew.
Miami Dolphins: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
If this pans out, the Dolphins come away looking like the belles of the ball.
Getting Rueben Bain at 11 is quite possibly a coup in itself, but getting arguably the most talented cornerback at 30 is even better. There’s of course question marks to address and a level of risk to assume, but the Dolphins are so early into this rebuild there should be no fear of rolling the dice a bit.
McCoy would be a top-15 lock without worries of his ACL tear last year that cost him 2025 and has lingered throughout this process. If it’s similar to Will Johnson’s fall last year, we could see McCoy on Day 2. But I also think McCoy is a more talented player than Johnson with better tape, so it’s just hard to picture him falling completely out of Round 1. If they don’t like the injury risk, I could see Chris Johnson from SDSU here, too.
New England Patriots: OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
The Patriots must continue to emphasize Drake Maye’s protection and support. If this rumored A.J. Brown trade goes through, they’ll have accomplished that from a receiving target perspective.
The other priority needs to be the offensive line, as Morgan Moses is old and injury prone, and last year’s top tackle Will Campbell might not be cut out for the blind side in the long-term.
Iheanachor is a great candidate. Still relatively new to football (only playing since 2021) after moving from Nigeria, he possesses ideal size (6-foot-5, 321 pounds) and superb fluidity, and his understanding of the game is impressive for someone with such little experience.
(TRADE) Chicago Bears: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
It seems like a near-certainty that the Super Bowl champion Seahawks will bail on the final selection of Round 1 to restock on picks (they currently have only 4).
A team I could see getting aggressive and coming back into Round 1 is Chicago, which finally tasted real success last year and most definitely will want to ensure they stay relevant this time. After addressing the trenches on the defensive side, they come back to do it for the offensive side.
Their left tackle position is in flux after 2025 rookie Ozzy Trapilo suffered a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs, which reportedly will keep him out most of 2026. Even then, the 6-foot-8 tackle may never recover the same way, and the other in-house options are far from sure things.
Lomu is a work in progress but there’s no denying his top-tier movement and mirror skills. He’ll need to add more mass to handle power, but there is a good argument he’s got a higher ceiling than Trapilo ever had.
