2026 1st Round Mock Draft

Well, we are a month away from the NFL Draft, and you will start seeing a lot of mock drafts weekly, so I decided to do my own. Here we go. 

1- Las Vegas Raiders- Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 

This one is easy because this isn’t a good quarterback class, and Mendoza is the only one to take at one for the rebuilding Raiders. 

2- New York Jets– David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech 

The Jets have needs everywhere, and defense is Glenn’s calling card; they don’t have any pass rushers. With multiple picks in the next couple of years, it’s an opportunity for the Jets to properly rebuild their team, but it’s the Jets we are talking about here. 

3- Arizona Cardinals– Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State 

The Cardinals again have a new head coach in Mike LeFleur, and he is an offense-minded coach, but it’s not a good quarterback class for him to take one. He could go running back Jermiah Love, but in the end, I feel he goes edge rusher. 

4- Tennessee Titans– Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State 

I thought about Love here to give Cam Ward a running back and for play caller Brian Daboll, but Robert Salah is a defensive-minded coach, and Styles could be a great fit for him as the middle linebacker, going sideline to sideline, and he can cover as well. 

5- New York Giants– Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State 

Another Buckeye off the board. I think John Harbaugh goes with Down to tandem with Jevon Hollard on the back end of their defense. They could also go Love, but the Giants do have Skatteboo returning from injury.  

6- Cleveland Browns– Monroe Freeling- OT Georgia 

The Browns are a mess, and they are rebuilding their offensive line. Their new HC was an assistant at Georgia before going to Baltimore so he should have good intel. Freeling’s stock has been rising 

7- Washington Commanders– Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame 

It’s a big year for Dan Quinn, and he needs to give Jayden Daniels a running back to help him out and a playmaker who could result in a bounce-back year for the Commanders, who are a year removed from being in the NFC Championship Game. 

8- New Orleans Saints– Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami 

Cameron Jordan is gone, and the Saints need to replace the loss with Bains. I thought receiver here, but decided to go the premium position. 

9- Kansas City Chiefs- Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU 

The Chiefs are going through a soft rebuild, especially on defense, where they traded Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook to free agency in the secondary. The Chiefs also have needs on their offensive line, but they have nothing in the secondary. They also have another 1st round pick to address other needs. 

10- Cincinnati Bengals– Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee 

The Bengals need to add another defensive back. Their secondary was bad last year, and they addressed edge rusher in free agency. They have to upgrade their defense or they are going to be wasting away Joe Burrow‘s prime despite the team getting to the Super Bowl 5 years ago, but that seems like an eternity now. 

11- Miami Dolphins– Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami 

I know a lot of people will want the Dolphins to take a wide receiver, but I don’t see the Dolphins taking a wide receiver because Jon Eric Sullivan, in his time with Green Bay, rarely took a wide receiver in the first round. Plus, the Dolphins have bigger needs than receivers, and Sully talked about building in the trenches and foundation. Mauigoa played right tackle, but with Austin Jackson restructuring his contract, they can slide Mauigoa to right guard to compete, and can move him to RT next year, possibly. Dolphins need to keep building the offensive line. 

12- Dallas Cowboys–Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama 

Cowboys need help on defense, but it’s not a bad thing to keep building in the trenches, especially at the tackle position when they have addressed the inside in the last few years. 

13- Los Angeles Rams– Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State 

This isn’t a need pick, but DeVante Adams is in his early 30’s and is in the last year of his contract, plus with Puka Nacua‘s contract about to be addressed, the Rams could add some depth at the position to get ahead of the issue. 

14- Baltimore Ravens– Spencer Fano, OL, Utah 

The Ravens need to add reinforcements on the offensive line, especially after losing Tyler Linderbaum in free agency and Ronnie Staley getting older. 

15- Tampa Bay Buccaneers– KendrickFaulk, DL, Auburn 

The Buccaneers collapsed in the 2nd half of the season after getting off to a fast start, and in a weak division. Todd Bowles is on the hot seat this year, and he needs his defense to be better. 

16- New York Jets– Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State 

The Jets need a playmaker opposite Garrett Wilson. Tyson has the physical tools to be a good receiver, but he can’t stay healthy. 

17- Detroit Lions– Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn St 

Lions are going through a transition on the offensive line, and they are adding someone on the interior. 

18- Minnesota Vikings–Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon 

Harrison Smith is 37 years old and isn’t sure about returning. Brian Flores loves his safeties in the secondary to get creative with his blitzing schemes. 

19- Carolina Panthers– Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon 

Adding a tight end to create match-up problems will help Bryce Young, who came on last year, but he needs to prove it wasn’t a fluke. 

20- Dallas Cowboys– CJ Allen, LB, Georgia 

The Cowboys need to upgrade their defense, especially the back 7, and Allen could be a 3-down linebacker to help them. 

21-Pittsburgh Steelers– R.Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma  

The Steelers’ defense was off last year and could use someone to complement T.J. Watt. 

22- Los Angeles Chargers– Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo 

With Derwin James in a contract year and having injuries at times, it’s good for the Chargers to find someone to pair with him this year and look at a potential replacement to lead the secondary in the future. 

23- Philadelphia Eagles– Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah 

The Eagles’ trenches fell off last year on the offensive line as well as in other areas, but Lane Johnson isn’t a young man anymore, and they need to look for a potential replacement for him. 

24- Cleveland Browns– Makai Lemon, WR, USC 

The Cleveland Browns add a playmaker on offense who can help in the slot and on the outside. 

25- Chicago Bears– Akheem Mesidor, Edge Miami 

The Bears need help on defense. Last year, their offense had the best year since, well, let’s be honest, since I’ve been alive. They had a passing game to complement their running game, despite the defense not being good. 

26- Buffalo Bills– Colton Hood, DB, Tennessee 

The Bills are going through a transition on defense, with Jim Leonard going to an attacking style defense over the zone defense Sean McDermott made. The question is how many players returning will fit this 3-4 defense he runs. I’d better be careful, Brandon Beane might get mad at me for saying that, just like he did when people questioned him not taking a receiver. Look how that turned out. Anyways, the Bills don’t have any real corners outside on Maxwell Harriston, who might benefit from this new defense, but they could use another corner. 

27- San Francisco 49ers– Blake Miller, OT, Clemson 

The 49ers had a rash of injuries last year but were able to win 11 games and make the playoffs. They need to continue to build the depth of the offensive line, especially with Trent Williams getting older and in a contract dispute with the team. 

28- Houston Texans– Peter Woods, DT, Clemson 

The Texans go best player available, and they are getting older in the middle of the defensive line, so Woods goes here. The line can be addressed in the early 2nd round, where the Texans have a pick at 38. 

29- Kansas City Chiefs– Zion Young, Edge, Missouri 

The Chiefs need another edge rusher and don’t have to look far for one with Young playing in their state. As I said before, they are going through a soft rebuild, especially on defense. 

30- Miami Dolphins– Avieon Terrell, DB, Clemson 

The Dolphins’ cupboard is bare in the secondary, and new coach Jeff Hafley wants to do more man coverage, and that is what Terrell can do. The Dolphins again pass on a receiver because of bigger needs 

31- New England Patriots– Keyland Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech 

The Patriots’ offensive line in the postseason got exposed, and some of that could be injury and players not playing well after the injury, but Rutledge is a tough physical player up front that fits Mike Vrabel‘s mold of an offensive line. Yes, they do need to add a receiver, but they also need to continue building that offensive line. 

32- Seattle Seahawks– Chris Johnson- CB, San Diego State 

The Seahawks defense gets another player to help their impressive unit. They did lose players in free agency, as most teams that win the Super Bowl do. Johnson can help with the loss of Riq Woolen in the secondary with his size. 

The draft is not an exact science, as we know. I’m sure there will be trades in the draft, especially in the back end of the first round, as I think someone will trade back into the 1st round to take Ty Simpson. The fans will want to see the Dolphins take a receiver early, but I don’t think they should. They should just rebuild their team. Plus, the team can find a receiver in the later round.