2026 NFL Draft: Field Yates, ESPN release draft day mock, final predictions for picks 1-32

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Thomas Goldkamp | Last updated Apr 23, 2026 12:35 PM ET

The final day of waiting has come and gone. The 2026 NFL Draft is officially here. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late for one last NFL mock draft.

In fact, ESPN expert Field Yates is here with his final look at the complete first round of the draft. He has some interesting selections, although the pick at No. 1 is a no-brainer at this point.

Let’s take a look at the complete final NFL mock draft from Yates, provided courtesy of ESPN. We begin below.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and national championship-winning quarterback seems to be a slam-dunk favorite as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. He’s the kind of player who can change a program’s fortunes — just ask Indiana.

In his lone year at Indiana, Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, against just six interceptions. He also ran for 276 yards and seven scores. The perfect candidate to lead off Yates’ mock draft.

2. New York Jets: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

With a defensive theme developing early on in Yates’ NFL mock draft, there are a few directions New York could go here. Few better places to turn than Bailey from a stout Texas Tech defense.

Bailey was a first-team AP All-American this season. He also earned a slew of other awards after finishing with 47 tackles, 18.0 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and three passes defended.

3. Arizona Cardinals: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Despite some strong protest from analyst Jordan Rodgers, Yates has Love going No. 3 overall to Arizona. It’s a lot to pay for a running back, but Yates believes Love has the goods to deliver for the Cardinals.

Love is coming off a season in which he tallied 199 carries for 1,372 yards. He was great in the big games and against cupcakes, scoring 18 times in every game but the season opener against Miami.

4. Tennessee Titans: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Tennessee looks to shore up its defense with an early pick out of Ohio State, which provides plenty of options at the top end of the draft. In this mock draft, it’s Sonny Styles going ahead of teammate Arvell Reese.

Pro Football Focus pointed to an 87.4 run-defense grade, a 91.6 tackling grade and an 86.9 coverage grade as reasons justifying a possible selection this high. Styles tallied 82 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and three passes defended during his final year with the Buckeyes.

5. New York Giants: EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State

The Giants could use some help defensively, and Reese was perhaps the best that Ohio State — and possibly college football — had to offer at his position. He was absolutely everywhere in 2025.

This season, Reese logged 69 tackles, 10.0 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He also had two passes defended, showing some ability to be disruptive in the passing lanes.

6. Cleveland Browns: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

A bit of a surprise selection here relative to most other NFL mock drafts, the Georgia offensive tackle is the first lineman taken in this prognostication. The NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks has said Freeling has physical tools and upside that make him an intriguing developmental prospect. The Browns will be looking for more if they take him at No. 6 overall.

Freeling is coming off his first full season as Georgia’s starting left tackle. He was the SEC’s offensive lineman of the week twice in 2025. While starting 13 of 14 games, Freeling allowed just two sacks in 2025.

7. Washington Commanders: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Washington has plenty of needs early in the first round. Not the least of those is significantly upgrading the talent in the skill position spots for quarterback Jayden Daniels to target as he returns in 2026.

Tate finished his 2025 campaign with 51 catches for 875 yards. He also found the end zone nine times, showing he can be a big-play threat.

8. New Orleans Saints: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Jordyn Tyson | Jacob Reiner-Imagn Images

New Orleans could use some help in the secondary, but the team is also trying to build an arsenal for quarterback Tyler Shough. Tyson would fit the mold quite well.

There were concerns after an injury, but he answered those with his pre-draft workouts, putting most of the concerns to bed. And the production is unreal. He has tallied 136 catches for 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The Chiefs would probably love to snag Jeremiah Love if he’s still available at No. 9. But if he’s gone, Kansas City could turn to a value play here with Downs falling all the way to No. 9 in Yates’ NFL mock draft.

Downs emerged on the scene as a star freshman at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State. With the Buckeyes, he won a national title. This season, Downs tallied 68 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss, a sack, two interceptions and two passes defended.

10. New York Giants (via CIN): G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

Yates has another interesting selection here, with New York dipping into the well to snag an offensive lineman to protect Jaxson Dart. But it’s not Francis Mauigoa, who many have projected as the top lineman.

Instead, it’s Penn State’s Ioane. Ioane started 32 games for the Nittany Lions during his 44-game career. He started the final 27 games he appeared in over the last two seasons.