After completing all my scouting and evaluation work, it’s time to turn away from that into prediction mode. We’re just two days out from the draft at this point and all the noise, smokescreens and real intel are blending together. What’s real and what’s an illusion? I’m aiming to find out.

I spent so much time scouting this class that I have to make a conscious effort to set aside my own opinions on the class and focus on what the consensus — and league intel — is telling me might happen. This draft feels more wild and unpredictable than most, which shouldn’t be a surprise in a class that flattens out so much after the top 10 picks or so. That said, I like where I ended up with this mock, and I’m calling my shots on a few picks that I feel quite confident in.

Speaking of scouting, be sure to check out these other draft resources I’ve prepared for you. My Top 200 Big Board went live on Sunday, and I’ve included links below to that plus all 11 of my position rankings (as well as some other draft prep articles, if you haven’t seen them yet). We’ll be coming at you with non-stop draft coverage over the weekend, so stay tuned. This is the place to be.

• Final Top 200 Big Board
• Draft Sleepers: Offense
• Draft Sleepers: Defense
• Potential Draft Risers
• Potential Draft Fallers
• Final Position Rankings: Quarterbacks
• Final Position Rankings: Running Backs
• Final Position Rankings: Wide Receivers
• Final Position Rankings: Tight Ends
• Final Position Rankings: Offensive Tackles
• Final Position Rankings: Interior Offensive Linemen
• Final Position Rankings: Edge Rushers
• Final Position Rankings: Defensive Tackles
• Final Position Rankings: Linebackers
• Final Position Rankings: Cornerbacks
• Final Position Rankings: Safeties

1 — Las Vegas Raiders: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

Welcome to the Mendoza era, Las Vegas. May it live up to your wildest expectations.

2 — New York Jets: Ohio State LB Arvell Reese

The draft really starts here, and it’s remarkable that we still don’t have a strong lean on where the Jets might go with this pick. Presumably, it’s down to Reese and Texas Tech ED David Bailey, but no one in the building is tipping their hand. My money is still on Reese being the pick — he has the raw athleticism and positional versatility edge, and his upside is tantalizing.

3 — Arizona Cardinals: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

The Cardinals have been a sneaky Love team this whole time, and the speculation got thrown into overdrive yesterday with a timely Adam Schefter tweet. It makes sense: while Arizona would presumably want an offensive lineman, the value just isn’t there in this spot, and Love is likely to top a lot of teams’ boards. They could trade down, with rumored trade frameworks in place with New Orleans and Kansas City, but I believe those teams want to trade up for Reese if the Jets take Bailey. Here, Reese is gone, so the Cardinals stay put and take Love.

4 — Tennessee Titans: Texas Tech ED David Bailey

I expect Love and Bailey probably top the Titans’ board for this pick, and they’re hoping one of them lasts to No. 4. Bailey makes a ton of sense in Tennessee, as they need a foundational pass rusher on defense, and he can be exactly that. Titans HC Robert Saleh’s defense relies on edge rushers that can win one-on-one, and Bailey is arguably the best in this class at doing just that.

5 — New York Giants: Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

I could also see Ohio State S Caleb Downs being the pick here, but I think Styles will go first. He’s freakishly athletic with excellent tape. That’s the combination that will get teams to throw out the positional value conversation in the top five and just draft you. Styles can park next to Tremaine Edmunds in the middle of that defense and give the Giants one of the most alien linebacker duos ever assembled.

6 — Cleveland Browns: Georgia OT Monroe Freeling

To be clear: I would not do this. But I’ve heard buzz connecting the Browns to Freeling for some time now, and I have a feeling we’re going to see a few “shocker” picks like this, perhaps earlier than most expect. Cleveland is in position to take the first offensive lineman off the board, and they aren’t in any rush to win right away. Freeling has undeniable upside and may be viewed as a cleaner “pure” tackle prospect than the other consensus top tackles in this class.

7 — Washington Commanders: Ohio State WR Carnell Tate

I think the Commanders are way more in on this wide receiver class than people are talking about. If Styles or Love is available, they would probably go in that direction, but absent that, Washington could definitely go receiver. Tate is probably going to be the first receiver off the board and he’d complement Terry McLaurin perfectly.

8 — New Orleans Saints: Ohio State S Caleb Downs

This isn’t a common landing spot for Downs, but he has to go somewhere, and I don’t see him lasting much past this pick anyhow. Nobody on New Orleans’ depth chart is preventing them from drafting Downs, and he’s arguably the best player in the entire draft.

9 — Kansas City Chiefs: Utah OT Spencer Fano

Even after drafting Josh Simmons last year, the Chiefs could easily go back to the well at tackle and take another one. Fano can step right in at right tackle or kick inside to guard temporarily if Kansas City needs it. Receiver and cornerback are the most common positions mocked to the Chiefs in this spot, but I think they are more likely to address those positions later.

10 — New York Giants (via CIN): Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

Rumor has it that Tyson is the player the Giants are already eyeing with their new pick. He’d be a fantastic complement to Malik Nabers and give second-year QB Jaxson Dart one of the league’s better receiver duos. New York can go after one of the defensive studs of the draft at No. 5, and then use this pick to continue building out their offense around Dart.

11 — Miami Dolphins: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa

This is probably Mauigoa’s absolute floor. He’s such a solid football player and would immediately improve one of the league’s worst offensive lines. He also fits the mold of the types of players Green Bay typically gravitates towards, and Miami’s new front office came over from the Packers.

12 — Dallas Cowboys: LSU CB Mansoor Delane

Like with Mauigoa at No. 11, this is probably the lower end of Delane’s range. He’s so smooth in coverage and the Cowboys are in desperate need of talent on defense. They’ve been connected to some other corners at No. 20, but if Delane is still here, I think they sprint the card in.

13 — Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Miami ED Rueben Bain Jr.

Finding a landing spot for Bain is a little tricky. He’s my top overall player in this class, but he’s expected to fall due to concerns about his arm length. Most mock drafts assume the Rams are taking a receiver here, but with both Tate and Tyson off the board, I have them stopping Bain’s fall. Los Angeles loves adding high-impact pass rushers and with a lot of their young defensive studs coming up on extension time, drafting Bain would allow them to keep their rotation fresh and make prudent decisions on whom to extend and whom to let walk.

14 — Baltimore Ravens: Penn State G Olaivavega Ioane

Ioane will be one of the easiest picks in the draft whenever he comes off the board. He’s such a high-floor player who can be an impact starter right away. The Ravens’ offensive line has let them down in recent years, and upgrading the guard position has to be one of their top priorities.

15 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq

The value just isn’t there at pass rusher or linebacker for the Bucs, unfortunately. But tight end is another position they could address, and Sadiq is sitting right there. He’s absurdly fast for a tight end and has some ability to play in-line — he isn’t a pure slot receiver. Wherever he goes, he’ll upgrade that team’s athleticism.

16 — New York Jets (via IND): Washington WR Denzel Boston

Sneakily, Boston could go above some of these other receiver prospects that are usually projected in this range. I think he’d be a great fit next to Garrett Wilson in New York, and it’s almost a foregone conclusion that the Jets will be taking a receiver with this pick (if they don’t trade up, which is certainly a possibility).

17 — Detroit Lions: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor

Let me be the millionth analyst to project Proctor to the Lions. It just makes too much sense to go away from. He fits exactly what Detroit wants to do and he’s had a great pre-draft process. If he can keep his weight down around 350 pounds, he’s got the fluidity at that size to be a real problem.

18 — Minnesota Vikings: Oregon S Dillon Thieneman

Thieneman could end up going higher than this, but there’s almost zero chance he makes it past both the Vikings and the Panthers. He’s a plus athlete who can line up all over the defense and fits nicely into multiple schemes. After losing Harrison Smith to retirement this offseason, Thieneman is a natural replacement in Minnesota.

19 — Carolina Panthers: Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

I haven’t seen much connecting Carolina to the cornerback class, at least in the first round. But it’s a position they could look to find a long-term solution to. McCoy’s stock is a little hard to gauge — while he tested great at his pro day after not playing at all in 2025, reports indicate that at least some teams are concerned about his longevity in the NFL and he could fall as a result. I still think he’s a first-round pick, though.

20 — Dallas Cowboys (via GBP): Central Florida ED Malachi Lawrence

I would be surprised if the Cowboys didn’t address the defense with both of their first-round picks. Lawrence is exactly the kind of player Dallas’ defensive line needs. He’s long, fast, and bendy, with a prototypical NFL edge rusher build. The Cowboys have been connected to him in recent days and this is probably where his range starts.

21 — Pittsburgh Steelers: Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor

The Steelers are a prime team for a tackle, and Iheanachor is probably the next off the board. He’s only been playing football for about five years, but he has picture-perfect physical tools and he’s gotten better and better with time. This would be Pittsburgh’s third first-round pick spent on an offensive tackle in the last four drafts, but the last two they drafted haven’t exactly been home runs.

22 — Los Angeles Chargers: Missouri ED Zion Young

The Chargers could go for a guard with this pick, but they also need to invest on the defensive line, and that’s where the value is. I’m lower on Young than this, but I expect he’ll go in the first round. Teams love his heavy-handed playstyle and the power he brings as a true edge-setter on defense.

23 — Philadelphia Eagles: Utah OT Caleb Lomu

The Eagles love getting out ahead of draft needs, and Lomu would be tabbed as the eventual replacement for RT Lane Johnson. He could be a quality swing tackle right away and based on Johnson’s recent injury history, he’d probably be forced into the lineup at times throughout his rookie season. Philadelphia could also go receiver or edge rusher here, but if they want a tackle, they’ll have to take one here.

24 — Cleveland Browns (via JAX): USC WR Makai Lemon

By taking a tackle at No. 6, the Browns got ahead of the run on that position and can now turn back to receiver. Lemon is still on the board and he’s a fantastic talent, despite being a slot-only guy in the NFL. He’s so dynamic with the ball in his hands and would immediately be Cleveland’s best receiver.

25 — Chicago Bears: Miami ED Akheem Mesidor

Chicago needs another consistent threat to get after the quarterback besides just Montez Sweat. Mesidor can provide that as a rookie — he’s an advanced pass rusher with serious burst off the edge and is a disciplined run defender, as well. As a contending team, the Bears can afford to take the older Mesidor over some younger (but less proven) options.

26 — Buffalo Bills: Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez

I think Rodriguez makes it into the first round, and the Bills make a lot of sense as a landing spot. He’s a turnover machine in the middle of the defense, with plus athleticism and great instincts. Buffalo needs to upgrade their linebacker unit and Rodriguez would be a natural replacement for Matt Milano.

27 — San Francisco 49ers: Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion

I don’t really buy the offensive line talk in the first round with the 49ers. Concepcion fits their scheme perfectly. He’s a great route runner with real juice in his movements. He can get open on any route and make things happen with the ball in his hands after the catch. With San Francisco moving on from Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings this offseason, they need to replenish the talent at wide receiver.

28 — Houston Texans: San Diego State CB Chris Johnson

Johnson is exactly the kind of player Houston gravitates towards. He’s a feisty, physical cornerback who can play in man or zone schemes. He tested as a plus athlete at the Combine and isn’t afraid to mix it up in run support. Everything Johnson does is exactly what the Texans want from their cornerbacks, and he’s a natural fit in their scheme.

29 — Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR): Clemson ED T.J. Parker

The Chiefs would be ecstatic if Parker makes it all the way to No. 29. Bain is a popular mock draft pick for the Chiefs at No. 9, and while Parker isn’t that level of prospect, he’s a good fit for similar reasons. He plays strong against the run, is a really fundamentally sound player, and offers some pass rush upside as a bigger edge rusher.

30 — Miami Dolphins (via DEN): Tennessee CB Colton Hood

Hood has met with so many of the teams picking in this range, I had to find a spot for him in the first round. The Dolphins had the worst cornerback room in the league last year and haven’t really done much to change that so far this offseason. Hood is a plus athlete and a really smooth mover on the outside, with the adaptability to play in multiple schemes.

31 — New England Patriots: Auburn ED Keldric Faulk

Faulk is such a Patriots type of player. He’s big and physical, capable of playing on the edge or as more of an interior presence in 3-4 schemes. Against the run, he’s a one-man wrecking crew, and he boasts insane flexibility at his size. That gives him some nice pass rush upside, as well.

32 — Seattle Seahawks: Arizona S Treydan Stukes

The Seahawks are shopping this pick and looking to trade down, but Stukes makes a lot of sense for them. The buzz surrounding Stukes has been thrown into overdrive in recent days, and he seems like a player the league is telling us will go in the first round. Seattle needs to restock in the secondary and Stukes can play in the slot or in more of a traditional safety role.