Making a mock draft a 12 months ago was a lot simpler. When the Titans were placed on the clock at No. 1 overall, all 32 NFL teams held their very own first-round picks. This 12 months, 4 teams have two first-round picks, and five don’t pick until Day 2. As well as, draft pundits imagine teams will likely be aggressive with trades in the primary round this 12 months. In consequence, there was speculation an early run of offensive tackle prospects may very well be coming on this draft, delaying any similar run for wide receivers.
Unfortunately, in the present draft order, an early run of offensive tackles makes little or no sense, and attempting to predict which teams will outbid which teams to trade up with whichever other third teams is a challenge that will ultimately result in option paralysis — or, really, more option paralysis than a mock draft normally induces. Subsequently, we are going to proceed last 12 months’s tradition, ignoring any trade possibilities after this date and identifying optimal prospects for every team in its current draft slot with its current position needs. And, because nobody should need to miss out on the fun, the five teams not participating on Day 1 will still get mocks for his or her first picks within the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
1) Las Vegas Raiders — QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Do we actually have to elucidate much here? Mendoza established himself because the No. 1 overall pick weeks before ultimately securing the Heisman Trophy and a national title. The one query remaining at that time was which team would find their option to the highest slot within the draft. Because of some late-season wins from the Giants, who had already seemingly found their quarterback of the longer term, Las Vegas became the clear destination for the Hoosiers’ champion.
Mendoza isn’t quite the highest overall pick we’re used to. The Cal transfer benefitted greatly from the offense around him in Bloomington, running frequent run-pass options and quickly getting the ball out to his first, designed read. A superb amount of Mendoza’s success last season stemmed from the system and a talented group of receivers around him, and he probably wouldn’t disagree with that. That’s to not say that he can’t do the things he didn’t have to in Indiana. He’ll just have to work at the following level on deep ball consistency and progressing to his third and even fourth reads, as a substitute of bailing too quickly from the pocket.
Lucky for him, mentor Tom Brady & Co. are setting things up nicely for him. The Raiders have invested heavily within the offensive line currently, and Ashton Jeanty within the backfield should function a solid half of any RPOs Vegas opts to adopt from Mendoza’s former team. Mendoza is a great leader with viral positivity, and he does numerous the small things right, excelling with anticipation, velocity, and placement on the short and intermediate levels. The Hoosiers haven’t produced a first-round pick since 1994, and Mendoza should turn into the varsity’s second-ever top overall pick, following within the footsteps of fullback Corbett Davis (a 1938 Cleveland Rams draftee).
2) Recent York Jets — DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Jets have sold numerous pieces in recent times, and it’s time to make use of the loot they’ve stored to restock. Pass rusher has long been the expected position here. Yes, Recent York has needs at quarterback, nevertheless it appears the team is saving up for next 12 months. The Jets are reportedly fascinated with Ohio State off-ball linebacker Sonny Styles here, but at No. 2 overall, the designated salary in that draft slot would make Styles the ninth-highest-paid off-ball linebacker within the NFL. That draft slot would bring more guaranteed money than Fred Warner and Roquan Smith secured on their extensions, and the Jets would have roughly $68.81MM going to the within linebacker position — with the team signing Demario Davis a 12 months after authorizing an expensive Jamien Sherwood re-signing — over the following two years.
More realistically, that form of dough will likely be going to a pass rusher. Styles’ teammate Arvell Reese was presumed to be the pick here as a multifaceted defender with untapped pass-rushing potential within the mold of Micah Parsons or Abdul Carter, but currently Bailey has turn into a more popular pick. There’s more to the argument than simply this, nevertheless it’s a classic debate between production and potential. Having just led Division I-FBS with 14.5 sacks as a Red Raider, Bailey could slot in beautifully across from Will McDonald to form an imposing pass-rushing duo.
3) Arizona Cardinals — DE/LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Man, it really seems like the Cardinals want Bailey here. Reese can be a talented pass rusher and could have the next ceiling, but Bailey’s game may very well be a robust slot in Arizona. On offense, the team’s right tackle spot is wide open; Elijah Wilkinson is currently slotted into the starting role opposite Paris Johnson Jr. The Cardinals could go along with college RTs Francis Mauigoa (Miami) or Spencer Fano (Utah) here, but ignoring the worth of Reese at No. 3 feels unsuitable. Some early-drafting NFL teams have been seeking to trade down, and the Cardinals could definitely offer to maneuver back a couple of spots to let another person have Reese while they get a tackle and a few draft compensation, but we’re not doing trades.
As a substitute, the Cardinals take the perfect player available while still landing a player at a position of need. Reese could easily slot in as a starter across from Josh Sweat as a rookie and inject some life right into a pass rush that boasted the third-lowest sack total within the NFL last 12 months. Hell, if needed, Reese could even proceed to separate time as an off-ball linebacker, like he did as a Buckeye, supplementing a bunch currently headlined by Mack Wilson, Zaven Collins, and Cody Simon. Reese would have a transparent path to becoming the perfect player at either position if he develops as expected. The Cards making this pick would proceed a trend of choosing hybrid players in Round 1, which the team did with Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Haason Reddick (on the time) and Deone Bucannon.
4) Tennessee Titans — RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
The Titans still have so many positions of need they might go almost anywhere with this pick and never be unsuitable. If Reese or Bailey are still available, the leftover pass rusher could easily be the appropriate call here. Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. would take to the NFL easily with Jeffery Simmons as a mentor (though, the team has strayed from this concept after early thoughts of reuniting him with Cam Ward). Styles can be an easy upgrade to the linebacking corps, or the team could explore any of the choices at tackle. Tennessee could also go along with one more Buckeye and supply Ward with a high-caliber weapon in wide receiver Carnell Tate.
Ultimately, though, a special form of weapon for Ward may prevail here. After initially being challenged on his rightful place in the highest 10 picks of the draft, Love has been creeping higher and better up projection boards. As we mentioned with Styles, taking Love here immediately makes him the eighth-highest-paid running back within the league. Love going here would also move him past Saquon Barkley for many fully guaranteed money allocated to a running back. The Raiders entered that neighborhood last 12 months by drafting Jeanty at No. 6.
Love would immediately take an immense amount of pressure off Ward, who led the league in sacks taken last 12 months. Love has the sort of game-changing talent that would open up the offense. With a remarkable mix of strength, speed, aggression, and balance, this high-jumping rusher will bring Offensive Rookie of the 12 months potential.
5) Recent York Giants — T Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
One in all the teams leading the charge for trading back from the early first round has been John Harbaugh’s Giants, and that may very well be the probably end result for this pick where talent exists but possibly not at positions Recent York is attempting to bolster. In some unspecified time in the future, adding one other starting-caliber receiver or cornerback or investing in a top defensive tackle prospect may very well be really impactful for the Giants, but this early, anyone apart from Tate seems like a big reach here, and Tate still seems like a little bit of a reach at No. 5 (though, his stock has continued to grow currently). It seems like the team did enough work at linebacker and tight end in free agency to rule those out, too.
If the Giants are staying put here, Mauigoa is sensible for a couple of reasons. While the Giants have their starting tackles in place on multiyear deals, Andrew Thomas has struggled together with his health in recent times. Now, a fifth overall pick could appear a bit wealthy for a swing tackle, but draft pundits have been pretty vocal about their belief that Mauigoa’s best position could also be on the inside offensive line, where the Giants have questionable starters on expiring deals.
Though he only played right tackle in college, Mauigoa has expressed willingness to maneuver across the line. There are areas he could improve on as he develops as an NFL tackle, but when Big Blue needs to stay him at guard right away, he’s got a robust skillset to begin there and kick out to cover a tackle spot if needed, solving multiple issues along the team’s offensive line.
6) Cleveland Browns — T Spencer Fano, Utah
Let’s cheat a bit here. Though the potential run of offensive tackles just isn’t to are available in this mock, we are able to put Cleveland in that mindset and still have this make sense. The Browns’ biggest needs are at wide receiver and offensive line. If there’s going to be a run of tackles delaying the collection of top receivers, it is sensible for the team to lock up a robust bookend in the beginning of the run and hope the depth of the top-tier receivers will leave some strong options remaining when their second Day 1 pick rolls around.
Cleveland was recently linked to Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, nevertheless it’s hard to picture him jumping up a couple of spots over Fano. Proctor may make sense if the Browns trade back a bit, though, and that’s something that’s been rumored for each their picks. As a substitute, Cleveland follows Recent York’s example and lands a top right tackle with potential versatility — truthfully, these two picks may very well be swapped and it wouldn’t shock. Neither team could really go unsuitable with either player. Because the Browns completely rebuild their offensive line from last 12 months with a couple of recent and familiar pieces, Fano may very well be an indispensable option with the power to resolve multiple issues, very similar to Mauigoa.
7) Washington Commanders — LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
This was a troublesome one. The Commanders lost a superb variety of pieces in free agency but did a superb overall job of restocking. Bringing in Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson should help the pass rush, and Chig Okonkwo should give you the option to effectively replace Zach Ertz. The return of Dyami Brown and addition of Van Jefferson were barely convincing enough to not go Tate here, and it doesn’t feel like cornerback is the move here either after the team used high picks on Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos in recent times.
Ultimately, Styles seems like the plain solution. After watching veteran Bobby Wagner‘s contract expire, the Commanders’ addition of Leo Chenal next to Frankie Luvu looked like an honest try to fill the opening. But Chenal played limited snaps in Kansas City and each players have split their time between the sting and the box.
Adding Styles to the linebacking corps would give the team an instantaneous presence on the within, making up for the lack of Wagner and establishing the brand new defensive centerpiece Washington can construct around. With an excellent size-speed makeup to roam over the center, Styles would allow Luvu and Chenal to proceed within the supplemental roles that they thrive in.
8) Recent Orleans Saints — WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Pass rusher, cornerback, and safety all felt like possibilities for Recent Orleans at No. 8, and there are great options at every position here. The Saints could make Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. the third pass rusher to return off the board and replace Cameron Jordan or crack the seal on the secondary to take local cornerback Mansoor Delane out of LSU or safety Caleb Downs, one more Ohio State prospect. With a young quarterback hoping to ascertain himself after a promising end to his 2025 campaign, though, the Saints take a take a look at his cupboard and realize some additions may should be made to the wide receiving corps.
Tyler Shough has a reliable goal in Chris Olave (when he’s healthy), but behind the previous Ohio State talent, Devaughn Vele, Kevin Austin and Mason Tipton return from last 12 months to compete for secondary targets. What’s worse, all of those pass catchers’ contracts expire this 12 months or the following. While Bain, Delane or Downs could definitely make an impact on a defense moving on from a couple of veteran leaders, Tate seems like he could have the largest impact on Recent Orleans’ future.
An Olave-Tate duo can be formidable for Shough to focus on, all while providing the Saints with a little bit of long-term security on the position. Tate is a proven deep threat, a robust route runner, and a winner of contested targets. Along with his producing on his own, Tate could really open things up for the opposite players within the Saints’ offense.
9) Kansas City Chiefs — DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
Edge and receiver feel just like the two biggest needs for Kansas City, a team not used to drafting this early. Defensive tackle can be an enormous need as Chris Jones continues to age, however the draft’s best interior defender prospect can be a greater value with the Chiefs’ second pick in the primary round. With the Chiefs just missing out on Tate here, the following two receivers on the board — USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson — don’t feel like slam-dunk additions to a bunch of weapons we all know Patrick Mahomes could make work if mandatory.
With Bailey and Reese off the board, Bain is the highest option for Kansas City, and he actually seems like an ideal fit no matter who’s available. While Bain operates most frequently on the sting, the strong, stout pass rusher saw work across the line of defense during his time at Miami. Putting Bain next to Jones can be pairing him with an excellent mentor. Already adept at utilizing an elite get-off and sudden power, Bain could put the ending touches on his game by taking after the disruptive veteran.
In college, Bain and teammate Akheem Mesidor elevated one another’s production by ensuring that neither side of the road ever felt secure. Adding Bain to a pass rush with Jones and George Karlaftis could pay huge dividends on a Kansas City defense that finished the season with the seventh-lowest sack total.
10) Cincinnati Bengals — S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Look, until things improve here, Cincinnati must proceed using these top picks on defense or its offensive line. While the draft’s top guard prospect — Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane — may very well be a extremely strong addition here, defense does feel just like the greater priority at this time limit. Any picks at defensive tackle or linebacker can be an excessive amount of of a reach at No. 10, now that Styles is gone, and it might feel strange for Cincy to go for a mid-first-round pass rusher for the second 12 months in a row. Cornerback would truthfully make a ton of sense for the Bengals, and Delane would slot in nicely, but there’s a more talented prospect who has already fallen much too far and would bring tremendous value here.
The Bengals let the draft come to them and land Downs, this 12 months’s top safety prospect, because of this. Some have Downs as a possible top-five pick, and he thoroughly may very well be. Cincinnati’s safety trio struggled through much of last 12 months, and only Jordan Battle returns. The team made a robust pickup in free agency with Bryan Cook, and though Kyle Dugger has struggled in recent times, he adds depth and starting experience. Battle is entering the ultimate 12 months of his rookie deal, and while he put up big numbers this past 12 months, he gave up some big plays and has not been in a position to effectively stop the bleeding in Cincinnati. Downs has potential to do exactly that. With intelligence and the power to affect the sport from anywhere on the sector, Downs is simply too talented to fall out of the highest 10.
11) Miami Dolphins — WR Makai Lemon, USC
Miami has too many needs to handle in the intervening time and never enough first-round picks to cover all of them. On the sting, the Dolphins bid farewell to Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips and didn’t do a superb enough job replacing them in free agency. Replacements Josh Uche, David Ojabo and Robert Beal combined last 12 months for all of 1.5 sacks. The identical will be said at cornerback, where free agents Kader Kohou, Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas have been replaced by Darrell Baker, Marco Wilson and Alex Austin. Mesidor or Delane would make a ton of sense for these reasons, but one other pick feels higher here.
Identical to at EDGE and cornerback, Miami lost significant contributors at wide receiver last 12 months, saying goodbye to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The free agents signed of their place? Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, joining a bunch led by returners Malik Washington and Theo Wease. The Dolphins aren’t doing recent quarterback Malik Willis any favors; to that time, adding Lemon here seems like a must.
Lemon has the potential to be a carbon-copy alternative of Waddle, just with brisker legs and a less expensive contract. Lacking elite size, Lemon is a crafty route runner with excellent hands and elusiveness. In a foul place at several positions, the Dolphins still have a probability to make lemonade.
12) Dallas Cowboys — CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
The Cowboys’ roster does probably not feature too many holes. Dallas definitely has room for improvement, however the team employs workable players at every position. The Cowboys’ issues really are inclined to come because of this of poor health. Linebacker could also be their biggest actual need, but at this point in the primary round, that’s not a viable option. Dallas would also stand to learn from additions on the offensive line, but after last 12 months, defense must be the priority. Adding a 3rd edge rusher to rotate in amongst Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku may very well be helpful, however the value is probably not great here.
As a substitute, the Cowboys have a probability so as to add the highest prospect on the cornerback position. Dallas has one among the NFL’s best cornerbacks in pick-six machine DaRon Bland, however the talent level drops off a bit behind him. Shavon Revel showed first-round talent before injury forced him into the third round last 12 months, and the free agent signings of former Rams cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick definitely help Dallas, but top-end talent stays a problem.
Delane can be an easy plug and play in Dallas. He doesn’t have ideal size or speed, and he could definitely get stronger, but he does the things a cornerback must do and makes it look easy. Elite hips, quick feet, and controlled transitions will allow Delane to cover guys greater or faster than him at the following level.
13) Los Angeles Rams — WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
The Rams are such a well-stocked team that their lack of a Super Bowl previously couple years is truthfully surprising. Adding offensive line depth is at all times a possibility, especially when a team is wealthy in talent and particularly when that talent is young and will soon earn big contracts elsewhere in free agency. Los Angeles did an excellent job of reloading its cornerbacks room after losing 4 players to free agency. Bringing in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from the Chiefs represents an enormous improvement, but there may be loads of room on the roster for depth.
We’ll go in a rather different direction here. The Rams obviously have very talented players leading their receiving corps in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. We’ll only mention in quick passing Nacua’s offseason activities and the hint of volatility they add to his job security. Even when Nacua stays squeaky clean and never misses a day again, Los Angeles could still definitely profit from the addition of a 3rd wideout to contribute alongside he and Adams or step up in either player’s absence.
Though Tyson has an injury history of his own that warrants consideration, he has an authority feel for getting open and finding the holes in coverages when he’s on the sector. Defenses will already be keying in on the proven weapons at Matthew Stafford‘s disposal; throwing in a person open more often than a 7-Eleven seems like a cheat code.
14) Baltimore Ravens — OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Before attending to the plain points, let’s pretend they don’t exist for a second. With the declining performance of tight end Mark Andrews — though, he’s still a regular-season touchdown machine — and presumed heir apparent Isaiah Likely following Harbaugh to Recent York, Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is such a tempting pick here. The continued questions surrounding Nnamdi Madubuike‘s future make interior line of defense an option to contemplate in a while within the draft, and adding some edge depth behind recent star Trey Hendrickson and last 12 months’s draft addition Mike Green may very well be helpful. Don’t rule out cornerback either, because the team’s future on the position holds a little bit of intrigue in the intervening time.
Let’s not overthink this one, though. Passing up on interior offensive line here can be insane. Lamar Jackson can work miracles, nevertheless it just seems cruel to force him to accomplish that as often as he needed to last 12 months when poor play on the guard positions put him in constant danger. Throw within the lack of star center Tyler Linderbaum, and the Ravens have almost no selection but to begin rebuilding in front of Jackson. With Ronnie Stanley‘s contract situation a bit tenuous over the following two years, even offensive tackle can be an honest move here.
Though Baltimore is thought for drafting the perfect player available, one has to imagine Ioane is near the highest of that list. If guards were generally valued as highly as tackles, Ioane may even be the highest lineman in the category. An elite run grader and rattling near elite in pass pro, Ioane is a real, powerful people mover paying homage to the times of Marshal Yanda. It might be daring of the Ravens to pass up a possibility to completely solve a multiyear problem by drafting Ioane.
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Tampa Bay did a superb job addressing its losses in free agency by bringing in contributors at defensive tackle and linebacker, and drafting Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan over the past few years made Mike Evans‘ departure a bit easier to stomach. Adding an edge rusher here is tempting with YaYa Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad looking just like the top two players at that position in the intervening time, however the Buccaneers have a more glaring have to fill.
Jamel Dean‘s departure in free agency deals a significant blow to the Bucs’ secondary. Sure, the team utilized a high pick on a cornerback last 12 months (Benjamin Morrison) and watched him go through his rookie season, so it might be scary to take a probability on a cornerback getting back from a significant injury. But McCoy is certainly definitely worth the risk.
The Tennessee product showed so many good traits as an underclassman that he’s still considered a first-round talent after missing his entire third 12 months of collegiate play as a consequence of an ACL tear. He’ll need to quickly grow out of some youthful tendencies to commit penalties when in trouble, but when McCoy is fully recovered in time for his rookie 12 months, he has numerous strong tools that may translate well to the following level, including elite on-ball production.
16) Recent York Jets — WR Denzel Boston, Washington
We swing back around to the Jets, who took care of their edge rush with their first pick in the primary round and might now move on to their next biggest need, keeping in mind that quarterback seems to catch the attention of the 2027 offseason. Interior offensive line, linebacker, or cornerback could all be serious considerations here if there have been any that felt like a mid-first-round value, but the perfect available players at those positions are seen more as late-first-round prospects.
We are able to still attack a position of need here within the receiving corps, though, where Garrett Wilson stays WR1, but competition with Adonai Mitchell for the WR2 job is wide open for any takers. Personally, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. seems like the highest option available here, however the Jets put more value on Boston, who’s one among three wideouts on whom they’re believed to have a first-round grade.
The largest knock on Boston is his speed, but Wilson and Mitchell have already got that in spades. Boston provides them with a big-bodied, sure-handed pass catcher who can be a physical, willing blocker. As rare because it is to say, Recent York seems to actually like Boston here, and Boston may very well be a part of Gang Green’s long-term plan for next 12 months’s quarterback addition.
17) Detroit Lions — T Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Just like the Rams, the Lions have only a few holes on their depth chart. Some potential health issues at safety, cornerback, defensive tackle and tight end could pose some trouble, but Detroit has already built impressive depth at those positions. There is no such thing as a depth on the linebacker spots behind strong starters, but that’s a priority for the later rounds of the draft. The one real consideration to make here is at edge rusher, where the expired contracts of Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal and the departure of Al-Quadin Muhammad have left Aidan Hutchinson to rush opposite D.J. Wonnum for the 2026 season. Adding someone with a bit more production potential can be a extremely good move here.
But it surely’s time we finally get to the rumored run of offensive tackles as we begin to run into teams they finally make sense for. With Taylor Decker‘s contract expired, free agent addition Larry Borom — traditionally known more as a swing tackle — is currently the team’s most suitable choice to begin opposite Penei Sewell. Freeling has shot up draft boards previously few weeks with a powerful frame, advanced athleticism, and a fast get-off. The 21-year-old has some developing to do once he enters the NFL, but he has enough tools to potentially start straight away. The Lions are arrange well to have him sit behind Borom, if mandatory, until he’s able to tackle a starting job on the offensive line.
18) Minnesota Vikings — S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Minnesota definitely has some areas to handle within the draft, but positions of need like center and defensive tackle should wait until prospects higher fit the worth of the pick. Cornerback is an interesting position to take a look at here for the Vikings, who could use some more top-end talent and depth of their current group. Wide receiver can be an obvious secondary need with the sheer drop-off that happens after Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the depth chart, and a smaller slot guy like Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion may very well be a pretty third option in Minnesota.
The largest hole on the depth chart, though, is at safety, where the expired contract of veteran Harrison Smith has left the team thin. Determining this draft class’ No. 2 safety is an actual challenge and doubtless a toss-up for outsiders, however the Vikings are likely going to have some preference in the choices between Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Each players could slip into any scheme. McNeil-Warren’s strength comes from his physical attributes and skills, while Thieneman’s comes from versatility and play recognition. Each players have the power to begin and make plays all around the field as rookies, but Thieneman slips into the that old Smith mold a bit too well to pass up.
19) Carolina Panthers — TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
After seeing Thieneman go off the board following the onset of the long-rumored tackle run before that, Carolina may very well be tempted to go after either position. The Panthers return 4 safeties from last 12 months, but McNeil-Warren could definitely work his way onto the sector in three-safety looks for Carolina. Ikem Ekwonu and Rasheed Walker‘s contracts expire after this season, and Taylor Moton‘s deal expires the 12 months after that; the team could get a head start on restocking in case the long-term solution on the position isn’t currently within the constructing. Adding more edge depth is a thought for the draft, as well, but after shelling out for Jaelan Phillips and using a high draft pick on Nic Scourton last 12 months, the Panthers have likely invested enough on the position.
The Panthers have commented on potentially taking a pass catcher with their first-round pick for the third 12 months in a row, but we’re going to mess with that a bit to reward Carolina with a pass catcher that more effectively improves the outlook of the depth chart.
As a substitute of encouraging the team so as to add a 3rd Day 1 receiver, after Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette, to a room that also includes Jalen Coker, John Metchie, and others, we’re bringing Sadiq in to guide a good end group that currently houses Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and Feleipe Franks. Sadiq is way and away the highest tight end prospect on this class. To succeed in elite status, he’ll need to cut down on drops and work to be certain his blocking skills translate on the NFL level, but Sadiq has all of the tools to be an impact player within the Panthers’ offense.
20) Dallas Cowboys — OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
The Cowboys are considering kicking All-Pro guard Tyler Smith out to the tackle position he manned as a rookie, but in the event that they were tempted to depart him in at guard, partaking within the tackle run may very well be a helpful move here. Dallas found huge success within the early days of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott because of outstanding offensive line play and would do well to return to such an approach with the addition of somebody like Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor.
But even after taking a cornerback earlier in the primary round, it still would behoove the Cowboys to proceed improving their defense. And since they didn’t add a 3rd pass rusher up at No. 12, we’ll be certain they get one here.
There have been late rumors that Dallas may very well be seeking to trade up from its first pick for Bain, but since trades aren’t allowed here, Mesidor heads to the Cowboys as a hell of a consolation prize. The one reasons Mesidor isn’t up closer to Bain are his advanced age and injury history, however the 25-year-old is a menace with a nonstop motor and ridiculous production. He’s a plug-and-play defender who, like Bain, has versatile experience playing throughout the line of defense.
21) Pittsburgh Steelers — T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Until we hear anything definitive concerning the plans of ole Discount Double Check, quarterback stays a large need for Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems Alabama passer Ty Simpson’s single 12 months of starting experience is simply too much of a priority for the Steelers so as to add him to the crew. The team could also take a detailed take a look at safety, where the oft-injured DeShon Elliott is about to return next to some combination of Jalen Ramsey and free agent addition Jaquan Brisker. If Ramsey and Elliott can return to their top levels of play, they ought to be high quality, but adding McNeil-Warren this late within the draft would definitely annoy the remainder of the AFC North.
As a substitute, we’re going to try to shore up Pittsburgh’s offensive line, which is solid at three points in the intervening time. The departure of Isaac Seumalo in free agency makes that guard spot an issue mark, and Broderick Jones‘ struggles have continued into his third season. An injury coming throughout the 2025 campaign further derailed his 12 months. Proctor is one other tackle prospect that may need some development at the following level, but he has so many good tools already.
Like lots of the other tackles within the draft class, Proctor has strong tackle potential, but many teams will likely be interested seeing how he suits in at guard. This makes Proctor a robust fit for a Steelers team that would slip him into Seumalo’s old spot or bump him out to exchange Jones in case of emergency.
22) Los Angeles Chargers — CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
Due to a disastrous 2025 campaign up front, adding anywhere along the offensive line would make sense for Los Angeles. The team is currently thin when it comes to tackle depth after watching each Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt go down with season-ending injuries last 12 months. Using a 3rd first-round pick on a tackle in only five years, though, feels limiting to the remainder of the roster. One other area the Chargers could take a look at here is defensive tackle, and despite the fact that we’re getting much closer to an appropriate value slot for Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, one other defensive position probably needs more assist in Los Angeles here.
While the Chargers return three starters at cornerback, the depth behind them is suspect. The Southern California-based prospect would immediately improve the depth and quality of the room. Johnson could even push for a starting spot with a superb probability of earning it. In college, Johnson had a bent to lose out to greater, more physical receivers, and his only experience playing Power 4 competition got here in two games against Cal. So long as the following stages of the sport aren’t too big for him, the 21-year-old cover man’ instincts, ball skills and big-play ability give him every opportunity to make an impact as a rookie.
23) Philadelphia Eagles — S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Very like their NFC foes in Detroit and L.A., the Eagles have a solid first-team construct. If we’re nit-picking, Philadelphia could use a little bit of depth at guard, especially with Tyler Steen entering a contract 12 months. An option like Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis won’t be an excessive amount of of a reach here. The team could also stand so as to add a bit more talent to its receiving corps. With A.J. Brown‘s departure seeming like a foregone conclusion at this point, Cooper may very well be a robust alternative fit.
However the Eagles even have an honest hole on the depth chart at safety. With Reed Blankenship departing for Houston in free agency, the Eagles need a brand new starter next to last 12 months’s high draft pick, Andrew Mukuba. Marcus Epps remains to be around after serving as a backup last 12 months, but McNeil-Warren may very well be an instantaneous difference-maker for Philadelphia here.
A physical specimen, McNeil-Warren’s tall, long-legged frame isn’t the everyday construct of a security, but he doesn’t look a bit misplaced within the defensive backfield. He’s disciplined but aggressive with great hands for catching balls or punching them loose. He’s got potential to raise the Eagles’ safety room if the team can land him here.
24) Cleveland Browns — WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
We were very clear when discussing Cleveland’s first pick of the primary round; offensive tackle and wide receiver are the Browns’ biggest needs. We mocked them to land a top tackle option in Fano, they usually can now turn focus to their receiving corps. Just a few receivers have come off the board by now, and of the remaining options, two feel like the perfect suits at this point. Cooper offers decent size and run-after-catch ability that would complement a number of the weapons Cleveland already has, but there may very well be a greater fit still.
Concepcion provides that very same RAC ability and a bit more. Concepcion and Cooper are a tad undersized, but the previous greater than makes up for it with elite agility that helps him navigate traffic and evade tacklers after the catch. The quarterback situation in Cleveland remains to be in flux, but no matter whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders is behind center, a various array of receiving targets will likely be an important think about how successful the eventual starting passer will likely be. If Concepcion plays as much as his potential, he may very well be an upgrade at WR3 over Isaiah Bond and a return-game improvement over Tylan Wallace.
25) Chicago Bears — DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
The Bears are in tough spot here. Safety would have been a simple have to fill just a pair picks ago, but with Thieneman and McNeil-Warren off the board, there aren’t any longer any safeties value drafting on this range. The Bears also need a middle, nevertheless it doesn’t appear like anybody is drafting a middle on this 12 months’s first round, so Chicago can probably land a top center prospect on Day 2. Offensive tackle seems like an honest need due to injury to Ozzy Trapilo, though the 2025 second-rounder looked like an actual long-term solution for the Bears before taking place with injury. Spending a first-round pick to fill his role will feel like a waste if he’s in a position to return with ease by 2027.
There’s a hole on the depth chart that the Bears can reasonably address here, nevertheless. After Montez Sweat, an enormous talent drop-off exists throughout the team’s edge-rushing group. Faulk isn’t your typical potential-without-production prospect. It’s not that he looks the part and has the physical tools but just can’t put it together on the sector; he’s just, seemingly, at all times right across the play, disrupting it, but hardly the one ending it. The 21-year-old has loads of room to grow, and learning under Sweat could do wonders for his game and a Bears defense that produced the fifth-lowest sack total within the NFL last 12 months.
26) Buffalo Bills — DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Buffalo lost lots in free agency, but for essentially the most part, the Bills were in a position to restock at numerous key positions. The team did some shuffling at safety, moving on from Darnell Savage, Taylor Rapp and Jordan Poyer but re-signing Damar Hamlin and adding C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone. Still, the Bills may not feel quite comfortable with the depth chart there just yet. Either way, there aren’t any first-round-worthy prospects left at safety, so that they could trade back or simply wait for later picks to handle that area. The Bills could also profit from one other addition to their receiving corps, but they’ve swung and missed there before, and Josh Allen can definitely do greater than most quarterbacks with less.
With DaQuan Jones, Larry Ogunjobi and Jordan Phillips all hitting free agency, the Bills could really use some promising young talent on the line of defense. Fortunately for McDonald, a team with a necessity at his position is finally inside an inexpensive range to draft him.
McDonald is an ideal piece to fit into this Bills line of defense. He’s an elite run stopper in the center who doesn’t have an excellent formidable pass rush in the intervening time. Give him time to develop one as he grows accustomed to the speed and physicality of the NFL game. He ought to be high quality playing early and sometimes, competing for snaps with 2025 draft additions T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker.
27) San Francisco 49ers — T Caleb Lomu, Utah
There was an honest probability we were about to see a run of defensive tackles, or no less than three in a row. The free agency departures of Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis and Kevin Givens definitely limited the 49ers’ depth on the inside line of defense, and they’ll have to handle that — even after trading for Osa Odighizuwa. After dedicating two high picks to the D-line by drafting Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins last 12 months, though, San Francisco should want to spread its high draft picks to other position groups.
Trent Williams is entering an age-38 season. The long run Hall of Famer remains to be playing at a high level, but he and the 49ers — despite the team making a recent offer — haven’t agreed on an extension that locks him down beyond 2026. Even when the edges do work something out, it might be time to begin planning for the longer term.
The 49ers signed former Patriots tackle Vederian Lowe in free agency, but he looks like a swing tackle option to exchange Spencer Burford. San Francisco could bring Lomu in here to sap every liquid ounce of data Williams has to supply. Lomu just isn’t quite ready to begin just yet, needing to further develop his technique and get stronger. Letting him accomplish that behind Williams is a no brainer.
28) Houston Texans — DT Peter Woods, Clemson
On defense, the Texans are so good, the one thing that appears to be hurting them is the existence of contract expiration dates. Houston is in a superb spot so as to add a top-tier linebacker prospect, but there’s higher value picks to select from. The team has sustained too many wide receiver injuries through the years not to contemplate taking a look at that position group. The Texans might imagine so as to add there and even at tight end. It might be still just too early for any of the available tight ends, but receivers like Cooper, Alabama’s Germie Bernard or Louisville’s Chris Bell are all thoughts here.
On the subject of expiring contracts, Woods is an excellent value pick here to establish the longer term of the Texans’ line of defense. Tommy Togiai is on the ultimate 12 months of his contract, and Sheldon Rankins (re-signed on a two-year, $17MM deal) turned 32 this month. Woods has big-play ability and may give you the option to contribute on defense straight away as he develops on the go. He’s quick for his size and has an honest pass-rush arsenal for an interior defender. If picked here, Woods may very well be a solid rotational lineman gaining experience until he’s able to take over in a full-time starting role.
29) Kansas City Chiefs — WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
Just like the Browns, the Chiefs’ needs were pretty clearly laid out with defensive end and wide receiver the highest priorities. They passed up the likes of Lemon and Tyson to secure an elite, game-wrecking pass rusher earlier within the night. After caring for its pass rush with the ninth overall pick, Kansas City can now shop for a brand new weapon for Mahomes. Boston felt like an excellent fit for what the Chiefs were missing on offense, however the Jets fell in love with him and ruined that plan. If the Chiefs do still want that form of big-bodied receiver, Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields may very well be an option within the second or third round.
Whether or not he adds the brand new element Boston could have, Cooper is simply too talented to still be on the board here; the Chiefs luck out in landing him. The Chiefs have loads of speed from the likes of Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton. Cooper actually looks to be around the identical size as Rashee Rice, and each players’ biggest asset to the sport is their elite yards-after-catch production.
Just a few final points: Rice is about to play on a contract 12 months in 2026, the previous second-rounder has — for some reason or one other — only played in 12 of a possible 34 games over the past two seasons, and his frequent off-field issues may warrant drafting an eventual alternative.
30) Miami Dolphins — DE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Having taken care of the wide receiver position at No. 11, the Dolphins can go for one among the opposite two positions that clearly need addressing. As mentioned above, Miami has some obvious holes at a pair positions on the depth chart. It’s tempting to handle the cornerbacks group here; the departures of Kohou, Jones and Douglas necessitate it sooner or later. With needs at one other positions, though, the depth of the CB prospect pool could suggest that that spot will be addressed in Round 2 or later.
With Chubb and Phillips gone, Parker has a probability to ascertain a job opposite Chop Robinson on the sting. Over the course of his three years at Clemson, Parker lived in his opponents’ backfields. After an All-American sophomore season included 11 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and 6 forced fumbles, Parker’s junior campaign saw profession lows in all three stats. Parker plays with a high motor, doesn’t miss games and has an honest NFL pass rush arsenal at only 21 years old. If he can return to the production he put out before this 12 months, a starting role can be well within sight with the Dolphins.
31) Recent England Patriots — OLB Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Now, we’ve got a mini-run at edge rusher. The Patriots will likely be seeking to add a guard within the draft as well, but with so few getting in the primary round, Recent England can easily wait things out and address the inside offensive line in future rounds. Bisontis, Emmanuel Pregnon out of Oregon and Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech will likely be essentially the most coveted at their position within the long wait after Ioane comes off the board much earlier within the night. UCF’s Malachi Lawrence could also be a higher-ranked prospect because he’s more well-rounded with strong pass-rush and run-defending abilities, but he is probably not the perfect fit for Recent England here.
Howell is a little more of a pure pass rusher; he rarely had his hand within the dirt in College Station. His success relies on a fast burst off the snap. A relentless pass rusher, Howell has numerous room to enhance in run defense and should find yourself a job player early on in his profession. After watching rookie first-round left tackle Will Campbell endure embarrassment throughout the playoffs en path to this 12 months’s Super Bowl loss, Recent England could also be hesitant to take a risk on one other short-armed player in the primary round. After ending the 2025 season with the fifth-lowest sack total within the league, though, the Patriots could also be wanting to get Howell in the combo with Harold Landry and UFA addition Dre’Mont Jones.
32) Seattle Seahawks — OLB Malachi Lawrence, UCF
The Seahawks didn’t lose many pieces after winning the Super Bowl, however the ones that did depart were impactful. The defending champs have done well to construct at positions they know might even see attrition within the near future. They are going to miss Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant, but a deep secondary stays. There’s a probability Seattle takes a running back here. With Kenneth Walker departed in free agency and Zach Charbonnet prone to miss a while this season, the Seahawks could select the second running back of the draft, adding Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price to their depth chart. They could feel comfortable enough with Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh covering until Charbonnet is back, nevertheless.
As a substitute, Seattle may start working to exchange departed free agent Boye Mafe. That edge spot appears to be the one position where the Seahawks lost someone in free agency and didn’t effectively restock with one other player. As mentioned in Howell’s pick summary, Lawrence is a well-rounded end who can work together with his hand within the dirt or standing up. He’s likely too stiff to be an elite pass rusher, however the goal here can be for him to fill the versatile defensive end role left vacant by Mafe. His pass-rush skills should improve naturally as he works alongside veteran DeMarcus Lawrence.
47) Indianapolis Colts — G Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
One in all the areas where Indianapolis is thinnest entering the draft is middle linebacker, and it is a perfect spot to want an off-ball LB. The Colts could have their pick here of Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez or Georgia’s CJ Allen, and either player may very well be an easy plug-and-play starter. Indianapolis also needs a brand new starting safety next to Camryn Bynum in 2026, but after Downs, Thieneman, and McNeil-Warren, there aren’t any clear first- or second-round talents.
As a substitute, the Colts may very well be looking toward the longer term. Indianapolis has developed a fame for quality offensive line play. With a view to proceed that example, the Colts have to keep investing within the position group. Indy lost Braden Smith to Houston in free agency. The Colts have the tackle spots locked down, but star guard Quenton Nelson is entering the ultimate 12 months of his contract, and up to date starters Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini each with see their contracts expire after the 2027 season.
With some contracts to handle on the inside offensive line between now and March 2028, Indianapolis could bring Bisontis in to get a head start on their future at this position. Bisontis needs a little bit of work before he’s ready to begin within the NFL. He was penalty prone in College Station and showed some bad habits. The 21-year-old is a thick-bodied bully, though, who claims Nelson was his idol growing up.
48) Atlanta Falcons — LB CJ Allen, Georgia
Atlanta has a necessity on the inside line of defense, and after ignoring teams’ needs on the position for a lot of the first round, we’re finally at an excellent range for the present prospect pool on the position. The Falcons could land Georgia interior defender Christen Miller or Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks here and begin the run on interior defenders. Unfortunately, we’re going to, once more, ignore the inside line. Atlanta could also usher in some young talent at wide receiver. Bernard or Bell could easily have a probability to crack the starting lineup, with nomadic cogs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus penciled in on the Nos. 2 and three WR spots.
The Falcons have a much greater have to fill with this pick. With recent tackling machine Kaden Elliss returning to Recent Orleans in free agency, Atlanta could use a brand new starting off-ball linebacker. It might be ambitious to assume either are still available halfway through the second round, however the top two remaining linebacker prospects — Allen and Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez — are each quite comfortable in red and black.
Not only is Allen local like Miller, but he’s also been rising up draft boards quite a bit currently. Allen’s speed, play recognition and discipline have pushed him up near the primary round. Allen just isn’t great in coverage, but truthfully, that just makes him that more akin to Elliss. If chosen here, Allen would likely find yourself starting as a rookie next to Divine Deablo.
52) Green Bay Packers — G Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
The Packers could use some recent, young talent at cornerback to push Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Benjamin St-Juste to be their best. This late within the second round, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell likely won’t still be here, but Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds or South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse could also be options. After losing Romeo Doubs to free agency and never seeing first-round production out of Matthew Golden in his rookie 12 months, Green Bay may look to extend its talent pool at wide receiver.
After cutting Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay isn’t totally without answers at center. Sean Rhyan filled in some last 12 months as a consequence of injury and re-signed on a three-year contract last month. Rutledge isn’t necessarily a top center prospect — Kansas State’s Sam Hecht, Auburn’s Connor Lew and Florida’s Jake Slaughter can be within the running for that honor — but he’s one among the highest guard prospects and has been projected as potential future NFL center. Rutledge has even worked snapping the ball for teams throughout the pre-draft process. The Packers experienced struggles all around the interior offensive line in 2025, and Rutledge may very well be a robust asset where he’s asked to line up.
56) Jacksonville Jaguars — LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
The Jaguars have loads of options they might address with their first pick near the tip of the second round. We haven’t heard much about tight ends since Sadiq got here off the board in the primary round, however the second-tier players on the position may very well be options in Duval. With Brenton Strange entering the ultimate 12 months of his rookie deal, Jacksonville could do its homework on Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Ohio State’s Max Klare and Georgia’s Oscar Delp — on the off probability a second contract for Strange comes from one other team. The Jaguars could also stand to search for improvements at the protection spot next to Antonio Johnson or on the inside offensive line.
For now, the plain hole to fill is at inside linebacker following the free agent departure of Devin Lloyd. The Falcons took it out of Jacksonville’s hands after they mocked Allen. That’s nothing to be upset about, though, because it presents Duval with Rodriguez on a silver platter.
A bit undersized, Rodriguez will likely be one among the toughest staff wherever he goes. Instinctual, smart, and decisively aggressive, Rodriguez is a spotlight-grabbing playmaker for his defense, logging 254 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, and five interceptions over the past two years. The unanimous All-American would likely slot right right into a starting role right next to Foye Oluokun.
62) Denver Broncos — TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
Man, the Broncos were virtually untouched this 12 months in free agency. They lost defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety P.J. Locke to the free agent market. Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, fullback Michael Burton and backup center Sam Mustipher are the one remaining unsigned free agents from their roster last 12 months. The Broncos re-signed their other free agents, signed former Bengals safety Tycen Anderson and traded for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Reminder: this was a team that went 14-3 and lost the AFC championship game by only three points despite not having its starting quarterback.
If we’re really going to nit-pick, this team could possibly search for more pass-rushing depth or D-line aid. Denver is so set to run it back with nearly the identical team as last 12 months that, to find out this pick, we evaluated expiring contracts on the roster and differentiated between younger expiring contracts with potential for extensions or one-year re-signings and expiring contracts that look more prone to go the way in which of Lewis, Burton and Mustipher.
At tight end, Evan Engram is barely three years removed over 100 receptions and nearly 1,000 yards receiving, but injury and opportunities have killed the 31-year-old pass catcher’s production over the past two years. Stowers is the TE2 of this 12 months’s draft class, and it’s likely wishful considering that he’ll be around here near the tip of the second round (truthfully, most of those second-round picks have been wishful). He’s a pure explosive receiving tight end who has not shown he can effectively block within the NFL, however the presences of Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins all but guarantee he won’t be asked to try this at a high level on Day 1.
Best remaining available: QB Ty Simpson (Alabama), RB Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), WR Chris Bell (Louisville), WR Germie Bernard (Alabama), T Blake Miller (Clemson), T Max Iheanachor (Arizona State), G Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon), C Sam Hecht (Kansas State), C Connor Lew (Auburn), C Jake Slaughter (Florida), DT Caleb Banks (Florida), DT Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), DT Christen Miller (Georgia), EDGE Zion Young (Missouri), EDGE R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), LB Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas), LB Josiah Trotter (Missouri), CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson), CB D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana), CB Colton Hood (Tennessee), CB Keionte Scott (Miami), S Bud Clark (TCU)