NFL Mock Draft 2026, Botch Job: How every team screws up its first-round pick

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft offers an abundance of opportunity for teams to add a top-tier prospect to the roster and either build around them or with them. In the same light, however, no chance in the NFL comes without risk, and there is always the risk of a team messing up its first-round pick, which can set the franchise back a step, though to varying degrees. And to avoid those mistakes, you have to know what they are. So that's what our latest NFL Mock Draft will explore.

There are different ways NFL teams can screw up their first-round picks, no question. But whether it's taking the wrong player, having the wrong positional ideology, or otherwise, this is the NFL Mock Draft inspired by Frank Reynolds. It's botched! And let's dive into the 32 wrong picks that teams could make.

1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

There simply aren't many realistic ways the Raiders can screw this up. It's a mere formality that Vegas is going to take Fernando Mendoza, and anything outside of that would feel disingenuous. With that being said, how the Silver and Black would screw this up would be with what comes after. We just saw this franchise use a top-five pick on Ashton Jeanty in a situation that didn't make sense, and if they fail to keep building in the trenches and around Mendoza with the rest of their picks, that will be a massive whiff on their part.

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

At this point, anyone's guess is as good as another when it comes to the Jets with the No. 2 pick. It seemed like things were trending for David Bailey to be the selection, but then they canceled their Top 30 visit with the Texas Tech product. That, however, is a good sign for me. I love Bailey as a prospect, but I also have Arvell Reese as a better player who is likely going to primarily play the same position as he transitions. If you're the Jets, you should be banking on the star upside. Both players have it, but I think Reese is the rarer talent.

3. Arizona Cardinals – LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State

While I do believe that Arvell Reese is a rare talent, I don't know why in the world the Cardinals would add him to the mix. In some form, they are trying to lay down more infrastructure for this offense, and they really should have two viable options in my opinion: Take an offensive tackle at No. 3, or trade back from No. 3 — and still take an offensive tackle. With Ty Simpson buzz for Arizona already reaching a fever pitch, fortifying the offensive line is far more valuable than a defensive playmaker.

4. Tennessee Titans – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The instinct in Tennessee to try and do whatever it takes to help Cam Ward is obviously a good one. It was an abysmal situation last year for the Titans rookie quarterback, and he still showed real, meaningful flashes. With that said, drafting Jeremiyah Love would feel quite foolish. It's not dissimilar to the Raiders taking Jeanty right now. Good teams drafting a running back high make sense as adding a missing piece or a force multiplier. For a team like the Titans that's still rebuilding, though, it would likely result in a disappointing season and going back to the drawing board next offseason.

5. New York Giants – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

The Giants might be one of the sneakiest, biggest wild cards in the draft. There's a ton of different directions they should go, but the more I think about it, Carnell Tate (or any wide receiver) shouldn't be one of those options for New York. Either looking at the offensive line or anywhere beyond edge rusher on defense makes the most sense for this roster as those holes are simply more glaring. Again, I understand the compulsion to help a young QB in Jaxson Dart, but the No. 5 pick isn't the spot for that.

6. Cleveland Browns – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

One thing I can't get out of my head was reading someone in March who suggested that the Browns just play into their strengths by pairing a top edge rusher prospect with Myles Garrett. Sure, that sounds nice for a second, but as a long-term strategy, I simply couldn't be more out on that. This offense is so barren of talent and the defense, while it's not without holes, is the strength. Leaving the offense in its current state with premium draft picks puts Cleveland right in a spot where they won't see any meaningful improvement.

7. Washington Commanders – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami

Point blank, the Commanders doing anything that isn't adding a young playmaker to the defense should be considered malpractice. At the same time, given how aggressive they were in trying to help Jayden Daniels last offseason, is it that far-fetched to think they could try and do that again? Tackles like Mauigoa might be a stretch too far, but after Josh Conerly was a mixed bag as a rookie, Washington continuing to overreact and taking another lineman early would be a huge miscalculation.

8. New Orleans Saints – S Caleb Downs, Ohio State 

There are a plethora of ways that the Saints could help Tyler Shough going into his second year and first full season as the starter. However, one of the few spots where I think they're more than solid is at safety, a group anchored by Justin Reid and with overall solid play from the unit. That said, there's always a case that will be made for best player available, and Caleb Downs might qualify as that. However, New Orleans should be more calculated with that, especially in this particular draft class.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State 

If the Chiefs took an edge rusher with the No. 9 pick, fans should be happy. If it turned out that Jeremiyah Love dropped, I don't hate that. Cornerback or wide receiver would also make a world of sense. For as good as Sonny Styles is, though, he's maybe the top prospect who just doesn't fit what Kansas City needs. This linebacker group is well above stable and not where the Chiefs need help, and this would be a misallocation of resources.

10. Cincinnati Bengals – OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

Make no mistake, the Bengals offensive line is still a concern. Because of that, it's not hard to look at them picking 10th overall and see a world — even if it's not the likeliest path — wherein they try to improve the group in front of Joe Burrow. That's a mistake. This defense is still in a truly awful spot, and adding young, high-upside talent on that side of the ball is the utmost priority for Cincinnati in this year's draft. If they fail to do that, then it's a failure.

11. Miami Dolphins – WR Makai Lemon, USC

Especially after trading Jaylen Waddle and releasing Tyreek Hill, there has been no shortage of prognostication that has the Dolphins filling the obvious hole at wide receiver either, and Makai Lemon is as good of a candidate as anyone to do that. However, I don't think that's where Miami should start this draft. Not only is receiver one of the deepest positions in this class, but the roster is so barren that they have better options to lay a foundation with this roster.

12. Dallas Cowboys – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

It's basically a foregone conclusion that the Cowboys are taking a defensive player, and that obviously makes a great deal of sense given the state of that side of the ball. Yet, the George Pickens conversation does still loom with him on the franchise tag and the uncertain future that creates. Overreacting to that, even with a great player like Jordyn Tyson, would be almost unforgivably bad for Jerry Jones and Dallas given the dire needs on defense.

13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL) – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The sneaky truth about the Rams is that they don't actually have a ton of glaring needs. As such, finding a way for them to screw up the 13th overall pick from Atlanta was a bit difficult. However, I landed on the notion of taking another cornerback after already trading for Tren McDuffie this offseason. Yes, having two elite corners could be huge — at the same time, that's a lot of investment in one position group when there are other areas of the roster that could easily be addressed.

14. Baltimore Ravens – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

It's actually not even close to unrealistic for the Ravens to draft Kenyon Sadiq with the 14th overall pick. They lost Isiah Likely in free agency, Mark Andrews has been slowing down, and Baltimore seems to always be trying to find more options to help elevate Lamar Jackson. I just don't think Sadiq, despite his immense physical gifts, has put enough production on the plate to make this the best course of action for the Ravens.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

In all honesty, this has a lot to do with my feelings about Keldric Faulk as a prospect. He's clearly a first-round talent with the way he's able to move at a 280+ pound frame. There's a world where he could be one of the biggest freaks in the class, which is why it's reasonable that the Bucs could take a look at this spot. His lack of production at Auburn, however, is a clear red flag for a player with his raw tools, and I worry that he's not someone who is close to putting the entire package together, which would be a detrimental whiff by Tampa.

16. New York Jets (via IND) – WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

We've actually started to get some quiet buzz that the Jets really like Omar Cooper Jr. and, with the Indiana product showing out at the NFL Combine and all but solidifying himself as a first-round pick, it's likely New York would have to take him at No. 16 to make that happen. Let me be clear, I love Cooper as a prospect, but this is entirely too rich for my blood. This isn't a needle-mover for the Jets in particular, and would go toward essentially wasting a grand opportunity with two first-round picks.

17. Detroit Lions – OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

On the one hand, Kadyn Proctor just fits the Lions like a glove. Not only does Detroit have a massive need along the offensive line after retirements and departures, but Proctor's Alabama pedigree and elite size and strength profile fit what Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes have been looking for. At the same time, Proctor is anything but a sure thing at the NFL level as he's still not put it all together, and I'd argue that there are linemen who are surer to help the Lions offense than Proctor at this spot.

18. Minnesota Vikings – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Admittedly, I had to get a bit creative to make this a mistake for the Vikings. Addressing the secondary makes a ton of sense, and you could argue that simply passing on Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman is mistake enough. However, we're compounding that by Minnesota drafting Avieon Terrell over Jermod McCoy. I love Terrell, but there are warranted concerns about his size, and he's not the freak that McCoy is. If the Vikings went corner and didn't take the best one available, that's not a good look for this interim front office regime.

19. Carolina Panthers – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Speaking of McCoy, I absolutely love the fit with most teams in the NFL. But man, he would not make an ounce of sense for the Panthers in this spot. That's not to say pairing McCoy with Jaycee Horn wouldn't be intriguing. It would be, however, a misuse of a first-round pick when marrying need and talent. Whether it's getting another weapon for Bryce Young or filling out more of the front seven, Carolina isn't in a spot where secondary should be a priority for them.

20. Dallas Cowboys – OT Spencer Fano, Utah

Just on paper, the Cowboys walking out of the first round with Jordyn Tyson and Spencer Fano might seem great given the caliber of those two prospects. But again — where's the defensive help? Doubling up on offense would be castastrophically bad from Dallas' perspective, and doing so at two positions where there are concerns but not a clear need makes that even worse. I do think the Cowboys make some picks along the O-line, but it shouldn't be in the first round at all.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

Not that I'm advocating for Will Howard being QB1 for the Steelers whenever Week 1 rolls around, but taking Ty Simpson to address the quarterback issue would be a mistake. Even removing the Aaron Rodgers of it all from the equation, Pittsburgh isn't a project first-round pick like Simpson away from contention. Their modus operandi this offseason at QB should be to try and stabilize the position if they can moving forward, and the high variance of Simpson as a prospect would do anything but that while also leaving other glaring holes unaddressed.

22. Los Angeles Chargers – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon 

For starters, passing on Vega Ioane — who many analysts at this point don't even think will make it to the 22nd pick and the Chargers at this point — would be an unforced error of maginificent proportions. Beyond that, though, while Thieneman is a freak athlete and a terrific safety prospect, that's not a need that the Chargers really need to address with any kind of aggression. The O-line, skill positions and defensive front are all bigger issues, and while they'd get a good player, he'd be the wrong one for their situation.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – OG Vega Ioane, Penn State

Over the years, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has made it almost an art form letting the NFL Draft fall in his lap. He has routinely just stuck at his pick and then selected a player who was immensely talented that the rest of the league let fall for one reason or another. At the same time, there has to be a point where that doesn't work or make sense, right? Ioane being on the board at No. 23 would be crazy, but he also doesn't make an ounce of sense outside of value for Philly.

24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX) – WR Denzel Boston, Washington

Much like with the Cowboys, the Browns' mistake here really is in tandem with their other first-round pick, which was used to take Rueben Bain Jr. While Cleveland did make several moves to add more bodies and depth to a legitimately empty offensive line room this offseason, that is the most prescient need for this team if they want to see what Shedeur Sanders or any other QB actually has to offer. Yes, they need more wide receiver help, but this isn't the way to go about that.

25. Chicago Bears – C Connor Lew, Auburn

The Bears had to be somewhat caught off guard by the surprise retirement of center Drew Dalman, who was part of the organization's massive efforts to improve the offensive line with Ben Johnson taking over the controls on the sideline. But the worst thing they could do would be to overreact to that by reaching on a center. This might be one of the more far-fetched picks of this mock draft, even with mistakes being the goal, but the reasoning as to how something like it could happen is clear.

26. Buffalo Bills – DL Peter Woods, Clemson

When you look at the Bills defense and the obvious improvements that need to be made with this group, there are some avenues that would point you to a player like Peter Woods if he was on the board. At the same time, I absolutely loathe the fit here. Not only are there bigger defensive needs to look to in this spot (especially with CJ Allen on the board), but Woods underperformed in both his final college season and at the Combine. I think he'll be a solid player, but the Bills should be aiming for more than that in this year's draft class, especially early on.

27. San Francisco 49ers – EDGE Zion Young, Missouri

Absolutely, the 49ers could use some edge rush help in this year's draft class. And if the right prospect is sitting there with the 27th pick, I would have no problem with San Francisco taking that guy in this spot. I don't believe Zion Young is that player, however, which is where the issue lies. Young is a good, solid player, but he's also just a fine athlete. The upside is muted to some degree, and I don't think playing it safe in this spot is the best course of action for the Niners.

28. Houston Texans – EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami

I've not made it a secret that I'm a huge fan of Akheem Mesidor, despite the obvious and warranted concerns about his age. Him going to the Houston Texans, however, would just be strange. Not only is there offensive line talent still on the board that Houston could take advantage of, but this is the worst way for the Texans to possibly play into their strength on defense. They could much more so use interior defensive line help rather than a player who would just muddy up the rotation with Will Anderson Jr. and Co.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR) – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

Just in terms of prospect evaluation in a vacuum, a class that would net an NFL team both Sonny Styles and KC Concepcion would be magnificent. For the Chiefs, though, it would be pretty damn bad. Not only is Styles not someone who makes a ton of sense for the defnese, but Concepcion really doesn't do all that much to address the team's need at receiver. In many ways, he'd be a redundant piece that I fear simply wouldn't move the needle for this team.

30. Miami Dolphins (via DEN) – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Much like with taking Makai Lemon at No. 11 overall, the Dolphins could get another good player in Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (even if I'm a bit lower on him than most) and still walk away from the first round as a loser. This new front office needs to start laying the groundwork for a new era, which means taking the most premium positions when it makes sense. Safety doesn't fall into that category, and would be a misuse of resources for Miami.

31. New England Patriots – OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State

I went back and forth on how the Patriots could screw this up, and I'm still not quite sure I nailed it with this one. With Morgan Moses back, there's good thought process behind taking someone like Max Iheanachor, who has a huge ceiling, but is still overall raw as a football player. Where I took issue with the idea, however, is that the Patriots were just in the Super Bowl, and using a first-round pick to try and execute a long-term vision rather than capitalizing on the momentum now seems a bit misguided.

32. Seattle Seahawks – RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

This one is just for old time's sake when it comes to Seahawks general manager John Schneider. Never forget, this is the man that used a first-round pick on Rashaad Penny to fill a void at running back. So with Kenneth Walker III's departure in free agency, imagine the Seahawks then reaching for the second-best running back in the class, Jadarian Price, despite him being a mid-Day 2 value on the board. You can do what you want as Super Bowl champs, but I would advise against this move, no question.

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