The regular season has concluded, which means the first 18 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft are locked into place. Of course, there could be trades to shake that up — even the ones that we least expect. With the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets picking 1-2 in the draft, people are expecting the clear-cut top quarterbacks in the class to go off the board in that order. But what if a wild card entered the chat with a trade offer to shake things up? That's where we're heading at the top of our first post-regular season 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
Obviously, there's still quite a lot that needs to be decided in the NFL Playoffs, and then in free agency. That is to say, none of this should be written in stone just yet. However, with how things currently stand, we're projecting the entire first round of the 2026 draft, starting with the Raiders on the clock and making an obvious selection that, frankly, might be less obvious than others may think.
NFL Mock Draft 2026: Full first-round projection
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Fernando Mendoza should be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, especially for a Raiders team that needs to not grasp at straws to find an answer at quarterback. He's a more athletic version of Kirk Cousins or Jared Goff (though I wouldn't call him a super athlete by any stretch), and that type of stability with a core of Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers could be dangerous. Having said that, I'm not entirely convinced that the Raiders won't eventually get overly enamored with Dante Moore's upside, but for now, the pick is Mendoza.
2. Arizona Cardinals (via trade with NYJ) – QB Dante Moore, Oregon
The thought of the Jets not taking a quarterback at No. 2 has been rattling around in my brain. Naturally, I had to explore what that would look like. And with the Arizona Cardinals evaluating the future of Kyler Murray, what if the also quarterback-needy Cards traded up one spot, sent Murray to the Jets to answer the QB question, and then took Moore?
Because we're so early in the offseason, I'm not sure how in play this is — but I can say it's not unrealistic. And for the Cardinals, I love this direction. There have been so many ill-advised draft decisions over the years that has led to such a mismatched roster. Moore can be an equalizer in that, a player with C.J. Stroud-like poise and arm talent that could start to elevate this team with a new coaching regime to the next level.
3. New York Jets (via trade with ARI) – LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
After trading down and landing Murray, the Jets still have two first-round picks and a potential new franchise quarterback who's just 28 years old. Now, it's time to start laying more infrastructure. Arvell Reese is an absolute stud. I do worry that, throughout the draft process, he could potentially earn the dreaded "positionless" label, but he should be the first non-QB off the board. He has high-end potential as both an NFL edge rusher and NFL linebacker, and the Jets can move him around the defense as they rebuild a barren roster.
4. Tennessee Titans – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Offensive line was certainly a consideration for the Titans here, but I do expect we'll see that on Day 2 for Tennessee and in free agency as well. Where this team might even be worse off, however, is at wide receiver. Yes, they have a massively talented young quarterback in Cam Ward, but the weapons around him are lacking direly. Carnell Tate can play all over the formation as a pass-catcher and be wildly effective at all levels of the field. He's a do-it-all weapon that would likely see well north of 100 targets as a rookie in this offense.
5. New York Giants – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
There's a non-zero chance that Jordyn Tyson falls because of medicals in the draft process, given that he's dealt with a variety of injuries over the past couple of years with the Sun Devils. But before we know that for sure, I actually have him as WR1 on my board. The Giants being able to go forward with an offense of Tyson — a versatile weapon with prototypical size — with Malik Nabers, Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo would create a dynamic group that can grow together, and now do so with a new coach.
6. Cleveland Browns – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
The expectation should be for the Browns to either move forward with Shedeur Sanders, or find another solution beyond the sixth overall pick to address quarterback. You know what's entirely necessary no matter who's under center, though? An offensive line. Father Time has earned a victory over this once-strong unit, and Francis Mauigoa can be a cornerstone for the next group. He's a behemoth as a bookend tackle, and has proven himself more than capable against the best competition he's seen.
7. Washington Commanders – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
We're barely into January and I'm already a broken record with the Commanders. This defense was old and slow throughout the 2025 season, and that spelled their doom just as much as any quarterback injury. Rueben Bain Jr. can be the start of fixing that issue for Dan Quinn, though. He's a purer pass-rusher and edge defender than Reese, and you can see that in droves with his explosiveness, pass-rush arsenal and high football IQ off the edge. He's wreaked havoc in the College Football Playoff. Doing the same at the NFL level feels like an exceptionally safe bet.
8. New Orleans Saints – WR Makai Lemon, USC
You could certainly talk me into a defensive weapon with the Saints pick, given that they also have been sporting an aging and underperforming defense. With rookie quarterback Tyler Shough essentially earning a vote of confidence, though, I think New Orleans gets him a new toy. Pairing Makai Lemon with Chris Olave could be downright dangerous for opposing defenses, especially with each player's versatility. Lemon is a madman in space, and Kellen Moore could further the development of Shough in a big way with this addition.
9. Kansas City Chiefs – EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
Mocking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love to the Chiefs, even in the Top 10, had been the selection du jour for some time. However, it seems as if people are wising up a bit. The Chiefs would be fun as hell with Love, but they need to lay more foundational pieces, especially on defense where their pass rush has been lacking in recent years. David Bailey instantly rectifies those shortcomings. He could be the top EDGE in many draft classes with his get-off and bend, but Kansas City should be more than happy that he falls to them at No. 9.
10. Cincinnati Bengals – S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Almost like a more extreme case of Washington, the Bengals have to go after the best defensive talent that they can find in this draft. With the uncertainty of Trey Hendrickson's future, a top edge rusher might be ideal. But Caleb Downs is the player who falls in their laps, and Cincinnati would be foolish not to turn in the card. Downs can be an anchor for a secondary, not just with his safety play, but with his ability to move and affect the game all over the field. Rest assured, the Bengals need help all over that defense, and Downs can offer some answers.
11. Miami Dolphins – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
With Mike McDaneil out, the Dolphins certainly have some wild questions looming for the offense. But no matter who takes over, the defense needs all the help it can get, especially in the secondary. Mansoor Delane was one of the few bright spots for a dismal LSU season this year, as the transfer completely starred for the Tigers. He has solid size for the position, but his length and fluidity and coverage set him apart and give Miami the type of coverage player not currently on their roster.
12. Dallas Cowboys – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Firing Matt Eberflus was only step one in the Cowboys fixing their historically bad defense from this past season. Next up, adding more meaningful talent. David Bailey or someone of that ilk falling to Dallas would be the ideal scenario, but I much prefer addressing a dire need at linebacker with Sonny Styles here to taking someone like Keldric Faulk. Styles is a do-it-all field general in the middle of the defense with elite instincts and the athleticism to make good on his football IQ. He's an immediate and drastic upgrade for the Cowboys linebacker corps.
13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL) – OT Spencer Fano, Utah
The Rams might be sitting prettier than any other team in the 2026 draft. Not only are they already a viable Super Bowl Contender in the postseason, but they have a Top 15 pick that the Falcons willingly gave them in last year's draft. With that, they can make a move that's been necessary for a while and get a top tackle prospect in Spencer Fano. The Utah star could play tackle or guard at the next level, but has high-end movement ability for a player with his size and breadth.
14. Baltimore Ravens – DL Peter Woods, Clemson
Cutting ties with John Harbaugh symbolizes what could be a big shift for the Baltimore Ravens moving forward. Apologies for stating the painfully obvious, but it feels quite pertinent for the draft with the help that this defense needs. Drafting someone like Peter Woods would fit the playbook I foresee in a big way. Woods is a monster on the interior with uncanny explosiveness and agility for a player well over 300 pounds. He can be a force, especially with the uncertain future of Nnamdi Madubuike.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Todd Bowles needs to find some answers for the Buccaneers defense. There are several routes to go about that, but improving the defensive line, specifically on the edges, is one of them. That's amplified with Keldric Faulk still on the board. While I'm not as high on the Auburn product as some others, he can still make an early impact, particularly for a team like Tampa. He should be a plus run defender on the edge right away, while he does still need to diversify his pass rushing. Even still, the upside is there in that department with his tools, and he's the rock-steady presence a coach like Bowles would want.
16. New York Jets (via IND) – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
So far in this draft, the Jets have added Arvell Reese and Kyler Murray — which ain't half bad! But now they're back on the clock with the pick sent to them from Indianapolis in the Sauce Gardner trade. Why not use that selection to replace Gardner in the secondary? Jermod McCoy is going to be a fascinating draft evaluation. He didn't see the field in 2025 for the Vols due to injury, but already looked like a first-round lock after his 2024 campaign. The 16th pick might be a stretch to some, but as he gets healthy, he's a player that should be worth that type of selection.
17. Detroit Lions – OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
This is a bit higher for Kadyn Proctor coming off of the board than you'll see in many mock drafts. But we are talking about the Lions and GM Brad Holmes here. When in the past several years has he truly cared about anything but getting a good player who fits the culture and what Detroit needs? Proctor absolutely does that with an offensive line we watched take a notable step back in the 2025 season. More importantly, with more value on the edge available on Day 2, getting a versatile monster like Proctor in the trenches is good business.
18. Minnesota Vikings – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Much of the discussion about the Vikings offseason should be about what to do at quarterback, specifically as it pertains to J.J. McCarthy. The reason that's so pertinent, however, is because this roster is largely ready-made to win right now. But one hole that could appear for them is in the backfield, which makes Jeremiyah Love too enticing to pass up. There's a real chance Love is long gone by the 18th pick, but if he's not, Minnesota should jump at the chance to get a true game-changing back with elite burst, vision, agility, tackle-breaking ability, and much more.
19. Carolina Panthers – DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Few teams give me as much trouble in a mock draft as the Panthers. Much of that stems from the fact that, though Bryce Young led this team to the playoffs, I don't know how you could feel confident that he's the long-term franchise answer at quarterback. Nonetheless, the defense was a bigger issue in my estimation, and adding a player like Kayden McDonald is all too sensible. He's one of the best run defenders in college football, but also showed an improved game as an interior pass-rusher this season. When you consider the potential there, pairing him with Derrick Brown is just plain nasty.
20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB) – EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Back on the clock and trying to make up the gap that Jerry Jones created defensively with the Micah Parsons trade, the Cowboys use the pick from the Packers in that deal to get another pass-rusher, Cashius Howell. Admittedly, Howell won't be for everyone in this class — perhaps not even Dallas. At the same time, after a down 2025 season, he exploded for 12 sacks and 27 hurries this season while also improving as a run defender. He's a flash off the edge and the Cowboys need as much help up front as they can to reshape this group.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Denzel Boston, Washington
It simply has to be a wide receiver for the Steelers, right? Quarterback could be a consideration depending on what happens with Aaron Rodgers' future, but I suspect that making the postseason will push the veteran QB to one more season in Pittsburgh. Should that happen, he needs more help, which Denzel Boston should be able to provide. He isn't the most explosive receiver, but he has plenty of juice along with elite ability at the catch point and a tremendous route tree. He can easily step in and be a 1B with DK Metcalf, assuming that situation doesn't devolve.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Granted, injuries played a major role in this, but it's a miracle that the Chargers made the playoffs with the state of their offensive line this season. They need to protect Justin Herbert better moving forward. Part of that is keeping Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater on the field, but it also means making meaningful moves on the interior O-line, such as drafting Olaivavega Ioane. The Penn State standout is simply a beast in the trenches, with tremendous power and a great frame. He'll help stabilize a unit that needs it and, at the bare minimum, give Jim Harbaugh more depth to work with.
23. Philadelphia Eagles – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Veteran tight end Dallas Goedert is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and the writing has been on the wall that the Eagles may be leaning toward letting him walk. The problem with that right now is that there isn't an obvious replacement for Philly right now. Kenyon Sadiq would change that calculus. While some have been disappointed in his production, the Oregon product still flashed his freakish traits quite a bit. Put simply, 6-foot-3, 245-pound tight ends shouldn't move as fast or fluidly as Sadiq, and he has solid hands as well. He'd be a dangerous factor to add to the Eagles offense.
24. Buffalo Bills – LB CJ Allen, Georgia
The Bills defense most certainly isn't the reason that Josh Allen and Company are back in the playoffs. More pointedly, the run defense has fallen off a cliff this season, and Buffalo can point to the drop in linebacker play as a big reason why, especially with Matt Milano showing his age a bit. CJ Allen should be able to step in and start reforming that group quite a bit. He's versatile in the ways that he can be deployed, but his downhill closing and smarts against the run make him ideal for Buffalo.
25. Chicago Bears – DL Christen Miller, Georgia
Things are trending swimmingly in Chicago under Ben Johnson, but let's not overstate that and ignore that this roster still has some flaws. Frankly, the Bears defense has worried me throughout much of the year, and there needs to be an influx of talent on that side of the ball. Christen Miller can absolutely be part of that. He's been one of the best run defenders in the country this season, but also has produced 17 QB hurries in each of the past two seasons. That's an interior force that could immediately elevate the Bears defensive line.
26. San Francisco 49ers – OL Caleb Lomu, Utah
Trent Williams simply isn't going to play forever, as much as the 49ers and their fans would like them to. And with some of the shortcomings of the offensive line around him, it stands to reason that prioritizing that position group should be top of mind for San Francisco. Caleb Lomu is only a redshirt sophomore at Utah, but the tools are tremendous at 6-foot-6, 308 pounds. He moves well with his size and clearly has a natural feel for the footwork at the position. He needs to improve his punch, especially in the run game, but the upside is there for him to be a franchise replacement in San Francisco.
27. Houston Texans – OG Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Just because the Texans made do with their offensive line and found solutions this season doesn't mean they shouldn't make life easier on that group moving forward. That's especially true on the interior of the line, which is where Emmanuel Pregnon makes so much sense. After two solid if not unspectacular seasons, he has dominated with Oregon this season, allowing just one sack and two hurries in 422 pass-blocking reps in the Big Ten. He'd be a Day 1 starter for a Houston team that already has such a strong foundation overall.
28. Cleveland Browns (via JAX) – QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
With Ty Simpson declaring, I don't see the Cleveland Browns letting the Alabama product get out of the first round. There were some legitimate Round 1-level flashes from Simpson this season, but he also had some head-scratchers as well. But it's also worth noting that Bama didn't do him many favors by putting so much of the offense on a first-year starter's shoulders with their lack of a run game. In Cleveland, Simpson should have some leeway to further develop given his overall lack of experience as he compete with Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel and potentially a veteran addition.
29. Los Angeles Rams – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Forecasting entirely what the Rams and Les Snead are going to do in a draft always ends up making you feel foolish. Because of that, it's probably better to say that the likeliest or best path for LA is to take an offensive lineman and a cornerback with their two first-round picks, in some order. With Fano already in tow, they take Avieon Terrell with their own selection. AJ Terrell's brother, the Clemson product does have a slighter frame, but it can add muscle. What you can't teach are his athletic traits and tools, which are top-tier and should fit what the Rams need and/or are looking for.
30. New England Patriots – EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
Doesn't taking a rock-solid edge rusher with some upside out of a program like Clemson feel exactly like what Mike Vrabel would want to do in order to help further improve the Patriots defense? It certainly does to me, which is why T.J. Parker was the easy pick at this spot. New England ham-and-egged it on the edge with Harold Landry III and K'Lavon Chaisson, among others. They need more of an impact, or at least more juice in their rotation, which Parker can bring with 24 sacks in his last three seasons and at least 22 hurries in each year as well. He's not as much of a freak as some of the other first-rounders, but he has enough explosiveness and zip to come in and be a factor for the Pats.
31. Denver Broncos – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
The ideal world for the Broncos may well be one of Georgia LB CJ Allen or Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq falling in their laps. That doesn't happen in this mock draft, though, and that leaves us still trying to get Bo Nix and Sean Payton another weapon. I love the idea of KC Concepcion in this offense. Imagine Marvin Mims Jr. or Troy Franklin, but with a better track record and perhaps upgraded speed as well. That's what the A&M product could be for Denver as they continue building the infrastructure around their young quarterback.
32. Seattle Seahawks – CB Keionte Scott, Miami
Riq Woolen is set to hit free agency this offseason, and the Seahawks defensive back room has undergone some substantial changes on top of that under Mike Macdonald. My read is that Seattle will aim to bolster that group early in the draft, and Keionte Scott is a fascinating opportunity to do so. He had a solid first two years at Auburn, but fell off a cliff in 2024 before transferring to Miami. With The U, he's been dominant this season and one of the best cover corners in the country. While his tackling needs to improve, you can't ask for anyone better in terms of helping the passing game moving forward.