Week 1 of the college football season is done, Week 1 of the NFL season is about to start, and that obviously means that we've officially reached NFL mock draft season. Yes, the 2026 NFL Draft is still nine months away, but as we start to look at the best draft prospects in college football take the field and either improve or hurt their stock, it's hard to not have draft-related reactions there. So it's only natural to give NFL teams a look at the additions for the future that could be made.
Of course, things are going to change. We'll get a more defined draft order and not just look at forecasted odds for all 32 NFL teams, we'll get a larger sample size and more meaningful games for these draft prospects, and every NFL mock draft will evolve from the previous one. But we have to have our starting point, and that's where we're at as we're already going through the full first round.
Let's dive right into the selections, with the Steelers getting a quarterback, but not the much-desired LaNorris Sellers, as the Cowboys replace Micah Parsons after the much-maligned trade, and with four quarterbacks coming off the board in the first seven picks in this 2026 NFL mock draft.
2026 NFL mock draft: Full first-round predictions entering Week 1
2026 NFL Draft Order | Selection |
|---|---|
1. New Orleans Saints | QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU |
2. Cleveland Browns | QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina |
3. Tennessee Titans | S Caleb Downs, Ohio State |
4. New York Giants | OT Spencer Fano, Utah |
5. New York Jets | QB Drew Allar, Penn State |
6. Carolina Panthers | DL Peter Woods, Clemson |
7. Indianapolis Colts | QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State |
8. Las Vegas Raiders | CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee |
9. Dallas Cowboys | EDGE Reuben Bain Jr., Miami (FL) |
10. Miami Dolphins | CB A.J. Harris, Penn State |
11. Cleveland Browns (via JAX) | OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL) |
12. New England Patriots | EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson |
13. Pittsburgh Steelers | QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana |
14. Chicago Bears | RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame |
15. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL) | QB Carson Beck, Miami (FL) |
16. Seattle Seahawks | WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State |
17. Houston Texans | OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama |
18. Los Angeles Chargers | CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson |
19. Arizona Cardinals | WR Nyck Harbor, South Carolina |
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | EDGE Kedric Faulk, Auburn |
21. Minnesota Vikings | OL Gennings Dunker, Iowa |
22. Washington Commanders | WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State |
23. Cincinnati Bengals | CB Mansoor Delane, LSU |
24. Detroit Lions | EDGE LT Overton, Alabama |
25. Denver Broncos | C Connor Lew, Auburn |
26. San Francisco 49ers | CB Malik Muhammad, Texas |
27. Los Angeles Rams | CB Daylen Everette, Georgia |
28. Dallas Cowboys (via GB) | DL Caleb Banks, Florida |
29. Kansas City Chiefs | EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State |
30. Baltimore Ravens | WR Makai Lemon, USC |
31. Philadelphia Eagles | DL Christen Miller, Georgia |
32. Buffalo Bills | LB C.J. Allen, Georgia |
Note: Draft order determined by win totals at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Steelers miss out on LaNorris Sellers, still keep QB run going
Early mock draft season in the offseason had Pittsburgh Steelers fans starting to dream about their Aaron Rodgers succession plan in the form of LaNorris Sellers. The uber talented South Carolina passer isn't perfect as a prospect, particularly needing more refinement with his touch passing and his work in the pocket to navigate pressure. At the same time, his upside might be higher than anyone — which is why the Steelers ultimately could lose out to him to a team picking higher like the Cleveland Browns.
Sorry, but the Browns won't be stopped from drafting a player like Sellers because of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. He's a potential franchise changer with his elite dual-threat ability and progression already made as a passer. Garrett Nussmeier, going No. 1 overall to the Saints to join his dad, Doug, in New Orleans, is the higher floor prospect with still a high ceiling, but Sellers is a lottery ticket, only with better odds.
As for the Steelers, they have to wait as Nussmeier, Sellers, Drew Allar (Jets, No. 5), and Sam Leavitt (Colts, No. 7) all come off the board ahead of them. But this is a deep QB class and Fernando Mendoza is still highly enticing. His first game with Indiana was uneven, but you saw the NFL-caliber athleticism and arm that has scouts intrigued.
There's also one more quarterback of note sneaking in, former Georgia and now Miami signal-caller Carson Beck going to the Los Angeles Rams. Beck's stock slid after things got messy in Athens, but his debut for The U was unbelievably impressive against a Marcus Freeman defense, and I'm willing to plant my flag early that Beck is going to keep rising back into being a first-round pick.
Cowboys replace Micah Parsons with standout Rueben Bain Jr.
The Parsons trade made the Cowboys less of a win-now commodity, though they'll still try, and certainly a play to improve the future. But with their own pick in this mock draft, the first order of business is clearly replacing their star pass-rusher, which Miami's Reuben Bain Jr. looks more than capable of doing.
In Week 1 of the Hurricanes' season, Bain was a menace that his one sack might not fully indicate. He was a consistent source of pressure even beyond standard hurries and hits, and was stout against the run as well. With his explosiveness in a 276-pound frame, he could be a menace off the edge with Donovan Ezeiruaku for years to come in Dallas.
Meanwhile, rather than looking at running back with the pick owed to the Cowboys by Green Bay from the Parsons trade (as many have suggested), they continue to beef up the defense with Caleb Banks. The mammoth 330-pounder can be what they'd once hoped — but have now surely give up on — Mazi Smith would be.
Ben Johnson gets his star RB as Bears pick Jeremiyah Love
While the Cowboys don't take a first-round running back, Ben Johnson's Chicago Bears can't say the same.
The one thing that the Bears are currently missing in comparison to the well-oiled machine we saw with the Lions under Johnson's watch is the elite running back (or two). D'Andre Swift should be fine, but it's a clear position where Chicago can upgrade moving forward and Love coming out of Notre Dame looks to be just about as sure of a bet as you'd find. If he and Ashton Jeanty were in the same class, the difference between them on my big board would be negligible.
Granted, Love didn't have a great season opener in the Fighting Irish's loss to Miami, though much of that was due to a questionable Notre Dame offensive game plan. The juice, shiftiness and explosiveness out of the backfield make him a complete player that would be very much in the Jahmyr Gibbs mold for Johnson in the Bears offense, which could fully unlock Caleb Williams and this group as a whole.
Other notable picks from this mock draft
Dolphins replace Jalen Ramsey with A.J. Harris
There are likely going to be a ton of holes the Dolphins need to fill, but cornerback is too glaring to pass up. Harris started to put his name on the radar last season. He allowed just a 72.8 passer rating when targeted last season as a true sophomore and the tools are obvious. The Penn State product could be the first pick to rebuilding this Miami defense.
Nyck Harbor is a massive upside gamble for the Cardinals
Nothing is polished about Nyck Harbor as he's largely been more track star and athlete than receiver. The returns in Week 1, though, showed a much improved frame and even better ball tracking as well. If that's the trajectory he stays on, he's a lock to be a first-rounder with his physical tools. The best version of Harbor paired with Marvin Harrison Jr. in Arizona could be downright filthy.
Ravens get another ideal weapon for Lamar with Makai Lemon
Lemon might be slot-only at the NFL level and largely is already with the Trojans, but man, he's what you'd design in a lab to work with Lamar Jackson. The Ravens being able to nab the USC product would further amplify the Baltimore passing offense and, as scary as it sounds, perhaps even help Jackson find another gear.