The Las Vegas Raiders are sitting pretty in the 2026 NFL Draft order. Before they even took the field, they were locked into the No. 1 overall pick with the New York Giants, the only team that could pass them via tiebreakers, winning on Sunday. And with that being the case and even more shake-ups in the draft order, we have to see how everything sits following the last week of the regular season, and how an NFL Mock Draft would play out with the new draft order.
More than just the Raiders moved around or locked in favorable spots in Week 18, which makes this even more fun to dissect. That's even more so true with the College Football Playoff raising the stock of several prospects, including the top two quarterbacks in the 2026 draft class. But let's start by looking at the updated draft order before we dive into a mock draft with a projection for the Top 10 picks.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft order after Week 18
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via ATL (8-9))
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via IND (8-9))
- Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (via GB (9-7-1)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Cleveland Browns (via JAX (13-4))
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
So much is changing in the draft order after Week 18. Like we said, Vegas is locked into the No. 1 pick because of the Giants' win — but that also means that New York moves down to the No. 5 selection with the victory, which pushes the Cardinals even higher in the draft order. Meanwhile, the Saints finally stopped their winning ways of late to lock themselves into a Top 10 pick, the same of which is true for the Bengals.
While our quick NFL Mock Draft will only focus on the Top 10 picks momentarily, though, it's worth noting that the Dallas Cowboys might be the biggest winners, losing in Week 18. They slot in at No. 12 for now, which means they should have a crack at an elite talent. And Green Bay's pick to them has been getting even better down the stretch as well, which sets Jerry Jones up for even more chaos of his own creation.
NFL Mock Draft 2026: Projecting the current Top 10 picks
NFL Draft Order | NFL Mock Draft Selection |
|---|---|
1. Las Vegas Raiders | QB Dante Moore Jr. (Oregon) |
2. New York Jets | QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) |
3. Arizona Cardinals | OT Francis Mauigoa (Miami |
4. Tennessee Titans | WR Carnell Tate (Ohio State |
5. New York Giants | WR Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) |
6. Cleveland Browns | OT Spencer Fano (Utah) |
7. Washington Commanders | EDGE Rueben Baiin Jr. |
8. New Orleans Saints | WR Makai Lemon (USC) |
9. Kansas City Chiefs | EDGE David Bailey (Texas Tech) |
10. Cincinnati Bengals | LB Arvell Reese (Ohio State) |
Raiders tab Moore with first pick, Jets avoid having to trade up for Mendoza
With the Raiders locked into the first-overall pick, they have their choice of quarterback. While I slightly prefer Fernando Mendoza, my gut tells me that Las Vegas will prefer the upside of Dante Moore, at least as far as the current regime is concerned (though that could change on Black Monday). Moore has all the tools, but less experience and more development ahead. For me, though, the Raiders aren't all that close to competing, so betting on the upside fits their timeline a little more seriously.
Had the Jets not gotten the second overall pick, they would've likely been in a trade battle with teams like the Browns and Cardinals to jump and take Mendoza. However, Mendoza is exactly what New York needs. Too often, they've fallen victim to the idea of upside when they need something steady. "An athletic Kirk Cousins" is how I can best describe the Heisman-winner right now, and he'd provide the long-awaited stability that the Jets have longed for.
Browns boxed out at QB, set up infrastructure with the O-line
In all seriousness, the Browns should be looking for a quarterback in this draft class. Shedeur Sanders has been passable, but that's not what we're looking for and not without some truly bad moments. They need a surer answer at QB, but not inside the Top 10 with Moore and Mendoza already off the board.
Perhaps Cleveland finds a stopgap, though, and they need to fix an aging and deflating offensive line. Spencer Fano can help do exactly that, armed with a huge frame and great mobility. He should have some versatility along the line in the NFL, but that works to the Browns' advantage as they try to fill multiple holes along the line.
Cardinals and Commanders both get exactly what they need with Miami teammates
No one is going to call these picks for the Cardinals and Commanders sexy, but they're the right building blocks for both teams. Arizona appears likely to make a change at quarterback, but one could argue what they need most is to build up in the trenches. Francis Maugioa put on a great performance against a vaunted Ohio State defense in the College Football Playoff, and can be a bookend tackle for the Cards for years to come.
As for the Commanders, Rueben Bain Jr. is a force off the edge, blessed with elite explosiveness, a powerful frame and everything you want coming off the edge (with the exception of shorter arms). Washington's most glaring issue to me all season has been the distinct lack of juice they possess on defense with an aging unit, and Bain is the type of prospect who can deliver an immediate shot in the arm.
Giants dropping in the draft order doesn't burn them
As we've already discussed, the Giants have a terrible habit of winning meaningless games late in the season. Previously, it'd cost them Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, and now it costs them the ability to trade down from a Top 5 pick. The good news for fans in New York, however, is they don't get all that burned by it this time, at least in terms of the pick.
Jordyn Tyson remains my WR1 in the 2026 NFL Draft class. The Arizona State product has prototype size for a No. 1 receiver, but has elite movement ability and a solid route tree already to take the field and make an immediate impact. While getting more draft picks would've been ideal in trading down, getting a player to pair with Malik Nabers, Jaxson Dart, and Cam Skattebo gives the Giants a skill position infrastructure for the future.
Titans and Saints clean up the rest at wide receiver
After the Giants take Tyson off of the board, the Titans and Saints are likely both looking in that direction as well. Luckily for Tennessee, the trade down doesn't hurt them in the slightest. They're able to move down the board to the No. 7 pick, get more draft capital, and still land an elite weapon in Carnell Tate to help Cam Ward. The Ohio State product can be used all over the formation, and is extremely sure-handed as well. He's a weapon that Ward and the Titans simply don't have on the roster right now.
While Chris Olave is a stud, the fact of the matter is that he's struggled to say healthy and he's essentially the only viable long-term weapon in New Orleans with Tyler Shough after the quarterback's late-season breakout. Makai Lemon may not get the same shine as Tyson or Tate, but he's a phenomenal weapon who's a complete menace in space, but can also attack all levels of the field. He's the perfect type of weapon for a young quarterback to develop alongside.
Chiefs, Bengals make the right moves on defense
It's a ton of fun to imagine the Chiefs drafting Jeremiyah Love to upgrade at running back with a Top 10 pick. And to be clear, I still think that's very much on the table for Kansas City. At the same time, it might not be the smartest option. David Bailey is a true game-changer off the edge and the Chiefs pass rush desperately needs someone of his caliber to help more consistently generate a pass rush. This is more of an eat-your-vegetables type of selection. But after the season that Kansas City just had, maybe they need a healthy helping of Bailey-formed broccoli.
Meanwhile, the Bengals take advantage of a bit of a fall from Arvell Reese. I'm extremely high on the Ohio State product, but do worry that he'll be labeled as "positionless" in this draft process. But to me, he can play as an outstanding edge rusher or be a high-end stand-up linebacker too. I see that as valuable versatility. And that's especially true for a Cincinnati defense that is frankly starved for any kind of real playmaker, and could lose Trey Hendrickson this offseason.