Final Mock Draft: 2026 NFL Draft First Round

With the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft set to take place on Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this is my final first-round mock draft.

2026 NFL Draft First Round Mock

1. Las Vegas Raiders
   QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
   This is a foregone conclusion. Mendoza will be the top pick in this draft.
2. New York Jets
   Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
   The Jets will have to decide between Bailey and Reese here; we have them landing on Bailey.
3. Arizona Cardinals
   LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
   With the Jets taking Bailey, Reese is too talented to pass up on.
4. Tennessee Titans
   OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami
   We considered going with Jeremiyah Love here, but an offensive tackle to protect their franchise quarterback is simply more important.
5. New York Giants
   S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
   You can make a case that Downs is the best player in this draft. If he played almost any other position, he’d be drafted even higher.
6. Cleveland Browns
   WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
   Cleveland needs a wide receiver, and Tate is the best one in this draft.
7. Washington Commanders
   RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
   Love falls a bit further than people expect, but lands with a team that desperately needs a running back.
8. New Orleans Saints
   Edge Rueben Bain, Miami
   The Saints have a lot of holes to fill. We have them going with Bain to help with the pass rush.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
   CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
   Kansas City continues to lose cornerbacks, so they need to replenish the position.
10. New York Giants
    WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
    With the pick they recently acquired from the Bengals, the Giants give Jaxson Dart another big-time weapon.
11. Miami Dolphins
    CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
    If not for a torn ACL that cost him all of the 2025 season, he would be the top cornerback in this draft.
12. Dallas Cowboys
    LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
    Dallas has to address their defense, and Styles can help lead them for years to come.
13. Los Angeles Rams
    WR Makai Lemon, USC
    Lemon is an elite replacement for an aging Davante Adams and can man the slot next to Puka Nacua.
14. Baltimore Ravens
    OL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
    Their biggest need is interior offensive line, and Ioane is as great a prospect as you’ll see at the position.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
    OL Spencer Fano, Utah
    The Bucs sure up their offensive line with this pick.
16. New York Jets
    WR Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana
    The Jets have to figure out a way to get their offense going, and adding more weapons could be their best strategy.
17. Detroit Lions
    OL Monroe Freeling, Georgia
    Detroit needs to improve their offensive line after a massive disappointment in 2025.
18. Minnesota Vikings
    DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
    Minnesota needs a safety and a defensive tackle; we went with a tackle here.
19. Carolina Panthers
    TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
    With Tommy Tremble listed as their projected starter, the Panthers’ TE corps could use an upgrade.
20. Dallas Cowboys
    CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
    The Cowboys continue to work on their defense, as they should.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
    QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
    The best-case scenario for the Steelers is that a now mediocre 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers decides not to retire and starts for them this year.
22. Los Angeles Chargers
    DT Peter Woods, Clemson
    Los Angeles continues to build in the trenches with Woods.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
    WR Denzel Boston, Washington
    With AJ Brown expected to be traded, Boston is a big-bodied receiver who could try to fill his role.
24. Cleveland Browns
    Caleb Lomu, Utah
    After helping out their quarterbacks with a wide receiver earlier, they now add a tackle to help protect whoever their QB might be.
25. Chicago Bears
    Edge TJ Parker, Clemson
    Chicago adds a pass rusher to help get pressure opposite Montez Sweat.
26. Buffalo Bills
    CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
    The Bills need a pass rusher and a corner. We have them opting for the corner here.
27. San Francisco 49ers
    WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
    With an offense filled with aging and injured players, Concepcion could inject some much-needed youth and excitement into their offense.
28. Houston Texans
    OL Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
    The Texans’ offensive line needs help inside, and Pregnon is an impressive prospect.
29. Kansas City Chiefs
    Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami
    We expect the Chiefs to draft a corner and a pass rusher in the first round. With them already selecting a corner, they go with Mesidor here.
30. Miami Dolphins
    Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
    Miami could go in almost any direction because they have so many holes to fill. Here they go with an impressive pass rusher.
31. New England Patriots
    Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
    We have the Pats going with an edge here because we are expecting them to trade for AJ Brown to address their wide receiver issue.
32. Seattle Seahawks
    S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
    Seattle lost a lot of key pieces this offseason that they need to replace. Their secondary took a big hit.