The 2025 NFL season is finally underway, and we've got plenty to discuss from the ongoing college football season as well. As the season gets going, more and more prospects will begin to emerge, and likewise with every team's top offseason needs for 2026.
It's never too early to take a little look ahead.
The latest 2026 NFL mock draft has a new number one overall pick, an early run on quarterbacks, and a boatload of offensive line prospects for the NFL to consider in the top 32 overall. We're taking a look at projecting the entire first round as Week 1 NFL action rolls along. The order for this mock draft will be based on our final NFL Power Rankings before Week 1, as well as factoring in the results of the Thursday and Friday games.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Arch Manning bounces back in a big way, LaNorris Sellers rising
1. New Orleans Saints: LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
We would be remiss not to acknowledge the way LaNorris Sellers played in the first week of the college football season. The New Orleans Saints – or whoever picks #1 overall in next year’s draft – will do extensive work on the incoming class, but Sellers has captured a lot of people's attention after the way he played vs. Virginia Tech.
2. Indianapolis Colts: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
A lot of people were way too down on Arch Manning after the first week of the season, going up against an elite defense in a hostile environment. You’ve got to believe in your long-term evaluation and vision for a player, and Arch Manning has what it takes to be a #1 pick. Can you imagine if the Saints and Colts are the two worst records in the league? The Manning family would be in a win-win situation.
3. Cleveland Browns: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
The Cleveland Browns picking 3rd overall would be rough, considering the fact they are in quarterback hell at this point. They’ve gone beyond purgatory. But sometimes, allowing the other teams in front of you to pick guys can leave you with a great option and no opportunity to overthink it. Nussmeier might be the safest of the top three guys as a coach’s kid who has great football IQ and feel for the game.
4. Tennessee Titans: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami
With a quarterback to build around, the Titans have their pick of the litter of non-quarterbacks. Rueben Bain jumped right back into the top 10 conversation after his performance in Week 1 of the college season, and looks like he could be a dynamic player at the next level. He was consistently disruptive vs. Notre Dame, finishing with 0.5 sacks, an interception, and a TFL.
5. New York Jets: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
The New York Jets would probably love to be in quarterback territory, but with so many other teams already in line, they might have to punt that situation yet again. It all depends on who really emerges over the course of this college season. Getting Peter Woods would be a nice consolation as the Jets have a desperate need on the defensive interior. They just swung a last-minute trade for Harrison Phillips to help this year.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
As much as the Raiders would hate to be in this position after trading for Geno Smith, this type of finish to their season would be indicative of the defense likely faltering. The Raiders have one of the worst defenses in the league on paper. We’ll see who emerges over the course of this season, but Keldric Faulk is the best defensive player on the board here.
7. Carolina Panthers: TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson
The Panthers have another desperate need for foundational pieces defensively. While Carolina is hoping to be much more of a threat in the NFC South than this in 2025, they don’t have any presence off the edge at this point. It’s hard to win consistently in the NFL without one, and TJ Parker can provide that along with a little bit of fan service.
8. Dallas Cowboys: Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama
It doesn’t matter what they need on the rest of the roster, the Cowboys always seem to be in the mix for offensive line help. There are no linemen named Tyler at the top of this class, so Kadyn Proctor will have to do. I’m going to run that joke into the ground, in case you’re a returning reader. The Cowboys – and every NFL team – will be salivating over the quality of this upcoming offensive line class, and Proctor may be the best of the bunch.
9. New England Patriots: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Even after taking Will Campbell with their top pick in last year’s draft, the Patriots are far from finished with the offensive line renovations. Morgan Moses should not be viewed as a long-term investment at the right tackle position. Spencer Fano is a young prospect with a little bit of work to do, but his raw talent in combination with size and athletic traits stand out.
10. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
And here we have our third offensive tackle in a row, highlighting the quality at the top of this particular class. Francis Mauigoa might be an OT1 in a lot of classes, but here, the Browns get him as the OT3. It would be just like the Browns to get the third player at both QB and OT in the top 10 of the draft, but these are quality prospects they can really build around.
11. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
The Los Angeles Rams have one real weakness going into this season, and it’s the cornerback position. The Rams wanted to bring Jalen Ramsey back into the fold, but the Dolphins traded him to the Steelers instead. Thanks to the Falcons, the Rams get a great pick here and take the top cornerback off the board. Even with some injury concerns right now, Jermod McCoy is the best in this upcoming class.
12. Seattle Seahawks: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Jordyn Tyson got himself off to a great start this college season with 12 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns in the season debut. The Seattle Seahawks will be in the market for receiver help 2026 after trading away DK Metcalf and replacing him with the oft-injured Cooper Kupp. Tyson could pair with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the long term future with Sam Darnold at QB.
13. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State
It’s possible that Caleb Downs could end up being the absolute steal of this draft class due to the way the NFL values the safety position. Downs might be the best player in college football right now, and would add a big-time playmaker to any defense. But playing behind the elite front the Giants have? He could have a minimum of five interceptions as a rookie in this type of situation.
14. Chicago Bears: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Obviously, you can’t completely rebuild a roster in a single offseason. The Chicago Bears did a lot to revamp the roster under new head coach Ben Johnson, but the running game will be a focus for 2026. D’Andre Swift probably isn’t long for the Bears’ roster beyond this season, and having the opportunity to get a playmaker like Jeremiyah Love is something that would excite a lot of fans in Chicago.
15. Arizona Cardinals: Xavier Chaplin, OT, Auburn
There are a lot of pieces already in place for the Arizona Cardinals, who will probably see enough this season to take some big swings in NFL free agency in 2026. With that in mind, the Cardinals need to continue building through the trenches. One of their biggest gaps beyond this year is at right tackle where Jonah Williams is slated to hit free agency.
16. Miami Dolphins: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
If there’s one team with a glaring need at cornerback around the NFL, it’s the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins have been scrambling to even fill out their roster at the cornerback position this offseason, and that could end up biting them over the course of the 2025 season. Avieon Terrell is the brother of Falcons cornerback AJ Terrell and looks like he’s got NFL chops as well.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Pittsburgh Steelers fans are probably going to cringe every time they see Drew Allar being picked by the Steelers in a mock draft, but this team has got to be willing to take another shot. Maybe they’ll be able to find another short-term fix with a veteran in the offseason, but you can’t let past draft failures dictate your approach. Allar has a ton of talent, and NFL teams do like him. We’ll see if he can keep a 1st-round value over the course of the season.
18. Houston Texans: LT Overton, DL, Alabama
The Houston Texans have a ton of defensive linemen slated to hit free agency in 2026, and will need to revamp that unit once again. We could see them completely overhaul the position just teh way they did with the offensive line here in 2025. LT Overton is considered an EDGE by some, but at over 280 pounds, he’s more of a versatile weapon on the line.
19. Minnesota Vikings: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Vikings had to scramble to trade for Adam Thielen at the start of the 2025 season with the suspension to Jordan Addison and the fact that this team’s depth at the receiver position was maybe not as good as they had hoped. You’ve got to have cost-controlled players at these positions, and time flies. Jordan Addison is also entering a contract year in 2026, so the Vikings go with some forward thinking and the latest Ohio State stud about to reach the NFL at receiver.
20. Cincinnati Bengals: Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
Even after taking Shemar Stewart in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bengals could go back to the well once again in the 2026 NFL Draft. Matayo Uiagalelei is one of those players who is likely just going to keep creeping up the board after he racked up a pair of sacks in the season opener for the Ducks. With Trey Hendrickson likely gone in 2026, the Bengals continue reloading defensively.
21. San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Again, this is one of the most impressive offensive line classes in recent memory. Caleb Lomu would probably be a guaranteed top-15 pick in most years, but the 49ers scoop him up here in the later portion of round one. The Niners obviously had to reload on defense with a mass exodus this offseason, but they’ll shift focus back to the offense after spending a ton of money on quarterback Brock Purdy.
22. Washington Commanders: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
If there’s one reason why I’m not fully on board with the Washington Commanders hype train right now, it’s their pass rush off the edge. The Commanders desperately need someone to emerge off the edge this season, but general manager Adam Peters also has to attack this position group in the 2026 offseason. David Bailey was impressive in the season opener for Texas Tech and could be a great pickup late in round one.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have done a great job of loading up their roster on both sides of the ball, but they’re going to need to address the linebacker position in 2026. After going to the Ohio State well to snag Emeka Egbuka last year, we could see them go right back to the Buckeyes program for an upgrade to the defense. Sonny Styles is a former safety with great movement skills and instincts.
24. Denver Broncos: Connor Lew, C, Auburn
The Denver Broncos need to start thinking about the long term on the offensive line. They’ve got developmental prospects at tackle, but starting center Luke Wattenberg is slated to hit free agency in 2026. Getting a player like Connor Lew who could step in and start immediately would keep this Denver offensive line chugging right along. That interior offensive line is incredibly important to Sean Payton’s offensive vision.
25. Kansas City Chiefs: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
It really feels like we’re going to see the Kansas City Chiefs hit a hard reset at the offensive skill positions in the near future. They just have so many guys dealing with injuries, suspension, inconsistency issues, and age. Travis Kelce is obviously going to be 36 going on 37 in 2026, so snatching up arguably the best tight end in the class would not be a terrible idea. Kenyon Sadiq is one of the top rising prospects in the country right now.
26. Los Angeles Chargers: Isaiah World, OL, Oregon
The injury to left tackle Rashawn Slater is not anything to be taken lightly. A torn patellar tendon is not the same as a torn ACL. Although medicine and treatment are significantly advanced, not many guys have come back from those injuries and played at the same level again. You hope for the best, but you plan for the worst. Isaiah World is a transfer from Nevada this year looking to establish a 1st-round grade with the Ducks.
27. Detroit Lions: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
The Detroit Lions would probably love to have someone be sitting here who could be a long-term piece off the edge, but they can’t pass on the value of someone like CJ Allen. With Alex Anzalone possibly entering his final year in Detroit, the Lions will need someone to play next to Jack Campbell and CJ Allen has the goods. He had 76 tackles last year in his breakout year for the Bulldogs defense.
28. Los Angeles Rams: Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
We’ve got another quarterback here in the first round and it’s a name that hasn’t made many appearances throughout the course of the offseason. Sam Leavitt has been on the periphery of the 1st-round radar dating back to last season, but his performances early this year have shown NFL teams his competitive edge and ability to lead a team.
29. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers): Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
With the first of the two picks the Cowboys received from the Green Bay Packers, they select Illinois pass rusher Gabe Jacas, one of the top breakout players in college football over the past two seasons. Jacas had two sacks for Illinois in their season-opener, and has followed that up with another strong performance in Week 2. If he keeps it up, the Cowboys would have to consider him with their top pick instead of waiting until this later one.
30. Buffalo Bills: Dillon Thieneman, SAF, Oregon
The Buffalo Bills have such a strong roster that they could go for a non-premium position or draft for need. Whatever they want to do here. Dillon Thieneman has been discussed a lot this offseason after transferring to Oregon from Purdue, so is the hype justified? Absolutely. This guy is a coach’s dream with the prerequisite size and athleticism on top of elite football IQ and feel for the game.
31. Philadelphia Eagles: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
The Philadelphia Eagles have never been afraid to take risks on guys in the NFL Draft, as evidenced by one Jalen Carter. While we don’t anticipate Caleb Banks spitting on superstar quarterbacks before the start of a game, he does come with some question marks. The flashes of dominance on the field are undeniable and the value this late can’t be ignored. The Eagles will always be in the market for more defensive line help.
32. Baltimore Ravens: DJ McKinney, CB, Colorado
The Baltimore Ravens are a juggernaut, so what do they do in the 2026 NFL Draft? If you’re a team like this, you’re always looking to reset the clock at premium positions. Taking edge players, receivers, tackles, cornerbacks, and defensive linemen early on is never a bad idea. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta made a move to go get Jaire Alexander late in the offseason, so cornerback has to be on their 2026 radar.