5. Houston Texans: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
The Houston Texans have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL so far this season, regardless of what ends up happening in Week 4. The Texans need to turn things around quickly, but what happens if they bottom out to this degree? That’s when you start emphasizing the trenches in the NFL Draft. The Texans already overhauled their offensive line in the 2025 offseason, and the defensive line should be next up on the docket.
6. New York Giants: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Week 4 will officially mark the start of the Jaxson Dart era for the New York Giants, and they are obviously hopeful that the rookie can provide a spark to get them out of this hole they’re in as a franchise. The Giants have lost 14 of their last 15 games, and obviously need someone to be the franchise’s savior. I’m not sure if it’ll be Dart, or if Brian Daboll will be around to find out, but the Giants need to upgrade the offensive line in the offseason, either way.
7. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Todd McShay recently called Oregon quarterback Dante Moore the best passer in all of college football. It’s been a rapid ascent up the board lately for Moore, who is making his debut in our 2026 NFL mock draft projections. Moore’s rise and overall stock obviously aren’t dependent upon the Penn State game, but he could be an interesting player for the Rams either way. The retirement rumors for Matthew Stafford get louder every year. It’s time for Sean McVay to have a future solution in the building, and there’s no better time than 2026 when the Rams have a pair of first-round picks to play with.
8. Carolina Panthers: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Nobody needs defensive cornerstone pieces more than the Carolina Panthers. We might be seeing some young players emerge for the Panthers early this season as their defense has turned things around considerably in recent weeks, but they still have to take the best defensive player on the board in next year’s draft. That is, if they’re not moving on from Bryce Young at the quarterback position…Keldric Faulk is big, long, explosive, and productive.