NFL teams are already back and reporting for training camp. The Hall of Fame game is just days away. The latest NCAA Football video game is out.
The next step is seeing everybody officially back out there on the field in pads, and before you know it, it will be hoodie weather. Which means now is the time to start preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft if you haven't done so already. Every NFL team still has aspirations of winning games and exceeding expectations in 2025, but most teams are going to need to reload and refocus after something went wrong during the 2025 season.
Our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft is going to take a look at the latest prospects getting set to make the jump to the NFL as well as what teams' needs are across the league, and how they might address them.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Saints take first of many QBs off the board
1. New Orleans Saints: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
There’s no question that the New Orleans Saints have one of the ugliest quarterback situations in the NFL right now. The good news for New Orleans is that they’ve got younger guys with some upside, although they did use a second-round pick on one of the oldest QB prospects to come along in quite some time (Tyler Shough, will be 26 this season).
The Saints are probably going to be too good to be in this position next offseason, but a bad enough quarterback situation can drag a team down, no matter what the rest of the roster looks like.
You have had some guys retiring from the Saints in recent days, including safety Tyrann Mathieu. That's not exactly the best vote of confidence in the way things are going for that organization right now. First-year head coach Kellen Moore has his work cut out for him.
2. Cleveland Browns: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
The Cleveland Browns enter training camp in 2025 with the worst quarterback situation in the NFL and a roster loaded with question marks on both sides of the ball. If I had to guess right now, I would say that the Browns are going to be the most likely trade deadline sellers in the NFL and will load up on draft picks even more than they already have before completely hitting the reset button in 2026.
If they get the chance to go after another quarterback high in the draft, they’ve got to get it right. This team hasn’t been in QB purgatory, they’ve been in QB hell. And as of right now, it doesn’t look like they’re going to find a way out.
After this season, I would fully expect the Browns to move on from Deshaun Watson and Joe Flacco, and potentially pick just one of Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, trading the other.
3. Tennessee Titans: TJ Parker, DE, Clemson
The Titans hope they’ve found their quarterback of the future in Cam Ward, and this year will hopefully not just be a trial. If it’s that bad, the Titans might move on from Ward just like the Cardinals once did with Josh Rosen, but things would not only have to be bad on the field, they’d probably have to be bad off of it as well.
General manager Mike Borgonzi has hitched his wagon to Ward, although I don’t believe the same is true of head coach Brian Callahan. This bad of a season for the Titans would lead to a head coach change. The Titans need defensive cornerstone pieces, especially off the edge where Arden Key is expected to lead the team in the pass rush department this season.
That's not exactly a position you want to be in.
4. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The New York Giants are another one of those teams that’s going to pop up in every top five of every 2026 NFL Mock Draft until the games start getting played, and we start seeing just how improved they are on the field.
And to be fair, they could still be bad again in 2025, but I’m not sure I see them being this bad again. The days of Tommy DeVito and other no-name quarterbacks (no offense) are over and the Giants have proven guys under center as well as a 1st-round pick to build around.
Regardless of whether this pick projection ends up being accurate, the Giants simply can’t pass on cornerstone types of pieces for their defense, and Caleb Downs has a chance to be the best and most consistent player from this class.
5. New York Jets: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
The rumors right now indicate that Arch Manning, who is a third-year sophomore with just two starts under his belt as a collegiate player, isn’t going to be leaving Texas no matter what after this season. With NIL money, that’s actually a pretty believable rumor. Manning could be on the Andrew Luck track as a prospect, where he’s going to spend four years at the college level no matter what.
If that ends up being the case, I think we’ll see the Jets go after a quarterback in this slot regardless. But if Manning does well this season, why not leave for the NFL? Maybe he wants to wait for a year in which the Browns aren’t lurking at the top of the draft, but this would be a great situation for him.
The Jets have every reason right now to be patient with a young quarterback, and general manager Darren Mougey was in Denver during the Peyton Manning era. This is exactly the type of player the Jets want to invest in at the game's most important position.
6. Carolina Panthers: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
Defensively, the Carolina Panthers are an absolute mess right now. There are some pieces on that side of the ball, but they absolutely need help in the trenches on that side of the ball and could go after a number of players here. Peter Woods would be a decent consolation prize to missing out on Milton Williams in 2025 NFL free agency, but the Panthers will be praying to the football gods for multiple elite edge players to emerge from this class.
They also just released veteran linebacker Josey Jewell who has been struggling to come back from concussion symptoms. Perhaps Anthony Hill of Texas will be a fit here. But anything other than defense with this selection should be considered a sin for GM Dan Morgan.
The Brian Burns trade has seemingly put a hex on the Carolina defense, which allowed the most points in the league last season.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
Just like a number of teams near the top of this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders have a horrible defense heading into the 2025 season. Maxx Crosby can only carry so much weight before he crumbles beneath it, and the Raiders are just putting way too much on his shoulders this upcoming season.
Anthony Hill Jr. is one of the top star defensive players in all of college football with range, athleticism, and playmaking ability. Pete Carroll will love him, and John Spytek has taken a number of LBs high in the draft, despite the fact that most teams are shying away from that.
Just like so many of the worst defenses in the NFL right now, the Raiders will take just about anything to upgrade that side of the ball. Beggars can't be choosers, but they would be putting a lot of pressure on Hill right away.
8. Indianapolis Colts: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The Indianapolis Colts need to sort out their long-term QB situation for good this offseason. Anthony Richardson is still just in his third season and hopefully has a lot of football ahead of him, but this is a pivotal year for the way the league perceives him.
If Richardson can’t win the Colts’ starting job this year, or keep hold of it as the season goes along, this team has to take another QB high, and they’re likely going to go with someone who has played a lot more ball than Richardson did at Florida.
Fernando Mendoza will spend this year endearing himself to fans in the state of Indiana after transferring to play for the Hoosiers, so this would be a wildly popular pick.
9. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
If the Browns manage to get a young quarterback in place with their top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, they have to find a way to upgrade the offensive line with whatever pick they end up getting from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This pick was acquired in the deal to move down and pass on Travis Hunter, so the Browns had better hope they were right about that situation as well. I think a lot of folks are just assuming that it was a good deal because they got Mason Graham and another 1st-rounder out of it, but Hunter has a chance to be a really special player. The Browns cannot miss with this pick.
The sting of how things played out with Jedrick Wills could cause a lot of Browns fans to be concerned over the idea of drafting another Alabama tackle high, but you've got to remember that it's not about scouting the helmet -- scout the player. Proctor has been projected as a future top-10 NFL Draft pick since he was coming up from the high school ranks.
10. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
The Los Angeles Rams are frequently projected to go after a quarterback with this pick in 2026 NFL Mock Draft predictions, and I completely get it. A team that good doesn’t always find itself picking in the top 10, so if the Falcons gift them with that opportunity, they might as well strike while the iron is hot.
But the Rams have been in positions to take quarterbacks in recent years and they’ve been patient. If there’s not someone they love with this pick, they could shift their focus to the offensive tackle position, where blood clots have clouded the future of starting left tackle Alaric Jackson.
Getting a player like Francis Mauigoa could ultimately be too good of a value to pass on for the Rams, especially with that situation popping up this offseason.
11. Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
I don’t even know where to start with the Miami Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa is publicly calling out Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins traded two really good players for one and got fleeced in a trade with the Steelers. They have so many injury-prone star players. The roster is in a major state of transition, but Miami has a chance to bounce back quickly if their top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft can hit, and they can add talent to the secondary next offseason.
This year will be an evaluation year where they look for young guys to step up and become parts of the future foundation, but a player like Jermod McCoy (if healthy) can be a true CB1 and star for any NFL team that takes him.
He tore his ACL very late last season, and his availability for the start of this year is in question. If he can prove he's back to form before the end of the year, he should still be coveted by NFL teams and a clear CB1 candidate.
12. New England Patriots: Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
The New England Patriots are going to look like one of the most improved teams in the NFL in 2025 for a variety of reasons. The development of Drake Maye is at the top of that list, but the arrival of head coach Mike Vrabel is not far behind it.
Obviously, the Patriots are a roster in a state of transition, and one of the weakest areas of the roster is off the edge defensively. Harold Landry can whet everyone’s appetites and keep things ‘fine’ for the time being, but there is little doubt that the pass rush will be a continued area of focus in the 2026 offseason.
Keldric Faulk or Rueben bain – as of right now – would both be great options for the Patriots in this pick slots to bring heat off the edge.
13. Seattle Seahawks: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
The pick of Gray Zabel in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft was the tip of the iceberg for the Seattle Seahawks. This is a team that desperately needed help all over its offensive line in the 2024 season and it might not be something that can be fixed in just one offseason.
They’ll be back in the mix for offensive line help once again in the 2026 NFL Draft and, luckily for them, this is a good-looking class of players overall on the offensive line, especially at the top. The Seahawks get Caleb Lomu, who could immediately slot in as a starting right tackle as a rookie.
14. Arizona Cardinals: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami
We’ll see what this season brings for the Arizona Cardinals, who have made a lot of changes to their pass rusher group over the last year. They obviously made their biggest move this offseason by adding free agent Josh Sweat, who should bring a much-needed consistent presence off the edge.
They also brought back Baron Browning, a young player who was added in a trade with the Denver Broncos in the middle of las season and showed some promise. As of right now, I think you have to keep the EDGE position in the top three needs for this team next offseason, and they wouldn’t be able to pass on a value like Rueben Bain here anyway.
Jonathan Gannon knows from his time with the Philadelphia Eagles that a great defense in the NFL is built around waves of pass rush, so even if they get a good year from a player like Browning, a first-round edge player could still be in the mix.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
The Pittsburgh Steelers are all-in on the 2025 season, which would make this finish to the 2025 campaign the biggest disappointment in recent franchise memory. It would be slightly shocking to see the Steelers be this bad in 2025, but if they are, you can expect even more dramatic changes for the team.
This is the last ride for Aaron Rodgers. It’s probably the last ride for other guys like Darius Slay, maybe even Cam Heyward. The Steelers don’t have much going for them beyond this season as of right now, because we have no clue what the future holds at quarterback. If they could get a prospect the caliber of LaNorris Sellers, they’d probably be dancing in the war room on draft night.
16. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
Tired of every 2026 NFL Mock Draft projecting the Dallas Cowboys to take another running back? Can we interest you in Caleb Banks out of Florida being added to the Dallas defensive line?
Absent other offensive linemen named “Tyler” reaching 1st-round status, I think at this point, the Cowboys have been pretty measured and consistent with the way they draft in the first round. While you’ll occasionally see a splash pick, they prefer to go after the biggest guys as early as possible.
Caleb Banks has a chance to become something special this season at Florida after racking up 4.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles last season.
17. Chicago Bears: Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
The Chicago Bears have placed a major emphasis on the offensive side of the ball the last couple of offseasons, and while the defense hasn’t exactly been neglected, the pass rush needs more attention than it’s gotten.
A veteran like Montez Sweat can only do so much for you, and there are just a few teams in the NFL with as rough of a situation off the edge as the Bears currently have. They, along with many other teams in the NFL this season, will be pleading with the football gods for pass rushers to emerge this season at the college level, because it’s looking like a thinner edge group at the top of the crop.
18. Minnesota Vikings: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
The Minnesota Vikings won 14 games last season, but they may have a couple of potential fatal flaws this upcoming season. The first one is the quarterback position, which was a similar concern last year that the team managed to squash with a breakthrough year from Sam Darnold. Now that Darnold is in Seattle, can JJ McCarthy come back from a major injury and keep this operation humming in his first year as an NFL starter?
That’s a much taller order than people are making it seem.
The other potentially fatal flaw for the Vikings right now is their cornerback position, which is one of the worst in the NFL. Minnesota desperately needs players to step up for them in the secondary. This will be a focus in next year’s draft for sure, and they land AJ Terrell’s little bro off of Clemson’s loaded roster.
19. Houston Texans: Tim Keenan, DL, Alabama
At this point, maybe the most accurate prediction we could make for the Houston Texans in next year’s draft is to trade out of this pick. It doesn’t seem like Houston is really set on sticking with their pick slots under GM Nick Caserio.
You absolutely have to consider the defensive trenches here as the Texans have tried time and time again to bring in veteran guys on short-term, low-risk types of deals and nothing has materialized into a long-term solution.
We saw them attack an overhaul of the offensive line in 2025, and the defensive line could get similar treatment in 2026.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Although he’s still the best tackle in the league right now (or top two), the injury to Tristan Wirfs this offseason has highlighted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ need to boost their depth at the tackle position.
Of course, you don’t want to just draft a backup with a first-round pick, so the Bucs will have to be certain that whatever player they are taking in this spot can also play guard if needed, but being in the position of making a future investment at the offensive tackle position is a luxury for an NFL GM, and Jason Licht is in that spot right now. If you have a weak spot on the offensive line, it doesn’t matter how good the rest of your roster is, anyway.
21. Denver Broncos: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
The Denver Broncos are going to be one of the most interesting teams to watch in the NFL during the 2026 offseason. Obviously, we’re all eager to find out how this team is going to play in 2025 after winning 10 games and finally drafting a quarterback in Bo Nix worth writing home about.
Sean Payton has this franchise on the upswing in a big way, making the playoffs despite $90 million in dead cap last year and obviously flipping the script on what was perceived to be one of the worst rosters in the league.
Getting younger on the offensive line should be an area of focus in the 2026 offseason, because the Broncos have the luxury of time right now. Isaiah World is going to get a chance to become OT1 in this class playing at Oregon this year but would be a great pick for Denver, which hasn’t selected an offensive tackle since 2017 (Garett Bolles).
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Matayo Uiagalelei, EDGE, Oregon
The departure of Joey Bosa this offseason for the Los Angeles Chargers can’t exactly be viewed as addition by subtraction, but it maybe marks the beginning of this team overhauling the pass rush. Bosa was unreliable with his availability, to say the least, but how much more are the Chargers going to get out of guys like Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree?
There’s a clear need for the pass rush to be upgraded, and Matayo Uiagalelei was one of the most productive players in the country last season at getting after the quarterback. The Chargers have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but their roster situation off the edge is not great long-term.
23. Green Bay Packers: AJ Harris, CB, Penn State
It’s difficult to understand why Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst has put his team in the position they currently find themselves in at the cornerback position going into this season. He’s overhauled the wide receiver room twice since 2022 and has simply done very little (borderline nothing) to prepare for transition at the cornerback position.
The Packers have moved on from all of Rasul Douglas, Jaire Alexander, and Eric Stokes in the past couple of years, and what are they left with? Keisean Nixon is going to be playing a big role for this team. They are banking heavily on free agent Nate Hobbs staying healthy.
Gutekunst can believe in his late-round picks all he wants, but the cornerback position could be what sinks the Packers’ ship in 2025. They need to upgrade the talent there in a big way.
24. San Francisco 49ers: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
The San Francisco 49ers have spent a decent amount of high draft capital on the wide receiver position in recent years, but they might be in position to have to do it again in 2026.
Ricky Pearsall has not been able to stay on the field thus far and has spent the majority of his first two years in the NFL dealing with injuries. Brandon Aiyuk has been dealing with an injury basically since the moment he signed his big-money contract, and he’s been the subject of trade rumors regardless of that deal.
The trade of Deebo Samuel this past offseason as well as the current contract situation of Jauan Jennings puts the 49ers in a tough position where they might need to take another receiver early. Luckily for them, Jordyn Tyson is the 1st receiver off the board in this scenario.
25. Cincinnati Bengals: Christen Miller, DL, Georgia
You can really just take your pick of defensive players here. The Cincinnati Bengals have slowly, but surely, re-assembled their defense for the 2025 season. They ended the fiasco with Shemar Stewart that was way more difficult and ugly than it had to be. They got Demetrius Knight in the fold to replace Germaine Pratt.
Heck, if the Bengals can get Trey Hendrickson the type of deal he wants, they might have a little something cooking on that side of the ball. But it’s also entirely possible that this defense will be one of the worst in the league yet again in 2025, and a major reason for that is player personnel.
Christen Miller is maybe an underwhelming name to project here, but the Bengals need big men defensively who can help raise the floor of that front seven with toughness and physicality.
26. Washington Commanders: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
The addition of Deebo Samuel to the Commanders’ roster is not something that’s going to shape the long-term future of the team. Terry McLaurin is going to turn 30 years old in September. It’s possible that we’ve understated the level of need for new blood at the wide receiver position for this Commanders roster.
With Jayden Daniels playing like an MVP-caliber quarterback as a rookie, this team has to be aggressive in pursuing upgrades to surround him. While the defense needs some attention, GM Adam Peters is going to have to get aggressive via trades or free agency to boost the pass rush while adding talent at receiver to capitalize on the window his team suddenly finds itself in.
27. Los Angeles Rams: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Remember earlier, we passed on quarterbacks for the Los Angeles Rams, but this seems like the perfect spot to stop the fall of Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. The perception and discourse surrounding Allar has become toxic this offseason because certain folks are adamant that he’s never going to develop into an NFL-caliber passer, while others are enamored by his talent level.
The reality is, NFL teams will always believe they can mold guys like this, and unless Allar completely tanks this year at Penn State, he’s going to get 1st-round buzz in the offseason. And a team like the Rams provides the perfect landing spot for him to learn under Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, taking over in a Jordan Love-type of scenario down the line.
28. Buffalo Bills: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
I was nearly positive the Buffalo Bills would use a high draft pick on the safety position this past year, but they didn’t do it. Buffalo obviously has one of the best and most well-rounded rosters in the entire NFL right now, but their secondary is a work in progress.
I loved the pick of Maxwell Hairston to get another playmaker at the cornerback position, but safety could once again be an area of need for them in the 2026 NFL Draft. Dillon Thieneman has been often discussed this offseason as a possible breakthrough 1st-round player at Oregon, and after transferring from Purdue, he has a chance to establish himself as one of the highest-floor prospects in the country.
29. Detroit Lions: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
What the Detroit Lions should be looking at in the 2026 NFL Draft is simply the best defensive player on their board overall.
The Lions are already dealing with injuries and contract issues to a number of starters on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, and could be repeating the disaster we saw last season when they lost nearly everyone in the starting lineup on that side of the ball.
The Lions are currently in the midst of dealing with contract and injury issues with Alex Anzalone, who could be entering his final year with the team. Anzalone had a lengthy injury history prior to arriving in Detroit, and he only played 10 games last year.
Now north of 30 years old, Detroit could be looking to upgrade their pairing with former first-round pick Jack Campbell.
30. Baltimore Ravens: DJ McKinney, CB, Colorado
Sometimes when teams take chances on veteran free agents at premium positions, you could be getting your future NFL Draft indicators. The Baltimore Ravens have made a couple of veteran free agent moves in the 2025 offseason to add wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins as well as cornerback Jaire Alexander, and as a result, we might see them go after receivers and corners early in the 2026 NFL Draft.
DJ McKinney is one of the players right now who is right on the fringe of being considered a unanimous first-round prospect. Playing in the shadow of Travis Hunter last year, McKinney has a chance to really break through in 2025 and become a top prospect in his own right. He’s got the size and ball skills to be a 1st-round player.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The Kansas City Chiefs have been underwhelming at the running back position for quite some time now. They caught lightning in a bottle with Isiah Pacheco, but he doesn’t look like he’s going to be a long-term fixture at the position.
Neither does Kareem Hunt, quite frankly, and the Chiefs could be in a position after the 2025 season where they have to really start fresh at running back. If they get lucky, maybe they have a chance to take the first back off the board like they do in this scenario, snagging Jeremiyah Love and potentially getting the biggest steal of this 2026 NFL mock draft.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
The Philadelphia Eagles used a 1st-round pick on Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who isn’t an “edge rusher” by trade but has edge rusher in his blood and pass rush in his blood. But because he’s classified as an off-ball linebacker, that makes two years in a row in which Eagles GM Howie Roseman has not gone after a pass rusher for his defensive front, and he’s not going to be able to resist next offseason.
There are a number of potential fringe first-round players for the Eagles to consider in this spot, but one that I think folks are going to like more and more as the college football season rolls along is Illinois pass rusher Gabe Jacas, who has outstanding size and tenacity off the edge.
He’d be a fun fit for Vic Fangio’s already elite pass rush, which is going to be breaking in a couple of new guys as it is this season.