The 2025 NFL Draft is officially in the books, and if you clicked on this article, it means you likely root for an NFL team that didn't get the quarterback prospect it wanted/needed out of the 2025 class. The league was clearly looking ahead one year at the quarterback position, and this 2026 NFL Mock Draft will reflect that.
Although we have absolutely zero clue how things are going to go this coming NFL season and which players will emerge at the college level, we have a good idea of a handful of players who are going to be fascinating 2026 NFL Draft studies over the course of the next year.
The prized position will be quarterback, and the crown jewel is Arch Manning, but what other top-tier players could be available next offseason? We're shooting our shot from a mile out on the 2026 NFL Draft.
PFF power rankings and a slight modification at the top determined the order for this mock draft.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Arch Manning follows in grandpa's footsteps with Saints
1. New Orleans Saints: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Were it not for Tyler Shough, the Saints would have been in a crazy position where they didn’t take a single quarterback in the first two rounds of the draft since Archie Manning back in 1971. Even though they took Shough this year, it doesn’t take the Saints out of the 1st round quarterback market in 2026. How wild would it be if they were able to say their last two first-round picks at quarterback as a franchise were Archie Manning and Arch Manning, separated by over 50 years?
With questions looming regarding Derek Carr for the foreseeable future, if the Saints end up with the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the decision would seem to be a no-brainer at this point.
2. Cleveland Browns: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Shockingly, the Cleveland Browns waited until the back end of Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft to take a quarterback. Even more shocking was the fact that it was Dillon Gabriel and not Shedeur Sanders. The Browns appear to be rolling with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett this year as they prepare for the eventuality of picking in the top three of next year’s draft. Luckily for them, that’s a worthwhile lottery ticket. Drew Allar was getting some 1st-round steam for 2025 before deciding to go back to Penn State.
The Browns made a fascinating decision on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft by taking Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who will legitimately have a chance to win their job by season's end. If they end up in this spot, however, it'll be back to the drawing board.
3. Tennessee Titans: TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson
The Tennessee Titans took quarterback Cam Ward with the 1st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and because their roster is not nearly as bad as they wound up playing last year, I don’t think they’re going to be back in this spot. If they are, they have to take another premium position and get more building blocks for the roster. Mike Borgonzi follows up the Cam Ward pick with a dominant EDGE player in TJ Parker who had 11 sacks and six forced fumbles last season.
I'm not sure the Titans are going to be able to duplicate the kind of success we saw from the Commanders after selecting Jayden Daniels last year, but you never know when we're going to see an absolute resurgence from a last place team.
4. New York Jets: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
The New York Jets signed Justin Fields in the 2025 offseason and they are obviously hoping that is a dart throw that ends up working out. But if they find themselves back in the top five of the NFL Draft next offseason, they are going to be hunting for a true franchise quarterback for new head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey.
There are some folks out there who believe Nussmeier is the top QB in this upcoming class, and he would be rejoining his old LSU teammate, Mason Taylor, with the Jets.
This was not the draft class for the Jets to push all their chips to the middle of the table on a quarterback, but they will undoubtedly be doing their homework all throughout the 2025 season on next year's class so they're ready in this type of situation.
5. New England Patriots: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
The New England Patriots have focused the 2025 NFL Draft on supporting and surrounding Drake May, and understandably so. They shift their focus in the 2026 NFL Draft to the defensive side of the ball and take a potentially disruptive player to move all over the formation on the defensive front. Keldric Faulk is one of the most exciting pass rushers in the country. He had seven sacks last season and is just scratching the surface of his potential.
We'll find out after the season if New England has a finished product on the offensive side of the ball, but Mike Vrabel is going to want to start loading up on the other side of the ball and asking Drake Maye to raise the other boats in the harbor in his third season.
Why are the Dallas Cowboys going to be picking this high in the 2026 NFL Draft? Well, don’t blame me for this one. Remember, we are using Pro Football Focus’ power rankings for this draft order. I could have taken creative liberties and moved the Cowboys further down the order, but the NFL is unpredictable.
Here, the Cowboys land the player many believe to be the one true can’t-miss guy in next year’s class. Caleb Downs is a safety who could help elevate any roster in the league with his elite instincts and ability to attack the line of scrimmage (4 INTs, 12 TFL in two years of college football).
If the Cowboys are actually picking this high, it'll be interesting to see what the future would hold for Dak Prescott. There's no way they would be this bad without some major roster ramifications.
7. Las Vegas Raiders: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
There is a lot of reloading yet to be done for the Las Vegas Raiders defensively, but there’s no denying that this roster is significantly improved compared to what it looked like before Pete Carroll and John Spytek arrived.
The Raiders have kind of crushed the 2025 offseason and I’d be surprised if they’re this bad next year. But they won’t scoff at the chance to add a playmaker on the interior defensive line like Peter Woods, who would be able to take advantage of all the attention that gets paid to Maxx Crosby.
Pete Carroll knows his defense is going to need to be tough and deep at all three levels to compete in the AFC West and this pick would help.
8. Carolina Panthers: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
The Carolina Panthers used their top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, but they followed it up by getting aggressive for some help on the defensive side of the ball. I think we’ll see that theme continue into the 2026 NFL Draft for this team, which really needs to add as many blue-chip guys to that side of the ball as they possibly can.
Anthony Hill Jr. is coming off of a ridiculous year with 17 tackles for loss, eight sacks, and four forced fumbles at the off-ball linebacker position. That kind of production is going to catch the eyes of NFL talent evaluators and this guy could buck recent trends for off-ball linebackers and go in the top 10.
9. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
The Cleveland Browns went after a quarterback earlier in this 2026 NFL mock draft, and they take advantage of the spoils from their trade with the Jaguars by snagging the player who could be the top cornerback in the 2026 class: Malik Muhammad. The Texas cornerback hasn’t had the type of ball production you love to see out of CB1 types but he’s got all of the attributes for a major breakthrough year in 2025.
The Browns are in a position right now where they need to add as many building blocks as possible and there are so many directions they could go with two top-10 picks in 2026.
10. Indianapolis Colts: Carson Beck, QB, Miami
The Indianapolis Colts are in a really unique position as we enter the 2025 offseason. They are a roster that has plenty of talent on both sides of the ball but they have a major and lingering question mark at the quarterback position. Is this a make-or-break year for Anthony Richardson, or will they be more patient? Will Daniel Jones seize his opportunity and stick?
The reality is, if they are picking in the top 10 next year, the quarterback position will be a big reason why. Opinions are very split on Carson Beck but a year at Miami did wonders for Cam Ward. Maybe it will do the same for Beck.
11. Miami Dolphins: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
Just to prepare all Dolphins fans out there, I’m going to be extremely critical of this team all throughout the 2025 offseason. We obviously see that the Dolphins are capable of being a really good team when everyone is healthy, but this coming season is going to be extremely telling of the future of this roster and which players will actually remain building blocks. Tua Tagovailoa will be in focus, but the pieces around him have become equally concerning if not even more so.
This team is very much in a state of transition and could be headed for a major renovation in 2026. Offensive line will be needed.
12. Los Angeles Chargers: Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
The Los Angeles Chargers picking 12th in the 2026 NFL Draft, or anywhere near this spot, would likely mean this team suffered some sort of catastrophic injury or caught the injury bug. They are nowhere near this bad of a roster and this is a hot take from Pro Football Focus on their power rankings.
With that said, this is where they are picking in our mock draft and they would probably love to snag Caleb Banks for their roster right now if they could. He’s 6-foot-7 with the ability to float all over the defensive front and cause havoc.
After letting go of Nick Bosa this offseason as well as interior lineman Poona Ford, that area of the roster could be an intense focus in 2026.
13. New York Giants: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
PFF is obviously expecting the Giants to take a huge leap in the 2025 season with Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart likely splitting some time at the QB position this coming season. I can see the vision for this team playing out as the Giants absolutely nailed the 2024 NFL Draft and they’ve done well again in 2025.
The sting of losing Saquon Barkley and cutting Daniel Jones midseason still hurts, but this Giants roster is a picture slowly coming into frame. If they can get some more help on the offensive line, they could be in business for the long haul.
Kadyn Proctor isn't Travis Hunter, but he's almost big enough as a player to be a two-for-one. If the Giants want to get bigger and more physical on the offensive line, this guy will get the job done.
14. Arizona Cardinals: Christian Miller, DL, Georgia
The Arizona Cardinals might have taken Walter Nolen in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but that’s not going to prevent this team from going after more help in the pass rush department. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon just watched his old team in Philadelphia win the Super Bowl without blitzing a single time.
He’s going to be like an inspired artist working alongside GM Monti Ossenfort. I was sure the Cardinals would go with the best Bulldog available to prove imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but I might have been a year early.
15. San Francisco 49ers: Jermond McCoy, CB, Tennessee
How can you tell when a team internally believes it is rebuilding or reloading? Well, they start to load up on players in the trenches in the NFL Draft. Smart teams will do this regardless, but the 49ers have had to really get after their reloading process and ditch a lot of bad contracts.
As a result, not every position was adequately given a makeover, including the cornerback position. There could be some concern about Jermond McCoy this coming season since he had an ACL injury, but if he plays well in 2025, he’ll be a top 20 prospect.
Another position I considered here was at running back, where Christian McCaffrey's future could be interesting beyond this coming season. We know the 49ers will never lack weapons under Kyle Shanahan.
16. Seattle Seahawks: Zxavian Harris, DL, Ole Miss
It’s got to be a trench-heavy couple of years for the Seattle Seahawks on either side of the ball, and we know NFL teams are going to be all over that Ole Miss program after the number of guys we saw head off to the NFL in the 2025 Draft.
Although his name is going to be brutal to type in for every mock draft we make between now and the 2026 NFL Draft, Zxavian Harris has the chance to be the next guy coming out of that program who can give NFL teams a disruptive threat in the interior defensive line.
Looking at Seattle's offensive line, it wouldn't be a shocker to see them go back to that well even after using a 1st-round pick on Grey Zabel in the 2025 NFL Draft.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens with the Cincinnati Bengals this coming season after just a terrible year defensively. They obviously are reloading from the top down on that side of the ball, and are going to be continually looking for pieces.
Even after taking Demetrius Knight in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Bengals could get a lot of use out of someone like Ohio State’s Sonny Styles, who can play off the ball, rush the passer, and play a QB spy role. He could be a fun chess piece for Al Golden.
18. Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA
The Los Angeles Rams seem to have flirted with the idea of taking a quarterback early on for years now. If they miss the playoffs in 2025, it could be the end of the line for Matthew Stafford as their QB1. The Rams have a chance to move on to a new era with a player who is already making his way out to LA this year, Nico Iamaleava.
Although there’s some controversy surrounding his exit from Tennessee, this guy has the goods and was a big-time recruit at the position. He could still be a very coveted player in next year’s draft cycle. He has a big-time arm, athleticism, and if the environment at UCLA is what he's expecting it to be, then his 2026 NFL Draft stock is going to absolutely soar over the next 10 months.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
For the 100th time in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft already, we have a quarterback coming off the board. In all reality, are we going to see this many quarterbacks fly off the board in the top 19 picks? Not likely, but we did see six of them go in the top 12 of the 2024 NFL Draft, so anything is possible.
The Pittsburgh Steelers appear poised to add Aaron Rodgers this year, but that’s not a long-term solution. They could be one of the many teams eyeing next year’s class at the position as a more ideal investment, and Cade Klubnik is one of a handful of guys getting #1 overall pick type talk this offseason already.
The Steelers seemingly did Rodgers a solid by passing on quarterbacks all throughout the 2025 NFL Draft, but they won't be obligated to do so in 2026 if they are in this position, which is outside of the playoffs.
20. Chicago Bears: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
The Bears have effectively surrounded Caleb Williams with the best possible weapons after the selection of Colston Loveland out of Michigan in the 1st round. They could potentially look for the next “Jahmyr Gibbs” in next year’s draft, but they definitely need to add pieces to the defensive side of the ball as well.
David Bailey is a speed rusher who transferred to Texas Tech from Stanford and gives the Bears another weapon to get after the quarterback and steal extra possessions for Williams and the offense. Just this past season, he had a whopping five forced fumbles and seven sacks.
Those kinds of skills getting to the quarterback will always be of interest to NFL teams.
21. Gren Bay Packers: Jalon Kilgore, CB, South Carolina
For the second consecutive offseason, the Green Bay Packers have sort of forsaken the cornerback position. It’s shocking that they haven’t done more to address such an important, premium position on a loaded roster. What has been one of the more shocking developments of the 2025 NFL Draft weekend is that Jaire Alexander has remained in Green Bay despite some pretty heavy rumors he could be headed elsewhere in a trade.
With that said, general manager Brian Gutekunst has a type that he looks for regardless of position, and Jalon Kilgore fits it. He’s a big, athletic player at his position who had outstanding ball production (5 INTs) last season.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sort of shocked everyone when they took Emeka Egbuka in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but you can never have too many weapons in the passing game when you throw as much as the Bucs do. With that said, if this team is going to be throwing the ball a ton, they’re likely going to get in some shootouts and will need more players to come in and rush the passer off the edge. There are a number of guys who seem to be intriguing fits here in the later portion of round one, and a lot of potential round one edge guys in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Cashius Howell is a former Bowling Green transfer who needs an explosive year of production, but his talent warrants this high of a selection.
23. Houston Texans: Charles Jagusah, OL, Notre Dame
The Houston Texans absolutely need to continue investing on the offensive line after the mass exodus we saw from that unit in the 2025 offseason. Houston made a bold couple of moves to bring in Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to bolster a wide receiver room that lost Stefon Diggs to free agency and Tank Dell to injury, but CJ Stroud won’t be able to find anyone open if he’s always looking up at the sky.
The Texans understand that team-building is a long-term deal and last year was a great reminder that they are still a reloading team in a number of ways. They will need to add pieces to that offensive line and Charles Jagusah might be the best interior lineman on the board in next year’s class.
24. Denver Broncos: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
The Denver Broncos are going to be a fascinating team this coming season, because after struggling with a poor supporting cast around Bo Nix in 2024, they didn’t do a ton to support him this offseason. Now, to be fair, they added Evan Engram, RJ Harvey, and Pat Bryant in the 2025 NFL Draft, but it does feel like the Broncos went with an overly budget-friendly approach.
Although Courtland Sutton is expected to get a contract extension, Malachi Fields is exactly the type of receiver Sean Payton covets with size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) and is also a team captain, which is a very important quality for the Denver Broncos in their high picks.
25. Minnesota Vikings: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The Minnesota Vikings have had one of the best rosters in the entire league over the last handful of years and they are going to need to keep their running game operating at a high level to make sure young quarterback JJ McCarthy has the most success possible. The running back class in 2026 doesn’t appear to be the same type of quality talent as what we have seen here in 2025, but the Vikings have a chance here to get the top guy off the board.
Jeremiyah Love has only started scratching the surface of how great he can be and he averaged nearly seven yards per carry last year for the Golden Domers. This could be the ideal handoff type of situation from Aaron Jones after the 2025 season.
26. Los Angeles Rams: Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU
For two straight years, there have been rumors about the Rams trying to trade up for weapons in the NFL Draft. They didn’t get to move up for Brock Bowers in 2024, and they didn’t get to move up for Tetairoa McMillan in 2025. Will they finally get themselves a first-round offensive weapon in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Earlier in this mock draft scenario, we had the Rams going after UCLA transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and they could land him a premier talent at the wide receiver position here later in the first round. I love the idea of Sean McVay and the Rams really hitting the reset button on their offensive core after this year, hopefully seeing the youngsters hitting the ground running.
27. Washington Commanders: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
The Washington Commanders have done such a great job of building around young quarterback Jayden Daniels, who absolutely lit up the NFL in his first season after winning the Heisman Trophy at LSU. The Commanders made Josh Conerly their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and they traded for Laremy Tunsil, but they can continue to load up on the offensive line. What is the future of the guard position there in Washington?
Spencer Fano is a big, athletic road grader who plays tackle for the Utah program but could slide inside at the next level and give them some value here late in the 1st round.
28. Buffalo Bills: Suntarine Perkins, EDGE, Ole Miss
28. Buffalo Bills: Suntarine Perkins, EDGE, Ole Miss
The Buffalo Bills have revamped their defense in the 2025 NFL Draft but they’re not likely done. As this team pursues a Super Bowl title, they need players who can make a difference late in games and the #1 area you’ve got to look at is in the passing game offensively and the passing game defensively. You go get pass rushers who can consistently cause problems off the edge when you get the chance.
Suntarine Perkins might be the most underrated player in this mock draft after racking up 10.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss last year on a loaded Ole Miss defensive front. How does he fare with extra attention paid to him in 2025?
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
One of the most interesting storylines to follow this year, once again, is going to be the future of Kansas City Chiefs legend Travis Kelce, a future NFL Hall of Fame tight end who could be entering his final year in the league. The future of Kelce has been a question mark for the last couple of years as Kelce enters his mid-30s, and it won’t be long before the Chiefs start doing something about it.
Especially if Kelce retires next year, this kind of a pick would make sense, but even if he decides to play again in 2026, the Chiefs could get the heir apparent integrated into their offense.
30. Baltimore Ravens: David Bailey, EDGE/LB, Stanford
When in doubt, never feel like you have enough pass rushers in the NFL. The Baltimore Ravens are another team who always just lets the NFL Draft come to them, and we see them get steal after steal year after year. Maybe that’s why they’re always playing deep into the season. The Ravens used a second-round pick on Mike Green in this year’s draft, but nobody knows how that is going to pan out with some of the off-field issues that caused Green to fall to the Ravens in the first place.
No matter what, taking a guy with versatility to play off the ball or rush the passer is never a bad idea, and David Bailey would bring another toosly player to that Baltimore defensive front.
31. Detroit Lions: Sam Leavitt, QB, Arizona State
The Detroit Lions likely don’t want to start thinking about the quarterback position anytime soon, but you never know when you’re going to have to put one eye on the future at the game’s most important position. It’s not really the way of things in the NFL as much anymore to take 2-3 year development projects or contingency plans at the position, but perhaps the Lions will go that route depending on what happens in 2025.
Sam Leavitt is one of a wide variety of quarterbacks generating first-round hype this offseason after a very strong first year with the Arizona State program in 2024.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois
The Philadelphia Eagles are always looking to upgrade the defensive front. The only regret I have in making this mock draft selection here is that Gabe Jacas didn’t play his college ball at either Alabama or Georgia.
The Eagles obviously prioritize their pass rush every single year when it comes to the NFL Draft, and I don’t expect the 2026 NFL Draft to be any different. Gabe Jacas is a really interesting player to monitor for this upcoming season after he had 13 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks, along with three forced fumbles.
He could be a significant riser throughout next year’s draft process.