It’s only the second week of the NFL preseason, but we’re already getting a great idea of what every NFL team’s biggest needs could end up being for the 2026 NFL Draft. And some teams are more desperate than others.
The upcoming 2026 NFL Draft class has yet to take shape, obviously, but it’s looking like it could end up being a really deep class of players at the quarterback position, offensive tackle, and possibly also at off-ball linebacker.
With the college football season on deck and a number of teams already counting down the days until the 2026 Draft, we’re going to take another early look at a full first-round 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Teams jockeying for franchise QBs early
1. New Orleans Saints: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
The situation is obviously everything when it comes to the Manning family, and this is a situation the family would likely welcome. Everyone knows that Archie Manning has already declared we won’t see his grandson, Arch, in the 2026 NFL Draft class, but if the Saints get the #1 overall pick?
Well, that might change the narrative a bit. There’s no way the Manning family would deny Arch the opportunity to take over the franchise his grandfather was once a first-round pick of. In fact, Archie was the last 1st-round QB selected by the Saints. This would be a full-circle moment, and the Manning family will have plenty of time to assess the way the league values Arch after the college season, as well as wait to see which team is picking 1st overall.
They won’t likely risk him going to a franchise like the Cleveland Browns, sorry to say.
2. Cleveland Browns: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
The Cleveland Browns are going to utilize the 2025 season as an audition of sorts for the quarterback position. For the time being, Deshaun Watson is still on the roster and not going anywhere, but that ship has undoubtedly sailed. There’s no way ownership in Cleveland is going to sign off on him ever playing for their organization again.
The Browns used multiple draft picks on Dillon Gabriel (3rd round) and Shedeur Sanders (5th round) in what has been one of the most contested draft strategies this offseason. There’s a lot to navigate here for both GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski, but ultimately, this team can’t afford to pass on a truly talented quarterback prospect unless they get a phenomenal performance this year from either Gabriel or Sanders.
And nobody’s holding their breath.