The NFL offseason has officially begun. We've already seen a number of blockbuster trades, including players like Maxx Crosby, Trent McDuffie, and DJ Moore on the move. And now is the time to buckle in, because it's only going to get crazier from here.
With the 2026 NFL Free Agency frenzy on deck, and a lot of big trades already going down, we're going to take a shot at predicting the first two rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft once again.
This 2026 NFL mock draft will reflect the big trades involving Crosby, McDuffie, and Moore, as well as some of the other moves that have been made leading up to free agency. How will teams attack some of their biggest needs with the incoming crop of prospects?
2026 NFL mock draft: 1st-round predictions after wild blockbuster trades
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The writing is on the wall at this point, and barring something completely unexpected, Fernando Mendoza will be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders are not necessarily getting a generational prospect in this slot, but it’s really nice for them to at least have a no-brainer of a pick here at the game’s most important position.
The bigger question with the Raiders right now is how they follow up on this selection. They’ve got some nice pieces offensively with Mendoza coming in, Brock Bowers, and Ashton Jeanty, but the Maxx Crosby trade has left the defensive side of the ball almost completely devoid of talent going into free agency. They need to spend their boatload of cap space on that side of the ball, and go after some upgrades on the offensive line.
2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
The Jets seem to be down to a couple of options here with the second overall pick. It wouldn’t be a shock to see them go with Arvell Reese, and it also wouldn’t be a surprise if they fell in love with Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey, who is more of a “traditional” edge player compared to Reese.
Reese is a bit of a projection, but a solid one. He is on a similar NFL trajectory to that of Micah Parsons once upon a time. People forget that Parsons only had 6.5 sacks in two seasons at Penn State as an off-ball linebacker and pass rush weapon. But the vision for him at the next level was clear, and that will have to be the case for Arvell Reese as well. He’d be a great option opposite Will McDonald IV and now T’Vondre Sweat on the interior.