It feels weird to even say it, but we’re already about to wrap up the first month of the 2025 NFL season. Time flies when you’re having fun, right? Well, not everyone is having fun at this point, but you get the idea.
Some fan bases are already fixated on the 2026 NFL Draft after the first month of the season, and understandably so. You can see the writing on the wall for some teams, even though there’s still plenty of time to turn things around.
As the NFL season has progressed, we’ve seen a number of college football players emerging as potential future first-round talents. We’ve got a brand-new 1st-round mock draft projection reflecting some of the hottest rising prospects in next year’s cycle, new quarterbacks emerging, and plenty more.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: New quarterbacks galore in 1st-round mock draft predictions
1. New Orleans Saints: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
There was some significant offseason hype surrounding Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was transferring from Cal in 2025. The hype wasn’t immediately met with on-field production, but in recent weeks, Mendoza has proven exactly why so many people were intrigued by his NFL projection after last season. He has looked like a future top pick, even though the 2026 NFL Draft class is anything but settled at quarterback. If the Saints get the top pick, you already know they’re going to be after the top QB on their board.
2. Tennessee Titans: Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami
The Tennessee Titans will have questions to answer on both sides of the line of scrimmage in the 2026 offseason, but general manager Mike Borgonzi has to focus on taking the best player available here. After going to “The U” for his #1 overall pick in 2025, he goes right back to the same well here in 2026 with Rueben Bain, one of the hottest prospects in the entire cycle right now. Bain has been dominating off the edge for the Hurricanes and looks like he’s going to be the top defensive player in the 2026 class.
3. New York Jets: LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
If the New York Jets finish with the third-worst record in the entire NFL after the season is over, there’s no question that they’re going to be in the mix for a new quarterback. Even with Justin Fields signing a hefty contract in the 2025 offseason, a finish this poor would reflect directly on the team’s need for someone new under center. New GM Darren Mougey used his first draft on the job to fortify other areas of the roster, especially the offensive line. Go get a dynamic quarterback prospect to build around.
4. Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
If the Miami Dolphins end up this bad at the end of the 2025 season, they will undoubtedly be headed for a massive overhaul as a franchise. The Dolphins have already flipped the coaching staff, which didn’t previously suit Tua Tagovailoa. If they blow it up in 2026, Tua is probably not safe, either. Still, I’m not hitching my wagon to the idea that the Dolphins are going to move on from Tua, as realistic as that is. They need help at cornerback, and LSU prospect Mansoor Delane is slowly reaching CB1 status.
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.
9. Cleveland Browns: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
Despite the fact that Drew Allar remains one of the most polarizing prospects in all of college football, first-round hype will not quiet down at this stage. Allar has all of the physical tools and intangible qualities teams look for at the position, and NFL teams will believe they can put all the pieces together. The discourse surrounding Allar is somewhat reminiscent of what people were saying about Josh Allen coming out in the 2018 NFL Draft. Not every prospect is going to turn out to be Josh Allen, obviously, but NFL teams will always teeter the line of confidence and hubris.
10. New England Patriots: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
We’ve already got our second Miami Hurricanes trench player coming off the board here in the top 10 picks of this 2026 NFL mock draft projection. The New England Patriots already got a franchise left tackle (they hope) in Will Campbell to block for Drake Maye’s blind side. Now, they get the chance to pair him up with another top 10 prospect and have a stud couple of bookend tackles on rookie deals to continue building that offense. The Pats would probably love another couple of EDGE guys to emerge here, but you can’t turn down the chance to have stability at both tackle positions.
11. Las Vegas Raiders: Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State
The Las Vegas Raiders are in a similar boat as the Carolina Panthers in that they simply don’t have the talent on paper you need defensively to win consistently in today’s NFL. We’ll see which players emerge for that group over the course of the season, but getting a playmaker for the back end like Caleb Downs could be huge for Pete Carroll, who loves his defensive backs. Downs is widely considered one of the best all-around players in college football; he just happens to play a position that isn’t valued as highly by NFL teams.
12. Cincinnati Bengals: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
We’ve seen the Utah duo of Spencer Fano and Caleb Lomu show some serious highs and lows early on this season, but those two guys still project as quality future NFL starters. The Cincinnati Bengals, for all of their pronounced flaws defensively, may have even worse problems on the offensive line. The Bengals have had to supplement by signing a street free agent like Dalton Risner, and they’re simply not getting good enough play out of Orlando Brown Jr. They need offensive line help badly.
13. Dallas Cowboys: Quincy Rhodes Jr., EDGE, Arkansas
Another player making his debut in our 2026 NFL mock draft series is Arkansas pass rusher Quincy Rhodes Jr., the SEC sack leader early this season. He’s a long, explosive pass rusher off the edge who can obviously help the Dallas Cowboys recover from the debacle that was the Micah Parsons situation. Obviously, the Cowboys will have multiple first-round picks to work with here, and they do have some young guys off the edge, but Jerry Jones getting a chance to take an Arkansas product in the trenches? Forget about it.
14. Chicago Bears: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
There’s no question that a dynamic running game is key for Ben Johnson’s offense being the best it can possibly be. We saw the Lions invest in free agent David Montgomery as well as first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs while Johnson was there. The Bears can’t address everything in one offseason, so running back would seem to be the next big priority on their list. The offensive explosion we saw from the Bears in Week 3 was a great sign of what can be for this team, but a true featured back is still needed.
15. Kansas City Chiefs: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
The time has officially come, in fact it is way past due, for the Kansas City Chiefs to completely overhaul their offensive skill position players. The Chiefs need all new running backs, receivers, and tight ends. General manager Brett Veach has to have some urgency to get the right guys on the roster here because Patrick Mahomes officially turned 30 this season. His next window of 4-5 years will depend on how he handles those skill spots. Kenyon Sadiq as the heir apparent to Travis Kelce would be huge for Mahomes.
16. Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State
Outside of the quarterback position, it’s become clear that the Cleveland Browns need to hit a hard reset on the offensive line. They already took Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the first round of this 2026 NFL mock draft, why not go after his teammate with this pick? Drew Shelton has become one of the hottest left tackle prospects in the country and would be another cornerstone piece for Browns GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski.
17. Denver Broncos: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but we’ve got yet another player making his debut in our 2026 NFL mock draft series. The Denver Broncos have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but the clear weakness of that unit is at the second level. The linebacker position has long been in a state of transition for the Broncos, whose only draft pick at the position over the last three years is Drew Sanders. Sanders has yet to start a single game for them. Arvell Reese could be a dynamic game-changer for that Denver defense, especially if they can get Dre Greenlaw healthy, too.
18. Arizona Cardinals: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Some folks are ready to write off Kadyn Proctor as a true first-round prospect with what we’ve seen in the early goings this season. I’m not quite there, but the arrow seems to be pointing down, for sure. There’s still some development needed, but this is a former 5-star prospect with big-time talent. In Arizona, he’d be switching to the right tackle position as well with Jonah Williams also slated to hit free agency in 2026.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Nussmeier may not have #1 overall pick traits, but he’s one of the best point guards in college football at the quarterback position. The Pittsburgh Steleers could be wary of drafting a quarterback this high after the failure that was the Kenny Pickett selection, but Nussmeier could be a great fit for them. He’s a coach’s son and has a great feel for the game. He’ll be able to pick up an NFL offense quickly and may be one of the most pro-ready guys in the country by the time he gets to the league.
20. Seattle Seahawks: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The second Ohio State linebacker to come off the board in the last four picks is one of the most intriguing players in the draft at the position. Sonny Styles has intriguing size and athletic traits at 6-foot-4, and as a former safety, you see the range of his playmaking ability on display every single week. The Seattle Seahawks have a head coach in Mike Macdonald who prioritizes that linebacker position more than most defensive playcallers, so this could be a hand-in-glove fit for Seattle in the first round.
21. Minnesota Vikings: Kamari Ramsey, DB, USC
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator is a mad scientist among mad scientists when it comes to scheming up ways to drive opposing quarterbacks crazy. Adding another stellar defensive back to the roster is only going to make this Vikings’ defense more dangerous. Kamari Ramsey has elite range in the defensive backfield with the ability to play deep free safety and attack the line of scrimmage with the type of physicality Flores will love.
22. San Francisco 49ers: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
It wasn’t that long ago that the San Francisco 49ers used a first-round pick on wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, but here they are taking another shot at the position in 2026. The 49ers re-signed Jauan Jennings but we might be approaching the end of the line for Brandon Aiyuk with this team. If there’s one thing any of us has learned in recent years, it’s that you shouldn’t overthink Ohio State receivers. Carnell Tate looks like the next in line for WR-U.
23. Washington Commanders: Genesis Smith, SAF, Arizona
It would be rare to see one or two safeties going in the first round of the NFL Draft, but three safeties going off the board in the top 25 picks overall? That would be absolute madness. When you watch Genesis Smith play at Arizona, his tenacity jumps off the screen. Arizona head coach Brent Brennan called Smith his “Chief Energy Officer” and that type of play will draw the eyes of Dan Quinn and Adam Peters, who know the value of great safety play in today’s NFL.
24. Detroit Lions: Connor Lew, C, Auburn
If you’re the Detroit Lions, you’ve got to find a way to keep on strengthening a strength. There was already some significant change this team had to take on with the interior offensive line in 2025, but the Lions have more than weathered the storm. Getting the top center prospect in next year’s draft would be totally on brand for the Lions, who really don’t care about positional value if it’s the right player fitting their program.
25. Los Angeles Rams: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Jermod McCoy has almost unanimously been the top cornerback in every one of our 2026 NFL mock draft projections throughout the course of the year, but he has yet to play in 2025 and is going to have to prove himself whenever he is able to get on the field. And not only that, but he’s going to have to prove there are no ill effects of the injury he suffered in January. Patience will be crucial for McCoy, but his stock falling could be the Rams’s gain, as cornerback is one of their top roster needs. This would be huge value.
26. Philadelphia Eagles: Mateen Ibirogba, DL, Wake Forest
The Philadelphia Eagles love to build in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and they’re not afraid to spend high draft capital to stock up in the depth department to keep everybody fresh. Mateen Ibirogba is a former Georgetown transfer who is among the country’s leaders right now in pressures among interior defensive linemen. Even if he comes in as a rotational player, the Eagles understand how to develop big men on both sides of the ball and they also know the value of bringing waves of pass rush as the season progresses along.
27. Los Angeles Chargers: Anthony Lucas, EDGE, USC
The injury to Khalil Mack only serves to highlight the Los Angeles Chargers’ need right now to continue getting playmakers off the edge. The Chargers also might have a significant need at the offensive tackle position depending on how Rashawn Slater comes back from a significant injury, but there’s no doubt that they could get younger off the edge. Anthony Lucas has great size and burst off the edge and has shown off his big-time upside here in the early position of the 2025 season at 275 pounds.
28. Dallas Cowboys (from Packers): Fa’alili Fa’amoe, OT, Wake Forest
Once again, Jerry Jones loves using his high draft selections on players in the trenches, and this year will likely be no different with multiple first-round picks to play with. Here, Jones uses the first of two picks he got in the Micah Parsons trade to select Wake Forest offensive tackle and former Washington State transfer Fa’alili Fa’amoe. The right tackle prospect would be a logical fit to take over for Terence Steele eventually and give the Cowboys another big-time talent with physicality on the offensive line.
29. Indianapolis Colts: AJ Harris, CB, Penn State
The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the biggest surprise stories of any NFL team so far this season, and if they can keep it up, Shane Steichen’s going to get himself a massive raise. The Colts made a change at defensive coordinator this offseason, moving on from Gus Bradley and bringing in Lou Anarumo. Anarumo has plenty of talent in the secondary to work with, but getting another stud cornerback prospect is never a bad idea. The Colts have dealt with some injuries at corner early this season, and recently moved on from a high draft pick in Juju Brents.
30. Baltimore Ravens: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
The Baltimore Ravens have dealt with some injuries to their defense already this season, as well as some significant (and unexpected) breakdowns on that side of the ball. They might be inclined to take the best value on the board on that side of the ball here in the first round, especially if they can snag another top cornerback prospect out of Clemson. The Jaire Alexander experiment may not be going quite according to plan.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keith Abney, CB, Arizona State
Offensively, the Buccaneers are clearly of the philosophy that you simply can’t have enough talent at the wide receiver position. You’d better believe the same is true on the defensive side of the ball at cornerback. The Bucs take advantage of the perception of this cornerback class not being great in 2026 with Keith Abney falling to the back end of the first round. Few corners have played as well as Abney so far this season and he may be seeing his stock rise well out of the Bucs’ range before too long.
32. Buffalo Bills: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
With how dynamic his skill set is, it’s hard to believe that NFL teams at the back end of the first round are going to let Anthony Hill Jr. fall to Day 2 of the NFL Draft. The extended absences of linebacker Matt Milano in recent years have certainly amplified the Buffalo Bills’ need for better depth and more options at linebacker. Anthony Hill would be a nice fit here at the back end of the first round.