Will’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft v1.0: Pre-Combine (Picks 1-16)

It’s that time of year again: Mock Draft Season. As we approach the combine, some selections will change. There will always be teams who draft based off combine results, but that’s for next time. Without further ado, let’s do some drafting. This will be a straight up draft with no mock trades. 

1. Las Vegas Raiders- Fernando Mendoza, QB Indiana

• Is Mendoza a great kid and a great story? Yes. Is he the generational quarterback that usually gets picked first overall? No. Mendoza was exceptional at Indiana en route to a perfect season and the triple crown (Heisman, undefeated season, Natty) and he’s the perfect QB for the perfect system. Unfortunately for him, the Raiders are not that system, and they have too many holes. They try to address their biggest one here. 

2. New York Jets- Reuben Bain, Edge, Miami (FL)

• Bain is the crème of the crop in this year’s deep edge class. The Jets traded off defensive cornerstones this year in Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams. I expect the Jets to pursue a free agent quarterback and use their two first-round picks to build up this defense for Aaron Glen. Bain is a monster off the edge who can have them attack the elite QBs in the AFC. 

3. Arizona Cardinals- Spencer Fano, OT, Utah 

• The Cardinals could be in line for a new quarterback if the reports about Kyler wanting out are true. Unfortunately for them, this QB class does not have many guys warranting being the third overall pick. Fano can help stabilize this offensive line that has had issues the last few years and protect whoever the QB will be for the next 15 years as they unload the ball to MHJ and Trey McBride. 

4. Tennessee Titans- Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame

• The Titans have to be kicking themselves for chasing now-AFC Championship-winning head coach Mike Vrabel out of town. They tried to shift to an offensive minded head coach, and the results were unpleasant. I originally mocked them going defense here due to incoming coach Robert Saleh’s background, but realized they have pieces there that I am sure he can utilize. It is important to surround Cam Ward with as much talent as possible. Our TMP Titans correspondent JB pointed out how the young recievers were bright spots later in the season. The two best weapons for a young QB? A good tight end and a great run game. Love is a generational running back that can provide the same spark that Derek Henry provided for years. 

5. New York Giants- Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

• Despite all of the struggles out of New York last year, the offense was fun to watch. Especially when Jaxon Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers were healthy. With Nabers rehabbing an ACL injury and WanDale Robinson in a contract year, it is important to surround Jaxon Dart with as many weapons as possible. Tate has taken the role of WR1 in this draft away from Jordan Tyson and has proven himself worthy of a Top-5 pick after a strong final year at OSU. 

6. Cleveland Browns- Jordan Tyson, WR, Arizona State

• Time will tell if pro-bowl QB Shedeuer Sanders is the long-term answer in Cleveland. That said, it’s extremely important to surround him with weapons in order to get the most out of him. Tyson should make an immediate impact at receiver for this offense. 

7. Washington Commanders- David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech

• Nothing went right for the Commanders last season; namely, an injury to superstar QB Jayden Daniels ended their playoff chances early. With David Blough taking over offensive coordinator duties, the relatively-young offense should bounce back. The defense will be another year older and with Von Miller heading toward the end of his career, it is critical to get a young edge rusher to maximize the Dan Quinn-led defense. 

8. New Orleans Saints- Makai Lemon, WR, USC

• Quarterback Tyler Shough may be the real deal down in NOLA; the Saints looked like a different team once he took over under center. That said, with Alvin Kamara getting long in the tooth and Rasheed Shaheed now in Seattle, Shough does not have many weapons to get the ball to. Lemon, the Biltenikoff Award winner, gives Shough a legit WR2 to help this offense take the next step in year two under head coach Kellen Moore. 

9. Kansas City Chiefs- Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

• No one could have predicted how rough the 2025 season was for the Chiefs. Even with rumors of Travis Kelce’s rumored retirement, the biggest need for this team is protecting Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs have a number of offensive tackles headed for free agency, and Mauigoa excels as a pass and run blocker—which should not only better protect Mahomes, it open up holes in the run game and take some pressure off of him as well.

10. Cincinnatti Bengals- Peter Woods, DT, Clemson 

• The Bengals had one of the worst overall defenses in the NFL last year and the worst rush defense in the league. Peter Woods is an alpha space eater on that inside defensive line and can help fix a major issue—holes for opposing teams to run through—that has plagued the Bengals’ defense. 

11. Miami Dolphins- Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State 

• The Dolphins are undergoing yet another identity change. They have now entered the Jeff Hafley era and will look to build up a defense that started the year historically bad before coming on down the stretch. Downs—a great safety for the Buckeyes—falls to the Dolphins here which immediately improves the pass defense. It also allows Minkah Fitzpatrick to play more in the box/nickel.  This is a “two birds, one stone” approach as Miami gets to address a need and take the best player available. 

12. Dallas Cowboys- Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

• Similar to his former OSU teammate Caleb Downs, Reese is one of the best players in the draft who falls right outside the top-10 due to teams addressing a different position of need along the defense. Reese is the best linebacker in this year’s class, and can provide an immediate impact for new defensive coordinator Kris Parker. He will help fill the hole on the defense left by Micah Parsons and give the Cowboys their leader at the LB position they have lacked since Vander Esch had to retire. 

13. LA Rams (via Falcons) – Mansoor Delane, DB, LSU

• The Rams are in a unique position. They just competed in an NFC Champsionship game yet hold a top-15 pick due to a trade with the Atlanta Falcons during last year’s draft. The Rams will use this pick to help bolster a secondary that has multiple defensive backs playing on expiring contracts. Delane is viewed by many as DB1A in this year’s draft class due to Jermod Mccoy (more on him later) missing last season with an ACL. Delane excels in press and man coverage which should help the Rams slow down the offenses in the NFC West.

14. Baltimore Ravens- Kedrick Faulk, Edge, Auburn 

• The Ravens had issues getting to opposing QBs last season, finishing with only a few more sacks as a team than Miles Garrett of the Browns had as an individual player. Faulk was the focal point of a great Auburn defense last year—whether it was through sacks or disrupting the play in general—he was everywhere on the field. His constant motor should bode well in new head coach Jesse Minter’s defense. 

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

• The biggest issue the Bucs faced late in the season was getting to the QB off the edge. Howell was a standout on a deep Texas A&M defense en route to their first playoff appearance. His quick twitch off the edge should help get this defense back to where it was 2020-2022.

16. New York Jets (via Colts)- Jermod Mccoy, DB, Tennessee

• The Jets traded Sauce Gardner to the Colts in exchange for a first-round pick. With that pick, the Jets should be able to draft Gardner’s replacement. McCoy was standout at Tennessee, but did not play during the 2025 season as he recovered from an ACL injury suffered during spring practice. The 2025 Jets were the first team in NFL history to go an entire season without recording an interception, so they would benefit tremendously from McCoy’s subtle slide down the draft and allow them get the defensive back who can immediately improve their defense.