The countdown to the 2026 NFL Draft has begun. With just over two weeks left leading up to draft night, the big question is who will go high off the board once Fernando Mendoza is selection with the No. 1 overall pick.
Unless something major changes from now till draft night in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, there is not much mystery over who goes first off, the board, but that does not mean the first night of the draft won’t be filled with suspense and some surprise picks as well as trade.
When it comes to trades, New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence was the most recent star to request a trade. Could that request lead to some major draft implications if he is dealt to a team willing to surrender a first-round pick or multiple high round picks for the star defensive lineman?
Could other big trades or unforeseen star player developments dismantle NFL Mock Draft predictions everywhere? Let’s get on the board.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: High talent defenders dominate top 10
No. 1: Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Mendoza will be the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. This is such a sure bet that the former Indiana Hoosiers star will not be in Pittsburgh in person come draft night. The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner plans to stay home and celebrate with his family and officially hear his name called as the top pick in the draft surrounded by family and friends. He will also be watching to see what the Las Vegas Raiders do with their additional picks to build around him.
No. 2: New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The Jets enter the 2026 NFL Draft with big needs in key areas, including QB. With four selections in the top 50, the Jets are in position to draft talent that can come in and be day 1 impact players. With the No. 2 overall pick, they land a player in Arvell Reese who is not only the best athlete in the draft, but a player who could be a generational impact as a hybrid linebacker/edge. He will have their choice between Reese and Texas Tech’s David Bailey here, but the potential of Reese is off the charts, and he could help set the foundation of the Jets’ defense for years to come.
No. 3: Arizona Cardinals – David Bailey, ED, Texas Tech
The Cardinals stand pat here and select the next best player available in Texas Tech’s David Bailey with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Although Arizona will be watching the top quarterbacks on the board, primarily Ty Simpson, they will use this top 3 pick on a player who can come in and make an instant impact on defense. In leading the FBS in sacks in 2025, Bailey is much more than a player who can get to the quarterback, he is a defensive stalwart who can disrupt the game in multiple ways with the way he exudes his power along the defensive line. With this pick, Arizona finally gets their top-notch pass rusher.
No. 4: Cincinnati Bengals, via Tennessee Titans – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Bengals get aggressive here and move up to land Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. With rumors that the New York Giants are eyeing Styles, the Bengals don’t sit back and move up to grab the exciting off-ball linebacker with the No. 4 overall pick. This marks the third defensive player off the board and a player who can help shape the Bengals’ defense for years to come as Styles will wreak havoc in the AFC North for years to come.
No. 5: New York Giants – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
With the Bengals slipping ahead of them and selecting Styles, the Giants select Caleb Downs with the No. 5 overall pick in the draft. John Harbaugh loves a good safety, and Downs has all the skills to be an anchor in the Giants’ secondary. As the fourth consecutive defensive star off the board in this draft, Downs gives the Giants an interesting defensive backfield playing alongside Jevon Holland and Tyler Nubin. Out of the three, Downs has the elite safety upside.
No. 6: Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, T, Miami (FL)
The Browns have a glaring need at left tackle and Francis Mauigoa is the type of offensive talent who can help solve that needs. With two first round picks, the Browns fill a great need at the tackle position with Mauigoa and can address their need at wide receiver with their second first round pick.
No. 7: Miami Dolphins, via Washington – Rueben Bain Jr, ED, Texas Tech
Make that back-to-back Hurricanes off the board as the Miami Dolphins make a bold move to trade up and keep Rueban Bain Jr. in South Beach. With needs all over the roster, the Dolphins address edge with a player who can come in and be a force off the edge immediately. As a team with two first round picks and a ton of mid round picks, the Dolphins can afford to get aggressive and rebuild their roster with players who can be game changers on the field. Bain Jr will have something to prove give the debate about his arm length and will get to do that by staying put in Miami.
No. 8: New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The draft board plays right in the hands of the Saints who select Carnell Tate with the No. 8 overall pick in the draft. With Tyler Shock looking like the long-term starter for the Saints, getting him another down-the-field weapon to pair with fellow Ohio State alum Chris Olave is the focus here for the Saints. This tandem will have an opportunity to be special down in the Bayou which will help Shock be even more effective at the QB position in Year 2.
No. 9: Kansas City Chiefs – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
With the No. 9 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs get their Trent McDuffie replacement with the selection of LSU’s Mansoor Delane. A player who has the size, skills and attitude to be a top corner in the NFL, the question surrounding Delane is can he be the ideal shutdown corner the Chiefs are seeking. With another first round pick in their possession via the Delane trade, the Chiefs could add another offensive playmaker or starting level defender to their squad.
No. 10: Tennessee Titans, via Cincinnati – Jeremiyah Love, HB, Notre Dame
Talk about playing the board perfectly, the Titans gain draft capital and still can draft a player they may have taken with the No. 4 overall pick. The top running back and offensive playmaker in the draft, Jeremiyah Love brings an explosive aspect to the Titans’ offense and gives 2025 NFL Draft No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward another option on offense as the QB/RB tandem will have a chance to carry the Titans and new head coach Robert Saleh into the future.
No. 11: Washington Commanders, via Miami – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
The Commanders can trade back here and land one of the top wide receiver prospects in USC’s Makai Lemon. As a top need, Washington gets their No. 2 receiver to pair with Terry McLaurin. In Lemon, they get an elite route runner with a tenacity to make the big play. With Mclaurin approaching the end of his contract, it is most ideal to get a player who can take over as the top option once the veteran is no longer wearing the Commanders’ uniform.
No. 12: Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
The Cowboys has needs at key positions on defense. They address their need at corner with the selection of Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. If not for a season-ending ACL injury that sidelined him most of the 2025 CFB season, McCoy would be a top 10, if not top 5 pick in this draft. Is he healthy and explosive enough to regain that status as he enters his NFL career? The Cowboys take a high-reward gamble here.
No. 13: Los Angeles Rams, via Atlanta– Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
The Rams pass up on selecting a tackle here and select wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. With Davante Adams turning 34 and in the final year of his contract, Sean McVay and the Rams see Tyson still on the board and takes a shot at adding a top-level receiver in Tyson who would look good paired with Puka Nacua as long as health doesn’t hold him back.
No. 14: Baltimore Ravens – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
With the top wide receivers off the board, the Ravens replaces Isaiah Likely at tight end with the selection of Kenyon Sadiq. A YAC nightmare due to his size and athleticism, Sadiq catching the ball down the seam from Lamar Jackson is going to be something Ravens fans will love. A tight end with the skillset of a big wide receiver, the Ravens’ offense will regain their explosiveness especially with a health Jackson under center.
No. 15: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
Unless the Buccaneers go off-script here, the selection of CJ Allen at No. 15 seems set in stone given the retirement of Lavonte David. Tampa could go edge if they fell the player is the most talented still on the board, but in Allen they get a player who brings leadership and a high impact level of play as an off-ball linebacker.
No. 16: New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts – Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
The Jets surprise a bit here by not taking Ty Simpson at this spot. Instead, the Jets address the interior of their offensive line with the selection of the mammoth and powerful Olaivavga Ioane who helps replace Alijah Vera-Tucker and John Simpson who both departed in free agency. With two second round picks, the Jets could explore trading up for a QB or standing pat and selecting a player they like with either of the second-round picks.
No. 17: Detroit Lions – Akheem Mesidor, ED, Miami (FL)
The Lions jump at the opportunity to find a high-impact edge rusher who they can pair with Aidan Hutchinson. What better player than Akheem Mesidor who worked in tandem with Ruben Bain Jr at Miami to terrorize opposing quarterbacks throughout the 2025 CFB season.
No. 18: Minnesota Vikings – Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
The Vikings will have to decide between safety and the defensive line as their top need with the No. 18 overall pick. They go with Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman here as he gives them a player who can replace the 37-year-old Harrison Smith if he decides to hang up the cleats. Even if he decides to return for this 15th season, having Thieneman in place will secure the team’s future at the position.
No. 19: Carolina Panthers – Spencer Fano, T, Utah
The Panthers select Spencer Fano with the No. 19 overall pick in the draft. As a player who slides a bit to them here, Fano gives them a player who can lock down the left tackle position as a long-term solution to protect Bryce Young’s blind side. The Panthers did sign Rasheed Walker to a one-year deal, so this isn’t a desperate need, but with Fano still on the board, why not?
No. 20: Dallas Cowboys, via Green Bay – Keldric Faulk, ED, Auburn
The Cowboys use both of their first-round picks on defensive playmakers. After selecting McCoy at No. 12, the Cowboys address their need at edge with a player in Keldric Faulk who has the ideal size to be an impactful defensive end who can both get after the quarterback and defend against the run. A versatile defender, Faulk helps bolster the offensive line along with Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark in the middle and Rashan Gary coming off the opposite edge.
No. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers – Monroe Freeling, T, Georgia
The Steelers are a team searching for a QB, but with there being a big drop off in talent after Mendoza, Pittsburgh stays patient in this draft. At No. 21, they select Georgia’s Monroe Freeling to compete for the left tackle role with Broderick Jones who had his fifth-year option declined for 2027.
No. 22: Los Angeles Chargers – Cashius Howell, ED, Texas A&M
The Chargers need to get younger at edge rusher and they do so with the selection of Cashius Howell with the No. 22 overall pick. With Khalik Mack and Bud Dupree nearing the end of their careers, Jim Harbaugh and the crew need reinforcements off the edge and Howell is a player with speed who can partner with Tuli Tuipulotu as the team’s pass rush specialists.
No. 23: Philadelphia Eagles – Blake Miller, T, Clemson
The Eagles find their Lane Johnson replacement in Clemon’s Blake Miller with the No. 23 overall pick in the draft. With the ongoing A.J. Brown rumors, there will be rumblings about the team going receiver here, but they solidify the tackle position with a player who should hold down the position as a starter for years to come.
No. 24: Cleveland Browns, via Jax – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
The Browns get their big receiver with the selection of Denzel Boston with the No. 24 overall pick in the draft. At 6-foot-4, 212 pounds, Boston is the big target the Browns are looking for as a contested catch producer. He doesn’t have top end speed, but his physicality as a receiver makes him a top target in this draft.
No. 25: Chicago Bears – Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State
The Bears will be rumored to trade this pick in a deal for Dexter Lawrence, but ultimately, they stand pat and draft a player in Kayden McDonald who is the ultimate run stopper in the middle. Plus, he’s the cheaper, younger option for the Bears.
No. 26: Buffalo Bills – Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
The Bills aren’t done getting Josh Allen more weapons. With the No. 26 overall pick, Joe Brady and the Bills select Omar Cooper Jr. to work the middle of the field for Allen. As a player who can also be an outside threat, Cooper Jr. brings toughness, YAC ability and physicality to the receiving groups. Above all of that, Cooper Jr is a player who shows up in the big game and has a knack for making winning plays. He’ll be an instant favorite for Allen.
No. 27: San Francisco 49ers – Kadyn Proctor, T, Alabama
The 49ers land the big, versatile Kady Proctor with the No. 27 overall pick in the draft. As a talent who can be the successor to Trent Williams, Proctor brings athleticism along with this size and power to a 49ers offensive line looking to stabilize things in protecting Brock Purdy and creating running lanes for Christian McCaffrey.
No. 28: New York Giants – Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
In trading Dexter Lawrence, the Giants pick up additional draft picks, but also now have a need along the defensive line. At No. 28, they select Peter Woods, who is a player with high upside and the talent to at least help fill the void now left by Lawrence. Expect the Giants to double dip at this position in the draft. As for the Texans, they get a big-time player in the middle to further cement their defense as a generational unit.
No. 29: Kansas City Chiefs via Los Angeles Rams – T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
Back-to-back Clemson defenders go off the board here as the Chiefs select T.J. Parker late in the first round. Although Parker is entering the draft after a down year at Clemson, he showcased his top end talent in the Senior Bowl and is a player who has the size and skillset to prosper at the next level under the right defensive coordinator. That might just be Steve Spagnuolo.
No. 30: Miami Dolphins via Denver – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
The Dolphins were bold to move up to take care of their top need at edge rusher. With the No. 30 overall pick, they get a playmaker in the defensive backfield with the selection of Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. As the Dolphins continue to reshape their defense, McNeil-Warren is a player who can play that robber, box safety role as well as create turnovers as a backend defender.
No. 31: New England Patriots – Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
The Patriots surprise here with the selection of tight end Eli Stowers with the No. 31 overall pick in the draft. With discussions of Stowers being more of a big wide receiver at the NFL level, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels loves the idea of using him in that role as a target for Drake Maye. The Patriots have played around with this idea of a hybrid tight end/big receiver in the past with a certain player selected in the 2010 NFL Draft (not named Rob Gronkowski). Like that draft, don’t be surprised if the Patriots double-dop at the position.
No. 32: Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Avieon Terrell continues to be the prediction for the Seattle Seahawks with the No. 32 overall pick. Coming off a Super Bowl victory, the team doesn’t have glaring needs but will use this draft to fill needs as far as depth and replacing players who left in free agency. Terrell helps at the cornerback position with the loss of a couple of key players.