No. 6: Cleveland Browns – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Another pick that has seemingly been whittled down to a smaller group of choices, the Browns have almost exclusively been mocked as either a tackle or a receiver. Going with the latter here, Carnell Tate would give whatever quarterback they move forward with a consistent target on the outside. He could also help Jerry Jeudy reclaim some of his 2024 form by giving defenses another problem to deal with, helping to revamp their offensive identity.
No. 7: Washington Commanders – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
A run on receivers in the top half of the 1st round isn't seen as a highly probable outcome, but the increasing uncertainty surrounding Terry McLaurin's future with the team, as well as both Bain Jr. and Reese off the board, Makai Lemon could wind up heading to the nation's capital. In the short term, he could do some serious damage with Jayden Daniels, particularly in the red zone. Looking further down the line, if McLaurin does leave, he would create an in-house successor moving forward.
No. 8: New Orleans Saints – David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
If the Saints need one thing, it's a substantial insertion of talent into their pass rush. The departure of Cameron Jordan in free agency leaves their positional group thin and far from proven. David Bailey is one of the premier edge rushers available and would instantly become their top EDGE in the rotation. If he can come in and smoothly adapt to the NFL, they could have a longer-term piece to build around on their defensive front.
No. 9: Kansas City Chiefs – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson put a sizeable dent into the Chiefs' secondary, and it is one that they need to quickly fill if they have any hope of contending in 2026. Jermod McCoy has one of, if not the most attractive skillsets of any cornerback entering the NFL this draft cycle. Not playing a single down in 2025 due to injury could do some damage to his stock, but the upside is real, and he's still worthy of being a premium addition and Top-10 selection.
No. 10: Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Another pick that has been highly popular among the draft community, Caleb Downs just makes too much sense for Cincinnati if he's there at 10. He can impact the game from multiple alignments as a scheme-fluid defender, his technique is very refined on all fronts, and he would plug a positional hole that the Bengals have tried (and failed) to get high-end production out of in recent years.