With the NFL Scouting Combine set to kick off on Feb 26 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, teams, scouts and draft analysts will get an upfront look at some of the talent entering the 2026 NFL Draft.
The event that features highly anticipated events like the 40-yard Dash and passing drills will not only give observers a glimpse of today’s top prospects at every position, but a preview of tomorrow’s future NFL stars.
In linking team needs with top talent over the past few months, NFL Mock drafts have been predicting the top players off the board as well as intriguing scenarios in which players rise or fall. One player who won’t fall is quarterback Fernando Mendoza who is slotted as the top quarterback off the board at No. 1.
Although the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion has solidified himself as the top QB in the NFL Draft class, even he must have a strong combine to shed any doubts about his star potential at the NFL level.
Beyond Mendoza, the big questions that may start to be answered at the NFL Combine is who will be the top players off the board and where will a quarterback like Ty Simpson land in the draft? Could he be the second QB taken in the first round? All that and more in this Pre-NFL Combine edition of the 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Edge rushers and wide receivers dominate top 10
No. 1: Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
High football IQ, accuracy, pocket awareness and a fearlessness in big moments is what makes Fernando Mendoza the top quarterback and No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak will get to work with Mendoza in a head coach/QB pairing with high hopes of leading the franchise into the future.
Current Pro Comparison: Jared Goff
No. 2: New York Jets– Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
The Jets have their pick of talent with the No. 2 overall pick. To fulfill their need for an impact edge rusher, they select Ohio State’s Arvell Reese who has the size, talent, speed and athleticism to impact the defensive side of the ball in various ways. As a team looking to install game changers on both sides of the ball, taking Reese with their first of four picks in the first two rounds will set the tone of the draft.
Current Pro Comparison: Micah Parsons
No. 3: Arizona Cardinals– Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
New head coach Mike LaFleur will be faced with the task of stabilizing the offense in 2026. That starts with the quarterback decision surrounding Kyler Murray and upgrading the offensive line and running back positions. At No. 3, they add a franchise-caliber running back in Jeremiyah Love who is not only the top running back, but considered one of the top positional players in the draft.
Current Pro Comparison: Christian McCaffrey
No. 4: Tennessee Titans – Rueben Bain Jr, ED, Miami
The task of new Titans head coach Robert Saleh will be instilling an identity on the defensive side of the ball. That starts with the selection of Rueben Bain Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick. The Miami Hurricanes prodct not only adds a consistent pass rush off the edge but also brings more attitude to the Titans’ defense. Watch out AFC South.
Current Pro Comparison: Brandon Graham
No. 5: New York Giants – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The Giants can go in a few directions with this pick. Safety Caleb Downs is still on the board, but John Harbaugh and company go the shutdown corner route with Mansoor Delane. Ideal size at the position, NFL-ready and a player who is able to diagnose routes while adding downhill run support, Delane instantly upgrades the Giants’ secondary.
Current Pro Comparison: Quinyon Mitchell