Pro Days are rapidly approaching ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. As a result, the latest mock April’s annual event has been revealed by CBS Sports, including a massive trade in the first round.
CBS Sports projects the New York Jets trading back into the first round after selecting No. 2 and No. 16 overall to draft their quarterback of the future. The trade would involve moving into the No. 30 spot, currently occupied by the Denver Broncos, to draft Alabama QB Ty Simpson.
Simpson was impressive during the NFL combine last month, but has he done enough to be a first-round pick yet? That remains to be seen, but that isn’t the only mock trade that CBS Sports predicts. You can check out the full first-round mock draft via CBS Sports below:
Fernando Mendoza continues to be considered the top overall prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft. With draft night inching closer, it appears the Las Vegas Raiders may have found their QB of the future.
At Indiana this season, Mendoza passed for 3,535 yards, 41 passing TD (48 overall) and six interceptions. He finished the season with a 72.0% completion percentage. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy as a result and led the Hoosiers to an undefeated, national championship-winning season.
David Bailey, Jacob Rodriguez and Cole Wisniewski (Steven Leija/RedRaiderSports.com)
In three seasons at Stanford, David Bailey tallied 14.5 total sacks. During one season at Texas Tech — he matched that total and was a pivotal piece to the Big 12 championship-winning Red Raiders squad.
He proceeded to shoot up draft boards after an impressive showing last month at the combine. He ran a 4.5 40-yard-dash to go with a 10-foot-9 broad jump, 1.62-second 10-yard split and recorded a 35-inch vertical.
3. *MOCK TRADE* Buffalo Bills (via Cardinals): WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
The Buffalo Bills need help on the offensive side of the football — so why not trade up and draft the top receiver in the draft class? Carnell Tate, through a contested 40-yard-dash time, is a deep-ball threat that has the potential of quickly become Josh Allen’s top target if selected.
Tate finished this past season for Ohio State having caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. He averaged an explosive 17.2 yards per catch.
4. Tennessee Titans: LB Sonny Syles, Ohio State
Sonny Styles turned heads at the scouting combine last month. Not only did he post a blazing 4.46 40-yard-dash time, but he also recorded an NBA-esque 43.5-inch vertical jump, as well as an 11-foot-2 broad jump.
He’s able to get it done between the sidelines as well. He posted 83 stops (43 solo) with three pass breakups, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception. Styles recorded 100 tackles during Ohio State’s championship season in 2024.
5. New York Giants: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and the Buckeyes are rolling. (Birm/LR)
Caleb Downs has had first-round potential since he was a true freshman at Alabama. It’s no surprise that he left college after three successful seasons, including two at Ohio State.
This past season, Downs finished the 2025 season with 68 combined tackles, a PBU, one sack and a pair of interceptions. Many expect him to be the first defensive back overall selected in the draft next month.
Mauigoa finished the 2025 season with 826 offensive snaps. He allowed just two sacks and 10 pressures across 440 pass block snaps.
He played 814 snaps at right tackle in 16 games for the Miami Hurricanes en route to a national championship game appearance. In a draft class where as many as five offensive tackles could be selected in the first round, Mauigoa has risen to the top of that group.
7. Washington Commanders: EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Since 2024, Arvell Reese has combined for 112 tackles for the Buckeyes. He finished 2025 with 69 combined tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
As a result, he earned All-American status in 2025 and was also a key piece to the Buckeyes’ national championship squad the year before. He’s one of three Ohio State defenders who could hear their name called within the top 10.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Many saw Jeremiyah Love as a potential target of the Kansas City Chiefs. However, this is no longer the case because of the signing of Super Bowl MVP RB Kenneth Walker on Monday.
Whoever does draft Love will be getting a star in the making. In 2025, he was given 199 carries for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry. He added 27 catches for 280 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air as well.
Across 822 snaps in 2025, Fano didn’t allow a single sack or hit on his quarterback. Notably, only 382 of those were pass block snaps. He also finished fifth among offensive tackles with just five pressures allowed on the year.
He started 12 games at left tackle in 2023 before starting 24 games at the right tackle position over the next two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 311-pounder also ran at 4.91 40-yard-dash, so he can shed a block and move into the second level of the defense if necessary.
Rueben Bain Jr. cleared 20.5 sacks during his college football career, including 9.5 this past season. The star EDGE rusher finished 2025 ranked No. 1 among EDGE rushers with 54 hurries and second with 67 pressures as well.
He helped anchor the Miami defensive line all the way to the national championship game in 2025. He’s expected to continue this production in the NFL.
11. Miami Dolphins: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
12. Dallas Cowboys: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons): CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
14. Baltimore Ravens: DL Caleb Banks, Florida
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
16. New York Jets (via Colts): WR Makai Lemon, USC
17. Detriot Lions: EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson
18. Minnesota Vikings: DL Peter Woods, Clemson
19. Carolina Panthers: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
20. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers): EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Denzel Boston, Washington
22. Los Angeles Chargers: OL Vega Ioane, Penn State
23. Philadelphia Eagles: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
25. Chicago Bears: DL Akheem Mesidor, Miami
26. *MOCK TRADE* Arizona Cardinals (via Bills): OT Blake Miller, Clemson
27. San Francisco 49ers: Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
28. Houston Texans: DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
29. Kansas City Chiefs: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
30. *MOCK TRADE* New York Jets (via Broncos): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
31. New England Patriots: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
32. Seattle Seahawks: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson