By the time we’ve reached Week 17 and Christmas Day in the NFL season, there are just as many teams eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency as there are thinking about the playoffs. And heck, even some playoff teams, if they’re realistic with themselves, would have eyes for the NFL Draft as the Super Bowl just simply isn’t in the cards. But as the New York Giants currently sit with the No. 1 overall pick, there’s already some draft drama as a bevy of teams could trade up to draft a quarterback.
The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns are the obvious options, as they would look to jump ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders. But what about sleeper teams like the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams? They might have even more incentive to trade up for their choice of Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore Jr. One of them does in our latest NFL Mock Draft with a full first-round projection for 2026.
NFL Mock Draft 2026: First-round projection with a massive trade1. Miami Dolphins (via projected trade with NYG): QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
It’s become undeniable that the Tua Tagovailoa era is over in Miami. But with it looking like Mike McDaniel could be the one who sticks around, the Dolphins need surety at quarterback and Quinn Ewers hasn’t shown those signs yet. It’s time to make an aggressive trade, and Fernando Mendoza would be perfect in this offense. His decisiveness, plus arm and mobility would reinvigorate the Miami attack and, though it’ll cost likely multiple first-rounders, it’d be worth it to reset this franchise’s trajectory.
Oregon QB Dante Moore | Amanda Loman/GettyImages
2. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Dante Moore, Oregon
The race for QB1 between Mendoza and Dante Moore has gotten closer throughout the year, but the Raiders should happily take whichever quarterback falls to them at No. 2. Vegas misplayed their timeline with the Geno Smith deal, but getting out of it and moving on to Moore makes perfect sense. He’s got all the tools, but just might need a bit more experience and polish. However, he would allow the Raiders, who are flush with cap space, to build around Moore and some other attractive pieces to make the elevation they’d hoped to this past season.
3. Cleveland Browns: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
There’s a chance that the Browns make a draft move for a quarterback in 2026, but it’s not a guarantee. They could also either stick with Shedeur Sanders or make a move for a veteran. That seems more likely right now, which brings wide receiver to the forefront given how lackluster that corps is right now. Jordyn Tyson remains my WR1 by a hair over Carnell Tate. The ASU product has the size and movement skills to be a No. 1 at the next level, and the Browns direly need that no matter who is under center.
4. New York Jets: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)
Given how much they’ve torn things down at this point, it’d be foolish if the Jets weren’t operating under the premise of taking the best player available. To me, that’s Rueben Bain Jr. Especially with Will McDonald underwhelming through his first three seasons, taking the Miami game-wrecker would make perfect sense for Gang Green. He’s a force off the edge that could be the next tone-setter for the defense and start to rebuild and reshape a downtrodden Jets roster in the trenches, particularly when they already have so much invested in the offensive line.
Ohio State WR Carnell Tate | Gregory Shamus/GettyImages
5. Tennessee Titans: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
It’s honestly hard to evaluate Cam Ward’s rookie season at this point, considering that he has a porous offensive line protecting him and virtually no one that inspires confidence to throw to. Tennessee can start to fix that in the 2026 offseason, though, and Carnell Tate would be a huge factor in that math. He’s versatile with his ability to move all over the formation and can attack all levels of the field. Essentially, imagine if Jerry Jeudy actually lived up to the hype, and that’s what Tate could be for this offense.
6. Arizona Cardinals: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)
Who the hell knows what the future holds for Kyler Murray and, as such, the Cardinals. Regardless of quarterback, though, the trenches still need to be better settled in Arizona. While they’ve invested heavily on the line already in recent years, Francis Mauigoa would represent an upgrade. Pairing the big man out of Miami would give the Cards two young bookends to protect whoever’s playing quarterback for the foreseeable future.
7. Washington Commanders: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
To put it bluntly, the Washington defense is simply too old and too slow at this point. Jayden Daniels’ injuries haven’t helped matters, sure, but the defense has been the biggest issue for most of the season. Arvell Reese would be a perfect start to a new era. Dan Quinn is uniquely equipped to use the hybrid player out of Ohio State, who I believe is better on the edge but can stand up and play linebacker as well. In any case, he’s a shot in the arm this unit needs badly.
USC WR Makai Lemon | Icon Sportswire/GettyImages
8. New Orleans Saints: WR Makai Lemon, USC
While I’ll be the first to admit that I thought the Tyler Shough pick was a mistake, the Saints might be onto something. The rookie passer has been rock-solid, if not better, since being named the starter and New Orleans has been winning games. But they need more weaponry outside of Chris Olave and Makai Lemon would be a stud in Kellen Moore’s offense. While he lacks the size of a prototype WR1, his movement skills, route tree and feel for the position are all top-notch assets that would provide Shough another big-time option to work with in the passing game.
9. Cincinnati Bengals: DL Peter Woods, Clemson
Quite frankly, if the Bengals aren’t targeting defense at virtually every turn in the 2026 offseason, it’s malpractice. Trey Hendrickson may be gone this offseason, but Cincinnati can rebuild a completely broken defense, starting with someone like Peter Woods. While Woods and Clemson certainly didn’t have a banner year, he’s an absolute force on the interior defensive line with a unique and hard-to-deal-with blend of size and explosiveness that plays into his versatility up front. He’s a chess piece that the Bengals can start to build around.
10. New York Giants (via projected trade with MIA): S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
After trading down with Miami, New York has plenty of options. They’d certainly love to take a wide receiver, but with the top three off of the board already, that lends itself more to a BPA approach, and that’s clearly Caleb Downs. This Giants secondary is still lacking quite a bit, and Downs could be a panacea. He’s uber-versatile and provides value as a return man, and his tape says that if he played a position other than safety primarily, he’d almost surely be closer to a Top 5 pick rather than a back-end Top 10 pick.
Utah OT Spencer Fano | Sam Hodde/GettyImages
11. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): OT Spencer Fano, Utah
Given how good the Rams are this season, it’s almost unfair that the Falcons traded them what is going to be on the fringe of a Top 10 pick. But they also have the luxury of exploring multiple options, so the fact that Spencer Fano fell to them is a blessing. LA’s offensive line is fine. Having said that, we could certainly see some upgrades, especially at tackle. Fano is right there with Mauigoa for the top player at the position, and the value is far too good for the Rams to pass up when you’re talking about an immediate starter.
12. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
There are plenty of directions the Chiefs could go with this pick, especially considering that they’re likely not going to be selecting this high again any time soon. Jeremiyah Love makes perfect sense, though. Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have been a replacement-level duo, at best, this season. Patrick Mahomes needs more around him when he returns from a torn ACL, and adding a bell-cow such as the dynamic Love out of Notre Dame would provide that upon his arrival.
13. Dallas Cowboys: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
If only the Cowboys already had a franchise edge rusher… Regardless, Micah Parsons isn’t in Dallas anymore, and though the Quinnen Williams trade gives them a cornerstone on defense, David Bailey can be another. He’s a monster with elite burst off the edge and a well-developed repertoire of pass rush moves already in his bag. Dallas has to address the defense, and forming a duo of Bailey and current second-round rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku could set them up nicely for the future on the edge.
Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk | Justin Ford/GettyImages
14. Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
As the Ravens are clinging to even the faintest playoff hopes going into Week 17, the one thing that’s clear is that they need to start rebuilding in the trenches. While the offensive line is a consideration, the defense needs more work up front in the immediate. Keldric Faulk just fits the Baltimore DNA, as well. He’s a beast on the edge who defends the run well, but has some pass rush juice to his game as a cerebral player with a ton of experience under his belt, even if he’s not a freak athletically.
15. Minnesota Vikings: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
How the Vikings handle J.J. McCarthy this offseason — and the quarterback position at large, for that matter — is going to be fascinating. Currently, we have to operate under the notion that they move forward and try to keep building a contending roster around “Nine”. If that’s the case, then Mansoor Delane is a home run. Minnesota’s secondary has taken a step back and simply not allowed Brian Flores to operate at peak efficiency this season, but the LSU product has the tools to be an immediate fix to that problem, at least at one corner spot.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
The unfortunate reality for Tampa Bay is that the defense under Todd Bowles just doesn’t have the dudes that it once did. And when you think about the Buccaneers in this era, it’s not hard to see that the drop-off with their linebacker play is certainly at fault for part of the decline on that side of the ball. Sonny Styles is a monster in the middle of a defense, with an elite football IQ, great movement skills, and a balanced skill set to affect every facet of the game when he’s on the field.
Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor | Butch Dill/GettyImages
17. Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Given that the Lions, despite likely missing the playoffs this season, still have to feel as if they are in a contending window, I expect them to aid the deficiencies in the pass rush in free agency for a surer immediate impact. That shifts the draft focus to the offensive line, where they need some reinforcements. Kadyn Proctor makes a ton of sense in that capacity, as he has the frame and athleticism to work well in the NFL as a tackle, but also the mass to move inside to guard. That versatility will help the Lions simply get the best group out there.
18. New York Jets (via IND): CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Again, I’m looking at legitimate building blocks for the Jets, given that they’re in the midst of a full-blown teardown. After trading Sauce Gardner at the deadline, there isn’t a cornerback that they can fully feel confident in. That’s where Jermod McCoy could come into play. Though injuries limited the cover man this season at Tennessee, what we’ve seen when he’s been on the field has been electric with tremendous athleticism, frame and footwork.
19. Carolina Panthers: EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
If what we’ve seen from Bryce Young, for the most part, this season is the real deal, then the Panthers simply have to target defense in the draft. The offense is in a good spot, but they need to be able to slow down their opponents. Cashius Howell is a bit slight-framed for some people, but his explosiveness and bend off the edge are high-end traits that will entice anyone. And given that Carolina had plenty of success developing someone not dissimilar in Brian Burns, the pick would make a lot of sense to move the Panthers franchise forward.
Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion | Joe Buvid/ISI Photos/GettyImages
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
One way or another, the Steelers simply have to think about adding another receiver, right? DK Metcalf, assuming Pittsburgh doesn’t shadily take advantage of his lost guarantees, is a great weapon, but it gets thin quickly after that. KC Concepcion is a wonderful complement to someone like Metcalf. Both can attack downfield as deep threats, but the A&M product offers more underneath while still providing big-play potential in those situations. Assuming Aaron Rodgers returns, adding another wideout such as him would make sure the offense is deeper and more dangerous.
21. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): LB CJ Allen, Georgia
Cornerback was certainly a consideration for the Cowboys in this spot. More importantly, given that Jerry Jones has already traded Dallas’ second- and third-round picks in the 2026 draft, I wouldn’t be stunned to see them trade down from the pick the Packers owe them. But if they stay put, CJ Allen would be ideal. The linebacker play for the Cowboys has been nothing short of abysmal this season, and the ultra-athletic Allen would be a great pairing with Demarvion Overshown for the future.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
This just feels like Howie Roseman in a nutshell. Coming into the season, T.J. Parker was projected as a lock to be a Top 10 pick. Given the struggles that Clemson had this past year and the effect that clearly had on big names like Parker, that’s depressed his value a bit. But this is still a freakish talent in terms of the tools on the table, and for him to fall to the Eagles with the 22nd pick feels like fulfilling the annual tradition of a great player falling too far and ending up in Philly.
Penn State OG Olaivavega Ioane | Mitchell Leff/GettyImages
23. Houston Texans: IOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Though Houston has done a more than admirable job this season in regard to improving the offensive line, they could make life easier on themselves by improving the personnel. Olaivavega Ioane would be a perfect option to do that. I actually don’t hate how the Texans have the tackle setup right now with Trent Brown and Aireontae Ersery, but the interior could still stand to get some help. The Penn State product is a mauler on the interior, and would be an immediate help.
24. Buffalo Bills: EDGE Romello Height, Texas Tech
Josh Allen and a potent offense in Buffalo this season have ultimately masked that this defense is problematic right now. There are precisely no game-changers for the Bills right now, at least in my opinion and especially on the defensive front. David Bailey gets more press out of Texas Tech, but Romello Height is still a first-round talent. He has proven himself time and again as a smart, slippery presence off the edge and would give Buffalo some burst that they need to better affect opposing quarterbacks.
25. Los Angeles Chargers: DL Caleb Banks, Florida
Especially with the injuries that Justin Herbert has seen in front of him this season, there’s a real case to be made for the Chargers looking to draft an offensive lineman in 2026. For me, though, they just need to get healthy on offense, but the defense needs reinforcements like Caleb Banks. Things obviously went off the rails for Florida this season and Banks dealt with injuries. Having said that, he’s a force on the interior with top-tier explosiveness for his position, which he translates into a consistent push to move opposing O-linemen.
Utah OL Caleb Lomu | Icon Sportswire/GettyImages
26. San Francisco 49ers: OL Caleb Lomu, Utah
While the Chargers might pass on an offensive lineman, the 49ers won’t follow suit. San Francisco has withstood a plethora of injuries this season and somehow survived. That being said, this offensive line has struggled more than you might realize, especially in the run game. Caleb Lomu could be a tackle or guard at the next level, but he’s a clear upgrade to the personnel for the Niners currently in place.
27. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): IOL Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Once again, the Browns’ QB situation is a bit uncertain. However, the offensive line has started to deteriorate quite a bit in recent years, be that because of age, injury, atrition or all the above. In any case, landing a player like Emmanuel Pregnon is almost too easy. There’s nothing overly spectacular about the Oregon guard, but everything he shows with his hands, feet, and power shows you that he could be a Day 1 starter in Cleveland.
28. Los Angeles Rams: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Some late-season struggles almost surely pushed Ty Simpson to the back-end of the first round at best. If you’re the Rams, though, that makes almost too much sense to then take the Alabama passer with the 28th pick given that they have the extra (and better) first-rounder coming from Atlanta. Simpson has all the tools of a potential franchise quarterback, but needs more experience and time. Allowing him to learn behind Matthew Stafford as his eventual replacement is an ideal situation for both LA and Simpson.
29. Chicago Bears: DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
I’m banging the drum that the Bears are better than some people want to give them credit for right now. Having said that, I do still believe that Ben Johnson’s teams still might be a few pieces away from being a legit title contender, specifically on defense. I love the idea of adding Kayden McDonald to this group, though. While he might still need to develop as help for the pass rush, he’s an elite gap-filler and run defender that would fit beautifully right now in Chicago.
Washington WR Denzel Boston | Steph Chambers/GettyImages
30. New England Patriots: WR Denzel Boston, Washington
While there are other positional arguments for the Patriots in the draft, getting everything in the best possible spot around Drake Maye feels like a good M.O. to have in the offseason. As such, Denzel Boston is the easy pick. The 6-foot-4 pass-catcher isn’t a freak athlete, but he does everything well and has a strong route-running presence. Especially if New England keeps Stefon Diggs, that duo could be absolutely lethal as Maye likely takes another step forward in his development.
31. Denver Broncos: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Sean Payton has been throwing stuff at the wall in terms of tight end, with guys like Adam Trautman and Evan Engram filling that role in Denver. But we know how much Payton likes to utilize a tight end from his time with the Saints, so using a late first-rounder on Kenyon Sadiq feels like the perfect move to make. Sadiq has been up and down for Oregon this season, to be sure, but his athleticism and flashes are truly elite with his big frame and top-tier movement abilities. He’s a weapon Payton and Bo Nix would be able to utilize right away.
32. Seattle Seahawks: EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
The defensive-minded nature of Mike Macdonald has obviously benefitted Seattle greatly this season, and there are a lot of directions the Seahawks could go with the draft. But with the potential of losing Boye Mafe in free agency, adding more depth on the edge feels right in-line with this team’s philosophy, especially with a talent like R Mason Thomas. His frame is thin, sure, but he has more than proven that he can hold up and excel while facing SEC offensive lines. He’d see immediate pass rush reps with this Seattle defense.