The 2026 NFL Draft is a little more than a month away and USA Today released an updated two-round mock draft this week. It even has some intriguing picks after trades!
These mock drafts are never 100%, but they provide a good look at to team’s thinking with each pick with their needs and wants. But some of these NFL Draft picks might be obvious based on what we saw this college football season.
So without further ado, let’s dive into the latest NFL Draft projections from USA Today. We start at the top!
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB – Indiana
The Raiders get their man in Mendoza to open the NFL Draft. The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion likely has black and silver gear for April! USA Today doesn’t change anything here.
He threw an FBS-leading 41 touchdowns this year and thrived in Curt Cignetti’s system. Yes, he had a loaded roster and won’t have that in Las Vegas right away. But Klink Kubiak should be able to cook something up for Mendoza.
2. New York Jets: David Bailey, DE/OLB – Texas Tech
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Aaron Glenn and the Jets need a bonafide star on defense in the NFL Draft and Bailey might fit the mold. Whatever defender they go with here is probably a Day 1 starter.
Bailey led the FBS in sacks last year with 14.5 after transferring in from Stanford. He’ll be plugged in right away.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Arvell Reese, OLB/DE – Ohio State
With Bailey off the board, it makes sense for the Cardinals to go with Reese in the NFL Draft. It’s hard to go wrong with either outside linebacker prospect.
This past season, Reese logged 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two pass deflections. He was also named an All-American.
4. Tennessee Titans: Jeremiyah Love, RB – Notre Dame
The Titans have options here, but with two top defenders gone in this NFL Draft, why not go with Love here? Added a dynamic player to the backfield with Cam Love at QB? That’s fun.
Love was a star at Notre Dame and one of the best running backs in college football over the last few years. Last year, he ran for 1,372 yards, 18 touchdowns and 6.9 yards per carry. Love has 40 total touchdowns the last two seasons.
5. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S – Ohio State
Caleb Downs (Birm/Lettermen Row)
The Giants get one of the best pound for pound players in the NFL Draft here. Downs fits the mold of the Giants, giving them a leader on defense.
He can cover, he can tackle and he can nab the football out of the air. A freshman All-American at Alabama, Downs got even better over the last two years and won a title with the Buckeyes.
6. Detroit Lions: Monroe Freeling, OT – Georgia (mock trade with Browns)
Freeling got a lot of hype going into the spring as his NFL scouting combine numbers stood out. So, this could lead to a race for the former Bulldog.
But the caveat is the Lions trading up in the NFL Draft to get him. They’ll give capital to Cleveland to give QB Jared Goff a new, potential, franchise tackle.
7. Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR – Ohio State
The Commanders need younger weapons on offense and defense. This one makes sense in the NFL Draft as Tate can pair up with Jayden Daniels, giving Washington a nice QB-WR combo.
In 2025, Tate put up 51 catches, 875 yards, nine touchdowns and 17.2 yards per catch. He had 121 catches, 1,872 yards, 14 touchdowns and 15.5 yards per catch in his college career.
8. New Orleans Saints: Mansoor Delane, CB – LSU
Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Delane stays close to home after coming out of LSU. The New Orleans Saints can really bolster their defense through the NFL Draft and it seems like the former Tiger makes a lot of sense!
Delane spent three years at Virginia Tech before his transfer to LSU. He has eight career interceptions and 191 total tackles.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Francis Mauigoa, OL – Miami
USA Today’s latest mock draft has the former Miami star as the second offensive lineman off the board in April. This might be the highest he goes in the first round, depending upon the evaluation of others in the NFL Draft.
Patrick Mahomes needs protection and they’ll certainly get a long term option here. ​​Mauigoa, a former top-rated recruit, allowed just two sacks over the past two seasons at Miami.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Sonny Styles, LB – Ohio State
The big winner at the NFL Scouting Combine is now a projected Top-5 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, but falls to No. 10 per USA Today. Still, this is high value for the Bengals.
This past year, Styles finished with 82 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, three pass deflections and one forced fumble. He had 244 career tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
2026 NFL Draft: USA Today updates 2-round mock
(Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
11. Miami Dolphins: Spencer Fano, OL – Utah
12. Dallas Cowboys: Jermod McCoy, CB – Tennessee
13. Los Angeles Rams: Denzel Boston, WR – Washington
14. Baltimore Ravens: Rueben Bain Jr., DE – Miami
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Akheem Mesidor, DE/OLB – Miami
16. New York Jets: Makai Lemon, WR – USC
17. Cleveland Browns: Jordyn Tyson, WR – Arizona State (mock trade with Lions)
18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S – Oregon
19. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE – Oregon
20. Dallas Cowboys: Peter Woods, DL – Clemson
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vega Ioane, G – Penn State
22. Los Angeles Chargers: T.J. Parker, OLB/DE – Clemson
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Blake Miller, OT – Clemson
24. Cleveland Browns: Caleb Lomu, OT – Utah
25. Chicago Bears: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S – Toledo
26. Buffalo Bills: Keldrick Faulk, DE – Auburn
27. San Francisco 49ers: Avieon Terrell, CB – Clemson
28. Houston Texans: Omar Cooper Jr., WR – Indiana
29. Kansas City Chiefs: Colton Hood, CB – Tennessee
30. Denver Broncos: Caleb Banks, DL – Florida
31. New England Patriots: Kadyn Proctor, OT – Alabama
32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB – Notre Dame
USA Today NFL Draft 2026 Predictions: 2nd round
33. New York Jets: CJ Allen, LB – Georgia
34. Arizona Cardinals: KC Concepcion, WR – Texas A&M
35. Tennessee Titans: Caleb Tiernan, OT – Northwestern
36. Las Vegas Raiders: Kayden McDonald, DT – Ohio State
37. New York Giants: Malachi Fields, WR – Notre Dame
38. Houston Texans: Christen Miller, DT – Georgia
39. Cleveland Browns: Ty Simpson, QB – Alabama
40. Kansas City Chiefs: Max Klare, TE – Ohio State
41. Cincinnati Bengals: Chase Bisontis, G – Texas A&M
42. New Orleans Saints: Chris Bell, WR – Louisville
43. Miami Dolphins: Brandon Cisse, CB – South Carolina
44. New York Jets: Kamari Ramsey, S – USC
45. Baltimore Ravens: Emmanuel Pregnon, G – Oregon
46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jake Golday, LB – Cincinnati
47. Indianapolis Colts: Elijah Sarratt, WR – Indiana
48. Atlanta Falcons: Chris Johnson, CB – San Diego State
49. Minnesota Vikings: Davison Igbinosun, CB – Ohio State
50. Cleveland Browns: D’Angelo Ponds, CB – Indiana (mock trade with Lions)
51. Carolina Panthers: A.J. Haulcy, S – LSU
52. Green Bay Packers: Zion Young, OLB/DE – Missouri
53. Pittsburgh Steelers: Germie Bernard, WR – Alabama
54. Philadelphia Eagles: Cashius Howell, OLB/DE – Texas A&M
55. Los Angeles Chargers: Derrick Moore, OLB/DE – Michigan
56. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jacob Rodriguez, LB – Texas Tech
57. Chicago Bears: Dani Dennis-Sutton, OLB/DE – Penn State
58. San Francisco 49ers: Max Iheanachor, OT – Arizona State
59. Houston Texans: Keylan Rutledge, OL – Georgia Tech
60. Chicago Bears: Chris Brazzell II, WR – Tennessee
61. Los Angeles Rams: Gabe Jacas, OLB/DE – Illinois
62. Denver Broncos: R Mason Thomas, OLB/DE – Oklahoma
63. New England Patriots: Eli Stowers, TE – Vanderbilt
64. Seattle Seahawks: Zakee Wheatley, S – Penn State