This is the second mock draft I’ve done for the 2026 cycle. You’ll find a thought on every pick below, then at the end some detailed Seahawks thoughts.
Round One
#1 Las Vegas — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
I don’t believe Mendoza warrants going first overall and think there should be a broader discussion about what is best for a team at the start of its latest attempted rebuild. I think they should focus on building their roster, not pinning their hopes on a quarterback who will not be supported by enough talent on both sides of the ball. But it seems clear this is what they’re going to do.
#2 NY Jets — Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
I think Caleb Downs and Jeremiyah Love are better players. Yet the talk is the Jets are going to tag (franchise or transition) Breece Hall and then attack the veteran safety market. If both of those things happen, they might insert Styles hoping he’ll provide a central heart for a defense that needs so much work.
#3 Arizona — Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Love is just an exceptional talent. You’re going to get a player with a high probability of succeeding with excellent character. Positional value be damned, this isn’t the draft class to worry about that. Get the best player you can.
#4 Tennessee — Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
He’s arguably the best player in the draft, with A+ character thrown in for good measure. You get a good player and you can start to build your culture by taking Downs here. As with Love, you can’t be a slave to positional value. The talent at the premium positions is lacking.
#5 NY Giants — Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
The rumour mill is pointing to a mixed view on Reese, with some seeing him in the top-echelon of talents and others viewing him a notch behind. If he goes to the Giants here, they’ll likely keep him at off-the-ball linebacker. Which is fine. He doesn’t have to be a pass-rusher in the NFL.
#6 Cleveland — Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
Although he only ran a 4.54, I think Tate will be viewed as another ‘safe’ pick with a strong chance of succeeding. That is probably what the top-10 in this draft is going to be about. Who gives you the best chance to hit a double, given the clear lack of home-runs?
#7 Washington — David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
His testing was good not great and his frame doesn’t scream ‘elite NFL pass rusher’ but there’s enough buzz around him to think he’ll go early. I’m not convinced he’ll be more than a reasonable player — but as I’ve said a few times already, that’s what the 2026 draft class is about.
#8 New Orleans — Vega Ione (G, Penn State)
There’s a growing buzz that Ione is seen by some teams as the top offensive lineman in the draft. When you put on his tape it’s clear to see why. He has an excellent chance to quickly emerge as one of the best left guards in the NFL.
#9 Kansas City — Francis Mauigoa (T/G, Miami)
They just cut Jawaan Taylor, freeing up a gap at right tackle. Perhaps they sense that there’s a good chance Mauigoa or Spencer Fano is going to last to them, so are shifting their resources to other parts of their team in free agency?
#10 Cincinnati — Rueben Bain (DE, Miami)
I have big reservations about Bain’s length and body type. There just aren’t many players like him who have great careers. No testing also raises a flag about his upside. But the Bengals tend to like these powerful, bigger defensive ends.
#11 Miami — Spencer Fano (G, Utah)
A quick note, seeing as everyone’s freaking out about his arm length. Grey Zabel has 32-inch arms. Fano has 32 1/8-inch arms. What exactly is the problem here? Fano is an excellent talent and will make a tremendous guard in the NFL, just like Zabel.
#12 Dallas — Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
He didn’t do any testing and there were already concerns about his speed. He also has short arms. I am dubious that by the end of this process, Delane will be CB1. I can see others usurping him.
#13 LA Rams (v/ATL) — Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
There is talk that Cisse could be the second cornerback drafted if he runs well at his pro-day. This isn’t a huge surprise. Physically, expectations are very high for him. He’s also well regarded for his character. He has some technical flaws but his ceiling is very high. I wish he’d tested at the combine though.
#14 Baltimore — Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
I appreciate the Ravens only drafted a safety in round one a year ago. However, Thieneman is special. He would further unlock Baltimore’s secondary, at a time when the safety position is growing in importance — especially when you need players who can wear a lot of different hats. His combine performance was one of the best I’ve ever seen — and I’ve watched every combine since 2009.
#15 Tampa Bay — Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
Not all of these picks can be based on the biggest need. It’s possible Tampa Bay loses Mike Evans and decides they need another weapon for Baker Mayfield. Sadiq has a few rough edges to his game but his physical upside will create mismatch opportunities.
#16 NY Jets (v/IND) — Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
He’s such a talented player and could even be CB1 when all’s said and done. His brother was taken with the #16 pick in 2020 so there’d be some symmetry here if Avieon emulates AJ.
#17 Detroit — Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
The Lions seem to like presence in their defensive ends and Faulk has only scratched the surface of his potential. This feels like a fit for both team and player.
#18 Minnesota — Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
There aren’t many human’s who look like Caleb Banks. Someone is going to roll the dice on this outstanding talent. The Vikings feel like a team that can get the best out of him and unlock his star potential, with Brian Flores running the defense.
#19 Carolina — Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
They could look to free agency to find help off the edge and then bring someone in who can offer dynamism and speed from the interior. Woods is said to be capable of running a 4.8 despite weighing over 300lbs. It’s a shame he didn’t test at the combine.
#20 Dallas (v/GB) — Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
Yes, the Cowboys need help on defense. Jerry Jones is also telling anyone who’ll listen that they’re going to be proactive in free agency. They are likely going to move on from Terence Steele (they should, anyway) enabling Tyler Guyton to move over to right tackle, where he’s more comfortable. That could open the door to draft either Caleb Lomu or Monroe Freeling with this pick.
#21 Pittsburgh — Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
His odd combine appearance could easily put a few teams off. Adding to this, he was suspended for part of a game by USC during the season. There are questions here and he’ll be in damage-limitation mode with his agent. The Steelers have never shied away from a challenging wide receiver, though.
#22 LA Chargers — Kadyn Proctor (T/G, Alabama)
A classic Jim Harbaugh pick. You plug in Proctor at guard and if you get any more injuries at tackle, you have some security there too.
#23 Philadelphia — Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
Although Lane Johnson announced he will play in 2026, the Eagles have consistently tried to plan ahead in the trenches. Drafting Blake Miller would be an investment in the future — and they could try him at guard for a year in preparation for replacing the legend who’d be next to him.
#24 Cleveland (v/JAX) — Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
He could easily go in the top-20 based on his testing performance. He has a lot of what teams are looking for in a left tackle — he’s just a little bit green technically. The Browns made a trade for a right tackle/guard today, so Freeling would help further bolster an O-line that needs rebuilding.
#25 Las Vegas (v/CHI) — Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
TRADE — Maxx Crosby to the Bears
The Bears complete a trade for Maxx Crosby, giving this pick to the Raiders in the package. McCoy missed the whole of 2025 and then decided not to compete at the Senior Bowl or the combine. There’s a sense he’s being badly advised and it could impact him on draft day.
#26 Buffalo — Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
Tyson drops due to his injury history but eventually someone will take a chance on his talent. The Bills would be an ideal team to roll the dice.
#27 San Francisco — Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
I watched an interview with Kyle Shanahan after the 49ers lost to the Seahawks and he said his priority this off-season was adding speed on offense. Brazzell, who is underrated in the media, ran a 4.37. In the past the 49ers have had a knack of drafting receivers I like — and I’m a fan of Brazzell’s.
#28 Houston — Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
After trading away Tytus Howard, they’ve opened the door to take a right tackle here. Iheanachor had a good Senior Bowl and followed it up with a productive combine. There’s a growing buzz he will go in the first round.
#29 LA Rams — Omar Cooper Jr (WR, Indiana)
I just get the sense the Rams will show a lot of interest in Cooper, who provides a different skill-set to their other targets. He has a spark to him that would complement the elements already on their roster.
#30 Denver — Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
A year ago the Broncos snubbed bigger needs to go ‘best player available’ who happened to be a nickel/safety hybrid. Hood is a terrific player who is difficult to place in round one. If he lasts into this range, the Broncos might go BPA again and just take him.
#31 New England — Chris Bell (WR, Louisville)
There was increasing chatter during combine week that Bell, who is still recovering from a knee injury, will be drafted in the late first round. He’s a big playmaker who can make things happen in a variety of ways.
#32 Arizona (v/SEA) — Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
TRADE — Cardinals move up from #34
The Cardinals chuck a token pick Seattle’s way for the benefit of at least having the security of knowing they got their quarterback, preventing the Jets from trying to sell pick #33 overnight. Simpson would be a really good fit for the offense Mike LaFleur will run.
Round two
#33 NY Jets — Akheem Mesidor (DE, Miami)
After trading away Jermaine Johnson, the Jets could do with more off the edge. Preferably a bigger body like this. Don’t be shocked if Mesidor lasts into round two — he’ll be a 25-year-old rookie with short arms and he didn’t test.
#34 Seattle (v/ARI) — Gennings Dunker (G, Iowa)
It goes back to what this class is about. Try and hit the double. Dunker is an explosive offensive lineman with good length and agility testing. His zone-blocking grade has been strong for two years. He’s a plug-and-play right guard who perfectly fits the personality of this team. Bring him in and you’ve completed your O-line make-up for the foreseeable future.
#35 Tennessee — CJ Allen (LB, Georgia)
Robert Saleh will want to create presence, physicality and reliability with his defense. Allen isn’t great moving backwards. He is a downhill thumper who lets opponents know he’s on the field.
#36 Las Vegas — TJ Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
After trading away Maxx Crosby, the Raiders draft a replacement in Parker — who had an underwhelming 2025 but has somewhat recovered his stock at the Senior Bowl and by running a 1.61 10-yard split at the combine.
#37 NY Giants — Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
The best run defender at defensive tackle in the draft, McDonald didn’t show much in the way of quickness or ease of movement at the combine. His stock could settle into this range as a consequence.
#38 Houston — Anthony Hill Jr (LB, Texas)
I don’t think Hill is noticeably better than the clutch of other day-two linebackers but the league seems to be buzzing about him going in the top-40.
#39 Cleveland — Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
Honestly, I don’t get the hype. I don’t know where the first round talk came from. His combine performance was only so-so.
#40 Kansas City — Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, UCF)
When I wrote him up I said I thought he had the best bend-and-straighten ability among the pass-rushers in this class. Then he ran a 1.59 10-yard split and jumped a 40-inch vertical. The Chiefs love to draft special athletes. His run defense needs to improve though.
#41 Cincinnati — Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
I worry about his size/frame and his Senior Bowl outing was underwhelming. He had a good combine to recover some lost momentum.
#42 New Orleans — KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
He’s a talented player but the drops will bother some teams. He had 19 in three seasons on 294 targets. That’s simply too many.
#43 Miami — Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
They are suddenly depleted in the rush department and given they’ll be using 3-4 concepts and probably looking for outside linebackers to complement the big bodies they already have, Howell is a fit.
#44 NY Jets — Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
The Jets need more weapons. Boston doesn’t have the greatest separation ability and not running at the combine hints that he knows it wouldn’t have gone well. He is a good run blocker though and he was productive for Washington.
#45 Baltimore — Zion Young (DE, Missouri)
The Ravens add a player who is physical and intense on the field but is a complicated assessment off it. His personality is a bit odd and getting a DWI/speeding arrest just before draft season is absolutely stupid for many reasons.
#46 Tampa Bay — Kyle Louis (LB, Pittsburgh)
Drew Fabianich reminded me last week during our conversation that the Buccs drafted Lavonte David, who was undersized for a portion of his college career, and enjoyed great success. Louis, despite only being 220lbs, plays like he’s 240lbs.
#47 Indianapolis — Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)
Sometimes you can get a good feel for who certain teams will like. The Colts seem to have a defined type of player and I have a hunch that Golday will be on their targets list.
#48 Atlanta — Keith Abney (CB, Arizona State)
You kind of feel like the Falcons need more of an edge to their team, even at positions like cornerback. Abney would help provide that.
#49 Minnesota — AJ Haulcy (S, LSU)
If Harrison Smith is moving on, retirement or not, they could bring in Haulcy for some downhill punch at the safety position.
#50 Detroit — Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
We know they want a two-back system and after trading away David Montgomery, they could look to Price to help support Jahmyr Gibbs.
#51 Carolina — Keionte Scott (CB, Miami)
If you haven’t got a high-quality nickel corner and you want someone who is going to absolutely hammer opponents from that position and set a new tone for an otherwise soft, finesse-like team — draft Keionte Scott.
#52 Green Bay — Grace Halton (DT, Oklahoma)
A blog favourite during the season, Halton turned a good Senior Bowl into an impressive combine — where he ran a 4.82 at 293lbs and jumped a 36.5-inch vertical. Numbers like that will get you into round two.
#53 Pittsburgh — Emmanuel Pregnon (G, Oregon)
He’s big, he’s built like a tank and he is a day one plug-and-play starter. His zone-blocking grade was good but he’ll be better off in a system calling for size and force up front.
#54 Philadelphia — Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
After bizarrely measuring with much bigger hands and longer arms at the combine compared to the Senior Bowl, a 12-sack season in his back-pocket and reasonable speed numbers from Mobile, he could go in this range.
#55 LA Chargers — Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
I think he’s a sack of potatoes personally. Sorry to be blunt but his body is shaped like an orange resting on two matchsticks. His embarrassing lack of explosive traits (21.5-inch vertical) highlight the issue. But I guess he has some quickness.
#56 Jacksonville — Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
If they lose Devin Lloyd in free agency, Trotter could be a reasonable replacement at this stage in the draft. I’m just not convinced the Jags GM, who came from the Rams, will value linebacker this early. So this is a question mark for me.
#57 Chicago — Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)
If they trade away Tremaine Edmunds, they might decide to plug in Rodriguez — who at least shares some of the Jack Campbell playing style Ben Johnson is familiar with from his Detroit days.
#58 San Francisco — Christen Miller (DT, Georgia)
Miller didn’t stand out on tape in 2025 despite hopes he could really elevate himself into the national conscious for the draft. He has the kind of skill-set I can imagine the 49ers going for to work with what they already have.
#59 Houston — Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
What a combine. His agility testing, explosive traits and on-field drills should push him up boards and into the kind of range where he goes between #55-70.
#60 Buffalo — D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana)
I don’t think you can play Ponds at outside corner with his size. He needs to be a nickel. The Bills have a need here so plug him into this spot.
#61 LA Rams — Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
He’s a different type of player to Kam Curl but his testing performance was outstanding and he’s said to be an outstanding leader and personality. He could go in round two.
#62 Denver — Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
Ben Powers is not a long term fixture on the line and could be cut to save money. Bisontis would be able to step in and feels like a good fit for Sean Payton’s offense.
#63 New England — R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
The size concerns and a not great combine are what they are — but Thomas plays his arse off and it’d be very easy to imagine Mike Vrabel taking a shine to him.
#64 Seattle — Mike Washington Jr (RB, Arkansas)
The Seahawks could find themselves in a bind with Ken Walker potentially being lured away in free agency and touted possible replacement David Montgomery ending up with the Texans instead. It could put pressure on the draft to provide a solution. Luckily, Washington Jr is a fantastic talent with major outside-zone potential.
Thoughts on the Seahawks
This mock draft is based around the following scenario:
— The Seahawks try to acquire Maxx Crosby but cannot match the offer from the Bears
— They pivot to Rashan Gary, acquiring him for a conditional 2027 pick with the Packers prepared to cut him anyway
— They lose Ken Walker in free agency but use their available cap space to retain Rashid Shaheed and Josh Jobe
— Boye Mafe and Riq Woolen depart as expected, while Cobe Bryant is given a big-money contract by the Jets
— They protect their compensatory picks for Walker, Mafe, Bryant and Woolen by avoiding the free agent market — instead looking at choice cuts from other teams
— That could include cornerback Marlon Humphrey
— DeMarcus Lawrence is given extra time to consider his future as he contemplates retirement, with the hope that trust/patience will be seen as a positive environment to which he will want to return
— A decision is made to part with Uchenna Nwosu due to his $19m cap-hit — although the door is left open for a return down the line
There are other things we could get into here — but this is a reasonable starting point for the mock draft. The Seahawks would be given a tricky post-Super Bowl situation to keep the framework of their team together.
They trade down a couple of spots, gaining a token gesture pick from the Cardinals. Arizona simply wants to avoid waiting overnight to see if Ty Simpson lasts to #34, so they move up to remove any doubt. The Seahawks, unconcerned by the Cardinals, oblige and are happy to move back knowing the player they want will still be available.
I don’t think replacing Anthony Bradford is a critical need and they have young players on their roster already who could compete to start at right guard in 2026.
However, John Schneider spoke last week about having an old-school offensive line. Gennings Dunker is being slept on by the broader draft media. His testing performance at the combine showed a level of upside that should be acknowledged. There are not many linemen who can jump a 32.5-inch vertical, a 9-0 broad and run a 4.63 short shuttle at 319lbs. On top of this, he has consistently produced high grades in a zone-blocking system for two years. His personality fits the Seahawks perfectly.
Alternatively, there are EDGE rushers available where they pick. However, I’m not entirely convinced there’s the upside with TJ Parker. Zion Young is slow and a bit strange. I really like the upside of Malachi Lawrence but that is a projection-based pick leaning on upside. The one that did make me pause slightly is Cashius Howell. He does have very short arms (30 1/4 inches) and that’s a problem. Mike Macdonald did have success with Kyle Van Noy though (31 5/8 inches) and they might look for a situational pass-rusher to replace Boye Mafe.
With their second pick, Mike Washington Jr would fill the void left by Ken Walker. Yes, the fumbles will be talked about. He had three last season for Arkansas and ideally, the number would be none. I’m asking my coaches to fix that, knowing if they can, you have a 6-1, 223lbs runner on your hands who is capable of a 4.33 forty and a 39-inch vertical jump. His potential is through the roof — and his fit in the outside-zone system is excellent.
With their third round pick, how about some further cornerback depth with Georgia’s Daylen Everette?
This is an off-season that feels semi-realistic and reasonable. It probably won’t have Seahawks fans rushing to place bets on a repeat in the way a Maxx Crosby trade would do — but I do think it’d enable the team to go into 2026 feeling confident they can contend.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments section and check out this video I did today with Puck Sports talking about the combine: