{"id":678399,"date":"2026-01-15T05:09:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T05:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/678399\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T05:09:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T05:09:18","slug":"2026-nfl-draft-pff-shakes-up-first-round-in-latest-mock-draft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/678399\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NFL Draft: PFF shakes up first round in latest mock draft"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025-26 NFL and college football seasons are nearing their ends. Only next Monday\u2019s national championship game between Indiana<\/a> and Miami<\/a> remains for college football, while the NFL postseason moves on to the Divisional Round.<\/p>\n

With more than half of the first round draft order set for April\u2019s 2026 NFL Draft, Max Chadwick<\/a> of Pro Football Focus<\/a> took the opportunity to update his projection for how Round 1 could play out. He\u2019s released his latest mock draft. <\/p>\n

The Las Vegas Raiders are making the first selection. Chadwick is making his picks<\/a> without any projected trades beyond what\u2019s already been finalized. Check out his full mock draft<\/a> here. <\/p>\n

Mendoza is the reigning 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, led the FBS with 41 passing touchdowns on 73-percent passing to rank third nationally, and has the Hoosiers on the verge of winning the program\u2019s first-ever national championship. The Raiders can\u2019t wait to turn this pick in.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cThe Pete Carroll-Geno Smith\u00a0partnership lasted just one disastrous season in Las Vegas. The Raiders are currently looking for Carroll\u2019s replacement and will likely use this top selection to find Smith\u2019s. Mendoza could fit the billing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"DanteTroy Wayrynen-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Moore has arguably the highest ceiling of any draft-eligible quarterbacks after throwing for 3,565 yards on 71.8-percent passing and 30 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in his first full season as the Ducks starter. Given that potential, the Jets should be overjoyed if he fell to them at No. 2.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cAs long as Moore enters the draft, the Jets will likely select whichever quarterback the Raiders don\u2019t take. Moore\u2019s 90.3 PFF passing grade is fifth among all quarterbacks in the nation this year, while his 30 big-time throws are tied for the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is a situation where a team with multiple needs simply takes the best available, and Reese certainly qualifies as that after ranking second on the Buckeyes with 69 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in his second season as Ohio State\u2019s starting middle \u2018backer. Reese would be an immediate plug-and-play talent in the heart of the Cardinals defense.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cThe Cardinals also need a quarterback, but there isn\u2019t one worth taking here with the third overall pick. Instead, Arizona selects one of the top defenders available in Reese. He\u2019s an impressive downhill defender, as his eight sacks this year are tied for fourth among all linebackers in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Considered one of the premier pass rusher in this year\u2019s draft class, Bain Jr.\u2019s rep has taken a bit of hit with questions about his less-than-ideal arm length. Of course, Bain could answer all those questions next month at the Combine. But in the meantime, Bain makes too much sense for a Titans team in need of a little influx of youth, especially on defense.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cWhile the Titans need to surround quarterback\u00a0Cam Ward<\/a>\u00a0with more talent, they also didn\u2019t have a single edge defender higher than 70th in PFF grade this year. Enter Bain, whose 93.1 PFF grade is second among all defenders in college football. \u2026 Arm length be damned, he\u2019s one of the best football players in this draft.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ohio(Joseph Maiorana | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Coming from WRU, the 6-foot-1 Tate is a natural playmaker down the field after leading the Buckeyes averaging 17.16 yards per reception this past season while playing second-fiddle beside star sophomore Jeremiah Smith. Tate, who hauled in nine touchdowns in 2025, would help elevate a Giants WR room that features Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cWhile the Titans refused to surround Ward with more talent with their top pick, the Giants refuse to do the same with\u00a0Jaxson Dart\u00a0and give him Tate here. \u2026 Tate would give New York a true X-receiver that\u2019d pair very nicely with\u00a0Malik Nabers\u00a0once he recovers from his torn ACL.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite another season limited by injuries, the 6-foot-1 Tyson is a bonafide playmaker at the receiver position and finished his collegiate career with 2,106 yards and 20 touchdowns on 146 receptions in three seasons at Arizona State. Tyson immediately gives whoever the Browns trot out at QB an electric 1-2 punch at receiver alongside Jerry Jeudy.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cThe Browns have the second-worst team receiving grade in the NFL this season and didn\u2019t have a single wide receiver place higher than 100th in PFF grade. Tyson would immediately become the top weapon for whoever\u2019s playing quarterback for Cleveland and has an 89.5 PFF receiving grade over the last two seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Commanders defense has a lot of needs, but one of the glaring ones is in the secondary. Downs, widely considered one of the top defensive players in the sport since he landed at Alabama in 2023, would be an instant star in the backend of the Washington defense.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cThe Commanders simply need difference makers on defense and can procure one of the very best players in the draft in Downs here. He has been an elite player ever since he arrived in college football as a five-star recruit in 2023, producing an elite 93.6 career PFF grade. Downs is one of the best safety prospects in recent memory and would transform Washington\u2019s defense.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PeterDale Zanine-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

A former five-star recruit, Woods arrived at Clemson as one of the most highly touted defensive line prospects in the 2023 recruiting cycle.\u00a0On the field, Woods delivered consistent production across three seasons in Death Valley. He appeared in 35 games for the Tigers, recording 84 total tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, while also adding a pass breakup and two forced fumbles. <\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cBryan Bresee\u00a0hasn\u2019t lived up to his first-round billing through three seasons so far, so the Saints look to replace him with another Clemson defensive tackle here in Woods. He has an impressive 87.1 career PFF grade with prodigious power and quickness at 6-foot-3, 310 pounds.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Love has been one of college football\u2019s most explosive running backs for the past several seasons, capping his Notre Dame career as the 2025\u00a0Doak Walker Award winner after finishing the regular season with 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. This is a no-brainer for a Chiefs offense looking to bounce back in 2026.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cBoth\u00a0Kareem Hunt\u00a0and\u00a0Isiah Pacheco\u00a0are unrestricted free agents this offseason, and it seems likely that the Chiefs will part ways with one or both of them. Kansas City instead finds its future at running back with Love here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bengals lock up arguably the draft\u2019s best pass rusher in the 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Bailey, who led the FBS with 14.5 sacks in his lone season in Lubbock. Bailey also ranked second nationally with 19.5 tackles for loss and 13 QB hurries in 2025.<\/p>\n

Chadwick: \u201cThe Bengals selected one of the best run-defending edge rushers in the first round of last year\u2019s draft in\u00a0Shemar Stewart\u00a0and selected the best pass-rusher in this year\u2019s class with Bailey here. He leads all FBS defenders in PFF grade (93.1), pass-rush grade (93.9), pressures (81) and sacks (15).\u201d<\/p>\n

11. Miami Dolphins: CB Mansoor Delane<\/a>, LSU<\/a>
12. Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Keldric Faulk<\/a>, Auburn<\/a>
13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): OL Spencer Fano<\/a>, Utah<\/a>
14. Baltimore Ravens: WR Makai Lemon<\/a>, USC<\/a>
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Sonny Styles<\/a>, Ohio State<\/a>
16. New York Jets (via IND): CB Jermod McCoy<\/a>, Tennessee<\/a>
17. Detroit Lions: OT Francis Mauigoa<\/a>, Miami<\/a>
18. Minnesota Vikings: CB Avieon Terrell<\/a>, Clemson<\/a>
19. Carolina Panthers: EDGE Cashius Howell<\/a>,\u00a0Texas A&M<\/a>
20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): LB CJ Allen<\/a>, Georgia<\/a>
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Ty Simpson<\/a>, Alabama<\/a>
22. Los Angeles Chargers: OL Olaivavega Ioane<\/a>, Penn State<\/a>
23. Philadelphia Eagles: TE Kenyon Sadiq<\/a>, Oregon<\/a>
24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): OL Kadyn Proctor<\/a>, Alabama<\/a>
25. Chicago Bears: DL Kayden McDonald<\/a>, Ohio State<\/a>
26. Buffalo Bills: WR Denzel Boston<\/a>, Washington<\/a>
27. San Francisco 49ers: WR KC Concepcion<\/a>, Texas A&M<\/a>
28. Houston Texans: OT Caleb Lomu<\/a>, Utah<\/a>
29. Los Angeles Rams: CB Brandon Cisse<\/a>,\u00a0South Carolina<\/a>
30. New England Patriots: EDGE TJ Parker<\/a>, Clemson<\/a>
31. Denver Broncos: LB Anthony Hill Jr.<\/a>, Texas<\/a>
32. Seattle Seahawks: CB Colton Hood<\/a>, Tennessee<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 On3\u2019s Alex Byington contributed to this article.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2025-26 NFL and college football seasons are nearing their ends. Only next Monday\u2019s national championship game between…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":678400,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[75116,5780,40956,9383,48175,5781,5782,5783,5784,9384,9385,51594,84481,9387,20644,26735,7,5795,9391,5798,20645,5799,84482,5800,25581,89972,11876,32679,98594,6,15,5806,5808,34445,5809,5810,15529],"class_list":["post-678399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl-draft","tag-amauri-washington-23-chandler","tag-anthony-hill-23-ryan","tag-arvell-reese-23-glenville","tag-avieon-terrell-23-westlake","tag-brandon-cisse-23-lakewood","tag-caleb-banks-21-southfield","tag-caleb-downs-23-mill-creek","tag-caleb-lomu-23-highland","tag-carnell-tate-23-img-academy","tag-cashius-howell-21-rockhurst","tag-cj-allen-23-lamar-county-comprehensive","tag-colton-hood-23-eagles-landing-christian-academy","tag-dante-moore-23-martin-luther-king-jr","tag-david-bailey-22-mater-dei","tag-denzel-boston-22-emerald-ridge","tag-fernando-mendoza-22-columbus","tag-football","tag-francis-mauigoa-23-img-academy","tag-jeremiyah-love-23-christian-brothers-college","tag-jermod-mccoy-23-whitehouse","tag-jordyn-tyson-22-independence","tag-kadyn-proctor-23-southeast-polk","tag-kayden-mcdonald-23-north-gwinnett","tag-keldric-faulk-23-highland-home","tag-kevin-concepcion-23-chambers","tag-lee-hunter-21-blount","tag-makai-lemon-23-los-alamitos","tag-mansoor-delane-22-archbishop-spalding","tag-maxwell-iheanachor-22-king-drew-medical-magnet","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-draft","tag-peter-woods-23-thompson","tag-rueben-bain-23-miami-central","tag-sonny-styles-22-pickerington-central","tag-spencer-fano-23-timpview","tag-t-j-parker-23-central","tag-ty-simpson-22-westview"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=678399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678399\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/678400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=678399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=678399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=678399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}