Jan. 19, 2026, 7:21 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
With the second round of the playoffs in the books and the huge news that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is returning to school, it’s time to update our one-round mock draft. The 2026 NFL draft promises to be filled with drama due to so many teams with big draft needs and a limited number of top options.<\/p>\n
1 – Las Vegas Raiders<\/a> – QB Fernando Mendoza – Indiana<\/p>\n Mendoza is the top quarterback in the draft with no competition, so whether it’s the Raiders or another team who trades up, Mendoza is the top pick.<\/p>\n 2 – New York Jets – S Caleb Downs – Ohio State<\/p>\n Without a quarterback option here the Jets get a guy to add splash plays in a secondary that was miserable last season.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a>3 – Arizona Cardinals<\/a> – LB Arvell Reese – Ohio State<\/p>\n Reese is a do-it-all linebacker who can dominate on the inside or line up and rush the passer.<\/p>\n 4 – Tennessee Titans<\/a> – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. – Miami<\/p>\n It came down to an additional wide receiver for Cam Ward here or the top pass rusher and we opted for defense this time around.<\/p>\n 5 – New York Giants<\/a> – WR Carnell Tate – Ohio State<\/p>\n With new head coach John Harbaugh in place, we considered Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love but settled on Tate to give Jaxson Dart another weapon.<\/p>\n 6 – Cleveland Browns<\/a> – WR Jordyn Tyson – Arizona State<\/p>\n All bets are off as to who is playing quarterback for Cleveland next year so we go for an elite target in Tyson for whoever it is.<\/p>\n 7 – Washington Commanders – EDGE David Bailey – Texas Tech<\/p>\n The Comanders have holes on both sides of the football so we go with the highest-rated play on our board in Bailey, who can control a game as a pass rusher.<\/p>\n Many pundits don’t have Woods this high but we expect him to really climb in the offseason workouts.<\/p>\n 9 – Kansas City Chiefs – OT Spencer Fano – Utah<\/p>\n The Chiefs missed the playoffs but the consolation prize is landing a franchise offensive tackle in the first round.<\/p>\n 10 – Cincinnati Bengals<\/a> – RB Jeremiyah Love – Notre Dame<\/p>\n This could easily be an offensive linemen but Love is a generational talent on par with Bijan Robinson and the final piece of the puzzle for the Bengals skill players.<\/p>\n 11 – Miami Dolphins<\/a> – CB Jerod McCoy – Tennessee<\/p>\n Miami saw improvement on the offensive line down the stretch and could find players in free agency so we go with McCoy who is a lockdown cover cornerback.<\/p>\n 12 – Dallas Cowboys – LB Sonny Styles – Ohio State<\/p>\n Reese gets all the headlines as a Buckeye linebacker but Styles is a sideline-to-sideline playmaker as well.<\/p>\n Los Angeles has an excellent roster so this pick was about value and Delane has the potential to be a turnover machine in the NFL.<\/p>\n 14 – Baltimore Ravens<\/a> – DT Kayden McDonald – Ohio State<\/p>\n The Ravens are another team with a new head coach coming in and so instead of addressing a specific need, we look to the defense and get McDonald, who fits what Baltimore likes to do on defense.<\/p>\n The Bucs defense can never have enough pass rushers and Faulk is a disruptor off the edge.<\/p>\n 16 – New York Jets – WR Makai Lemon – USC<\/p>\n The Jets go out of the first round without a quarterback but do land a receiver to pair up with Garrett Wilson for whoever is throwing them the football.<\/p>\n 17 – Detroit Lions<\/a> – OT Francis Mauigoa – Miami<\/p>\n The Lions love physical player and Mauigoa is a mauler at left tackle.<\/p>\n 18 – Minnesota Vikings<\/a> – CB Avieon Terrell – Clemson<\/p>\n The Vikings can use help at cornerback depth and Terrell is an experienced coverage player who isn’t shy about defending the run.<\/p>\n Banks’ NFL potential is much greater than his play in 2025 and the Panthers need another big presence in the middle of their defense.<\/p>\n 20 – Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Cashius Howell – Texas A&M<\/p>\n The Cowboys land Howell here to fill the void from trading away Micah Parsons last season.<\/p>\n 21 – Pittsburgh Steelers – QB Ty Simpson – Alabama<\/p>\n We don’t know who the next head coach of the Steelers is yet, but we can bet he won’t stick with Mason Rudolph and Will Howard at quarterback.<\/p>\n 22 – Los Angeles Chargers – G Vega Ioane – Penn State<\/p>\n The Chargers’ offensive line was inconsistent this season, and Ioane is an anchor in the middle.<\/p>\n The Eagles always seem to need more help on offense to take heat off the run game and Sadiq is far and away the best tight end in the draft.<\/p>\n 24 – Cleveland Browns – OT Caleb Lomu – Utah<\/p>\n After getting a starting wide receiver with their first pick in the round, the Browns come back with a starting offensive tackle in Lomu.<\/p>\n 25 – Chicago Bears<\/a> – LB CJ Allen – Georgia<\/p>\n The Bears have an incredibly active and physical defense and Allen fits right in with that mindset.<\/p>\n 26 – Buffalo Bills<\/a> WR Denzel Burke – Washington<\/p>\n The Bills always seem to be shorthanded on offense regardless of who is there so we went with a wide out here to continue to build around Josh Allen.<\/p>\n 27 – San Francisco 49ers – EDGE T.J. Parker – Clemson<\/p>\n The Niners need to add pass rushers and Parker is a great tweener guy who is big enough to hold up as a defensive end but can stand up and get after the passer.<\/p>\n 28 – Houston Texans<\/a> – DT Christian Miller – Georgia<\/p>\n The Texans’ strength gets even stronger with the addition of Miller to an already elite defensive line.<\/p>\n 29 – Los Angeles Rams – OT Kadyn Proctor – Alabama<\/p>\n The Rams finish up the first round with massive offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor who should compete for either tackle spot.<\/p>\n 30 – New England Patriots – G Emmanuel Pregnon – Oregon<\/p>\n The Patriots don’t have many holes on their team but could upgrade at wide receiver or guard and Pregnon fits that physical style Mike Vrabel likes.<\/p>\n 31 – Denver Broncos<\/a> – RB Jonah Coleman – Washington<\/p>\n