Prisco also predicts the Dallas Cowboys could deliver the biggest surprise of the first round by selecting undersized Oklahoma<\/a> pass rusher R Mason Thomas<\/a> at No. 12 overall, which is considerably higher than most draftniks are currently projecting him to be taken. <\/p>\n With that in mind, check out how CBS Sports\u2019 Pete Prisco projects Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft<\/a> will play out:<\/p>\n Las Vegas should already have cashed this in by now given how long these two have been connected. Mendoza cemented his place as the No. 1 overall pick when he capped a magical 2025 season by leading Indiana to its first-ever national title in football in front of the Raiders brass, including new minority owner Tom Brady.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThe idea that he isn\u2019t the best quarterback in this class is misguided. He will \u2014 and should \u2014 be the pick by the Raiders.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite some smoke the Jets could be looking at another talented pass rusher, Prisco is confident second-year head coach Aaron Glenn will take the 6-foot-4 and 243-pound Reese, who did it all for the Buckeyes\u2019 FBS-leading unit with 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2025.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cOk, so maybe his pro day workout wasn\u2019t great. But his tape is impressive. You don\u2019t draft off pro days.\u201d<\/p>\n The early run on talented pass rushers continues with Prisco projecting the Cardinals will bypass college football\u2019s sack leader last year for the Hurricanes\u2019 powerful edge. While not the most traditional size, the 6-foot-2, 263-pound Bain brings a level of position versatility and pass-rushing prowess inside and out.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThey have to get better on defense and Bain will help make that possible. He would join Josh Sweat to give them a nice pass-rush group.\u201d<\/p>\n Tennessee races to the podium with David Bailey\u2019s name on their draft card. After taking franchise quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall last year, the Titans luck out and land the draft\u2019s most naturally-talented pass rusher in the 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Bailey, who led the FBS with 14.5 sacks last season.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThey have three really good players up front, so why not add another speed rusher? Bailey isn\u2019t great against the run, but he has the explosive ability off the edge.\u201d<\/p>\n 5. New York Giants: Sonny Styles<\/a>, LB, Ohio State<\/p>\n New Giants head coach John Harbaugh secures the breakout star of the NFL Combine in late February with the 6-foot-5, 244-pound Styles, who showed eye-popping athleticism in Indianapolis. A converted safety, the uber-athletic Styles led the Buckeyes\u2019 FBS-best defense with\u00a082 total tackles in 2025.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cJohn Harbaugh loves having a playmaking middle linebacker on his defense. Styles is that and more. As a converted safety, he can really run.\u201d<\/p>\n Cleveland has already overhauled its offensive line by acquiring three new starters this offseason, and finishes off the job by taking the fast-rising Freeling. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound Georgia tackle has the physical traits to anchor the left side of the Browns\u2019 offensive line for years to come.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThis is high for him in my book, but there are lot of teams that like him. The Browns need a left tackle for the long run and he could be that guy.\u201d<\/p>\n The Commanders were quite active in free agency, overhauling both its defense and offense, including adding a pair of running backs. But Prisco sees Love\u2019s elite home-run talent as too much to pass on for Washington, which adds the Doak Walker Award winner at No. 7 overall.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThey\u2019ve added to their defense in free agency, which they needed to do, so why not take a playmaking running back to help the offense? Love has the explosive speed to turn short runs into home run touchdowns.\u201d<\/p>\n 8. New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate<\/a>, WR, Ohio State<\/p>\n After signing former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne in free agency, Prisco expects the Saints will continue to build around second-year QB Tyler Shough by giving him another Ohio State receive. The 6-foot-2 Tate is a big-play threat after ranking third in the Big Ten with 17.16 yards per catch\u00a0in 2025.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThis would be continuing to build around Tyler Shough. They need a receiver to go with Chris Olave, so taking Tate works.\u201d<\/p>\n Kansas City lost both of its starting cornerbacks to the Rams this offseason, one in a trade that landed it the No. 13 pick. But with a rare Top 10 selection, the Chiefs land the draft\u2019s top cornerback in the 6-foot, 187-pound Delane, who finished second in the SEC with 11 passes broken up.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThey have a glaring need at corner and Delane would be an immediate starter. They could go receiver here, but I think this is a must for them in the first round.\u201d<\/p>\n 10. Cincinnati Bengals: Caleb Downs<\/a>, S, Ohio State<\/p>\n After finishing with the NFL\u2019s second-worst defense in 2025, Cincinnati lands arguably college football\u2019s best overall defender the past few years in Downs. The 6-foot, 206-pound Downs immediately elevates the Bengals\u2019 porous defense both in the secondary and at the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n Prisco: \u201cThey need playmakers on the defensive side of the ball. He has range to allow him to do a lot of things in their defense.\u201d<\/p>\n CBS Sports\u2019 Pete Prisco Mock Draft 2.0, pick Nos. 11-32:<\/p>\n 11. Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy<\/a>, CB, Tennessee<\/a>![\"Ohio](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Untitled-84-1024x538.png\")
(Samantha Madar | Columbus Dispatch\/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"Sonny](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/sonny-1-1024x538.jpg\")
(Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"Carnell](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Tate-1024x538.jpg\")
(Samantha Madar | Columbus Dispatch\/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"Jermod](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Jermod-McCoy-Tennessee-1024x538.jpg\")
(Brianna Paciorka | News Sentinel\/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
12. Dallas Cowboys: R Mason Thomas<\/a>, EDGE, Oklahoma<\/a>
13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Spencer Fano<\/a>, OT, Utah<\/a>
14. Baltimore Ravens: Francis Mauigoa<\/a>, OT, Miami
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Akheem Mesidor<\/a>, EDGE, Miami
16. New York Jets (via IND): Jordyn Tyson<\/a>, WR, Arizona State<\/a>
17. Detroit Lions: Olaivavega Ioane<\/a>, IOL, Penn State<\/a>
18. Minnesota Vikings: Peter Woods<\/a>, DL, Clemson<\/a>
19. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Sadiq<\/a>, TE, Oregon<\/a>
20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): Avieon Terrell<\/a>, CB, Clemson
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Emmanuel Pregnon<\/a>, IOL, Oregon
22. Los Angles Chargers: Caleb Banks<\/a>, DL, Florida<\/a>
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Max Iheanachor<\/a>, OT, Arizona State
24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Ty Simpson<\/a>, QB, Alabama<\/a>
25. Chicago Bears: Blake Miller<\/a>, OT, Clemson
26. Buffalo Bills: Malachi Lawrence<\/a>, LB, UCF<\/a>
27. San Francisco 49ers: Kadyn Proctor<\/a>, OT, Alabama
28. Houston Texans: Kayden McDonald<\/a>, DL, Ohio State
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR): Makai Lemon<\/a>, WR, USC<\/a>
30. Miami Dolphins (via DEN): Dillon Thieneman<\/a>, S, Oregon
31. New England Patriots: Zion Young<\/a>, EDGE, Missouri<\/a>
32. Seattle Seahawks: Cashius Howell<\/a>, EDGE, Texas A&M<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 NFL Draft is roughly two weeks away and that means NFL analysts are emptying their notebooks…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":860003,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[40550,40956,9383,11868,5781,5782,5784,9384,9387,5791,40974,26735,7,5795,9391,5798,20645,5799,84482,26737,11876,110382,32679,107993,99465,49,48,5806,5807,5808,34445,5809,15529,34447,105269],"class_list":{"0":"post-860002","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-akheem-mesidor-20-clearwater-academy-international","9":"tag-arvell-reese-23-glenville","10":"tag-avieon-terrell-23-westlake","11":"tag-blake-miller-22-strongsville","12":"tag-caleb-banks-21-southfield","13":"tag-caleb-downs-23-mill-creek","14":"tag-carnell-tate-23-img-academy","15":"tag-cashius-howell-21-rockhurst","16":"tag-david-bailey-22-mater-dei","17":"tag-dillon-thieneman-23-westfield","18":"tag-emmanuel-pregnon-20-thomas-jefferson","19":"tag-fernando-mendoza-22-columbus","20":"tag-football","21":"tag-francis-mauigoa-23-img-academy","22":"tag-jeremiyah-love-23-christian-brothers-college","23":"tag-jermod-mccoy-23-whitehouse","24":"tag-jordyn-tyson-22-independence","25":"tag-kadyn-proctor-23-southeast-polk","26":"tag-kayden-mcdonald-23-north-gwinnett","27":"tag-kenyon-sadiq-23-skyline-senior","28":"tag-makai-lemon-23-los-alamitos","29":"tag-malachi-lawrence-21-dupont-manual","30":"tag-mansoor-delane-22-archbishop-spalding","31":"tag-max-iheanachor-22-king-drew-medical-magnet","32":"tag-monroe-freeling-23-oceanside-collegiate-academy","33":"tag-ncaa","34":"tag-ncaa-football","35":"tag-peter-woods-23-thompson","36":"tag-r-mason-thomas-22-cardinal-gibbons","37":"tag-rueben-bain-23-miami-central","38":"tag-sonny-styles-22-pickerington-central","39":"tag-spencer-fano-23-timpview","40":"tag-ty-simpson-22-westview","41":"tag-vega-ioane-22-graham-kapowsin","42":"tag-zion-young-22-westlake"},"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\/860002","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=860002"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860002\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}