Just over three weeks from draft night, we\u2019ve entered into the most chaotic and entertaining stage of the 2026 NFL Draft season.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the point where every rumor sounds plausible, every pro day becomes a referendum and every front office suddenly starts talking like it invented misdirection.<\/p>\n
This is the season of smoke screens, strategic leaks and quarterback debates inflated to cable-news proportions.<\/p>\n
Updating my 2026 NFL Mock Draft is no longer a clean exercise in team needs and prospect grades. It\u2019s more about cutting through the noise.<\/p>\n
Fernando Mendoza still stands as the clear-cut top quarterback in this class \u2014 the most accomplished, the most battle-tested and, frankly, the least complicated evaluation among the top passers.\u00a0But Ty Simpson has become the draft industrial complex\u2019s favorite argument after Dan Orlovsky\u2019s public table-pounding<\/a> and the Jets\u2019 private workout intrigue<\/a>.<\/p>\n The reality is if a team like the Jets, Cardinals or even the Browns, decide to invest in Simpson, it will likely be in the bottom half of the first round.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Rueben Bain Jr. remains one of the class\u2019s most fascinating stress tests for evaluators. He\u2019s a violent, top-tier talent whose arm length has become a draft-season group chat obsession. What Bain lacks in wingspan, he more than makes up for in brutality, and sheer force.<\/p>\n WHAT\u2019S INCLUDED IN THIS UPDATE<\/p>\n Three full rounds, including compensatory picks MOCK PREAMBLE<\/p>\n This is an attempt at figuring out the best players available in this season\u2019s draft class, and which teams they\u2019d match up well with considering the current draft order courtesy of NFL.com. The closer we get to draft day, the more I\u2019ll attempt to match what teams will actually do with their draft picks as opposed to what I believe they should do.<\/p>\n According to The Huddle Report, I was the second-most accurate NFL draft prognosticator in print last season. I tied for first overall (out of 172) covering a five-year period between 2019 and 2023.<\/p>\n Considering the NFL doesn\u2019t have an offseason, the draft has become the Super Bowl of the league\u2019s second season, and a mock version of said draft is meant to educate, perhaps even entertain. At very least, it helps you pass the time.<\/p>\n Agree? Hate it? Think your team just got robbed? Follow along on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown<\/a> and let\u2019s argue about the board like civilized adults.<\/p>\n FIRST ROUND<\/p>\n 1. Las Vegas (3-14) \u2014 Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana, Jr.<\/p>\n The Raiders still need wideout help and more muscle inside on the defensive line, but none of that matters if the quarterback spot remains a black hole. Mendoza wins with command, accuracy, red-zone efficiency and grown-man composure. Plus, the Heisman-winner is reportedly already learning Klint Kubiak\u2019s playbook<\/a>. Top needs: QB, WR, DT<\/p>\n 2. N.Y. Jets (3-14) \u2014 Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio St., Jr.<\/p>\n The Jets still have glaring needs at QB, corner and receiver, so this probably won\u2019t satisfy everyone, but the uber-athletic Reese looks like he was built in a lab to play defense in today\u2019s NFL. At 6-foot-4 and 243-pounds, he\u2019s long, explosive, versatile, and productive enough to justify the hype. Top needs: QB, CB, WR<\/p>\n 3. Arizona (3-14) \u2014 David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech, Sr.<\/p>\n If the Cardinals pass on Ty Simpson here, adding Bailey makes plenty of sense. This defense needs more juice, more pressure and more players that offenses actually have to account for. Top needs: QB, OL, DL<\/p>\n 4. Tennessee (3-14) \u2014\u00a0Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio St., Sr.<\/p>\n Styles walked into the combine and basically turned it into a superhero origin story. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash with a 1.56 split, then posted a 43\u00bd-inch vertical and an 11-foot-2 broad jump. He gives the Titans a true defensive chess piece, someone who can affect the run game, cover ground in space and create matchup problems in sub-packages. Someone similar to what Robert Saleh had in San Francisco with Fred Warner. Top needs: WR, Edge, LT<\/p>\n 5. N.Y. Giants (4-13) \u2014\u00a0Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU, Sr.<\/p>\n The Giants still need receiver help, interior defensive line reinforcements and offensive line upgrades, but Delane gives them a needed secondary piece with real flexibility. The more I watch him, the more he reminds me of Seahawks\u2019 All-Pro corner Devon Witherspoon. Both share a similar size profile. Both ran in the 4.38-4.42 range at their pro days. Most importantly, both are sticky in coverage, see routes development quickly and can survive in multiple alignments. Top needs: WR, DT, G<\/p>\n 6. Cleveland (5-12) \u2014\u00a0Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami, Jr.<\/p>\n I know Browns GM Andrew Berry is trying to shut down Myles Garrett trade speculation after it was revealed a recent contract adjustment actually made it easier to deal the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Regardless, if a team makes a \u201cGodfather\u201d offer then Garrett will be traded. Otherwise, Berry could pair the superstar with Bain to create one of the more formidable pass-rushing duos in the league. His\u00a0lack of ideal length is real, and it will scare off some teams. But the r\u00e9sum\u00e9, disruption, and polish are also real. Top needs: QB, Edge, WR<\/p>\n 7. Washington (5-12) \u2014\u00a0Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame, Jr.<\/p>\n The Commanders need more explosive, dependable offense, and Love gives them exactly that. Free agent additions Rachaad White and Jerome Ford have proven capable in this league, but they\u2019re not Love. The Heisman finalist is built for volume (6-foot, 214 pounds) and versatility with three-down traits (vision, finish, receiving upside). He\u2019s my No. 1 overall player in this draft.<\/a> Top needs: Edge, WR, RB<\/p>\n 8. New Orleans (6-11) \u2014 Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio St., Jr.<\/p>\n The Saints badly need receiving help, along with defensive line and cornerback upgrades, and Tate fills one of those holes with a polished, quarterback-friendly skill set. He gets open in ways that translate, and that matters a lot more than winning the Underwear Olympics by a tenth of a second.\u00a0Tate\u2019s tape says he is fast enough. He should pair nicely with another former Buckeye, Chris Olave, and could become a high-volume NFL target in time. Top needs: WR, DT, CB<\/p>\n 9. Kansas City (6-11) \u2014 Francis Mauigoa, T, Miami, Jr.<\/p>\n Protecting the quarterback remains the highest priority with the Chiefs. Mauigoa gives them a young blocker they can plug into the long-term plan.\u00a0Speed and counter rushers will test his feet and timing, but the baseline traits scream future Pro Bowler, whether he stays at tackle or eventually slides inside. Top needs: CB, Edge, RT<\/p>\n 10. Cincinnati (6-11) \u2014\u00a0Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn St., Jr.<\/p>\n If the Bengals want to be more balanced and less dependent on magic tricks from Joe Burrow, this would help.\u00a0Ioane\u2019s the kind of interior presence that changes your run game personality, while featuring impressive movement skills for a man his size (6-4, 330). Top needs: DT, CB, WR<\/p>\n 11. Miami (7-10) \u2014 Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St., Jr.<\/p>\n After the Dolphins hit Ctrl+Z on their roster, they need help all over the place. Downs plays like he\u2019s on the headset with the coordinator. The phrase \u201cglue guy\u201d can undersell star talent, but in this case it means something valuable: he makes everything around him cleaner. Top needs: WR, Edge, CB<\/p>\n 12. Dallas (7-9-1) \u2014 TJ Parker, Edge, Clemson, Jr.<\/p>\n The Cowboys need edge depth, linebacker help and a nickel defender, and Parker checks one of those boxes with upside to become much more.\u00a0Parker\u2019s power jumps off the tape. His bull rush is violent, he already holds up well against the run and he plays with the kind of functional strength that translates quickly. Some may find this too early, but if the decision was based solely on his sophomore season, he\u2019d be selected in the top 10. Top needs: Edge, LB, NB<\/p>\n 13. L.A. Rams from Atlanta (8-9) \u2014 Makai Lemon, WR, USC, Jr.<\/p>\n Lemon would slide beautifully into a system that values timing, spacing and smart route detail. The Rams are hyper-focused on winning a championship next season. Lemon already wins like a pro. He\u2019d help Matthew Stafford right away rather than requiring a long developmental runway. Top needs: WR, RT, Edge<\/p>\n 14. Baltimore (8-9) \u2014 Spencer Fano, T, Utah, Jr.<\/p>\n The Ravens have long been one of the better organizations at maximizing tough, technically sound linemen.\u00a0Fano\u2019s ceiling debate comes down to length\/anchor vs. NFL power, but his floor is high because the pass-pro foundation is real. Top needs: C, WR, CB<\/p>\n 15. Tampa Bay (8-9) \u2014\u00a0Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn, Jr.<\/p>\n Faulk flashes high-end tools, and his draft slot will hinge on whether he shows a repeatable rush plan and scouts believe he can consistently finish. The Bucs trust their coaching to turn flashes into production. Top needs: Edge, LB, G<\/p>\n 16. N.Y. Jets from Indianapolis (8-9) \u2014\u00a0Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama, Jr.<\/p>\n Taking Reese earlier and Simpson here would give New York both a defensive building block and a developmental quarterback with starting traits. Simpson fits because he doesn\u2019t need to be the superhero version of the position to help stabilize it. For the Jets, that might actually be the healthiest possible outcome. Simpson only has 15 collegiate starts to go off of, but the small sample size shows he is a poised, accurate, mechanically clean QB who wins with processing, rhythm and pocket control more than raw star-power traits.\u00a0Top needs: QB, CB, WR<\/p>\n 17. Detroit (9-8) \u2014 Monroe Freeling, T, Georgia, Jr.<\/p>\n Freeling would give the Lions a premium athlete to develop in a system that already values physicality and trench depth. Detroit has shown a willingness under its current regime to invest heavily in foundational positions.\u00a0He needs polish, but Freeling is a classic traits-plus-SEC-production tackle prospect: long, explosive, and athletic enough to make coaches believe they can unlock something big. Top needs: T, Edge, LB<\/p>\n 18. Minnesota (9-8) \u2014\u00a0Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon, Jr.<\/p>\n Thieneman is a do-it-all safety with verified NFL athleticism, real ball production, and enough versatility to be a coordinator\u2019s favorite toy. The Vikings need more playmakers and more structural answers on defense, and he checks both boxes. Top needs: DT, CB, SS<\/p>\n 19. Carolina (8-9) \u2014\u00a0Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee, Jr.<\/p>\n The Panthers need more cover talent, plain and simple. If the medicals check out and the movement looks right at his pro day (March 31), McCoy\u2019s the type of talent who usually goes in the top half of the first round. Top needs: WR, NB, DT<\/p>\n 20. Dallas from Green Bay (9-7-1) \u2014\u00a0Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson, Jr.<\/p>\n The Cowboys value corners who can survive on an island and still bring something in the run game. Terrell is a much better run defender than his brother A.J. \u2014 former first-round pick of the Falcons \u2014 despite being a bit undersized (5-10\u00be, 186). He tweaked his hamstring at Clemson\u2019s pro day on Monday.<\/a> He had the same injury pop up at the NFL Combine. It remains to be seen what this lingering ailment will do to Terrell\u2019s draft stock. Top needs: Edge, LB, NB<\/p>\n 21. Pittsburgh (10-7) \u2014\u00a0Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech, Sr.<\/p>\n Rodriguez is productive, physical and wired the way the Steelers prefer their defenders wired. He will be a 24-year-old rookie, but he\u2019s a turnover-hunting, highly instinctive enforcer with elite 2025 PFF grades, and he answered all big athletic questions at the combine. Top needs: QB, LG, LB<\/p>\n 22. L.A. Chargers (11-6) \u2014 Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami, Sr.<\/p>\n The Chargers need edge help, linebacker depth and a free safety. Mesidor would immediately strengthen their pass-rush rotation with a player who can contribute without needing a two-year incubation period (he turns 25 in April). He\u2019s\u00a0a productive, polished, hard-nosed edge rusher whose tape is built on actual pass-rush craft instead of empty athletic fantasy. Top needs: Edge, LB, FS<\/p>\n 23. Philadelphia (11-6) \u2014\u00a0Blake Miller, T, Clemson, Sr.<\/p>\n The Eagles have long prioritized line play and developmental continuity in the trenches. GM Howie Roseman doesn\u2019t generally wait until there is a crisis to invest in offensive linemen. Miller is the rare four-year ironman tackle prospect who checks the NFL\u2019s favorite boxes in permanent marker: size, length, anchor, awareness, durability. Top needs: T, Edge, WR<\/p>\n 24. Cleveland from Jacksonville (13-4) \u2014\u00a0Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona St., Jr.<\/p>\n
\nJets take a quarterback in the first round
\nMansoor Delane lands in the top five
\nCleveland selects an edge rusher at No. 6
\nWashington grabs Jeremiyah Love at No. 7
\nOlaivavega Ioane climbs into the top 10
\nJordyn Tyson falls outside the top 20<\/p>\n