The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a week away. With that, CBS Sports has overhauled its latest mock draft as teams finalize their preparations for the annual event.
Notably, CBS Sports is projecting five trades within the first round. This includes the Dallas Cowboys trading up into the top 10 and possibly drafting their next franchise linebacker, a team trading back into the first round for Alabama QB Ty Simpson, as well as a couple of teams on the East Coast trading up to draft a pair of Oregon players.
Below you can find the full mock. This includes all five proposed trades, which could make for a whirlwind of a draft night.
There’s not much more to say about Fernando Mendoza other than he’s long since been considered the consensus No. 1 overall selection. His accolades last season speak for themselves: a Heisman Trophy, leading Indiana to a national title, and going undefeated.
It appears Mendoza will have to fight for the starting job right away, however, as Las Vegas signed veteran Kirk Cousins during free agency. Still, Mendoza should be looked at as the long-term solution under center for the Raiders.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
David Bailey shot up draft boards this offseason, and it appears he’ll be one of the first names taken off the board behind Mendoza once Thursday’s event begins. This is for good reason, as GMs have high hopes that Bailey could be a game-changing player for their organization.
On the field, Bailey is a pass rush specialist. He sharpened that reputation by leading Division I in sacks with 14.5 on the year in 2025 en route to Texas Tech’s Big 12 title run and CFP appearance.
Francis Mauigoa enters the NFL having started 42 straight games in college for Miami. That’s including all 16 this past season en route to a national championship game appearance.
He finished the 2025 season playing 826 total offensive snaps. He allowed just two sacks and 10 pressures across 440 pass block snaps. In all, Mauigoa played 814 snaps at right tackle across 16 games for the Hurricanes this season.
Arvell Reese only needed two full years of production at Ohio State to be considered one of the top prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. He’s a former four-star recruit, but has largely been considered one of the best outside linebackers/edge rushers in college football.
Since 2024, Reese has combined for 112 tackles for the Buckeyes. He finished 2025 with 69 combined tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. As a result, he earned All-American status in 2025 and was also a key piece to the Buckeyes’ national championship squad the year before.
5. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
On the field, Tate finished his final college season having caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine receiving touchdowns. In his career, he caught 121 passes for 1,872 yards and 14 touchdowns.
His 17.2 yards per catch in 2025 earned him the reputation as an explosive playmaker downfield. Many expect that to continue after the NFL Draft.Â
6. *MOCK TRADE* Dallas Cowboys (via Browns): LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
The first of several trades — CBS Sports projects the Cowboys to trade up into the top 10 to draft their linebacker of the future. One year after trading Micah Parsons to the Packers, Styles would certainly look the part in Dallas.
On the field, he’s logged 185 tackles in the last two seasons, including 245 combined in his career. Moreover, he dazzled scouts at the NFL combine with a 4.46 40-yard dash time, an NBA-esque 43.5-inch vertical jump, as well as an 11-foot-2 broad jump.
Jeremiyah Love will be the first running back drafted during next week’s event. Where he’ll land remains to be seen, but he could be a game-changing presence on offense for whichever team pulls the trigger.
In 2025, Love took 199 carries for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry. He added 27 catches for 280 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air as well.
LSU transfer CB Mansoor Delane has been elite since arriving in Baton Rouge (Photo: © Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)
Delane began his college career playing at Virginia Tech. He spent three seasons with the Hokies before transferring to LSU for his senior year, where he’d go on to break up 11 passes, catching two interceptions for the Tigers and finished with 45 combined tackles.
During those four years, Delane logged 191 combined tackles with 27 pass breakups, eight interceptions and four forced fumbles. The ball-hawking cornerback averaged nearly seven PBUs per season during his college career.
Across 822 snaps in 2025, Fano didn’t allow a single sack or hit on his quarterback. Notably, only 382 of those were pass block snaps. He also finished fifth among offensive tackles with just five pressures allowed on the year.
He started 12 games at left tackle in 2023 before starting 24 games at the right tackle position over the next two seasons. The 6-foot-6, 311-pounder also ran at 4.91 40-yard dash, so he can shed a block and move into the second level of the defense if necessary.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami
Rueben Bain Jr. finished his college career having logged 20.5 sacks, including 9.5 this past season for the Miami Hurricanes. The star EDGE rusher finished 2025 ranked No. 1 among EDGE rushers with 54 hurries and second with 67 pressures as well.
He helped anchor the Miami defensive line all the way to the national championship game in 2025. He’s expected to continue this production in the NFL as a projected top 10 pick.
CBS Sports mock draft No. 11-32
11. Miami Dolphins: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
12. *MOCK TRADE* Cleveland Browns (via Cowboys): OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons): WR Makai Lemon, USC
14. *MOCK TRADE* Carolina Panthers (via Ravens): S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
16. New York Jets (via Colts): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
17. Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
18. Minnesota Vikings: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
19. *MOCK TRADE* Baltimore Ravens (via Panthers): OL Vega Ioane, Penn State
20. Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
22. *MOCK TRADE* Miami Dolphins (via Chargers) TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
23. New England Patriots (via Eagles): OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars): WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
25. Chicago Bears: DL Peter Woods, Clemson
26. Buffalo Bills: OL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
27. San Francisco 49ers: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
28. Houston Texans: DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
29. *MOCK TRADE* Arizona Cardinals (via Chiefs): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
30. *MOCK TRADE* Los Angeles Chargers (via Dolphins): EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson
31. *MOCK TRADE* Philadelphia Eagles (via Patriots): LB Malachi Lawrence, UCF
32. Seattle Seahawks: RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame