{"id":573557,"date":"2026-04-09T09:08:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T09:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/573557\/"},"modified":"2026-04-09T09:08:14","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T09:08:14","slug":"2026-nfl-draft-cbs-sports-unveils-new-mock-draft-wild-predictions-after-pro-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/573557\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NFL Draft: CBS Sports unveils new mock draft, wild predictions after Pro Days"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 NFL Draft will officially kickoff exactly two weeks \u2014 14 days \u2014 from Thursday in Pittsburgh, Pa. With time winding down, Mock Draft season is entering the backstretch, as NFL analysts everywhere begin to empty their notebooks to provide updated draft projections.<\/p>\n

The latest is CBS Sports\u2019 Garrett Podell, who released his 2026 Mock Draft 5.0 with some wild pick predictions including some big-name prospects landing at interesting locations in the first round. Case in point, Podell predicts the Dallas Cowboys will run the gamut by landing Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr., a potential Top 5 pick, at No. 12 and then potentially reaching for consensus All-American linebacker Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech at No. 20, a pick it acquired from Green Bay for Micah Parsons.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, check out the rest of CBS Sports\u2019 2026 Mock Draft 5.0 released Wednesday<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The Raiders recently signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins to a cap-friendly deal. But make no mistake, that\u2019s not going to stop Vegas from making it official with Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national champion QB. Mendoza led the FBS with 41 touchdowns and 3,535 yards on 72-percent passing to cement his status as the top top over pick.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cFernando Mendoza is the obvious first overall pick after leading the country in touchdown passes, winning the 2025 Heisman Trophy and powering Indiana to its first football national championship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"(Samantha Madar | Columbus Dispatch\/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

There have been rumblings the Jets are eyeing another edge, but Podell thinks that\u2019s all smoke and second-year coach Aaron Glenn will take the draft\u2019s most versatile defender. The 6-foot-4 and 243-pound Reese powered Ohio State\u2019s FBS-best defense with 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2025.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cArvell Reese comes with the highest ceiling of all the edge rushers in this draft, and the rebuilding Jets happily add that potential with the second overall pick.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Cardinals have a bevy of needs, including at QB after moving on from Kyler Murray this offseason. But Podell thinks that fix will have to wait a year as new Arizona coach Mike LaFleur instead builds around the position by landing the draft\u2019s top offensive lineman, the\u00a06-foot-5 1\/2 and 329-pound Mauigoa. <\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cFrancis Mauigoa is a massive right tackle with sound technique, particularly in the run game, and he would fill a void at that position for Arizona.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Titans coach Robert Saleh shored up Tennessee\u2019s defensive front with the additions of former Jets DLs Jermaine Johnson II and John Franklin-Myers. But you can\u2019t have too many pass rushers and none were better last season than the 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Bailey, who led the FBS with 14.5 sacks in 2025.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cSaleh gets his dream defense with this pick by selecting Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, college football\u2019s 2025 sacks leader.<\/p>\n

5. New York Giants: Carnell Tate<\/a>, WR, Ohio State<\/p>\n

\"\"\u00a0(Grace Smith | IndyStar\/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

While some are mocking Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love here, Podell expects new Giants coach John Harbaugh to go another direction and add elite big-play WR Tate to pair alongside Malik Nabers for second-year QB Jaxson Dart. Tate ranked third in the Big Ten averaging 17.16 yards per catch in 2025.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cCarnell Tate is the cleanest wide receiver in the draft based on his measurements and traits. He produced a nation-leading six receiving touchdowns of 30 or more air yards in 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cleveland revamped its offensive line this offseason by adding three new starters during free agency, including former Texans LT Tytus Howard and former Packers C Elgton Jenkins. Now they shore up that overhaul by landing the 6-foot-6 and 311-pound Fano, a prototypical right tackle from Utah.\u00a0<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cFano is the type of foundational offensive line piece they need to build around long-term in the trenches.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Commanders overhauled both sides of the ball in free agency, including adding RBs Rachaad White and Jerome Ford. But neither compare to the home-run potential of Love. The 2025 Doak Walker Award winner is considered the draft\u2019s best player after rushing for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cDan Quinn saw how much having a dominant running back like Marshawn Lynch helped his \u2018Legion of Boom\u2019 Seattle Seahawks defense years ago, so he gets himself one here with Love.\u201d<\/p>\n

8. New Orleans Saints: Caleb Downs<\/a>, S, Ohio State<\/p>\n

\"Caleb(Samantha Madar | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

The Saints have a ton of needs on either side of the ball, but the versatility of the 6-foot, 206-pound Downs proves to appealing to pass up. Downs was one of college football\u2019s most complete defenders the past two years and did it all while leading Ohio State\u2019s FBS-best defense during that span.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cCaleb Downs can line up anywhere: strong safety, nickel or even in sub-packages as a linebacker. \u2026 New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley pushes for even more of a chameleon in Downs.\u201d<\/p>\n

9. Kansas City Chiefs: Sonny Styles<\/a>, LB, Ohio State<\/p>\n

Podell expects the Chiefs to stick to their board and take the best available with a rare Top 10 pick, and that\u2019s unquestionably the 6-foot-5, 244-pound Styles. The converted safety flashed elite athleticism at the NFL Combine in February after leading the Buckeyes\u2019 FBS-best defense with\u00a082 total tackles in 2025.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cSonny Styles would provide a much-needed shot of athleticism and playmaking (after) linebacker Leo Chenal left for the Washington Commanders in free agency.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bengals\u2019 porous defense needs help all over, but especially in the secondary. With Downs already off the board, Cincinnati nabs the uber-talented McCoy, who appears fully recovered after missing the entire 2025 season with an ACL injury but flashed as a first-team All-SEC selection in 2024.<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: \u201cHe also crushed his Tennessee Pro Day with a 4.38 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump. He\u2019s all the way back.\u201d<\/p>\n

CBS Sports\u2019 new 2026 Mock Draft 5.0, pick Nos. 11-32<\/p>\n

\"rueben(Jerome Miron | Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

11. Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU<\/a>
12. Dallas Cowboys: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Makai Lemon, WR, USC<\/a>
14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State<\/a>
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
16. New York Jets (via IND): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State<\/a>
17. Detroit Lions: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama<\/a>
18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon<\/a>
19. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo<\/a>
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M<\/a>
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia<\/a>
24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
25. Chicago Browns: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
26. Buffalo Bills: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn<\/a>
27. San Francisco 49ers: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson<\/a>
28. Houston Texans: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
30. Miami Dolphins (via DEN): KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
31. New England Patriots: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington<\/a>
32. Seattle Seahawks: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 NFL Draft will officially kickoff exactly two weeks \u2014 14 days \u2014 from Thursday in Pittsburgh,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":573558,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[127886,126779,42973,127887,7314,175231,139553,179249,42169,175254,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-573557","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-arvell-reese-23-glenville","9":"tag-caleb-downs-23-mill-creek","10":"tag-carnell-tate-23-img-academy","11":"tag-david-bailey-22-mater-dei","12":"tag-fernando-mendoza-22-columbus","13":"tag-francis-mauigoa-23-img-academy","14":"tag-jeremiyah-love-23-christian-brothers-college","15":"tag-jermod-mccoy-23-whitehouse","16":"tag-sonny-styles-22-pickerington-central","17":"tag-spencer-fano-23-timpview","18":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=573557"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573557\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/573558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=573557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=573557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=573557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}