2026 NFL Mock Draft: Jets Get QB? Cowboys Snag Draft’s No. 1 Defensive Player

In recent weeks, most mock drafts have only one quarterback going in the first round. Following the opening week of free agency, though, I see a second signal-caller entering the mix for first-round consideration. Who could be the second first-round quarterback taken after Fernando Mendoza in the 2026 NFL Draft — and which team will get in on the action? Here are my latest projections, in which I also predict a running back will be selected within the first five picks for the first time in eight years. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana We all kind of know this is what’s going to happen. I think Mendoza will be a great fit for the Raiders from a coaching and offensive philosophy standpoint. They went out and paid top-dollar for some free agents, with Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum headlining that group. They’re building up the offensive line for not just Mendoza, but also for running back Ashton Jeanty. I think the Raiders are building toward something big, which bodes well for a quarterback who plays his best in crunch time. 2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State This is where the draft starts. Reese has reminded me of star edge rusher Micah Parsons since the fall. He’s a sensational player, and I know he’s just scratching the surface. This is a guy who played as a starter for just one season and was just learning how to play the edge. He’s an excellent pass rusher, whether he’s rushing from the interior or edge. He’s got bend, athleticism and explosiveness. He’s got tremendous upside, and I believe he could be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate early in his career. 3. Arizona Cardinals: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech There’s a lot of hype around Bailey, and rightly so. This guy is a game-wrecker, and he had a tremendous year in his lone season at Texas Tech. Bailey led all power-conference players in sacks and tackles for loss this past season. The Cardinals need help wherever they can get it, and Bailey will do that. 4. Tennessee Titans: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame This is where things really get interesting. We’ve honed in on positional value come draft time over the past few years and how much we should value running backs, but we’ve seen Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs shine in the NFL after being taken early in the first round of the draft. That said, the Titans should be thrilled to pick Love. He should be a great fit in offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s offense and a good piece to put next to quarterback Cam Ward. Love can run and catch the ball, just like the four running backs I mentioned. This would be the first running back selected in the top five in eight years, and Love is a home run. 5. New York Giants: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State I wanted to give the Giants Caleb Downs. I think Downs is perfect for coach John Harbaugh and fits the mold of all those smart, versatile safeties he had when he was the Ravens’ head coach. I think it would be a mistake to not draft Downs, but the Giants could use another pass catcher for quarterback Jaxson Dart. Tate, with his ability to make contested grabs down the field, is a good fit for Dart’s gunslinger passing style. Some might debate USC’s Makai Lemon as a better receiver than Tate, but I think Tate is the better fit for the Giants’ offense. 6. Cleveland Browns: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia The Browns have a hole at left tackle, but all the best offensive linemen in this draft are right tackles. However, Freeling is starting to inch up on big boards and in mock drafts, so I think the Browns might take a swing and select the Georgia left tackle a bit earlier than some think. This might not seem like a big reach as the process goes on, though. Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano might be better offensive tackle prospects, but Freeling is the better fit here. Still, this was probably the hardest pick to figure out in this mock draft. 7. Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State There hasn’t been a bigger riser following the combine than Styles. He was already a first-round pick, but he put on a show in Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago that might make him a top-10 pick. He has got a safety background, so he has a lot of athleticism in the open field. He is also a great leader. 8. New Orleans Saints: Makai Lemon, WR, USC Lemon is a great player in space. There isn’t a player in this draft who has the feel for space like Lemon does. He operates in the middle of the field as well as anyone. He thrived for USC in that role, and he just understands football. He knows how to work coverage and is great with the ball in his hands. 9. Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU They have a glaring need at cornerback following the trade of Trent McDuffie and losing Jaylen Watson in free agency. This is too obvious of a selection. I think Delane is the top corner in the draft as well. 10. Cincinnati Bengals: Rueben Bain Jr, EDGE, Miami (Fla.) Sure, the Bengals gave Boye Mafe $20 million per year to help replace Trey Hendrickson at edge rusher, but I can’t get over what I saw in the College Football Playoff, and I don’t think anyone will ever say, “We have too many pass rushers.” My favorite part about Bain’s game isn’t when he’s able to get pressure in advantageous situations. Rather, it’s his motor. He goes eight million mph on every single snap. I don’t care about his arm length — just watch him play. 11. Miami Dolphins: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.) The Dolphins have holes everywhere, particularly along the offensive line. Luckily for them, there’s an offensive tackle who played his college ball in the same stadium as them who can slot right in for them. Like Bain, Mauigoa also had a great CFP showing. He can develop into a great pass protector as well. I’m not sure if he projects as a left tackle for the long haul, but he’ll flourish right away at right tackle. 12. Dallas Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State This is exactly what I had the Cowboys doing in my first mock draft. I think Downs is good enough to be drafted earlier than this, but he might get hurt by positional value. Still, Downs is sensational and could elevate a Dallas defense that was the worst in scoring this past season. Ohio State’s entire defense was built around Downs, winning a national championship as a result. Jerry Jones, don’t overthink it. 13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons): Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon Man, the Rams have been aggressive. Their pass defense has quickly improved, so that’s settled. How about their passing game, though? Davante Adams is getting a bit older, turning 34. Matthew Stafford’s not going to play forever, but he still has some juice. I love the thought of the Rams picking up Sadiq, who can help replace Adams as a red-zone threat down the line. You talk with the coaching staff at Oregon, and they also rave about his blocking ability. 14. Baltimore Ravens: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah I’m not a huge conspiracy theory guy, but the Maxx Crosby dilemma that led to them signing Trey Hendrickson worked quite well for the Ravens. Now, Baltimore has some questions along the offensive line to figure out. Fano’s a good fit for the Ravens and giving quarterback Lamar Jackson more protection is never a bad idea. What might hurt Fano in this process is when general managers look to see how he did against the best competition he faced. Fano didn’t play well against David Bailey and Texas Tech this past season. That might be why he falls here and isn’t a top-10 pick. 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn Faulk’s a great player. He’s an excellent athlete and is long at 6-foot-6 with a ton of upside. We’re only seeing just the beginning of what he could potentially turn into. 16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama The Jets got Geno Smith in a trade with the Raiders this past week. Let’s be real, though, New York shouldn’t be saying, “We’re all set” at quarterback after that move. I can’t get Simpson out of my head, either. My knock on Simpson isn’t his size, because he can make throws outside the hashes and down the field, but that he only started for one season in college. However, with Smith in tow, Simpson doesn’t need to start right away. He also played well in some big moments, like at Georgia and at Oklahoma this past season. 17. Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson The Lions are reshuffling their offensive line this season, with Penei Sewell going from right to left tackle following the departure of Taylor Decker. Miller was one of these Clemson prospects that some might not value as much considering the Tigers’ down season, but he has got a ton of experience and played well. 18. Minnesota Vikings: Peter Woods, EDGE, Clemson Another Clemson guy off the board. Woods is a talented player, and I thought he was going to be a top-10 pick entering the 2025 season. Still, when you look at his entire college career, he’s worthy of being selected here. He could really help the Vikings. 19. Carolina Panthers: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu seems likely to miss the entire 2026 season after rupturing his patellar tendon in the Panthers’ playoff loss to the Rams. While the Panthers just recently signed Packers left tackle Rasheed Walker, it’s still smart for them to get as much protection in front of quarterback Bryce Young. Proctor’s an athletic left tackle considering his tremendous size (6-foot-7, 350 pounds). 20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers): Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Even though I have them taking Downs with their first pick, the Cowboys still need some defensive help. If McCoy wasn’t hurt, he might have been in the conversation with Mansoor Delane to be the top cornerback in this draft. He could still take that honor if he performs well at his pro day, but watch out for the Cowboys if they’re able to land the players who I think are the best defenders in this draft. 21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vega Ioane, G, Penn State It feels like Ioane should be off the board by this point, but he isn’t, so he’d be an obvious selection for the Steelers. He’s the best interior offensive lineman in this draft. Maybe he won’t be on the board for the Steelers when their pick comes around, but he’d be a tremendous fit if he is. 22. Los Angeles Chargers: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech Jesse Minter might be gone as defensive coordinator, but the principles of that defense remain. We know Jim Harbaugh is going to want to build a run wall, and Hunter can help them do that. Hunter had a solid season in his only year at Texas Tech. He might be only 6-foot-3, but he plays bigger than his size. 23. Philadelphia Eagles: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami (Fla.) The Eagles have drafted so well to the point that they’re victims of their own success. Philadelphia has lost some talent in its defensive front seven over the past couple of offseasons, and it has some more defensive players it needs to extend soon. That said, Mesidor was outstanding for Miami in its playoff run. 24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars): Omar Cooper, WR, Indiana The Browns need to get a threat on the outside. Cooper’s film is so good, but he seems to be on the rise during this draft process after what he showed at the combine. He’s fantastic in short areas and can catch the ball well in traffic. Of course, Cooper also made the play of the year when he made that incredible touchdown catch in Indiana’s win over Penn State. I thought Cooper was also the best wide receiver with the ball in his hands in the Big Ten. 25. Chicago Bears: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State The Bears said goodbye to DJ Moore recently, so they could use another pass-catcher. Tyson’s a big-bodied guy, and I love the idea of quarterback Caleb Williams throwing to larger targets. Williams likes to improvise, and he does that well. 26. Buffalo Bills: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon Thieneman reminds me of new Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonard back when he was a standout in the NFL. He’s a great player, and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning loved him thanks to his versatility, toughness and anticipation. 27. San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah The 49ers need to figure out what they’re doing along the offensive line post-Trent Williams, as reports emerged this past week that he could get traded. Lomu’s a really good player, and these Utah offensive linemen are ready to play at the next level. 28. Houston Texans: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Maybe the Texans would move up to get Lomu, but I think Iheanachor is talented enough to be a first-round pick. He also seems to be a riser in this draft process, so maybe he’ll really solidify himself as a first-round pick soon, but it’s clear that the Texans need some offensive help. 29. Kansas City Chiefs (via Rams): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo I really like McNeil-Warren’s game, and I think he could be a great talent injection for that Chiefs’ secondary. Kansas City also needs some young and talented players who come cheap. 30. Denver Broncos: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M The Broncos were able to retain their key linebackers in free agency, so Georgia’s CJ Allen probably isn’t an option here. Denver should look to add some more talent on offense instead. As someone who watches every Broncos game, there’s something about the Bo Nix-Courtland Sutton duo that just isn’t there. Nix needs a target with a shot area quickness, and Concepcion can provide that. However, Concepcion isn’t just a slot receiver, either. He can make plays down the field. 31. New England Patriots: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M Howell’s gotten a knock for short arms. Just with Bain, though, go watch Howell’s tape. He was incredibly productive at Texas A&M this past season, and I think Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel will love having a guy like him on his roster. 32. Seattle Seahawks: TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson The Seahawks lost some key pieces from their title-winning team, so general manager John Schneider will look to add some good value. Parker fits that bill, and he might be a steal if you can get him with the last pick of the first round. The Seahawks still have to deal with Stafford and some other talented passing games this season. Adding another pass rusher would go a long way in helping to repeat.