1. Las Vegas Raiders - QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana 

Nothing changes here, the Raiders still need a franchise quarterback, and this is a class where there is only one clear top quarterback. Las Vegas made a ton of free agency signings in an attempt to improve the roster around the assumed first overall pick. They broke the bank for the best free agent offensive lineman in Tyler Linderbaum, along with many other defensive signings. They still need to improve in the receiver room, but already have star young weapons in Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty, so they can do so in later rounds.

2. New York Jets - LB/EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State

The Jets made a ton of moves this offseason and dramatically changed their front seven. While they do have a few solid edge rushers, I don’t think either Will McDonald IV or Joseph Ossai would stop the Jets from taking Reese at two. They are still in a rebuild and are clearly loading up on young talent with five first-round picks in the next two drafts. Reese is a player who can play as both an edge rusher and an off-ball linebacker. He has as much upside as any player in this draft class and plays a position that the NFL highly covets. 

3. Arizona Cardinals - OT Spencer Fano, Utah 

While Fano may not be the top talent on the board, Arizona has a huge hole on the right side of its offensive line. The Cardinals are in rebuild mode and need a new quarterback, but this feels way too high for Ty Simpson. They could also use one of the top edge rushers here, but I think tackle is such a desperate need for them, and I think Fano has not been getting a lot of the media attention I think he deserves. A lot of people prefer Mauigoa, but I think Fano, when it's all said and done, will be the first lineman off the board. 

4. Tennessee Titans - RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame 

Tennessee really bolstered its defensive line and got some help around Cam Ward as well, but I still think they need to add someone on offense. Ward arguably had the worst weapon group of any quarterback playing last year, which has to change if they want to truly help him reach his full potential. Wan’Dale Robinson is a solid player, but the offense desperately needs to add players who truly scare a defense. Love is my overall top player in this class and could give this offense and Cam Ward the juice it needs to make a quick turnaround. 

5. New York Giants - LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

The Giants, I thought, made a lot of quality signings, but no true splashes in free agency. They filled out a lot of their primary needs, allowing them to go for their best available player. While they did bring in Tremaine Edmunds and retained Micah McFadden, I don’t think that would stop them from taking Sonny Styles. New York’s run defense was amongst the league’s worst last year, and was overall one of the worst defenses in football last year. Styles is an athletic freak with tons of upside who could give them a true long-term signal caller for their defense.

6. Cleveland Browns - OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami 

The Browns have done a ton to help rebuild an offensive line that returns zero of its starters from last season. That being said, they still need to do more. Mauigoa gives them another tackle opposite of Tytus Howard, while having the potential to move inside if need be. While there is a gaping hole at wide receiver for whoever is playing the quarterback position for them next season, this is a very deep and talented wide receiver class, and the Browns have a second first-round pick and a high second-rounder to try to fill that need.

7. Washington Commanders - S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The Commanders made a ton of signings to help a defense that severely underperformed compared to expectations last season. More specifically, they signed two of the top edge rushers in this year’s free agency class, so I think it makes a ton of sense to get the best player available and take Caleb Downs. Downs gives their secondary a true leader after struggling in a major way last season. He is the number two overall player on my board, and I could see Dan Quinn falling in love with his versatility as a prospect. 

8. New Orleans Saints - EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech

While the Saints are another team with a massive hole at wide receiver, I think this class is much deeper than it is top-heavy at that position. New Orleans is in a tough cap situation and did not add a ton in free agency on the defensive side of the ball. Bailey is my top player available on the board and gives them another pass rusher to complement some of the pieces they have there. With the departure of Cam Jordan, the Saints need to find a potential long-term pass rusher. Bailey was dominant this past season for an elite defense at Texas Tech. 

9. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The Chiefs do have a massive hole at tackle, but with Fano and Mauigoa gone, I think it would make sense for them to look at some of their other holes. They just traded away all-pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and lost another outside cornerback, Jaylen Watson, in free agency, leaving a clear hole at the position. Delane is this year’s top cornerback out of LSU and would immediately be the top guy in Kansas City. The Chiefs could look to add a veteran free agent to fill their right tackle position or take one with one of their other draft picks. 

10. Cincinnati Bengals - EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami

The Bengals desperately need to add talent to their defense. An already struggling unit losing its two top pass rushers, Cincinnati has needs all over the defense. Many of the top defenders are off the board, and they did prioritize replacing their defensive lineman losses in free agency, but I don’t think that would stop them from taking Bain. There was a lot made out of Bain’s arm length, but the guy was dominant against any level of talent he played in college football, and could be the long-term replacement the Bengals need after Trey Hendrickson’s departure.  

11. Miami Dolphins -  CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee 

The Dolphins desperately need to add talent to their secondary, and after McCoy, there is a big drop-off in talent at the cornerback position, in my opinion. Miami is in a complete rebuild and, in my opinion, should be going after the best player available at the premier position. The top pass rushers are gone, and I think Miami would be better suited to wait on a receiver with one of their later picks. Despite missing all of his junior season, McCoy was elite as a true sophomore, and if the physicals check out, he has an argument as the best corner in this class. 

12. Dallas Cowboys - EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami 

I think if the board were to fall this way, Dallas would be desperately looking to move back, but unfortunately, there are no trades in this mock, so they reach for the top edge rusher available. The Cowboys could use help on all three levels of their defense, but with the top-tier defenders in this class gone in my opinion, they add a tier two pass rusher in Mesidor. I could see Dallas taking Ioane out of Penn State here, but their defense was so bad after trading Parsons, it's hard to justify not trying to reach and find a potential upgrade for their pass rush. 

13. Los Angeles Rams - WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

With the receivers falling in this mock and the Rams not having any clear needs, this is a dream pick for them. Davante Adams isn’t a long-term answer outside of Puka Nacua, and Tate could be a perfect complement to Nacua long term. He is a tall, deep threat, despite not running a great forty time, who tracks the ball incredibly well down the field. Los Angeles would be having a dream offseason, filling their gaping need at cornerback via trade and free agency, and then bolstering an already elite offense that would have arguably the league's best trio in Nacua, Adams, and Tate. 

14. Baltimore Ravens - WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Same as what I had in, the Ravens still need to upgrade at the wide receiver position. They lost one of their top weapons in Isaiah Likely, and didn’t add anything on the outside in free agency. I personally prefer Tyson over Lemon, but I also think the fit here makes more sense for Baltimore. Lemon works primarily out of the slot, which also happens to be where Zay Flowers does a majority of his work. Tyson would give Baltimore a potential superstar alpha wide receiver. If he can stay healthy, he has the most upside of any receiver in this class. 

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - EDGE Keldrick Faulk, Auburn

Another team is potentially reaching for an edge rusher due to the value and need of the position. Faulk is still a top twenty-ish player in my opinion, and the Buccaneers desperately need help on the edge. The Buccaneers didn’t do a ton in free agency, so I didn’t change the position of who they were taking, but with Mesidor off the board in this scenario, I went with the next best edge. They could look to try to replace Jamel Dean, but I don’t think there is a cornerback worth taking compared to the edge rushers that are still on the board. 

16. New York Jets - WR Makai Lemon, USC

With the wide receivers falling, Lemon could be considered a steal for New York, which desperately needs to add on the outside opposite of Garrett Wilson. The Jets did a solid job adding to their defense via free agency and trades, but did not really address the receiver position. I really thought about taking Ioane to replace Vera-Tucker, who left in free agency, but the value of the wide receiver position and Lemon being the last of the tier one receivers left swayed me to this pick. The future Jets quarterback will hopefully have two top weapons on the outside now. 

17. Detroit Lions - OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia

I had them take a guard in my last mock, but with the release of Taylor Decker, there is a clear need for left tackle. Freeling has been flying up boards since his combine, and could be an immediate plug-and-play for Detroit at left tackle. To me, he is kind of in a tier of his own, not quite in the first tier of tackles, but clearly better than everyone after him. The Lions built their identity on their offensive line being dominant, which quietly took a big step back this past year. They look to get back to that by spending their first-round pick on an offensive tackle.

18. Minnesota Vikings - S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

The Vikings need to add to a weak secondary that doesn't have much talent outside of Byron Murphy Jr. Thienemen is a perfect fit for them, and while the safety position is not considered one of the more valuable in the league, he is a stud. He has been rising up boards since the combine, and while I have him dropping a few spots since my last one, that is more so due to fit and not what I think of him as a player. The Vikings have a few more holes on the interior of their offensive and defensive lines, but I think the fit of Thieneman makes a ton of sense here. 

19. Carolina Panthers - TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Back-to-back Ducks go here, as I stick with what I had in my previous mock. The Panthers were big spenders in free agency, but still need to add weapons to really unlock their offense. They did a good job adding defensive talent to a unit that played better as the year went along, and also added Rasheed Walker to a one-year deal to help solidify their offensive line. Sadiq gives Carolina a nice complementary weapon to last year’s OROY in Tet McMillan, while also being an above-average blocker for the position, helping their run game. 

20. Dallas Cowboys - CB Aveion Terrell, Clemson

After adding an edge rusher with their first selection, Dallas looks to add another piece to their defense in Terrell. I think Terrell is the best defender on the board at this point, and cornerback is a clear position of need for Dallas. Their secondary was not great last season, and adding Cobie Durant isn’t enough in my opinion to solve that issue. The Cowboys should be using these picks to try to bolster the defense, and in this mock, they do so. Terrell is an undersized corner who probably projects as a slot corner, but has played very well on the outside in college. 

21. Pittsburgh Steelers - QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

While I didn’t have Simpson being taken by Pittsburgh in my last mock draft, I think it is more and more likely that Simpson doesn’t fall out of the first round. My thinking here is that even if Rodgers were to return in 2026, the Steelers are likely going to be out of reach for the top quarterbacks in next year's class, and it would take too much to come up and get him. Worst-case scenario, Rodgers returns, and Simpson sits for a year that he very well could need. Either way, Simpson showed a lot during the first half of the season to justify a first-round selection. 

22. Los Angeles Chargers - OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

The Chargers' biggest need, in my opinion, is offensive guard, and luckily for them, the only one worth taking in the first round just fell to them at twenty-two. Los Angeles’ offensive line was historically bad in 2025, and while they will get Slater and Alt at the tackle spots, the lack of interior line play limited them in the run game. Ioane is the clear best interior offensive lineman in this class due to his power in the run game and the ability to open lanes in the run game while holding up in pass protection. A home run pick for Los Angeles. 

23. Philadelphia Eagles - EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M 

The Eagles have a hole on the edge after losing Jaelen Phillips to free agency. In my last mock, I had them taking a corner, and while I do think that is still a potential option, the pickup of Riq Woolen is enough for me to pivot to a more pressing need and probably the better prospect.  Howell is the top edge rusher left on the board in my opinion, despite the questions coming out of the combine on his arm length. I also considered wide receiver, but until AJ Brown is actually traded, I don’t think they would take one in round one if the board fell this way. 

24. Cleveland Browns - WR Denzel Boston, Washington

After filling out their offensive line in free agency and with the sixth overall pick, the Browns need to focus on finding some receiving weapons. The highest one on my board here is Denzel Boston, and while I could see him being taken a little higher, I think the depth of the receiver class may cause him to fall a bit. Cleveland is looking to see if they have something in any of the quarterbacks on their roster before next year’s draft, and they are going to need to find a receiver to fairly evaluate whoever it is starting for them. 

25. Chicago Bears - DL Caleb Banks, Florida 

The Bears have a clear need on the defensive line, and the best one in the class happens to fall to them here. Chicago didn’t do a ton in free agency, but they were able to add some solid pieces to their secondary and their linebacker group. While they still could add some help to their secondary, I think Banks is one of the best players available, and at a clear position of need for Chicago. He is a powerful, explosive athlete who can collapse the pocket against both the run and pass. He gives Chicago an immediate upgrade in the middle of their defense.

26. Buffalo Bills - S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo 

While three safeties being taken in the first round feels a little strange, all three are very good players. McNeil-Warren has great size for the position and is just a true playmaker at the position. This, combined with the major need for Buffalo at the position, makes this a perfect fit. The Bills could use another edge rusher, but I don’t think any of the players available are as good a fit as McNeil-Warren would be for them. I also thought about going offensive line, but I am not sure there are any interior linemen worth taking here. 

27. San Francisco 49ers - OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama 

I had this pick for them in my last mock, and I still think it makes a ton of sense. The 49ers did a good job filling out their wide receiver room, but left a lot to be fixed with their offensive line issues from a year ago. Proctor had a bit of an underwhelming season compared to the expectations he had coming into the season, but I still think his upside makes him worth a first-round selection. I also love the fit here because I think Proctor could project well as a guard if tackle doesn’t work out for him, and the 49ers could use help on the interior as well. 

28. Houston Texans - LB CJ Allen, Georgia

I love this fit for the Texans, who need a linebacker who excels in pass coverage. CJ Allen is just that; he was a very productive player for Georgia and was considered one of the leaders of their defense. The Texans do have holes along the middle of their offensive line, and I could see them going that route. I just don’t think any of the players available on the interior would be worth a first-round selection. Houston should go with a player who could be the leader of a young, talented defense, and try to look for an interior offensive lineman later.

29. Kansas City Chiefs - OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

The Chiefs filled a clear cornerback need with their ninth overall pick in the draft, and honestly, I would not be entirely shocked if they were to double down on corner here. That being said, they need someone who is startable on the right side of the offensive line after releasing Jawaan Taylor. Lomu played left tackle, which may make it difficult for him to be productive in year one, as rookie tackles already usually struggle, but he is the clear best tackle left on the board, and the Chiefs didn’t address this need at all in free agency.

30. Miami Dolphins - WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

The Dolphins are in a total rebuild and have holes to fill across the board. That being said, after trading Jaylen Waddle to get this pick, there is a huge need at receiver. Cooper Jr. would immediately become the top weapon on the outside in this offense and hopefully give Malik Willis, who Miami just paid over twenty million dollars annually, some sort of threat there. Cooper Jr. may not have been Indiana’s true wide receiver one, but he was still very productive, and his game projects well to the NFL, being a good deep threat and after-the-catch specialist.

31. New England Patriots - EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson

I had the Patriots doing the same thing in my last mock, and they didn’t do anything in free agency to make me change my mind here. New England, I thought, had a good free agency addressing many of the needs across their offense, to the point where I think forcing a pick at wide receiver or offensive line isn’t necessary here. They had a very good defense, but their pass rush was a clear weak spot, and I don’t think Dre’Mont Jones would be enough to cause them to shy away from adding more talent to the pass-rushing group. 

32. Seattle Seahawks - CB Colton Hood, Tennessee 

While I don’t think cornerback is a huge need for them, they could use another corner after the departure of Tariq Woolen. Hood is also one of the best players on the board and should definitely hear his name called on day one of the draft. I really thought about taking a running back here. With Charbonnet likely missing the first part of the season and losing Kenneth Walker to free agency, there is a huge hole at that position. I just think they would much rather take a first-round talent cornerback than reach for a running back simply due to need.