Dan Graziano
Multiple Authors
The NFL draft is a tough reporting venture. You spend hours and days and weeks on the cellphone and know for a undeniable fact that some folks — possibly most of them — aren’t telling you the reality. Teams need to hold their plans and their evaluations as secret as potential at the moment of yr whereas additionally floating info and eventualities to throw off the competitors.
So, by the point it is the day earlier than the draft and also you sit down to put in writing up your greatest info, it is fairly scary. I’m right here to inform you the stuff I really feel greatest about, however I achieve this with full confidence that some components of it will not change into right. One factor can utterly shake up the primary spherical.
We can really feel 100% certain the Las Vegas Raiders are taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the primary choose. They’ve been set on that for a very long time, and by the point the choose is in Thursday evening, it will likely be a formality. After that, the thriller begins. And that is the place I need to begin.
I haven’t got a mock draft for you. I really feel assured you’ll find plenty of them if that is what you need. But listed below are among the issues I’ve been listening to about how the 2026 draft may play out, beginning as soon as Mendoza has his Raiders hat on and the Jets are on the clock.
Jump to the most recent buzz on:
ARI/TEN | CLE | DAL
LAR | NYG | NYJ
Ohio State prospects
Other notes
How will the Jets method the No. 2 choose?
Everything I’ve been informed because the latter a part of final week leads me to consider the Jets will choose Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese with the second choose within the draft.
For the longest time, it has felt as if the Jets had been deciding between Reese and Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, and I acknowledge that some draft analysts have predicted Bailey right here. Reese vs. Bailey has been a subject of debate within the Jets’ constructing. But ever since Bailey’s deliberate go to to the Jets got canceled final week, folks I belief within the league have informed me they assume the Jets have settled on Reese. He may also help them instantly as an off-ball linebacker even when he wants time to develop right into a high-level edge rusher (and he won’t even want that point).
OK, so then what occurs at Nos. 3 and 4?
Once the Jets make their choose — be it Reese or Bailey — the Cardinals hope to have choices at No. 3. It’s broadly identified across the league that the Cardinals would like to commerce down from that spot. If the Jets take Reese and there is a workforce on the market corresponding to, say, the Chiefs at No. 9 that wishes to make an enormous transfer up for Bailey, a deal may come collectively that might internet Arizona further picks. If there is a workforce on the market that wishes to come back as much as No. 3 for Notre Dame working again Jeremiyah Love, the Cardinals would pay attention.
If there is not any deal for the third choose, I consider — as my colleague Adam Schefter suggested is a possibility on Monday — the Cardinals would draft Love.
It would really feel like a bizarre choose for Arizona, which has round $11 million in cap house already dedicated to a working backs room that features James Conner, newly signed Tyler Allgeier, Trey Benson and Bam Knight. But there is a broadly held perception across the league that Love is the perfect participant on this class, and he’ll be tempting for groups selecting up excessive. The Raiders aren’t taking Love as a result of they’re choosing Mendoza they usually drafted Ashton Jeanty final yr. The Jets aren’t taking Love as a result of they have already got Breece Hall on a $14.3 million franchise tag. But beginning at No. 3, the curiosity in Love will intensify — and that features curiosity from the workforce at present holding that choose.
I’ve been informed the Titans additionally wish to commerce down from No. 4; but when they cannot, the choose is prone to be an edge rusher or a large receiver. So, if Bailey remains to be on the board at No. 4, he’d be a robust candidate to go to Tennessee. If not, I count on the Titans to both commerce down or take whichever wideout (Ohio State’s Carnell Tate or Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson) they’ve ranked the very best.
What is the Giants’ plan for his or her two picks?
Following Saturday’s trade of defensive sort out Dexter Lawrence II to the Bengals, the Giants now maintain the No. 5 and No. 10 picks. This allows them to be nimble and commerce up or down because the scenario dictates. But in the event that they keep put at No. 5, my info signifies their almost definitely picks can be Love (if he is nonetheless there) or Ohio State security Caleb Downs. Multiple folks have informed me they consider Downs can be the Giants’ choose even forward of linebacker Sonny Styles, Downs’ faculty teammate. And I do know the Giants like Tyson, however most people I’ve spoken to the previous couple of days assume the Giants can be extra prone to wait and attempt to take him at No. 10.
If the Giants take Downs at No. 5 and Tyson is not the choose at No. 10, I’d lean towards New York choosing an offensive lineman with that second choice. In that case, the main potentialities are Utah sort out Spencer Fano and even Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane. If Love is the choose at No. 5, I’d count on the Giants to go protection at No. 10 (possibly Downs remains to be there?) or commerce down.
Will the Browns be at a pivot level at No. 6?
It appears as if everybody is aware of the analytics-driven Browns would like to commerce down from No. 6. Many folks I’ve spoken with consider there can be groups all for shifting as much as that spot to get forward of the Commanders, who choose at No. 7 and are believed to have their eyes on Styles, Downs, Tate and Love. I doubt the Cowboys would come all the best way up from No. 12 (extra on them in a minute), however the Chiefs (No. 9), Giants (No. 10), Dolphins (No. 11) and Rams (No. 13) are candidates to maneuver up in the event that they’re frightened about touchdown their most well-liked targets.
Cleveland desires to come back out of the primary spherical with an offensive sort out and a large receiver. The Browns choose once more at No. 24 due to final yr’s draft-day trade with Jacksonville, they usually may maneuver any variety of methods to ensure they land each positions.
Could the Rams be a wild card?
Let’s skip a number of picks and go along with the Rams, who maintain the No. 13 choose because of final yr’s trade with Atlanta. They traded their very own first-rounder, No. 29, to the Chiefs for cornerback Trent McDuffie. So, No. 13 is the Rams’ solely choose within the top 60 choices. They have not made a choose that prime since 2016, after they traded up to take quarterback Jared Goff at No. 1, so there is not so much on which to base a prediction of what they will do with this choose. They seem to have a loaded roster and never a ton of quick wants.
Most mock drafts appear to have the Rams taking a large receiver, however the final wideout they took within the first spherical was Tavon Austin in 2013. In the meantime, they’ve established a superb observe report of discovering huge receivers in later rounds — Cooper Kupp within the third, Josh Reynolds within the fourth, Puka Nacua within the fifth. You get the concept.
So, if the Rams assume they will discover the impression receiver within the second spherical or later, what do they do within the first? Could be something. Some individuals are even watching to see in the event that they make an enormous transfer up for Love, who can be a really thrilling cherry on top of their offensive sundae. There’s all the time the prospect they commerce down the best way they did final yr.
And then there’s the Ty Simpson issue. The Rams have been linked to the Alabama quarterback in league circles for some time now. It’s an open secret that they like him. When they nonetheless had the No. 29 choose, they appeared just like the workforce to look at for Simpson. But since No. 13 feels too quickly to take him, that discuss has quieted down. Now, many marvel if Simpson may tumble out of the primary spherical solely.
1:03
Ty Simpson’s NFL draft profile
Check out among the top highlights from Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
But as I stated, the Rams do not seem to have any crying wants for which the thirteenth choose may assist them of their effort to win the Super Bowl at residence. So, may they commerce down from No. 13 and nonetheless take Simpson later within the spherical? Possibly. Could they only chew the bullet and take Simpson at No. 13 in the event that they like him that a lot? Unlikely, however once more, this can be a robust workforce to foretell.
If the Rams take Simpson within the first spherical, they’re prone to face criticism for not discovering quick assist for a win-now workforce with 38-year-old reigning MVP Matthew Stafford at quarterback. But would they care? This is the “F— them picks” franchise, keep in mind? If Los Angeles actually believes Simpson has the potential to be Stafford’s successor, I do not assume it is ridiculous to assume it may go forward and take him.
Add in that division-rival Arizona — which many consider is the true workforce to look at for Simpson — holds the thirty fourth choose and can be a candidate to both draft him there or commerce again into the primary spherical to land him and it makes the Rams/Simpson theories slightly bit spicier.
What will the Cowboys do with two first-rounders?
While it is enjoyable to think about workforce proprietor Jerry Jones going all Leeroy Jenkins and buying and selling approach as much as get one of many huge stars, that simply is not the best way the Cowboys truly draft. They have not traded up within the first spherical since 2012 (for Morris Claiborne). They’ve been one of the crucial disciplined and profitable drafting groups of the previous decade and past. They have choose No. 12, which is their very own, and No. 20, which they received from the Packers within the Micah Parsons trade.
What I’m informed is that the Cowboys don’t need to commerce each No. 12 and No. 20 to maneuver up for only one participant. A small transfer up from No. 12 that does not contain No. 20 appears potential in the event that they really feel like considered one of their most well-liked targets is inside vary. But going all the best way up into the top 5 – 6 picks does not sound to me like what they need to do.
I’d truly say it is extra doubtless the Cowboys commerce down from No. 20 than up from No. 12. They want a ton of assist on protection and would adore it if Styles, Downs or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane fell to them at No. 12; they may get to work addressing the opposite positional wants at No. 20 and later. Dallas additionally does not have a second-round choose (it belongs to the Jets from the Quinnen Williams trade), which is why I’ve been informed to be careful for the Cowboys to commerce down from No. 20 to attempt to recoup some Day 2 capital.
What can these top Ohio State prospects convey?
I spoke Tuesday with Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who can be in attendance on the draft Thursday evening to have fun with the entire Buckeyes prospects anticipated to go within the first spherical. Unsurprisingly, he talked up all of his guys. He informed me Reese is absolutely able to being an instant-impact edge rusher or an off-ball linebacker instantly — that’s, the truth that he wasn’t requested to hurry the passer a ton in faculty doesn’t suggest he cannot do it at a excessive degree within the professionals subsequent season. And Patricia informed me drafting Styles would imply “having the middle of your defense set for the next 15 years, having a face of the franchise, all of it.”
But there have been two issues Patricia informed me about Downs that jumped out, as I hadn’t heard them earlier than.
“First, he’s the best punt returner in the draft,” Patricia stated, noting that the Buckeyes did not ask Downs to return punts final yr however that he scored on a punt return in 2024 and did the identical with Alabama in 2023.
1:14
Caleb Downs throws up peace signal as he returns punt for 85-yard TD
Alabama’s Caleb Downs returns Chattanooga’s punt 85 yards to the home for a landing.
Patricia additionally stated Downs has extra potential to play the slot defender position than his utilization by the Buckeyes in 2025 signifies. Patricia pointed to their 20-13 win over Penn State in 2024, when Downs lined eventual first-round tight finish Tyler Warren and held him to only 4 catches for 47 yards.
Miscellaneous nuggets
I’m predicting a minimum of seven and as many as 10 offensive linemen get picked within the first spherical. There’s a late-round zone loaded with groups that will love to come back out of Thursday evening with a brand new offensive lineman, together with the Lions, Panthers, Steelers, Chargers, Eagles, Browns, Bears, 49ers, Chiefs and Patriots. Kansas City may even use its No. 9 choose on an offensive sort out and nobody can be stunned. Baltimore may take Ioane at No. 14, if he is there.
Miami’s Francis Mauigoa has lengthy been anticipated to be the primary offensive lineman chosen, and he nonetheless may very well be. But he has a herniated disk in his again, which is worrying some groups. I’m not predicting an enormous drop from Mauigoa, however it would not shock me if Fano and even Ioane went forward of him.
I would not be shocked to see the Super Bowl champion Seahawks choose the different Notre Dame working again, Jadarian Price, with the No. 32 choose. They took Kenneth Walker III with the forty first choose in 2022 and Zach Charbonnet with the 52nd in 2023. Walker is now with the Chiefs, and Charbonnet is recovering from a major knee injury, so the necessity is there. But the safer wager is Seattle trading down from that choose with a workforce trying to safe a fifth-year choice on a participant it likes. The Seahawks have solely 4 picks, and normal supervisor John Schneider has a protracted historical past of shifting down and including to his trove because the draft progresses.
I’ve heard there’s an opportunity Tennessee’s Colton Hood may very well be the second cornerback taken, behind Delane and forward of Volunteers teammate Jermod McCoy. There are groups which might be cautious of the situation of McCoy’s knee and will draw back. Multiple folks have in contrast it to former Michigan cornerback Will Johnson‘s scenario final yr, as he was a first-round expertise who fell into Day 2 resulting from health concerns. Johnson ended up taking part in properly as a rookie for the Cardinals anyway.
