I have never done a full 32 mock draft, typically I just mock the Bengals 7 round draft. But with the Bengals not having a 1st round pick I figured I should mock draft for everyone else and see how well I do. With the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Las Vegas Raiders select.....
Fernando Mendoza - QB (Indiana) - If Mendoza does not go 1.01 tomorrow it would be safe to say we have entered a different timeline. Not even the Raiders can mess up a lay up pick like this.
1.02 - New York Jets
Arvell Reese - LB (Ohio State) - The Jets have a lot of needs and I think Reese fills one of those. He is a freak athlete who can impact the game as soon as he steps on the field.
1.03 - Arizona Cardinals
Jeremiyah Love - RB (Notre Dame) - Simply put, he is the best prospect in the draft in my opinion. The Cardinals will be looking for their next franchise quarterback and having a running back like Love makes it much easier on the quarterback.
1.04 - Tennessee Titans
David Bailey - Edge (Texas Tech) - The Titans could go a few different ways with there pick here. I believe if Love falls to four the Titans will have the card turned in almost immediately. I think he doesn't make it to four leaving the Titans selecting potentially the best edge in the Draft, David Bailey.
1.05 - New York Giants
Sonny Styles - LB (Ohio State) - Styles had a great combine performance all but cementing him in the top five in my eyes. The Giants now have two picks in the top ten. That said, they can look to fill the WR hole with the tenth pick. That leaves them taking one of the most athletic guys in the draft here at five.
1.06 - Cleveland Browns
Carnell Tate - WR (Ohio State) - The Browns are another team that I could see go a few different ways with their two first round picks. Thanks to Travis Hunter, the Browns own the Jags pick in the first round this year. What a fleece by the Browns that turned out to be. Back to the pick. I think the Browns either go WR here or OT. With Tate being on the board I think they grab him and look to take a tackle later in the first round.
1.07 - Washington Commanders
Caleb Downs - S (Ohio State) - The Commanders need some help in the secondary and Downs is just that. He is a proven player not only on defense but also special teams. In a division that will have to face Malik Nabers, George Pickens, and AJ Brown in six of the seventeen games, adding a strong piece to the safety room is the best pick.
1.08 - New Orleans Saints
Rueben Bain Jr. - Edge (Miami) - Bain is one of those guys teams will hate playing against. What he was able to do for Miami this year gives him a chance to claim the best pass rusher in the class tag. I think him and Bailey are both really close talent and potential wise which makes him feel like a steal at eight. The Saints have a few different needs heading into the draft, but with Bain on the board I think you have to take him.
1.09 - Kansas City Chiefs
Mansoor Delane - CB (LSU) - Delane is the best corner in the draft. The Chiefs need help on defense after losing some pieces of the secondary in free agency. Delane makes sense here for the Chiefs.
1.10 - New York Giants
Makai Lemon - WR (USC) - This is where the Giants add the WR I was talking about when explaining pick five. This is the perfect scenario for the Giants. You add a great linebacker to help solidify a defense that just lost Dexter Lawrence. Adding Lemon gives Malik Nabers another great wide receiver to take some of the eyes off of him. Going Styles / Lemon would be a big win for both sides of the ball.
1.11 - Miami Dolphins
Jordyn Tyson - WR (Arizona State) - It is no secret the Dolphins need to add to their depleted receiver room. Losing Hill and trading Waddle leaves Malik Willis with no threats to throw the ball to. Tyson gives Willis a top WR in this class.
1.12 - Dallas Cowboys
Francis Mauigoa - T (Miami) - The Cowboys do not necessarily need to take a 1st round tackle, but when a guy like Mauigoa gets to you at twelve the decision is made for you.
1.13 - Los Angeles Rams
Spencer Fano - T (Utah) - The Cowboys start the mini run on OL taking Mauigoa, the Rams follow that pick with Spencer Fano. The Rams have the weapons on offense and now they get the protection.
1.14 - Baltimore Ravens
Olaivavega Ioane - G (Penn State) - This feels like a lay up pick for the Ravens. Their OLine may be the worst in the division. Needing to block Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, and now Dexter Lawrence, the Ravens have to go line with their first round pick.
1.15 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Akheem Mesidor - Edge (Miami) - The Bucs have a young offense and adding to the defense would be a big step moving them in the right direction to win the NFC South again. Playing opposite of Bain allowed him to get thirteen sacks last season. Playing on a DLine with Vita Vea will give him some freedom to get to the quarterback.
1.16 - New York Jets
Omar Cooper Jr. - WR (Indiana) - The Jets have a few options they could go with at pick sixteen. They need help in a lot of positions. I could see them taking McCoy or Faulk here, but I think they ultimately decide to take Cooper Jr out of Indiana to pair with Garrett Wilson.
1.17 - Detroit Lions
Monroe Freeling - T (Georgia) - The Lions lost the left tackle that he been there for a decade. They will need to replace him if they want to return to the post season and make a run. Adding Freeling, a guy who only allowed five total sack in his last three seasons is a good place to start.
1.18 - Minnesota Vikings
Dillon Thieneman - S (Oregon) - The Vikings don't have near the depth they need at the safety spot to be in the position to compete in the NFC North. Thieneman is the next best option in the class behind Downs.
1.19 - Carolina Panthers
Kenyon Sadiq - TE (Oregon) - The Panthers have a solid offense, they added to the defense in free agency. Adding a threat at TE to this offense, which made the playoffs last year, could play a big role in helping them keep control of the NFC South.
1.20 - Dallas Cowboys
CJ Allen - LB (Georgia) - I'll be honest, I have no clue what the Cowboys do here at twenty. They could trade back, they could trade up, but for the sake of the mock keeping them at twenty and based on who has been chosen and who is available CJ Allen makes the most sense to me.
1.21 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Kadyn Proctor - T (Alabama) - The Steelers already have two first round tackles on the line but with the injury status of Jones and his return both unknown they could look to pick up a week one starter here at twenty one. Factor in the fact that everyone in the AFC North has great pass rushers, a tackle here makes sense.
1.22 - Los Angeles Chargers
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren - S (Toledo) - Some Maction in round one! Pairing McNeil-Warren with Derwin James puts the Chargers defense in a much better spot than it was when the night started. I could also see the Chargers going with a WR here, Denzel Boston.
1.23 - Philadelphia Eagles
T.J Parker - Edge (Clemson) - Right edge is the hole that needs patched on the DLine for Philly. T.J Parker averaged nine sacks over his last two seasons. With opposing teams having to plan for Carter and Davis should free up Parker to do damage.
1.24 - Cleveland Browns
Blake Miller - T (Clemson) - Like the Giants, the Browns have two picks to fill two needs. Using the sixth pick on a receiver allows them to take a tackle at twenty four. The best tackle on the board being Blake Miller.
1.25 - Chicago Bears
Cashius Howell - Edge (Texas A&M) - The Bears will have their choice between Faulk out of Auburn or Howell from A&M. Howell being the more productive guy the last few season leads me to believe they go with him here.
1.26 - Buffalo Bills
Kayden McDonald - DT (Ohio State) - The fifth Buckeye off the board in the first round goes to the Bills. The Bills only have one tackle on the roster currently, adding a first round talent to the line is never a bad idea.
1.27 - San Francisco 49ers
Keldric Faulk - Edge (Auburn) - Another team with a depleted defensive line adds a first rounder to the line. He will play opposite of Bosa giving him opportunities to get to the quarterback easier.
1.28 - Houston Texans
Peter Woods - DT (Clemson) - The Texans already have a well built defense with stars at practically every position. This is another spot where I think a trade is very possible. If they Texans plan to make a pick here, Peter Woods adds to an already elite defensive line.
1.29 - Kansas City Chiefs
Jermod McCoy - CB (Tennessee) - This pick is where I think some people may disagree with me. Taking two corners in the first round would certainly be a choice. If you disagree with them taking two corners I urge you to look at who is currently in their secondary and tell me you would be comfortable with that secondary on your favorite team. McCoy makes sense here.
1.30 - Miami Dolphins
Colton Hood - CB (Tennessee) - The Dolphins are in rebuild mode, adding an offensive weapon with the eleventh pick, it would make sense to add to the defense with their second pick.
1.31 - New England Patriots
Max Iheanachor - T (Arizona State) - The Patriots will look to add the other half to the tackle position with their first round pick. They took Campbell in the first round last year and will keep to the pattern taking Iheanachor with the thirty first pick.
1.32 - Seattle Seahawks
Avieon Terrell - CB (Clemson) - This team was dominant last year in every aspect of the game. Taking best player available (BPA) here makes the most sense to me. On my board the BPA is Avieon Terrell. That said, that's the pick.
That was a lot of fun, my first complete mock draft. Tonight at 8pm we will see how many of these picks I get right!
As always Who Dey & Go Redlegs!
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