It’s the eve of the 2026 NFL Draft, and after a year’s worth of player evaluations and careful combing of current team needs, this is how I see things shaking out over the first two rounds. I considered projecting trades. Some expect the first round to be full of them. Rather than add even more hypotheticals to the exercise, I did what most of the league will do Thursday: “stick and pick.” I did roll the dice in projecting a few surprises, however. The unexpected picks are what make the NFL Draft so compelling every year. One thing fans should expect are runs on receivers, offensive tackles and cornerbacks in the first round, with edge rushers being all the rage throughout the late portion of the first and throughout the second round. FIRST ROUND 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Long-suffering Raiders fans, this is your moment. Klint Kubiak, the brilliant playcaller that helped turn Sam Darnold into a Super Bowl winner, took this job in large part because of the opportunity to select Mendoza, a perfect match for his offense. Prototypically built — from both a size and intangibles perspective — Mendoza looks like a good bet to hit big in Las Vegas. 2. New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech The Jets finished last in the AFC in sacks last season — and that was with defensive linemen Quinnen Williams and Jermaine Johnson for much of it. Bailey is the best pass-rusher in this class, winning with great burst and bend. An aggressive offseason spent adding veterans suggests that the Jets want the most bang for their buck with this pick, which is why they might lean toward Bailey over Arvell Reese, who has better traits. 3. Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame An anemic pass rush sure could use a boost, but the Cardinals aren’t going to climb out of the cellar in the NFC West if they can’t score. Love is the most dynamic player in this draft and the kind of instant superstar that new coach Mike LaFleur (and general manager Monti Ossenfort) could lean on as their roster reset takes place. 4. Tennessee Titans: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Robert Saleh knows what he’s getting with Jermaine Johnson after previously coaching him in New York, but unless the Titans work out a long-term deal with him, the club should take advantage of the opportunity to boost their pass rush. Johnson, after all, has recorded just 13 sacks in his four NFL seasons. Reese is an athletic phenom with enough size to play virtually anywhere in the front seven, tilting the field in his team’s favor. 5. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Speaking of stylistic matches, few NFL head coaches have enjoyed the success with safeties that John Harbaugh has, drafting three in the first round while with the Ravens, including All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and last year’s top pick, Malaki Starks. Incumbent starter Tyler Nubin missed the final few games last year with a neck injury that could force the Giants to consider alternative options. Downs is a true alpha, the best open-field tackler in this class and, in my opinion, its best overall player. 6. Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah It doesn’t matter much who plays quarterback in Cleveland given its current situation at wide receiver and offensive tackle. Fano is a dancing bear at 6-foot-5, 311 pounds, with experience blocking at both tackle positions. Given Fano’s durability (37 games played in three seasons), versatility and upside, it makes sense for the Browns to take their pick of the litter among linemen first before looking for receiver help with their second pick (No. 24 overall). 7. Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State This is another team that I could see considering Tate to spice up its receiver room, but Styles is just too clean of a fit in Dan Quinn’s defense, if available here. Linebackers with Styles’ size and sideline-to-sideline range are rare — his ceiling is as a Fred Warner or Bobby Wagner-type franchise pillar. With just one selection over the first two rounds, the Commanders need to hit on this pick and the remarkably gifted Styles would be exactly that. 8. New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State As one of the NFL’s longest-tenured and most aggressive draft-day traders, Saints GM Mickey Loomis might not wait until pick No. 8, but patience pays off with the most pro-ready pass-catcher of this class falling into his lap. Tate’s soft hands, catch radius and body control help him project as a true WR1 — precisely what second-year head coach Kellen Moore and quarterback Tyler Shough need. 9. Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Needing to replace three key members from last year’s secondary, this feels like the floor for Delane (or Caleb Downs). With his smooth athleticism, instincts and success against elite competition, Delane offers both a very high ceiling and floor at a premium position. 10. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami Though they are nothing like him from a size and style perspective, I considered Miami’s Rueben Bain and Auburn’s Keldric Faulk as possible defensive line pivots for the Giants after trading Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals for the rights to this pick. Instead, I think John Harbaugh will see Mauigoa as the perfect right guard to boost the Giants’ offensive line. 11. Miami Dolphins: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State The talent-starved Dolphins could go in any number of directions with this pick, but receiver is the most obvious need after trading away Jaylen Waddle and apparently moving on from Tyreek Hill. Tyson offers a combination of size, slipperiness and soft hands that should quickly make him new quarterback Malik Willis’ top target. 12. Dallas Cowboys: Rueben Bain, Edge, Miami Bain’s tape is as good as any defender in this class, but short arms and off-field concerns could push him down the board a bit. He plays with a level of violence and instincts that I think make him one of this year’s safest on-field prospects. With two first-round picks at their disposal, the Cowboys could aggressively trade up to address one of the NFL’s most porous defenses, but I love the fit here with Bain instead. 13. Los Angeles Rams: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M The Rams may have already erased whatever gap there was between their roster and that of divisional rival Seattle with their offseason acquisitions of cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. But the biggest difference between these two rosters a year ago was the playmaking of Seahawks receiver/returner Rashid Shaheed. Les Snead and Sean McVay will likely see Concepcion (28 touchdowns scored in 38 college games) as a similar spark plug — not to mention an insurance policy should things turn sour with either Puka Nacua or Davante Adams. 14. Baltimore Ravens: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon Lamar Jackson’s dynamic running ability forces linebackers and safeties to play on their heels, opening up huge windows for tight ends to exploit. Sadiq could be fantastic in this scenario, while also providing punch in the running game. 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane, OG, Penn State The Bucs have other, bigger needs, but Jason Licht has taken the “best player available” strategy many times during his dozen years as Tampa’s GM. Ioane has the look of a future Pro Bowler, and keeping the pocket clean is especially important with a shorter quarterback. Baker Mayfield is just under 6-foot-1. 16. New York Jets: Keldric Faulk, DL, Auburn Given the Jets’ needs at receiver and cornerback, double-dipping on the defensive line might not be the most popular strategy, but depth at those positions and Faulk’s upside might have GM Daren Mougey thinking big, first. The 6-foot-6, 276-pound Faulk has the frame, flexibility and work ethic that screams decade-long NFL starter. 17. Detroit Lions: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Sure, All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell can handle the switch to left tackle, but if arguably the best blindside blocker of this class happens to be available, GM Brad Holmes shouldn’t overthink things. Freeling is only a one-year starter, but his 6-foot-7, 315-pound frame (with 34-inch arms) and impressive lateral agility are traits worth betting on. 18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon Last month, the Vikings announced a post-June 1st release of longtime star safety Harrison Smith, who started a remarkable 203 out of a possible 207 games for Minnesota since being drafted in the first round back in 2012. Thieneman has a long way to go to truly fill the shoes of the NFL’s active leader in interceptions (39), but he has the ball skills and smarts to do so. 19. Carolina Panthers: Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama Like the aforementioned Vikings, the Panthers might see their first pick as the best time to replace a standout. Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu had started all 64 games in which he played over his first four seasons, but his future for next season is in doubt after he suffered a ruptured patella tendon in the playoffs. Proctor could step right in at left tackle this year, with the frame to play the other side or guard, if necessary, in the future. 20. Dallas Cowboys: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee The Cowboys have high hopes for Shavon Revel Jr. and DaRon Bland at cornerback, and after adding four other veterans to their secondary in free agency, perhaps their reinforcements to the secondary are finished. Hood offers schematic versatility, combining the agility and speed to handle man coverage with impressive instincts and reliable tackling. 21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Makai Lemon, WR, USC DK Metcalf remains one of the NFL’s most talented receivers, but his traits did not translate into consistent production with Aaron Rodgers last season, with the duo connecting on just 59 catches for 850 yards (lowest of Metcalf’s seven-year career) and six touchdowns. With his frame, physicality and clever route-running, Lemon would be an ideal complement to Metcalf and a possible day one favorite target for Rodgers. 22. Los Angeles Chargers: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State The Chargers spent their first 56 seasons in San Diego and would be wise to return to their roots for Johnson, the reigning Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and among the most polished players at any position in this draft. A former 3-star recruit, Johnson lacks the pedigree Jim Harbaugh has typically prioritized. But he’s smart, tough and reliable — traits that make a lot of sense at cornerback amid the arms race of the AFC West. 23. Philadelphia Eagles: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Howie Roseman can go a lot of directions with this pick, including finding a replacement for A.J. Brown should the disgruntled receiver really be on the trading block. I love the idea of McNeil-Warren’s range and talent for creating turnovers amid all the talent on this Eagles defense. 24. Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington If the Browns don’t add a receiver with their first pick (currently No. 6 overall), they’ll almost certainly select Boston or one of the other top-rated pass-catchers here. The 6-foot-4, 212-pound Boston has strong hands and excellent body control to win at the catch point and elude after the catch. 25. Chicago Bears: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson The Bears are facing a sadly similar dilemma as the Panthers at No. 19 overall, with left tackle Ozzy Trapillo’s availability for next season in jeopardy after he suffered a knee injury in the playoffs. Miller started 54 games in four seasons at Clemson, and though 52 of those were at right tackle, I think his surprising agility at 6-foot-7, 317 pounds, projects quite well to the left side, as well. 26. Buffalo Bills: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State The Bills allowed the most rushing touchdowns (24) and the fifth-most rushing yards (2,315) in the NFL last year. McDonald has the girth, power and surprising quickness to not only stuff the run, but also impact the quarterback. 27. San Francisco 49ers: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, Central Florida A receiver or offensive lineman would make a lot of sense here for the 49ers, but there is a fun second tier of pass-rushers that is going to spark quite a position run over the next 40 picks or so. Lawrence lacks ideal flexibility to dip around the edge, but he’s got long arms, initial burst and rare closing speed — a recipe for immediate success given the talent already in San Francisco. 28. Houston Texans: Keylan Rutledge, OL, Georgia Tech The Texans can’t expect C.J. Stroud to bounce back if they don’t protect him. Rutledge has steadily climbed up draft boards throughout the pre-draft process, impressing with his agility, physicality and orneriness at right guard in 43 games over the past four seasons. I think he’d also make a helluva center. 29. Kansas City Chiefs: Akheem Mesidor, DL, Miami The Chiefs need to nail the 2026 draft to keep their championship window open, and I think this would be the start to a rookie class that might just do that. Like their first projected pick, CB Mansoor Delane, Mesidor is pro-ready out of the box with the positional versatility and fire that would fit well with Steve Spagnuolo. 30. Miami Dolphins: Treydan Stukes, DB, Arizona The Dolphins have a logjam in their secondary with 17 cornerbacks and safeties currently on the roster. Why add another one? Because I think Stukes is as good as any of them and capable of playing enough different positions that he might help save a roster spot elsewhere — critical for a team undergoing a rebuild. 31. New England Patriots: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State The Patriots might very well continue the run on edge rushers, but protecting Drake Maye should be their top priority. Iheanachor has first-round traits, but the native Nigerian only began playing football five years ago, so he might sit behind veteran Morgan Moses (35) at right tackle for a bit before taking over. Mike Vrabel personally worked out Iheanachor during his Pro Day. 32. Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame With a league-low four draft picks, the Seahawks are probably among the likeliest teams to trade down. If they stay put, John Schneider and Mike Macdonald will almost surely be looking to patch one of the holes from free-agent departures, not the least of which is reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. I love Price’s vision, burst and balance, and I think he’ll be a Rookie of the Year candidate if inserted into this offense. SECOND ROUND 33. New York Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana The Jets have four of the first 44 picks of the draft. One of them needs to be a receiver, with Cooper offering the run-after-catch skill and grit the Jets could use. 34. Arizona Cardinals: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Whether they have to trade up to get him or stick and pick here, I think Simpson is going to wind up with the Cardinals. His blend of football IQ, accuracy and mobility earned him the second spot on my final QB Tiers piece and makes him a really intriguing fit in head coach Mike LaFleur’s West Coast-based system. With the bold additions of Love and Simpson, the Cardinals could suddenly become relevant again in the NFC West. 35. Tennessee Titans: Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M Agile, powerful, tough and smart enough to potentially slide over to center, if necessary, Bisontis is another strong first-round candidate who’d strengthen the depth chart and rank among the best players available. 36. Las Vegas Raiders: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina Expect big changes to the Raiders’ defense as the team pivots from Pete Carroll’s preferences to those of new defensive coordinator Rob Leonard. Cisse has the easy movement skills and physicality necessary to project as a future No. 1 corner. 37. New York Giants: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson Can you just imagine the New York media if the Giants don’t replace Dexter Lawrence with either of their first-round picks (or if the Jets don’t draft a receiver in the first round)? And the audacity for the Giants to replace Lawrence with another DT from Clemson? Well, Woods has the combination of quickness, power and untapped potential to warrant a first-round selection and would be a great value add here. 38. Houston Texans: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida Banks is arguably this year’s biggest wild card with the frame and flashes to warrant a top-20 selection, but also the durability red flags that might essentially have him off some teams’ boards entirely. My own heart rate bounces thinking about how dominant that Houston defense could be with Banks in the middle of it — just imagine how rival offensive coordinators would feel. 39. Cleveland Browns: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU Like Banks in Houston, I think Haulcy’s big hits and ball skills would be an ideal complement to Myles Garrett, reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger and the rest of the Browns defense. 40. Kansas City Chiefs: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah The Chiefs are reportedly concerned about last year’s top pick Josh Simmons. If so, it’s easy to see Andy Reid pushing for Lomu, a toolsy redshirt sophomore who seemingly only needs time in the weight room to develop into a quality NFL left tackle. 41. Cincinnati Bengals: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson With their first-round pick spent on Dexter Lawrence, the Bengals can turn their attention toward a secondary that allowed the third-most passing touchdowns in the NFL last year. Terrell didn’t run like a first-round pick at his Pro Day, but his tape and bloodlines suggest he’ll be a longtime starter. 42. New Orleans Saints: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri Among the most physical players in this class, Young is a force against the run yet lacks the ideal twitch or closing speed to be a 10-plus sack guy in the NFL. Mickey Loomis and the Saints might laugh should Young be available here, as critics once said the same thing about Cameron Jordan. 43. Miami Dolphins: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson With all due respect to free-agent additions Josh Uche and David Ojabo, the Dolphins need to continue building their defensive front. Parker may lack the twitch to replicate some of the big numbers he had at Clemson, but he’s already a smart, durable and powerful player, and he’s just 21 with his best football still ahead of him. 44. New York Jets: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana You know the pointing Spider-Man meme? That is Ponds and Aaron Glenn, two mighty mites with the instincts, physicality and explosiveness to star at cornerback despite measuring in under 5-foot-9. 45. Baltimore Ravens: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M The Ravens must boost their pass rush and Howell is one of the smoothest off the snap in this class. Concerns over his stubby arms would be the only thing pushing him this far down in the draft. 46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gabe Jacas, Edge, Illinois The run on edge rushers continues with one of the most powerful (and I think underrated) defenders of this class. Between Jacas and Ioane in the first round, the Bucs would be injecting quite the booster shot along the line of scrimmage. 47. Indianapolis Colts: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech This is the Colts’ first pick of the 2026 draft and, as such, don’t blame GM Chris Ballard if he’s going to make a splashy entrance. The Colts have ascending stars in the secondary and defensive line yet lack a game-changer at linebacker. Insert Rodriguez, who, with all due respect to potential top-five picks Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, was the best and most consistent playmaker at linebacker last season. 48. Atlanta Falcons: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia The Falcons would be wise to stay close to home with the first pick of the Kevin Stefanksi era. Already imposing at just 21-years-old, Miller has the frame and intangibles of a longtime NFL starter. 49. Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia The Vikings didn’t make Brian Flores the highest paid defensive coordinator in NFL history (reportedly $6 million-plus per year) not to take his advice when it comes to the draft. Adding Allen (and previously Thieneman) would give Flores two heady, steady standouts in the back end to combat the explosive offenses of the NFC North. 50. Detroit Lions: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati Massive and mean, Golday plays with the range and physicality that Dan Campbell will appreciate. 51. Carolina Panthers: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama The Panthers should continue adding weapons around Bryce Young. Bernard is a savvy route runner with soft hands and a willing downfield blocker. He should excel in the holes left underneath by defenses focusing deeper on reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan. 52. Green Bay Packers: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee The Packers boast one of the NFL’s deepest rosters, allowing GM Brian Gutekunst the ability to take the time-honored “best player available” strategy with the team’s first pick. McCoy looked like an easy first-rounder when healthy in 2024 but comes with medical questions that could push him down the board. 53. Pittsburgh Steelers: R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma Thomas to the Steelers is another edge rusher pairing that I’d like to see. His ability to dip, rip and bull-rush opponents would further weaponize an already gifted Pittsburgh front. 54. Philadelphia Eagles: De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Mississippi Should the Eagles trade A.J. Brown, Stribling is among my favorite fits as a replacement from this draft, boasting the size (6-foot-2, 207 pounds), speed (4.36), and maturity, as the son of a 17-year Marine. 55. Los Angeles Chargers: Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon Folks, I’ve been attending Pro Day workouts for a quarter-century, and I’ve never seen a more powerful and densely-built guard than Pregnon. I think GM Joe Hortiz is going to have to try to hold Jim Harbaugh back from drafting this kid in the first round. 56. Jacksonville Jaguars: Gennings Dunker, OG, Iowa This will be the Jaguars’ first pick of the draft and I think it will be dedicated to the running game — whether it’s selecting a replacement for Travis Etienne or a burly blocker to aid the backs already on the roster. I’ll go with Dunker, who would add some nastiness to the Jags’ front. 57. Chicago Bears: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas For a franchise that boasts some of the most iconic linebackers in league history, it sure has been awhile since the Bears had a true star at the position. Given all the star running backs and tight ends in the NFC North, Hill’s length and fluidity in coverage would make a lot of sense. 58. San Francisco 49ers: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville With both Mike Evans and Christian Kirk signed to one-year deals, adding another run-after-the-catch monster like Bell would add some much-needed juice and depth to San Francisco’s receiving corps. 59. Houston Texans: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas I have Houston making some of the boldest selections in this projection, but I think the timing is right for GM Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans to take chances. Washington has struggled with fumbles, but there are shades of Adrian Peterson in his play. 60. Chicago Bears: Jalen Kilgore, DB, South Carolina The Bears have only two safeties currently on the roster and half of those were free-agent additions Coby Bryant and Cam Lewis. Kilgore needs to iron out some wrinkles, but he has all the traits needed to develop into a high-end starter. 61. Los Angeles Rams: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri The Rams haven’t prioritized linebackers on draft day — opting not to use a single top-100 selection on one since taking Alec Ogletree 30th overall back in 2013. Trotter has the frame, fire and NFL bloodlines to justify changing strategies for a possible Super Bowl run. 62. Denver Broncos: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State Even after shipping their first-round pick to Miami for speed demon Jaylen Waddle, I think Sean Payton will be looking to take full advantage of this draft’s deep class of tight ends, with Klare (as well as Vanderbilt’s Eli Stover and Georgia’s Oscar Delp) an especially good fit as the seam-stretcher Payton has preferred in the past. 63. New England Patriots: Keyron Crawford, Edge, Auburn Similar to the strategy Eliot Wolf and the Patriots took in the first-round of this projection with toolsy offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, Crawford is an investment in the future. With a little patience and polish, Crawford could develop into a legitimate 10-plus sack rusher. 64. Seattle Seahawks: Derrick Moore, Edge, Michigan The Seahawks have talked about the need to add “quick wins,” and while he can’t be described as truly twitchy, Moore pairs good upfield burst with length, strength and grit.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
