2026 NFL Mock Draft: Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore have shocking landing spots after blockbuster trades
New 2026 NFL mock draft sees 3 QBs hear their names called in the top 5 picks after 2 shocking trades shake up the top of the board.
We are two-thirds of the way through the 2025 NFL season. As a result, the 2026 NFL Draft order is beginning to take shape. Teams are beginning to realize who has a real shot at a playoff spot and who is already focused on the upcoming offseason.
Two of A to Z Sports’ NFL Draft analysts, Destin Adams and Tyler Forness, decided to share how they could see the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft shake out if it were to happen today. Their mock includes two blockbuster trades that shake up the top three and four QBs hearing their names called in the first round.
1-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Trade: New York Jets send a massive package to the Tennessee Titans for the number one overall pick
- Jets get the 1st pick in the 2026
- Titans get the 4th, and 28th pick in 2026, plus a 1st rounder in the 2027 (Previously Colts)
1. New York Jets (Via TEN): Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Mendoza is the Heisman favorite and has the Indiana Hoosiers on the brink of their second straight College Football Playoff appearance, and one win away from cementing their spot in the Big 10 title game.
The Jets need an efficient QB who can lead a locker room that has had to deal with so much dysfunction over the years. Mendoza is the type of QB worth trading up for, and the Jets have the capital to pull it off thanks to their trade deadline deals this season. – Adams
2. New York Giants: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
The Giants made the move to get Jaxson Dart last year, but protecting him has been inconsistent. Fano can slide right in at right tackle and be a dominant force opposite Andrew Thomas. – Forness
Trade: Miami Dolphins join their AFC East rivals by making a bold trade to move up to the New Orleans Saints’ third overall pick and draft a QB
- Dolphins get the 3rd pick in 2026
- Saints get the 10th and the 42nd pick (2nd round) in 2026, plus a 1st in 2027.
3. Miami Dolphins (Via NO): Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
A second AFC East team decides to shake up the draft with the Dolphins moving up to three. This would be a significant risk because the Dolphins’ roster needs more help than just a QB right now, but they are desperate for a cultural reset.
They need to move on from Tua, and this move would show that they are committed to doing just that. Some may be surprised that this trade is for Dante Moore over Ty Simpson, but I think there’s less risk associated with Moore, which would be a better fit for Miami. Moore reminds me of C.J. Stroud and Dak Prescott, and the Dolphins need a true star under center, given their need to battle Josh Allen and Drake Maye for the division crown for the foreseeable future. – Adams
4. Tennessee Titans (Via NYJ): Arvell Reese, Edge/LB, Ohio State
The Titans need impact players on both sides of the football. They get to take one of the bigger freaks in the draft in Reese, who is a similar archetype to Micah Parsons in that he can line up everywhere and make a difference. – Forness
5. Las Vegas Raiders: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
The Raiders stay at pick five and see two of the top QBs go ahead of them. Luckily, Ty Simpson is also a great prospect and is someone multiple teams will view as the top QB in the class. His being only a one-year starter will worry some. However, the Raiders need to find their long-term answer at QB. Simpson would be able to form quite the young trio in Las Vegas with TE Brock Bowers and RB Ashton Jeanty. – Adams
6. Cleveland Browns: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
The top three quarterbacks are off the board, so take an impact player. Tyson is a route-running savant who does a great job winning at the catch point. Whoever is the long-term answer at quarterback can rely on him from day one. – Forness
7. Washington Commanders: Rueben Bain Jr, Edge, Miami
After a miraculous one-year turnaround, the Commanders have fallen all the way back to earth with a season to forget in 2025. Their defense has multiple issues, so selecting the best defender available makes sense. I was between Caleb Downs and Rueben Bain, but I went with the more premium position of an edge rusher. – Adams
8. Cincinnati Bengals: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
The defensive line desperately needs help. Woods is a monster who wins in both the running game and rushing the passer. With so many draft resources dedicated to edge rushers, now the interior gets the help it needs. – Forness
9. Arizona Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
There is a world where the Cardinals move on from Kyler Murray this offseason and target a QB in the first round. In this mock, the top three QBs are already off the board, so I don’t think it’s wise to reach on another here. Instead, I go with the best offensive lineman available in Francis Mauigoa out of Miami. He would form a fantastic young tackle duo with Paris Johnson Jr. for whoever the QB is in Arizona next season. – Adams
10. New Orleans Saints (Via MIA): Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Saints drafted Tyler Shough in the second round last year, so acquiring trade assets is smart for a team that needs inexpensive players. Tate is a great complement to Chris Olave, as he can play both X and Z, along with winning down the field. – Forness
11. Los Angeles Rams (Via ATL): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
I’m sure this one shocks people, but let me explain. The Rams have two first-rounders this year, thanks to the Atlanta Falcons. They are in a window to win now and could very well win the Super Bowl this season, setting them up to win another in 2026. So, why swing on a dynamic player like Jeremiyah Love, who is one of the best players in college football right now? It would also allow them to trade Kyren Williams and his $11 million annual contract, which would open up some money for them to spend elsewhere. – Adams
12. Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Vikings rectify the wrong of passing on Kyle Hamilton and take the slam dunk safety in Downs, who can be a valuable asset in Brian Flores’ defense. – Forness
13. Carolina Panthers: Jermond McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Even though McCoy has yet to play this season after tearing his ACL last season, he will be ready to test and could step in on day one and play opposite Jaycee Horn. – Forness
14. Dallas Cowboys: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
The Cowboys need to add a pass rusher in the offseason, and they need to make an immediate impact. I think David Bailey has the highest floor of any edge rusher in this class and should be a day-one starter with a knack for getting to the QB. He’s not going to fill the Micah Parsons-shaped hole perfectly, but I think he and Donovan Ezeiruaku would be an entertaining young duo to build around with Quinnen Williams at DT. – Adams
15. Kansas City Chiefs: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Many were asking if the Chiefs were dead in the water a week ago, and now, after a big win over the Indianapolis Colts, they have risen from the ashes. They still have a lot of work to do to get back into the playoff picture, but with Patrick Mahomes under center, I certainly won’t count them out. In the offseason, they need to give Mahomes more weapons, and I think Washington’s Denzel Boston would complement Rashee Rice and Xavier Worth fantastically. – Adams
16. Pittsburgh Steelers: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
Remember when DK Metcalf had A.J. Brown opposite him at Ole Miss? What if the Steelers did that with a receiver in Bell who profiles well to Brown? This could be a slam dunk. – Forness
17. Houston Texans: Vega Ioane, IOL, Penn State
It’s dangerous to go into a draft saying you have to take a specific position. However, if the Texans use their first-round pick on anything but an offensive lineman, they should be put in prison for neglecting QB CJ Stroud. Penn State’s Vega Ioane can be a Pro Bowl-caliber starter right away and play either guard spot for the Texans as a rookie. – Adams
18. Detroit Lions: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Taylor Decker isn’t going to play forever, and he’s often injured. Getting Lomu in round one and letting him have some time to develop before taking over is smart business for the Lions. – Forness
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M
The Buccaneers cannot get a pass rush from the outside. Howell was built in a lab to be a Todd Bowles edge rusher, and his dominance in College Station could translate immediately. – Forness
20. Baltimore Ravens: Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon
The Ravens are a hard team to predict in the NFL Draft, but I have them taking Oregon edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei. He has a nice balance of speed and power that I think would get developed nicely in Baltimore. – Adams
21. Buffalo Bills: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
The Bills have made Keon Coleman a healthy scratch for the past two weeks as a punishment. It seems clear that Coleman isn’t going to be the number one WR they hoped for, so it’s time to take another swing. USC’s Makai Lemon has been great for the Trojans this season and would flourish playing with Josh Allen in Buffalo. – Adams
22. : Cleveland Browns (Via JAC): La Norris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
It’s a tough sell to take Sellers in the top-10 with how inconsistent he’s been, but this is a great risk/reward spot. He profiles well to Daunte Culpepper in terms of ability, but he struggles with accuracy and field vision. Kevin Stefanski can be patient right away and maximize his rushing ability when he does play. – Forness
23. San Francisco 49ers: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
The 49ers need to find the future successor when Trent Williams decides to retire. Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor was once viewed as the consensus top tackle in this class, but has fallen out of favor for some. I think the 49ers would be a good spot for him to polish the rough edges around his game. I can also already see Kyle Shanahan utilizing his trick play ability. – Adams
24. Dallas Cowboys (Via GB): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Cowboys have tried to fix their second-level issues in many ways, and this will go a long way to fixing them. Styles is the best true linebacker in the class, with Reese being an edge, and he can make a massive difference right away. – Forness
25. Los Angeles Chargers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Many thought the Chargers would land a TE early in last year’s class. They instead waited and landed Oronde Gadsden II later. Running two TE sets is a preference for Jim Harbaugh, and Oregon’s do-it-all TE Kenyon Sadiq would allow him to do that with a fantastic duo going forward. – Adams
26. Chicago Bears: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
The Bears don’t have much of a pass rush, and getting it from the interior should be a priority. Banks played just his second game of the season on Saturday and looked great, disrupting the passing and running games. – Forness
27. Seattle Seahawks: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
The Seahawks’ defense has taken a massive step in the right direction this year. I expect Seattle to add to it early in the 2026 NFL Draft. Georgia’s CJ Allen would be quite the chess piece for Mike Macdonald to utilize. – Adams
28. Tennessee Titans (Via NYJ/IND): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
The Titans trade Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and L’Jarius Sneed doesn’t look the part anymore. Delane can thrive in any scheme you need him to, which will be great for whoever takes over in Nashville. – Forness
29. Philadelphia Eagles: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn
A player once believed to be a top 10 lock is now falling down a lot of people’s boards. Auburn’s Keldric Faulk already sounds like an Eagle. – Adams
30. Denver Broncos: R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma
The board doesn’t fall great for the Broncos, so take a high upside player with college productivity. They had great success with Nik Bonitto, and Thomas can be a good developmental player behind him and a solid third option. – Forness
31. Los Angeles Rams: Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas
After taking an unexpressed swing earlier by drafting Love, the Rams take a safer approach here. They add Texas OT Trevor Goosby to their offensive line, who should excel as a pass blocker right away in the NFL. – Adams
32. New England Patriots: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson
The Patriots are massively overperforming this season, and it’s really impressive. Parker was a projected top 10 pick who’s been very poor for most of the 2025 season. The Patriots could be buying low on a very talented player, where Mike Vrabel can maximize him. – Forness