Welcome to kickoff! The 2025 NFL regular season has finally arrived, and to mark the occasion, I’m offering a kickoff of my own — my first 2026 NFL Mock Draft with A to Z Sports. I’m excited to contribute to this year’s NFL Draft effort with A to Z Sports, starting with our recent prospect rankings and big boards, as well as weekly updates throughout the college season, and more.

This mock draft is based on my 2025 season record predictions for each game, with no odds-makers influencing this order. There’s a whole lot that will change between now and the start of the 2026 NFL Draft next April, but here’s one last look at where we stand now in my eyes entering the season.

Kyle Crabbs’ Pre-Week 1 2026 NFL Mock Draft

1. Cleveland Browns – QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU

The way Nussmeier operated his offense at the line of scrimmage was so fitting for an NFL offensive coordinator’s son. The control of the pre-snap mechanics and the work on adjustments to avoid high-risk plays were tremendous.

It’s early, but this is a huge win for Nussmeier given his knocks. Going into Clemson with that talent and pulling all the right strings is no small task. Cleveland needs a long-term direction offensively, and Nussmeier feels like the quarterback who can bring Kevin Stefanski’s offense to life.

2. New Orleans Saints – QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

The Saints would undoubtedly have their hearts broken if Nussmeier played well enough to go at the top of the draft, only to miss out on pairing him with his dad in New Orleans as a local product by just one pick.

But in the way of “consolation prizes,” few beat the potential that LaNorris Sellers offers. Kellen Moore’s pedigree as an offensive coach would be a great landing spot for Sellers, especially with an offensive line that is well invested in courtesy of New Orleans’ recent early draft selections.

3. Indianapolis Colts – OT Spencer Fano, Utah

This is where this draft scenario gets interesting. Do the Colts REALLY still believe in Anthony Richardson after benching him for Daniel Jones? Do they dare draft another quarterback this early if they have to watch two quarterbacks go in front of them?

Or do the Colts do what they normally do, which is prioritize the trenches and try to get creative with their solutions at quarterback? Fano, as an heir to Braden Smith, would keep the identity of the trenches in Indianapolis firmly in place.

4. Carolina Panthers – EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson

Carolina’s spending splurge on the defensive side of the football is going to need to come together in a hurry for them to avoid an early draft pick. Carolina’s edges include a pair of Day 2 draft selections last year, but there’s no such thing as too many good pass rushers, and Parker, who is right in Carolina’s backyard, has all the traits to be a dominant player.

5. Tennessee Titans – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

Speaking of the traits needed to be a dominant player, have you SEEN Rueben Bain Jr.’s finish against the Fighting Irish from last weekend? Holy smokes, what a return to form.

For a Titans team that moved on from Harold Landry this offseason and lacks much in the way of proven talent on the edge, Bain Jr. would be a dream come true if he plays at the pace he did against Notre Dame all season.

6. New York Jets – DL Peter Woods, Clemson

The Jets traded for defensive tackle Harrison Phillips this summer in an effort to give Quinnen Williams a stout running mate inside. How about a stout, dominant, do-it-all player like Woods to serve in that role long-term?

7. Las Vegas Raiders – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

The Amari Cooper reunion in Las Vegas was fun. Lasted all of about 10 minutes, though. Las Vegas needs defensive help in a big way for Maxx Crosby, but the opportunity to add a player like Tyson to go with young receivers such as Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton is too good to pass up.

Whether it’s Geno Smith long-term or someone else, Pete Carroll’s offense would surely thrive from acquiring as many dominant, physical weapons as possible since a sturdy offensive line already appears to be in place.

8. New York Giants – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami

The Giants need someone else to anchor their offensive line, given Andrew Thomas’ injury history. Jermaine Eluemunor has position flexibility if he’s going to continue to serve as a starter. However, Mauigoa can help provide some of the same attitude that Thomas offers, but in a younger, hopefully more durable profile, on the other side of the center to protect Jaxson Dart.

9. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars) – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson

Cleveland’s double-dip after trading out of Travis Hunter affords them a chance to land a cornerback after all. Denzel Ward isn’t getting any younger, and Greg Newsome II is playing this year on his fifth-year option. The depth at cornerback beyond those two is, frankly, appalling. Terrell is a fluid, combative corner who should bring coverage appeal to Cleveland’s secondary.

10. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) – SAF Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The trade down with Atlanta last offseason comes up aces for the Rams, who land one of the better players in this year’s draft in the name of (spooky noises) positional value! The horror!

Don’t believe me? Allow me to remind you that Kyle Hamilton fell to the Ravens with the 14th-overall pick. Downs is instinctive, physical, and offers a ton of back-end appeal for Chris Shula’s defense.

11. Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

Dallas uses its first draft pick after trading Micah Parsons to, you guessed it, try to replace Micah Parsons. The good news for Jerry is that Keldric Faulk projects well against the run. Faulk is a powerful presence who gives Dallas a versatile presence to try to heat up opposing passers.

12. New England Patriots – OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Kadyn Proctor did not have a great debut in 2025, but hey, neither did just about anyone else on Alabama’s roster. Mike Vrabel is likely looking to fortify his trenches first and foremost, and the right tackle position is still in question for the Patriots after this year’s influx of talent. Proctor and Onwenu on the right side would give the Patriots plenty of ability to mash the line of scrimmage.

13. Seattle Seahawks – IOL Connor Lew, Auburn

Seattle just drafted an interior offensive lineman in the teens when it drafted Grey Zabel. But this offensive overhaul will only go as far as its ability to control the point of attack and run the ball.

Jalen Sundell has won the starting center job, and Anthony Bradford continues to hold a starting guard spot, meaning there’s still more work to do for this offensive line to get it right.

14. Arizona Cardinals – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The Cardinals love to run the damn ball. They finished second in yards per rush and seventh in raw rushing yards in 2024 after finishing second and fourth, respectively, in 2023. Drew Petzing has this run game cookin’, which means having a long-term heir ready to roll for James Conner is a worthwhile venture.

The influx of young talent elsewhere on Arizona’s roster in the last three off-seasons makes this an even more viable direction.

15. Chicago Bears – EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

Ben Johnson went out and got all the toys this offseason. Caleb Williams got a new tight end, and Chicago bought a whole new interior offensive line. Now, it’s time to turn towards the pass-rush group and fill out a unit that has enough depth to compete for 17 games.

Dennis-Sutton was phenomenal in Penn State’s season debut vs. Nevada and offers freakish burst and athleticism that would pair quite nicely with the Bears’ preexisting starters.

16. Los Angeles Chargers – DL Caleb Banks, Florida

The Chargers’ defensive interior needs some fortifications. The unit up front has a breakout candidate in rookie Jamaree Caldwell, but there’s a whole lot of eggs in that basket amid an underwhelming rest of their interior front. Banks missed Florida’s first game but appears to be on the cusp of returning — he absolutely has the traits to play into this stratosphere.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Cincinnati’s draft-and-develop strategy thus far has been too much “draft” and not enough “develop.” The defensive depth chart will determine how far this football team goes in 2025. We all know what Joe Burrow and company can do. But Burrow can only carry a team so far.

Cam Taylor-Britt is entering into a contract year, Dax Hill has bounced around trying to find a landing spot, and D.J. Turner is entering into a pivotal third season. If the growth isn’t there, McCoy is supremely gifted and could step into Taylor-Britt’s shoes for a chance to try again.

18. Washington Commanders – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Washington needs more perimeter weapons to complement Terry McLaurin. The Commanders addressed the trenches this past offseason, but their perimeter receiver play without Scary Terry was looking pretty spooky itself.

Carnell Tate is a former 5-star, who made a splashy play against Texas in Ohio State’s big Week 1 win — this is a bit of a projection, but if there’s one thing we know about Ohio State receivers, it is that they make the leap.

19. San Francisco 49ers – OL Drew Shelton, Penn State

Shelton grabbed my attention on film and appears to have all the makings of a top-flight offensive tackle prospect. He’s got the movement skills to thrive in the pace and space phases of today’s game, particularly for a wide zone-rooted team like San Francisco.

The 49ers have to get some long-term appeal on their depth chart at tackle amid an aging Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz entering into a contract year.

20. Miami Dolphins – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Miami has a few options here. It could draft for need and attack cornerback. It could try to target a replacement for Tyreek Hill, who is due $36 million in 2026. The Dolphins could attempt to draft a replacement for either Bradley Chubb or Jaelan Phillips. Phillips is on his fifth-year option, and Chubb took a pay cut to avoid being let go this offseason.

But the Dolphins have tried to skip the line at tight end ever since Mike McDaniel got to town. They hit a home run with Jonnu Smith, but even he wasn’t a success story for Miami’s in-line role, and his blocking skills hurt the run game. Sadiq is athletic, and he’s got that dog in him to thrive without the football, which will help Miami’s offense unlock some of the new levels it has been seeking after exploding onto the scene with McDaniel in 2022 and 2023.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – QB Drew Allar, Penn State

Aaron Rodgers is a nice band-aid. The Steelers need a hell of a lot more than that amid what life post-Ben Roethlisberger has looked like. Drew Allar draws some comparisons to Big Ben — although Pittsburgh would likely take a majority of that product at quarterback after what the last few years have looked like.

22. Minnesota Vikings – CB AJ Harris, Penn State

Minnesota’s cornerback situation currently has Jeff Okudah pencilled in as a major contributor. In 2025. That’s not a typo. The front is so good that the Vikings can make it work. But imagine if they added a physically gifted corner like Harris to play behind it?

23. Denver Broncos – DL LT Overton, Alabama

Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto are locked in. That doesn’t bode well for John Franklin-Myers, who the Broncos stole from the Jets last year. Overton isn’t Franklin-Myers, but he can do some of the same things as the Broncos look to sustain their elite defensive play into the foreseeable future.

24. Detroit Lions – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

The Lions have proven time and time again that they’re undeterred by positional value norms. Alex Anzalone didn’t receive the long-term resolution he was likely seeking with his contract this offseason. That leaves an opportunity for Detroit to pair an explosive, dynamic defensive weapon like Styles with Jack Campbell and give the Lions a combination of stack players that can be true, rangy tone setters in the middle.

25. Houston Texans – OL Isaiah World, Oregon

Houston’s offensive line experiment this offseason has been hard to keep tabs on. Tytus Howard finally got a head start at working inside at guard after getting pushed inside mid-season in recent years, only to then get bumped back out to right tackle because Blake Fisher, the team’s second-round pick in 2024, hadn’t made a leap.

Cam Robinson was benched and dangled as a trade piece after getting beaten out by 2025 rookie Aireontae Ersery. This team has some positional flexibility, but it needs more starting talent. Jake Andrews, Laken Tomlinson, and Ed Ingram serving as the starting interior trio entering the season is giving some bad vibes. World has all the physical talent in the…wait for it…world at his disposal.

26. Kansas City Chiefs – TE Max Klare, Ohio State

Travis Kelce’s last ride feels like a certainty in 2025. The Chiefs have been a tight-end-centric offense for quite some time, and as attractive as it may be to diversify the unit, Noah Gray and Jared Wiley wouldn’t stop me from adding a long-term centerpiece to keep tight end anchored as an asset for Patrick Mahomes.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Tampa Bay has had great success with Lavonte David. His running mate this year, SirVocea Dennis, is a question mark. So, too, is David’s long-term outlook. He’ll turn 36 years old in January. It may be time to pass the baton. If that is indeed the case, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. feels like a worthy successor.

28. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

LSU transfer Mansoor Delane was one of the defenders terrorizing Clemson QB Cade Klubnik in Week 1 of the college season. He’s known for his ball skills and coverage instincts, which coordinator Vic Fangio would almost certainly love to get his hands on to pair with Quinyon Mitchell.

This would give the team more flexibility in how they implement Cooper DeJean, be it as a safety, a nickel, or otherwise.

29. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers) – LB CJ Allen, Georgia

The return of DeMarvion Overshown will be welcomed by the Cowboys whenever the time comes. But even with Overshown in the picture, Dallas can continue to tool its defensive spine to be a more stout front. Adding Kenny Clark, then drafting Keldric Faulk and putting CJ Allen behind them, feels like a step in the direction of where Dallas wants to go.

30. Buffalo Bills – IOL Jake Slaughter, Florida

Buffalo’s offensive line has had a hilarious amount of continuity. Five offensive line starters all played at least 932 snaps in 2024. The year prior, the five starters all played at least 1,120 snaps.

But Connor McGovern is an expiring contract and could be in line for the next big center contract. David Edwards is also scheduled to hit free agency, which could leave this near the top of Buffalo’s wish-list to address head-on.

31. Los Angeles Rams – QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson

The Rams decided to pass on a quarterback early thanks to the availability of the true best player available in Caleb Downs. Here, they land an heir to Matt Stafford courtesy of Cade Klubnik.

Klubnik struggled against LSU’s pressures and speed defensively in the season opener, and his splits in and out of ACC play are notable. But if you could trust any coach to get it right with a quarterback who has tools, McVay has to be pretty far up on your list, right?

32. Baltimore Ravens – IDL Dominique Orange, Iowa State

Baltimore has a lot of mouths to feed and a lot of contracts to sign. Among that list is defensive tackle Travis Jones, who could be in line for a MASSIVE payday if he hits the open market.

Instead of prioritizing that contact, the Ravens feel like a team that will instead draft a replacement, and Dominique Orange is an impressive anchor for the defensive line that fits the brand of physicality Baltimore is known for.

NFL Draft

Jordyn Tyson, Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, Eric Singleton, and a sleeper WR2 highlight early 2026 NFL Draft wide receiver rankings

Early 2026 NFL Draft wide receiver rankings

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