2026 NFL Mock Draft: Rams trade all the way up to land franchise QB while Eagles select wide receiver to replace A.J. Brown

See where the top prospects land in this 2026, one round mock draft.

Rob Gregson — NFL News Writer
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Thanksgiving weekend is here, which means the holiday season is officially under way. And with that, comes the best football of the year at both the collegiate and professional level. But it also means the end of the regular season for players on Saturdays.

So as many close the final chapter of their 2025 season this weekend, we look ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft in a one-round mock that has plenty of surprises. Note: draft order was updated after Thanksgiving Day games.

1. Los Angeles Rams: Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Trade: Rams trade Byron Young, two 2026 1st round picks to the Tennessee Titans

The Rams trade up here to select the future of their franchise at quarterback via Moore. If Matthew Stafford and the Rams make a Super Bowl run and win the whole thing (again), there is reason to believe he could ride off into the sunset. Armed with two first-rounders and Byron Young on an expiring deal, the Titans get a haul and help jumpstart the rebuild process behind Cam Ward. 

The Rams on the other hand, select a dynamic dual-threat quarterback that can be tailor-made to fit Sean McVay’s offense, but also raise the floor of his scheme with true open-field speed that you don’t often see at the position.

2. New York Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

The Giants have a solid offensive nucleus featuring Cam Skattebo, Jaxson Dart, and Malik Nabers. That group could finally bring some winning back to New York. But the right side of the line is iffy at best. Here, the Giants take a plug-and-play tackle and give their future HC a ton to work with on offense. 


3. New Orleans Saints: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State

The Saints can go a lot of ways come April, but taking the best player available is never a bad idea, and certainly not when he’s the best player in the draft. Reese can play all over the front seven as a five-tool player. New Orleans might be in the QB market, but having just drafted Tyler Shough, they take the best player available.


4. New York Jets: Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

I know the Jets need a quarterback, but they seem to be playing the long game after trading away All-Pros and loading up on draft capital over the next two seasons. Here, they find their Quinnen Williams replacement via Woods. 

5. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana


Passing on an offensive lineman feels almost irresponsible given how bad Vegas has looked up front, but Mendoza might be the best QB in the draft. Geno Smith is certainly not the long-term answer, and Mendoza has all the makings of a franchise player. He is a cerebral passer with pinpoint touch and the frame to add some rpm to his fastball.

6. Cleveland Browns: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State


A safety at six? When you’re around a top two to three player on most big boards, it’s not a stretch. I believe Downs is the best safety prospect since Kyle Hamilton and maybe even better. This is a cornerstone player that a team like Cleveland could use. Especially if they find something with Shedeur Sanders. 

7. Washington Commanders: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame


Just a few years ago we saw Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs go higher than conventional positional value would suggest they should. That same thing should happen with Love. As dynamic a runner as you will find, he will bring a spark to a Commanders’ offense that could use some higher octane. 


8. Arizona Cardinals: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Given the way things have gone in Arizona over the last few years, it feels like the writing is on the wall for Kyler Murray. Simpson has been up and down as of late, but when he’s on, he’s a precise passer who can carve up defenses over the middle of the field. He isn’t a Kyler Murray-level athlete, but he’s more than capable of negotiating a pass rush and getting up field with his legs.


9. Cincinnati Bengals: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah


The Bengals take a tackle here, but Fano can kick inside in play guard if need be. Play is the wrong word; excel at guard. The Bengals need defenders in a bad way, but they need to protect Joe Burrow even more, and they select a versatile player in the process.


10. Miami Dolphins: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

There are some concerns in the league surrounding the size (particularly length) profile of Bain Jr. but he stays in the 305 and becomes an instant starter for the Dolphins. He has a rare combination of get-off and strength and converts his speed to power so efficiently. 10 feels like the absolute floor for Bain Jr. given his tape, even with potential limitations.


11. Tennessee Titans (via LAR,): Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

The Titans use the first pick from the Rams trade to take arguably the best man corner in the draft. Delane has come on strong despite playing for an underwhelming LSU squad. The Titans have now patched two of their three major holes with Young and Delane and the defense looks much better.


12. Minnesota Vikings: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

All of the talk in Minnesota is about the quarterback, but the Vikings’ vaunted defense from 2024 hasn’t looked the same this year. They get plug-and-play help from McCoy here assuming his knee injury checks out.

13. Baltimore Ravens: Yhonzae Pierre, EDGE, Alabama

This selection may come as a shocker, as many might not know the name Yhonzae Pierre yet, but they could soon. He has caught the attention of more than a few in the league after being thrust into Alabama’s starting lineup due to injury. Go watch his game against the Vols and you see a pass rusher that has the juice to wreck games.


14. Carolina Panthers: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Tyson is regarded by many to be the best WR in the class and could be gone within the top 10 come April. With the Xavier Legette experiment not working out just yet, the Panthers take another big-bodied target, but with even better speed and tracking than Tet McMillan.


15. Kansas City Chiefs: Caleb Lomu, OL, Utah

If you watched the Chiefs on Thanksgiving, you saw a team that needs help along the offensive line yet again. Lomu and Simmons form a young tackle duo the team can build around and more importantly, help keep Patrick Mahomes upright with.

16. Dallas Cowboys: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

The Cowboys offense is one of the best in the league and they finally found the missing piece along the interior of the defensive line following the Quinnen Williams trade. Now they try and replace Micah Parsons with a high upside pass rusher like Faulk.


17. Houston Texans: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

The Texans offense could use some more help in the WR room outside of Nico Collins, but Sadiq might as well be a WR in a TE’s body with the way he plays the ball in the air and how he runs after the catch. 

18. Detroit Lions: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

The Lions no longer look like the Super Bowl contenders of recent years, and that is partially due to the regression of the offensive line. The bigger problem, however, is that the defense can’t stop a nose bleed, and they can’t rush the passer outside of Aidan Hutchinson. Bailey is fairly polished for college and wins in a variety of alignments.


19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

The Bucs defense hasn’t looked the same this year, and Lavonte David isn’t getting any younger. There is an old saying among coaches: “show me a slow mike, and I’ll show you a slow defense.” Styles might not get the attention that Reese and Downs do on OSU’s defense, but he’s the straw that stirs the drink for the best unit in the country. 

 20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

It’s been 20 years since the Steelers took a WR in round one. The name? Santonio Holmes, also of the Ohio State Buckeyes. A WR room desperate for help outside of DK Metcalf, the Steelers finally find a reliable second option. Tate comes with that NFL-ready seasoning like many of the OSU pass catchers before him, and he wins as a natural separator.


21. Buffalo Bills: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

The Bills haven’t looked like themselves in 2025, but the defense is a serious concern, especially outside. They take another swing at a first round corner here with Terrell, who has as well rounded a CB skillset that you will find in this class.


22. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Makai Lemon, WR, USC

Makai Lemon gives Sanders (or whoever is playing QB for that matter) an easy button who can win over the middle of the field but also stress matchups with some vertical juice from the slot.


23. San Francisco 49ers: Chris Bell, WR, Louisville

The Brandon Aiyuk saga looks to be finally coming to an end, and Brock Purdy needs all the help he can get. Bell is a bigger Deebo Samuel in my opinion and someone who can thrive in Kyle Shanahan’s scheme. Get the ball in his hands and he turns into a RB in the open field.


24. Dallas Cowboys (Via GB): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

The Cowboys have had a revolving door at the CB position this season. Hood is scheme independent and can bring the Cowboys a better overall corner, rather than someone who lives and dies on takeaways. 


25. Los Angeles Chargers: Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Penn State

The Chargers and Jim Harbaugh have had to adjust their offensive identity following devastating injuries to both of their tackles and running backs. A run-first team gets the best mauler in the class with Ioane.  


26. Chicago Bears: A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon

Washington has a chance to sneak into round one, given his pass rush upside and size-to-quickness ratio. He has plenty of fans around the league and a Bears defense that could use an interior presence would greatly benefit from Washington.


27. Seattle Seahawks: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

The Seahawks have gotten decent production from Demarcus Lawrence this year but they could use some more juice on the EDGE. Howell has a similar size profile to Boye Mafe and Lawrence and would be a major upgrade for Seattle.


28. New York Jets (via IND): Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

Brandon Cisse is a name that’s viewed as a riser around the league. Speed, fluidity, size, and tenacity, there’s a lot to like about his game. The Jets skipped on quarterback, but they addressed two major voids left behind by the Williams and Gardner trades. 


29. Philadelphia Eagles: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Typically, winning solves everything for players in the NFL. However, despite being less than a year removed from winning a Super Bowl and being in position for another run, A.J. Brown seems miserable. Trading him and finding his successor can’t be ruled out in Philadelphia. If that is the plan, drafting someone like Boston with his size and speed profile could do wonders for Philly.


30. Denver Broncos: C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia

The Broncos are starting to realize their potential under Sean Payton but they could use some more help at WR and at LB. I gave the Broncos the better fit here with Allen.


31. Tennessee Titans (via LAR): KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

The Titans end this mock addressing three major needs via EDGE, CB, and now WR with Concepcion. He offers a huge catch radius and downfield presence. Cam Ward and the Titans can head into 2026 with better players at critical positions.

32. New England Patriots: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

T.J. Parker has fallen down the board but he has a ton of potential and fits the model of a Mike Vrabel EDGE rusher and helps one of the best teams in the league to build upon its young nucleus. 

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