Christian Williams' Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft is a day away. Here's my final stab at predicting what will happen on Thursday evening.
The 2026 NFL Draft discourse is approaching a close, and we still know very little about the first few picks. Previous years have been easy to project, with sure fire selections at the top. This year, that’s only true of the first pick, which is sure to create an exciting Thursday night. Here’s how I see it unfolding this week.
Candidly, there’s not much left to say about this pick. Mendoza has been a lock since January, and he’ll likely have an opportunity to sit behind Kirk Cousins for a little while before taking over as the new franchise quarterback.
While the debate between Reese and Bailey exists, the cancellation of Bailey’s top-30 visit makes me think the team is completely comfortable with Reese’s projection. Many see a Micah Parsons-level prospect, and Aaron Glenn certainly could use one of those in his defense.
If the Cardinals can’t find a trade partner to move out of this pick, it’s seemingly down to Love or Mauigoa. With the certainty and safety in Love’s evaluation, and his high probability of massive impact at the NFL level, the Cardinals take one of the only good running backs in the entire class.
While many have penciled Love into this pick, his absence from the board gives them an opportunity to take Robert Saleh’s new Fred Warner. Styles is one of the three best players in the class, and positional value matters very little in this class. The Titans could very well prefer David Bailey here, as well.
While I don’t think the Giants need a safety, Downs’s upside as an All-Pro, Kyle Hamilton-level player could be too enticing for John Harbaugh as he attempts to shape his new team. While Carnell Tate and Francis Mauigoa should be on their radar, they go with the smartest football player I’ve ever evaluated.
NO sends No. 8 and No. 73 to CLE for No. 6.
The Saints move up and end Bailey’s slide. The team is in desperate need of an impact edge rusher, especially with Cam Jordan likely out of the lineup. If Bailey is still on the board at 6, I expect someone to move up. Here, it’s the Saints.
While the Commanders could go with Mansoor Delane here, their wide receiver corps is atrocious beyond Terry McLaurin, and snagging more pieces to make Jayden Daniels’s life easier seems like good business. Tate is the best wideout in the class, and he and McLaurin complement each other well.
While many believe the Browns would go with a true left tackle, I struggle to see how Andrew Berry would pass on Fano, one of the most talented linemen in the class (and my No. 1 overall player). With Fano’s verified athleticism, potential positional versatility, and excellent film, the Browns take him as the first lineman off the board.
While the Chiefs could easily go in numerous directions here, their need to keep Patrick Mahomes healthy should trump everything else. With uncertainty at left tackle, some uninspiring guard play, and a need for a long-term solution at right tackle, this move makes sense.
Teams are reportedly comfortable with Tyson’s medicals, and if that’s the case, I won’t be shocked if he lands inside the top ten. He’d line up opposite Malik Nabers, giving Jaxson Dart two extremely crafty route runners who generate separation at all three levels. Hard to be upset with that outcome.
I’ve long believed the Dolphins will go offensive line no matter what, and that could very well come true. But the secondary is abysmal, and Delane is one of the smartest players in the draft, has excellent film, and turned a few heads with his athletic testing during the pre-draft process. The Dolphins have too many needs to not go best player available, and they do here.
Thieneman is generating some late buzz as a top-15 pick, and the Cowboys missed out on what many assume are their top two targets (Styles and Downs). With needs all over the secondary, the Cowboys deploy a best-player-available strategy and snag a player who is just a smidge below Downs.
This feels chalky, and because of that, I’m very hesitant about this pick. However, Lemon is everything the Rams want in a wideout, minus some of the blocking and physicality, and he would elevate an already elite offense.
While an edge rusher here could help, and a wideout could elevate the offense, the Ravens have always known that the best teams build through the trench. Vega Ioane is the best (second-best, if you consider Fano an interior offensive lineman) interior guy in the class and a potential All-Pro.
Bain falling to 15 here has to be the dream for the Bucs, who could really use another edge rusher and have consistently seen the next tier mocked to them. While an interior offensive lineman or cornerback also makes sense, Bain is too good of a value to pass up.
PIT sends No. 21 and a 2027 third-round pick to NYJ for No. 16 and No. 210.
Pittsburgh gets aggressive to fill its need at left tackle. With Broderick Jones both bad and injured, the Steelers almost have to take a shot at this offensive tackle class. Here, they go with a traits pick, but one who has top-of-the-league potential if he hits his ceiling.
Miller or Freeling feel locked in here, but with the team comfortable with Sewell moving to the left side and Miller’s readiness now compared with Freeling’s, they choose the Clemson product. Miller isn’t a perfect player, but he’s a perfect fit for the Detroit offense.
Stukes has been high on my board for a while, and with two safeties already gone, the Vikings pivot to arguably the best ball-skills guy in the class. He’s generated some buzz lately, and I think that extends into round 1 on Thursday.
Sadiq is hard to place in this class. He was getting top-10 buzz a week ago, and his film just doesn’t suggest he should. That’s why I have him falling to the Panthers, who choose another skill position to attempt to get the most out of Bryce Young.
CLE sends No. 24, No. 107, and No. 149 to DAL for No. 20.
The Browns move up to get their guy, a speedy wideout with Jaylen Waddle-like traits. The team desperately needs a go-to option, and if Concepcion fixes his concentration drops, he could open up the offense, even through the rough quarterback situation.
Cooper and the Jets have been linked for a while, but the Jets may double-tap defense with their first two picks this year. Still, like the Browns, they need to add to their receiving room to alleviate some of the pressure on Garrett Wilson. Cooper’s after-the-catch skills would make life easier for Geno Smith and whichever 2027 quarterback they land.
KC sends No. 29 and No. 74 to LAC for No. 22.
The trade requires a bit of an overpay since it’s within the division, but the Chiefs snag a high-upside, versatile piece who can line up at multiple spots along the defensive line. Faulk isn’t the most refined, but he’s a long, athletic player with excellent upside.
The Eagles stay put and still get a high-upside offensive tackle to bolster their room and fill a long-term need. Freeling is still working through the technical aspects of the position, but he’s an elite athlete with the highest of highs, and would get to learn behind a Hall of Famer for at least a year.
The Cowboys move back and take Johnson, a high-IQ player with elite athleticism and some of the best ball skills in the class. He’s not the most refined player in man coverage, but he would elevate a poor cornerback room, even if Shavon Revel has a bounce-back year.
While the Bears could go in various directions, I’ve had them snagging Young for at least the last month. His profile fits the Ryan Poles mold of edge rusher, and the team should look to bolster what was an overachieving unit in 2025. They focused on the secondary in free agency, and now they continue adding.
LV sends No. 36, No. 117, and No. 185 to BUF for No. 26.
With the run on wide receivers happening earlier than expected, the Raiders move up for a player many deem to be safe. I am not a Boston fan, but there’s no denying his skill set matches some of the qualities Mendoza found success with. He’d step into a critical role and his contract would align with his franchise quarterback’s.
The 49ers extended Trent Williams earlier this week, but that shouldn’t stop them from drafting an offensive tackle with as much upside as Iheanachor. He, like Proctor, is a tools-based selection with excellent athleticism and movement skills. He’s long, and has immense upside in a Shanahan offense.
While edge rusher isn’t a primary need for the Texans, Danielle Hunter is approaching the end of his contract, the team just re-signed Will Anderson Jr. to the richest contract in history for a non-quarterback, and Mesidor’s age is less of an issue considering the Texans’ timeline. He’s an excellent pass rusher who often outplayed his teammate, and he’d strengthen a strength for the Texans.
After moving back, the Chargers nab a new starting guard with Rutledge. He’s generating buzz as a potential late-first selection, mostly because he’s one of the nastiest players in the draft. His skill set matches Jim Harbaugh’s personality, and this couldn’t be a more perfect player-to-coach fit.
The Dolphins stick and take the first defensive tackle in the class, and like the Texans, I know this isn’t a primary need. The Dolphins should be in the business of best player available throughout this draft, though, and McDonald could be that at this stage of the draft. He offers more than Kenneth Grant as a pass rusher, and he’s significantly sturdier against the run. This one would shock many, but BPA all the way for Miami.
ARI sends No. 34 and No. 104 to NE for No. 31.
The Cardinals finally move up for the guy that everyone knows they want to ensure they don’t get duped by the Jets. The team could just roll with Brissett and Minshew this year, with eyes set on 2027. That’s still a possibility. But they’re not being secretive around the league about their love for Simpson, and his best film suggests he could be the best quarterback in the class.
NYG sends No. 37 and No. 145 to SEA for No. 32.
While the injury is allegedly scaring off a ton of teams, McCoy’s degenerative knee doesn’t scare John Harbaugh and company. This is a win-now team that earned a top-ten pick, and moving back into the first to solidify the secondary behind an already elite pass rush is an easy decision. McCoy is the best cornerback in the draft without the injury concerns, so I won’t be shocked if he avoids the full Will Johnson slide.