Kevin Coleman's 2026 NFL Mock Draft 1.0
The Super Bowl is upon us and Kevin takes a crack at his firts NFL mock draft of the season.
The NFL Draft is creeping closer, and the chaos stage of the offseason is officially underway. Draft declarations are done, the College Football Playoff is over, and the NFL postseason is shaping how teams think about their immediate windows. By the time you’re reading this, we still won’t even know who’s lifting the Lombardi Trophy, but coaching staffs have largely rounded out, front offices have shown their hands, and we’re starting to get a real framework for how teams could approach April.
This isn’t about being right in January. It’s about exploring team direction, roster construction, and how early draft logic starts to take shape once staffs are in place. It’s a fun exercise, it sparks the best debates, and honestly, it’s one of my favorite parts of draft season.
So let’s dive in and walk through how teams could be thinking when they’re on the clock.
1. Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
As much as I’m still sorting out just how elite of a ceiling Fernando Mendoza ultimately has, it’s hard to imagine the Raiders going any other direction here. Las Vegas has a glaring void at quarterback despite having Geno Smith and Aidan O’Connell under contract for next season. Anyone arguing otherwise is about as sound of mind as Brennan Carroll was effective as an offensive line coach.
Smith’s arrival in Las Vegas was directly tied to the one-and-done tenure of Pete Carroll, and his long-term future with the franchise feels anything but secure. He’s under contract for two more seasons with a $26.5 million cap hit, and per Over The Cap, releasing the 35-year-old either pre- or post-June 1 results in the same outcome: $18.5 million in dead cap with $8 million in savings. Translation: the Raiders are not married to him.
Enter Mendoza. At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Mendoza checks every physical box teams look for at the top of the draft, but it’s the production and composure that truly separate him. He capped off a dominant season by leading Indiana past Miami in the title game and taking home the Heisman Trophy, finishing ahead of Diego Pavia, Jeremiyah Love, and Julian Sayin.
Mendoza’s ability to drive the football with velocity and precision was on full display all season. He threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while completing an absurd 72 percent of his passes (273-of-379). He’s not a statue either, adding 276 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground.
What stands out most on tape, though, is how calm everything looks. Quick release. Consistent accuracy. Comfort operating under pressure. Mendoza showed poise, resilience, and leadership in high-leverage moments throughout Indiana’s national championship runn; traits that matter just as much as arm talent when you’re talking about a 1.01 quarterback.
Dropping Mendoza into an offense with Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers gives the Raiders a legitimate foundation at quarterback for the first time in years. The offensive line still needs work, no question, but with a new coaching staff in place, this feels like the reset Las Vegas has been circling for a long time.
2. New York Jets — Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
This is where the draft really opens up. The Jets have needs everywhere, and there are a dozen different directions they could go here. While Arvell Reese would make sense, I think New York ultimately leans into the board and takes one of the best defensive players in the class.
With no quarterback worthy of this selection, the Jets opt to add a dominant presence up front in Rueben Bain Jr. Bain is coming off a monster final season at Miami, finishing with a 92.8 PFF grade that ranked second among all Power Four edge defenders, trailing only Texas Tech’s David Bailey. He was a driving force behind the Hurricanes’ run to the National Championship game, posting 83 pressures and 12 sacks in 2025 while consistently wrecking game plans.
This is the type of pick that signals where a franchise is at. The Jets aren’t one player away on offense, and forcing a quarterback here would be a mistake. Instead, they land a premier edge rusher who immediately raises the floor of a defense that finished last season with just 26 sacks and zero interceptions.
Pairing Bain with Kayden McDonald gives the Jets a pass-rush foundation they simply didn’t have in 2025. Bain isn’t just a speed rusher, either—he made a handful of eye-opening plays as both a pass rusher and a run defender, showing the ability to win with power, leverage, and effort. There will be debates throughout the pre-draft process. Shorter arm length. Positional fit questions. Scheme discussions. But this feels like a front office that understands its timeline. The Jets know they’re rebuilding, and the quarterback and offense can wait.
This is about building the defensive line first, shoring up the foundation, and letting the rest come later. With extra draft capital and eyes toward 2027, New York starts its reset the right way.
3. Arizona Cardinals — Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL)
The Cardinals are in a flex spot right now. We don’t know what the long-term plan is with Kyler Murray, and we don’t fully know which direction this roster is ultimately headed. So when things are uncertain, the answer is usually simple: take the best player on the board and build the trenches.
You can never have too many dominant offensive linemen.
Arizona is positioned to be one of the more influential teams in the 2026 NFL Draft, but with questions on both sides of the ball, building from the inside out, while boring to the public, is often the smartest way to establish a foundation. The Cardinals have struggled to generate consistent protection and push up front, especially against high-end defensive fronts, and that’s been a limiting factor for the entire offense.
Francis Mauigoa checks every box teams look for in an early night-one tackle. He brings a rare combination of size, power, and technical nuance that gives him a high floor as an NFL starter. For Arizona, he immediately raises the baseline of the offensive line and becomes a foundational piece protecting whoever ends up being the long-term answer under center. Most of Mauigoa’s concerns are technical rather than physical, and that matters. His issues are coachable. With refinement, his consistency against elite speed rushers should continue to improve. He’s comfortable in both gap and zone-heavy run schemes, which gives Arizona flexibility as the offense evolves.
The mauling play style, experience (41 career starts), and overall consistency as a blocker make Mauigoa the type of offensive lineman who simply doesn’t last long on draft night. With Kelvin Beachum set to hit free agency, Mauigoa could slide in at right tackle immediately and help stabilize both the passing game and the run game.
The quarterback situation may still be unsettled, but no matter who’s under center, the protection has to be right. This pick is about long-term offensive stability and it’s the kind of move that quietly changes the trajectory of a roster.
4. Tennessee Titans — Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The Titans could absolutely trade back here. They could also look to add another weapon for Cam Ward and lean into the offensive rebuild. But if Arvell Reese is still on the board, it’s hard to imagine Tennessee passing. What’s fascinating about Reese is how quickly this rise happened. He wasn’t a heavily discussed prospect heading into the season, but the 6-foot-4, 243-pound linebacker has developed into one of the most disruptive and explosive defenders in the country. He didn’t just put himself on the NFL Draft radar; he launched himself into the top tier of the class.
Reese is a true hybrid defender, lining up both as an off-ball linebacker and as an edge rusher. He has the length, burst, and power to win off the edge, flashing 6.5 sacks this season despite operating in a part-time pass-rush role. His athletic tools at a premium position are what separate him.
The interior of Tennessee’s defensive line is already set with Jeffery Simmons, T’Vondre Sweat, and Sebastian Joseph-Day in rotation. What this defense lacks is a true game-wrecker; someone who can change the complexion of a game on any snap. Reese is exactly that type of player. Jeffery Simmons can’t do everything by himself, and with the Titans hiring Robert Salah, this pick makes even more sense. Reese brings the versatility to attack protections, drop into coverage, and stress offenses in multiple ways.
There are still refinements ahead. His transition to a full-time edge role will take time, and as a pure linebacker, there are areas of his game that need development. But the combination of size, athleticism, motor, and upside is rare. Reese is arguably the top overall prospect in the entire draft and landing him at No. 4 would be a home run. Tennessee can come back and address weapons for Cam Ward later. You don’t pass on a defensive playmaker like this when he falls into your lap.
5. New York Giants — Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
The Giants have plenty of needs, but like Tennessee, they’re also sitting on a second-year quarterback who needs help. Jaxson Dart can’t be evaluated in a vacuum, and right now, the infrastructure around him still isn’t stable enough.
Yes, Malik Nabers is expected back, and Cam Skattebo should return to the lineup, but Wan’Dale Robinson is set to hit free agency, and Nabers can’t be the target on every throw. More importantly, there are real concerns about Nabers’ availability moving forward after a significant knee injury. That has to factor into how New York approaches this draft.
Taking a wide receiver early wouldn’t be new for newly hired head coach John Harbaugh. During his time in Baltimore, he used four Day 1 picks on the position, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Hollywood Brown, and Breshad Perriman, showing a clear willingness to invest heavily in pass catchers when the offense needs it.
Carnell Tate would be the fifth straight Ohio State wide receiver selected in the first round, and it’s easy to see why. Tate brings polished route running, reliable hands, and a professional approach to the position. He hauled in 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns this past season, consistently winning at all three levels of the field. Tate is a technician. He can separate against man or zone, execute every branch of the route tree, and stretch defenses vertically, evidenced by his 17.1 yards per catch (32nd in the FBS). He gives Dart a true downfield threat who can also win in the intermediate areas, something this offense desperately needs.
If the Giants are serious about finding out what they have in Jaxson Dart, surrounding him with playmakers has to be the priority. Tate does exactly that and gives New York some much-needed insurance as they navigate an uncertain receiver room heading into 2026.
6. Cleveland Browns — Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
The Browns need help pretty much everywhere. That’s just reality. But no matter who ends up under center in Week 1 of 2026, the offensive line has to be fixed, and it has to be fixed first. Spencer Fano is an elite prospect. Elite enough to be my top overall player in this class.
His pass sets are outstanding, and his film consistently shows high-level balance, timing, and control. The Texas Tech tape this season was especially impressive given the caliber of competition, even if it didn’t end up being one of his highest-graded games. Fano is a high-end athlete with excellent movement skills and natural leverage, and everything he does looks clean and repeatable.
He’s a natural right tackle, but he has the experience and traits to kick over to the left side if needed. If Jack Conklin returns, Cleveland could get creative with how they deploy him. If not, Fano still steps in as a plug-and-play starter who immediately raises the floor of the unit. Either way, this pick would dramatically increase the offense’s ceiling.
Over 37 career games (36 starts), Fano allowed just four sacks. He’s played on both sides of the line at Utah and brings the size, power, and technique to excel at either tackle spot at the next level. With Cam Robinson and Jack Conklin both set to hit free agency, Cleveland could pair Fano with Dawand Jones, who is returning from a knee injury, and finally start stabilizing a pass protection unit that’s been stuck in the middle of the pack.
Yes, they could go receiver here. But this line needs work, especially if they want to maximize Quinshon Judkins and take pressure off a quarterback situation that’s still a mess. With Carnell Tate off the board, Fano feels like the clear BPA, and the tackle class thins out quickly as the round goes on. There will be receiver options later. This is a trenches pick. It’s not flashy, but it’s necessary, and it’s how you rebuild the right way.
7. Washington Commanders — Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
I still firmly believe Caleb Downs is one of the best players in this entire draft, regardless of position. Washington has a wave of needs, but defensively, the secondary stands out and this feels like the type of pick that stabilizes a unit immediately. Offensively, the Commanders should already benefit from an addition-by-subtraction effect with Kliff Kingsbury out of the building. That puts even more pressure on the defense to take a step forward.
Downs is one of the cleanest and safest safety prospects we’ve seen in the last decade. His football IQ jumps off the tape, and it has since his first snap in college. He plays fast, diagnoses quickly, and is constantly around the football. Leadership isn’t something you project with him; it’s already there. There’s no scenario where a player this talented slips out of the top ten. Downs is expected to step into the league and immediately contend for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Despite the safety position often being undervalued in the draft, elite players at the position still go early, and Downs is elite. Washington’s secondary currently lacks a true difference-maker outside of Trey Amos and Mike Sainristil, and both safety spots are in play. Downs should start Day 1. In 2025, Downs played in 14 games, recording 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, and two interceptions. He earned First-Team All-American honors and helped lead Ohio State back to the College Football Playoff.
He finishes his college career with 257 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and six interceptions, along with two First-Team All-American selections and even Heisman votes in 2025. In Washington, Downs would be an instant tone-setter. There isn’t another safety in this class with his ceiling, range, and feel for the game. He’s one of the best defensive players I’ve watched at the college level, constantly around the ball, making plays wherever he lines up. This is a cornerstone pick.
8. New Orleans Saints — Makai Lemon, WR, USC
I know a lot of mocks have the Saints going running back here, especially with Jeremiyah Love on the board. But wide receiver is very much in play, and I’d argue it makes more sense given where this roster is headed.
After trade rumors swirled around Chris Olave ahead of the deadline, New Orleans ultimately held onto its WR1. Still, Olave is under contract for just one more season, and even if the Saints extend him, this passing game desperately needs more firepower, especially for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. Rashid Shaheed was the only other Saints receiver to clear 300 receiving yards this season, and he was traded to Seattle. That’s not a sustainable setup.
Makai Lemon may not wow you with size, but he wins everywhere else. At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, Lemon isn’t the most physically imposing receiver in the class, yet he consistently plays bigger than his frame. The 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner put together a dominant season, hauling in 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Lemon wins with elite short-area burst, twitchy route running, and outstanding acceleration. He creates separation effortlessly and doesn’t shy away from contact. He attacks 50/50 balls, works the middle of the field, and brings a level of competitiveness that immediately translates to the next level. The biggest question with Lemon is long speed. It’s not bad, but it’s not a true separator either, and if he opts out of running the 40 at the Combine, teams may never get a clean number. That’ll be a talking point throughout the process. But the tape shows a receiver who wins in multiple ways despite it.
He’s a safe Round 1 option with real upside and, more importantly, he’d be massive for Shough’s continued development. Pairing Lemon with Olave gives the Saints a legitimate one-two punch: Olave as the refined vertical technician and Lemon as the gritty, underneath weapon who keeps the offense on schedule. This pick isn’t flashy, but it’s practical, and it gives New Orleans a passing-game foundation they simply didn’t have in 2025.
9. Kansas City Chiefs — Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
As many needs as Kansas City has, I don’t think they pass on Jeremiyah Love if he’s still on the board. The fit is just too clean.
With Patrick Mahomes coming off ACL surgery and Eric Bieniemy returning home as offensive coordinator, this feels like the moment the Chiefs finally commit to reshaping their offense. I’ve said it before, I thought they should’ve moved a second-round pick for Breece Hall at the deadline and didn’t. This is the reset button.
Kansas City’s run game quietly became a problem in 2025. The Chiefs finished in the bottom half of the league in yards per carry (4.2) and explosive runs of 10-plus yards (44). Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are both free agents, and despite Mahomes somehow leading the team in rushing yards, defenses adjusted quickly, sitting back, daring Kansas City to run, and forcing the offense out of rhythm.
Jeremiyah Love fixes that. Love is a true three-down back. He checks every box. He rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns this past season and consistently showed the ability to create on his own while also being efficient within structure.
The deeper you look, the more sense this pick makes. Bieniemy has always preferred versatile backs who can stay on the field and impact the game in multiple ways, and that’s Love’s calling card. With Mahomes working his way back, the Chiefs can’t afford to put everything on their quarterback’s shoulders again. They need balance. They need efficiency. They need a running back who enhances the passing game and stabilizes the offense. Love gives Kansas City exactly that and allows this offense to evolve into its next version. This feels like the type of move that helps bridge the gap from the back half of the Chiefs’ dynasty into the next phase of Mahomes’ career.
10. Cincinnati Bengals — David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Cincinnati could go a number of different directions here, but at some point the Bengals have to solve their pass-rush problem. The front office has clearly tried. Since Trey Hendrickson’s peak seasons, the Bengals have poured premium resources into the edge position, hoping someone would emerge as the next cornerstone. So far, that hasn’t happened. Myles Murphy hasn’t taken the leap many expected, and Shemar Stewart is still more projection than finished product.
That’s where David Bailey comes in. Bailey plays like he’s shot out of a cannon. His first step is violent, his motor runs hot, and he’s constantly stressing tackles with speed and urgency. He doesn’t just rush the passer; he attacks protections. Quarterbacks feel him on every dropback, whether he gets home or not.
Cincinnati’s defense needs someone who can win off the edge consistently and tilt the field in obvious passing situations. Bailey gives them that. He generates pressure through burst and effort, and he doesn’t disappear when offenses try to scheme him out of the play. This isn’t about replacing Hendrickson with a carbon copy. It’s about injecting energy and disruption into a unit that still struggles to close games defensively. Bailey gives the Bengals a chance to finally get that piece right.
If Cincinnati wants to take the next step as a contender, getting after the quarterback has to be non-negotiable and Bailey is built for exactly that role.
11. Miami Dolphins — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Miami finally hit the reset button, and honestly, it was overdue. The teardown started during the season with the organization moving on from Chris Grier after a decade in charge, and it continued with Stephen Ross’s decision to fire Mike McDaniel. With Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley coming over from Green Bay to lead the front office and coaching staff, this is a full reset, not a soft retool. The goal is clear: build something sustainable and finally get this franchise out of its decades-long playoff drought.
That rebuild starts on defense. The Dolphins have pieces at every level, Zach Sieler up front, Jordyn Brooks in the middle, and Minkah Fitzpatrick on the back end. They also have enough pass rush to function. What they don’t have is a true No. 1 corner who can travel, eliminate matchups, and give the rest of the defense room to breathe.
Jermod McCoy gives them a real shot at finding that guy. McCoy is a toolsy outside corner with legitimate CB1 flashes on tape. His movement skills stand out immediately. His hips and feet are smooth, allowing him to transition laterally and stay attached on breaking routes. He shows good instincts at the catch point and consistently puts himself in position to make plays on the football.
The ACL injury he suffered robbed him of a critical development year, and that’s the biggest variable in his evaluation. Straight-line burst isn’t elite, and there are reps where vertical speed forces him into recovery mode. But those are areas that can be mitigated with better press technique, improved timing at the line, and reps, things he simply hasn’t had enough of yet. What you’re betting on here is traits and feel. McCoy understands spacing, shows strong zone awareness, and has the ball skills you want in a boundary corner. If the medical checks clear and he looks right during the pre-draft process, he has the highest upside of any corner in this class.
For a Dolphins team starting from scratch, this is the type of swing you take. A potential shutdown corner gives Hafley flexibility to shape the rest of the defense, and gives Miami a foundational piece as the rebuild officially begins.
12. Dallas Cowboys — Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Dallas needs help all over the defense, but cornerback is the most obvious pressure point on the roster. Trevon Diggs was released prior to Week 18, and Daron Bland is coming off another major foot surgery that clouds his availability moving forward. Simply put, the Cowboys are thin and uncertain on the outside.
Mansoor Delane gives them a real answer. Delane is one of the top corners in a cornerback-rich class, and his game is built for NFL matchups. He thrives in press coverage, disrupting release timing with well-timed punches and slides, and his smooth hips and efficient footwork allow him to stay connected in man coverage. He processes quickly in off-man and short zone looks, closing windows before quarterbacks are comfortable pulling the trigger.
He has enough top-end speed to stay in phase vertically, though finding the football consistently downfield is still an area that can improve. At times he’ll lock into the route rather than fully turning to locate the ball, but he’s rarely lost. He understands spacing, squeezes throwing lanes, and routinely makes life difficult at the catch point.
What makes Delane’s evaluation even more impressive is that he played through a core muscle injury for much of the 2025 season and still performed at a high level. His emergence over the past two years feels more like the start of something than a peak, and the flashes of lockdown ability are real. Dallas does traditionally favor longer cornerbacks, and there will be teams that ding Delane for his lack of prototypical size. That would be a mistake. The league is starving for corners who can compete, tackle, and survive on an island, and Delane brings all three. He’s feisty in the run game, competitive at the line of scrimmage, and doesn’t shy away from physical reps.
If the Cowboys are willing to adjust their thresholds even slightly, this is a pick they should sprint to the podium with. Delane gives them a future CB1, something this defense has been searching for, and helps stabilize a secondary that badly needs it.
13. Los Angeles Rams (Via ATL) — Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
Keith Abney II is one of the quieter risers in this class, but the tape and the trajectory tell a clear story.
A former three-star recruit, Abney played meaningful snaps all three seasons at Arizona State and turned himself into a foundational piece of the Sun Devils’ defense. He became a full-time starter in 2024 and never looked back, starting all 12 games in both 2024 and 2025 while playing a major role in Arizona State’s playoff run. Over his sophomore and junior seasons, he totaled five interceptions and 15 pass breakups, consistently showing up in high-leverage moments.
Abney is one of the more complete cornerback profiles in this draft. He’s versatile, sticky in coverage, and tracks the ball extremely well in the air. His ability to stay connected through routes gives him the flexibility to play either outside or slide inside depending on matchup and scheme. He’s comfortable in man coverage, understands spacing in zone, and rarely looks overwhelmed.
There are refinements ahead. Abney can get grabby at the top of routes, and that habit will draw flags at the next level if it isn’t cleaned up. But that’s a technique issue, not a traits issue. With refinement, he profiles as one of the more plug-and-play corners in this class. For the Rams, the need is obvious. After falling short of Super Bowl expectations with a loss to Seattle in the NFC Championship Game, the cracks in the secondary were impossible to ignore. Allowing 153 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a Super Bowl trip on the line can’t happen. While the pass defense has technically improved year over year, it remains a middle-of-the-pack unit, and that’s not good enough for where this team wants to go.
Looking ahead, the Rams only have Darious Williams and Emmanuel Forbes under contract at corner for 2026. They need an influx of talent, youth, and upside on the outside. Abney gives them exactly that. He’s the type of player who could rise quickly through the pre-draft process, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s viewed very differently by the time April rolls around. For a Rams defense searching for answers in coverage, this is a bet on development, versatility, and long-term stability.
