Pre-Super Bowl Mock Draft

Barring a trade for an established veteran QB that I don't see happening, the 2025 Heisman winner feels locked into this spot. He'd give the Raiders the most hope they've had since the early Derek Carr years.

Along with the Arizona Cardinals behind them, , this is a tough spot for the Jets seemingly without a viable option at the QB spot to take here. There also doesn't feel like a Travis Hunter-level prospect at this spot. For now, I'll pencil in Arvell Reese, who has a little bit of Jalon Walker to his game, but this spot feels very fluid.

This selection feels likely to be along the offensive or defensive line for the Cardinals unless they like one of the non-Fernando Mendoza QB options enough to draft one of them here. . For me going O-Line, it feels like a dart throw between Fano and Miami's Francis Mauigoa. Fano is more athletic while Mauigoa is more of a big-bodied mauler.

Here's some more juice for the Titans pass rush, something new head coach Robert Saleh could want given his defensive background.

Picking a safety at 5 could be a hard sell for some Giants fans, but John Harbaugh had Kyle Hamilton in his last few years in Baltimore. And in terms of talent, one could very easily make a case for Downs being a top 5 player (or better) in this draft class.

Ohio State receivers have been a very safe proposition come draft time in recent years. Next in line is Carnell Tate. He's never been Ohio State's #1 option, though that's not entirely his fault having Jeremiah Smith as a teammate for the last two years.

Defense feels more likely to me here than offense. Caleb Downs would definitely be an option if he were available. With him gone, turning to Rueben Bain felt like a wise move in this mock. Just hope his short arms don't get in his way of NFL success.

Even if there were a QB potentially worth taking here, it feels like Tyler Shough showed just enough to be given a fair shake in 2026. Here he gets some help with Jeremiyah Love. Running back may not provide the best 'value' at 8, but Love could have a Jahmyr Gibbs/Ashton Jeanty type of impact for an offense.

Some may feel like this is too high for Makai Lemon, but this guy gives off some Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jaxon Smith-Njigba/Puka Nacua vibes for me. He's not the fastest, but he's am expert route runner that catches everything. I like the fit between him and record speed demon Xavier Worthy

Bengals fans may not like me having them go defense with this selection (I'd get it), but protecting Joe Burrow should also be a priority. This is also a team that has shown it'll draft guys who had high 5-star recruiting rankings coming out of high school. Mauigoa would check both of those boxes.

The Dolphins are a mess. Selecting for them feels like a total shot in the dark at this point. Perhaps Ty Simpson or Trinidad Chambliss (if he's in the draft class) could be options if they're sold on either of them being franchise QBs. If not, your guess is as good as mine. Mansoor Delane could be the best healthy option at the cornerback spot, and I have a hard time believing at this time he'd fall much further than this.

Defense feels like the priority for the Cowboys with at least one of their first round picks, and perhaps with both of them. Similar to Downs at 5 and Love at 8, middle linebacker may not be the best 'value' pick, but in a draft class that doesn't feel so strong at the top, a pick like this becomes more defensible. Sonny Styles fits the modern day NFL linebacker and should be an excellent Day 1 starter.

Pick is actually Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole MIss

Caveat here is Trinidad Chambliss is taking his fight against the NCAA to court to try and play for Ole Miss in 2026. I have no clue how that will turn out, but if he loses that battle, he's someone who could go a good bit higher than anticipated in a less than stellar QB class. Even though Matthew Stafford is the favorite to win the NFL's MVP award, even if he plays in 2026, he's much closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Chambliss doesn't have great height, but he is mobile and athletic. Feels like he could be a Brock Purdy/early day Russell Wilson type if it all comes together for him.

Former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is the new Ravens head coach. Naturally, some people could think defense with this pick as a result. But receiver and offensive guard are sore spots for the offense, and possibilities for this selection as well. Minter takes a page out of the Jim Harbaugh playbook and beefs up the O-Line

Tampa Bay fans may prefer defense here, but adding Kenyon Sadiq to this offensive group of weapons could be an option if the draft board on defense doesn't play out the way they'd like.

A lengthy injury history could move Jordyn Tyson down draft boards a bit. Other than that, there's not a whole lot here to dislike. He's got size, route-running acumen, strong hands, enough speed and blocking chops. Given that he was coached by former Steelers great Hines Ward at ASU, you also know he had an excellent tutor.