First Stab
The free agent store has been raided. All that remain are dented and nearly-expired canned goods like Joel Bitonio and Kevin Zeitler. Time for my first mock draft of the season. Two rounds.
Round 1
Mendoza isn't the tool box QB that often bats leadoff in the NFL Draft. But this is a weak draft at the premium positions, and Mendoza's "deluxe point guard" skill set should play up in Klint Kubiak's WC system. The draft begins at 1.02.
I'm convinced that if his name wasn't boring ol' "Dave Bailey", Bailey would be a more popular pick at #2 overall. Let's not forget that Bailey was a blue chip HS EDGE prospect and did nothing but dominate at Stanford and Texas Tech. Pedigree, skill set and performance make Bailey the cleanest premium position prospect in this class. No offense to recently-signed Joseph Ossai, but more EDGE juice is needed in NY opposite Will McDonald IV.
Deone Bucannon...Haason Reddick...Isaiah Simmons...Zaven Collins...if you're the 1st round's divisive 'tweener prospect, the Cardinals will find their way to you.
Jeffery Simmons heads the Rueben Bain fan club. Sonny Styles and those Fred Warner comps could be catnip to Robert Saleh. But Love would instantly turbo-charge TEN's dull offense and make life easier for Cam Ward. There's talk that the Titans...well...love Love, and I believe it. Tony Pollard is nearly 29 and looks washed.
Tremaine Edmunds (still just 27) was signed for 3 years/$36 million to be the green dot LB, so I'd be surprised if Sonny Styles is the pick here. Rich investment for a stack LB duo, and there's too much crossover in Edmunds and Styles' skill sets.
I suppose Carnell Tate is a possibility here, but a top-5 investment on a WR2?? Tate makes more sense for CLE, where he would be drafted as WR1.
We know that John Harbaugh wants to lean into the run game in NY. (He even brought along 300 lb. battering ram Patrick Ricard from BAL!) Having just missed out on Jeremiyah Love - who would combine with Skattebo to form the funnest thunder/lightning duo in NFL history - Harbaugh and company will eat their vegetables with the selection of Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa would be an instant tone-setter at RT, nudging Jermaine Eluemunor inside, where ther's a hole at RG and LG Jon Runyan is a cap casualty waiting to happen.
I suppose Carnell Tate is a possibility here, but a top-5 investment on a WR2?? Tate makes more sense for CLE, where he would be drafted as WR1.
We know that John Harbaugh wants to lean into the run game in NY. (He even brought along 300 lb. battering ram Patrick Ricard from BAL!) Having just missed out on Jeremiyah Love - who would combine with Skattebo to form the funnest thunder/lightning duo in NFL history - Harbaugh and company will eat their vegetables with the selection of Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa would be an instant tone-setter at RT, nudging Jermaine Eluemunor inside, where ther's a hole at RG and LG Jon Runyan is a cap casualty waiting to happen.
The Browns have rebuilt their O-line (poorly, IMO) during free agency, with the crucial exception of LT, so Monroe Freeling - a Kolton Miller-type LT tool box - is very tempting here. Freeling is raw and typically found in the mid-to-late 1st round range on big boards, but LT value gives his draft stock some helium...but all the way up to 1.06? Maybe. But maybe the Browns think Caleb Lomu would be a better value at 1.24 or after a reasonable move up.
All signs indicate that CLE wants to come out of the 1st round with a WR. I think Tate - while not a dominant WR1 prospect - is still in his own tier among this year's WR crop, and selecting Freeling here would open up the likelihood of being stuck at 1.24 with Tate, Lemon, Tyson and Cooper all off the board. The next tier (Concepcion, Boston) aren't instant starters, IMO.
All signs indicate that CLE wants to come out of the 1st round with a WR. I think Tate - while not a dominant WR1 prospect - is still in his own tier among this year's WR crop, and selecting Freeling here would open up the likelihood of being stuck at 1.24 with Tate, Lemon, Tyson and Cooper all off the board. The next tier (Concepcion, Boston) aren't instant starters, IMO.
Dan Quinn wants a younger, longer and faster defense. LOB-type athletes. "Longer" probably rules out Rueben Bain (along with the additions of DEs Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson).
Styles would be a hand-in-glove fit as an instant replacement for impending cap casualty Frankie Luvu. Styles' skill set would complement blitzing SAM LB Leo Chenal's well.
Carnell Tate could easily be the pick here if he gets past CLE, but I think there's some redundancy given Terry McLaurin's skill set. WAS has a need for speed at WR.
Styles would be a hand-in-glove fit as an instant replacement for impending cap casualty Frankie Luvu. Styles' skill set would complement blitzing SAM LB Leo Chenal's well.
Carnell Tate could easily be the pick here if he gets past CLE, but I think there's some redundancy given Terry McLaurin's skill set. WAS has a need for speed at WR.
There's a hole opposite Kool-Aid McKinstry at boundary corner. Saints/Delane is about as tidy a fit as we can ask for in this exercise.
There's nothing but tumbleweeds surrounding Chris Olave at WR, so I suppose Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon could be in play here. I just don't see either as a top-10-worthy prospect.
An argument can be made for Rueben Bain here, but the chances of NO drafting Bain seem slim to me. The Saints usually go for those pterodactyl EDGE prospects, and Bain standing up as a 3-4 OLB may seem a stretch. (I personally think Bain could win as a James Harrison-type 3-4 OLB, but - historically - the odds are against him. He's probably going to slip a bit on Day One.)
There's nothing but tumbleweeds surrounding Chris Olave at WR, so I suppose Jordyn Tyson and Makai Lemon could be in play here. I just don't see either as a top-10-worthy prospect.
An argument can be made for Rueben Bain here, but the chances of NO drafting Bain seem slim to me. The Saints usually go for those pterodactyl EDGE prospects, and Bain standing up as a 3-4 OLB may seem a stretch. (I personally think Bain could win as a James Harrison-type 3-4 OLB, but - historically - the odds are against him. He's probably going to slip a bit on Day One.)
I considered Spencer Fano and Vega Ione here to replace putrid LG Kingsley Suamataia, but the Chiefs can probably get someone like Gennings Dunker or Emmanuel Pregnon at 2.40.
I'm sneaking Sadiq into the top-10 after that all-time Combine performance. He's an athletic rarity and 2nd only to Jeremiyah Love in "what Patrick Mahomes needs to bounce back" in this draft.
This pick was made easier by the fact that Travis Kelce is washed.
I'm sneaking Sadiq into the top-10 after that all-time Combine performance. He's an athletic rarity and 2nd only to Jeremiyah Love in "what Patrick Mahomes needs to bounce back" in this draft.
This pick was made easier by the fact that Travis Kelce is washed.
LT Orlando Brown Jr. is a good soldier, but he stinks. The money doesn't jive with the performance. (9 sacks allowed and 10 penalties, 60.6 PFF grade last season) The 3-year extension he recently signed has an out after 2026 and I expect the frugal Bengals to use it.
The Bengals aren't afraid to use redshirt seasons on high-upside, 1st round prospects, so Freeling makes sense. He may be able to start off at RG before switching to the blindside alongside former teammate Dylan Fairchild in 2027.
The Bengals aren't afraid to use redshirt seasons on high-upside, 1st round prospects, so Freeling makes sense. He may be able to start off at RG before switching to the blindside alongside former teammate Dylan Fairchild in 2027.
MIA is in tear-down mode, so I expect this pick to be the BPA in the trenches. Personally, I would select Rueben Bain to bring heat opposite Chop Robinson, but the new MIA brain trust leans heavily on RAS scores during draft evaluation (hat tip to the Champ), making the exceptionally athletic Fano (and his 9.76 RAS score) the pick. Fano has the versatility to replace the terminally-injured Austin Jackson at RT or very replaceable Jonah Savaiinaea at LG. Patrick Paul and Spencer Fano locked in at OT isn't the worst foundation for a rebuild.
Jerry Jones stated at the Combine that DAL cannot afford to redshirt any of their limited 2026 draft picks. That eliminates Jermod McCoy, Keldric Faulk and (possibly) Caleb Downs.
The addition of Rashan Gary - who was on the cusp of being a cap casualty in GB before DAL traded for him - shouldn't prevent DAL from throwing a net under the falling Bain. They'll cross their fingers that Bain isn't the Will Campbell of EDGE rushers.
The addition of Rashan Gary - who was on the cusp of being a cap casualty in GB before DAL traded for him - shouldn't prevent DAL from throwing a net under the falling Bain. They'll cross their fingers that Bain isn't the Will Campbell of EDGE rushers.
For what it's worth, Tony Pauline recently said that "Lemon won't fall past LA". I can buy it. The Rams are all in for 2026 and Lemon is one of the most polished prospects at a position of need. He'll be one of the top ten slot WRs as a rookie.
Despite Pauline's prediction, Jordyn Tyson could easily be the pick here if the Rams are convinced he can stay healthy. Tyson can operate from the slot but also has the size to take over for Davante Adams as boundary WR2.
Despite Pauline's prediction, Jordyn Tyson could easily be the pick here if the Rams are convinced he can stay healthy. Tyson can operate from the slot but also has the size to take over for Davante Adams as boundary WR2.
I want so badly to give BAL Caleb Downs here. (Can you imagine the mind-melting 3-safety looks?) I'm just spooked by those reports of a degenerative knee for Downs and am kinda waiting for more info on that. I learned my lesson with Will Johnson last year.
The greatest 3-safety looks in history won't help Lamar Jackson round back into MVP form unless upgrades are made at WR, where diminutive Zay Flowers is the only reliable asset. When healthy, Tyson is the sizeable play-maker that trade bait Rashod Bateman hasn't blossomed into.
The greatest 3-safety looks in history won't help Lamar Jackson round back into MVP form unless upgrades are made at WR, where diminutive Zay Flowers is the only reliable asset. When healthy, Tyson is the sizeable play-maker that trade bait Rashod Bateman hasn't blossomed into.
A post-Lavonte David leader is needed for the LB corps, where the SirVocea Dennis experiment hasn't worked out and Alex Anzalone is approaching 32.
Right around this pick is where I anticipate we start seeing "left field" picks, as there are arguably less than 15 true 1st round grade-worthy prospects in this class. Hill would qualify as a surprise, but maybe he shouldn't. That 9.80 RAS and blue chip pedigree shouldn't be ignored. (For what it's worth: Since 2016, TB GM Jason Licht hasn't drafted a prospect in the 1st round with a RAS under 9.25.)
Right around this pick is where I anticipate we start seeing "left field" picks, as there are arguably less than 15 true 1st round grade-worthy prospects in this class. Hill would qualify as a surprise, but maybe he shouldn't. That 9.80 RAS and blue chip pedigree shouldn't be ignored. (For what it's worth: Since 2016, TB GM Jason Licht hasn't drafted a prospect in the 1st round with a RAS under 9.25.)
Terrell is a CB after Aaron Glenn's own heart. Polished, feisty and versatile, Terrell could instantly replace JAGs Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (NCB) or Brandon Stephens (boundary).