GeorgiaDome 2026 Mock Draft

Mendoza is going #1. The Raiders made their offseason about adding tools for Mendoza's arrival. The reigning Heisman and National Champion QB projects as a solid NFL starter and might be the only deserving QB to go in Round 1.

The Jets need the BPA at 2. Anyone of the Top 5 players in the draft would help them but Bailey has the production history to match despite his average on the field workout at the combine. Bailey is the prototypical 4-3 DE with a motor to get to the QB. If the Jets want to have even 1 INT this year, it starts with the pass rush and Bailey has proven that more than the other EDGE guys in this draft. Combining him with McDonald and Ossai makes sense for a team building the defense this offseason and the offense in 27' with a new QB.

The Cardinals, similar to the Jets, are in a rebuild. Love is tempting but the signing of Allgeier and Connor being on the roster makes this more of luxury than a need. Instead the Cardinals fix their RT position with my top OL on the board. Mauigoa was nothing but productive for the National Runner-Up Hurricanes and gives the Cardinals two bookend tackles with Paris Johnson Jr. to start their build as they look to acquire a franchise QB.

What is Cam Ward? The Titans are on a mission to find out as evident in their Free Agency acquisitions.

The best way to find out is to give him a chance in the run game and Love is truly a unicorn prospect with game changing effect. Love and Pollard would give the Titans a good look at Ward running a complete offense.

Taking an RB inside the Top 5 is typically taboo in today's NFL. Only 4 have been drafted since 2010 and two were deemed "busts".

2012: Trent Richardson (No. 3, Cleveland Browns)
2016: Ezekiel Elliott (No. 4, Dallas Cowboys)
2017: Leonard Fournette (No. 4, Jacksonville Jaguars)
2018: Saquon Barkley (No. 2, New York Giants)

The other two lived up to their draft status. Love's game could have Derrick Henry/Bijan Robinson types of effect and that is too tempting for teams to pass up especially a HC on his 2nd opportunity.

The Giants do not have the need for the 3 top EDGE rushers and that plays to their advantage in this mock. Mauigoa is the only OL worthy of going in the Top 10 but he is off the board but would have filled a need at RT. Reaching at #5 doesn't make a ton of sense.

Thus, this pick comes down to WR, LB, or S. Downs and Styles are much better prospects than the WRs in this draft and the Giants seem set to go with Nabers, Mooney, and Slaton. While Downs is ranked higher on my board, Safeties don't typically go top 5 and his "degenerative knee" could be an issue for a team looking to make that move in the Top 5.

The Giants signed Tremaine Edmunds but need another LB. Styles has make up to be a defensive chess piece. The former safety could still be used as a "Kyle Hamilton" type piece familiar to what Harbaugh used in Baltimore but is also capable of playing traditional Mike LB or edge in a 3rd down rush package. That level of versatility will appeal to the Giants as they start to rebuild their team in the Harbaugh image.

The Browns seem like they have to go OT and WR with their 2 1st round picks. The question is in what order? Mauigoa is the only OL I think is worthy of a Top 10 pick and the Browns have multiple holes to fill. There is a run of late 1st round prospects that should be available at 24, so instead they look to support whoever they trot out under center in 26' with an effective weapon out wide with Carnell Tate.

Tate has seemingly always been the "other" Ohio St. WR behind Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Marvin Harrison Jr. but is a solid route runner and reliable WR. While he isn't the game breaking prospect we typically see in the Top 10, he projects as a WR that could last for 10-12 years with solid production. That would be a massive upgrade for the Browns.

The Commanders signed 3 EDGE guys in Free Agency but 2 are on short term deals and are depth players. Reese is a productive player with versatility that will appeal to Dan Quinn to play in or outside the box and give a more long-term answer at the position. Should he be gone, I fully expect this pick to be Downs.

The Saints decided to build around 2nd Round QB Tyler Shough and must give him the weapons to have success under Kellen Moore. They accomplished this with RB Travis Etienne but WR is a huge need opposite Chris Olave. Jordyn Tyson has the size and game breaking skills to be a threat to punish teams that try to double Olave. He has the most star power of any WR in this draft and could end up the best in this class.

The Chiefs pivot seeing both WR's off the board here to protection for Patrick Mahomes, who is coming off a torn ACL and might not start the season. I have said multiple times that Mauigoa is the only OL worthy of a Top 10 pick but Fano is not far off. Fano is being downgraded for having shorter arms than Will Campbell, who had a solid season for New England but struggled in the postseason. That alone is the reason for him falling outside the Top 10 on my board. Fano is a great player and immediately slides into an open spot at RT for Kansas City. Remember, Andy Reid and Kyle Whittingham (his college coach) were teammates at BYU.

*Bengals Fan Alert*

This is the dream scenario for Cincinnati. The Bryan Cook signing solves 1/2 the problem in the backend and drafting Downs completes it. Jordan Battle and Geno Smith were huge liabilities for Cincy last year and one of the reasons the team fell out of the playoff push with a historically bad defense. Smith is now in Buffalo and Battle shouldn't be depended on in 2026. He did a better job of obtaining turnovers but still makes way too many mistakes.

Downs and Cook allow Cincinnati to have a much better pass defense in 2026 alongside DJ Turner and Dax Hill. If the unit could just be average, Cincinnati could be an 10-13 win team. There is still the issue at LB but that can be addressed in Round 2-3 (crossing fingers for Jacob Rodriguez). Downs is a Top 3 prospect in this draft and the "degenerative knee" flagged at the combine shouldn't scare Cincinnati from taking a very high level safety prospect of need at 10.

Rebuild Mode. Miami only has 3 players from their 2023 roster. That is insane considering that was only 2 seasons ago. The Dolphins truly are rebuilding from the ground up and have needs at every position. Should a Top 10 target fall, Miami should look a just acquiring the BPA. There is an argument that is is Rueben Bain, who could go as high as 4 to Tennessee.

Bain is a tweener DT/DE in a 4-3 scheme but has no problem causing issues. The good news is Miami may be moving to a 3-4 and he can be very effective as a 5 tech. His impact is a major reason Miami went to the title game this past year. Bain allows new HC Jeff Hafley, former Packers DC, to have a solid building block as Miami looks at a multi-year rebuild.

The top rated CB in the draft, Delane has all the makings of an All-Pro CB. Dallas, much like Cincinnati, are rebuilding their entire defense but are doing it at a faster speed. Having a true talent opposite DaRon Bland is needed and Delane is a better option than Durant or Revel.

The Rams have been exploring WR targets around the league. Adams is another year older and, as exciting as McVay has been with his 13P package, another WR is needed to balance out the offense, especially if Adams or Nacua ever goes down.

Lemon is the last of the round 1 WR prospects on my board. In my opinion, the drop off from the Top 3 to the next tier (Boston, Conception, Lane, Fields) is pretty significant. The Rams will see Puka qualities in Lemon, who does not have to move far from his college home. Lemon will be asked to be a piece and not the savior which will alleviate the pressure as he adjusts to the league and media interviews.

The Ravens chose the player over the coach this offseason and nothing has been done to support the player. Instead the Ravens let guys walk out the door and seem like a team doing a soft rebuild rather than chasing Super Bowls.

Flowers needs a running mate, as Bateman has been inconsistent and new staff has no ties to him, but all 3 1st round WRs are off the board. The Ravens lost Isaiah Likely to the Giants this offseason and 31 year old Mark Andrews is showing his age.

Sadiq is a flex TE that rounds out the Ravens offense and gives them a true secondary threat opposite Flowers. He is an average blocker that can also help their 12P game. At 6'3'' 241 lbs. and 4.3 speed, Sadiq can be a match-up problem for teams already having to account for Lamar, Henry, and Flowers.

The Bucs always seem to have an athletic, productive, and smart Mike LB. Derrick Brooks, Lavonte David, and Devin White are just a few over the past 20 years. The Bucs signed Alex Anzalone but he still needs a running mate.

CJ Allen ran Georgia's defensive unit the past two seasons and started as a freshman under Kirby Smart. He has production to back it up and just screams Buccaneers LB. While his range is mid to late 1st round, the Bucs and Todd Bowles know they have to secure a target like this as it has been ingrained in their DNA.

The Jets made their EDGE pick at 2 and now they can focus on the BPA. This offseason has seemed like the Jets are prioritizing their defensive makeover and focusing on the offense in 27'. That trend continues at 16, where the Jets can take their replacement for Quinnen Williams in Peter Woods.

Woods, a former 5 star prospect, wasn't as productive this past year at Clemson but has to tools and flashes to be a solid player in the league with the right coaching. Onyemata is a short term fix. The Jets need talent and Woods has it, just has to be unlocked.