2026 NFL Mock Draft V5 (FINAL)

Detroit desperately needs pass-rush help, but with Taylor Decker gone and Penei Sewell expected to slide over to left tackle, the board is set up for them to choose from a range-worthy plethora of offensive tackles. Whilst many could be a good fit, Proctor is the kind of physical outlier who fits their identity: a 6-7, 336-pound road-grader with rare power and the demeanor of a classic Dan Campbell gap lineman. His raw traits are top-10 caliber, and his 2025 tape finally showed the technical growth to match. The size and strength are already NFL-ready; the inconsistencies come in his footwork and his susceptibility to pure speed, which may ultimately push him toward right tackle or even guard. Also of note is that multiple sources have said teams are encouraged by his growth throughout 2025 and during the pre-draft process in regards to his maturity, which was dinged as a character red flag prior to the season.

The Vikings’ veteran stopgaps at defensive tackle — Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave — are now off the roster, leaving a clear long-term need. Peter Woods or Kayden McDonald would make plenty of sense here. However, given Brian Flores’ scheme, this defense could benefit even more from an explosive, highly athletic safety who can eventually replace Harrison Smith and become the new anchor of the secondary. One of the more commonly mocked picks in mock drafts, Dillon Thieneman is a brilliant fit here and the best player available, who as aforementioned, could slip due to injury concerns. After a breakout 2025 season and an elite combine performance, he’s surged up draft boards. Premium safeties often slip into Round 2, but in a weaker class, Thieneman has a very realistic chance to land in the back third of Round 1.

Whilst Left Tackle is still on the table, I think the Panthers are hoping one of the two Oregon Ducks—Dillon Thieneman or Kenyon Sadiq—slips to No. 19, and in this final mock draft, they are fortunate that Kenyon Sadiq slides to No. 19. Sadiq stands alone as the top- talent at tight end in this class by a significant margin. Sadiq is raw, but his physical gifts are undeniable: he’s explosive, powerful, and — in this writer’s view — a far more polished route runner than he’s given credit for. Combine that with his willingness as an in-line blocker and his ability to create mismatches from the slot, and you have a prospect who could quickly emerge as one of the league’s top tight ends. For what it’s worth, I think this is Sadiq’s firm floor in the 2026 NFL Draft.

One was extremely torn between CJ Allen and Keldrick Faulk here. Linebacker is a real need for Dallas, but Faulk grades slightly higher on my board, and the Cowboys may prefer to address the more premium position early — especially with Faulk still available and consistently linked to them throughout the process.Faulk is young, raw, and immensely gifted, with the versatility to play base end, stand up in a 3-4, or slide inside as a 4-3 rusher. His profile mirrors Mykel Williams (No. 11 to the 49ers in 2025): a high-floor, powerful run defender with the frame to contribute immediately. His physical traits and play strength translate cleanly to the NFL. While still developing as a pass rusher, he’s already an elite run defender with real upside, scheme flexibility, and the added appeal of being one of the youngest players in the class.

To the ire of many Steelers fans, I’ve mocked a tackle to them multiple times—and as Draft Day arrives, that outcome looks increasingly realistic. With the top four receiving options already off the board, they could pivot to Denzel Boston, but this regime has repeatedly invested early picks in big, flexible offensive linemen (Broderick Jones, Tony Tautanu, Zach Frazier). The problem is that the first of those names has significantly underperformed at left tackle, is coming off spinal surgery, and is now reportedly having his fifth-year option declined. That context makes Monroe Freeling a compelling fit. He has surged up draft boards throughout the pre-draft cycle thanks to rare athletic traits, outstanding size, and long-term upside at left tackle. He’s the best pure left tackle prospect in this class. His movement skills pop immediately—excellent lateral agility, quick feet, and impressive range for his frame. Freeling is still a developmental player, but the raw tools are exactly what teams bet on in this range. With proper coaching, he has the potential to grow into a high-end NFL tackle, and Pittsburgh is in a position where that kind of swing makes real sense.

The Chargers are more likely to bolster their defensive front with this pick before turning to the interior offensive line later in the draft. Among the available options, Malachi Lawrence stands out as the strongest candidate thanks to his elite physical traits and prototypical size — traits that separate him from other range-oriented edge prospects — while still offering the explosiveness and flexibility to function as a stand-up rusher in a 3-4 scheme. Lawrence has rocketed up draft boards as one of the most naturally gifted edge rushers in the class, showcasing burst, bend, and the ability to win early in the rep. He’s still refining his counters and building up his play strength, but the upside is undeniable. He’s the type of prospect who can turn pressures into sacks quickly once he settles into NFL coaching. What began as dark-horse first-round buzz has now solidified into a likely back-third-of-Round-1 projection.

The Eagles are one of the toughest teams to pin down in any mock draft, but one organisational constant is their habit of drafting trench players a year before they’re needed. With Lane Johnson inching toward retirement, Philadelphia could target a top offensive line prospect to develop behind him for a season or two. Max Iheanachor needs a year or two to develop as a raw tackle very late to football, but the Nigerian is an incredibly athletic tackle with immense upside who could play left or right tackle, ideally the latter, which is where he’d fit in for the Eagles.

Jerry Jeudy may be the Browns’ top wideout, but he profiles more as a mid-tier WR2 and hasn’t lived up to his draft pedigree at either Denver or Cleveland. Meanwhile, Todd Monken tends to prefer bigger-bodied receivers, and at this juncture, Boston is the clear top-option available to fill that role. For a receiving corps that’s struggled with drops and imposing their will, Boston presents a size mismatch and is a quality contested cLike many receivers with his build, his draft range will ultimately depend on how consistently he can separate against NFL-caliber coverage. Even so, he’s a likely late first-rounder — and if he slips into Day 2, he’ll be amongst the very first picks on Friday.

The Bears need help in their front seven, and while Dennis Allen favors long, traits-driven defenders, Zion Young’s character concerns make him an unlikely fit for Ryan Poles. Chicago has expressed confidence in its current edge group, but the interior remains a major concern. Grady Jarrett is no longer the player he once was, and Gervon Dexter is nearing free agency. In this final mock, Chicago reinforces the trenches with Kayden McDonald, a thick-framed, high-motor defensive tackle who embodies the Bears’ emphasis on physicality and disciplined gap control. He is an elite run defender blend of raw power and interior disruption fills a critical need and adds much-needed stability behind the starters.

The Bills are shifting to a 3-4 defense and were egregiously poor at linebacker last year. They may opt to take someone like Cashius Howell or Malachi Lawrence here (who is rising as a potential 1st round pick in the 26-32 range), but CJ Allen is a terrific prospect who is the cleanest player-to-team fit at this juncture. Allen remains one of this writer’s favourite prospects in the class. He’s an old-school, no-nonsense off-ball linebacker: physical, disciplined, and instinctive. He diagnoses quickly, tackles with authority, and brings a calming, stabilising presence to the middle of a defence. He’s not an elite tester or a measurables standout, and he’s coming off recent surgery on his meniscus, but the tape is outstanding and his intangibles are reportedly exceptional.

The 49ers are likely to approach Rounds 1 and 2 with a DE-WR or WR-DE strategy. Between the two, Round 1 feels more tilted toward the defensive end, with Malachi Lawrence standing out as an ideal target—though in this scenario, he’s already off the board. The need is obvious: Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, and Keion White are all coming off surgeries heading into 2026, Bryce Huff has retired, and the team finished with the fewest sacks in the league last season. With new DC Raheem Morris expected to lean on more 5-1 sub-package looks featuring a blitzing, hybrid LB/DE rusher, Cashius Howell is the cleanest schematic match. Howell is undersized by traditional 49ers edge standards (which as above may be changing), but he’s also one of the most explosive speed rushers in the class. His elite first step, instant acceleration, and natural bend consistently threaten the outside shoulder of tackles. With a bit more height and functional strength, he’d be a top-20 pick. Instead, he projects as an immediate situational pass-rush contributor with immense upside.

The Texans largely addressed their offensive line in free agency, so one suspects they could opt to address their defensive front, which needs an injection of young at defensive tackle quite badly after having mid-rate veterans for years. Houston has invested heavily on the edges, but the interior still needs long-term differences-makers. Woods gives them a young, high-upside defensive tackle who can contribute immediately on passing downs and grow into a full-time starter. His blend of power, burst, and technique aligns perfectly with the Texans’ defensive identity.

It’s tough to pass on Jermod McCoy, but his degenerative knee issue appears to be pushing him into Day 2. With Brett Veach noting the steep drop-off in offensive line talent after Round 1—and another pick coming at No. 40—the Chiefs can still target a defensive back like Treydan Stukes, Chris Johnson, Aveion Terrell, or even McCoy later. Kansas City also released Jawaan Taylor, and Jaylon Moore hasn’t stabilized the openside spot, making offensive tackle a priority. Miller is among the most battle-tested tackles in the class, offering a blend of size, power, and technical polish that makes him one of the safer projections at the position. At 6-6 and over 320 pounds, he plays with a firm anchor, heavy hands, and the strength to displace defenders in the run game. His pass protection is steady and disciplined, with enough foot quickness to handle speed and enough mass and core strength to absorb power.

The Dolphins could consider edge rusher, receiver, or virtually any other position here. However, the best value on the board is at cornerback. Colton Hood is a fluid, instinctive corner with the footwork and transitional quickness to mirror receivers in man coverage. Hood was terrific in lieu of fellow Volunteer Jermod McCoy in 2025 after transferring from Colorado. His ball skills flash on tape, and he plays with the kind of competitive edge the Dolphins desperately need on the perimeter.

The Patriots’ pass rush has grown older and thinner in recent years, making an infusion of youth long overdue. While they’ve been linked to several edge defenders late in the first round, this final mock has New England swinging on upside by selecting Zion Young, a long, explosive, traits-driven pass rusher who fits the profile of the dynamic athletes they’re trying to add to the front seven. Young offers the kind of developmental ceiling that could eventually turn him into a major contributor in a defense entering a new era. He would likely be a top-20 talent if not for a series of off-field issues, including a recent DWI. If he slides beyond this range, those character concerns will be the reason.

The Seahawks have an elite roster, but lost quite a bit of talent at cornerback and running back. Seattle seems destined to move down, so whilst this is slightly early for Price (I have him as my No. 39 rated prospect) this projection is more with them moving into the 34-40 range. Additionally, after Price there is an incredibly deep drop-off with the next running backs - Mike Washington/Emmitt Johnson being fringe 3rd/4th round prospects in a very weak draft class at the position. Whilst Love was the clear star for Notre Dame, his team-mate Price is a tough and tenacious runner in his own right who may have been in more regular 1st round conversation if he was RB1 for another school. As it stands, he's likely an early 2nd rounder who could become a quality multi-down NFL starter early into his career.