Welcome to the second of two mock drafts on this site. Unlike the mock I submitted last week, I will include a few trades and provide the compensation needed for each move.
Be sure to check our NFL Draft Central page for comprehensive player scouting reports and post-draft analysis of every key pick relevant to fantasy football.
No change here. Everything from the hiring of Klint Kubiak to the signings of center Tyler Linderbaum and Kirk Cousins has been made with an eye on making Mendoza's transition to the NFL as smooth as possible. Next up: finding someone in this draft worthy of more than seven targets per game at receiver.
The Jets famously cancelled their "30" visit with Bailey last week, which could mean something or mean nothing. In the end, the Jets must ask themselves if they want more of a finished product (Bailey) or a projection with a huge upside (Arvell Reese). Considering head coach Aaron Glenn is likely already feeling some pressure to get the Jets looking like a more competent team in 2026, expect them to lean toward Bailey.
TRADE: The Cardinals trade the No. 3 overall pick and their 2027 third-round selection to the Kansas City Chiefs in return for the No. 9 overall pick, the No. 40 overall pick and a 2027 second-round selection.
The Cardinals are not devoid of talent, but they could use help just about anywhere outside of wide receiver and tight end. The Cardinals should be doing everything in their power to acquire more picks, considering the blue-chip players still on the board don't make a lot of sense for them. By virtue of the Chiefs having more draft capital, they beat out the Saints for Bailey and get the elite pass-rushing defensive end they have been seeking for several years to complement George Karlaftis and make Chris Jones' job easier. Kansas City can also justify going the extra mile with compensation given the likelihood that any 2027 draft pick it includes will probably be later in the round.
There are a few directions that the Titans can go that make sense, but the most obvious one is continuing to fortify the defense they overhauled at the start of the new league year. Especially after adding five defensive linemen through free agency and trades, Tennessee could be poised to have a very good defense in 2026 if it can get an upgrade on either Cedric Gray or Cody Barton at linebacker. New head coach Robert Saleh spent several years with Fred Warner. He should be able to do many of the same things he did with Styles that he did with Warner.
Running back is not one of the Giants' most pressing needs, but it is around pick No. 5 that teams must ask themselves if they can afford letting the best player in the draft fall just because he doesn't play a "premium" position. The selection of Jaxson Dart last spring has the team feeling as though it has its future at quarterback, so now may be the time to make sure he has as many weapons as necessary to make his job as easy as possible. Love does that and brings back the big-play potential at running back that left when Saquon Barkley signed with Philadelphia in 2024.
Much like the Cardinals above, the Browns would likely welcome a trade down in part to amass draft capital to fill their many needs. Cleveland needs to hit on a receiver and left tackle in this draft if it is serious about improving in 2026. If this draft had a receiver that truly stood out from the rest of the group, the Browns would probably go that route here. That is not the case, and it could be argued that the quality of receiver available here is not much different than their pick at No. 24. As a result, Cleveland finds its replacement for Dawand Jones, whose play has fallen off dramatically since his encouraging rookie season.
The absence of a second-round pick (traded to Houston) puts Washington in a compromising position if it can't trade down because it almost forces the team to fill a need. The temptation to select Caleb Downs here will be high if the first six picks still as scripted, but the Commanders also cannot afford to hope that a quality wideout will be available to them at No. 71. Tate gives Washington a worthy complement to Terry McLaurin right away and perhaps a player who can eventually take over as the No. 1 receiver as the veteran enters his age-31 season.
The Saints have reportedly had talks about trading with Arizona and could easily be the team that grabs Arvell Reese at No. 3. The Chiefs outbid them in this mock, so New Orleans turns to the best player available. An argument can be made that Jordyn Tyson is that player, but the Saints can address receiver at No. 42. There will not be a safety that rivals Downs available then, however. Safety is not a screaming need for New Orleans, but Downs is not the kind of safety that falls into a team's lap every day either.
By virtue of the aforementioned proposed trade, the Cardinals have a choice to either go with the last pass-rusher that is a potential blue-chip prospect in Reuben Bain or an offensive lineman. Elijah Wilkinson is currently slated to be the team's right tackle in 2026. He is fine as a swing tackle, but he would be easily one of the worst starting right tackles in the league if Arizona doesn't address it early in the draft. There is some question as to whether Mauigoa can hold up at right tackle or needs to move inside. Especially for what is expected to be an offense that wants to run the ball, Mauigoa should be more than OK as Paris Johnson Jr.'s bookend.
In a perfect world, the Giants would probably prefer Tate, Styles or Downs to fall into their lap at this spot. None of them does here, which makes a pivot to a receiver a sensible move. Darnell Mooney signed a one-year deal. Darius Slayton could be in his last year with the team. Even if he isn't, he will turn 30 during the playoffs and has never been able to hold down the No. 2 job when he has been given the chance. Tyson may not be the best stylistic complement to Malik Nabers, but it would give Jaxson Dart two potential No. 1 receivers to throw to for the foreseeable future.
The Dolphins could go in any number of directions with this pick, and the selection would almost certainly be Tyson if he is still available. He is not in this particular mock, which likely means Miami shifts to offensive line or cornerback. This draft class is much deeper in the former than the latter, and it helps Delane's cause that the Dolphins currently employ Darrell Baker Jr., Storm Duck and Jason Marshall as their top three corners. Delane may not be an elite corner, but he should have a long and very good future in the NFL.
The Cowboys took a first step toward upgrading the pass rush they lost when they traded Micah Parsons last summer when they traded for Rashan Gary last month. The problem is that he has mostly settled into the kind of player that a team wants to complement a star like Parsons. Bain will unlikely ever become a pass rusher on the level of Parsons or Myles Garrett, but he should immediately upgrade the run defense while also being a formidable pass-rusher to play alongside Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams. Bain will not singlehandedly make Dallas' pass rush one of the best ones in the league, but his presence would almost guarantee an improvement on the team's sack total from last season (35).
After raiding the Chiefs for two of their best cornerbacks this offseason, the Rams don't have too many areas of need. The one position they should probably consider here is offensive tackle, but Alaric Jackson and Warren McClendon Jr. are both young enough and performed well enough last year to let that position wait until Day 2. The question then becomes whether the team wants to really lean into its 13 personnel or find a high-end slot receiver who could become the eventual successor to Davante Adams. Puka Nacua is also entering the final year of his rookie deal. Terrance Ferguson is a player the team was thrilled to draft last year and Colby Parkinson played well enough in 2025 that Kenyon Sadiq would be overkill. Lemon feels like a risk here, but if the Rams see the Amon-Ra St. Brown upside in him that some do, it would be foolish for the team to pass on that.
The Ravens addressed the offensive line last month by bringing John Simpson back, but two holes (left guard and center) remain after Tyler Linderbaum broke the bank and left for Sin City. Baltimore is one of the few teams left in the league that would love nothing more than to bludgeon defenses with a physical running game and Ioane may help his next team do that as well as any lineman in the draft. Especially with the uncertainty at center, the Ravens need to make sure the rest of the offensive line is in good shape.
TRADE: The Buccaneers trade the No. 15 and No. 118 overall picks to the Philadelphia Eagles in return for the No. 23 overall pick and the No. 68 overall pick.
Ioane will likely be a strong consideration for the Bucs if he is still available. However, he is not and the pass-rushers that Tampa Bay likely desires should be available at No. 23. Meanwhile, the Eagles know that Lane Johnson's Hall of Fame career will almost certainly be coming to an end in the next year or two. General manager Howie Roseman is as good as there is in the NFL at addressing potential needs before they become desperate needs and has the draft capital to make a move. (Philadelphia will need to make a move like this to get ahead of Detroit, which needs to address tackle in a big way.) Drafting Proctor here gives him a year of seasoning before taking over as a starter, and allowing him to watch Johnson for a year could be just what he needs to fulfill his massive potential.
Regardless of whether the Jets take Arvell Reese or David Bailey at No. 2, they will probably identify receiver as their next most pressing need if there is one on the board that stands out from the rest. Garrett Wilson is a clear No. 1 who should be locked into a 25% target share for the foreseeable future. Adonai Mitchell was a savvy addition in the Sauce Gardner trade, but he has been inconsistent enough throughout his career that he makes more sense as a third receiver who needs to prove he deserves more regular opportunity. Cooper is a YAC machine in the Jarvis Landry mold who complements Wilson and Mitchell nicely.