After months of rumors and speculation, the 2026 NFL Draft is finally upon us.
With just a few days until the draft officially begins on Thursday, April 23, here is my final 2026 NFL mock draft before the event officially gets underway.
This is the only “sure thing” of this spring’s draft. Fernando Mendoza is the top quarterback prospect this spring; the Las Vegas Raiders have a need at quarterback even with the signing of Kirk Cousins. Mendoza will be wearing black and silver by the end of Thursday night.
Arvell Reese is an interesting prospect, and that is precisely why Aaron Glenn is going to want to take a chance on him for his defense. The New York Jets just overhauled their defense this past season by trading away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, and now they need to start finding new cornerstones to build around. Reese’s versatility to play both as an edge rusher and as an off-ball linebacker will propel him to second overall. At just 20 years old, there is plenty of time for him to develop either skill.
David Bailey is a prototypical edge rusher with great size and athletic ability. The Cardinals certainly could be considering offensive tackle here, but Bailey looks like one of the few “sure thing: prospects this spring, making him hard to pass up.
A decade after the Tennessee Titans landed Derrick Henry in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, they are hoping to find their next franchise running back. Jeremiyah Love is arguably the best player in this draft class, and he will put together plenty of explosive plays for the Titans.
A true off-ball linebacker hasn’t been selected in the top five since Devin White in 2019, but Sonny Styles has the talent to buck that trend. Styles has tremendous size and instincts at the linebacker position, and he showed off every ounce of his ridiculous athleticism at the combine. John Harbaugh loves getting difference makers at this middle linebacker spot, and he gets one here.
The path has been clear for Cleveland for a while: wide receiver and offensive tackle in the first round. They get the first half of that job taken care of here by landing Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who is the latest in a long line of Buckeye receivers headed to the NFL as first-round prospects.
Wide receiver certainly is a need for Washington, but they also need to figure things out on defense in 2026. They added a few players to their defensive front in free agency, but the cornerback position still has question marks. They land this year’s CB1.
Rueben Bain has a couple things working against him heading into this draft. He has very short arms, and his off-the-field issues could cause a pretty big tumble down the draft board. However, the Kansas City Chiefs need to find someone who can consistently play opposite George Karlaftis. Bain didn’t get short arms overnight, and he was consistently productive in college. He should still land somewhere in the top 10.
The Chiefs have parted ways with Jawaan Taylor, and for now, their solution has been Jaylon Moore, who is not a proven player. They go ahead and take one of the top offensive tackles in this class to create a long-term solution at that spot.
This may be a bit more of a tumble than some expect for Caleb Downs, but as a safety, it’s hard to know exactly when NFL teams will feel comfortable taking him despite the talent and upside. New York just acquired the 10th overall pick by trading away Dexter Lawrence, and after grabbing Styles with the fifth overall pick, they are now the winners of the night by also landing Downs.
The Miami Dolphins desperately need to build up their offensive tackle situation in this draft, especially without there being a QB worth taking at this point, and Spencer Fano is a player who has the versatility to either play tackle or at guard on either side of the line.
Dallas fielded one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, and they need help all over. Dillon Thieneman can be an anchor on the backend capable of playing free safety while also helping out in run support.
Outside of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, a pair of precision route runners, the Rams don’t have a ton of options at wide receiver right now. Jordyn Tyson’s injury history could make some NFL teams wary of picking him early, but the Rams need a true deep threat to open things up in the passing game.
The Ravens just have a knack for landing top talent at a position in the draft. This time, they land the top guard on the board to shore up their interior offensive line and protect Lamar Jackson.
Jermod McCoy lost his 2025 season to injury, but the tape from 2024 speaks for itself. He is one of the best cornerbacks in this draft class, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperately need some help at the position.
If the Jets are going to have any success with Geno Smith as their new quarterback, they need to figure out the WR2 spot opposite Garrett Wilson. Makai Lemon is an explosive athlete who can take on the role in New York.
Edge rusher could be high on Detroit’s list, but Dan Campbell is going to get back to his roots this season and find a player that bites kneecaps. Kayden McDonald can be a true nose tackle player at the NFL level, and the Lions need to be much better at defending the run in 2026. McDonald will be a cornerstone for a team that had defensive tackle struggles last year.
The Minnesota Vikings spent big at defensive tackle last offseason with signings of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, but neither really panned out. Brian Flores has had success in Minnesota without true difference makers at the position, but if the Vikings are ever going to take the next step toward being a contender, they need to find that difference maker. Caleb Banks put together a ridiculous combine despite performing on a foot injury, and once that heals up, he will be a starter at the NFL level.