Although every website out there likes to call their first mock drafts of the new cycle “a way too early edition”, I do not believe it is ever too early to dig into the next crop of prospects. Research has just begun for my Madden NFL 26 draft classes, so consider this a preliminary edition, most definitely subject to change. Enjoy!

Draft order based on a quick rankings of teams I did. Not that important.

Disclaimer #2: Arch Manning would be the top quarterback taken, but I am not going to include him in my 2026 mock drafts. I see him as a definite candidate to stay through 2026. He comes from a wealthy family, will get a ton of NIL money, and only has a handful of snaps under his belt. Unless he completely dominates to the point that no one else comes close, I am saving him until 2027.

Pick	Team	Player	2024 Stats	Commentary
1	New Orleans Saints	QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson – 6’2, 210 lbs	308-486, 3639 yards, 36 TD, 6 INT	The Saints drafted Tyler Shough, the seven year, three school quarterback in the second round. He will already be 26 by the time the NFL season gets underway, and his presence should not keep New Orleans from drafting a quarterback if the end up at the top of the 2026 draft. There are several candidates to be the QB1 off the board at this point in the process, but I am going with Cade Klubnik here. The former five star recruit put everything together as a junior, dragging the dormant Clemson offense out of the mud and back to respectability. Klubnik will have to show his lack of elite arm strength is not a hinderance, but he leads my quarterback group at this point.
2	Cleveland Browns	EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson – 6’3, 265 lbs	57 tackles, 11 sacks	As you can see, Clemson is back. Back to back Tigers kick off this mock. The Browns chose to trade down in the 2025 draft, bypassing the chance to draft Abdul Carter. T.J. Parker is a comparable talent. A former five star recruit, he has amassed 16.5 sacks through two years. He has the size/speed combination to be a pass rushing terror in the pros.
3	Carolina Panthers	OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama – 6’7, 369 lbs	N/A	Iken Ekwonu is an upcoming free agent. He has been good, but may provide more value at right tackle or inside at guard. Enter Kadyn Proctor. Proctor has amazing agility for a man listed at almost 370 pounds. The former two month long Iowa Buckeye has All Pro potential as a blindside protector.
4	Indianapolis Colts	QB Drew Allar, Penn State – 6’5, 238 lbs	262-394, 3327 yards, 24 TD, 8 INT	If the Colts end up picking in the top five, it is safe to say the Anthony Richardson/Daniel Jones experiment was a failure. Indianapolis goes anti-Richardson here with Drew Allar. Allar reminds me of Joe Flacco. Maybe more of a game manager than a true superstar, Penn State slowly opened up the playbook, allowing Allar to take on more responsibility. The results were not always great, but I like his combination of size and arm strength. He could easily become the top overall pick or fall to the middle rounds, depending on how his senior season goes. Thus is the reality for all but the most blue chip of quarterback prospects.
5	Tennessee Titans	EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami – 6’3, 275 lbs	23 tackles, 3.5 sacks	Rueben Bain Jr. burst on to the scene as a true freshman in 2023, tacking up 7.5 sacks and forcing three fumbles. He missed a handful of games as a sophomore, but if he can bounce back, he has top five potential. The Titans drafted Oluwafemi Oladejo in the second round in 2025, but more pass rushing help is needed.
6	Miami Dolphins	S Caleb Downs, Ohio State – 6’0, 205 lbs	81 tackles, 2 INT, 0.5 sacks	When I make a big board, Caleb Downs will most likely sit at the top of it. A tremendous talent and athlete, he is the best safety prospect I can remember, even better than Kyle Hamilton. HE has racked up almost 200 tackles during his first two seasons, while also chipping in 4 interceptions. A true game changing talent, he is the unheard of true safety worthy of a top five pick. Once the Dolphins trade away Jalen Ramsey, they will have replacement level talent starting at every position in the secondary. This roster is in desperate need of an injection of a young talent like Downs.
7	New York Jets	DT Peter Woods, Clemson – 6’3, 315 lbs	26 tackles, 3 sacks	Peter Woods is an elite talent, and there could be scenarios where the Clemson Tigers have the top three picks in the 2026 draft. He plays end for Clemson, but would be a great pass rushing interior defender at the NFL level. The Jets signed three free agent defensive tackles, but Woods would instantly become the top dog next to franchise player Quinnen Williams.
8	New York Giants	OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami – 6’6, 315 lbs	N/A	Andrew Thomas is the one constant for a struggling Giants offensive line. New York quickly accepted the Evan Neal mistake and are on the lookout for a new starting right tackle. This has the potential to be a very deep offensive line class, led by Kadyn Proctor and Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa is a natural right tackle who did not allow a sack from that side of the line for Miami in 2024.
9	Seattle Seahawks	EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon	38 tackles, 10.5 sacks	It is early, of course, but the 2026 EDGE group has a chance to be very special. Matayo Uiagalelei, brother of DJ, exploded on to the scene as a sophomore, racking up 10.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles. He is a former five star recruit, an elite talent, and could give the Seahawks the annual double digit sack provider it has been searching for.
10	Los Angeles Rams	QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU – 6’2, 200 lbs	337-525, 4052 yards, 29 TD, 12 INT	From ATL The Rams traded a late first round pick to the Falcons in hopes of hitting the lottery in 2025, and that is precisely what has happened here. Matthew Stafford is nearing the end of a very solid career, and the Rams have the opportunity to find his replacement, while still fielding a fringe contending roster. I could easily see someone like LaNorris Sellers or Sam Leavitt shoot up into the top ten, but I like to take a wait-and-see approach with redshirt sophomore quarterbacks, so fifth year senior Garrett Nusmeier gets the nod here. Nussmeier sat for three years before getting his opportunity in 2024. It was mostly positive. Expect quite a few touchdowns and yards in 2025. If he can clean up his interceptions and show improved arm strength, he could be the top overall pick a year from now.
11	Las Vegas Raiders	OT Isaiah World, Oregon – 6’8, 312 lbs	N/A	The Raiders plan to run the ball and run some more with Ashton Jeanty, so improving the offensive line would be smart. Kolton Miller will be a free agent after the 2025 season, and Isaiah World would be a fine replacement. Perhaps the best player in the transfer portal, the former Nevada stud will hone his craft at Oregon. With continued improvement, he could be the first offensive lineman drafted in 2026.
12	Cleveland Browns	WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State – 6’3, 191 lbs	52 rec, 733 yards, 4 TD	From JAX I liked the draft day trade for both the Jaguars and Browns. Jacksonville needed to accelerate Trevor Lawrence’s timeline with a legitimate weapon, and Cleveland wisely gambled that the Jaguars would be bad once again in 2026. Carnell Tate had to compete with veteran Emeka Egbuka and freshman stud Jeremiah Smith for the ball at Ohio State, but still responded with a very solid junior season. The former five star recruit has the necessary size and hands combination to be the first receiver drafted in 2026.
13	Pittsburgh Steelers	CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson – 5’11, 180 lbs	58 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack	The Steelers desperately need to suck it up and make a bold move up the draft board to draft a quarterback of the future. Like I mentioned before, either LaNorris Sellers or Sam Leavitt would be under consideration here, but I do not mock redshirt sophomore quarterbacks this early on. With no other first round option, Pittsburgh must once again go another direction. The team signed Darius Slay to play cornerback, but he is more of a temporary solution. Avieon Tererll, yet another Clemson Tiger, has the look of a first round pick. He may be a tad undersized, but he is a ball hawk, a solid tackler and supremely talented. And yes, he is the brother of Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell.
14	New England Patriots	DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn – 6’6, 288 lbs	45 tackles, 7 sacks	Yet another defensive end/EDGE rusher with top five potential. Keldric Faulk is still a work in progress as a pass rusher, an even then, he had 7 sacks as a sophomore. He has the necessary size and ability as a run defender to play end in New England’s hybrid 3-4 alignment.
15	Dallas Cowboys	OLB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas – 6’3, 235 lbs	113 tackles, 8 sacks, 1 INT	Linebacker may not be the biggest need for the Cowboys, but local stud Anthony Hill Jr. may be too talented to pass up here. This is another defender with serious top ten potential. He is one of the most complete linebackers we have seen in years. A tackling machine, he can also use his speed to get after the quarterback. He completely stuffed the stat sheet as a sophomore.
16	San Francisco 49ers	CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee – 6’0, 193 lbs	44 tackles, 4 INT	The 49ers championship window may not be completely shut, but this roster got old in a hurry, and the team needs to hit on defensive draft picks to make up for free agent departures and a lack of depth. Jermod McCoy could easily be the top cornerback in this class. According to NBC Sports, he has the second highest coverage grade among returning Power 4 cornerbacks.
17	Minnesota Vikings	CB A.J. Harris, Penn State – 6’1, 191 lbs	48 tackles, 1 INT	Minnesota chose to ignore the cornerback position during the 2025 draft. Fortunately, the class looks a lot deeper this time around. A.J. Harris had a great first year at Penn State after transferring from Georgia. He is a solid tackler with great size and quickness.
18	Arizona Cardinals	WR Antonio Williams, Clemson – 5’11, 190 lbs	75 rec, 904 yards, 11 TD	Antonio Williams was a former top recruit for Clemson. He survived two of the darkest offensive seasons in recent Clemson history to start off his career, and started to show some of his promise in 2024. He has the ability to be a target hog out of the slot, and would help take some pressure off of Marvin Harrison Jr. in the Arizona offense.
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech – 6’3, 240 lbs	31 tackles, 7 sacks	The Buccaneers are still searching for that true pass rushing terror to round out its offense. David Bailey improved every year at Stanford. Despite playing on a terrible team and facing constant double teams, he had some of the better pass rushing grades in the country. Now on a better team, he could explode as a senior.
20	Chicago Bears	RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame – 6’0, 206 lbs	163 carries, 1125 yards, 17 TD	The Bears are a running back away from having a potentially elite offense. Jeremiyah Love is a true first round prospect. He is quick, averaged almost 7 yards per carry as a sophomore, and is a threat as a receiver as well. True three down backs are still worth first round selections.
21	Los Angeles Rams	OT Spencer Fano, Utah – 6’5, 304 lbs	N/A	Rob Havenstein is nearing his mid-30’s and is an upcoming free agent. Spencer Fano is one of two Utah offensive tackles with first round potential with Caleb Lomu the other. Fano is a solid athlete with the agility to be an asset at right tackle.
22	Houston Texans	OT Caleb Lomu, Utah – 6’6, 304 lbs	N/A	Here is the aforementioned Caleb Lomu. Houston continues its offensive line overhaul. With Aireontae Ersery and now Lomu, Houston could have its offensive tackle duo of the future.
23	Denver Broncos	WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia – 5’10, 175 lbs	47 rec, 503 yards, 1 TD	This pick is more about projection than actual production, as Zachariah Branch may not be a first round pick at the moment.. Branch was a top recruit who is moving across the country, from California to Georgia, as a junior. He has the ability to rack up touches out of the slot, and is a supreme kick returner as well. The Broncos should look to give Bo Nix as many weapons as possible.
24	Cincinnati Bengals	CB Mansoor Delane, LSU – 6’1, 187 lbs	54 tackles, 4 INT	Cincinnati had limited draft capital, and chose to fortify both lines with the few picks they did have. Secondary remains a serious problem area. Mansoor Deland picked up four passes as a junior at Virginia Tech, and will spend his final season at the cornerback factory at LSU, where he will push to become a first round pick in 2026.
25	Washington Commanders	EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State – 6’5, 272 lbs	42 tackles. 8.5 sacks	The Commanders chose to spend their first round pick on an offensive lineman, meaning they will go into 2025 relying on castoffs to generate a consistent pass rush. That area will need to be filled in 2026. Dani Dennis-Sutton is not the athlete that Abdul Carter is, but could provide similar production as the top pass rusher on the Penn State roster. He has 15 career sacks.
26	Green Bay Packers	CB Domani Jackson, Alabama – 6’1, 197 lbs	51 tackles, 2 INT	Green Bay surprised everyone by going with a receiver with their 2025 first round pick. Expect the team to go back to the defensive well in 2026, especially with a deep cornerback class. Domani Jackson was a top ten recruit in 2022, but after a mediocre run at USC, he transferred to Alabama and really started to come into his own as a junior. He has the physical traits to be a CB1 on an NFL roster.
27	Los Angeles Chargers	LT Overton, Alabama – 6’5, 283 lbs	42 tackles, 2 sacks	The Chargers are well on their way to contention, but the team still needs to fortify a front seven that transitioned to a 3-4 defense a few years ago. LT Overton plays power end for a similar system at Alabama. He is a big run defender who can collect a handful of sacks every year.
28	Baltimore Ravens	WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State – 6’1, 195 lbs	75 rec, 1101 yards, 10 TD	Zay Flowers is a keeper on one side, but the Ravens have struggled to fill the other receiver spot. Jordyn Tyson came out of nowhere to have a fantastic redshirt sophomore season. With Sam Leavitt slinging the ball around, Tyson could flirt with superstar numbers as a junior.
29	Detroit Lions	CB Malik Muhammad, Texas – 6’0, 190 lbs	36 tackles	The Lions have a Super Bowl caliber offense, but need to continue to build up the defense. Malik Muhammad is still a work in progress, but has upside as an athletic zone cornerback.
30	Buffalo Bills	S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina – 6/2, 219 lbs	48 tackles, 5 INT	The South Carolina Gamecocks sure do produce some grown men at safety. The 6’3, 220 pound Nick Emmanwori was joined by the 6’2, 219 pound Jalen Kilgore in the back of the South Carolina defense. Kilgore is big, strong, quick and a real playmaker, picking off five passes as a sophomore. The Damar Hamlin story has been fantastic, but the Bills could definitely use an upgrade at safety.
32	Kansas City Chiefs	OLB Suntarine Perkins, Ole Miss	60 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 1 INT	If Suntarine Perkins was 20 pounds bigger, he would be a top ten pick. He is an athletic pass rushing monster who can play a traditional linebacker role in run defense. It is hard to look past his 210 pound frame, but the production is even harder to look past. The Chiefs have a deep front seven on defense, which would allow Perkins to come in and cause havoc on passing downs.
31	Philadelphia Eagles	DT Caleb Banks, Florida – 6’6, 325 lbs	21 tackles, 4.5 sacks	The Eagles lost Milton Williams to free agency in 2025, and the same may happen with Jalen Carter next off-season. Caleb Banks would keep the talent pipeline strong for Philadelphia’s defense. He is a huge, agile defensive tackle who is still learning the finer points of the game.