Draft order courtesy of http://www.tankathon.com.

---

With the Titans and Saints victorious during week 14, the Giants “won” the day. They now move up to first overall, and are in great position to demand a solid ransom from a quarterback needy team looking at Fernando Mendoza. I think throwing trades in mock drafts is lazy, and i do not do that, so the Giants remain at the top spot here. Arvell Reese may not be your prototypical non-quarterback first overall prospect, but he is the best player available that fills a huge need for New York. Reese may not be a true EDGE rusher, but there is little he cannot do on the football field. Throw him in the middle of your defense and let him chase down ball carriers, get after the quarterback and cover opposing running backs and tight ends.

---

Geno Smith was a massive flop for the Raiders, and this franchise needs to draft a long term option, despite what Pete Carroll may want. Fernando Mendoza is comfortably the top quarterback in this class in my opinion. He is big, strong, experienced and the likely 2025 Heisman Trophy winner. He has Indiana sitting on top of the football world, and did what he had to do to beat the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes this past weekend. While he may not be a Peyton Manning-level prospect, few players are. He should be a long term starting option for a team that has been looking for just that since Rich Gannon.

---

A meaningless late season win temporarily knocked the Titans out of the drivers seat for the 2026 NFL Draft. While they have their quarterback, having the first overall pick could have landed a franchise starved for talent some additional draft compensation. Rueben Bain Jr. does not have the sack numbers you would want from a top overall pick, but that does not always tell the full story. He has one of the best pass rushing grades in all of college football. The Titans pass rush, and defense as a whole, has been a huge weak spot. Bain Jr. may not be a future All Pro, but I think the bust potential is pretty low.

---

The Shedeur Sanders hype machine is in ridiculous overdrive, completely dominating social media and all conversations. It is borderline toxic, and I believe Cleveland would love to move off of that drama if they can find a blue chipper like Dante Moore. Oregon is a very well coached team that pumps out NFL prospects like few others in the nation. Moore played through growing pains as a freshman at UCLA, before transferring to Oregon and learning behind Dillon Gabriel in 2024. That decision paid off, as he has grown into one of the best quarterbacks in the nation as a junior. It is worth noting that non-ESPN guy Todd McShay reported that Moore is definitely returning to Oregon in 2026, but I will believe it when I see it.

---

Tyler Shough will probably not be a long term option for the Saints, but they spent a second round pick on him in 2025 and have needs at basically every position on the field. However, unless Arvell Reese or Rueben Bain Jr. is available here, I do not think there is a prospect worth passing on Ty Simpson here. Simpson may not have the size of Fernando Mendoza or the athletic ability of Dante Moore, but he is the last of the true starting caliber quarterbacks in this class. He has adequate size and arm strength, and, even though he has only started one season, sat and learned for three years, gaining valuable experience. It is worth noting that he may very well return to Alabama for his senior season, but until that happens, he will be in my mocks.

---

Life comes at you fast in the NFL. Less than twelve months ago, Washington beat the Lions and played in the NFC Championship game. Fast forward, it has been a lost season for Jayden Daniels, high priced acquisitions have flopped, and this franchise is back in the top ten of the NFL draft. While pre-season darlings like T.J. Parker and Keldric Faulk struggled to generate a consistent pass rush, David Bailey continued to up his sack total, exploding off the edge for 13.5 sacks as a senior. This draft is not flush with high end talent, so you may see a couple of players drafted higher than expected. The Commanders have struggled to generate a consistent pass rush since trading Montez Sweat and Chase Young years ago. Bailey can fix that.

---

The perpetually rebuilding Jets are basically a blank slate roster wise, making the best player available approach the way to go. While Jordyn Tyson’s stats may have suffered a bit once Sam Leavitt was lost for the season, he still put up a strong redshirt junior season. He has a fantastic blend of size, strength and ability, showing strong route running ability and the skills to separate from opposing defenders. Whoever the quarterback in New York happens to be in 2026, he needs more than just Garrett Wilson to throw the ball to.

---

I have mocked Jeremiyah Love here on multiple occasions, but it may not be the best use of draft capital to select a running back in the top ten without fixing the offensive line first. Just ask the Raiders and Ashton Jeanty. Francis Mauigoa would be a perfect counterpart to Paris Johnson Jr. Mauigoa is an agile right tackle who excels in run blocking. Even if he has to move inside to guard, he offers Pro Bowl potential.

---

While Caleb Downs might be the sexy pick here, Spencer Fano is the easy selection as a top player who fills a major need. The Rams offensive line is aging, and Fano would be a solid replacement on the right side, either at tackle or guard. Like Francis Mauigoa, he is agile and excels at blocking in the run game.

---

While drafting Jeremiyah Love may be tempting for a team that will only go as far as the offense takes it, Caleb Downs is too talented to pass up here. The Bengals defense lacks playmakers, depth and talent, and Downs can provide all of the above. He can play any position in the secondary, pick off passes and chase down ball carriers. He may be the best talent in this class, but the safety position is not highly valued in the draft. Remember Kyle Hanilton fell out of the top ten a few years ago.

---

The Vikings could easily draft a cornerback here, but it would be hard to pass on Peter Woods if he falls out of the top ten. He did not take a huge step forward as a junior, but is still the top interior lineman in this class by a pretty wide margin. He is a complete player, that can play anywhere along the Minnesota line.

---

The Dolphins are finding ways to win, rattling off four wins in a row and further distancing themselves from the top ten of the draft. This is a roster that needs help everywhere. Other than Jaylen Waddle, Miami has very little in the way of pass catchers. After playing second fiddle to Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith, two top five type receivers, Carnell Tate has exploded as a junior. He is averaging 18 yards per receptions, with 8 touchdowns. A true big play receiver, he would be a fantastic counterpart to Waddle in South Beach.

---

Lamar Jackson has done all that he can do, but this Ravens defense has been a shell of the units that carried this team for so many years. The pass rush has been so bad that this front office may need to reach to fill that need. Keldric Faulk is still more potential than production at this point, but his sophomore season showed what he is capable of, when he notched 7 sacks. Few EDGE rushers in this class can match his theoretical mix of strength and quickness.

---

Patrick Mahomes is still an MVP caliber quarterback, but he is not at his best without legitimate help at the skill positions. Kansas City has struggled to replace Tyreek Hill, and that was never more apparent than this past weekends loss against Houston, where receivers and tight ends let Mahomes down time and time again. Makai Lemon had the best season of any receiver in this class, racking up over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. He should be a strong safety valve for Mahomes, with the ability to make big plays and find the end zone as well.

---

With two picks in the first round, the Cowboys should rush to the podium if Jeremiyah Love is available here. Javonte Williams has had a very good season for Dallas, but he may have priced himself out of range, especially if the Cowboys choose to resign George Pickens. Love is a complete back. He is strong, quick, can find the end zone and even catch passes out of the back field. I like him better than I did Ashton Jeanty as a prospect in 2024.

---

The Panthers are sitting at 7-6, and are in great position to win its division, but this is still a roster that is very light on pure talent. Carolina is fortunate to land the best cornerback in this class in Mansoor Delane. Delane was a fringe first rounder at Virginia Tech, but chose to transfer to LSU to further develop his game. Even though the Tigers had a bad year, Delane did not. He is a strong tackler and a leader in the secondary. Carolina has Jaycee Horn, but little else at the position.

---

As per usual, the Lions need help all over its defense. Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of Falcons cornerback AJ, was one of the lone bright spots for Clemson in 2025. Despite his small stature, he plays like a safety, racking up 50 tackles and 3 sacks.

---

With unimaginable quarterback problems, the Colts are in freefall. The Jets will not shed a tear, however, as this pick looks a lot more juicy than it did a month ago. New York opts to fill a Quinnen Williams-sized hole with Kayden McDonald. McDonald is more than just a run stuffing nose tackle, though that is his expertise. 57 tackles fron an interior lineman is something special. He can also get to the quarterback on occasion, racking up the first three sacks of his career as a junior.

---

The Buccaneers defense has simply been okay, and they could look for a long term replacement for great Lavonte David during the draft. CJ Allen is an ideal middle linebacker prospect. He can do everything pretty well, from chasing down ball carriers to getting after the quarterback. He has 3.5 sacks on the year, after coming into this season without a sack to his name.

---

The Steelers moved Jalen Ramsey to safety and cut Darius Slay, so another cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr. remains one of the biggest needs on the roster. Jermod McCoy sat out the entire 2025 season, but his 2024 tape showed a clear first round talent at cornerback. If his medicals come back clean, he should not fall out of the first round, but we have seen cornerbacks like Will Johnson, Shavon Revel Jr. and Benjamin Morrison fall due to injuries in recent seasons.

---

AJ Brown has been a constant disruption for most of the season. He may be right about Jalen Hurts, but a franchise is always to side with its quarterback. If the Eagles trade Brown this off-season, receiver becomes need number one. Like Brown, Chris Bell is a physically imposing target who can make the tough catches and find the end zone.

---

Houston has a playoff caliber defense, but the offense has struggled to generate points all season long. In particular, trading Laremy Tunsil continues to be one of the most head-scratching moves of the off season.. Kadyn Proctor was my preseason top offensive tackle, but has struggled with consistency as a junior. He also may be forced to kick inside, but Houston’s offensive line is so poor that they would be justified by gambling on Proctor’s talent here.

---

The Bears have spent multiple picks on its offense in recent years, and could go defense here. Cashius Howell may not look the part of a prototypical pass rusher, gut you cannot ignore the results. He has 27 career sacks, and can help take some pressure of Montez Sweat on passing downs.

---

Buffalo has spent more than a couple of day two and three picks on the receiver position in hopes of replacing Stephon Diggs, but the results have mostly been negative. Perhaps it is time to aim a little higher. Denzel Boston only had seven receptions during his first two seasons in college, but has emerged as a big play threat the past two seasons, finding the end zone 19 times.

---

The Chargers have been without both of their first round offensive tackles, and the results have shown just that. Even if both return to full health, Los Angeles could further fortify its offensive line with the best pure interior lineman in this class. The Nittany Lions struggled badly in 2025, but just look back to 2024, when Olaivavega Ioane helped open holes for the best running back tandem in college football.

---

For as good as the 49ers have been, they always seem to have some kind of beef with their receivers. Brandon Aiyuk could be on the move during the off-season. Even if not, Ricky Pearsall and Juwan Jennings look like more of third and fourth options. KC Concepcion has had a tremendous junior season for Texas A&M, showing more big play ability than he was able to at NC State. He could be that Deebo Samuel replacement this offense has sorely missed.

---

Cleveland drafted a quarterback with its first pick, and should continue to add to the offense here. The wide receiver run continues with Chris Brazzell II. Brazzell II had a tremendous senior season, hauling in over 1,000 yards on a 16 yard per catch average. He is tall, quick and an elite deep threat.

---

Thanks to the Micah Parsons trade and extremely unfortunate Marshawn Kneeland situation, Dallas is short on pass rushers. T.J. Parker could not build upon a great sophomore season, but showed what he was capable with during a three sack performance against South Carolina. He is not the best athlete but could develop into a decent situational pass rusher at the NFL level.

---

Other than a 4 interception stinker against the Rams, Sam Darnold has been been mostly good for the Seahaawks,, but he is the type of quarterback that needs others around him to elevate his game, not the other way around. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is an absolute stud, but he could use a young counterpart to take some pressure off of him. Kenyon Sadiq is a fantastic athlete for a tight end, and has a real knack for finding the end zone, including twice against USC late in the season.

---

After a few down seasons, New England is back on top of the NFL world, thanks to a great head coach and a MVP caliber quarterback. Some things never change. Matayo Uiagalelei would be a nice prospect to select here. He may top out as a pass rushing specialist, but he would be a part of a deep, versatile rotation of rushers and ends for the Patriots.

---

LaNorris Sellers is more likely to transfer than declare for the draft, but he could still be a fringe first round prospect, even with a less than stellar 2025 season. A team like the Rams, with a solid infrastructure and the patience to let him sit and learn for a year or two, would be an ideal landing spot. Sellers has real dual threat ability, and if he can be coached up, could be a solid starting quarterback.

---

As you would expect from a team sitting at 11-2, the Denver roster is deep and without many holes. The defense could use a playmaking inside linebacker. Anthony Hill Jr. continues to stuff the stat sheet as a Texas junior. He had 113 tackles, 8 sacks and four forced fumbles as a sophomore, and is not far off that pace as a junior. He is an 4-3 linebacker, who can do a little bit of everything on the football field. He needs to get stronger, but has great potential.

---