Apparently I forgot to do a Week 17 mock draft. Ahh well. With one week left, the number one spot is still up for grabs, but mock drafters everywhere rejoice, now that a team with a quarterback need has the top overall pick. Of course, I liked the challenge of not mocking trades, but it does make it easier.

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

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74 year old Pete Carroll may not want to break in a rookie quarterback, but this is the only logical choice for the Raiders. Fernando Mendoza may not be on that Trevor Lawrence/Caleb Williams tier of quarterback prospects, but he looks like a long term starter who can make some Pro Bowls. He is tall, has adequate arm strength, is accurate and is a winner, leading Indiana to its best season in school history. He should be an instant starter, and can hopefully turn this woeful franchise around.

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Giants fans may not be happy that their team won a meaningless game and may have lost out on the first overall pick, but you cannot fault players and coaches for wanting to win games. They do not care about draft position. While the Giants may have lost out on an additional first round pick or two, they are still in position to add an elite offensive talent to help out Jaxson Dart. Carnell Tate’s career reception totals may not jump off the page, but he has been an excellent counterpart to target hogs Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jeremiah Smith at Ohio State. He is an elite deep threat with good size. Throw him in the mix with Malik Nabers and Wandale Robinson Jr., and New York could have the best trio of receivers in the NFL.

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The Jets, once again, are an absolutely miserable team, but there is hope. They wisely cashed in some chips, and have five first round picks the next two years. That makes the decision to draft a quarterback, even with other needs, an easier choice to make. Dante Moore is a redshirt sophomore, and still a project, but has had a very good season for Oregon, and has his team competing for a national championship. His decision to sit behind Dillon Gabriel in 2024 and learn has paid off. He has the requisite size, athleticism and accuracy to succeed in the NFL, though it may take a bit of time. The Jets have swung and missed with so many quarterbacks throughout the years, but they have to keep trying.

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There may not be a better non-quarterback need to fit in the top five than Rueben Bain Jr. to the Titans. The Titans pass rush has been anemic all season, and Bain Jr. is the best pass rusher in this class. On top of that, he is a strong run defender as well, making him a complete EDGE prospect. He has 19 sacks in his career, but his advanced stats point to a guy who has lived in the opposing backfield his entire career. He showed how dominant he can be against Texas A&M in Miami’s opening playoff game, where he notched 3 sacks.

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I am not a giant Ty Simpson fan, but in a draft light on high impact talent, this may be the smart choice for Arizona. The franchise is obviously done with Kyler Murray, and if you are in position to draft his replacement, you should go that route. Simpson may be a bit of a system quarterback, but he has solid arm strength and is accurate. Hardly a ringing endorsement, I know, but it is hard to fill the quarterback position. Sometimes you have to take a chance.

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I do not think Shedeur Sanders is a shoo-in as a long term starter, but he has played well enough that, unless Fernando Mendoza is available, Cleveland can look to fill other holes here. 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.

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It has been a season to forget in Washington. After making the NFC championship game last year, they are one of the worst teams in football. The Commanders have struggled to generate a consistent pass rush, and finding a long term option at EDGE has to be priority number one. David Bailey may not ever be a top notch run stopper, but he may be the best sack artist in this class. He has improved his sack numbers every year, and has topped out at 13.5 sacks as a senior. That productivity should ensure that he will not wait long to hear his name called on draft day.

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Tyler Shough has been good enough that the Saints can look elsewhere with its first round pick. With so many holes on the roster, this could be a best player available situation. You could make a case that Arvell Reese is the best pound for pound player in this class. He is a versatile defender, able to play off the edge on passing downs, but athletic enough to hold it down in the middle also. He is the type of player you just put on the field and watch him make plays.

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Not even the mighty Chiefs are immune to the rigors of the NFL. The Chiefs are still a Super Bowl threat when healthy, so they could be the one team picking in the top ten that can afford the luxury of drafting a running back to complete the offense. eremiyah Love is the type of running back that is still selected in the top half of the first round. He is quick, strong and one of the best pass catching backs in college football. He will be a true three down threat.

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Even though safeties are not usually taken in the top ten, 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, and would help an over matched Cincinnati defense that needs it all.

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The Dolphins have played much harder during the second half of the season, but there was a reason that the General Manager was fired. This is a roster full of holes, making the best player available approach the right move. Spencer Fano may be the best run blocking offensive lineman in this class. He would make a solid right tackle, but could be a Pro Bowl inside at guard. Either way, his ability to open up running lanes would greatly help out Devon Achane, the best player on this team.

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Even though Atlanta is out of the playoff picture, they still have put together three wins in a row, including a victory over the Los Angeles Rams. That loss stung twice for the Rams, as this pick falls further down the first round. Los Angeles could use a young replacement at right tackle, and Francis Mauigoa may be the best in this class. 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.

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It has been quite a second half falloff for Tampa Bay, but with a win over Carolina in week 18, all that can be forgotten, as they will still make the playoffs. This is a roster without a ton of huge needs, so I am going best player available here. Clemson suffered through a miserable season in 2025, and most of its top prospects failed to impress. Peter Woods did not take a step forward as a junior, but remains the one true first round defensive tackle prospect. He is a strong run defender, and can get after the quarterback as well. Pair him with Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, and the defensive line would be a big strength in Tampa Bay.

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Dallas has a playoff caliber offense, but the defense has regressed back to the terrible level it was at a few years ago. Even after the addition of Quinnen Williams, the front seven could use several reinforcements. This is a fantastic off the ball linebacker class. Not only do you have Arvell Reese, but CJ Allen, Anthony Hill Jr., Sonny Styles and Jake Golday could get first round looks as well. CJ Allen is an ideal middle linebacker prospect. He can do everything pretty well, from chasing down ball carriers to getting after the quarterback.

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It has been an extremely disappointing season for the Lions, and, as usual, it starts and ends with the lack of high end talent on the 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. Mansoor 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.

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The Ravens usually fearsome defense has been a shell of its former selves this year, especially when it comes to getting after the quarterback. I am not a huge fan of taking an edge rusher with only two sacks on the year, but Faulk was more disruptive than those numbers may suggest. He has great size, and his sophomore tape, where he picked up 7 sacks, shows a potential Pro Bowler.

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Although the playoffs are out of reach, Minnesota’s torrid finish to the season gives fans hope that this team can get back on track in 2026. Adding a legitimate cornerback continues to be priority number one for this franchise. 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.

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The Colts put all of their chips to the center of the table with the Sauce Gardner trade, and have fallen off the face of the map since then. The Jets will not shed a tear, though, as this pick looks a lot juicier than it did two months ago. New York drafted its quarterback of the future with its first pick, and should look to surround him with skill position talent. Makai Lemon had the best season of any receiver in this class, racking up over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has an ideal blend of quickness, route running and hands.

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The Panthers have had quite an impressive turnaround in 2025, but this is still a roster with a lot of holes, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Jermod McCoy wound up sitting his entire junior season out as he recovered from a serious injury, but his sophomore tape showed a top ten talent. He was a good cover guy and dynamic play maker, picking off four passes. He will have to show his medical issues are behind him, but should still be a first round pick.

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Pittsburgh has cycled through quite a few players in hopes of finding a counterpart to DK Metcalf at receiver. 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 20 times. He has an ideal mix of size and big play ability.

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Due to the Micah Parsons trade and 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 all around end at the NFL level.

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The Chargers have been getting by with average talent along the defensive line, and could choose to aim a bit higher here. Kayden McDonald is more than just a run stuffing nose tackle, though that is his expertise. 57 tackles from 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.

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Josh Allen is an MVP caliber quarterback, but the Bills have done him an injustice by failing to give him high caliber weapons to work with. Buffalo lacks explosiveness at wide receiver. Chris Brazzell II would be a nice compliment to Khalil Shakir out wide. Brazzell II may not be a route running pro, but his length and ability to stretch the field could make him a favorite weapon for the strong armed Allen.

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For a team that has hardly had any first round picks the past decade, this roster is surprisingly deep. This could be another best player available situation. The wide receiver run continues. Concepcion has had a tremendous junior season for Texas A&M, showing more big play ability than he was able to at NC State. Put him at the slot with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams on the outside, and life will be good for Matthew Stafford.

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Philadelphia traded for Jaelen Phillips, and Brandon Graham came out of retirement, so their desire to add additional pass rushing help is no secret. Neither player can be counted on for 2026, however. Cashius Howell may not look the part of a prototypical pass rusher, gut you cannot ignore the results. He has 27 career sacks, and, while he may never be a three down lineman, can be a strong part of a deep Philadelphia pass rush.

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Houston may have the best defense in the NFL, and that has helped the team run off six wins in a row, but the offense needs help, particularly along the line. Caleb Lomu is raw, but his ability to play left tackle will help his draft stock, as most of the other offensive lineman may be more of guards at the next level.

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Cleveland will want to be a run first team, and with Wyatt Teller an upcoming free agent, guard Olaivavega Ioane would be a perfect replacement. 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. Quinshon Judkins would appreciate this pick.

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The 49ers roster is aging, especially along the offensive line. Kadyn Proctor has struggled with consistency, and may be too big to stay outside at tackle, but his talent is well worth gambling on this late in the first round. At the worst, he should be a strong guard if he is forced to move inside.

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The Bears have spent multiple picks on its offense in recent years, and could go defense here. LT Overton may never be a double digit sack guy in the NFL, but he has good size, can get after the quarterback on occasion and is a solid run defender, so he should be able to stay on the field for all three downs.

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I am always a proponent of surrounding your young quarterbacks with as many skill position weapons as possible. Kenyon Sadiq is the best tight end in this class, and it is not all that close. While it often takes tight ends a while to get going, he has the ability to be a chain mover and occasional deep threat as a secondary pass catcher.

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As you would expect from a team sitting at 13-3, the Denver roster is deep and without many holes. Adding a play making inside linebacker like Anthony Hill Jr. could be a nice luxury that would actually help out the defense. Hill Jr. continued to stuff the stat sheet as a 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 athletic off the ball linebacker, who can do a little bit of everything on the football field. He needs to get stronger, but has great potential.

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If you thought the Seattle Seahawks would have the best record in the NFL with one game to go, I hope you put money on it. Sonny Styles is yet another do-it-all off the ball linebacker, and would be a nice chess piece for this Seattle defense. The former safety excels in pass coverage, but can chase down ball carriers as well. Although he only had half a sack in 2025, he had six as a junior, showing pass rushing ability.

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