The top 18 spots are officially set! Let’s talk about it!

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

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Very early reports have the Raiders moving on from the Pete Carroll experiment and starting over with a new coaching staff and quarterback. I think that would be the way to go. 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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The Jets ended the season losing five games in a row, most by blowout fashion. Aaron Glenn may be another one-and-done head coach. There is hope, however. 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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No team fell off as hard as the Cardinals. Not only did they bench their long time starter, Kyler Murray, but they ended the season on a nine game losing streak. They miss out on a top quarterback prospect here, but there are several other needs that need filling. There may be other areas that are more dire than EDGE rusher, but Rueben Bain Jr. is the best player available. He has 19.5 sacks in his career, and his advanced stats point to a guy who has lived in the opposing backfield his entire career. On top of that, he has the strength to hold his own against the run as well, even from an outside linebacker stance. 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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The Titans desperately need difference makers on every level of the defense. 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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Giants fans may not be happy that their team won two meaningless late season games to fall to the fifth spot in the draft, 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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I do not think Shedeur Sanders is a serious option as a long term starter, but his teammates seem to rally around him, and he has done okay considering the lack of skill position talent on the roster. 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 14.5 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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With Tyler Shough showing enough that he should be the Saints starter in 2026, and long time great Alvin Kamara nearing the end of a fantastic career, adding the drafts best running back to help out the offense could be a smart move, even with the number of holes on this Saints roster. Jeremiyah 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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Not even the mighty Chiefs are immune to the rigors of the NFL. The Chiefs are still a Super Bowl threat when healthy, but could use an upgrade at every skill position on offense. 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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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 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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Dallas chose to cut cornerback Trevon Diggs, which opened up yet another hole on a defense full of them. 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 Falcons made a furious push towards the playoffs. Although they fell short, a four game winning streak makes this pick a little less juicy from the Rams perspective. 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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The Ravens usually fearsome defense has been a shell of its former selves this year, especially when it comes to getting after the quarterback. There is not an elite pass rusher available here, but Peter Woods may be the next best thing. 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.

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Lavonte David is closing out a borderline Hall of Fame career, and CJ Allen would be the type of replacement that could keep the Buccaneers defense afloat. 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. 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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The Colts put all of their chips to the center of the table with the Sauce Gardner trade, and proceeded to end the season on a seven game losing streak. The Jets will not shed a tear, though, as this pick looks a lot juicier than it did two months ago. They should continue to go with the best player available approach. 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 Lions never quite looked right in 2025, and the disappointing season ends with the team on the outside of the playoff picture. As usual, this roster needs more defensive help. 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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Minnesota ended the season on a five game winning streak, giving hope to the fans that they can get back into the playoffs in 2026. Secondary help has been on the top of the Vikings wish list for years. 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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It was not always pretty, but Carolina outlasted the competition amongst their NFC South counterparts and will host a playoff game this weekend. This is still a roster with needs almost everywhere. 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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Due to the Micah Parsons trade and unfortunate Marshawn Kneeland situation, Dallas is short on pass rushers. 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, but could try to help replace Parsons pass rushing acumen.

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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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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. 66 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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The Eagles remain one of the deepest teams in the league, but Dallas Goedert is an upcoming free agent and they could choose to go young at the position. 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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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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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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The 49ers roster is aging, especially along the offensive 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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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. 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 Browns probably thought this was going to be a 2026 top ten pick when they traded with the Jaguars, but Jacksonville just refused to lose the second half of the season. Still, having two first round picks will help retool a young offense. 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 Ioane helped open holes for the best running back tandem in college football. Quinshon Judkins would appreciate this pick.

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For a team that has hardly had any first round picks the past decade, this roster is surprisingly deep. The secondary will lose several players to free agency, however, making that an area to attack. Colton Hood had a great first year at Tennessee after transferring from Colorado. He is a good tackler and has the size to cover the oppositions best receivers.

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I am always a proponent of surrounding your young quarterbacks with as many skill position weapons as possible. 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 would be an ideal slot option at the next level, but proved he can be more than just that if given the opportunity.

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As you would expect from a team sitting at 14-3, 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 end up with the best record in the NFL after the conclusion of the regular season, I hope you put money on it. Seattle has been looking for a long term option to play cornerback opposite Devon Weatherspoon. Brandon Cisse has the adequate size, speed and cover ability to make a fine CB2 at the NFL level.

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