2026 NFL Draft: CBS Sports unveils new mock draft, wild predictions after Pro Days
The 2026 NFL Draft will officially kickoff exactly two weeks — 14 days — from Thursday in Pittsburgh, Pa. With time winding down, Mock Draft season is entering the backstretch, as NFL analysts everywhere begin to empty their notebooks to provide updated draft projections.
The latest is CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell, who released his 2026 Mock Draft 5.0 with some wild pick predictions including some big-name prospects landing at interesting locations in the first round. Case in point, Podell predicts the Dallas Cowboys will run the gamut by landing Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr., a potential Top 5 pick, at No. 12 and then potentially reaching for consensus All-American linebacker Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech at No. 20, a pick it acquired from Green Bay for Micah Parsons.
With that in mind, check out the rest of CBS Sports’ 2026 Mock Draft 5.0 released Wednesday:
The Raiders recently signed veteran QB Kirk Cousins to a cap-friendly deal. But make no mistake, that’s not going to stop Vegas from making it official with Mendoza, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and national champion QB. Mendoza led the FBS with 41 touchdowns and 3,535 yards on 72-percent passing to cement his status as the top top over pick.
CBS Sports: “Fernando Mendoza is the obvious first overall pick after leading the country in touchdown passes, winning the 2025 Heisman Trophy and powering Indiana to its first football national championship.”
There have been rumblings the Jets are eyeing another edge, but Podell thinks that’s all smoke and second-year coach Aaron Glenn will take the draft’s most versatile defender. The 6-foot-4 and 243-pound Reese powered Ohio State’s FBS-best defense with 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 2025.
CBS Sports: “Arvell Reese comes with the highest ceiling of all the edge rushers in this draft, and the rebuilding Jets happily add that potential with the second overall pick.”
The Cardinals have a bevy of needs, including at QB after moving on from Kyler Murray this offseason. But Podell thinks that fix will have to wait a year as new Arizona coach Mike LaFleur instead builds around the position by landing the draft’s top offensive lineman, the 6-foot-5 1/2 and 329-pound Mauigoa.
CBS Sports: “Francis Mauigoa is a massive right tackle with sound technique, particularly in the run game, and he would fill a void at that position for Arizona.”
New Titans coach Robert Saleh shored up Tennessee’s defensive front with the additions of former Jets DLs Jermaine Johnson II and John Franklin-Myers. But you can’t have too many pass rushers and none were better last season than the 6-foot-3 and 250-pound Bailey, who led the FBS with 14.5 sacks in 2025.
CBS Sports: “Saleh gets his dream defense with this pick by selecting Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, college football’s 2025 sacks leader.
5. New York Giants: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
While some are mocking Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love here, Podell expects new Giants coach John Harbaugh to go another direction and add elite big-play WR Tate to pair alongside Malik Nabers for second-year QB Jaxson Dart. Tate ranked third in the Big Ten averaging 17.16 yards per catch in 2025.
CBS Sports: “Carnell Tate is the cleanest wide receiver in the draft based on his measurements and traits. He produced a nation-leading six receiving touchdowns of 30 or more air yards in 2025.”
Cleveland revamped its offensive line this offseason by adding three new starters during free agency, including former Texans LT Tytus Howard and former Packers C Elgton Jenkins. Now they shore up that overhaul by landing the 6-foot-6 and 311-pound Fano, a prototypical right tackle from Utah.
CBS Sports: “Fano is the type of foundational offensive line piece they need to build around long-term in the trenches.”
The Commanders overhauled both sides of the ball in free agency, including adding RBs Rachaad White and Jerome Ford. But neither compare to the home-run potential of Love. The 2025 Doak Walker Award winner is considered the draft’s best player after rushing for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns last season.
CBS Sports: “Dan Quinn saw how much having a dominant running back like Marshawn Lynch helped his ‘Legion of Boom’ Seattle Seahawks defense years ago, so he gets himself one here with Love.”
8. New Orleans Saints: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Saints have a ton of needs on either side of the ball, but the versatility of the 6-foot, 206-pound Downs proves to appealing to pass up. Downs was one of college football’s most complete defenders the past two years and did it all while leading Ohio State’s FBS-best defense during that span.
CBS Sports: “Caleb Downs can line up anywhere: strong safety, nickel or even in sub-packages as a linebacker. … New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley pushes for even more of a chameleon in Downs.”
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Podell expects the Chiefs to stick to their board and take the best available with a rare Top 10 pick, and that’s unquestionably the 6-foot-5, 244-pound Styles. The converted safety flashed elite athleticism at the NFL Combine in February after leading the Buckeyes’ FBS-best defense with 82 total tackles in 2025.
CBS Sports: “Sonny Styles would provide a much-needed shot of athleticism and playmaking (after) linebacker Leo Chenal left for the Washington Commanders in free agency.”
The Bengals’ porous defense needs help all over, but especially in the secondary. With Downs already off the board, Cincinnati nabs the uber-talented McCoy, who appears fully recovered after missing the entire 2025 season with an ACL injury but flashed as a first-team All-SEC selection in 2024.
CBS Sports: “He also crushed his Tennessee Pro Day with a 4.38 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump. He’s all the way back.”
CBS Sports’ new 2026 Mock Draft 5.0, pick Nos. 11-32
11. Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
12. Dallas Cowboys: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): Makai Lemon, WR, USC
14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
16. New York Jets (via IND): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
17. Detroit Lions: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
19. Carolina Panthers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB): Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
25. Chicago Browns: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
26. Buffalo Bills: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
27. San Francisco 49ers: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
28. Houston Texans: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
30. Miami Dolphins (via DEN): KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
31. New England Patriots: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
32. Seattle Seahawks: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
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