Whitefield’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

It is finally mock draft season! I am excited to get back to working out my draft thoughts in the form of mock drafts as we lead into the 2026 NFL Draft.

This is a reminder of how I evaluate players. I use a numeric scoring system that produces a score for each prospect on a 0-100 scale. That score is calculated from four weighted buckets: film/traits, production/data, athleticism, and intangibles.

Once we get NFL Combine data, we will be able to check some benchmark boxes in the athleticism bucket — my scores won’t be completed until then. (You can bookmark my 2026 NFL Draft Big Board, which I will be constantly updating.)

For this mock, it is a combination of “what I would do” and staying within the guardrails of what is plausible. I generally try to be predictive within reason, while also using my personal evaluations of players as tiebreakers. If I am unsure of a pick, I rely on my evaluations and take the opportunity to plant a flag. I really enjoyed the exercise as a way to experience the unintended consequences of making certain choices.

To make these selections, I have carefully considered each team’s needs, done a fair bit of dot connecting, evaluated the positional value of available prospects, and weighed each player’s talent against the specific fit for each team.

2026 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

1.) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Pairing the new offensive guru HC with the best QB prospect in five years seems like a winning formula for the Raiders.

2.) New York Jets: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (FL)

Head coach Aaron Glenn gets a new toy on his defensive line. Bain embodies the physicality and toughness Glenn prefers in his EDGE rushers. Outside of Mendoza, Bain is the best player in the class who also plays a premium position.

3.) Arizona Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL)

The Cardinals will look to retool their offensive line under new HC Mike LaFleur. Mauigoa steps in as a mauler in the run game with upside as a pass protector. He reminds me of my pre-draft evaluation of Darnell Wright, who has turned into a top-5 RT in the NFL.

4.) Tennessee Titans: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Cam Ward exceeded my expectations for his rookie season, given his situation. That said, there has to be a concerted effort to surround him with better playmaking talent. I would love to grab a WR1 for him here, but this WR class is very deep, and Love is one of three blue-chippers in the class.

5.) New York Giants: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Wan’Dale Robinson is a free agent who is about to get a bag, and Malik Nabers had a midseason ACL tear that could derail his 2026 campaign. I value surrounding young QBs with an abundance of talent at pass-catcher. Let’s keep it going here with Tate.

6.) Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

The Browns have needed an injection of youth/fresh blood on the OL for what seems like five years, and now they’re forced to — four of their five starters from 2025 are free agents. Fano gives them a high-ceiling, position-versatile tackle prospect who should move the ball forward in that department.

7.) Washington Commanders: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech

A lack of pass-rush has completely plagued the Commanders’ defense for two years. Bailey brings nation-leading pass-rushing productivity, along with enticing traits and skills.

8.) New Orleans Saints: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Demario Davis is aging and will be playing on an expiring contract in 2026. Styles is the perfect replacement and one of my three blue-chip prospects in the class.

9.) Kansas City Chiefs: Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State

Downs follows in the footsteps of former Chiefs safeties Eric Berry and Tyrann Mathieu. I just can’t see the Chiefs passing on a prospect of this caliber, even if it’s not their top position of need.

10.) Cincinnati Bengals: Jermod McCoy, Cornerback, Tennessee

The Bengals add another explosive, playmaking, man-centric CB to pair with DJ Turner and nickel Dax Hill. With the selection of McCoy, the Bengals sneakily have an excellent starting trio at the CB spot.

11.) Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, Cornerback, LSU

The Dolphins have arguably the worst CB room in the NFL, and that simply will not fly for what new HC Jeff Hafley wants to accomplish on defense. He needs versatile CBs who can wear many hats. Delane checks those boxes and, for my money, is the best CB in the class.

12.) Dallas Cowboys: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Low hanging fruit here, but the last time we saw the Cowboys draft an EDGE/LB hybrid player, it turned out pretty well for them in Micah Parsons.

13.) Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

I am the conductor of the Concepcion hype train, so I am aware that 13 might feel a little high for him. However, Concepcion is the perfect long-term complement to Puka Nacua. He checks multiple Sean McVay-specific boxes — run after catch ability, versatility, competitive toughness, and body control, while also bringing a class-best vertical element. He’s a math changer.

14.) Baltimore Ravens: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

Banks is a Ferrari who is currently unassembled, but the traits at his disposal are very Ravens-esque.

15.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

With every day that passes, it looks like Mike Evans is more likely to depart in free agency. Cade Otton is also a free agent. Sadiq steps in as an enticing every-down tight end with move capabilities and huge pass-catching upside — killing two birds with one stone.

16.) New York Jets (via IND): Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

The Jets use both of their 1st-round picks to completely revamp their defensive line. In Woods, the Jets are getting a playmaking 3-technique who is widely considered a high-character prospect, something Aaron Glenn values more than most.

17.) Detroit Lions: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson

Heading into the 2025 CFB season, it felt like Parker was a lock to go inside the top-10. After the entire Clemson team regressed, so did Parker’s stock. Here, the Lions are willing to capitalize and finally give Aidan Hutchinson a running mate in the power-rusher Parker.

18.) Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, Safety, Oregon

Harrison Smith is retiring, and typically, striving to replace Hall-of-Fame-level players is a good way to miss in the draft, but there couldn’t be a more perfect player to do it than Thieneman, who offers excellent ball skills, football IQ, and move-piece versatility.

19.) Carolina Panthers: Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

The Panthers did a good job fortifying their DL last offseason, but need to take one more step forward to complete the retool. Howell brings elite twitch and bend off the edge with a well-developed pass-rush repertoire that’s perfect for the Ejiro Evero defense.

20.) Dallas Cowboys (via GB): Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami (FL)

Mesidor has some of the best tape in the class and completes the DL rebuild in Dallas that was started with a Micah Parsons trade just before the 2025 season.

21.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Makai Lemon, WR, USC

This is one of my favorite team-player matches of the whole exercise. Mike McCarthy has thrived at getting elite production out of the slot throughout his entire coaching career — think prime Randall Cobb in Green Bay or CeeDee Lamb in Dallas. Not only would Lemon be the next in line, but he also perfectly complements DK Metcalf.

22.) Los Angeles Chargers: Olaivavega Ioane, Guard, Penn State

The Chargers might move on from Zion Johnson in the offseason, and the Mekhi Becton idea hasn’t gone as planned thus far. This seems like an ideal scenario to slot the best IOL in the draft.

23.) Philadelphia Eagles: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Right or wrong, it is hard for me not to assume that AJ Brown gets moved. In the event that does happen, the Eagles become one of the most WR-needy teams in the league. Tyson, while still a project, can offer a lot of what AJB did in the offense right now, and for much cheaper.

24.) Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

The scarcity of available QBs puts a premium on a guy like Simpson. While Shedeur Sanders had some flashes as a rookie and Deshaun Watson is still in the fold, neither of those guys is stopping me from adding a potential long-term starter to the room. Simpson has an NFL arm and experience running NFL concepts — he just needs reps.

25.) Chicago Bears: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

I loved the idea of pairing Montez Sweat with a big, powerful EDGE in Dayo Odayingbo last offseason. Unfortunately, Dayo suffered another catastrophic injury, and his time in CHI might be cut short. Faulk would offer the same type of profile and add a potential start to a defense that needs some star power.

26.) Buffalo Bills: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Enter generic comments about getting Josh Allen a WR.

27.) San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

The 49ers have many needs, and it will be hard for them to pass on WR talent here; however, patience will serve them well. They need to keep investing in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Lomu is a great succession plan for living in a post-Trent Williams world.

28.) Houston Texans: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

The Texans have a lot of bulk on expiring contracts in Sheldon Rankins, Tim Settle, and Denico Autry, so the need to replace at least some of those guys is apparent. Hunter is a 6’3”, 330-pound fire hydrant with a wicked first step and the length DeMeco Ryans salivates over for his DL.

29.) Los Angeles Rams: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Safety, Toledo

The Rams’ secondary was their Achilles heel in big games this season. To boot, Kam Curl is set to become a free-agent and it doesn’t sound like they will prioritize spending the necessary money to retain him. McNeil-Warren is a playmaking machine with 9 career forced fumbles, 5 INTs, and a bunch of PBUs.

30.) Denver Broncos: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

I just want to restart the cliche “who is going to be Sean Payton’s Joker” dialogue by having the Broncos draft a pure pass-game weapon “move” tight end who primarily plays out of the slot.

31.) New England Patriots: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

I am really starting to doubt Freeling’s availability here in the actual draft (it seems like he could wind up a top-15 pick), but in this scenario, New England gives itself lots of options along the offensive line and ultimately would have the flexibility to move Will Campbell to his rightful spot at center.

32.) Seattle Seahawks: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

The Super Bowl champs build on strength and add an absolute bulldozer in McDonald, who fits exactly what Mike Macdonald looks for on the interior DL.