2026 NFL three-round mock draft: Steelers trade back into Round 1 for QB

I know there’s been some conversation in the media about whether Ty Simpson can challenge Mendoza for QB1. Maybe in 2-3 years, but not by late April. This is as close to a sure thing as you’re going to get.

The Jets were incredibly busy during free agency, especially when it came to bolstering the front seven … but in a class with no QB worth taking No. 2 overall and questions about Arvell Reese’s true position, Bailey is the best option here. Is he as good as former top-five edge rushers Abdul Carter and Will Anderson Jr.? Nope, but he was dominant at times for Texas Tech in 2025 and made huge strides from his 2024 campaign at Stanford.

The Cards need a QB, but Mauigoa is one of the surest bets in the entire class.

Is this too rich for an RB? Maybe. But there’s something to be said for supporting a young QB with as many game-changers as possible. Love would rank behind Ashton Jeanty, Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson — but not by much. He’ll immediately add some juice to the Titans RB room, and he’s also a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.

I’ve said this before, but if the draft were the week after the Super Bowl, we wouldn’t have months to create narratives that run counter to what our collective eyeballs told us in the fall. For Reese, it’s pretty simple: he’s a rare athlete who was one of the best defenders in the country in 2025. That his pro-day bag-drill workout didn’t meet expectations shouldn’t really carry much weight. He’s a freak who is the “positionless player” prototype.

I think this is too high for Freeling, but I can’t in good faith mock Kadyn Proctor to Cleveland here, not after all the concerns about Dawand Jones’ weight that saw him fall to the fourth round. Plus, even though I consider Freeling a bottom-half-of-the-first-round talent, that doesn’t mean teams don’t view him higher. Remember the 2013 draft, when the Chiefs were “stuck” drafting OT Eric Fisher No. 1 overall? I mention that draft because some guy named Lane Johnson was OT3 in that class. The point: sometimes — a lot of times — players can exceed their pre-draft expectations.

Bain feels like a Dan Quinn edge rusher, and this is still a position of need — even after the Commanders signed Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson.

Styles can play safety, off-ball linebacker, and you can even blitz him from, well, just about anywhere. He’s a 3-for-1 talent for New Orleans.

Downs is a culture changer, though in Kansas City the culture is in pretty good shape. The secondary needs some restocking and Downs, who gives me Troy Polamalu vibes, has a chance to be truly special.

This isn’t quite worst-case scenario for Cincy, but it’s not great, either. The defense desperately needs edge-rush help. And with Bailey, Reese, Bain and even Styles off the board, Plan B would be Downs … who the Chiefs grabbed at No. 9. Woods isn’t a bad consolation prize — the D-line could use reinforcements — and the Bengals did add Boye Mafe in free agency.

Delane ran in the 4.3s at his pro day, which answered any remaining questions about his speed. He was as close to a shutdown corner as you’re going to get in 2025, and with all the secondary needs in Miami, this pick feels like a layup.

Mesidor will be a 25-year-old rookie … and I do not care, not even a little bit. If the Cowboys get five good years out of him, it’s a sound investment. Plus, Mesidor has the size and versatility to line up at several spots along the defensive line.

Almost everyone agrees that Tate is WR1, but in talking to scouts at the Ohio State pro day, a recurring question was if he’s a top-10 pick. In this mock, he falls to No. 13, but lands in an ideal spot: a Sean McVay offense with Matthew Stafford somehow still in his prime.

There will be a lot of teams lining up to draft Ioane if the Ravens don’t grab him here. He’s a Day 1 starter after a stellar Penn State career.

Faulk is just scratching the surface on his abilities — he measured 6-foot-5, 276 pounds and had 34⅜-inch arms at the combine. At 21, he’s still growing into his body, but he’s flashed all the tools to be an elite pass rusher at the next level. In Tampa, he’ll fill a need at pass rusher.

Garrett Wilson has been asking for a legit No. 2, and Lemon provides that and then some. He’ll draw comparisons to Amon-Ra St. Brown because of his toughness and YAC ability.

If Penei Sewell moves to the left side, the Lions could look at, say, Spencer Fano here. But if Sewell stays at right tackle, Proctor feels like the natural successor to Taylor Decker.

Harrison Smith is a future Hall of Famer, but it appears, for now, that he’s played his last snap for the Vikings. McNeil-Warren is a long, athletic ball hawk who also excels in run support.

McCoy didn’t play a snap in 2025 after tearing his ACL the previous January, but his 2024 tape is some of the best in the class. Jaycee Horn is elite when healthy, but Mike Jackson is in the final year of his current deal.

The Cowboys get an edge rusher and cornerback with their first two picks. And if the defense just improves to above-average in 2026, there’s no reason the team won’t be in the mix for the division title. Hood excels in press-man coverage and is one of the most physical CBs in the class.

If Tyson is healthy, he’s battling for WR1. In Pittsburgh, he’ll take the Steelers WR room from “DK and everybody else” to “three dudes,” which is great news for Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard or whomever else might be under center in the Steel City.

The Chargers have needs along the interior offensive line, but Parker is too good to pass up here. Tuli Tuipulotu is one of the best young edge rushers in football, but Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree can’t play forever.

Fano could go 10 spots higher, but this is how the board fell. And in Philly, he can be next in line after Lane Johnson retires — and in the meantime, kick inside to guard.

The Browns get an offensive tackle and a big-play WR with their two first-rounders — filling their biggest roster needs. Concepcion can play in the slot or outside, has return ability and is one of the best yards-after-catch receivers in this draft class.

If Banks is healthy, he could be a top-10 pick. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds with 35-inch arms, he can take over games. The problem has been his inability to consistently stay on the field. If he’s cleared medically, Banks is a first-rounder all day long. If teams have questions, he could slip to Day 2 like Jer’Zhan Newton did a few years ago.

If the right wide receiver is still on the board, the Bills could target one, even after trading for DJ Moore. But with four wideouts already gone, Buffalo bolsters its secondary with Thieneman, who made huge strides at Oregon after transferring from Purdue.

We might look back in a few years and Lomu is the best tackle in the class. In San Francisco, he’ll be ready to step in for Trent Williams when he eventually moves on.

McDonald is the best run defender in this draft class. He needs to improve as a pass rusher, but he’s a perfect fit for DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

Thomas’ arms measure shorter than 32 inches … and no one should care. We all overthought it with Nik Bonitto, a second-rounder currently playing like one of the best pass rushers in football. The Chiefs need some juice off the edge, and that’s exactly what Thomas brings to the party.

The Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle, and they’re replacing him with a long-striding, contested-catch machine in Boston, who should make Malik Willis’ already-tough job slightly easier.

Will Campbell is the Pats’ left tackle. The team continues to protect Drake Maye with Miller, who made enormous strides last season after an inconsistent 2024.

The Steelers have 12 picks, so they package two of them — Nos. 53 and 76 — to move up to No. 32 and take Simpson. Yes, next year’s QB class is LOADED … but don’t we say that every single year, and every single year it’s never quite as loaded as we all predicted? Meanwhile, midway through the season, we talked about Simpson being in the running for QB1 until injuries changed the conversation.