2026 NFL mock draft: Cowboys move up for Ohio State star; Cardinals land QB with late trade

The 2026 NFL Draft is now less than a week away, which means it's time for my one and only mock draft of the cycle.

Some things about this draft are well known. At the very top, we know that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. We don't yet know whether he'll start right away or sit behind Kirk Cousins to begin his career, but there's no real mystery about where he'll be playing his professional football.

After that, though, it seems like just about everything is up in the air. The Jets could go a number of different directions at No. 2, as could the Cardinals, Titans and Giants at Nos. 3, 4 and 5, while everyone in and around the league suspects that the Browns would love to trade down from the No. 6 pick, which could throw the entire board into chaos if they're able to find a partner.

There are also several teams with multiple first-round picks, allowing those squads to change the shape of the draft if they so choose. With a class that teams feel is light on star power at the top but strong through the second and third rounds, we could be in for some significant surprises.

With all that in mind, here's how we see things playing out. 

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. You can find more draft coverage at CBSSports.com, including weekly mock drafts and regular evaluations of the top prospects.

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1 Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana • Jr • 6'5" / 236 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 3535 RUYDS 276 INTS 6 TDS 48 We all know this one is happening.

Round 1 - Pick 2 David Bailey EDGE Texas Tech • Sr • 6'4" / 250 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 3rd It seems like the Jets will be deciding between Bailey and Arvell Reese, and here we're leaning toward the more known commodity in the pass-rush department. Bailey can anchor New York on the edges for the next several years.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Francis Mauigoa OT Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'6" / 329 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th Locking down the right side of the offensive line across from Paris Johnson Jr. allows the Cardinals to set the foundation for whenever they decide to land their quarterback of the future.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Arvell Reese EDGE Ohio State • Jr • 6'4" / 243 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 2nd The Titans desperately need to find help for their quarterback, Cam Ward, but with Reese still on the board here they decide to throw Robert Saleh another bone and stack up offensive picks for the rest of the draft.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Sonny Styles LB Ohio State • Sr • 6'5" / 243 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 1st John Harbaugh has seen what an elite middle linebacker can do for a defense and elects to nab the electric athlete who can patrol the entire field.

Mock Trade from Cleveland Browns Round 1 - Pick 6 Caleb Downs S Ohio State • Jr • 6'0" / 205 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 1st Dallas sends Nos. 12 and 20, along with a Day 3 pick, to Cleveland for Nos. 6 and 39, then snags Downs before any of the teams ahead of the Cowboys can snatch him up. He'd be perfect for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker's defense.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'0" / 214 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 1372 YDS/ATT 6.9 REYDS 280 TDS 21 The idea of taking a running back this high in the draft makes *me* queasy, but it seemingly doesn't do the same for NFL general managers and the idea of pairing Love with Jayden Daniels in the backfield might be too enticing for Washington to pass up.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Carnell Tate WR Ohio State • Jr • 6'2" / 192 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 51 REYDS 875 YDS/REC 17.2 TDS 9 The Saints let the board come to them and pair this Ohio State receiver with another in Chris Olave to give Tyler Shough a pair of reliable weapons for the foreseeable future.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Rueben Bain Jr. EDGE Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'2" / 263 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st The Chiefs stop Bain's slide and slot him in across from George Karlaftis, giving them two powerful rushers off the edges for Steve Spagnuolo to work with.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Mansoor Delane CB LSU • Sr • 6'0" / 187 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 3rd The Bengals have needs all over the defense and here elect to take the top cornerback in the draft to help solidify things on the back end.

Round 1 - Pick 11 Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee • Jr • 6'1" / 188 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st Miami feels like a prime trade-down candidate, but in this spot I couldn't find anyone to come up the board. If McCoy's knee checks out, he could have just as high a ceiling as Delane, who came off the board one pick earlier.

Mock Trade from Dallas Cowboys Round 1 - Pick 12 Spencer Fano OT Utah • Jr • 6'6" / 311 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 2nd The Browns use the first of their now three first-round picks on a desperately needed tackle who also has the versatility to play elsewhere on the line if things don't work out on the perimeter.

From Atlanta Falcons Round 1 - Pick 13 Makai Lemon WR USC • Jr • 5'11" / 192 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 79 REYDS 1156 YDS/REC 14.6 TDS 13 This feels like a match made in heaven, one that would supercharge the Rams' offense in one of Matthew Stafford's final seasons and allow the Rams to replace Davante Adams once he exits the stage as well.

Round 1 - Pick 14 Olaivavega Ioane IOL Penn State • Jr • 6'4" / 323 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 1st The Ravens need to remake the interior of their offensive line after several offseason departures and here land the consensus best interior lineman in the draft.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Akheem Mesidor EDGE Miami (Fla.) • Sr • 6'3" / 259 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 1st The Bucs badly need help in the pass-rush department and that's exactly what Mesidor brings, with the versatility to do it from the edge or aligned on the inside.

From Indianapolis Colts Round 1 - Pick 16 Omar Cooper Jr. WR Indiana • Jr • 6'0" / 199 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 4th REC 69 REYDS 937 YDS/REC 13.6 TDS 14 Pairing Cooper with Garrett Wilson will give Geno Smith two shifty passing-game options this year, and allow the Jets to let whomever their next quarterback is for 2027 and beyond to hit the ground running with a strong corps of weapons.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama • Jr • 6'7" / 352 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st With Penei Sewell likely moving to the left side of the offensive line, the Lions could slide the massive Proctor to the right and continue mauling defenders up front.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Dillon Thieneman S Oregon • Soph • 6'0" / 201 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 38th POSITION RNK 3rd It seems like everyone is pairing the Vikings with a safety, and Thieneman is one who makes perfect sense for a Brian Flores-led defense that prioritizes positional flexibility.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State • Jr • 6'2" / 203 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 5th REC 61 REYDS 711 YDS/REC 11.7 TDS 9 The Panthers have used multiple first-round picks on wide receivers recently, but with Tyson falling this deep into the first round the value of pairing him with Tetairoa McMillan is too good to pass up.

Mock Trade from Dallas Cowboys Round 1 - Pick 20 KC Concepcion WR Texas A&M • Jr • 6'0" / 196 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 1st REC 61 REYDS 919 YDS/REC 15.1 TDS 12 The Browns need explosive playmakers and Concepcion might be the most explosive receiver in the draft. Along with Harold Fannin Jr., he'd provide a nice baseline of weaponry for the eventual quarterback of the future.

Round 1 - Pick 21 Blake Miller OT Clemson • Sr • 6'7" / 317 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 6th The Steelers could opt to be the team that snaps up Ty Simpson before someone else trades up, but we have them solidifying the offensive line instead and again pushing the quarterback of the future issue another year down the road.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Keldric Faulk EDGE Auburn • Jr • 6'6" / 276 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 34th POSITION RNK 6th The Chargers are going to build their trenches on physicality and although Faulk didn't have a ton of production at Auburn, he has prototypical size and traits and could develop into a strong option on the edge in time.

Round 1 - Pick 23 Max Iheanachor OT Arizona State • Sr • 6'6" / 321 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 7th The Eagles love to get out ahead of their needs and here they can take Iheanachor and allow him to develop behind Lane Johnson before eventually taking over at right tackle.

From Jacksonville Jaguars Round 1 - Pick 24 Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo • Sr • 6'4" / 202 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 2nd Cleveland uses the third of its first-round picks on a safety with tremendous physicality and playmaking skills.

Round 1 - Pick 25 T.J. Parker EDGE Clemson • Jr • 6'4" / 263 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 50th POSITION RNK 7th The Bears still need help on the edge and although Parker didn't have his best season (like most of his Clemson teammates), his tape in prior years shows that he has really high upside.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Malachi Lawrence LB UCF • Sr • 6'4" / 253 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK 58th POSITION RNK 7th The Bills, once again, are looking for help in the pass-rush department and get it in the form of Lawrence, who is of a different mold of player than the Bills have typically favored on the edge but could therefore be a strong option to change things up.

Round 1 - Pick 27 Caleb Lomu OT Utah • Soph • 6'6" / 308 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 3rd Like the Eagles, the 49ers get out ahead of a need here by taking Lomu to be the eventual successor to Trent Williams on the left side of the offensive line.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Kayden McDonald DL Ohio State • Jr • 6'2" / 326 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 32nd POSITION RNK 3rd The Texans already have a dominant pass rush, and dropping McDonald into the middle of the defensive line would dramatically upgrade their run defense, making it even tougher to move the ball against them.

From Los Angeles Rams Round 1 - Pick 29 Chris Johnson CB San Diego State • Sr • 6'0" / 195 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 5th The Chiefs landed their pass rusher earlier and here give Spagnuolo another defensive back to replace the departed Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

From Denver Broncos Round 1 - Pick 30 Denzel Boston WR Washington • Jr • 6'4" / 210 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 37th POSITION RNK 6th REC 62 REYDS 881 YDS/REC 14.2 TDS 12 Miami has a desperate need for playmakers on the outside and gets a big, physical X receiver for Malik Willis right here.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Monroe Freeling OT Georgia • Jr • 6'7" / 315 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 5th New England could also go with a pass rusher here but instead elects to continue solidifying the offensive line in front of Drake Maye.

Mock Trade from Seattle Seahawks Round 1 - Pick 32 Ty Simpson QB Alabama • Jr • 6'1" / 211 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 3567 RUYDS 93 INTS 5 TDS 30 Arizona moves up two spots and lands on Simpson while the Seahawks pick up additional capital after entering the draft with only four picks.