Fornelli 2026 NFL mock draft 5.0: Vikings make move into top 10 to fill need on offense
Buccaneers swing deal with Commanders, select Reuben Bain Jr. at No. 7
By
Tom Fornelli
•
1 min read
My final mock draft before the real thing is also the most trade-heavy mock I've had so far. Typically, when it comes to my final mock, I go with the "last and best guess" approach. That's what I'm doing here, except there's one problem I can't overcome.
I genuinely have no idea what will happen next week. More so than normal, I mean. I've long been on the record with my opinion that this class is weak overall, and that leads to all sorts of possible outcomes. I wouldn't be surprised if most of the mocks you've been reading these last couple of months are way off. With so few "no duh" options out there, we could see a number of players nobody expected to go in the first round do so.
We could also see teams get fast and loose with trades because they're willing to move up to grab one of the few guys they feel strongly about. Thursday night's first round could be a whirlwind. Or it could be extremely boring.
I'm leaning toward teams making moves to get guys they feel good about, and that's reflected below.
2026 NFL Draft rumors: Cowboys pursuing defense if they trade up, latest on Aaron Rodgers
Brad Crawford
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
The Raiders taking Mendoza with the first pick is the only certainty of this draft.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Not a certainty by any stretch, but this has been my projected pick throughout the entire process, and I see no reason to deviate from it now.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
I've had the Cardinals trade down the last couple of mocks, but it's probably more likely they stick here. If they do, drafting a tackle to improve the offensive line for whomever the QB of the future is makes sense.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
I've had the Titans take Jeremiyah Love here most of the winter, but that was because a top edge rusher like Bailey wasn't available to them in prior mocks.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
The closer we get to the real thing, the more smoke there is about the Giants and Styles. Maybe it's a misdirect, or maybe it's just that the Giants really like Styles.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Nobody knows who Cleveland's QB will be yet, but the Browns could use somebody to throw to, and Tate makes plenty of sense.
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Mock Trade from
Washington Commanders
Round 1 - Pick 7
Now the phones begin ringing. Washington could take Bain here, but with only two top-100 picks and only six overall, the Commanders move down to acquire more. Meanwhile, the Bucs move up to get the pass rusher they desire in Bain.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Delane does not leave the state of Louisiana as the Saints add the best corner in the class to their defense.
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Mock Trade from
Kansas City Chiefs
Round 1 - Pick 9
Love may not go fourth overall, but his slide ends here. The Vikings have a need at running back and nine picks in this draft. Rather than sitting back and hoping he falls, they get aggressive and snap him up.
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Round 1 - Pick 10
The top pass rushers are off the board, so Cincinnati grabs the best defensive prospect left in the class to help out a defense that needs all the help it can get.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
It's hard to know exactly what Miami will do with new people in charge, but I love the value of Freeling for the Dolphins here.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
The closer we get to the draft, the less fears there seem to be among teams about McCoy missing the 2025 season with an ACL. The Cowboys take a chance on a player who could prove to be a lockdown corner.
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From
Atlanta Falcons
Round 1 - Pick 13
Shortly after my last mock was posted, it was announced that Puka Nacua was entering rehab. That only solidifies my feeling that the Rams will go WR at this spot. They get my favorite one in the class.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
For the first time this century (give or take), I have the Ravens going with somebody other than Ola Ioane. Mark Andrews isn't getting any younger, and Lamar Jackson seems to prefer throwing to tight ends over receivers. Sadiq is a receiver in a tight end's body, so perhaps this is fate.
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Mock Trade from
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 1 - Pick 15
After moving down, the Commanders still end up getting a Miami Hurricane to help their pass rush.
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Mock Trade from
New York Jets
Round 1 - Pick 16
With only a couple of tackles off the board, the Texans decide it's time to strike, as the cost of moving up to get Fano is cheaper than they would've anticipated only hours before.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
I'm a big fan of Miller and believe the Lions could put him at RT and move Penei Sewell to the left, or they could put Miller on the left. He played RT at Clemson, but I think he's got the ability to protect Jared Goff's blindside.
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Mock Trade from
Minnesota Vikings
Round 1 - Pick 18
After moving down from No. 9, the Chiefs are still able to land a WR who can be a difference-maker in Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
With Ickey Ekwonu rupturing his patellar tendon in the playoffs last season, there's no telling when he'll be back. So the Panthers take a potential replacement for him.
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From
Green Bay Packers
Round 1 - Pick 20
Faulk is a beauty in the eye of the beholder prospect. His production at Auburn wasn't fantastic, but he looks the part of a guy who can be a strong pass rusher at the NFL level. The Cowboys are willing to bet on the potential.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Ioane can stop looking at Zillow listings in Baltimore, but he says within the division, as the Steelers solidify the interior of their offensive line.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
The Chargers could use a big body on the interior of their defensive line, and while I don't know what McDonald will give you as a pass rusher, I know he's going to help the run defense considerably.
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Round 1 - Pick 23
I could see the Eagles going with an offensive tackle at this spot, but this team's best days came when it had roughly a trillion defensive linemen to throw at opponents over the course of a game, so they add another one here.
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From
Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1 - Pick 24
The Browns are going to head into the second round with a WR and an offensive lineman of some sort in the fold. Who they are, and what order they take them, I don't know. What I know is I like Lomu quite a bit.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
The Bears have addressed a lot of needs on their defense this offseason, but there are still question marks at safety and in the pass rush. The top edge rushers are gone. The top safety isn't, until now.
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Mock Trade from
Buffalo Bills
Round 1 - Pick 26
Surprise! The Raiders are back! The Bills only have two top 100 picks, so they drop into the early second round, while the Raiders pair Fernando Mendoza with his Indiana teammate.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Young is somebody to dream on, and he strikes me as the type of player the 49ers tend to target at the position.
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Mock Trade from
Houston Texans
Round 1 - Pick 28
After moving down in a swap with the Texans, the Jets are still able to address their secondary with Terrell. Getting Reese, Terrell, and a few extra picks makes for a great first night of the draft.
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From
Los Angeles Rams
Round 1 - Pick 29
This is somebody I'm higher on than the consensus. I like Johnson's size and length a lot and believe he has the potential to be a very good player in the NFL. In this mock, the Chiefs agree with me.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Considering Jeff Hafley's background as a defensive backs coach, it's hard for me to imagine the Dolphins don't use at least one of their two first-rounders on a defensive back.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Everything should be about helping Drake Maye, and Boston (what a name for a Patriot!) is a big-bodied, sure-handed receiver who can get open downfield and also serves as a strong asset in the red zone.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Running back is Seattle's biggest need, and by taking Price in the first round, the Seahawks can get the fifth year on him. That said, the Seahawks can do anything they want here, so I don't make this pick with an extremely high level of confidence.
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