Josh Frey reveals his final 2026 NFL Mock Draft ahead of the event starting April 23. Key picks include QB Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders and LB Arvell Reese to the Jets.
Key points
2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23
Fernando Mendoza is the top quarterback prospect
Arvell Reese is projected to the New York Jets
Jeremiyah Love is expected to join the Tennessee Titans
Sonny Styles could be a top-five pick
Las Vegas RaidersNew York JetsArizona CardinalsTennessee Titans
Josh Frey’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images
After months of rumors and speculation, the 2026 NFL Draft is finally upon us.
With just a few days until the draft officially begins on Thursday, April 23, here is my final 2026 NFL mock draft before the event officially gets underway.
This is the only “sure thing” of this spring’s draft. Fernando Mendoza is the top quarterback prospect this spring; the Las Vegas Raiders have a need at quarterback even with the signing of Kirk Cousins. Mendoza will be wearing black and silver by the end of Thursday night.
Arvell Reese is an interesting prospect, and that is precisely why Aaron Glenn is going to want to take a chance on him for his defense. The New York Jets just overhauled their defense this past season by trading away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, and now they need to start finding new cornerstones to build around. Reese’s versatility to play both as an edge rusher and as an off-ball linebacker will propel him to second overall. At just 20 years old, there is plenty of time for him to develop either skill.
David Bailey is a prototypical edge rusher with great size and athletic ability. The Cardinals certainly could be considering offensive tackle here, but Bailey looks like one of the few “sure thing: prospects this spring, making him hard to pass up.
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A decade after the Tennessee Titans landed Derrick Henry in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, they are hoping to find their next franchise running back. Jeremiyah Love is arguably the best player in this draft class, and he will put together plenty of explosive plays for the Titans.
A true off-ball linebacker hasn’t been selected in the top five since Devin White in 2019, but Sonny Styles has the talent to buck that trend. Styles has tremendous size and instincts at the linebacker position, and he showed off every ounce of his ridiculous athleticism at the combine. John Harbaugh loves getting difference makers at this middle linebacker spot, and he gets one here.
The path has been clear for Cleveland for a while: wide receiver and offensive tackle in the first round. They get the first half of that job taken care of here by landing Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who is the latest in a long line of Buckeye receivers headed to the NFL as first-round prospects.
Wide receiver certainly is a need for Washington, but they also need to figure things out on defense in 2026. They added a few players to their defensive front in free agency, but the cornerback position still has question marks. They land this year’s CB1.
Rueben Bain has a couple things working against him heading into this draft. He has very short arms, and his off-the-field issues could cause a pretty big tumble down the draft board. However, the Kansas City Chiefs need to find someone who can consistently play opposite George Karlaftis. Bain didn’t get short arms overnight, and he was consistently productive in college. He should still land somewhere in the top 10.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
The Chiefs have parted ways with Jawaan Taylor, and for now, their solution has been Jaylon Moore, who is not a proven player. They go ahead and take one of the top offensive tackles in this class to create a long-term solution at that spot.
10. New York Giants (via CIN): S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
This may be a bit more of a tumble than some expect for Caleb Downs, but as a safety, it’s hard to know exactly when NFL teams will feel comfortable taking him despite the talent and upside. New York just acquired the 10th overall pick by trading away Dexter Lawrence, and after grabbing Styles with the fifth overall pick, they are now the winners of the night by also landing Downs.
The Miami Dolphins desperately need to build up their offensive tackle situation in this draft, especially without there being a QB worth taking at this point, and Spencer Fano is a player who has the versatility to either play tackle or at guard on either side of the line.
Dallas fielded one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season, and they need help all over. Dillon Thieneman can be an anchor on the backend capable of playing free safety while also helping out in run support.
2026 NFL mock draft
Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) reacts after defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
Outside of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, a pair of precision route runners, the Rams don’t have a ton of options at wide receiver right now. Jordyn Tyson’s injury history could make some NFL teams wary of picking him early, but the Rams need a true deep threat to open things up in the passing game.
The Ravens just have a knack for landing top talent at a position in the draft. This time, they land the top guard on the board to shore up their interior offensive line and protect Lamar Jackson.
Jermod McCoy lost his 2025 season to injury, but the tape from 2024 speaks for itself. He is one of the best cornerbacks in this draft class, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers desperately need some help at the position.
16. New York Jets (via IND): WR Makai Lemon, USC
If the Jets are going to have any success with Geno Smith as their new quarterback, they need to figure out the WR2 spot opposite Garrett Wilson. Makai Lemon is an explosive athlete who can take on the role in New York.
Edge rusher could be high on Detroit’s list, but Dan Campbell is going to get back to his roots this season and find a player that bites kneecaps. Kayden McDonald can be a true nose tackle player at the NFL level, and the Lions need to be much better at defending the run in 2026. McDonald will be a cornerstone for a team that had defensive tackle struggles last year.
The Minnesota Vikings spent big at defensive tackle last offseason with signings of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, but neither really panned out. Brian Flores has had success in Minnesota without true difference makers at the position, but if the Vikings are ever going to take the next step toward being a contender, they need to find that difference maker. Caleb Banks put together a ridiculous combine despite performing on a foot injury, and once that heals up, he will be a starter at the NFL level.
Three straight drafts with wide receiver selections in the first round may seem like a lot for Carolina, but it’s warranted here. The Panthers are in now or never territory with Bryce Young, so they go all in on giving him as much talent at the position as possible.
Dallas doubles up in the secondary here to help a defense that allowed the most passing yards, second-most passing touchdowns, and tied the second-fewest interceptions in the NFL last year. With Jermod McCoy out last year, Colton Hood stepped up as a true CB1 for Tennessee last season, and that emergence propels him into the first round.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need as much help at wide receiver as they can get right now, and Omar Cooper is a versatile player who can line up outside or in the slot. That versatility along with his athleticism and large catch radius will make him a favorite target for Aaron Rodgers or whoever is at quarterback this fall.
Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. at the Rose Bowl in 2026
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) runs against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
It may be early for another guard to go off the board, but the Chargers can’t risk there being a run at the position between now and their next pick at No. 55. Chase Bisontis is a bulldog in the middle of the offensive line, and he will open up plenty of running lanes for Omarion Hampton. Jim Harbaugh will love having him on his team.
The Philadelphia Eagles love planning for the future with their high end picks, and this selection comes at the perfect time with Lane Johnson missing eight games in 2025. Howie Roseman grabs the future Hall of Famer’s successor here in the massive 6’7″, 352-pound frame of Kadyn Proctor.
24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Cleveland’s job comes to completion here with the selection of Monroe Freeling. While he is still a bit raw with only 17 collegiate starts under his belt, Freeling showed up for the Bulldogs in 2025 as a great pass protector. The Browns were not good in that department last season, so hopefully, this can be a solution.
After back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons for Jaylon Johnson, he missed a large chunk of the 2025 season because of injury. As of now, the Bears aren’t necessarily in desperate need of a cornerback, but they are an injury away from being in that situation. Chris Johnson is a great security blanket with the talent to blossom into a starter as a boundary CB.
The Bills have both Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb on the roster, but both players utilize more power than athleticism and explosive ability to get after quarterbacks. Malachi Lawrence can bring that energy to the defensive front while also being a capable run stopper. He’s a player that can be on the field at all times and carve a role out for himself.
John Lynch said at the combine that his team would address their pass rush in this year’s draft, and they do exactly that here in the first round with the selection of Akheem Mesidor. He brings relentless effort with multiple moves in his tool bag to get around opposing tackles to run down quarterbacks.
The offensive line has been a fickle position group for the Texans They started the rebuilding process with the signings of Braden Smith and Wyatt Teller as well as a new contract for Ed Ingram, but that can’t be the end of their improvements. Blake Miller gives the Texans an answer for their other tackle spot.
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR): TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Kenyon Sadiq to the Chiefs is too easy of a fit. Travis Kelce very well could be entering his final NFL season, and we have seen some cracks in the armor over the past couple seasons that have contributed to delaying another Lombardi Trophy coming to Kansas City. Sadiq is the successor who could end up taking on the majority of the snaps by the end of the season.
Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) reacts after a touchdown during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) reacts after a touchdown during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2024 Big Ten Championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
The Dolphins addressed one side of the trenches earlier in this draft, and now they go ahead and grab an athletic pass rushing presence for their pass rush. Keldric Faulk is an explosive player, and he is much more impactful than the two sacks he recorded last season suggest.
A lot of things went wrong for the New England Patriots in last season’s Super Bowl, but the main takeaway was their offensive line needs to be better for the next time they get in that position. Caleb Lomu could play either at tackle or guard at the NFL level, and New England will take either at this point.
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has been a steady riser throughout this draft process, and it culminates with him sneaking into the end of the first round. He is a massive player at 6’3″ and has terrific ball instincts when passes are headed his way. He can step up and contribute as a blitzer as well. It’s not the biggest need in the world for Seattle, but they go ahead and make an already great defense even better here.
