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The 2026 NFL draft starts Thursday at 5 p.m. in Pittsburgh, with the Las Vegas Raiders holding the first pick. The New York Giants have two top-10 picks, while the Seahawks have the fewest picks in the league this year.
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One seemingly sure thing at the top.
Then...who knows?
What most around the league view as a weaker 2026 NFL draft begins Thursday at 5 p.m. in Pittsburgh. The Las Vegas Raiders have the first pick, thanks to going 3-14 last year in Pete Carrollās and Geno Smithās only seasons in Vegas.
The New York Giants will be busy early in this draft. They have two picks in the top 10, following their trade last weekend of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Seahawks? The Super Bowl champions have the 32nd and final choice in round one. Seattle has four picks total over the seven rounds. Thatās the fewest in the league this year. Itās second-fewest in franchise history. The Seahawks had three picks in the 2021 āCOVID draftā they pretty much punted amid all the oddities of the pandemic.
This is The News Tribuneās annual NFL mock draft for the first round Thursday evening:
Fernando Mendoza, quarterback, Indiana
That one seemingly sure thing: This draftās most accurate, innate, poised prospect for the national college champions at the sportās most important position. Las Vegas gets its reward for being so bad last season. A quarterback goes first overall again, for the fourth straight draft and eighth time in nine years.
Avril Reese, edge rusher, Ohio State
Coach Aaron Glenn wants to advance New York with a multiple defense, with players in multiple spots, like Mike Macdonald has with the NFLās best unit in Seattle. Off the ball, on the ball, in pass coverage, stopping the run, rushing the QB--Reese did it all at an elite level for the Buckeyes. The Jets cancelled their pre-draft visit with Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. Is that the ultimate smokescreen? Nah.
The 2026 NFL draft starts at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
The Las Vegas Raiders have the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Seahawks have four picks in the 2026 NFL draft, the fewest in the league this year.
The New York Giants have two top-10 picks due to a trade of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Jeremiyah Love, running back, Notre Dame
A surprise: A running back in the top three. In a weak year for the position in the draft.
New coach John Harbaugh wants to bring his run-first style of offense from Baltimore to keep prized 2025 rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart from getting battered more. Harbaugh trades two third-day choices to get the best running back in this weak class of them, by far, and jumps Tennessee wanting Love.
Arizona moves down two spots and gains a fourth-round (105th overall) plus a fifth-round (145th) pick to move down a couple spots ā and still get their guy.
Jeremiyah Love (4) of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes for a touchdown in the first half during the NCAA college football game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium on November 15, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
(Justin Berl/Getty Images)
David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech
New Titans head coach (and former Seahawks assistant) Robert Saleh needs waves of pass rushers for how he wants to play. In four years as the Jets head coach, his team selected a pass rusher in the first round twice. Saleh will gladly take what many scouts see as the best pass rusher in this draft.
Francis Mauigoa, right tackle, Miami
Arizona needs a young, long-term quarterback after releasing Kyler Murray last month. But they need a stud tackle to block edge rushers off Gardner Minshew or whoever is the Cardinals QB more. Arizona didnāt address right tackle in free agency, hinting theyāll take this draftās best one with the teamās first pick here.
Rueben Bain Jr., edge rusher, Miami
Cleveland is shopping its sixth pick almost as much as Seattle general manager John Schneider is shopping the Seahawksā 32nd-overall selection. Tampa Bay jumps nine spots from 15 to get Bain, one of the elite edge rushers in this draft class.
The Browns get the Bucsā first-round spot at 14, Tampa Bayās second-round pick at 46th overall, plus its seventh-round choice (229)
Sonny Styles, linebacker, Ohio State
Coach Dan Quinn REALLY needs to rebuild his defense that allowed 6 yards per snap during Washingtonās fall in 2025. The Commanders let Bobby Wagnerās contract end. Though they havenāt closed the door to re-signing the still-free agent, the future Hall of Famer and Seahawks legend turns 36 in June. Styles is a plug-and-play replacement in the middle of the defense and as Washingtonās new defensive play caller.
Carnell Tate, wide receiver, Ohio State
High time in New Orleans to get quarterback Tyler Shough a game-breaking receiver. The Saints are happy the best one on their board is still available here.
Makai Lemon, wide receiver, USC
Coach Andy Reid gets recovering-from-injury Patrick Mahomes another target, whom most rate with Tate as the top wide receivers in this class.
Kansas City takes wide receivers in the top rounds of drafts as not just a trend but a habit.
Caleb Downs, safety, Ohio State
New York uses the pick it got trading Lawrence to Cincinnati to get what many believe is the best defensive player in this draft. Downs, who first starred at Alabama, is athletic. Heās smart. Heās a John Harbaugh player. This will be the fourth safety a John Harbaugh team has drafted in the first round in 19 years.
Caleb Downs (2) of the Ohio State Buckeyes takes the field prior to a game against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 90th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Spencer Fano, right tackle, Utah
New coach. New GM. New era in Miami. The Dolphins have seven picks in the first three rounds. They get a coveted, athletic brick wall who can play tackle, guard and has even worked out at center for NFL scouts.
Keldric Faulk, edge rusher, Auburn
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer, the former Seahawks offensive coordinator, needs to remake his porous Dallas defense in a big way. Many see the dynamic Faulk as a āboom-or-bustā prospect and something of a risk to draft here. The Cowboys see the athlete, at one of the sportās most important positions, to help replace some of what they lost trading Micah Parsons last year.
Jordyn Tyson, wide receiver, Arizona State
I could see the Rams trading back here, then getting a quarterback to eventually succeed 38-year-old Matthew Stafford. Coach Sean McVay sees wide receiver Davante Adams turning 34 during the 2026 season, the last one of his contract. Tysonās caution: Injuries in each of his final three college seasons.
Kenyon Sadiq, tight end, Oregon
The Ravens post-John Harbaugh re-stock tight end with Mark Andrews turning 31 in September. Sadiq is the consensus best at his position in this draft, a new target for quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Monroe Freeling, left tackle, Georgia
Cleveland trades down knowing it can still get Freeling nine spots lower. The Browns used four left tackles last season. They get one they can count on for four (or more) years. Tacoma-based NFL draft guru Rob Rang of FoxSports.com says: āThere isnāt a blocker in this class who looks the part of an NFL left tackle more than the loose and long 6-foot-7, 315-pound Freeling.ā
Mansoor Delane, cornerback, LSU
Delane is the consensus top player in a deep cornerback draft class. Did I mention coach Aaron Glenn, a former NFL defensive back, wants to advance his New York defense with multiplicity and young talent?
Cornerback Mansoor Delane (4) of the Louisiana State Tigers celebrates a pass defense during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Tiger Stadium on October 11, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
Olaivavega Ioane, guard, Penn State
The best interior offensive linemen in this draft is also known to be, well, mean. That sounds like a Dan Campbell player fit for Detroit. The Lions had their O-line anchor Frank Ragnow retire last year after seven seasons at age 29 because of constant injuries.
Dillon Thieneman, safety, Oregon
The Vikings arenāt sure if 37-year-old safety Harrison Smith will return for a 15th season; heās a free agent. Thieneman fits what Brian Flores loves to do with his switching, blitzing, multiple defense in Minnesota. Heās fast.
Kayden Proctor, left tackle, Alabama
Heās massive, at 365 pounds. And heās athletic, long and a moving brick wall. Panthers general manager (and former Seahawks executive) Dan Morgan has the option to move Proctor to guard ā and to be a Carolina bedrock.
Colton Hood, cornerback, Tennessee
Did we mention Dallas needs defense? Jermod McCoy would be the pick here, but thereās word he may need a second knee surgery. That has McCoy falling in some peopleās minds down or out of the first round. The Cowboys and Schottenheimer will love Hoodās coverage plus toughness against the run.
KC Concepcion, wide receiver, Texas A&M
He scored 28 receiving and rushing touchdowns in 38 college games at A&M and North Carolina State. The Steelers are still trying to get wide receiver right after trading away George Pickens, trading with the Seahawks to get DK Metcalf. Quarterback here? The Steelers think Aaron Rodgers is coming back. And they havenāt seen what they have in Will Howard, the QB they drafted last year from Ohio State. He missed almost all last season with a preseason injury.
Wide receiver KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies is defended by cornerback Mansoor Delane #4 of the LSU Tigers during the first half of a game at Tiger Stadium on October 25, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
Blake Miller, offensive tackle, Clemson
Los Angeles and new coach Jim Harbaugh had an epidemic of injuries across the offensive line. It ruined the Chargersā 2025 season. L.A. allowed 60 sacks, second-most in the NFL, and quarterback Justin Herbert got battered.
Miller started every game, 54 starts in a row, in four years for Clemson. Rang notes how quick and smart Miller is.
Denzel Boston, wide receiver, Washington
They wanted Proctor. They also have all kinds of smoke that they are trading wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Patriots. Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman is college buddies with UW coach Jedd Fisch, from the University of Florida in the mid-1990s. Think they havenāt talked ā and talked up ā Boston more than most in the league view the Huskiesā dynamic wide out?
Denzel Boston (12) of the Washington Huskies catches a touchdown pass in the second quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium on November 08, 2025, in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
Akheem Mesidor, edge rusher, Miami
This isnāt a need pick. Not with reigning NFL defensive player of the year Myles Garrett in Cleveland.
This is a pick for the value of pass rushers in a pass-happy league. You can never have enough. Mesidor is one of the best in this class, though he is older (25).
Kayden McDonald, defensive tackle, Ohio State
Chicago with coach Ben Johnson fixing quarterback Caleb Williams seem ascending on offense. The Bears need to add to the defense for it to keep pace and get back to winning the NFC North again.
Chicago was 27th in the league in rushing defense last season. McDonald, 6 feet 3 and 326 pounds, is a run-stuffer supeme.
T.J. Parker, edge rusher, Clemson
Buffaloās M.O. under general manager Brandon Beane has been big, powerful pass rushers. Thatās what Parker is. He can also stay on the field in the Billsā defense on run downs.
Max Iheanachor, left tackle, Arizona State
The Niners just re-signed Trent Williams again. But heās turning 38. Heās the left tackle of San Franciscoās present. The 6-5, 325-pound Iheanachor, a Nigerian basketball and soccer player, gets a year to develop into the 49ersā left tackle of the future.
Vega Ioane, left guard, Penn State
Many draft analysts have Houston and San Francisco back to back each taking a tackle to pass block.
But the Texans are stunned what many see as the best pure guard is still here at 28. Ioane is plug and play.
Jermod McCoy, cornerback, Tennessee
Kansas City traded All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Rams with the idea of replenishing. The Chiefs use their second pick of round one on the riskiest top pick in the league.
Itās not a matter of skill. McCoy is elite for that. McCoy is going to need to convince a teamās medical staff his once-repaired knee can hold up to warrant picking him this high.
Cashius Howell, edge rusher, Texas A&M
The Dolphins need a lot, especially on defense. Howell was productive in college then had underwhelming testing and results at the combine. Thatās why heās here for Miami to take.
Cashius Howell (9) of the Texas A&M Aggies defends Quincy Crittendon (2) of the Samford Bulldogs in the first quarter of their NCAA football game at Kyle Field on November 22, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Caleb Lomu, offensive tackle, Utah
The Seahawks exposed New Englandās O-line with pressure and confusion in the Super Bowl. So the Patriots reload on the offensive line with yet another standout tackle, who can also play guard.
A trade. Shocker.
Seattle trades this pick to Cleveland, for the 39th-overall choice seven spots into round two Friday. The Seahawks also get a fourth-round choice from the Browns they didnāt have, at 107 seven selections into that round on Saturday. That gives Seattle five total picks: two in round two, one to end the third round, one in the fourth round and one in the sixth round. Quarterback Ty Simpson of Alabama still being available here at 32 sure would help the Seahawksā quest to trade back for the 11th time in Schneiderās 15 deals involving first-round picks (the other four included veteran players; Seattleās GM has never traded up in round one).
General manager John Schneider on Monday openly advertised his want for this draft: Trade back from the last pick of the first round. He succeeds, dealing his first-round pick for the 15th time in 17 drafts, and again trading down.
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and coach Mike Macdonald speak at the teamās Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton Monday, April 20, 2026, three days before the NFL draft begins.