2026 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Mendoza No. 1, Trades Shake Up First Round, Defense In High Demand

With less than two months before the 2026 NFL Draft, it's time to release OutKick's first mock draft of the year!

1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

The Raiders have tried to fill the Derek Carr-sized void at quarterback since they let the veteran quarterback walk after the 2022 NFL season. Rather than invest in the position through a high pick in the draft, the team has tried to patch the hole with several veterans (including Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew, Geno Smith) and 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell. None of them worked. 

Mendoza wasn't highly recruited out of high school, and it's likely almost no one knew who he was until this past season, when he led Indiana to a historic National Championship victory and became the school's first Heisman winner. He's smart, athletic and he's a winner. This is a no-brainer for Vegas. 

2. New York Jets – David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Obviously, the Jets need a quarterback, but it just doesn't make sense to take one at No. 2 with Mendoza off the board. New York would be wise to try and trade out of this spot, but the Jets might not find a dance partner. If they stay here, it makes the most sense to give head coach Aaron Glenn, a defensive-minded coach, a pass rusher who can disrupt the game. New York had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL last year and didn't force a single interception (which is often a rebuke of the pass rush more than it is of the secondary). 

3. Arizona Cardinals – Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State

The Cardinals are another team that needs a quarterback, with the franchise set to move on from Kyler Murray. But in the same vein as the Jets, that guy doesn't exist at the top of the board and the Cardinals also desperately need to improve on their awful pass rush (tied for third-fewest sacks in the NFL). 

4. Tennessee Titans – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

The Titans need a lot of help on both sides of the ball, but it's never a bad idea to get a potential shutdown corner. The team hired Robert Saleh as its new head coach and one thing the Titans expect is that the defensive-minded coach will improve a shaky unit from last season. 

5. Los Angeles Rams (mock trade with Giants) – Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

The Rams are big fans of trading away draft picks (see: Trent McDuffie), so it makes sense that the year they finally have TWO first-round picks, they would trade one of them and dump off a few selections in later rounds to maximize the roster for next season, which is why we're projecting another trade for Los Angeles. 

Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. sacks Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza during the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. 

(Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)

Matthew Stafford isn't getting any younger, so the team has to build right now for a shot at another Super Bowl win. As a team that just reached the NFC Championship, Los Angeles doesn't have a ton of holes in its roster, but the defense allowed 31 points and nearly 400 yards in the loss to Seattle. 

6. Cleveland Browns – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

No matter who Cleveland decides to roll with at quarterback in 2026, the team has to protect him. The teams ahead of the Browns are likely to look toward defensive players, which gives Cleveland the opportunity to select the best offensive tackle on the board. 

7. Washington Commanders – Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

There's an obvious pattern with teams picking at the top of the draft and struggling to pressure opposing quarterbacks (and having a bad quarterback on your team). The Commanders were middle-of-the-pack in sacks, but finished with the seventh-lowest pressure rate, according to Pro Football Reference. The Commanders are in a better spot than many of the teams at the top of the draft because they have their franchise quarterback. 

8. New Orleans Saints – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

This top of the 2026 NFL Draft is shaping up to be very heavy on defensive players and the Saints aren't going to stop that trend. New Orleans played decent defense last year, but it is very thin in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. Alontae Taylor is a free agent, and the team would be wise to replace him with the No. 8 pick rather than spending big in free agency. 

9. Kansas City Chiefs – Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

The Chiefs' offensive line was a disaster in 2025, and it led to the worst season of Patrick Mahomes' career. The team is mercifully moving on from penalty machine Jawaan Taylor, and the team has to protect Mahomes (who is coming off a torn ACL). While the team could also use additional offensive playmakers, Mahomes has the ability to elevate less-than-elite pass catchers, so the more important priority is keeping its star quarterback healthy and upright. 

Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium.

(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

The Bengals have desperately missed Jessie Bates since letting him walk in free agency after the 2022 season. Downs is the type of player that can step in and immediately captain a defense. And if there's one thing Cincinnati needs, it's a defensive captain. That unit was basically a sieve last year (and the year before), and having an elite backend defender can help make up for a lot of mistakes. 

11. Buffalo Bills (mock trade with Dolphins) – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Buffalo has to get aggressive in this draft and make a move to get Josh Allen a legitimate wide receiver. The Bills are stuck in that limbo where they are always good enough to compete for an AFC Championship but can't seem to get over the hump. The problem is that it usually leaves them at the bottom of the first round. It's time to shake things up and get the top pass-catcher on the board. 

12. Dallas Cowboys – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

No team allowed more points or passing yards than the Dallas Cowboys in 2025. The unit needs more than just cornerback help, but it's a good place to start. They moved on from Trevon Diggs in December and DaRon Bland is coming off a second foot surgery. This is a strong draft for corners, so expect Dallas to be in the market come April. 

13. New York Giants (mock trade with Rams/via Falcons) – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

The Giants have their quarterback in Jaxson Dart and two other stars on offense: Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers. All three dealt with injuries last season and the team needs better luck in the health department to have a chance to compete. If it gets that, the offense should be fine. Thus, it makes sense for the team to use this year's NFL Draft to focus on defense. Opposing teams gashed the Giants defense on the ground, so they need a plug-and-play big man up front to close some of those gaps. 

14. Baltimore Ravens – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

The Ravens dumped John Harbaugh after missing the playoffs for just the second time in eight seasons. The team signaled, loud and clear, that it expects to compete for Super Bowls with Lamar Jackson at quarterback. That's exactly why we think the Ravens are going to look to give Jackson every opportunity to succeed next year. They have to prove that they made the right decision going with Jackson over Harbaugh. 

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Devin White thrived in his five seasons with the Bucs before the team elected not to re-sign him to a long-term contract. Styles represents a good opportunity to replace what the team lost with White and possibly supply the team with a new captain for its defense. The modern NFL requires linebackers who can stop the run, cover receivers and rush the passer. It's a lot to ask, but Styles has the profile to eventually fill that role. 

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (mock trade with Jets/via Colts) – Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Like the Ravens, the Steelers no longer have their longtime head coach, as Mike Tomlin stepped down after the season. Unlike the Ravens, the Steelers don't have a franchise quarterback. They haven't had one since Ben Roethlisberger and it's been a mess. The first thing their new head coach needs is a QB. This isn't a rich quarterback draft, but Simpson has impressed some people with his work since the end of the college football season and could find himself as a first-round pick. 

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

17. Detroit Lions – T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

Detroit took a big step back last season, failing to make the playoffs. In today's NFL, teams just cannot have enough pass rushers. Pairing Aidan Hutchinson with Parker should put Detroit in an enviable position where teams have to decide which guy to focus on, freeing the other up for clear paths to the opposing quarterback.

18. Minnesota Vikings – Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech

Like the Lions, the Vikings were a huge disappointment in the NFC North. For the team to be successful, quarterback J.J. McCarthy is going to have to stay healthy. If he does, and the defense takes a step forward, Minnesota is a major bounce-back candidate. The best way to ensure the latter is to get a disruptor up front. The team's pass defense was great in 2025, but could use an upgrade defending the run. 

19. Carolina Panthers – C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia

Carolina’s defense improved last year as the team made a surprise run to the playoffs. But the Panthers still need a difference-maker in the middle that can set the tone for the rest of the unit. Allen fills that role. 

20. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers) – Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami

Obviously, the Cowboys need defense. As much as Jerry Jones loves flash offensive players in the first round, the team has to use its resources to fix the league's worst defensive unit. After grabbing a corner at No. 12, Dallas needs to address its pass rush. 

21. New York Jets (mock trade with Pittsburgh) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

The Jets picked up an extra first-round selection this year after trading Sauce Gardner to the Colts, and it would behoove the team to use that extra pick to slide down and acquire more draft capital. That's what we project here, with New York dropping just outside the Top 20 and still landing a running mate for Garrett Wilson on the outside. The team still needs a quarterback, but is more likely to go the veteran route than reach in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Sadiq is a potential matchup nightmare and would be a great fit with Justin Herbert. Yes, Oronde Gadsden had some big games in 2025, but there's no such thing as "too many pass catchers." The Chargers could use some help at wide receiver, but if Sadiq falls to them outside the Top 20, it'd be hard to pass on him. 

23. Philadelphia Eagles – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

The Eagles took a bit of a step back in 2025 and much of it had to do with the offensive line not performing as well as it had the past few seasons (losing Jason Kelce didn't help). Philadelphia is a team that likes to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and that has served the Eagles well for many years. That's why it makes sense for them to go out and get an offensive lineman (if they don't trade this pick for more capital). 

24. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

After grabbing an offensive lineman in the Top 10 to help protect whoever plays quarterback, it's time for the Browns to select someone to actually catch passes from that quarterback. 

25. Chicago Bears – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

Caleb Williams took a meaningful step forward in his sophomore NFL season, but if the team wants him to keep improving, it has to invest in the offensive line to protect him. Freeling is the type of player that can help stabilize an entire unit. 

26. Miami Dolphins (mock trade with Buffalo) – Olaivavega Ioane, OL, Penn State

We project Miami to trade down because, quite frankly, the franchise is in complete rebuild mode. The best way to start a rebuild is by making the team bigger and tougher up front, helping to set a new tone and give the team a personality it has been missing for years (the Dolphins were one of the softest teams in the NFL last year). 

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.

(Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

27. San Francisco 49ers – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Trent Williams has anchored the 49ers' offensive line for the past six seasons, but he's not getting any younger. The 17-year veteran turns 38 before the start of the 2026 season, so San Francisco needs to start looking for potential replacements. Plus, even if Williams stays healthy and continues to produce at a high level for the next season or two, Lomu can slide in at right tackle until the time comes. 

28. Houston Texans – Kadyn Proctor, OT/G, Alabama

C.J. Stroud hasn't been able to replicate the success he had in his rookie season, and a lot of that is because the offensive line hasn't done him any favors. The Texans have plenty of weapons, including two-time Pro Bowler Nico Collins, but they have to work to keep Stroud upright and throwing from clean pockets more often. 

29. Kansas City Chiefs (via Rams) – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

The Chiefs traded McDuffie to the Rams, so it makes sense that they'd target a young, cheap secondary option with their second first-round pick. Steve Spagnuolo loves to blitz and having a versatile player like McNeil-Warren on the backend makes sense for the aggressive defense the team wants to play. 

30. Denver Broncos – Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

Denver’s defense is already arguably the league's best unit, but that shouldn't preclude the team from making it even better. Playing in the AFC West makes pass rush even more of a priority since Denver has to face Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and (probably) Fernando Mendoza twice each season.

31. New England Patriots – Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri

We're running out of ways to say pass rush is really important in the NFL. Even a team that just reached the Super Bowl isn't immune to needing more guys who can collapse a pocket and make life difficult on opposing signal callers. The Patriots sacked Sam Darnold only once in the Super Bowl and failed to create any turnovers. 

32. Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

If there's one position group from the Super Bowl champion Seahawks that could see a lot of turnover, it's cornerback. Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen are both potential free agents and the team probably can't afford to pay both of them (along with paying the "Super Bowl tax" on other players), so it makes the most sense to use the team's first round pick on a corner. 

That’s it for OutKick's first mock draft of the 2026 NFL Draft season! Have thoughts? Shoot me an email: dan.zaksheske@outkick.com or hit me on X: @RealDanZak.