Happy draft day! My final 2026 mock draft has dropped, but there are still a lot of rumors and scenarios being juggled.
Let’s get into it with everything I’ve heard leading into Round 1.
What if Jets don’t go with Arvell Reese at No. 2?
I’ve held firm that the New York Jets are taking Ohio State EDGE/LB Arvell Reese second overall, but if they don’t, things will get interesting fast. The Arizona Cardinals have made it clear they are willing to move out of the No. 3 overall pick, and if Reese is still on the board it would likely make it easier for them to do just that.
Giants are very interested in Jordyn Tyson
The New York Giants’ interest in Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson in the top 10 is very real, but they face an interesting dilemma. If they don’t take him at No. 5, it seems unlikely he makes it to their next pick at No. 10. My final mock draft has them taking Ohio State SAF Caleb Downs at No. 5 and I’m sticking with that. These picks are John Harbaugh’s call and I don’t expect him to get overly worked up about “positional value.”
Who will trade up and take Cleveland’s No. 6 pick?
The Cleveland Browns are the most obvious entry point into the top 10 from what I’ve gathered. There are multiple teams picking between 11-20 that have discussed the idea of moving up into this range. Going back to the previous note, the player I hear tied to a team moving into the back half of the top 10 is Jordyn Tyson.
Don’t be surprised if Commanders stay put at No. 7
The Washington Commanders are an interesting team because they don’t have a second round selection, but I’m not convinced they are dying to trade back from No. 7 to get that pick back. The reasoning would be they are in the perfect range for a high-end talent before it begins to drop off. I went with Ohio State LB Sonny Styles in my final mock draft, a player that would elevate Dan Quinn’s front seven.
Dallas adding on defense isn’t slam dunk in Round 1
The Dallas Cowboys clearly need help on defense but the lack of clarity on George Pickens’ long-term future puts wide receiver on the table for them in the first round.
Which team ends up drafting Ty Simpson?
The only two teams consistently connected to Alabama QB Ty Simpson are the Arizona Cardinals and the New York Jets. Call me crazy, but I’d actually take the field instead of those two this week. While each franchise does not have the long-term answer at quarterback, the interest from them in Simpson thus far just seems to be connecting dots rather than anything concrete.
Bucs will be fielding calls for the No. 15 pick
It makes sense for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to move out of pick No. 15 if they feel they can get the same caliber of edge pass rush prospect later on. With the Detroit Lions being heavily rumored to take an offensive lineman at No. 17, would a team try to jump in front of them? The wildcard pick I’ve heard for Tampa Bay would be Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq (who is also in play for Baltimore at No. 14, but offensive line might make more sense for them).
Is the draft media sleeping on McDonald and Young?
Two powerful, well-built players that I think have been overthought throughout this draft process are Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald and edge rusher Zion Young. I get the sense they have higher grades from NFL teams than draft media consensus.
Names to know who are fringe first-rounders
A few prospects that seem to be right on the fringe of going in the first round are Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk, San Diego State CB Chris Johnson, UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence, and Utah OT Caleb Lomu. There are always a few highly-prioritized names that just miss the cut on Thursday, which will lead to both the Jets and Cardinals having plenty of options to move out of picks 33 and 34 if they want.
