2026 NFL mock draft: Projecting first round as order is set in Week 18

5 days ago 2

The march toward solidifying the NFL playoff picture tends to define Week 18 annually. But for most fan bases, the turning of the calendar means flipping attention to mock draft season rather than the postseason.

Sunday will mark an important step in the pre-draft process, as the top 18 spots in the first-round order – occupied by all the franchises that failed to make the playoffs – will be set. And with a flurry of coaching staff and front-office shake-ups looming this week as the College Football Playoff continues, more clarity could be ahead in the coming weeks.

USA TODAY Sports will be updating its latest first-round projection throughout Sunday as the top of the order becomes set, so check back for updates:

2026 NFL mock draft

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

The Heisman Trophy winner isn't the elite improvisor or creator that recent No. 1 picks have been, but he's composed and clean in almost any scenario you could throw at him. Mendoza also does seem capable of enacting a significant cultural shift, which is more than needed for a Raiders organization that has severely whiffed in a series of resets.

2. New York Giants – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State

Bit of an awkward spot here for Big Blue, which would clearly stand to benefit from trading back with another quarterback-hungry team. Reese would add to the defense's arsenal of players capable of creating havoc, and he could also help shore up a unit that's been woeful against the run.

3. New York Jets – Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Moore is no mere consolation prize, and he's proven himself to be a highly composed and accurate distributor despite a limited body of work. Returning to school and vying for the No. 1 pick in 2027 remains an option, but Moore should be highly in demand if he does declare.

4. Tennessee Titans – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

An absolute force at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, Faulk is a work in progress as a pass rusher, but he's the kind of project any defensive line coach would gladly take on.

5. Arizona Cardinals – Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

The unanimous All-American might not end up cracking the top five, but Fano's fleet feet set him apart from his peers in this class, making him the clear front-runner to be the first offensive tackle off the board.

6. Cleveland Browns – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Could a receiver who's never been WR1 on his own team end up the first pass catcher selected in an entire draft class? Tate will likely face plenty of scrutiny for the role he operated in with the Buckeyes, but his route-running and body control are that of a target who can make a massive difference to ease the burden on his future quarterback.

7. Washington Commanders – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

As questions about his arm length and fit at the next level have amplified, Bain has continued to bulldoze all comers, leading the charge for the Hurricanes' defense in the unit's College Football Playoff run.

8. New Orleans Saints – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

A fairly extensive injury history will surely loom over Tyson's stock, and he could slide if teams have concerns. When healthy, however, he's a smooth target who can threaten defenses all over the field.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – David Bailey, DE/OLB, Texas Tech

No one made life more difficult for quarterbacks this season than Bailey, the Stanford transfer who tied for the Football Bowl Subdivision lead in sacks (14½). His skill set is enough to make teams that prefer more prototypically built edge rushers reconsider.

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

A two-time unanimous All-American and Thorpe Award winner, Downs accomplished nearly everything imaginable for a collegiate defensive back. While some franchises might be reticent to take a safety in the top 10, the do-everything defender shouldn't be reduced to his positional label.

11. Miami Dolphins – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Essentially a lockdown presence in his final season after transferring from Virginia Tech, Delane gave teams plenty of reasons to look past his pedestrian physical tools to his overall coverage prowess.

12. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

McCoy missed all of the 2025 season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in January, but a clean bill of health at the combine could enable him to compete to be the first cornerback taken.

13. Dallas Cowboys – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Long known for his rare athleticism, Styles has come into his own as a linebacker by developing an advanced feel for the position, particularly in his work against the run. At 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds with outstanding speed, he also has all the physical traits to match up with tight ends and transcend a typical role at the second level.

14. Carolina Panthers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

His main selling point will be how he can expand a passing attack as a seam threat and mismatch creator, but Sadiq will also elevate the run game of whatever team he joins thanks to his relentless approach.

15. Detroit Lions – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)

Solid to the core in pass protection and a true puniser in the run game, Mauigoa will up the physicality of whatever front he joins.

16. Baltimore Ravens – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Make it double Clemson corners for the Ravens, who can pair the aggressive yet reliable Terrell with 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins as the team reflects on whether there's a reasonable way to bring back Marlon Humphrey at a lower price.

17. Minnesota Vikings – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Maybe this seems a little late for Love to hear his name called given that he has a strong case to be seen as one of this class' top five players. Yet for all the legitimate concerns of the positional value and limitations of running backs, the all-purpose RB shapes up as the kind of consistent big-play threat for whom teams will pay a significant premium.

18. Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

The Biletnikoff Award winner is uniquely positioned to thrive in this era of football, as he consistently frees himself up from coverage in the short-to-intermediate area and piles up yards after the catch with ease.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

Woods never flourished into the top-five talent it seemed he was on track to become entering this season, but his high-end flashes as a disruptor still seem likely to entice a team in the early first round.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Simpson's hardly enjoyed the late-season trajectory of a surefire first-rounder, and he lacks the high-end tools to help teams overlook his flagging production. Still, Simpson could stand to benefit from a shallow quarterback class if he chooses to declare, as coaching staffs might see a passer worth developing thanks to his quick processing and pocket awareness.

21. Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers) – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

It's difficult to find cornerbacks who can match Cisse in smothering receivers at the line of scrimmage or catch point while staying composed in between. Any team looking for a dose of physicality in the secondary will be drawn to him.

22. Los Angeles Chargers – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

Ioane demonstrated outstanding resilience in the face of a disastrous season for the Nittany Lions, which helped push him to the front of the pack to be the first interior lineman taken.

23. Buffalo Bills – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Boston sizes up as exactly the kind of jump-ball winner and red-zone threat you'd expect of a 6-foot-4, 210-pound target, but he's also more fluid than one might expect given his build.

24. Los Angeles Rams – Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

Proctor's singular size (6-foot-7, 366 pounds) and uneven play could make him a polarizing prospect, but there's no denying his ability to erase defenders when he properly locks in.

25. Philadelphia Eagles – Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon

A two-time transfer from Wyoming and USC, Pregnon has elevated his game at every stop and should be a stout presence at the next level.

26. Houston Texans – Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

The 6-foot-3, 330-pounder figures to be a force multiplier at the next level, commanding double teams and collapsing the pocket while also making his mark as a run stuffer.

27. Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

There might not be a left tackle in this class who can approach Lomu's upside as a pass protector, though the redshirt sophomore still has a ways to go to refine his game and get stronger.

28. San Francisco 49ers – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

As the Paul Hornung Award winner for the most versatile player in college football, the receiver and return specialist can ignite explosive plays in a variety of different forms for his next team.

29. Chicago Bears – Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

A foot injury that robbed him of most of his final season at Florida is the biggest knock on Banks' draft stock, as the 6-foot-6, 330-pounder combines rare quickness and athleticism to disrupt along the interior.

30. New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

While Howell might get dinged for his arm length, he's demonstrated a number of different ways to compensate for the shortcoming to become a highly efficient pass rusher.

31. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

Allen's hardly the biggest linebacker at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, but his well-rounded athleticism should allow him to make plays in a variety of different ways at the next level.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Kelley Jones, CB, Mississippi State

If he declares, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound Jones has the make-up of a player who could rise significantly throughout the pre-draft process. He'd be a fitting potential replacement for Tariq Woolen in a Seahawks cornerback group that could undergo a major shift in 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL mock draft: Latest projection as first-round order is set

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