Welcome to the 2026 football season!

Fantasy Life is moving me to year-round NFL Draft coverage. In celebration of that, we figured we’d kick off the festivities with my first 2026 NFL mock draft of the process. The draft order below was determined by flipping season win total odds currently offered by Las Vegas sportsbooks. 

A couple of relevant notes before we begin:

• You will not see Texas QB Arch Manning’s name below. If Manning has a big 2025 season, he will almost assuredly enter the offseason as the No.1-ranked quarterback on most teams’ boards. But the Mannings didn’t rush to the pros even pre-NIL era, with both Peyton and Eli spending four years on campus.

I don’t think it’s accurate to say there is no chance that Arch enters the 2026 draft—but I think it’s a long shot. The scenario where I think it’s in play? If Manning leaves the regular season as the consensus 1.01 prospect, and his family ends up liking the situation of the team holding the No. 1 pick before the declaration deadline in mid-January.

We will be monitoring that situation all fall.

Two more notes before we begin, both injury-related:

• Oregon WR Evan Stewart and Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy both would have received Round 1 consideration in this exercise if they weren’t currently rehabbing knee injuries. McCoy might have been CB1.

But McCoy is iffy for the start of the season due to a torn ACL in January, and Stewart will almost assuredly miss the entire 2025 campaign after tearing his own ACL in early June. If McCoy can return next season and show his 2024 form, even in a limited sample, he’ll have a shot to go in Round 1 in April.

Stewart’s evaluation is murkier. His talent and pedigree speak for themselves, but he’s never been consistently dominant. It’s not an ideal situation, of course, but Stewart would be wise to return to school for the 2026 season to give himself a shot at ultimately going in the top-50.

Onto the festivities!

Way-Too-Early 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

1. Cleveland Browns

Penn State QB Drew Allar | HT/WT: 6046/237 | SR

Last fall, Allar, the former five-star recruit, began converting hype into production. Allar would have been a Round 1 pick had he declared for last spring’s draft—many believe the Browns would have stuck and picked him at No. 2 overall—but he decided to return to Penn State along with several other high-profile stars to chase a national title this fall.

Allar has a prototypical NFL frame, and he can move—he’s a strong runner with a projected 4.6-second 40-yard dash. He’s got a big arm, and he knows how to use it, beating downhill defenders with tight-spiral fastballs. Allar was done no favors by his mediocre receiving corps last year—who appeared allergic to creating separation—but he made lemonade.

At present, Allar is an unfinished product. I like his well-rounded skill set. I like that he—with a few high-profile exceptions—takes care of the ball. I like that he keeps his head about him in the pocket. I like his work under pressure—he’s got a good feel for it, and he’s got a good grasp of his available options when the clock is close to midnight.

My biggest current concern with Allar, ironically, comes in clean pockets. PSU OC Andy Kotelnicki’s system features a wide gamut of passing concepts. The ones Allar struggles with most are the quick-hitters—the timing concepts, including screens.

Like a basketball shooter who keeps his mechanics with a defender in his face but can get haphazard with them at the free throw line, Allar tends to mind his mechanics more under duress than he does when he’s unharassed.

You’ll note issues marrying his footwork and dropback to the concept (mucking up the timing of the concept), you’ll notice sloppy footwork when he knows he doesn’t have to worry about pass-rushers, and you’ll notice hesitancy pulling the trigger until he can confirm the target is open. The latter issue is a hurdle he must overcome to become a strong anticipatory passer.

I love that Allar returned to school, because his issues are all correctable. If he makes strides in those areas, the only draft-eligible prospect who will be able to make an argument against him for the 1.01 pick is Arch Manning.

2. New Orleans Saints

LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier | HT/WT: 6005/204 | rSR

How perfect would this be? The Saints’ offensive coordinator is Doug Nussmeier—Garrett’s father. Nussmeier waited his turn behind Jayden Daniels for two seasons and was vindicated last year with a breakout 4,000-yard passing campaign.

Nussmeier sits alone atop one of the NFL’s two preseason scouting services’ rankings heading into the season. Had he declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, I believe Nussmeier would have joined QBs Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart in Round 1.

Nussmeier is a bouncy, aggressive pocket-passer who is comfortable working in tight quarters. He’s evasive in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield, and he’s got some real gumption testing tight windows.

Nussmeier’s aggression is a two-edged sword—it leads to explosive plays and keeps the defense on its toes, but it also gives the defense chances to flip the field on him. The next frontier of Nussmeier’s game is finding that perfect dichotomy of keeping the aggression ramped up while cutting down the turnovers.

3. New York Giants

Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor | HT/WT: 6070/359 | JR

With QB Jaxson Dart in tow, the Giants can turn their focus to other positions of need. It’s time to fix that rancid offensive line. Proctor and Andrew Thomas would make for a shiny bookend duo for the next decade.

Proctor just turned 20 in early June, and he’s already taken nearly 1,500 snaps on the blindside for Alabama. Proctor’s run-blocking started out ahead of his pass-pro, but that changed last fall when the latter took a major leap forward.

Between his measurables, pedigree, and his strong work at a young age at college football’s highest level, Proctor acquits himself as a high-floor/high-ceiling prospect.

4. New York Jets

Clemson DT Peter Woods | HT/WT: 6020/315 | JR

The No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 ESPN300, Woods was a factor from Day 1 on campus, posting an 87.6 PFF grade as a true freshman. In 2024, as a true sophomore, Woods remained disruptive despite playing through a leg injury suffered on a chop-block in September against Appy State.

Woods’ evaluation has a ton of similarities to Mason Graham’s. Like Graham, Woods is a two-way, gap-shooting menace despite lacking ideal length. And like Graham, Woods has a tantalizing dichotomy of bouncy quickness in a phonebooth and country strength. Because of this, you’ll notice that Woods is always in the backfield.

The Jets imported Derrick Nnadi as a short-term, get-me-over option next to Quinnen Williams. Woods would be his replacement.

5. Tennessee Titans

Ohio State S Caleb Downs | HT/WT: 6000/205 | JR

Caleb Downs is the best football player in the 2026 class. Playing safety will prevent him from going 1.01, but he has a real shot at the top five.

As a true freshman, Downs was a star immediately at Alabama, leading the team with 107 tackles. Last year, Downs transferred to Ohio State, and his game leveled up in the Big 10. He’s already played 1,807 career snaps.

The addition of Downs in 2024 led to a change in the way Ohio State plays defense—he’s that good. The Buckeyes would often line him up at deep middle linebacker depth, and Downs, in essence, was the sideline-to-sideline cleanup crew if a running back breached Ohio State’s stout defensive front. Downs gets outstanding jumps, and he’s a heat-seeking missile coming downhill. His 29 run stops last fall were tops amongst returning FBS safeties.

Downs’ speed—projected high-4.3s forty—and instant trigger make him a field-flipping pest in coverage. Last season, he allowed 188 yards and zero TDs over 509 coverage snaps, posting a  52.6 QB rating against on targets.

Have I mentioned yet that he can blitz ... and also return punts?

6. Carolina Panthers

Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker | HT/WT: 6030/265 | JR

In April, Carolina bypassed pressing defensive needs to grab Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan in the top 10. Considering how quickly the 2025 WR class dropped off, that was a sage decision.

But that decision puts the defensive front seven atop the team’s needs list heading into next offseason. Parker would replace D.J. Wonnum in the starting lineup.

A top-100 recruit out of high school, Parker burst onto the scene in 2023 with 12.5 TFL and Freshman All-American honors. Over 1,085 career snaps across two seasons, Parker has posted 32 TFL, 16.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles.

Parker is a twitchy, explosive outside rusher in a big package. He runs an estimated mid-4.5s forty at 260-plus pounds.

 7. Las Vegas Raiders

Utah OT Spencer Fano | HT/WT: 6060/302 | JR

The Raiders’ offense is crying out for a difference-making wide receiver to help out Geno Smith and alleviate pressure on Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. The issue is that the 2026 draft class currently does not have a top-10 overall quality pass-catcher.

So the Raiders get Geno some help in the form of protection. Fano is long and nimble, one of the premier athletes in this coming OT class. His game took a meteoric rise in 2024. Incredibly, on a dead-end Utah offense, Fano posted an utterly elite 92.5 PFF grade. In only two instances over 424 pass-pro reps did Fano’s man so much as lay a finger on the quarterback.

Fano has starting experience at both tackle spots. He may project better at right tackle, and that would suit Las Vegas just fine as a legitimate bookend complement to Kolton Miller.

This year, Utah’s offense projects to take a big leap forward. This will attract more eyes, as well as potentially giving Fano some primetime opportunities against top-tier competition. Utah is absolutely a CFP contender in 2025.

8. Los Angeles Rams (from ATL)

Clemson QB Cade Klubnik | HT/WT: 6014/204 | SR

The Rams and Matthew Stafford appeared on the precipice of a divorce this past offseason—the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders pursued trades aggressively—before he and the Rams re-worked their pact, opening the door for a 2025 return.

The language of the new deal lays things out pretty clearly: If Stafford is on the roster on the first day of free agency in 2026, the Rams owe him $40 million—in addition to his $16 million base salary. The Rams could release—or trade—him prior to that date and only be on the hook for a $6.4 million cap hit.

Regardless of how that plays out, Los Angeles needs to find its quarterback of the future. I believe they explicitly began laying the groundwork for that with April’s draft-day trade with the Falcons, which brought back Atlanta’s first-rounder in 2026.

That’s the pick we’re talking about right now.

Klubnik strikes me as a quarterback that Sean McVay could be attracted to. Klubnik isn’t physically imposing, he’s not an elite athlete, and he doesn’t have a howitzer arm. That said, he’s strong across the board—with the velocity for the intermediate concepts McVay likes, and the foot quickness to escape and extend—and makes good decisions.

9. Indianapolis Colts

Miami OT Francis Mauigoa | HT/WT: 6060/329 | JR

A five-star recruit out of IMG Academy, Mauigoa was spoken about like a mythological creature when he first arrived at Miami. He’s a long-levered, smooth-moving, well-proportioned giant. Mauigoa started from Day 1 at Miami and piled up 1,780 snaps at RT over the past two years. 

Mauigoa checked in at No. 21 on last summer’s annual “Feldman’s Freaks” List. Feldman wrote of Mauigoa: “Last year his body fat was under 21 percent at 341 pounds on his 6-6 frame. … Mauigoa’s jump power measured at 9,274 watts, the highest Miami had on record, as was his ‘jump momentum’ of 462 kilogram-meter per second. His 10-yard was 1.72 seconds last year, and it’s gotten a little quicker, according to [Miami HC Mario] Cristobal.”

Mauigoa will play either right tackle or guard at the next level. Wherever he ends up, he’ll provide a long-term athletic hammer for your run game.

10. Cleveland Browns (from JAX)

Clemson CB Avieon Terrell | HT/WT: 5110/180 | JR

Terrell is the fourth Clemson Tiger off the board in the top 10. Dabo Swinney’s squad this fall will be more reminiscent of your older brother’s Clemson teams from recent memory.

Terrell was heavily used as a true freshman, and then took over as a full-time starter as a sophomore in 2024. Over 721 career coverage snaps, he’s allowed a mere 61.9 QB rating against.

Terrell, the younger brother of A.J. Terrell, plays bigger than his modest size. He’s a feisty, aggressive cornerback who has proven he can play on the boundary. He’s one of the class’ best run-defending corners as well. His 90.7 PFF run defense grade and 19 stops last year were both elite.

11. Arizona Cardinals

Oregon OT Isaiah World | HT/WT: 6052/321 | rSR

World broke out at Nevada last year, allowing zero sacks. Over 456 pass-pro reps, World posted a dominant 83.7 PFF true pass set grade in 2024.

Over the offseason, World was the No. 1 offensive tackle in the transfer portal. Oregon, desperate for immediate help at the position with Ajani Cornelius and Josh Conerly off to the NFL, beat out Texas A&M, Nebraska, and Ohio State for World’s signature. If World can prove his breakthrough wasn’t a fluke, he will be a top-20 pick in April.

12. Miami Dolphins

Penn State CB A.J. Harris | HT/WT: 6010/184 | JR

A former five-star recruit, Harris spent one season as a backup at Georgia before transferring to Penn State. Harris was everything and more that the Nittany Lions were hoping for when they targeted him to help replace Joey Porter Jr.

Harris posted a high-end 81.3 PFF coverage grade in 2024. He gave up only 26 catches on 46 targets, holding opponents to a sterling 0.8 yards per coverage snap.

13. Chicago Bears

Florida OT Austin Barber | HT/WT: 6067/316 | rSR 

Three offensive tackles went top-nine in April’s draft. Next year’s first-round will have a similar OT-heavy theme—this is the fifth taken in the top-13. 

At present, Barber is a bit of a polarizing prospect. The positives? He’s experienced, with nearly 2,000 career snaps at OT, starting with Freshman All-American First-Team honors in 2022. He’s built like a skyscraper, but he has light feet, making it difficult to beat him outside or cross him up. And he’s shown the ability to pick off second-level defenders in Billy Napier’s zone-heavy run scheme.

But Barber can be bullied by power. For Barber’s game to make a leap, he either needs to improve his leverage or his hand usage. He also needs to cut down on the penalties—the nine flags he drew last year are red-flag area.

14. Dallas Cowboys

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love | HT/WT: 6000/210 | JR

Remember early last draft process when every mock draft had Ashton Jeanty going to the Cowboys? Get ready for another draft process of that—with Love playing the role of Jeanty.

Last year in college football, it was Jeanty, and then Love ... and then a drop to everyone else. Love posted an absurd 187.3 elusive rating (anything above 100 is above-average) and 4.47 yards after contact. 

Coming out of high school, Love ran an electronically timed 4.48-second 40-yard dash at 185 pounds. He’s now up to 210 pounds, and I am told he’s now running in the 4.3s. On the field, he’s an unreal athlete with a creative bent—it’s great fun watching him pogo-stick over defenders trying to sweep out his knees.

There’s plenty of flash to Love’s game. But the most impressive aspect of that game is how conscientiously well-rounded it is—Love remains efficient while providing explosion as a runner, and he’s a good receiver. The scary thing is, he’s gotten better every year we’ve seen him, and he’s still young.

15. New England Patriots

South Carolina WR Nyck Harbor | HT/WT: 6050/235 | JR

Some will scoff at Harbor checking in at WR1 in this exercise. In two years on campus, Harbor has recorded only 38 catches for 571 yards.

But in some ways of seeing it, Harbor is right on track for that designation. DK Metcalf, the receiver to whom Harbor is most ubiquitously comped, had 41 catches for 659 yards over his first two years at Ole Miss, another SEC school.

Harbor is taller, bigger, and faster than Metcalf. Last summer, Harbor became the first player in 20 years to be the top player on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List in back-to-back seasons. If Harbor doesn’t pull the three-peat when Feldman releases his 2025 rendition, it’ll only be because Feldman got bored.

Competing against runners 60-70 pounds lighter, Harbor earned All-American honors on South Carolina’s track team. He’s top-three in Gamecocks history in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Many are expecting 2025 to be Harbor’s national coming-out party. Even if that doesn’t ultimately happen, Harbor is going to be a threat to be WR1 in another down receiver class in 2026.

“He could take next season off and still be a top-15 pick,” an NFL source told me in the spring.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers | HT/WT: 6020/242 | rSO

Harbor’s quarterback at South Carolina, LaNorris Sellers, is also a fascinating evaluation. Like Harbor, Sellers is huge and athletic, with jaw-dropping flash plays on film.

Sellers needs to put everything together this fall to make good on the Cam Newton comps. Newton single-handedly dragged a talent-bereft Auburn offense to a national title in 2010. The NFL drafted none of Newton’s running backs or receivers. His offensive line combined to appear in a piddly 28 NFL games.

Sellers’ physical tools are comparable to Newton’s, but he’s a long way away as a player at present. Sellers holds onto the ball too long, he puts the ball at risk too often, and he makes some wonky decisions under duress.

If Sellers makes the leap this fall, he’ll be a candidate to go first overall, as Newton once did. If he doesn’t show improvement, I’d imagine he’ll be back at South Carolina in 2026. 

I’m splitting the outcomes with this projection, sending Sellers to Pittsburgh in the middle of Round 1. With Aaron Rodgers expected to retire at season’s end, the Steelers’ scouting department has already begun advanced work on the 2026 quarterback class.

17. Seattle Seahawks

Auburn EDGE Keldric Faulk | HT/WT: 6060/270 | JR

Faulk is long and athletic, and he brings his lunchpail against the run. Faulk improved as a pass-rusher last year while displaying more down-to-down consistency. You can’t teach this combination of size, length, and athleticism.

18. Minnesota Vikings

Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. | HT/WT: 6030/238 | JR

Hill Jr. played heavy rotational snaps as a true freshman in 2023 after signing with Texas as a five-star recruit. He had his national coming-out party in 2024, with 113 tackles and 17 TFL.

Hill is a tremendous athlete in a big package. He’s a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine, and he’s a terror on the blitz (23 pressures). He’s ferocious attacking downhill.

Some currently project Hill as a top-10 overall pick. For him to get there, Hill is going to have to take big steps forward in coverage. Last year, Hill Jr. was nicked for 52 receptions and 478 yards, coughing up a 108.9 QB rating against.

19. Cincinnati Bengals

Auburn OT Xavier Chaplin | HT/WT: 6070/338 | rJR

Chaplin is a gargantuan with the feet to stay at left tackle in the pros. He transferred to Auburn this offseason after starting for Virginia Tech the last two years. Chaplin earned All-American honors in 2023, when he was a redshirt freshman.

Chaplin’s combination of length and movement skills is going to make him a sought-after commodity. His biggest issue on tape is playing with consistent leverage, an occupational hazard when you’re as stretched out as Chaplin is.

But those inside the Auburn program believe they signed a first-round NFL Draft prospect in Chaplin. "When you see this kid in person, it's like Laremy Tunsil," an Auburn source told CBS Sports. "He's a freak. He's not as wide as Laremy, but you're talking about the same body mass ratio and all. He's a legit NFL tackle. For sure. He's the best-looking offensive lineman that's walked through our doors in the last three years. He's legit and a stud."

20. Denver Broncos

Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson | HT/WT: 6020/185 | rJR

Tyson’s incredible 2024 season was a bit overshadowed by ASU RB Cam Skattebo. But without Tyson, Skattebo would have been facing eight-man boxes every down. Tyson posted a 75-1101-10 receiving line in 2024 despite missing two games. ASU’s WR2, Xavier Guillory, finished with 22 catches for 339 yards.

This year, Tyson steps into the spotlight as one of the nation’s premier returning receivers. Tyson isn’t going to blow you away with measureables, but he’s strong across the board.

Tall and wiry, Tyson runs a projected mid-4.4s forty. He’s quick and fluid, especially in and out of cuts. That makes him exceedingly difficult to stick to. Tyson posted an absurd 4.62 YPRR against man coverage last fall.

21. Green Bay Packers

Georgia CB Daylen Everette | HT/WT: 6005/193 | SR

Everette is an ascending talent who broke out over 905 snaps in 2024. A long boundary cornerback with a reported mid-4.4s forty and a 77-inch wingspan, Everette’s game is technique-sound and physical.

At Georgia, he’s shown an aptitude for both mugging receivers off the line in press-man and for minding his responsibilities in various zone concepts. He’s raved about inside the building for his preparation and leadership.

22. Houston Texans

Florida DL Caleb Banks | HT/WT: 6061/334 | rSR

A transfer from Louisville, Banks is an absolute unit. Standing a wide-bodied 6-foot-6, Banks is blessed with Stretch Armstrong arm length and huge meat cleaver hands. There are some play-style similarities to a taller Kenneth Grant here.

As with Grant, it feels as though nobody has ever explained to Banks what 330-plus-pound interior defensive linemen are supposed to do. Instead of parking and occupying, Banks is a chaotic hunter, looking to crash the gates and make plays in the backfield.

The high school basketball standout is more nimble and quick than he has any business being at this size. What I want to see this fall is more fine-tuning with his approach—finding a cleaner marriage between the wild-child bent and consistent gap integrity on run concepts.

23. Los Angeles Chargers

Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. | HT/WT: 6030/275 | JR

The Hurricanes have had great fun making use of Bain’s versatility over his two years on campus, shifting him up and down the line. At the NFL level, he projects as a bully-ball DE who could kick inside to 3-technique on pass-rushing downs.

Bain doesn’t have the rangy frame of some of his fellow high-end edge-rushing contemporaries. What I appreciate most about his game is the way in which he’s turned his sawed-off frame into an advantage by firing out of the blocks low and consistently winning the leverage battle.

Bain burst onto the scene with 7.5 sacks as a true freshman. Last year, a soft-tissue injury limited him to nine games, and his sack total dropped to 3.5. With several high-profile games on the schedule this fall—including Notre Dame, Florida, FSU, Louisville, and SMU—a healthy Bain will have every chance to prove that he’s a first-round caliber prospect.

24. Los Angeles Rams

Alabama WR Germie Bernard | HT/WT: 6006/209 | SR

The Rams, who started this exercise by taking Clemson QB Cade Klubnik in the top 10, double down on their passing attack with a receiver.

Bernard is an inch-and-a-half shorter than ASU’s Tyson, but he’s 20 pounds heavier. One commonality between the two: They’re both interchangeable between the boundary and slot. This is the sort of thing that smart play-callers love, because it opens up the possibility of matchup exploitation.

Some will look at Bernard’s 2024 numbers—a 50-794-2 receiving line—and discount his contributions in his first year with the Tide after following HC Kalen DeBeour over from Washington.

But Bernard led the team in receptions and provided week-in, week-out consistently (10 games with at least 53 yards receiving) despite a poor passing environment. As a team, Alabama barely cracked 3,000 total passing yards in 13 games.

Bernard, as an individual, was only charted with 38.9% catchable targets over 70 targets. You can do the math on his conversion of 50 of those balls into receptions.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Georgia LB C.J. Allen | HT/WT: 6010/235 | JR

In April, the Bucs stunned the NFL Draft world by bypassing pressing needs in the defensive front-seven to take Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka in Round 1. Regardless of how you feel about that decision, it amplifies the need for the organization to eat its vegetables and beef up the defensive infrastructure next spring.

There are a few other draft-eligible linebackers who could ultimately make a Round 1 case—notably Ohio State’s Sonny Styles and Alabama’s Deontae Lawson—but we have Tampa opting for C.J. Allen. 

Allen needs work in coverage. But he’s an utterly destructive run defender—stout, violent, and blessed with mid-4.5s wheels at a shade under 240 pounds. Allen’s special sauce is the number of plays he gets involved with while rarely missing tackles. 

26. Washington Commanders

Penn State RB Nicholas Singleton | HT/WT: 6003/218 | SR

Many thought that the Commanders would use a Day 2 pick in April on the running back position in an attempt to get a difference-maker at the position. Tending to other positional needs, Washington didn’t end up addressing the RB position until Round 7 with Jacory Croskey-Merritt.

I would expect Washington to get more aggressive next offseason in upgrading the position, and they may ultimately upend the entire RB room—Brian Robinson Jr., Austin Ekeler, and Chris Rodriguez are all set to hit free agency this offseason.

Singleton is a flashy, high-octane runner who is going to blow the roof off the NFL Combine in the spring. Singleton is a Feldman Freaklister. Per Feldman, Singleton has hit 23.6 mph on the GPS and run a 4.35 forty at 228 pounds. Feldman also reported that Singleton has posted a 4.18 shuttle and 10-1 broad.

I put these numbers into RAS, along with the average 10- and 20-yard splits from past 4.35 runs at the combine in Mock Draftable’s database. They would leave Singleton with an elite 9.98 RAS composite.

27. Detroit Lions

Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton | HT/WT: 6055/265 | SR

With the contracts of DEs Josh Paschal, Marcus Davenport, Pat O'Connor, and Al-Quadin Muhammad all set to expire after this coming season, the Lions will have a pronounced EDGE need next spring.

Dennis-Sutton has an opportunity to play his way into Round 1 on a loaded Penn State team that expects to make a deep CFP run. Dennis-Sutton has the physical package that evaluators drool over—6-foot-6, 265 pounds with a wingspan over 82 inches and a projected high-4.6s forty.

28. San Francisco 49ers

Utah OT Caleb Lomu | HT/WT: 6060/304 | rSO

Lomu becomes the seventh and final offensive tackle off the board in Round 1 of our initial 2026 mock draft. We didn’t have an interior offensive lineman in this exercise, so the seven total R1 offensive linemen would actually be one less than we saw going in Round 1 in April.

Either way, Lomu has a real shot to hear his name called on the last Thursday night of next April if he takes another step forward on the field this fall after a promising 2024 season. Lomu and Spencer Fano make up college football’s best OT duo, and give the Utes the backbone of arguably the nation's best overall offensive line.

29. Baltimore Ravens

Florida State DL Darrell Jackson Jr. | HT/WT: 6052/341 | rSR

Ravens NT Travis Jones is set to become a free agent after this coming season. Baltimore’s ethos is to allow players of his ilk to leave in unrestricted free agency in order to scoop up a compensatory pick while drafting his replacement.

Enter Jackson, an imposing physical specimen. Jackson boasts an enormous frame and a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He’s a good athlete for his size, and, on the field, he’s a legitimate two-way defender capable of clogging gaps against the run while collapsing the pocket against the pass.

30. Buffalo Bills

Washington WR Denzel Boston | HT/WT: 6030/209 | rJR

I don’t love this receiver class, but it does have a small handful of legitimate boundary receivers who have a shot at going in the top 50 overall. That list includes names like Boston, Carnell Tate, Malachi Fields, Elijah Sarratt, Dillon Bell, and Chris Bell.

Boston has really good hands, and he knows how to use his big frame. Amongst the list of names in the previous paragraph, Boston was No. 2 last year in YPRR (behind Sarratt).

I’m expecting Boston to put on a show this fall in a sneaky-flammable Huskies offense. The biggest question of Boston’s evaluation is his athletic profile—his estimated forty is 4.50.

31. Kansas City Chiefs

Missouri EDGE Zion Young | HT/WT: 6051/255 | SR

Shop local! Kansas City’s last attempt to bring in a local kid early in the draft to fortify the EDGE position didn’t work out, with Kansas State’s Felix Anudike-Uzomah flopping to this point.

Young, who leveled up after transferring from Michigan State to Mizzou a year ago, oozes NFL measurables. He boasts a wingspan over 80 inches, and he’s a solid athlete with an estimated 4.70 forty.

Young is a high-floor prospect due to those measurables, along with his strong, team-oriented brand of run support. To ultimately wind up in Round 1, he’s going to have to raise the bar of what is seen as his ceiling with another step forward as a pass-rusher this year. 

Despite 30 hurries and 50 pressures over the past two seasons, Young only had four sacks during that span. If he can cash in more opportunities in 2025, he’ll put himself in the Round 1 discussion. 

32. Philadelphia Eagles

Oregon EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei | HT/WT: 6040/270 | JR

Matayo, a former top-50 recruit, is the younger brother of former Florida State QB DJ Uiagalelei. His breakout season in 2024—including 10.5 sacks for a top-10 national defense—probably didn’t garner the attention it deserved. Even amongst Big 10 coaches, who snubbed Uiagalelei from the First-Team All-Big Ten team.

Ducks HC Dan Lanning has praised Uiaglelei’s “relentless effort” and “killer instinct.”

The next step of Uiagalelei's evolution will be diversifying his pass-rushing repertoire and becoming more down-to-down consistent against the run. As a pass-rusher, Uiagalelei's combination of first-step quickness, speed, length, and play-to-the-whistle hustle tends to stake him to lead in reps and run into big plays later in them. 

But he isn’t yet quickly countering when his first plan is shut down, and he doesn’t yet have a full arsenal of counters. NFL offensive tackles will be sitting back on their heels waiting to shut down the speed until Uiaglelei proves he can throw more at them.

And while Uiagalelei has shown flashes in run defense, wracking up solid solo tackle numbers by taking matters into his own hands, he could stand to play more assignment-minded football in this phase. Failing to keep gap integrity has gotten his side of the line of scrimmage gashed for unnecessary yardage at times.

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