LAS VEGAS — The confetti has barely been swept from the Super Bowl turf, but the clock is already ticking on the 2026 NFL Draft. For the Las Vegas Raiders, the mystery evaporated the moment the season ended. They hold the first overall pick, and the decision makers—Mark Davis, Tom Brady, and GM John Spytek—aren’t hiding their intentions.
With the 2025 season in the rearview, the league hierarchy has shifted. The New York Jets are scrambling for defensive identity, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are making bold moves under center. Here is how the first round shakes out in our first post-Super Bowl 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
The Top 10: Quarterbacks and Trench Warfare
1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Forget the trade rumors. Those are just smoke for the engagement farmers. The Raiders brass watched Mendoza dissect defenses in the CFP National Championship Game and knew he was the guy. New head coach Klint Kubiak needs a distributor who can maximize weapons like Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. Mendoza isn’t just the best option; in a thin QB class, he’s the only option for a franchise desperate for a face.
2. New York Jets: Rueben Bain Jr, EDGE, Miami
New York’s defense was a sieve last season, ranking among the league’s worst over a five-year stretch. The rebuild starts up front. Rueben Bain Jr. brings blue-chip disruption. He wrecked game plans in the College Football Playoff and gives the Jets the cornerstone pass rusher they’ve lacked.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
Arizona can’t fix the QB room in this draft. GM Monti Ossenfort has to pivot. Francis Mauigoa is a road-grader who can anchor the right side of the line immediately. Whether he plays guard or tackle, he elevates the ground game instantly.
4. Tennessee Titans: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE, Ohio State
Robert Saleh loves versatility, and Arvell Reese is the prototype. Whether standing up as an off-ball linebacker or putting his hand in the dirt off the edge, Reese is a mismatch nightmare. Pairing him with Jeffrey Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat creates a front seven that will terrify the AFC South.
5. New York Giants: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Malik Nabers is returning from ACL surgery, but the Giants need more firepower. Carnell Tate is the most polished route-runner in the class. Giving Jaxson Dart a 1-2 punch of Nabers and Tate sets this offense up for dominance by 2027.
Mid-Round Movers: The Rodgers Effect & Defensive Rebuilds
7. Washington Commanders: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Dan Quinn is done with short-term veteran bandaids. The Commanders need a homegrown alpha on the edge. David Bailey provides instant juice and legitimate run-stopping ability, finally giving Washington a building block on the defensive line.
8. Cincinnati Bengals: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
With the premier edge rushers gone, Cincy looks to the secondary. Jermod McCoy lost last season to an ACL tear, but his tape shows a high-end CB1. His ball skills are elite, and he’ll be fully healthy by camp.
9. Dallas Cowboys: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Cowboys have ignored the linebacker position for too long. Sonny Styles, the converted safety, brings the speed and range Dallas has desperately missed in the middle of the field. He is exactly the chess piece DC Christian Parker craves.
10. Detroit Lions: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
The Lions saw Jared Goff crumble under pressure last year. With Taylor Decker nearing the finish line, Detroit grabs the future at left tackle. Lomu starts as the swing tackle and takes the reins when Decker hangs them up.
“You watch the film on Mendoza, and it’s not just the arm. It’s the processing. He sees the ghost before it appears. That’s what Vegas is buying—the mind, not just the motion.”
— NFC Scout on the No. 1 Pick
Late First Round: Quarterback Succession Plans
11. Pittsburgh Steelers: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
This is the shocker. With Aaron Rodgers likely taking the snaps in Pittsburgh for 2026, the Steelers pull a masterstroke. They draft Ty Simpson to sit and learn. Simpson showed flashes of brilliance at Alabama but isn’t ready for Day 1. Learning behind a future Hall of Famer? That is the perfect recipe for a 2027 breakout.
12. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Makai Lemon, WR, USC
If Shedeur Sanders is the guy in Cleveland, he needs guys who can separate. Makai Lemon has a catch radius that defies his frame. He becomes the safety blanket Sanders needs to keep the chains moving.
13. New England Patriots: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Josh McDaniels and tight ends—it’s a love story as old as time. Sadiq is the clear TE1 in this class. He’s explosive after the catch and gives Drake Maye a reliable No. 2 option in the passing game immediately.
