Pre Super Bowl 2026 NFL Mock Draft

The Super Bowl is less than two weeks away! That means for 30 other teams in the NFL, it’s time to look ahead. They will need to pick apart everything from the 2025 year and find out who’s staying and leaving. They’ll address some of their needs in free agency. However, most of the teams will turn their attention towards the rookie class and scout which college athletes can help their team become the top team out of 32. Let’s take a look at who I have each team selecting in my two-round pre-Super Bowl 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Pre Super Bowl 2026 NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Unlike my last mock draft, we have more clarification on which players are entering the draft and which are returning. With a thin quarterback class in the 2026 NFL mock draft, the Raiders don’t have much of a choice. They should and will draft Fernando Mendoza, unless they get a major pick package and player trade offer. While the first round was fairly balanced, I had 18 defensive players going off the board compared to just 14 offensive players. See where I have offensive studs like Jeremiyah Love landing, as well as defensive playmakers like Rueben Bain Jr.

#	Team	Pick	Pos	College
1	Raiders	Fernando Mendoza	QB	Indiana
		What a year for Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. The Raiders continue the good things in his life by drafting him first in the 2026 NFL Draft. They'll hopefully find a coach that can properly use this 6-5 quarterback who just threw for 33 touchdowns and only 6 INTs. He'll help improve this franchise immediately. Don't forget, Tom Brady is partial owner of this team. Some mentorship from Brady could go a long way.
2	Jets	Arvell Reese	LB	Ohio State
		The Jets have a lot of needs, including at quarterback. However, none of the candidates are worth taking second in the draft. Therefore, they focus on somebody who can become a quarterback for the defense in linebacker Arvell Reese. A defensive driven team gets one of the top defenders in the draft.
3	Cardinals	Spencer Fano	OT	Utah
		The Cardinals are another team that need to shift the direction their team is going. Whether Kyler Murray is their quarterback in 2026 is yet to be seen. However, whoever is taking snaps at quarterback, they'll need protection. The Cardinals take the best offensive tackle in the draft in Spencer Fano who's only allowed one sack in the last two years. He's played both tackle spots but excels at right tackle.
4	Titans	Jordyn Tyson	WR	Arizona State
		The Titans need to help Cam Ward. They do that by grabbing one of the best receivers in the draft in Jordyn Tyson. Tyson didn't play as many games this year as last year. Still, he had 711 yards and 8 touchdowns. In 2024 he had 1098 yards and 10 touchdowns. He's got great hands and a low drop rate.
5	Giants	Mansoor Delane	CB	LSU
		The Giants give a little surprise here by taking cornerback Mansoor Delane out of LSU. Delane is a lockdown corner who held opposing quarterbacks to a 27.5 passer rating when they threw his way. He only allowed 147 yards all year, no touchodwns and finished with two interceptions. He took a huge step forward from the previous year and will only continue to get better .
6	Browns	Carnell Tate	WR	Ohio State
		Personally, I don't think Shedeur or Gabriel are the answer at quarteback for the Browns. However, I don't get paid for those decisions. I think the Browns will roll with Sanders for 2026. One area they can help him succeed is by getting him more weapons. Therefore they draft Carnell Tate out of Ohio State. In 2025 he pulled in 875 yards, 17.2 yards per reception, and nine touchdowns. He's a 6-3 and has the speed needed to excell in the NFL.
7	Commanders	Rueben Bain Jr.	ED	Miami
		The Commanders need a lot of help on defense. They get that by drafting edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami. He may be one of the top players in this draft class after finishing with 12 sacks last year. PFF gave him a 92.4 pass rush grade, an 86.2 run defense grade and a 23.5% pass rush win rate. The Commanders finally get the pass-rush help they've been looking for since trading away their defensive line two years ago.
8	Saints	Jeremiyah Love	RB	Notre Dame
		The Saints have a lot of needs, but it would appear as if Kellen Moore has his quarterback in Tyler Shough. They help Shough out here by drafting the best running back in the draft in Jeremiyah Love. A solid and consistent run game should help out the offense as a whole. Love finished the season with 1372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. It wasn't a fluke, the year before he had 1124 yards and 17 touchdowns. He's a playmaker who will make an immediate impact.
9	Chiefs	Kayden McDonald	DI	Ohio State
		The Chiefs are in a division with the Broncos, the Raiders, and the Chargers. They need help stopping the run against three teams that run often. They take Kayden McDonald, an interior defensive linemen, our of Ohio State to help immediately elevate the defense. He had a 91.2 run defense grade from PFF in 2025.
10	Bengals	Caleb Downs	S	Ohio State
		Caleb Downs should have been selected before this pick but teams value the safety position differently. The Bengals know they need safety help and they get it by taking Downs, who is the number one ranked defensive player on many draft analysts boards. He's a safety who is good at both pass coverage and run defense and will make an immediate impact as a starter.
11	Dolphins	Olaivavega Ioane	G	Penn State
		The Dolphins are another team that have a lot of needs. However, they know football is won in the trenches and they boost their trenches in a big way with 6-4, 328-pound Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State. He had a true pass set block grade of 90.9 in 2025, allowing 0 sacks and 0 QB hits on 311 pass block snaps. Better yet, he's played every position on the line.
12	Cowboys	David Bailey	ED	Texas Tech
		Last year the Cowboys traded away pass rush specialist Micah Parsons. Now, a pass rush specialist monster falls right into their laps in David Bailey out of Texas Tech. He had a 93.8 pass rush grade from PFF and 21.6% pass rush win rate. He finished with 15 sacks, 23 QB hits, and 43 QB hurries. The defense is looking up in Dallas.
13	Rams	Jermod McCoy	CB	Tennessee
		The Rams take a chance on a player who missed all of 2025 due to a knee-injury. He was a 2024 All-SEC selection and helped Tennessee get into the CFP in 2024. Healthy and ready to contribue, McCoy can be a game changer. He allowed a 53.6 passer rating at the cornerback position in 2024. The Rams will take a risk, hoping it'll pay off - and I think it will.
14	Ravens	Sonny Styles	LB	Ohio State
		The Ohio State players continue to get taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. This time it's linebacker Sonny Styles. Styles will fit perfectly with the Baltimore Ravens culture, one that needs upgraded linebacker player. Roquon Smith isn't getting any younger and they need more production out of the other linebacker spots, meaning Styles will fit the need perfectly.
15	Buccaneers	Cashius Howell	ED	Texas A&M
		The Bucs 2025 season was a disappointment and they'll look to build up in the 2026 NFL draft. They have multiple positions of need, but edge rusher is a big one. They take Cashius Howell out of Texas A&M who finished 2025 with a 90.3 pass rush grade from PFF and a 19.9% pass rush win rate. He had 12 sacks and 27 QB hurries. Howell will provide immediate lift to the defensive line.
16	Jets	Ty Simpson	QB	Alabama
		The Jets did the smart thing with their first pick and took the best player available. This time they take the position that seems to hold the most importance in the NFL, a quarterback. Jets select Ty Simpson out of Alabama. Simpson had 3,561 passing yards, 28 touchdowns to just five interceptions. Simpson improved every year, has an excellent deep ball, and is used to playing on the big stage.
17	Lions	Avieon Terrell	CB	Clemson
		The Lions need defensive back help and select Avieon Terrell out of Clemson. He's a true corner but took a fifth of his snaps as a slot back as well. Terrell received an 83.5 overall PFF grade in 2025 and has continued to improve. He's gotten a lot of meaningful snaps these past three years and should continue to improve. His versatility in the defensive backfield gives the Lions great value.
18	Vikings	Kadyn Proctor	OT	Alabama
		The Vikings need a lot of help. In fact, they may still need a quarterback. However, this is going on the belief that they think they can right the ship that is J.J. McCarthy and that starts with protecting him. They take Kadyn Proctor out of Alabama over Francis Mauigoa because of his experience at left tackle. Proctor has lined up as the left tackle for the Crimson Tide for the last three years. In the last two years combined, in 933 total pass block snaps, he only allowed 5 sacks, 7 QB hits, and 24 qb hurries. Two of his highest graded games were against a strong Georgia defense. He'll immediately elevate the offensive line.
19	Panthers	Peter Woods	DI	Clemson
		The Panthers took a big step forward in 2025, making the playoffs and winning their division. In the 2026 NFL draft, I think they'll be able to be flexible with their picks. Peter Woods out of Clemson fell in my mock NFL mock draft compared to his rank of 9 and PFF ADP of 10.8. His stats dropped in 2025 and it appeared as if he took a step back. However, he still has a lot of potential and the Panthers grab him here to improve their defensive line.
20	Cowboys	CJ Allen	LB	Georgia
		I may have had the Cowboys taking a linebacker with their first pick in the 2026 NFL mock draft. However, I couldn't pass up on giving them an edge rusher to fill in the Micah Parsons shoes. Instead, with their second pick in the first round, which they got from the Parsons trade, they now take a linebacker. CJ Allen out of Georgia is a blue chip player who is excellent against the run. His coverage grade needs work but they draft him to improve their rush defense anyways.
21	Steelers	Makai Lemon	Wr	USC
		The Steelers get a steal in wide receiver Makai Lemon out of USC. The 5-11 speedy receiver has plenty of experience at all positions but is primarily a slot receiver. The Steelers finished with Adam Thielen as their slot receiver last year, a player I don't think returns to the NFL, let alone ot the Steelers. Lemon finished last year with 1156 yards and 11 touchdowns. He'll add speed to this offense, no matter who is throwing the ball, and create nice mismatch opportunities against safeties and linebackers and slot-backs.
22	Chargers	Caleb Banks	DI	Florida
		The Chargers need to improve their defensive line and they do so by drafting defensive lineman out of Florida in Caleb Banks. He was injured in 2025 and only played three games. However, he was a starter the prior two years. In 2024, he had 4 sacks and 21 QB hurries from the interior of the line. Those are good numbers playing over the B Gap and he'll help the Chargers defense immediately.
23	Eagles	Keldric Faulk	ED	Auburn
		The Eagles need some help on the edge and draft Keldric Faulk out of Auburn. His pass rushing took a step back last year, but with the right support he could get back to his 9 sacks and 31 QB hurries he had in 2024. He's also a really good run defender for an edge player, which will come in handy in that division.
24	Browns	Francis Mauigoa	OT	Miami
		Maybe the Browns could have had a better result from their quarterbacks had they had better protection. They upgrade their offensive line by taking Francis Mauigoa. He has played primarily at right tackle but done very well. He only allowed 3 sacks in the last two years in over 1000 pass blocking snaps.
25	Bears	Akheem Mesidor	ED	Miami
		The Bears need help on defense. Last year in 2025, they nailed the offensive side of the ball. They start 2026 by taking Akheem Mesidor out of Miami. He's an underrated edge rusher who had a 20.8% pass rush win rate and a 92.5 pass rush grade from PFF. He had 13 sacks, 4 QB hits, and 50 qb hurries on 445 pass rush snaps.
26	Bills	Denzel Boston	WR	Washington
		The Bills need receiver help. Their experiments in the last few years just haven't panned out. They try to fix that right here in this 2026 NFL mock draft by taking Denzel Boston out of Washington. Last year he had 881 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He had an 87.2 receiving grade from PFF and a 76.9% contested catch rate. The 6-4 receiver is extremely reliable and will become a monster with Josh Allen throwing to him.
27	49ers	T.J. Parker	ED	Clemson
		The 49ers need defensive line help. They get it early by drafting Edge rusher T.J. Parker out of Clemson. He had 12 sacks in 2024 and then only 6 in 2024. However, he's a consistent player who should only get better and should thrive in this system.
28	Texans	Christen Miller	DI	Georgia
		If there's one thing that is evident by this 2026 NFL Mock draft, it's that the defensive players hold more value than the offensive ones. The Texans keep that true by taking Christen Miller out of Georgia. He's an excellent run defender and comes from a program that turns out NFL caliber talent.
29	Rams	Gennings Dunker	OT	Iowa
		The Rams continue to grab key players, this time on the offensive side of the ball. They draft right tackle Gennings Dunker out of Iowa. Dunker is a great run blocker but pass blocks well too. He only allowed 2 sacks and 1 QB hit in 316 pass blocking snaps in 2025. He has 3 years experience starting under one of the best head coaches for an offensive lineman in the NCAA in Kirk Ferentz.
30	Broncos	A.J. Haulcy	S	LSU
		The Broncos were just one game away from playing in the Super Bowl. Perhaps if not for an injury to Bo Nix, they could have made it. Still, they are a talented young team who will continue to add talent. They add A.J. Haulcy towards the end of the draft year, a safety out of LSU. He's a great cover safety who could take over at the free safety spot and provide the defensive backfield a boost
31	Patriots	Emmanuel Pregnon	G	Oregon
		The Patriots shocked a lot of people by going 14-3 this year and making a Super Bowl appearance. At the time of this writing, we don't know if they've won it yet or not. However, it was a great season under Mike Vrabel. He has a few things to shore up, including the offensive line. They draft guard emmanuel Pregnon to step in to the left guard spot and do that. He received an 88.2 passing grade and 85.8 run block grade from PFF in 2025.
32	Seahawks	Chris Bell	WR	Louisville
		The Seahawks didn't seem to need a lot of help on offense outside of JSN. However, I think they could use more weapons. They add Chris Bell out of Louisville. He finished 2025 with 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. PFF graded him with an 87.2 grade vs. man coverage in 2025. H'ell take pressure off JSN to allow that offense to move the ball even more efficiently.

Round 2

#	Team	Pick	Pos	College
33	Jets	KC Concepcion	WR	Texas A&M
34	Cardinals	Colton Hood	CB	Tennessee
35	Titans	Dillon Thieneman	S	Oregon
36	Raiders	Elijah Saratt	WR	Indiana
37	Giants	CJ Daniels	WR	Miami
38	Texans	Jake Slaughter	C	Florida
39	Browns	Omar Cooper Jr.	WR	Indiana
40	Chiefs	Kenyon Sadiq	TE	Oregon
41	Bengals	Lee Hunter	DI	Texas Tech
42	Saints	R Mason Thomas	ED	Oklahoma
43	Dolphins	Trinidad Chambliss	QB	Ole Miss
44	Jets	Skyler Gill-Howard	DI	Texas Tech
45	Ravens	Chris Brazzell II	WR	Tennessee
46	Buccaneers	Keith Abney II	CB	Arizona State
47	Colts	Jake Golday	LB	Cincinnati
48	Falcons	Brandon Cisse	CB	South Carolina
49	Vikings	Chris Johnson	CB	San Diego State
50	Lions	Connor Lew	C	Auburn
51	Panthers	Eli Stowers	TE	Vanderbilt
52	Packers	Monroe Freeling	OT	Georgia
53	Steelers	Gabe Jacas	ED	Illinois
54	Eagles	Germie Bernard	WR	Alabama
55	Chargers	Pat Coogan	C	Indiana
56	Jaguars	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	S	Toledo
57	Bears	Zakee Wheatley	S	Penn State
58	49ers	Skyler Bell	WR	Connecticut/b>
59	Texans	Caleb Lomu	OT	Utah/b>
60	Bills	Anthony Hill Jr.	LB	Texas
61	Rams	Garrett Nussmeier	QB	LSU
62	Broncos	Zachariah Branch	WR	Georgia
63	Patriots	Zion Young	ED	Missouri
64	Seahawks	Josiah Trotter	LB	Missouri