Updated 3/10/26

1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana)

It seems likely that the intrigue in this draft won’t start until the second pick, as the Raiders need a quarterback and Fernando Mendoza is by far the best quarterback available.

2. New York Jets – DE Arvell Reese (Ohio State)

The Jets might have hinted at their intentions with this pick by trading Jermaine Johnson instead of extending him ahead of the final year of his contract, freeing up a spot for a premium edge rusher. The free agent signings of Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare probably don’t preclude the Jets from using this pick on an edge defender because they are rotational players.The Jets have several good options here, but Arvell Reese has the highest upside of their options.

3. Arizona Cardinals – S Caleb Downs (Ohio State)

Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker have been a solid starting safety duo for years, but Thompson left as a free agent this off-season and Baker is a free agent next off-season, so the Cardinals could be looking towards the future at the position. This is early for a safety, but this is an underwhelming draft at the top and Downs is one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, so he could be viewed as the best available player.

4. Tennessee Titans – RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)

There are a lot of rumors that the Titans are interested in Jeremiyah Love at 4. Drafting him would probably require the Titans first addressing their big need at edge defender in free agency, but they have the cap space to make a big addition. Love would be a significant upgrade over Tony Pollard, whose release would save them 7.25 million ahead of the final year of his contract in 2026.

5. New York Giants – LB Sonny Styles (Ohio State)

The Giants signed Tremaine Edmunds to replace Bobby Okereke in free agency, but I don’t think that precludes the Giants from using this pick on Sonny Styles, who can start next to Edmunds and has a much higher upside than Edmunds.

6. Cleveland Browns – OT Francis Mauigoa (Miami)

The Browns had arguably the worst offensive tackle room in the league last season. They traded for Tytus Howard, presumably to start at right tackle, and Mauigoa can start opposite him at left tackle.

7. Washington Commanders – DE David Bailey (Texas Tech)

The Commanders signed Odafe Oweh in free agency and will get Dorance Armstrong back from injury, but the Commanders still lack depth at the edge defender position, so I think David Bailey still makes sense if he is available.

8. New Orleans Saints – WR Carnell Tate (Ohio State)

The Saints were left pretty thin at wide receiver this season after trading Rashid Shaheed. They need to find a long-term 2nd option opposite the injury prone Chris Olave.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – DE Rueben Bain (Miami)

The Chiefs need an upgrade at edge defender opposite George Karlaftis. They can take advantage of a rare high draft pick to add a blue chip edge defender prospect.

10. Cincinnati Bengals – CB Mansoor Delane (LSU)

Cam Taylor-Britt is a free agent and the Bengals should take this opportunity to find an upgrade at the outside cornerback spot for a defense that has consistently been one of the worst in the league over the past few seasons.

11. Miami Dolphins – OT Spencer Fano (Utah)

Right tackle Austin Jackson misses a lot of time with injury, missing 38 games over the past four seasons combined, and even when he is on the field he could be upgraded. He could also move to guard and be an upgrade there if the Dolphins take an early round tackle.

12. Dallas Cowboys – CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson)

The Cowboys have numerous pressing needs on defense and, if they don’t add a premium cornerback in free agency, the Cowboys could address the position early in the draft if the right player is available.

13. Los Angeles Rams – QB Ty Simpson (Alabama)

When the Rams traded their first round pick last season to get the Falcons’ first round pick this year, it was probably because they wanted to get a pick high enough to draft a quarterback of the future without having to have a bad season. This year’s quarterback class didn’t end up being as good as expected, but rumors are that the Rams like Ty Simpson, so they could take him here to secure a long-term option at the quarterback position.

14. Las Vegas Raiders – WR Makai Lemon (USC)

Teams who draft a quarterback in the first round almost always use their next pick on another offensive player. Makai Lemon gives them a long-term #1 wide receiver option that they currently don’t have on their roster, with their top receivers being Jalen Nailor, Tre Tucker, and Jack Bech.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – DE Keldric Faulk (Mississippi)

The Buccaneers signed Haason Reddick to a one-year deal in free agency last off-season to upgrade their edge rush, but he didn’t do much and is now a free agent who is going into his age 32 season. The Buccaneers will need to find another option this off-season.

16. New York Jets – WR Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)

The Jets will get Garrett Wilson back from injury, but they need at least one more wide receiver in the mix, given how bad this receiving corps was in his absence last season.

17. Detroit Lions – OT Monroe Freeling (Georgia)

The Lions surprisingly released left tackle Taylor Decker after being unable to come to an agreement on a long-term contract with him. They may be targeting his replacement at 17.

18. Minnesota Vikings – DT Peter Woods (Clemson)

The Vikings released both of their aging defensive tackles, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, in a cost saving move and now are thin at the defensive tackle position. Woods would fill that need if still available at 18.

19. Carolina Panthers – TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon)

The Panthers somehow haven’t had a tight end with over 400 receiving yards since Greg Olsen in 2016. They could look for one early in the draft to give Bryce Young a much needed weapon over the middle.

20. Dallas Cowboys – S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon)

The Cowboys upgraded one safety spot in free agency with Jalen Thompson, but could still use an upgrade over the aging, injury prone Malik Hooker, whose play has slipped in recent years.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Denzel Boston (Washington)

Trading for Michael Pittman is a big boost to this receiving corps, but I don’t think it precludes the Steelers from taking another wide receiver early as they are very thin behind Pittman and DK Metcalf.

22. Los Angeles Chargers – G Vega Ioane (Penn State)

The Chargers’ offensive line will be better next season when Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater return from injury, but they still have a massive need at guard that they could address early in the draft. Vega Ioane, the draft’s top guard prospect, being available at 22 would probably be a dream scenario for the Chargers.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – DE Akheem Mesidor (Miami)

The Eagles defense got a lot better down the stretch after they traded for edge defender Jaelan Phillips, but he left as a free agent and the Eagles don’t have the cap flexibility to make a big signing to replace him. Instead, they could look for his replacement early in the draft.

24. Cleveland Browns – CB Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)

The Browns really lacked depth at cornerback last season after Martin Emerson got hurt. Emerson is unlikely to be retained as a free agent, so the Browns could target a cornerback early in the draft to give them a better third option behind Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell.

25. Chicago Bears – DE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)

The Bears edge rusher room is pretty thin after Montez Sweat. No one else had more than 4.5 sacks in 2025. After failing to trade this pick for Maxx Crosby, the Bears could be targeting an edge defender here.

26. Buffalo Bills – DE TJ Parker (Clemson)

Joey Bosa was a good 1-year signing last off-season, but he is a free agent this off-season and might not return to Buffalo. Even if he does, he is going into his age 31 season with an extensive injury history.

27. San Francisco 49ers – OT Caleb Lomu (Utah)

There is talk that the 49ers could move on from Trent Williams for salary reasons and, even if they don’t, they have to be thinking about the future of the left tackle position, with Williams going into his age 38 season. Lomu could be their long-term left tackle of the future and, if Williams returns, he could also fill a hole at guard for the time being.

28. Houston Texans – DT Caleb Banks (Florida)

The Texans kept Sheldon Rankins in free agency, but they did not keep Tim Settle, so defensive tackle should be an early target position for them, especially given that Rankins is going into his age 32 season.

29. Kansas City Chiefs – OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama)

The Chiefs released Jawaan Taylor, who was a massive disappointment. Jaylon Moore is currently penciled in as the starting right tackle and he wouldn’t be a bad option, but he’s also a career reserve with 18 starts in five seasons in the league and he is in the final year of his contract, so he is probably not the long-term solution.

30. Denver Broncos – LB CJ Allen (Georgia)

The Broncos kept Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad in free agency this off-season, but they released the injury prone Dre Greenlaw, so they could still be targeting a linebacker early in the draft. Both Singleton and Strnad are on the wrong side of 30 and Allen has the upside to be much better than both of them.

31. New England Patriots – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo)

If the Patriots don’t retain Jaylinn Hawkins in free agency, they could target his replacement early in the draft.

32. Seattle Seahawks – CB Colton Hood (Tennessee)

The Seahawks don’t have a lot of needs, but Tariq Woolen is a free agent this off-season and has never been a good fit for Mike Macdonald’s scheme, so they will likely let him walk and replace him through the draft. They did re-sign Josh Jobe, but he is better as depth than as a starter.