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 – OLB Arvell Reese (Ohio State)

The Jets might have bigger needs than edge defender, but they aren’t in a position to do anything other than draft the best player available and it seems likely that Reese will be seen as the best available player. Caleb Downs is also a candidate for best player available, but edge defenders go much higher on average than safeties. Wide receiver Carnell Tate would probably fill the biggest need of any of the top available players, but he would probably be a small reach at this stage.

3. Arizona Cardinals – OT Francis Mauigoa (Miami)

Most of the best available players at this stage of the draft do not line up with the needs the Cardinals have, so they are a strong candidate to trade down. If they stay put, they could justify a small reach for the best available offensive tackle in the draft, given how many issues they had on the offensive line last season.

4. Tennessee Titans – DE Rueben Bain (Miami)

Wide receiver Carnell Tate would make some sense here, but the Titans have more at wide receiver, where they drafted a couple promising players in the middle rounds last year, Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, than they have at edge defender, where they didn’t have a player with more than 5 sacks last season. If they view Tate as a significantly better player, he will be the pick, but if Bain and Tate are close on their board, Bain would make more sense because he fits their needs more.

5. New York Giants – WR Carnell Tate (Ohio State)

Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson could be a high level wide receiver duo, but Nabers is coming off of a major knee injury that could keep him out for the start of next season, while Robinson is a free agent. Tate gives them insurance for Nabers and, even in a best case scenario where Nabers is healthy and Robinson returns, he would give the Giants arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league.

6. Cleveland Browns – OT Spencer Fano (Utah)

The Browns had arguably the worst offensive tackle room in the league last season and need to find a new starting left tackle and a new starting right tackle this off-season. Fano would fill one of those holes.

7. Washington Commanders – S Caleb Downs (Ohio State)

Caleb Downs is one of the best players in this draft, but safeties typically have a lower position value than other positions and could fall as a result. The Commanders seem like his floor though, as they have arguably the worst safety room in the league. Downs could be an immediate Pro Bowl caliber player at a position of significant need.

8. New Orleans Saints – RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)

The Saints had one of the worst running games in the league last season, ranking 31st in yards per carry at 3.69. Injuries were part of the problem, but none of their running back options got the job done. Alvin Kamara, their long-time lead back, is going into his age 31 season and is clearly past his prime. With no guaranteed money left on his contract, the Saints could move on from him this off-season and find a new feature back in the draft. Love is by far the best running back prospect in this draft and, even with the relative lower position value of the running back position, he still has a good chance to go in the top-10.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – DE David Bailey (Texas Tech)

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 – MLB Sonny Styles (Ohio State)

The Bengals had arguably the worst linebacker room in the league last season. Styles is a rare off ball linebacker prospect who could go in the top-10. He could play every down at a Pro Bowl level as a rookie and would be a huge upgrade immediately.

11. Miami Dolphins – CB Mansoor Delane (LSU)

The Dolphins entered the 2025 season with one of the worst cornerback rooms in the league. Free agent signing Rasul Douglas proved to be a steal, but he was on a one-year deal. Even if he returns, the Dolphins don’t have much else at the position and Douglas is not a long-term solution anyway, going into his age 31 season.

12. Dallas Cowboys – DE Keldric Faulk (Auburn)

The Cowboys got surprisingly decent edge defender play this season after trading Micah Parsons, but four of their top-5 edge defenders this season are set to hit free agency. They should take this opportunity to find a better long-term solution opposite promising rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku.

13. Los Angeles Rams – CB Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)

Cornerback was the Rams’ biggest weakness this season. They probably will have a pick of several options available at #13 overall.

14. Baltimore Ravens – WR Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State)

Zay Flowers was the only player on the Ravens with more than 422 receiving yards last season. Their #2 wide receiver in terms of receiving yards was DeAndre Hopkins, who had 330 yards and is now a free agent going into his age 34 season. Jordyn Tyson would be an instant upgrade.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon)

The Buccaneers have a deep wide receiver room when healthy, but could use an upgrade at tight end, where Cade Otton had just a 59/572/1 slash line in 2025, despite all of the Buccaneers wide receiver injuries. With Otton set to hit free agency this off-season, the Buccaneers could use this opportunity to upgrade. Sadiq looks like the undisputed top tight end prospect in this draft and could be a top-15 pick.

16. New York Jets – QB Ty Simpson (Alabama)

The Jets lost out on the #1 pick on a tiebreaker and, as a result, don’t get by far the best available quarterback in this draft, but they will have to take a shot on a quarterback at some point, with limited veterans options available this off-season.

17. Detroit Lions – OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama)

Left tackle Taylor Decker is considering retirement, ahead of what would be his age 32 season in 2026. Even if he returns for another year, the Lions need a left tackle of the future and Proctor can spend a year or two at guard, where the Lions struggled in 2025.

18. Minnesota Vikings – CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson)

The Vikings had a good defense in 2025, but cornerback was a position of weakness and it would make sense for the Vikings to address that position early in the draft.

19. Carolina Panthers – DT Peter Woods (Clemson)

This isn’t a good defensive tackle class at the top, but Woods seems likely to be the first defensive tackle off the board and a likely top-20 pick. He would make sense for the Panthers, who need help inside next to Derrick Brown.

20. Dallas Cowboys – OT Caleb Lomu (Utah)

The Cowboys used a first round pick on Tyler Guyton two years ago to play left tackle for them, but he hasn’t panned out. Lomu could replace him at left tackle or he could replace right tackle Terence Steele, who could be a cap casualty this off-season.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Makai Lemon (USC)

Five of the Steelers’ top-7 in receiving yards last season were either running backs or tight ends. With a new offensive coaching staff coming in, the Steelers will likely put more of an emphasis on the wide receiver position and they need an infusion of talent at the position to do that. Lemon could instantly be the #2 wide receiver opposite 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.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – DE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M)

The Eagles defense got a lot better down the stretch after they traded for edge defender Jaelan Phillips, but he is a free agent this off-season and the Eagles might not have the cap flexibility to keep him on a long-term contract. Instead, they could address the edge defender position early in the draft.

24. Cleveland Browns – WR Denzel Boston (Washington)

The Browns addressed their dire need at wide receiver with their early first round pick, but they have an equally big need at wide receiver. They should address this position with their late first round pick if they are unable to take one with their early first round pick.

25. Chicago Bears – DT Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)

The Bears signed Grady Jarrett in free agency last year, but he was a disappointment and he is now going into his age 33 season. He has too much guaranteed money left on his contract for the Bears to move on from him this off-season, but they need a long-term replacement who can reduce Jarrett’s role in the short-term.

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 – WR Kevin Concepcion (Texas A&M)

Brandon Aiyuk seems like he is done in San Francisco. Ricky Pearsall was a first round pick two years ago, but he has not panned out thus far. Jauan Jennings was their best wide receiver last season, but he is a free agent this off-season. Even if he returns, the 49ers will need help at the position, especially given that they will likely feature wide receivers more in their offense next season, with tight end George Kittle coming off of a torn achilles.

28. Houston Texans – DT Caleb Downs (Florida)

Sheldon Rankins and Tim Settle proved to be a solid interior defender duo last season, but both are free agents this off-season, so the Texans will likely need to find help early in the draft.

29. Los Angeles Rams – QB Trinidad Chambliss (Mississippi)

The Rams don’t have a long-term option at quarterback behind Matt Stafford, who is heading into his age 38 season. Backup Jimmy Garoppolo isn’t much younger, going into his age 35 season. If there is a developmental quarterback prospect they like in this draft, they will likely use one of their two first round picks on him.

30. Denver Broncos – MLB CJ Allen (Georgia)

Alex Singleton was their top off ball linebacker this season in terms of snaps played, but he is a free agent going into his age 33 season and the Broncos may use this opportunity to find a long-term replacement and upgrade in the draft.

31. New England Patriots – DE Akheem Mesidor (Miami)

The Patriots are in the Super Bowl, but they had a below average 35 sacks this season, despite playing with a lot of leads and facing a weak schedule of opposing offenses. They figure to look for edge rush help early in the draft.

32. Seattle Seahawks – CB Brandon Cisse (South Carolina)

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 could let him walk and replace him through the draft.