NFL Mock Draft 5.0
Please check out my Substack for positional rankings, all posted in the days and weeks leading up to the draft.
This is my final mock draft of the cycle and my first attempt to predict what NFL teams will do tonight. A fool’s errand that will likely get blown up at pick 3 when the Cowboys make a splash trade, but still an interesting exercise. There are no trades in this mock because things become too complicated too quickly. However, I do believe there will be several trade-ups in this class as teams attempt to grab the few blue-chip prospects available, while others will want 2027 draft capital to get one of the QBs in yet another “generational QB class next year”. Anyway, let’s get to it.
#1 Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
No real thought needed. Barring a last-minute disaster of some kind, Mendoza will be the pick. There has been some noise around whether Mendoza is a generational talent and the simplicity of the Indiana offense he ran. I would turn their attention to Indiana vs Oregon in the Peach Bowl and come back to me if you still feel the same way.
#2 New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
Bailey is the best edge rusher on my board, and I believe he will be on the Jets’ board as well. Arvell Reese is a possibility here, but the buzz seems to be leaning towards the Texas Tech edge and with good reason. Sack production travels, and Bailey has it in spades.
#3 Arizona Cardinals: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
The Cardinals could consider Love here, but I have a feeling they might just go with the best available defensive player at this spot. The versatile LB is a fit in nearly every defense, but could be a real menace for a team in desperate need of some juice on defense. Offensive line is in play here as well, but the Cardinals might feel Reese’s potential is too good to pass up.
#4 Tennessee Titans: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Styles is a prospect that I could see Head Coach Robert Saleh falling in love with. But the Titans have to prioritise surrounding their franchise QB, Cam Ward, with some talent. The line looks decent on paper with Dan Moore, Skoronski and 2024 1st-round pick J.C. Latham. Now is the time to plug in a skill position player with a chance to be special.
#5 New York Giants: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Tyson supposedly impressed people in a private workout last week, and only 2 teams sent their General Manager personally, and one of them was Joe Schoen of the Giants. The way things are trending, I don’t believe Tyson is available at the 10th pick, so the Giants pull the trigger on my WR1 in this draft, and Big Blue fans get to nervously check their social media feeds for injury updates on Dart, Skattebo and Tyson all training camp and preseason.
#6 Cleveland Browns: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
Cleveland needs to come out of this 1st round with an offensive tackle. They signed Tytus Howard, who has traditionally played inside, and Dawand Jones likely ins’t the long-term answer. There is some noise around Mauigoa’s injury being a concern, so the Browns take a consensus Top-3 tackle in the class in Fano.
#7 Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Commanders signed Leo Chenal in Free Agency, but they need more, and Styles is a great fit in Dan Quinn’s defence. He’s a great fit in most defenses and has the athletic and playmaking potential to be a perennial Pro Bowler in the NFL.
#8 New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Tate would pair up with fellow Buckeye, Chris Olave, in this scenario to help Tyler Shough take the step and prove he can be a starting QB in the NFL. I am not the biggest Tate guy, but that certainly won’t stop New Orleans from turning in this card.
#9 Kansas City Chiefs: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
Rueben Bain Jr. is one of the more polarising prospects in this class. He has some off-the-field issues, which don’t kid yourself, teams knew about months ago and so did NFL insiders, but that’s a story for another day. The arm length and character concerns push Bain Jr. into the hands of the gleefully awaiting Chiefs, who immediately upgrade their pass rush room.
#10 New York Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals): Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
The Giants are having a hell of a draft if the board falls like this. Downs is a natural leader and would immediately upgrade whatever position the Chiefs put him in the secondary. Getting him at #10 is a steal for Big Blue.
#11 Miami Dolphins: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
Miami probably doesn’t have the luxury of drafting for need; they just need good football players. I think in this scenario, they would take Mauigoa and worry about where to fit him on the line later. I think he would be a perfect fit at RT, particularly after the Dolphins restructured Austin Jackson’s contract. Given his injury profile, Mauigoa won’t have to wait long to get on the field, even if the herniated disk hold him back initially.
#12 Dallas Cowboys: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
There is a widely-held belief that the Cowboys love Delane as a blue-chip prospect in this class, and who am I to question it? The Cowboys probably thought they would need to trade up to get him, so landing him at 12 would be excellent value.
#13 Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons): Makai Lemon, WR, USC
No matter how you carve it up, the Rams need a receiver. They are in a prime position for a trade-up to get their guy, whether that be Tyson, Tate or Lemon. Lemon is a perfect fit and has the personality Sean McVay and Rams fans will love.
#14 Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
The Ioane to Ravens noise has been there for months. Maybe it’s a smokescreen, and they actually like Sadiq or Omar Cooper Jr., but guard is a need for them, and Vega is the best one in this class by a mile.
#15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
The Bucs need edge help, but I worry that Tampa Bay will think Faulk and Mesidor are too rich here. This is a prime trade-back slot for me, as teams look to jump the Jets for the next receiver on the board. As it is, I’ve gone for the #1 TE in the class and supreme athlete, Kenyon Sadiq. Sadiq provides a diverse skillset to help Baker Mayfield in what could be a big bounce-back year for him.
#16 New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts): Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
This is the same pick I had in my “what would I do” mock draft, and it just makes too much sense for the Jets. They need a reliable weapon to pair with Garrett Wilson and give Geno (and future 2027 1st-rounder) a target in the passing game. Cooper Jr. emerged as the leading receiver for the Hoosiers in 2025, helping win big games against Penn State and Miami.
#17 Detroit Lions: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
I have seen some noise that the Eagles really want Proctor and may need to trade ahead of Detroit to get him. Well, in this scenario with no trades, that doesn’t happen, and the Lions snag him before Philly even has a shot at him. Proctor’s tape is uneven, but he has the size and physicality to be a mauler in the NFL, and would immediately replace Talor Decker on the left side, keeping Penei Sewell on the right.
#18 Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
The Thieneman-to-Minnesota rumours have been heating up since the Combine, and I believe them. The former Purdue and Oregon man is a phenomenal athlete who shocked many at the Combine with his performance. This would fill a massive need for the Vikings, although Thieneman might even be gone before this pick.
#19 Carolina Panthers: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Carolina doesn’t have a ton of needs and could be players in the wide receiver class, but I’m not sure Denzel Boston would be a fit given his similarity to Tet McMillan. Here, the Panthers opt for value with Jermod McCoy who has top-10 tape, but late Day One question marks. The Panthers are not afraid to bet on injured, toolsy CBs, just ask their #1 CB, Jaycee Horn.
#20 Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers): Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn
Faulk is probably the wildcard of the edge class and could fall as low as the 2nd round. In this mock though, the Cowboys see him as a perfect fit in Christian Parker;s new 3-4 defense and bet on the upside.
#21 Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Steelers take another 1st-round tackle with limited starting experience, but plenty of upside. What could go wrong? The news about Broderick Jones has apparently been known by the organisation for a while, and it showed in their pre-draft, doing work on Fano, Lomu and Proctor among others. Another name is Iheanachor, and he fits better for me the profile the Steelers typically look for at the position.
#22 Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, DL, Miami
The Chargers have a need on the defensive line, and Mesidor feels like a Jim Harbaugh guy. He can play multiple spots, is a bit older, but the Chargers won’t mind, as they are looking to compete now. LA needs some consistent production getting after the QB and Mesidor showed that time and time again during the 2025 season.
#23 Philadelphia Eagles: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
The Eagles regressed last year and lost a disappointing Wild Card game at home to the Niners. There were several reasons, but for me, the Eagles’ biggest issue in 2025 was that I just didn’t think they won the line of scrimmage as consistently as they have in the past. Proctor is a mountain of a man and could slot in at guard initially, with a longer-term move to tackle once Lane Johnson or Jordan Mailata move on.
#24 Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars): Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
The Browns picked up Spencer Fano earlier in this draft and keep the offensive train rolling here with Denzel Boston. If Cleveland truly believes in Shedeur or (cough!) Deshaun Watson, then they will need more consistent receiving targets. Jerry Jeudy was once famously labelled a “JAG” by Steve Smith Sr., and who am I to argue? Boston is the next best receiver on the board and is a contested target monster who should fit well in the AFC North.
#25 Chicago Bears: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
The Bears need a left tackle, as pencilled-in starter Ozzy Trapilo will likely not play in 2026. Freeling is the best available one on the board and has 1st-round traits and tape. With Darnell Wright slotted on the right side, this line is really starting to come together for the Bears to make another playoff run.
#26 Buffalo Bills: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
The Bills traded for DJ Moore, but that won’t stop them from continuing to pick up receiving talent for Josh Allen. Concepcion is not a first-round player for me, but there are real believers in him out there, and the Joe Brady-Brandon Beane brain trust may well be one of them. An added benefit here is Concepcion’s punt-return ability, an area the Bills struggled at in 2025 with a seemingly revolving door there.
#27 San Francisco 49ers: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF
The 49ers were one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2025 in getting after the passer. Now, injuries had a major part to play in that, but many believe this will be an issue addressed by San Francisco early in the draft. Lawrence is a perfect fit for the Niners and is getting first-round buzz for his raw athleticism and ability to get after the passer. This is probably a simple best-player available situation, and here they get their guy.
#28 Houston Texans: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Houston did shore up the right side of their line in Free Agency, but I still think they need a long-term answer. Blake Miller has risen up draft boards after a strong Combine and may not even be available here. But in this mock draft, the Texans take the best offensive lineman available at this spot.
#29 Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams): Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
This is a bit of a wildcard pick from the Chiefs, who aren’t shy of taking their guy at the end of Round 1, irrespective of consensus. Many have Colton Hood and Avieon Terrell ahead of Johnson, but the former San Diego State man is gaining steam in this class, and it’s not hard to see why when you put in the tape. He was dominant for the Aztecs, and will get an opportunity to play early for a Kansas City team in desperate need of CB help.
#30 Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
Hood transferred to Tennessee to play his final year and gets rewarded here for an excellent year by being a 1st-round pick. Personally, I have Terrell higher, but there is real momentum for Hood, who missed out on forming a dominant CB partnership with McCoy due to the latter’s ACL injury. No matter, he steps right into the Miami secondary and immediately becomes an impact player on a team crying out for some.
#31 New England Patriots: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
The Patriots lost starting free safety Jaylinn Hawkins in Free Agency and replaced him with Kevin Byard, a player who has had dominant moments in the NFL but will turn 33 before a ball is kicked in the 2026 season. Starting strong safety Craig Woodson was a nice pick up on Day 3 last year, but McNeil-Warren is too tantalising to pass up here. He has some rawness to his game, so he may need to sit early, but the Patriots should be able to find packages for him to maximise his talents.
#32 Seattle Seahawks: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
The Seahawks don’t have any real needs, although I considered corner here. Let’s be realistic, the Seahawks are almost certain to trade this pick, as they have only 4 picks in the entire draft. This could easily be Ty Simpson, but in a no-trade mock, I have them taking Zion Young, a toolsy defensive end, who fits perfectly in Mike McDonald’s defense. Seattle has done some work on him, and may trade back and get him or stick and pick, if there are no suitors.