NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Chiefs Land Running Back of Future Jeremiyah Love
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is set to kick off in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, starting on April 23. This is my second full first-round mock draft for this year's draft. It will not project any trades that have not already been made. We will start adding trades later in the offseason.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
It seems like a forgone conclusion that Mendoza is going to be the top pick for the Raiders, barring some sort of crazy turn of events.
2. New York Jets
LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Reese is a high-risk pick drafted for his upside. The Jets taking a boom-or-bust option at this point in the draft rarely works out well.
3. Arizona Cardinals
OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami
When you have a ton of issues, the best tackle in the draft isn't a bad option.
4. Tennessee Titans
DE Rueben Bain Jr, Miami
The Titans could address either side of the ball, but they go with the best edge rusher in the draft.
5. New York Giants
S Caleb Downs, Ohio State Buckeyes
New York has a strong front seven, but their secondary is brutal. Downs is an immediate difference-maker.
6. Cleveland Browns
WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Regardless of who their quarterback is, he won't be successful if he doesn't have anyone to throw to.
7. Washington Commanders
OT Spencer Fano, Utah
After an injury-plagued season from Jayden Daniels, they need to build up an offensive line to protect him.
8. New Orleans Saints
CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
New Orleans has plenty of holes to fill. Here they go with the highest projected corner in the draft.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Love to the Chiefs is the perfect fit that no one outside the greater Missouri-Kansas area wants to see happen.
10. Cincinnati Bengals
EDGE Davis Bailey, Texas Tech
With the Bengals potentially moving on from Trey Hendrickson, they will be in dire need of a pass rusher.
11. Miami Dolphins
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
McCoy is the best cornerback in this draft and is only still available because he's coming off a torn ACL that cost him the 2025 season.
12. Dallas Cowboys
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Dallas has to go defense here. Styles is the best defender available at this point.
13. Los Angeles Rams
WR Makai Lemon, USC
Lemon grabs another USC Trojan to pair with Puka Nacua to form a terrifying duo.
14. Baltimore Ravens
OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
The interior offensive line is an area they clearly need to upgrade this offseason.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
The Bucs go with a potentially elite edge rusher. It makes sense for them to go defense over offense.
16. New York Jets
WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
The Jets are wasting Garrett Wilson, so why not waste two great wide receivers with no quarterback to throw to them?
17. Detroit Lions
EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
The Lions taking an edge rusher makes sense here, but Mesidor going to Detroit is one of those matches I have set in my head.
18. Minnesota Vikings
S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
Minnesota replaces Harrison Smith with a high-upside safety to maintain their greatest strength.
19. Carolina Panthers
OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Proctor is a versatile offensive lineman who can move to any position on the line other than center.
20. Dallas Cowboys
CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
Dallas needs to go defense with both of their first-round picks. Corner is their biggest need, and they get a good one here.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
It sounds like Aaron Rodgers is probably coming back for one more season, but the Steelers need a backup plan.
22. Los Angeles Chargers
DT Caleb Banks, Florida
Banks is a big, physical defensive tackle who can dominate in the trenches. He's a perfect fit for Jim Harbaugh.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
It's possible that the Eagles could lose both AJ Brown and Dallas Goedert this season. Even if they don't, neither seems to be in the team's long-term plans. Sadiq is an immediate impact player in the passing attack.
24. Cleveland Browns
OT Blake Miller, Clemson
The Browns went with a wide receiver earlier in the first round, and here they address their offensive line.
25. Chicago Bears
DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Interior defensive line is a position the Bears need to address, and they do here.
26. Buffalo Bills
WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Buffalo needs to get Josh Allen some help on the outside. Concepcion can create separation significantly better than anyone the Bills have had since Stefon Diggs.
27. San Francisco 49ers
WR Denzel Boston, Washington
With George Kittle injured and aging, Ricky Pearsall forever hurt, and Jauan Jennings not being a true WR1, they need to add another weapon in the passing attack.
28. Houston Texans
OG Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
Houston addresses their interior offensive line here to help with both protection and the rushing attack.
29. Los Angeles Rams
CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Pass defense became a glaring issue for the Rams as we got later in the season.
30. Denver Broncos
OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
While the Broncos do need a wide receiver, Lomu is far better pick than any wideout still on the board.
31. New England Patriots
CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
The Pats have a strong defense, but could use a true lockdown corner to pair with Christian Gonzalez to take them to the next level.
32. Seattle Seahawks
EDGE Kendrick Faulk, Auburn
Seattle has always continued to replenish and rotate their pass rushers. They are sticking to that game plan after winning a Super Bowl.
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-0e06b43c57ceb063781f337e307e72d4.png "Mark Morales-Smith")
Mark Morales-Smith is a father of five, a former college football scout and semi-pro football player. Morales-Smith is a long-time competitive fantasy football player with well over a decade of professional writing experience at multiple high-level sites, including Sports Illustrated, FullTime Fantasy, FantasySP, and more.
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