Welcome back to The McShay Report! With the NFL regular season complete, it’s time for Mock 1.0. We’ve had some fun with flash mocks in recent weeks and even had an “appropriately early” mock during the preseason, but now we know which teams will be selecting where at the top of the first round and can make some educated (but mostly fun) guesses about the 2026 draft.
As always, we’ll have a better picture of this class by the time we have official measurements and medicals at the combine, and we’ll know more about team needs and player fits after free agency kicks off in March. But this exercise still serves as a good benchmark and signals the unofficial start of draft season.
Let’s dive in!
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1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Dante Moore, Oregon
It seems obvious the Raiders are going with a QB here. The only question is whether it will be Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore.
If the Raiders brass is looking for the most NFL-ready guy who can help win games right now, it will be Mendoza. But if Tom Brady and people in that organization have patience, the correct infrastructure in place, and play the long game, I think Moore has the greater upside as an NFL QB.
I thought it was important in this Mock 1.0 to note that if Moore is part of this class (which we likely won’t know until after the national championship), there’s going to be a legit competition between these two guys for the no. 1 pick. Expect Mendoza vs. Moore to be the great debate of draft season.
2. New York Jets: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
I love that Mendoza knows exactly who he is. He’s also tough and has the ability to shake off mistakes and deliver in clutch moments—two traits that are critical for success at QB no matter what team drafts you.
But those intangibles are even more important when you’re selected by the Jets, who have a track record of failed quarterback draft picks from Mark Sanchez to Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson.
Mendoza is older, more mature, and has started more games than each of those guys did coming out of college. Darnold is more naturally talented, but Mendoza is better equipped to overcome the challenges of being a rookie starting quarterback in New York.
3. Arizona Cardinals: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
It appears the Cardinals are ready to move on from Kyler Murray, but with Moore and Mendoza gone and Ty Simpson projected to return to school, Arizona has a tough call between arguably the best talent in the draft (Love) and the top offensive lineman in the class, Francis Mauigoa (who some teams project at right tackle and others project at guard).
While running backs represent poor positional value this early in the draft, I love what I’ve seen from the Notre Dame star. He ranked fourth in the FBS with 39 rushes of 10-plus yards this season, fourth in breakaway percentage among FBS RBs with 100 or more snaps, and he forced 56 missed tackles. He’s in the Bijan Robinson–Ashton Jeanty tier as a prospect.
If this draft had a Joe Alt–level talent at tackle, I would have Arizona selecting that player. But it doesn’t, so I’m going with Love, who fills a need and could be the face of the Cardinals offense on day one of his rookie season.
4. Tennessee Titans: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Getting Cam Ward a playmaker like WR Carnell Tate would be tempting here, but Reese is one of the three or four best prospects in the class and he’s just scratching the surface of his potential after his first season as a full-time starter in 2025. At 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, Reese has an excellent combination of size, speed, power, and bend.
His versatility as an edge defender should add to his value come draft day. I’m not saying he’s the next Micah Parsons, but he’s got a ton of pass-rush upside at the next level.
5. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
This offense could really take off with Jaxson Dart at the helm in 2026. I like the idea of giving him an excellent no. 2 receiver opposite a healthy Malik Nabers to pair with a grind-it-out run game led by Cam Skattebo.
Tate was having a monster year before a lower leg injury derailed his season in November. He improved his contested catch rate from 60 percent in 2024 to 85.7 percent in 2025 and has been one of my biggest risers of the college season.
6. Cleveland Browns: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Mauigoa has been a starter since his freshman year, and he keeps getting better with more experience as he continues to develop his body and technique. He could be a really good starting right tackle at the next level, but if he kicks inside, I think his floor is a Pro Bowl guard. That’s a pretty safe pick for a Browns organization that can’t afford a miss in Round 1.
7. Washington Commanders: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
Bailey has an explosive first step, excellent bend, great instincts, and a closing burst that’s awesome to watch. His 14.5 sacks tied for first in the FBS this season, and his 21.9 percent pass-rush win rate ranked tied for seventh (minimum 100 pass-rush snaps) among Power Four edge rushers.
He’s a bit undersized, which would normally scare me, but this cat is unique. Some guys just know how to get home—he majors in it.
8. New Orleans Saints: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
I love Tyson’s game. I think he’s NFL-ready and I love how he drastically improved the one area that frustrated me on tape in 2024, which was his ball skills. He went from an 8.5 percent drop rate in 2024 to 1.6 percent in 2025. That’s hard work!
But good medicals will be critical for Tyson to land in the top 10. In his three seasons (2023-2025) at Arizona State, Tyson missed 14 of 38 games. He has dealt with a variety of injuries, including to his knee, collarbone, and hamstring.
If the doctors give him the green light, I think he would be a perfect fit with Tyler Shough in New Orleans. It was hard to watch the Saints wide receivers this season when Chris Olave wasn't on the field. Tyson’s fluid routes, improved hands, and YAC ability would provide a significant boost to that receiving corps.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
If the rumors about Travis Kelce’s retirement are true, Andy Reid and Co. will be looking for his successor at tight end this offseason. Enter Sadiq, who’s a tough blocker and a rising star as a pass catcher that led all FBS TEs with eight receiving touchdowns this year.
After struggling to separate and make major contributions early in the season, Sadiq seemed to refocus as he hit his stride over the last couple months. Giving Patrick Mahomes a younger version of Kelce would be a step in the right direction for this offense.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Two of the Bengals’ top edge rushers—Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai—are set to be free agents, and while I still have high hopes for Shemar Stewart after his disappointing rookie season, this defense is desperate for talent, especially up front.
Bain’s production dipped for a few games in the middle of the year, but watching him over the past month (especially in the first two rounds of the CFP) has reminded NFL teams of how impactful this dude could be at the next level.
Yes, he has short arms. And yes, some scouts have mentioned a 3-technique role as an option in the NFL. But there aren’t many more disruptive and impactful defensive players in the country. His 8.5 sacks this season ranks tied for 23rd in the FBS, so we’re not talking about marginal sack production. Furthermore, he ranks third (minimum 100 pass-rush snaps) among P4 edge rushers with a 23.7 pass-rush win rate.
11. Miami Dolphins: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
The Dolphins have a lot of needs, with quarterback chief among them. But unless they find a deal to move into the top two (which isn’t happening), or Ty Simpson makes a surprising decision to leave school early and they fall in love with the Alabama signal caller (who struggled mightily down the stretch), this isn’t the spot to solve the QB problem.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is a possibility here, as is Utah tackle Spencer Fano. But after Miami traded Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles, edge became a major area of need.
Faulk is still developing as a pass rusher, but he’s a 6-foot-7, 270-pound mountain of a man with great length, power, and mobility for his size. He’s also one of the youngest prospects in the draft class and carries tons of untapped potential.
12. Dallas Cowboys: DS Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs is one of the five best football players in this draft, but he could slide due to positional value and the fact that he won’t wow NFL teams with Nick Emmanwori–like numbers at the combine.
But he’s also the most instinctive college defender in recent memory—maybe since Ed Reed. Downs would be exactly what Dallas needs in terms of stability, leadership, versatility, and playmaking ability on that side of the ball.
Downs was overshadowed on the Buckeyes defense by Arvell Reese this year, but watch the tape. He’s doing the same special things he was doing a season ago when he was the face of an OSU national championship defense that sent eight players to the NFL in 2025.
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta): OT Spencer Fano, Utah
I’m not sure if GM Les Snead can find another dance partner to move back in Round 1 again, but I’m sure this regime would like to kick this extra compensation down the road to 2027 for what’s shaping up to be one of the best classes in NFL draft history. The Rams will want to be in the mix next year for a QB crop that should include Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, Julian Sayin, Ty Simpson, Brendan Sorsby, CJ Carr, DJ Lagway, and others.
If L.A. sticks and picks here, they have needs at corner, left tackle, receiver, and safety. Fano is the most athletically gifted offensive tackle in the class and would make sense with this pick. He made great strides in 2025 and the arrow is pointing straight up.
14. Baltimore Ravens: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
Delane took his game to another level and was one of the few bright spots for an otherwise disappointing Tigers program in 2025. Edge is a bigger need for Baltimore, as Dre’Mont Jones, Kyle Van Noy, and David Ojabo are all free agents this offseason, but the Ravens are looking for scheme-versatile defensive backs and Delane more than impressed me with his ability to excel in both man and zone coverage at LSU.
He totaled 138 man-coverage snaps and 176 zone-coverage snaps in 2025. You won’t see many college CBs have that kind of man-zone split, let alone someone who was as effective as he was in both areas.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Styles has rare agility and speed for his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame. The biggest difference I saw in him this season was his tackling efficiency—he went from an 18 percent missed tackle rate in 2024 to a 2 percent rate in 2025—which was a byproduct of making faster reads, taking better angles, and getting into good position a lot quicker and more often than he did in 2024.
The Bucs defense was atrocious down the stretch this season and they desperately need to get younger and faster. Styles would be a huge addition.
16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis): IDL Peter Woods, Clemson
The Jets got their QB of the future with the no. 2 pick. Now it’s time to rebuild the rest of the roster.
Woods is one of the five or seven most talented players in the class. I thought he could be a top-five pick in the summer when I did his tape study, but he, like most of the Clemson team, regressed in 2025. There’s some work to do on the why, but in talking to NFL scouts, the grades on Woods are still pretty damn high.
He’s a tricky prospect, but Woods could make for a good long-term replacement along the interior defensive line in New York after the Jets traded Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys at the deadline.
17. Detroit Lions: IDL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Detroit will be in search of an edge opposite Aidan Hutchinson early in the draft, but I don’t see the value at this point. They’ll also need help along the interior, though, with D.J. Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, and Roy Lopez all set to be free agents in March.
McDonald absolutely burst onto the scene in 2025 as a first-year starter. He will continue to improve as a pass rusher and the talent and instincts are there for him to make a significant leap in that area over time. But what stands out most about McDonald on tape is his playmaking ability versus the run, which stems from his ability to lock out blockers and locate ballcarriers in a flash. It’s a special trait. He led the FBS with 30 run stops this season, per PFF.
18. Minnesota Vikings: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
The Vikings could use a perimeter playmaker to insert alongside Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers. The 6-foot, 193-pound former Oregon State transfer broke out with nine pass breakups and four interceptions in 2024 and was set for a big 2025 season before suffering a torn ACL in offseason training last January.
McCoy is at his best in perimeter press coverage, and is capable in both man and zone. He was considered a potential top-10 pick prior to the injury and could be a good value this late if the medicals check out.
19. Carolina Panthers: Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Mesidor started his career at West Virginia and transferred to Miami in 2022, when he racked up seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in his first year with the Hurricanes. He was slowed by injury in 2023 before re-emerging in 2024, but he’s really put it all together this season. Mesidor ranks 10th among P4 edge rushers in pass-rush win rate (minimum 100 pass-rush snaps) and he’s tied for 11th in the FBS with 10.5 sacks.
Carolina drafted edges Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen in 2025, but Mesidor’s upside could be too much to pass up here.
20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay): CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Edge is the Cowboys’ biggest need after they traded Micah Parsons to the Packers, and I could see Damon Wilson II, R Mason Thomas, and a few other guys potentially working their way into the top-20 conversation by the time we get to April. But for now, I’ve got Dallas taking Terrell, who would fill a big need at corner after the departure of Trevon Diggs. It might not be the sexiest combination of Round 1 picks, but Caleb Downs and Terrell could give Dallas one of the top young secondaries in the NFL.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Makai Lemon, USC
This would be a steal. Lemon has developed great instincts as a route runner and he has the body control to become a separation machine in the NFL. He also has excellent vision, contact balance after the catch, and I love that he’s made such a big jump in production in contested-catch situations from 2024 (46.2 percent) to 2025 (66.7 percent). His skill set and physicality should help him put up big numbers as a rookie.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: IDL Caleb Banks, Florida
Banks didn’t see a ton of game action this season because of a foot injury, but I really liked his tape from 2024, when he notched 21 tackles (seven for loss), 4.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles. I see a lot of pass-rush upside in his game. He reminds me a bit of Dexter Lawrence, who has made massive strides as a pass rusher in the NFL.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Edge Damon Wilson II, Missouri
Wilson is an underclassman with good length and speed. He’s flown under the radar on a Missouri defensive front featuring Zion Young—a potential top-50 pick in his own right—but is popular in NFL scouting circles and has some traits that can’t be ignored. He recorded nine sacks in 2025 and saw his overall production rise across the board.
Howie Roseman can’t help himself when it comes to drafting talented front-seven defenders, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go back to the well with this pick.
24. Buffalo Bills: WR Denzel Boston, Washington
Boston is a 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver who has looked like a grown-ass man for the Huskies since stepping onto Washington’s campus a couple years back. And he’s played like one this year, with a contested-catch percentage that is way up from 54.5 percent in 2024 to 76.9 percent this season. He’d be a big-play target for Josh Allen.
25. Chicago Bears: Edge R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
Thomas is criminally underrated. Maybe he doesn’t crack Round 1 after his measurements are overly scrutinized during the predraft process, but Thomas was the second-best pass rusher in the country this year behind David Bailey. He has an excellent combination of first-step quickness, relentlessness, pass-rush skill set, and violent hands.
26. San Francisco 49ers: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
Lomu has been Utah’s starting LT opposite Spencer Fano, who is a better player right now but isn’t as athletically gifted as Lomu. Lomu is a work in progress in terms of his hand usage and raw strength, but he could be one of the steals in this draft because you can’t coach his physical traits.
27. Houston Texans: OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
Ioane is widely regarded as the top interior offensive lineman in the class. The Texans, while improved, still need to make strides along their offensive front. They should continue to invest in keeping CJ Stroud healthy and upright.
28. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville): WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
Cleveland is starved for offensive difference makers. Branch is undersized but he is an awesome talent with the ball in his hands. I think he can become an even more effective downfield route runner as well.
29. Los Angeles Rams: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Proctor got a lot of attention for his epic screen play catch-and-run against Georgia, which is great. But his tape at tackle, while improved from 2024, was a bit uneven. I fully expect his stock to rise as we get closer to April’s draft, though. This position is driven by traits, and the most physically gifted prospects at tackle hit a lot more than they miss in the NFL. The Rams are in the market for a long-term upgrade at right tackle and Proctor could fill that void, even if he begins his career at guard before kicking outside.
30. New England Patriots: WR Chris Bell, Louisville
Mike Vrabel talked a lot last offseason about landing a big, physical X receiver for Drake Maye to throw to. Bell could be that guy. He draws a lot of A.J. Brown comps due to his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame, his speed after the catch, and his contested-catch physicality.
31. Denver Broncos: LB CJ Allen, Georgia
Alex Singleton is aging and coming off a torn ACL, and Dre Greenlaw has injury history and will be a free agent in 2026. It’s time to draft a young star at the position. While Allen didn’t have eye-popping production this season, he’s a sensational athlete with the leadership and cover skills to make an immediate impact at the next level.
32. Seattle Seahawks: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Sam Darnold would benefit from a receiver like Concepcion, who can uncover quickly and excels at turning quick-game catches into chunk plays. He also increased his contested-catch percentage significantly over the past year, and has been a threat in the return game, with two punt return TDs in 2025.
