Welcome back to The McShay Report, and congratulations to the Seattle Seahawks for their 29-13 Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots. With that game behind us, the 2026 NFL draft board is set—and the Raiders are on the clock. That means it’s time for Mock 2.0, which looks a lot different from the first mock I released last month. Let’s get to it.
1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Mendoza is the reset that the Raiders desperately need. He’s not as physically gifted as previous high draft picks such as Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or even Cam Ward. But it’s not like he’s lacking for physical tools. He’s 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, is mobile, and has a live arm. Still, what’s most appealing about Mendoza is his mind, heart, commitment, and toughness—all traits I’m certain Tom Brady (and the rest of the organization) will find relatable and appealing during the predraft process.
2. New York Jets: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
The Jets have needs everywhere. Quarterback is king among them, but that’s not getting solved at pick no. 2. Using this selection on the best available player is the only way to go—and Reese is that guy. Reese is just a one-year starter who burst onto the scene in 2025 after showing flashes of potential in a rotating role in 2024, but he’s a uniquely talented 6-foot-4 245-pounder with elite speed, athleticism, and power for his size. Reese could be destined for an early NFL career arc similar to that of Micah Parsons in Dallas, playing in a hybrid off-ball LB/edge role as a rookie before transitioning to edge full time.
3. Arizona Cardinals: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Quarterback is the biggest offseason question for Arizona, but I don’t see value on the board at this spot. With offensive tackles Kelvin Beachum and Jonah Williams coming off underwhelming seasons and set to hit unrestricted free agency in March, the offensive line is likely the top priority in this draft. Arizona took 59 sacks this past season, fifth most in the NFL. New head coach Mike LaFleur comes from a Rams organization that succeeded with massive OTs in Alaric Jackson and Rob Havenstein. Mauigoa fits that bill as a 6-foot-6, 320-pound mauler who is plenty capable of enveloping edge rushers at right tackle in LaFleur’s scheme.
4. Tennessee Titans: ED David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Titans used a second-round pick on Oluwafemi Oladejo last year, but they need more firepower beyond him, Jaylen Harrell, and Arden Key. Enter Bailey, who’s the most dynamic pass rusher in the class. Look at the draft blueprints for top-shelf organizations like the Chiefs, Bills, and Eagles, among others. The year after they landed their guy at QB, they shifted the focus to the defensive side of the ball. Giving Robert Saleh and Gus Bradley an edge rusher like Bailey would be a smart play. Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano is a possibility here, but he’s not as highly graded as Bailey, and while getting help for Cam Ward at wide receiver should be a priority, the Titans can wait until day two (but not day three) to target that need.
5. New York Giants: DS Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Wide receiver and offensive line have gotten a lot of attention at this spot in mocks, but I’m not sure either would be an ideal fit. First off, I think the Giants will bring back unrestricted free agent RT Jermaine Eluemunor. If that happens, it’ll give them Andrew Thomas and Eluemunor as starting tackles and second-year OT/OG Marcus Mbow as a potential guard starter with swing tackle flexibility. I also believe there’s enough depth in this class to find a difference-making starter at WR (such as a tall vertical threat like Chris Brazzell II or an explosive YAC option like Zachariah Branch) in Round 2 to pair with Malik Nabers. There’s no IDL worth selecting here, but Downs would provide much-needed stability to the back end, as well as leadership and playmaking ability. He would be the new standard for preparedness and attention to detail for New York on that side of the ball. Yes, the team brought in Jevon Holland in 2025 and drafted Tyler Nubin in Round 2 in 2024, but neither played well enough last season to secure their spot in 2026.
6. Cleveland Browns: OT Spencer Fano, Utah
This year’s draft is about bolstering the offense around the QB—whether he’s on the roster currently or is selected from what’s shaping up to be a historically good QB group in 2027. Three starting offensive linemen (LT Cam Robinson and OGs Joel Bitonio and Wyatt Teller) will hit free agency in March, and only Bitonio is a must-re-sign. Teven Jenkins played well in limited duty last season, but he’s set to hit free agency as well. Fano has room on his frame to get bigger and stronger, but he’s a beautiful mover with left tackle pass-protection traits—even though he played on the right side at Utah.
7. Washington Commanders: ED Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Bobby Wagner is 35 and set to hit free agency in March, so LB Sonny Styles would be in play here. However, Bain is an impact player at a position of higher value. And the Commanders need to get younger and more explosive at edge, with Von Miller (entering his age-37 season), Preston Smith (age-33 season), and Jacob Martin (age-31 season) making up an experienced but older group.
8. New Orleans Saints: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
After our conversation with Saints EVP/GM Mickey Loomis at the Senior Bowl, my guess is that his passion for building the offensive line room is deep-rooted and that he’s not done upgrading the current group. But while guard Dillon Radunz and center Luke Fortner are set to hit free agency, I think the Saints will attack the interior OL on day two. Running back, wide receiver, linebacker (with Demario Davis hitting free agency at 37 years old), and edge are their biggest positions of need. Love will be one of the highest-graded players (if not the highest) on the board for most teams in the NFL this year. With Alvin Kamara turning 31 years old and coming off an injury-riddled season, I think pairing QB Tyler Shough with a dynamic, young back would give this offense a lot more balance and firepower for the coming years.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
The two guys I think the Chiefs could be targeting with this pick—Love and Bain—are gone in this exercise. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes needs a steady and reliable WR right now, and Tate is the most NFL-ready one this class has to offer. Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson, or Denzel Boston could also be the pick here, depending on how much helium each guy gets throughout the predraft process.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
Delane had a monster season on an otherwise disappointing LSU team. His versatility as a man/zone cornerback and his intelligent and instinctive play really jump out on tape. The Bengals need help on all three levels of their defense, and they also need players who are smart and NFL-ready on day one. Delane is a plug-and-play starter with the savvy to have early NFL success at cornerback.
11. Miami Dolphins: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
With an obvious need at CB (Rasul Douglas and Jack Jones are both eligible to become free agents in March), I think McCoy—who’s the most physically gifted man-to-man cornerback in the class—makes sense here. He has smooth hips, sudden feet, and really good top-end speed. McCoy also makes plays on the ball (he had 16 pass breakups and six INTs across two seasons in 2023-24), but we haven’t seen him in game action since December 2024 because of a torn ACL. His medical and workout data will play a significant role in his draft slot.
12. Dallas Cowboys: ED Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Age and some past durability stuff will be part of the conversation with Mesidor. But I’m much more interested in what he became in 2025: one of the biggest game-wrecking defensive linemen in college football. Bain might be the higher-graded prospect, but Mesidor is the better pure pass rusher. With Parsons gone, that’s exactly what the Cowboys need at edge.
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Wait for it. If the draft were today, I wouldn’t put Simpson in this spot. But history tells me that he will rise. Simpson’s smart, he stayed for four years at Alabama, and he’s the son of lifelong football coach Jason Simpson, who’s been the HC at UT Martin for the past 20 years. Much has been made of his lack of starting experience, but this guy grew up around ball and knows the game better than most quarterbacks at this career stage. On the field, I love Simpson's pocket manipulation, anticipation as a passer, toughness, smarts, fast eyes, and competitiveness. He also has a stronger arm and is more mobile than people give him credit for. Plus, his tape through nine games was the best of any QB in the country—and I’ll debate that with anyone. I’ll be honest: I want this for Simpson. Sean McVay is a proven quarterback developer, and Simpson would have time—with at least a season to sit behind Matthew Stafford—to watch and learn. Maybe it will be later in the first round at pick 29. Maybe it won’t happen at all. But I love this fit.
14. Baltimore Ravens: OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
Upgrading the pass rush is a top priority, but a strong run game and protection for Lamar are crucial for the Ravens to get back on track. With Baltimore’s interior offensive line in flux—it needs help at guard, and center Tyler Linderbaum is entering free agency—Ioane could make a lot of sense. Ioane is a powerful, thickly built (6-foot-4, 323 pounds) human-mover with really solid technique and awareness. While he’s not an elite athlete, he makes up for it with smarts, length, and anchor strength.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Styles is a long and athletic off-ball linebacker who made major strides in his play-recognition skills and tackling last season. There’s a chance he’ll be a top-10 pick, so if he’s available at 15, he could represent great value for a Bucs team that desperately needs youth and athleticism along its defensive front seven. This would be a home-run pick.
16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis): WR Makai Lemon, USC
Quarterback will be next draft’s priority—this year is about building up the rest of the roster with difference makers. Lemon is the best sub-6-foot-2 receiver in the draft, and he might be the best receiver regardless of size. Everything he does is full speed, and he is the cleanest ball plucker in the class. And his toughness, competitiveness, and yards-after-the-catch ability would be perfect alongside Garrett Wilson.
17. Detroit Lions: ED Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Howell is undersized and will get picked apart throughout the predraft process. But he’s relentless on the field, combining excellent takeoff speed with quick hands, change-of-direction suddenness, and a vicious motor. I think he can be effective rushing the passer as a rookie opposite Aidan Hutchinson and give Detroit some much-needed long-term upside off the edge.
18. Minnesota Vikings: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
The Vikings had just eight interceptions last season, which ranked tied for 25th in the NFL. They were aggressive in free agency last year but need to draft a young difference maker in the secondary. While Hood is still developing his consistency when the ball is in the air, I see improvement and potential in that key area. It’s actually more of a technique/reps issue than an instincts concern. Otherwise, he’s got all the traits: length, speed, hip fluidity, foot quickness, toughness, competitiveness, and confidence. Safety and tight end could be other priorities early in the draft, as uncertainty surrounds aging staples Harrison Smith and T.J. Hockenson.
19. Carolina Panthers: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Wide receiver, defensive line, and linebacker are three highly publicized needs for Carolina. The Panthers also have a situation brewing along the offensive line, as tackle Yosh Nijman and interior offensive linemen Austin Corbett, Cade Mays, and Brady Christensen are all hitting unrestricted free agency in March, and LT Ikem Ekwonu is a free agent after next season. Protecting Bryce Young is paramount, so there’s a strong possibility they’ll draft the best available offensive lineman—preferably someone with tackle-guard versatility, like Georgia’s Monroe Freeling. But the best value-need match in this scenario is Sadiq. He’s a legitimate seam-stretching threat who also has a real nasty streak as a blocker—and Carolina’s tight end room has long been lacking high-end talent. Sadiq could become a more explosive version of what Cade Otton was for Dave Canales in Tampa Bay. If it’s not TE, don’t rule out Jordyn Tyson and Denzel Boston, the two highest-graded players left on my board. Yes, Carolina used first-round picks on receivers in the last two drafts and hit on Tetairoa McMillan last year, but the value might be too much to pass up.
20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay): LB CJ Allen, Georgia
Linebacker is a major need, and Allen, a team captain at Georgia, is a first-round talent and a top-10 leader. After adding an edge rusher earlier in the round, selecting the rangy LB to upgrade the unit’s second level—and become its standard setter for many years—would be a heck of a start toward rectifying Dallas’s defensive woes. It's also worth noting that the Cowboys just hired UGA linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe. Cornerback is a glaring need as well, but the Cowboys would be reaching for the fourth-best player with Delane, McCoy, and Hood off the board.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
DK Metcalf had his moments but was not his sensational self in his first year in Pittsburgh, and the rest of the receiver group was borderline abysmal. Whether they’re running with Aaron Rodgers or a different signal caller, the Steelers need another perimeter weapon in the pass game, and Tyson would be an absolute steal if he’s available at 21. Tyson—who was coached by Steelers legend Hines Ward at ASU—made huge strides with his ball-skill consistency this past year. I specifically love how he’s started aggressively attacking throws in the air. He has an impressive blend of suddenness and smoothness to his game and the versatility to play all three WR spots, which adds value.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: IDL Peter Woods, Clemson
The Chargers need to upgrade their interior offensive line and add overall line depth. They are also in the market for young talent at interior defensive line, edge, safety, and corner. And with Keenan Allen set to hit free agency next month and a trio of other contributing WRs—Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and Tre’ Harris—underperforming last season, adding a wide receiver (such as Denzel Boston) early in the draft could be in the cards. Woods was on an underachieving Clemson defense last season, and he hasn’t developed as I’d hoped, but he’s a top-10 talent who has flashes of brilliance. With the right setting, coaching, and defensive line room to help him develop, Woods has the physical tools to become an elite interior defensive lineman in the NFL.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: ED Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Faulk is one of the youngest prospects in the class and he’s still developing as a pass rusher, as his lack of production indicates. But there’s so much to like about his natural movement skills for his size (6-foot-6, 285 pounds). Howie Roseman can’t get enough pass rushers and he’s not afraid to take a shot on a player who isn’t quite a finished product. Faulk would bring size and power (he’s reportedly squatted 700 pounds) versus the run immediately. And Philly is the type of place where he would have the tutelage and time to eventually grow to his full potential as a pass rusher.
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville): WR Denzel Boston, Washington
Cleveland is desperate for a big, reliable weapon in its pass game, and Boston fits that bill. He brings physicality, strength at the contested-catch point, and he’s a red-zone extraordinaire. He’s also a pain in the butt to bring down after the catch. I can’t wait to see Boston run in Indy. If he’s in the low 4.5s, I might start making a case for him as WR1 in this class.
25. Chicago Bears: ED T.J. Parker, Clemson
The Bears didn’t get the return on investment they were hoping for in 2025 free agent signees Dayo Odeyingbo (who had one sack in eight games before getting injured) and Grady Jarrett (1.5 sacks). While Parker’s sack production dipped from 11 in 2024 to just five in 2025, his power off the edge was on full display at the Senior Bowl, and his draft stock is resurging as a result. He fits the Bears’ defensive scheme, which places a heavy emphasis on edges with power-based pass rushing chops and a strong run defense.
26. Buffalo Bills: WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
Josh Allen needs more playmaking talent around him. At 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds with 32.5-inch arms, Fields is a massive target who proved at the Senior Bowl to be a much more refined route runner and versatile receiver than he appeared to be at Notre Dame. His ability to tempo his routes and adjust to the ball really stands out.
27. San Francisco 49ers: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
John Lynch and the 49ers like big dudes with traits, and there aren’t many bigger, traits-ier prospects in the ’26 class than Proctor, who’s 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds. Proctor is long and powerful, and he has rare movement skills for his frame. While there’s still room for growth in his pad level and hand placement, his tape improved significantly in 2025, and there’s reason to believe he will only continue to ascend in the NFL. He has tons of untapped potential.
28. Houston Texans: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
The Texans’ offensive line is improving, but it still ranked in the bottom 10 in sacks allowed and 30th in pass block win rate (55 percent) last season. With Trent Brown—whose play is declining and who is entering his age-33 campaign next season—entering unrestricted free agency in March, the Texans may have a void at tackle. I could see Miller, who’s big and long and has plus mobility for a right tackle, being the pick. He’s a highly intelligent offensive lineman with great experience (54 starts), he’s known as Mr. Reliable at Clemson, and he’s a force multiplier in the OL room. It’s exactly the makeup that Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans are looking for.
29. Los Angeles Rams: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Freeling is a tall, long tackle (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) with impressive movement skills and a true nasty streak to him. The Rams need depth and competition along their offensive line moving forward. Freeling is just 21 years old with 18 starts under his belt, so he’s a perfect candidate to bring along slowly and develop. I’ll be surprised if he isn’t one of the biggest risers in this class by the time the draft kicks off in April.
30. Denver Broncos: IDL Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
Sean Payton will continue to develop Bo Nix and insert “jokers” on offense. But maintaining excellence on defense from a personnel standpoint needs to be a focus in the early rounds of the draft. Hunter is a highly disruptive talent who excels versus the run but might also be the top pass rushing interior defensive lineman in this class. With John Franklin-Myers set to hit free agency and D.J. Jones turning 31 last month, it’s time to bring in another impact interior defensive lineman to pair with Zach Allen
31. New England Patriots: ED R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
When you have your QB and you know you’re gonna score a lot of points, “closers” become an integral part of the winning equation. New England brought in some impact free agents on the defensive side of the ball last offseason but Harold Landry III is aging and coming off an injury-riddled 2025. K’Lavon Chaisson (7.5 sacks) hits free agency next month, but even if he returns, the Patriots need to add young blood to their pass rush. Thomas makes sense. He’s an undersized edge—not dissimilar to Landry—but he is one of my favorite players in the class. Thomas blasts out of his stance, shows excellent snap in his hands, bends a tight edge, and his motor is legendary. He’s a Mike Vrabel kind of guy.
32. Seattle Seahawks: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Brandon Cisse is a name to keep an eye on here because of his scheme fit for a Seattle defense that has three of its top contributing defensive backs—Coby Bryant, Josh Jobe, and Riq Woolen, who combined for 2,910 snaps including the playoffs this season—set to hit the free agent market next month. However, Rashid Shaheed’s deal is up and Cooper Kupp turns 33 in June. Sam Darnold needs difference makers to exploit defenses that give too much attention to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Concepcion is excellent at creating after the catch and is a talented punt returner. Zachariah Branch (Georgia) is another twitchy speed merchant to watch at this spot.
