2026 NFL draft: Updated mock draft after the first wave of free safety
· Yahoo Sports
The first wave of NFL free agency is in the books, and it was record-breaking in terms of how much money the league spent on contracts. All these moves mean our newest one-round mock draft is turned on its head as far as who goes where. The 2026 NFL draft is shaping up to be top heavy and after the Top 10 picks, all bets are off.
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1 - Las Vegas Raiders - QB Fernando Mendoza - Indiana
The Raiders are hoping they can build their roster around Fernando Mendoza who exudes all the intangibles you want from a franchise quarterback.
2 - New York Jets - WR Carnell Tate - Ohio State
We've gone back and forth here between Carnell Tate and a playmaker in the secondary but the Jets passing game needs more help.
3 - Arizona Cardinals - EDGE David Bailey - Texas Tech
David Bailey and Rueben Bain Jr. are neck and neck here, but we give Bailey the edge here based on his elite measurables.
4 - Tennessee Titans - EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. - Miami
Bain has all the skills to be an elite edge defender but he's bucking history if he is going to be successful.
5 - New York Giants - LB Arvell Reese - Ohio State
The Giants get the most disruptive defensive prospect in the draft and a centerpiece of their defense with Arvell Reese.
6 - Cleveland Browns - S Caleb Downs - Ohio State
Downs is one of the best safety prospects we've graded in the last 10 years and is a perfect fit staying in Ohio to add punch to the Browns defense.
7 - Washington Commanders - LB Sonny Styles - Ohio State
We already knew how good Sonny Styles was but the combine really opened people's eyes to what a freakish athlete is is.
8 - New Orleans Saints - TE Kenyon Sadiq - Oregon
There is a huge gap between what Kenyon Sadiq brings as a tight end and the next best prospect so he makes perfect sense for a young quarterback.
9 - Kansas City Chiefs - CB Mansoor Delane - LSU
After trading away OJ McDuffie, cornerback immediately becomes a priority and we like Mansoor Delane based on how he dominated on a bad LSU defense last seaosn.
10 - Cincinnati Bengals - OT Caleb Lomu - Utah
The Bengals offensive tackles were terrible last season so we go with Caleb Lomu here as the top pass protector in the OT class.
11 - Miami Dolphins - CB Jermod McCoy - Tennessee
If McCoy had gone to the Chiefs and Delane here, you'd get no argument as both are lockdown cornerbacks with great size.
12 - Dallas Cowboys - OT Francis Mauigoa - Miami
Many pundits have Mauigoa as the top offensive tackle so getting him at No. 12 is a bargain pick for Dallas.
13 - Los Angeles Rams - RB Jeremiyah Love - Notre Dame
Ultimately, Jeremiyah Love is the guy some team is going to trade up to get so we do not expect him to last this long in the first round but if he does, the Rams can go with the best player on the board.
14 - Baltimore Ravens - WR Jordyn Tyson - Arizona State
The Ravens are one of a dozen teams eyeing a new offense so we went with Jordyn Tyson here as a complete receiver who can do a little of everything.
15 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Makai Lemon - USC
The Bucs need another weapon in the passing game and while we worry some about Makai Lemon's character and passion for the game, if he's focused he's an elite talent.
16 - New York Jets - EDGE Keldric Faulk - Auburn
Faulk has a ceiling as high as any edge in this first tier but he has to put it together more consistently for him to be a top pass rusher.
17 - Detroit Lions - OT Monroe Freeling - Georgia
Some pundits consider Monroe Freeling the top offensive tackle in this draft. While I disagree, he's got more than enough upside to land here with the Lions.
18 - Minnesota Vikings - S Dillon Thieneman - Oregon
Pairing the Vikings with Dillon Thieneman is a perfect fit, but we do wonder if Thieneman is the type of player that another team will trade up for.
19 - Carolina Panthers - OT Spencer Fano - Utah
Fano is the other Utah offensive tackle in the first round and like Lomu should be an anchor on an NFL offensive line for a very long time.
20 - Dallas Cowboys - WR Omar Cooper Jr. - Indiana
Dallas comes back to the podium and this time goes for Cooper who will replace George Pickens if the Cowbioys cannot work out a contract.
21 - Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Caleb Banks - Florida
The Steelers filled some big needs in free agency and can use this pick for Banks who could eventually replace Cameron Heyward.
22 - Los Angeles Chargers - Vega Ioane - Penn State
We went back and forth between an edge and offensive line here, but ultimately we went with Ioane Vega just based on our ratings and his placement being much higher than the next hybrid edge.
23 - Philadelphia Eagles - OL Kadyn Proctor - Alabama
Proctor was supposed to be the best offensive tackle in this draft, but as it turns out, he's probably the second-best guard instead, and that's good enough for the Eagles.
24 - Cleveland Browns - WR Kevin Concepcion - Texas A&M
After addressing defense earlier in the round, the Browns come back around and get Shedeur Sanders a weapon with Kevin Concepcion.
25 - Chicago Bears - DT Peter Woods - Clemson
Woods is a tough player to grade because selecting him here, you are basing it almost exclusively on potential over production.
26 - Buffalo Bills - LB C.J. Allen - Georgia
Lost in the two big Ohio State linebackers is C.J. Allen, who has all the tools to be a three-down linebacker and play all over the formation.
27 - San Francisco 49ers - S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren - Toledo
McNeill-Warren is a notch below Downs and Thieneman but this doesn't make him less of a value here thanks to his size and instincts.
28 - Houston Texans - DT Kayden McDonald - Ohio State
The Texans always seem to be searching for more interior defensive line help and Kayden McDonald has some important scheme versatility.
29 - Kansas City Chiefs - EDGE Akheem Mesidor - Miami
We worry about Mesidor's age and injury history but we still expect a team in need to roll he dice in the first round.
30 - Denver Broncos - DT Christen Miller - Georgia
Miller is a very balanced interior defensive lineman but it's his value as a run stuffer that puts him here in the round.
31 - New England Patriots - EDGE Zion Young - Missouri
Too many people don't know Zion Young but he's a guy Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel can use in a variety of formations.
32 - Seattle Seahawks - CB Avieon Terrell - Clemson
The Seahawks never seem to have enough good cornerbacks so we add one more with Avieon Terrell.
This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Updated mock draft after the first wave of free safety