Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Mike Band’s Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft

My final predictions for the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft are locked in. This is now the 22nd straight year I’ve assembled a first-round mock draft. First published on FootballsFuture forums, then DraftAce.com, and now RosterWatch and NFL.com.

For this projection, I weighed post-free agency needs, scheme fits, front office tendencies, prospect-team connections and market clues across all 32 clubs. NFL IQ powered by Amazon Quick helped me build the puzzle, while its new AI assistant gave me another way to pressure-test roster needs, draft capital and realistic outcomes along the way. Here’s how I see the first round playing out.

  1. Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza QB, Indiana
  2. New York Jets – David Bailey EDGE, Texas Tech
  3. Arizona Cardinals – Jeremiyah Love RB, Notre Dame
  4. ***TRADE*** Kansas City Chiefs (from TEN) – Arvell Reese EDGE, Ohio State
  5. New York Giants – Jordyn Tyson WR, Arizona State
  6. Cleveland Browns – Spencer Fano OT, Utah
  7. Washington Commanders – Sonny Styles LB, Ohio State
  8. New Orleans Saints – Mansoor Delane CB, LSU
  9. ***TRADE*** Tennessee Titans (from KC) – Carnell Tate WR, Ohio State
  10. New York Giants (from CIN) – Caleb Downs S, Ohio State
  11. Miami Dolphins – Francis Mauigoa OT, Miami
  12. Dallas Cowboys – Dillon Thieneman S, Oregon
  13. Los Angeles Rams (from ATL) – Monroe Freeling OT, Georgia
  14. Baltimore Ravens – Rueben Bain Jr. EDGE, Miami
  15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Olaivavega Ioane OG, Penn State
  16. New York Jets (from IND) – Makai Lemon WR, USC
  17. Detroit Lions – Kadyn Proctor OT, Alabama
  18. Minnesota Vikings – Kenyon Sadiq TE, Oregon
  19. Carolina Panthers – KC Concepcion WR, Texas A&M
  20. ***TRADE*** Houston Texans (from DAL via GB) – Kayden McDonald DT, Ohio State
  21. Pittsburgh Steelers – Denzel Boston WR, Washington
  22. Los Angeles Chargers – Akheem Mesidor EDGE, Miami
  23. Philadelphia Eagles – Blake Miller OT, Clemson
  24. Cleveland Browns (from JAX) – Omar Cooper Jr. WR, Indiana
  25. Chicago Bears – Keldric Faulk EDGE, Auburn
  26. Buffalo Bills – Malachi Lawrence EDGE, Central Florida
  27. San Francisco 49ers – T.J. Parker EDGE, Clemson
  28. ***TRADE*** Dallas Cowboys (from HOU) – Jacob Rodriguez LB, Texas Tech
  29. Kansas City Chiefs (from LAR) – Colton Hood CB, Tennessee
  30. Miami Dolphins (from DEN) – Chris Johnson CB, San Diego State
  31. New England Patriots – Max Iheanachor OT, Arizona State
  32. ***TRADE*** Arizona Cardinals (from SEA) – Ty Simpson QB, Alabama

Best Available: DT Peter Woods (Clemson), OT Caleb Lomu (Utah), S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo), EDGE Cashius Howell (Texas A&M), CB Jermod McCoy (Tennessee), CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson), LB CJ Allen (Georgia), DB Treydan Stukes (Arizona), LB Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas), RB Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)

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