Could Arch Manning go No. 1? Will QBs dominate the first round? Which teams could land playmakers? Field Yates projects next year's opening 32 picks.
And it means we can celebrate with my first mock draft for what should be an exciting class of players. I'll say this right off the top: A lot can -- and will -- change over the next eight months. There are a lot of snaps to be played, and plenty of events will alter top prospects' outlooks before Round 1 on April 23.
. Consider that I had-- which uses thousands of simulations to predict the entire NFL season -- to project where every team will make its pick. Remember that only 30 franchises currently have a first-round selection, though. The Jaguars and Falcons both dealt away their 2026 Day 1 picks during the 2025 draft. I also crafted two more moves at the top of the order that would make sense if things played out like this. In all, I have sixLet's begin with the Browns, who have the top pick in the FPI simulations and could be looking for another quarterback come April. Here are my early preseason predictions for all 32 picks in next year's Round 1.that his grandson will stay at Texas for at least two seasons, a belief many in the scouting community share. But ultimately, Arch isManning has a very good build, throws with accuracy to all levels of the field and shows solid movement traits. He's a different QB than his uncles Peyton and Eli were in that he is a threat with his legs. He is inexperienced and needs to add more weight to his 6-foot-4 frame, but it's easy to see his immense ceiling. I know the Browns just drafted two passers this year, but if they are picking first overall next year, then yes, they'll be taking a quarterback.in waiting, the Giants aren't likely to be drafting a first-round QB next April. But the Jets could absolutely be in that mix, so I could see these MetLife Stadium roommates making a deal in this scenario, with the Jets moving up from No. 4 to No. 2. The Giants, meanwhile, could pick up extra premium picks and still be in position to land either the best or second-best non-QB in the class.isn't a lock to start in 2026. This would be an opportunity to get a franchise QB. Sellers is a huge and powerful thrower who made massive strides in his game in 2024. His escapability from pressure in the pocket is a true X factor; some plays on his tape show shades of. His best moments are jaw-dropping, and his overall mobility is superb. Sellers threw the football much better in the second half of last season, too, finishing with 18 TD passes and seven INTs. Continued improvement on his ball placement will put him in top pick consideration.is a sure thing. New Orleans could be watching two QBs come off the board to start Round 1 and want to jump into the party. Trading up from No. 5 to No. 3 with Tennessee -- which has its QB inKlubnik would become the first quarterback taken in the first round by the Saints since Archie Manning in 1971. New Orleans bypassed the position at No. 9 in April, but it'd be hard to do it again in the top five next year. Klubnik is a mechanically sound and accurate passer who accounted for 43 total touchdowns during his breakout 2024 season . He lacks elite size at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, but he'd offer the Saints some stability at QB as they reset their roster., so I'm going with Woods and adding to an already outstanding defensive line. Woods is a chaos causer. He had just three sacks in 2024 after none as a freshman in 2023, but his game goes far beyond the box score; every opponent O-line had a plan for him on each snap last season. He also has the positional versatility to line up and rush from multiple spots, which would help alongside It's not often a safety generates top-five consideration, which is a testament to Downs' skill set. He is a no-weakness prospect who brings a physical and imposing demeanor when playing in the box and defending the run. But Downs also boasts excellent range, ball skills and vision as a middle-of-the-field pass defender. He has the ability to entirely reshape a secondary from the moment he steps on the field. Tennessee is looking for cornerstone players, and its defense ranked 30th in points allowed per game last season . Downs would instantly alter the outlook.after what we sawin the second half of 2024, but picking this high would likely spark a debate about whether to pivot from him. Regardless, with three QBs off the board, I'm sticking with Young for now and looking for a difference-maker elsewhere on the roster. Faulk has the length and torque to rush off the edge, but his 6-foot-6, 288-pound frame really allows him to be disruptive and attack from a variety of alignments. He had seven sacks last season. The Panthers made a pair of Day 2 investments on the edge this year but should keep working on this pass rush group. The team's 5.4% sack rate tied for fourth worst in the NFL last season. Fano has played both left and right tackle at the collegiate level, and I think he can do it in the NFL, too. He has terrific length and impressive footwork, as he effortlessly matches and mirrors edge rushers as a pass protector. But Fano is not just a movement/finesse player; he has an edge and mean streak to his game that shows up when finishing blocks. The Raiders recentlyParker brings a blend of versatility and pass-rushing nuance. He is at his best as an edge rusher, but he has also shown the capacity to kick down to a 4i alignment and even drop into coverage. His production speaks for itself -- he forced a Clemson-record six fumbles and had 11 sacks in 2024, and his 12.5 tackles for loss in 2023 were a school record for a true freshman. The Patriots, meanwhile, were last in the NFLin sacks in 2024 and must keep addressing their pass rush. New coach Mike Vrabel will want to be tough on both sides of the line.will be playing in 2026, but the Rams can add his heir apparent at the draft either way. Leavitt is an innovator, showing exceptional poise, moxie and creativity under duress. The redshirt sophomore is a talented thrower and very strong runner. He had at least three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions in five of his final seven matchups last season, and he finished with 443 rushing yards on the year. L.A. can start thinking about the future under center with this top-10 pick via Atlanta. One thing we know about Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald is that he likes versatile defensive players. Hill fits that mold. He brings an immense skill set as a standup inside linebacker, but he also has an eye-opening 13 sacks in two seasons at Texas, including eight in 2024. He shows sideline-to-sideline range that led to 113 tackles and four forced fumbles in 2024, too.for the 2025 season, which underscores the team's big need for a true QB of the future. The ship seems to have already sailed on. Allar has ideal 6-foot-5, 235-pound size, good mobility and a rocket arm. I also see moments of creativity on the tape. The tools and upside have evaluators intrigued, but they also want to see more consistency and urgency in the pocket in 2025. If he puts it all together, Allar would be a great get for the Colts in this range. We got a new QB for the Browns at No. 1 in this mock draft. Now, they have to improve the protection with their other pick, courtesy of the Jaguars via the. Insert Barber, who has excellent length and extensive experience as both a right and left tackle. Barber can really bend and pass protect, something he'll do at a high-stakes level this season in manning the blind side for 2027 QB prospect. He allowed three sacks last season over 13 starts. The Browns need to get younger along the offensive line; they allowed 66 sacks last season, second most in the league. The Cowboys enter the 2025 season looking to right some of the wrongs from their forgettable 2024. One big area of concern is the interior defensive line. Their porous run D cannot continue if they want to keep contending in the NFC. Banks could help fix it. He has outstanding size at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, but he also displays the quickness and power to be a disruptive interior rusher. He began his career at Louisville, but his best college season came in 2024, when he had 4.5 sacks for the Gators -- including 2.5 in his dominant game Throughout the predraft process this year, I often linked offensive tackles to the Cardinals. That need will likely only grow next year, given that veteran right tackleis going to be a free agent in March. Mauigoa has played right tackle in each of his first two college seasons, boasting great 6-foot-6 size, nimble feet and immense power that all project well to the NFL level. He made life easier onthis spring. So it's easy to match Miami to the CB class. Terrell -- the younger brother of Falcons standout. -- has fantastic ball skills and a contagious confidence . During his breakout 2024 season, the younger Terrell intercepted a pair of passes, broke up 12 more and forced three fumbles. When opposing quarterbacks targeted Terrell in 2024, he allowed just 26 of 60 attempts to be completed and surrendered only two completions for at least 20 yards. This would be the second time in three years we saw six quarterbacks in the top half of Round 1. But hey, there are a lot of QB-needy teams picking early, and there are a lot of really good QB prospects potentially available. AndNussmeier -- the son of Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier -- is like a point guard on the field, playing with elite processing skills and very good accuracy. He lacks dynamic athleticism and has just solid arm strength, but he is still able to deliver the ball on time and to spots where his receivers can create after the catch.Nussmeier -- who is dealing with. He has an impressive ability to process and play under duress, and I saw some "wow" throws on tape. If not for an ACL tear suffered in January, McCoy would be much higher. He has returned to the practice field in some capacity, but it's unclear when he will be cleared to play in games. He is a terrific perimeter cover corner, though, with ideal speed, length and ball disruption skills for the NFL. McCoy had an incredible debut season at Tennessee in 2024 after spending one year at Oregon State, picking off four passes and breaking up eight more. The Bears need more perimeter corners opposite Saka is one of those players who immediately widens your eyes when you watch his tape. His incredible explosiveness puts pass protectors on their heels. Saka's numbers are just OK through two seasons , but he draws a lot of attention from opponents and is still a bit raw as a prospect. The starter kit of desirable traits is there.Uiagalelei is hard to miss on tape, thanks to a massive 6-foot-5, 272-pound frame. He aligns from a variety of spots along the defensive front and causes havoc from all of them, with 10.5 sacks in 2024. He wins with power and relentlessness. The Packers have poured resources into their pass rush and finished last season with 45 sacks , but they did not have an impactful enough group in critical moments and could use more help.could lift the whole offense. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Tyson is extremely comfortable with the ball in his hands and has very good instincts after the catch. He had five games with over 100 receiving yards in 2024 and joins Leavitt to form one of the best QB-WR duos in college football this season.signed only through 2026, the Texans could use some reinforcements at running back. Next year's class at the position isn't particularly strong, especially in comparison to 2025, but Love is the exception. He has dynamic movement skills -- including unique speed, acceleration and burst -- to go along with real pass-catching ability. He rushed for 6.9 yards per carry last season en route to 1,115 yards and scored a total of 19 touchdowns . One of the NFL's best recent pass-rush pipelines has been through Penn State. Dennis-Sutton has a chance to be the third straight first-round Nittany Lions pass rusher . He stepped up in 2024 with 8.5 sacks and showed stout run defense to complement his pass-rush production. This season, he'll face a new challenge, with teams not paying prominent attention to the now-departed Carter opposite him. The Bucs' pass rush will be a group in focus for this upcoming season, considering they didn't have any full-timeedge rushers with more than five sacks last season. Bowry played left tackle in 2024 and will be there again this season, but he has played both tackle spots, and some scouts have even projected him as an NFL guard. With San Francisco, Bowry could play anywhere on the O-line and be groomed as' heir apparent at LT. The 49ers need offensive linemen with above-average foot speed to play in their zone scheme, and Bowry's footwork really pops on tape. He shows an impressive ability to get lateral and handle rushers who try to cross his face to work inside.is worthwhile. After all, Cincinnati had the league's worst pass block win rate last season. Proctor is massive at 6-foot-7 and 366 pounds, and he spent the past two seasons holding down the left side of the Alabama offensive line. Proctor's power, length and physicality are all impossible to miss on tape, but his overall athletic ability could determine how high he goes in the draft. Can he consistently handle explosive edge rushers? Does he have the reactive skills to mirror players who are trying to bend the edge around him? If he can show that at a high level this season, Proctor will be a first-round lock -- and perhaps go much higher than this.needs playmakers around him. Bernard led Alabama in catches last season, but it still feels like a bigger breakout year is due; this could be a productive season for the 6-foot-1 speedster. He had a reception of at least 20 yards in 10 separate games last season en route to794 receiving yards. One of my favorite players to study in the early part of the 2026 draft process is Rivers, a versatile corner with excellent ball skills. At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, he has aligned both on the perimeter and in the slot, showcasing sticky coverage skills, good instincts and even some blitzing ability. He earned second-team All-ACC honors in 2024 by picking off three passes and allowing just 13 catches all season.both had strong rookie seasons in Los Angeles in 2024, but corner is still a longer-range need for the stout Chargers defense. Rivers could thrive there. I went into the 2025 draft thinking cornerback was a key area of need for the Rams, but they didn't take anyone at the position across six picks. I still think some reinforcements there would be helpful; both expected starters on the outside are in their 30s. Everette's excellent length and instincts around the football would boost the unit. He enters his third season as a starter for Georgia with four career picks. And although Everette does not have elite short-area quickness, his 6-foot-1 size and great defensive IQ make him a high-end coverage player.is signed through 2026. Corner is likely a 2026 offseason focus in Baltimore. Harris is entering his second season with Penn State after beginning his career at Georgia, and he plays with an infectious energy, opportunistic ball skills and a willingness to enter the fray as a run defender. Opposing quarterbacks did not test him much in 2024, but he still came away with a pick and five pass breakups. Detroit could probably go a few different directions here, but addressing the defense makes a lot of sense. The Lions took a linebacker in the first round in 2023 with very good movement skills and the lateral agility to stick with edge rushers. Yes, the Eagles don't have many pressing needs at the moment. But they have always been ahead of the curve on offensive line investments, and this would give them a promising player in the pipeline to develop behind 35-year-old The fact that ESPN's FPI has the Bills picking No. 32 underscores what we know: This roster is loaded. One question mark is at WR, though. The Bills lack a clear alpha wideout despite a capable group overall. (
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