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The 2026 NFL Draft class is starting to take shape, and it appears loaded with explosive wide receivers who can be game changers, as well as quarterbacks with the upside to become franchise faces. As always, teams are looking for one, the other, or sometimes even both.
Check out my latest NFL mock draft, where I pair NFL teams with some of the best college talent to help improve their franchises.With the New Orleans Saints picking No. 1 overall, many would expect them to take a quarterback. But this season has shown that the Saints’ issues run far deeper than just that position, and they’re a long way from inserting a young quarterback and seeing immediate success. So, with the top pick, the Saints decide to build step by step, selecting Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr.The Tennessee Titans completed step one of their rebuild last year by drafting Cam Ward as the face of their franchise. This year, the theme should be about adding difference-makers, whether that’s on offense or defense. Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese has the opportunity to be a game-wrecker, exactly what the Titans need defensively.The New York Jets finally got out of the winless club, but they still lack a clear direction. In this spot, the Jets decide to draft a new face of the franchise: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza brings a cool, calm, and collected demeanor that seems ready for the bright lights of New York.The Miami Dolphins fired their GM this past week, which appears to be the first domino to fall in Miami. The Dolphins lack high-end talent at several key positions, especially in the trenches. Heading in a new direction with an emphasis on fixing that weakness, Miami selects interior defensive lineman Peter Woods.When the New York Giants are healthy, they have a promising young trio in Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, and Cam Skattebo. Defensively is where they need to improve. In this spot, the Giants draft safety Caleb Downs. Downs is, pound for pound, the best player in the draft and provides an immediate boost to a secondary that badly needs help.The conversation for the Cleveland Browns has centered around whether Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders is their franchise quarterback. To properly evaluate that question, they need to upgrade the receiver room to provide the young quarterbacks with a more well-rounded group of pass catchers. Jordyn Tyson is an alignment-versatile receiver with a knack for creating big-time plays and making difficult catches look routine.The Geno Smith and Pete Carroll 2.0 experiment has not been a successful combination, as Smith appears to be reverting to his old habits of turning the football over—something that has negatively impacted the team. Drafting Ty Simpson gives Pete Carroll a true reset and a young quarterback to groom, something he’s familiar with from his time developing Russell Wilson—a partnership that ultimately led to a Super Bowl win.The Kyler Murray era in Arizona should officially come to an end after the 2025 season. There comes a point where both sides must recognize they’re not getting better together, and it’s time to mutually part ways. It’s time for Arizona to give a new young quarterback a chance to be the face of the franchise, and that quarterback is Oregon’s Dante Moore.The offseason plan for the Cincinnati Bengals will be to protect Joe Burrow by any means necessary. While the Bengals could draft an offensive tackle to help keep Burrow upright, they can also support him by adding a game-changer at the running back position to take some of the weight off his shoulders. In this spot, Cincinnati drafts dynamic playmaker Jeremiyah Love.The Baltimore Ravens are in the midst of attempting to stage one of the biggest in-season turnarounds in NFL history and make the playoffs. Lamar Jackson is healthy, and the defense is starting to play better football, but they still lack a true go-to pass rusher. With this pick, the Ravens select one of the biggest risers this season, drafting edge rusher Cashius Howell to help solve their pass-rush issues for the future.The Los Angeles Rams' offensive line issues have been well documented over the past few years, and much of their success has come from Matthew Stafford’s ability to work around them. But the truth is, the Stafford era is coming to a close, and they can't expect a young quarterback to develop properly behind a weak line. In this spot, the Rams select offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, a versatile lineman who can play multiple positions and immediately upgrades the front line.The main concern for the Washington Commanders is keeping Jayden Daniels healthy. The offensive line has holes that need to be addressed, which is why the Commanders’ front office decides to draft Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano. Fano has the skill set to be an immediate plug-and-play player and will be a much-welcomed upgrade to this offensive line.This season looks like it could be another offensive disappointment for the Houston Texans. Part of the blame falls on the offensive line and their inability to protect the quarterback and establish a dominant running game. Kadyn Proctor can address both issues. Proctor is a punishing run blocker and a reliable pass protector.The Dallas Cowboys' offense is one of the best in the NFL, but their defense ranks among the worst. The Cowboys need help at all three levels of the defense. With two first-round picks, they have the opportunity to address multiple positions. With this selection, Dallas drafts LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane to fill a very important need.The Minnesota Vikings need an upgrade to the second level of their defense, and Sonny Styles can provide that boost. Styles offers three-level versatility and is an exceptional athlete at the linebacker position, with additional upside as a pass rusher.The Carolina Panthers are taking it one week at a time and, halfway through the season, sit above .500, highlighted by an upset win at Green Bay. The offense is making strides in the right direction with the step-by-step development of Bryce Young. After adding receivers in back-to-back drafts, the Panthers now address the cornerback position, selecting Clemson CB Avieon Terrell.Everyone knows the end is near for Travis Kelce. The problem is that Patrick Mahomes appears to have another decade left as a starting quarterback. Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs need to find a replacement for Kelce, and they attempt to do that with Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, a player with elite physical traits.Caleb Williams is at the stage of his career where he is starting to find what works best for him as a quarterback. One part of his game that will always be present is his ability to extend plays. With that in mind, the Bears should fully commit to this approach and continue improving the offensive line to give Williams as much time as possible to be creative and generate explosive plays down the field.The Cleveland Browns addressed the wide receiver position with their first pick in the first round, and now it’s time to focus on the defensive side of the ball. In this spot, the Browns decide to draft edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei. For a long time, Myles Garrett has been the lone contributor in terms of sack production, and it’s time for that to change. Uiagalelei should create a strong one-two punch for the Browns at the edge position.With Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers have a shot to be competitive in the AFC, especially come playoff time this season. But next year is uncertain, as they don’t have a plan at quarterback for 2026. That makes drafting a quarterback a priority, and in this spot, they go with LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier. Nussmeier has shown he can play football at a high level, and in a structured franchise like the Steelers—one that doesn't require the quarterback to carry the team entirely—he has a real chance at success.The Detroit Lions are one of the best teams in the NFL and have proven that over the past few seasons. What they’ve also shown is that they need more help defensively, especially opposite Aidan Hutchinson. In this spot, they finally address the edge rusher position, selecting Clemson edge rusher T.J. Parker to pair with Hutchinson.The theme for the San Francisco 49ers this season has been overcoming injuries. One of the key positions affected has been wide receiver. With this pick, the 49ers select USC WR Ja’Kobi Lane, a big-bodied playmaker who thrives in contested catch situations.The Los Angeles Chargers lost Joey Bosa this past offseason and need to fill a void opposite Khalil Mack. In this spot, they draft Alabama’s versatile edge rusher LT Overton. Overton is a powerful, physical edge rusher who plays to dominate offensive linemen.George Pickens is playing well with the Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott, which should warrant a big payday from an NFL team. In this scenario, the Cowboys allow Pickens to walk in an effort to save money and allocate resources elsewhere, especially on defense. With that in mind, they draft receiver Denzel Boston to help fill the void.The Seattle Seahawks are quietly one of the best teams in the NFL, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is making a case to be a top-five receiver in the league. At the moment, he is paired with veteran Cooper Kupp, but that doesn’t appear to be a long-term solution as Kupp ages. With this pick, the Seahawks select another Ohio State receiver, Carnell Tate.The Buffalo Bills’ supporting cast around Josh Allen is good, but not great. If they aren't going to go with a superstar at the receiver position, they need to continue adding talent to elevate the overall room. In this spot, the Bills draft Louisville WR Chris Bell. Bell is an explosive athlete with the ideal frame to be a true X receiver and provide Allen with another playmaker.With their first pick in the first round, they draft an offensive lineman to help protect the young quarterback who will succeed Matthew Stafford. But with this pick, they select the actual quarterback destined to replace Stafford. Darian Mensah has quietly become one of the best QBs in football and can make throws to all three levels of the field. A 21:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio shows just how well Mensah is playing. Being mentored by Stafford gives him the opportunity to form a great combination for the next decade in Los Angeles.This Denver Broncos team doesn't have many holes overall, but one area that could use improvement is the cornerback position opposite Patrick Surtain II. Jermod McCoy is a player who can excel in both man and zone coverage and is willing to participate in the run game—all traits that translate perfectly to a Vance Joseph-style defense.The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need to get younger and healthier on defense, especially at the linebacker position, and they choose to address it immediately. CJ Allen is a downhill thumper who plays with a physical temperament and also excels as a blitzer. With Todd Bowles as defensive coordinator, it’s hard to resist adding a player like Allen to bring both talent and youth to this defense.The New England Patriots are officially back, thanks in large part to an offense with a clear identity operating under Drake Maye. But the defense still needs reinforcements. With this pick, the Patriots improve the trenches by drafting versatile edge rusher Zion Young. Young can stop the run and provide consistent production as a pass rusher.Win or lose, it appears that A.J. Brown is not happy with his role in the Eagles’ offense. I believe this will be his last year in Philadelphia and he will eventually be traded. With him gone, the Eagles will have a hole in their receiver room that needs to be filled. With this pick, they select Notre Dame receiver Malachi Fields. Fields is a big-bodied, explosive playmaker capable of making game-changing plays.Laiatu Latu has had a quiet start to his career, leaving the Colts with the same issue they've faced over the past half-decade: a lack of pass rush. In the first round, they attempt to address this problem again by drafting Auburn edge rusher Keldrick Faulk. What did you think of the latest version of Keith Sanchez's 2026 NFL Mock Draft? Let us know what you think
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