April 23, 2026

Jimmy Kempski's full first-round 2026 NFL mock draft

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

Kirby Lee/Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is tonight, in case you live under a rock.

Over the last four months, we have published five "Eagles-only" seven-round mock drafts (our last one yesterday). For the first (and final) time, here is our one and only full first-round NFL mock draft.

1) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana: This is like getting the free center square of a Bingo card.

2) New York Jets: Arvell Reese, EDGE/LB, Ohio State: The Jets have the No. 2 pick in a one-quarterback draft, because of course that's how it worked out for them. The two prospects in play here are Reese, an elite athlete who played a variety of roles in Ohio State's defense; and Texas Tech's David Bailey, a gifted athlete in his own right who led the FBS with 14.5 sacks in 2025. Bailey is considered the more pro-ready prospect, while Reese is widely regarded as having the higher ceiling, with positional versatility. With no quarterback and no real chance of contending in 2026, this Jets team taking a more "pro-ready" prospect doesn't have as much value. They may as well shoot their shot on the player who could have a greater impact over the long haul. And really, it's not as if Reese can't be a good player immediately anyway.

3) Arizona Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami: The Cardinals are very clearly trying to trade out of this spot, but I don't know that they'll find any serious bidders. If they stick and pick, they desperately need more edge rush help, but ultimately it feels more likely they will address their gaping hole at RT with their first pick, because the available tackles on Day 2 aren't as appealing, whereas there's decent depth on the edge in this draft class. There has been recent talk that the Cards could select Jeremiyah Love with the first pick. Which, I mean, come on. They don't have a quarterback and their roster absolutely sucks otherwise. What's a running back going to do for them? Then again, this is a very dumb organization, so... 🤷‍♂️.

4) Tennessee Titans: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech: The prevailing thought is that the Titans will draft an offensive player who can help second-year quarterback Cam Ward. And certainly, that makes sense. But it wasn't just their offense that sucked in 2025. Their defense was every bit as bad, and they have absolutely nothing on the edge. Bailey gives them a dynamic edge rusher to build around.

5) New York Giants: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame: For a full season of offseason Hard Knocks, Joe Schoen insisted that running backs weren't worth premium capital, and the Giants allowed Saquon Barkley to leave for nothing in free agency. So, there's reasonable doubt that the Giants would select a running back with a top 5 pick. However, Schoen probably isn't in charge anymore, and John Harbaugh will likely have final say over who they pick. Harbaugh is going to want a strong rushing attack to be the foundation of his offense, and Love has a chance to immediately be one of the best backs in the NFL.

6) Dallas Cowboys (TRADE with Browns — Cowboys give up 12 and 20): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State: There's a lot of buzz that the Cowboys have heavy interest in Styles, and he isn't making it to pick 12, so they move up with the Browns, parting with picks 12 and 20. Styles is one of the most impressive height-weight-speed prospects ever. The Cowboys had an atrocious defense in 2025, and desperately need help on that side of the ball.

7) Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State: The Commanders are a little unpredictable because GM Adam Peters makes weird choices. Their defense was bad in 2024 and atrocious in 2025. They need way more help on that side of the ball than they do on offense, but I could absolutely see Peters reaching at 7 for Tate, who wasn't even the best receiver on his own college team.

8) New Orleans Saints: Reuben Bain, EDGE, Miami: The Saints have needs all over the place, so they could go in any number of directions. Their pass rush must improve across the board and Bain gives them inside-outside versatility.

9) Kansas City Chiefs: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State: Downs is probably a top 5 prospect in this draft , but safeties always fall. The Chiefs end Downs' slide, and he lands in a perfect spot in Steve Spagnuolo's defense.

10) New York Giants (from Bengals): Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State: Ioane is the best offensive line prospect in this draft. He's just a little devalued because he plays guard instead of tackle. He would be a plug-and-play starter at RG in the Giants' offense.

11) Miami Dolphins: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU: Good Lord, look at the Dolphins' cornerbacks (or lack thereof). They get their pick of the litter, and choose Delane, the most well-rounded corner in this draft.

12) Cleveland Browns (TRADE with Cowboys): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah: Cleveland will have a completely rebuilt offensive line in 2026, and Fano offers athleticism and versatility. He can fill in wherever he is needed.

13) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana: Is 13 way too high for Cooper? Yep! But, he just fits the Rams' offense, and obviously they feel like they need more help at receiver after nearly trading for A.J. Brown.

14) Baltimore Ravens: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon: The Ravens lost Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in free agency, and they could use a TE1 to eventually replace the aging Mark Andrews.

15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn: Todd Bowles wants to stop the run first and foremost, and Faulk is a 6'6, 276-pound edge defender who plays the run and has upside as pass rusher.

16) Philadelphia Eagles (TRADE with Jets — Eagles give up third-and fourth-round picks in 2027): Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia: The Eagles find a successor for Lane Johnson in Freeling, the player in this draft who is most like him. Freeling is inexperienced (17 career starts in college), but with the Eagles he'd be given time to develop behind the scenes while learning from one of the best offensive tackles in NFL history in Lane Johnson.

17) Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson: Miller started 54 games at Clemson, and reportedly missed one practice over his entire college career. His toughness feels like a Dan Campbell trait, and I can see the Lions favoring his durability after watching Frank Ragnow retire and Taylor Decker requesting his release in consecutive years. He can start immediately at RT with Penei Sewell flipping to LT. Personally, I think it'd be nuts for Miller to go this high, but the Lions often go against consensus.

18) Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon: Thieneman is a highly versatile safety who can play centerfield, in the slot, or in the box. Perfect safety for a Brian Flores defense.

19) Carolina Panthers: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State: The Panthers' offense looked functional in 2025, and even exciting at times, as Tetairoa McMillan sparked the passing game as a rookie. The Panthers have needs across the board on defense, but it would also make sense to keep giving Bryce Young more dangerous weapons.

20) Cleveland Browns (TRADE with Cowboys): Makai Lemon, WR, USC: I remember when slot receivers were rarely projected this high, but in this draft this is probably low for Lemon compared with other mock drafts. Lemon makes sense as a high volume receiver who can be a safety net for Shedeur Sanders (or whoever the Browns' quarterback will be).

21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama: The Steelers declined to exercise the fifth-year option for current starting LT Broderick Jones, who underwent spinal fusion surgery at the end of the 2025 season. They probably need a new LT.

22) Los Angeles Chargers: Chase Bisontis, OG, Texas A&M: The Chargers will get Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt back from injury this offseason, and I imagine they'll also want to upgrade a weak interior O-line. Bisontis is mostly thought of as a Round 2 guy, but I think he sneaks into Round 1 because so many teams are in desperate need of help along their offensive lines.

23) New York Jets (TRADE with Eagles): KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M: The Jets have Garrett Wilson at WR, and then nothing. They would be wise to address that spot ahead of 2027, when they are likely to draft a quarterback.

24) Arizona Cardinals (TRADE with Browns — Cardinals give up 34 and 65, get back 107 from Browns): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama: The Giants traded up into Round 1 last year and selected Jaxson Dart. The Cardinals feel like a good bet to trade up into Round 1 for Simpson. The Cardinals' quarterbacks presently are PhillyVoice comment section hero Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew. Tough to go into a season with no hope whatsoever.

25) Chicago Bears: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson: Parker is one of the more underrated prospects in this draft, in my opinion, overly punished for a down 2025 season after collecting 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles as a true sophomore in 2024. He's a talented pass rusher and stout against the run.

26) Buffalo Bills: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M: The Bills are a tough team to project, because honestly, their roster is short on impact players. It just gets propped up every year by their elite quarterback. Howell is a just a really good player who played an EDGE/LB hybrid role well in 2024, before moving to the EDGE full-time in 2025. He would give the Bills more juice on the edge.

27) San Francisco 49ers: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami: Trivia: Who led the 49ers in sacks in 2025? (Jeopardy music playing.) It was Clelin Ferrell and Bryce Huff, with 4 each. The Niners will be getting Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams back from injury, but their injuries in 2025 exposed a lack of depth. Mesidor is an older prospect, but he is a good player who can rush the passer from the edge or from the interior.

28) Houston Texans: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State: The Texans signed Braden Smith to a two-year deal in free agency to play RT. He makes sense as a placeholder for a raw-but-talented player like Iheanachor, who could use a year or two of developing behind the scenes before he's trusted to start.

29) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee: The Chiefs acquired this pick in their trade of Trent McDuffie to the Rams. They use it to replace McDuffie with Hood, the nephew of former NFL CB Rod Hood, who played for Andy Reid in the aughts.

30) Miami Dolphins (from Broncos): Denzel Boston, WR, Washington: The Dolphins released Tyreek Hill this offseason and traded Jaylen Waddle. So, you know, they need to completely rebuild at receiver.

31) New England Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah: The Patriots couldn't protect Drake Maye throughout the playoffs. They'll give him help at receiver by trading for A.J. Brown, and help along the O-line during the draft.

32) Seattle Seahawks: Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF: The Seahawks have to replace Boye Mafe, and Lawrence, an athletic beast, just kind of feels like a Seahawk to me.