NBC Sports' Eric Froton (@CFFroton) is back with his second NFL Mock Draft for 2026. As was the case in his initial Mock Draft of the year, he has Fernando Mendoza going first overall to the Raiders. However, Froton’s Mock takes a sharp turn shortly thereafter.
Enjoy and debate Eric Froton’s 2026 NFL Mock Draft 2.0.
1 - Las Vegas Raiders — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Fernando Mendoza (6’5/225) put together a Heisman-winning campaign, completing 72.3% of his passes for 3,349 yards with a 41–6 TD-INT ratio while posting an elite 9.5 yards per attempt and an 89.5 Total QBR. He was especially lethal when kept clean, completing 78.1% of his throws for 9.9 yards per attempt with a 92.7 offensive grade, though his efficiency understandably dipped under pressure where his completion rate fell to 51.3%. Conceptually, Mendoza thrived inside structure, producing 31 touchdowns and a 10.3 YPA on non-play-action throws. Mendoza will almost assuredly be the 1st player taken in the 2026 NFL Draft and is a better prospect than 2025 #1 overall pick, QB Cam Ward in my opinion.
2 - New York Jets — Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
Arvell Reese (6’4/243) produced 31 total pressures with 8 sacks, 6 hits, and 13 hurries on the year (72.1 pass rush grade), while maintaining disruptive consistency on money downs and registering 34 defensive stops, reinforcing his value as a run-and-chase finisher. In space, PFF charted him with an 85.6 tackle grade and just a 6.0% missed tackle rate, a high-quality figure for a hybrid SAM/edge role that regularly forces pursuit angles and open field tackling. Reese’s athletic profile, run fits and play strength make him a highly translatable multi-level defender for NFL Draft purposes.
3 - Arizona Cardinals — Francis Mauigoa, T, Miami (FL)
Francis Mauigoa (6’6/315) authored a highly efficient 2025 campaign where he was rarely stressed in protection, surrendering just 1 sack, 3 hits, and 5 penalties on 196 true pass sets, translating to an elite 1% pressure rate and 1.1% pressure-to-snap ratio. Miami’s 1.3% overall pressure rate allowed as a unit ranked 1st in FBS, with Mauigoa giving up only 14 total pressures allowed. Viewed through a draft lens, he combines prototypical OT traits—mass, anchor, stability, technique—with an unassailable production résumé that will make him one of the first offensive linemen off the board in 2026.
4 - Tennessee Titans — Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Carnell Tate (6’3/195) emerged in 2025 as one of college football’s cleanest and most consistent perimeter separators, turning 67 targets into 51 receptions for 875 yards (17.2 YPR) and 9 touchdowns with a 76.1% catch rate. He was particularly lethal downfield, converting 11 deep receptions into 6 touchdowns, all while posting a pristine 0% drop rate. Tate’s ability to consistently create explosive gains was reflected in his 85.7% contested-catch rate, a 39% EPA/target explosive rate to go with a 3.03 yards per route average. With polished ball skills, pro-ready route pacing, downfield economy, and no glaring usage red flags, Tate projects as a high-floor, high-efficiency NFL X/Z hybrid who can step into a starting role early.
5 - New York Giants — Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Caleb Downs (6’0/205) enters the 2026 NFL Draft cycle with one of the cleanest and most reliable defensive résumés in the class, pairing elite coverage metrics with high-level run support and professional tackling technique. He allowed just 9 completions on 20 targets (45.0%) for 72 yards with 0 TDs allowed, 2 INT, and a staggering 7.0 passer rating allowed, making him one of the most efficient safeties in college football. His versatility is reflected in his 365 coverage snaps, where he aligned deep, rotated into the slot, and triggered downhill against the run, posting 6 run stops, 11 havoc plays and an 83.7 run defense grade. Downs’ value comes from certainty, as he’s a plug-and-play NFL starter with a Pro Bowl floor and one of the safest defensive evaluations in the 2026 pool.
6 - Cleveland Browns — Spencer Fano, T, Utah
Spencer Fano (6’6/308) emerged as Utah’s full-time starting right tackle in 2024 and 2025, logging 749 pass-blocking snaps in 2024 with an elite 1.1% pressure rate allowed, one sack attributed, and just a 1.0% blown block rate, reinforcing his reliability in true pass sets. His 2024 PFF pass-protection metrics backed that up with a strong 81.5 pass-block grade, while his run-blocking sat at a pristine 93.6 grade. In 2025, he recorded a clean season in protection with 382 pass snaps, 0 sacks or hits, just 5 total pressures, and a similarly elite 99.3 efficiency rating, signaling high-end consistency. Fano’s combination of durability, advanced run blocking prowess and low-event pass protection positions him as one of the most assignment-sound collegiate tackles entering the 2026 NFL Draft cycle.
7 - Washington Commanders — David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Unanimous All-American and Big-12 Defensive Player of the Year David Bailey (6’3/250) delivered a phenomenal campaign in 2025 while earning an elite 93.6 overall PFF grade for his standout play. He was consistently disruptive off the edge, piling up 81 total pressures that included 14.5 sacks, 23 hits, and 43 hurries, while also batting 2 passes at the line of scrimmage. His ability to create consistent pressure against multiple NFL-caliber tackles makes Bailey one of the most coveted 2026 NFL Draft edge defenders.
8 - New Orleans Saints — Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami (FL)
Rueben Bain Jr. (6’3/275) put together a complete, high-impact season as the centerpiece of Miami’s front, finishing with 46 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. His 21 havoc plays placed him as the most disruptive defender, pairing consistent backfield penetration with strong run integrity, as evidenced by his 79.3% run-tackle rate and eight credited run stops. As a pass rusher, Bain generated a staggering 80 total pressures, good for a sterling 13.1% pressure rate, while creating 10 sacks overall and forcing a fumble in the process. Bain averaged a blistering time-to-pressure of 2.71 seconds while posting an elite 92.4 pass-rush grade. Taken together, his profile reflects a rugged, every-down defensive end who combines power, effort, and finishing ability.
9 - Kansas City Chiefs — Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Jeremiyah Love (6’0/214) delivered back-to-back All-America caliber seasons, elevating from a breakout 2024 to a bona fide star turn in 2025 for Notre Dame. In 2024 he earned a superb 91.8 rushing grade with 1,124 yards, 5.96 YPC and a 46% success rate. His ability to generate yards after contact reached workhorse levels in 2025—4.50 YAC per attempt, 896 total YAC, 56 missed tackles forced, and 726 breakaway yards that accounted for 52.9% of his production. Love established himself as a trusted receiving option (280 yards in ’25, 229 in ’24) and held up well in ball security (just 1 fumble in three seasons), completing a two-year stretch of explosive runs that profiles Love as a high-end modern NFL feature runner worthy of a Top 10 selection.
10 - Cincinnati Bengals — Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
A three-time All-ACC performer at Virginia Tech, Mansoor Delane (6’0/190) put together a sensational 2025 season as LSU’s top cover corner, earning elite PFF marks with a 90.7 overall grade and 91.0 coverage grade to go with a 74.4 run-defense and 76.4 tackling grades. Over 339 coverage snaps he was targeted only about one in every ten snaps, giving up just 10 completions on 36 attempts for 119 yards with zero touchdowns allowed, while piling up 2 interceptions and 11 pass breakups, which held quarterbacks to a minuscule 3.9 QBR. He choked off big plays on the perimeter, allowing only a single completion of 20+ yards, just 3.3 yards per target and 0.35 yards per coverage snap rounds out his consensus All-American season, vaulting Delane into the top-end of the 1st round.
11 - Miami Dolphins — Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Makai Lemon (5’11/195) emerged as USC’s most reliable chain-moving target in 2025, posting a sterling 79-110-1,156-11 receiving line with a 71.8% catch rate and an elite 53.3% success rate, leading the roster in both yardage and touchdowns. A dominant 10.5 yards per target overall and 502 yards after the catch show real dynamism with the ball in his hands. His PFF profile was excellent across the board, grading at 90.8 offense / 91.4 receiving, with just a 0.9% drop rate, and a 92.0% route win rate, signaling translatable separation skills and truly clean hands that underwrites Lemon’s WR1 skillset.
12 - Dallas Cowboys — Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
A former safety prospect, Sonny Styles (6’5/243) thrived as an off-ball linebacker in 2025 and immediately became one of the most versatile centerpieces of the Buckeye defense, finishing with 71 tackles, 47 stops, and one forced fumble while earning an 88.5 PFF Defensive Grade across 316 snaps. His efficiency in space stood out, posting a 91.6 Tackling Grade with only 2 missed tackles (2.2%), and he added disruptive flashes as a rusher with 15 total pressures, 2 sacks, in addition to forcing 1 INT and 3 PBUs while holding opposing QBs to a 0 TD / 1 INT line and an 86.6 NFL passer rating. The full profile, elite tackling, strong run fits, low-volume yet effective pressure, and above-average coverage chops, solidified Styles as one of college football’s most well-rounded modern “moneybackers” and a tantalizing hybrid NFL projection.
13 - Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta) — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
Jermod McCoy (6’0/193) sustained a torn ACL in January 2025 which kept him out of action this year, but he turned in a polished and well-rounded 2024 campaign, earning an 89.6 PFF coverage grade that underscored his ability to stay connected, squeeze throwing windows, and finish at the catch point. Opposing quarterbacks targeted him 62 times, completing just 31 passes (50.0%) for 386 yards, as McCoy complemented ball skills with disruption, logging 4 interceptions and 6 PBUs. Overall, McCoy’s 2024 profile reads like a high-IQ, ball-productive cover corner with sticky man traits and suffocating tackling on the outside.
14 - Baltimore Ravens — Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Keldric Faulk (6’6/285) delivered a strong and versatile season off the edge for Auburn with 44 tackles, 6.5 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 11 run stops across 12 games. His run defense quietly stood out, with a 91.7% tackle efficiency and a 70.5% run tackle share, metrics that aligned with a commendable 85.5 PFF run defense grade, making him Auburn’s most reliable edge setter. As a pass rusher he was more of a steady compressor than a pure closer, generating 29 pressures on 294 rushes (9.9% pressure rate) with 27 first pressures and a 66.0 PFF pass-rush grade, but only finishing with two sacks. Overall, Faulk’s profile reads like a rugged early-down edge who carries a high run-defense valuation, but he also possesses raptor-like length and pass rushing upside at the next level if he can harness his natural physical gifts.
15 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
CashiusHowell (6’2/248) emerged as Texas A&M’s premier edge disruptor in 2025, posting well-rounded marks in run defense (73.6), tackling (79.6) and pass rush (90.3), the latter cementing his identity as a pressure-first finisher. Howell led the Aggies with 23 total havoc plays, including 16.5 TFLs and 11.5 sacks, and his 40 total pressures on 265 rushes (15.1% pressure rate) yielded 9 sacks created and 1 strip-sack. Even with his attacking playstyle he maintained sound technique, producing a 92.9% tackle rate, only 3 missed tackles, and 6 run stops, rounding out a full-service NFL edge defender profile.
16 - New York Jets (From Indianapolis) — Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Following a transfer from Colorado, Jordyn Tyson emerged as ASU’s high-volume perimeter target, commanding 100 targets despite playing just seven full games and turning them into 61 catches for 711 yards and 8 touchdowns while splitting reps between the outside (56%) and slot (39%). Tyson’s ball skills showed up with a strong 60.7% first-down rate per reception and minimal ball-security issues (1.0% drop rate, 0 fumbles), helping drive passing efficiency despite a modest 61% catch rate. From a role standpoint, Tyson projects as a timing-based Z/slot hybrid who thrives on intermediate breaks, digs, and posts, and efficient TD conversion (8 scores with 3 deep TDs). Entering the NFL, his profile is that of a reliable separator with translatable route pacing, ball skills, and formation flexibility.
17 - Detroit Lions — T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson
T.J. Parker (6’3/260) delivered back-to-back impact seasons off the edge for Clemson, posting 51 pressures in 2024 followed by 11.0 Havoc Plays, 11.0 TFL and 5.0 sacks in 2025 Across both seasons he generated high-volume disruption with 92 pressures combined, equating to elevated pressure rates of 14.1% in 2025 and 12.5% in 2024. His edge setting took a year-over-year hit, with Parker logging 22 run stops in 2025 vs. 35 in 2024. Even as Clemson reduced his snap load from 640 to 548, TJP’s pass-rushing acumen made him a centerpiece of the Clemson front, solidifying his profile as a durable, pressure-oriented Edge with matching run-defense capabilities.
18 - Minnesota Vikings — Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
Peter Woods (6’3/310) anchored Clemson’s interior defensive line recording 33 total tackles (13 solo), 5.0 havoc plays, 2.5 TFL, 2.0 sacks and 6 run stops, showcasing steady run-fit discipline despite modest splash-play volume. His pass-rush production was limited on the stat sheet as is evidenced by his 11 pressures, 3.2% pressure rate. Woods’ PFF pass-rush grade (65.5) reflects more pocket-influence than raw numbers, while his 74.2 PFF run-defense grade is a solid mark considering Woods was asked to line up over the ball much more often than in 2024. The result was a season that didn’t produce gaudy totals, but firmly established Woods as a rugged, assignment-sound interior with NFL projection upside tied to block-destruction, early-down reliability and scheme-context pass rushing.
19 - Carolina Panthers — Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State
Kayden McDonald (6’3/326) was a consistently disruptive interior anchor for Ohio State in 2025, posting 67 tackles (28 solo) with a dominant 95.5% tackle efficiency against the run and a strong 91.2 Run Defense grade from PFF. He piled up 13 Havoc Plays, including 9.5 TFL, 3 sacks, and 17 run stops, pairing stout gap control with backfield penetration to help stabilize OSU’s front. His 86.5 overall defensive grade rounded out a well-balanced profile that rewarded his play strength, leverage, and run-fit awareness more than splashy sack totals. In total, McDonald’s 2025 showed he’s a load in the middle and one of the Big Ten’s most efficient trench enforcers.
20 - Dallas Cowboys (From Green Bay) — Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
Avieon Terrell (5’11/180) logged 375 coverage snaps, holding opponents to 21 completions on 43 targets (48.8%) for 216 yards while flashing improved patience and route recognition on the perimeter. Despite allowing 3 touchdowns, Terrell countered with 9 pass breakups and an 18.6% forced incompletion rate, illustrating how often he played through the hands and stayed connected at the catch point. Terrell surrendered only 2 completions of 20+ yards and just 9.4 air yards per attempt against him, signaling that offenses rarely succeeded pushing the ball downfield. When combined with his smooth movement profile and improved zone transitions, the 2025 campaign positioned Terrell to be one of the first corners taken in 2026.
21 - Pittsburgh Steelers — Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Denzel Boston (6’4/209) emerged as Washington’s premier downfield playmaker in 2025, turning 96 targets into 62 receptions for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns while aligning both wide (52%) and in the slot (44%). His PFF profile reflected a legitimately well-rounded receiving season, earning an 88.0 offensive grade, 87.2 receiving grade, and 85.4 drop grade, supported by a strong 97.8% reception conversion rate on catchable passes. He consistently generated yards after the catch (305 YAC, 4.9 YAC/REC) in addition to averaging a healthy 2.44 yards per route run, helping drive a 58.2% success rate and 79% first-down conversion rate. Boston’s downfield reliability and multi-level grading profile cemented him as a true collegiate WR1 capable of dictating coverage and producing within any quadrant of the field.
22 - Los Angeles Chargers — Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
Olaivavega Iaone (6’4/328)quietly delivered one of the cleanest offensive line seasons in the Big Ten in 2025, allowing 0 sacks and only a 0.7% pressure rate on 294 pass-blocking snaps, pairing that with a 99.7% pass-block efficiency and an 87.1 PFF pass-block grade, all while drawing just one penalty. He logged 306 run-block snaps and earned a 78.6 PFF run-block grade, with a modest 1.6% blown-block rate on run plays that reflects good functional control rather than volatility or busts. Taken together, Iaone profiled as a high-floor interior operator whose snap-to-snap consistency, clean sheet in pass pro, and minimal penalty/negative-play footprint made him a stabilizing anchor for a run-oriented Penn State front
23 - Philadelphia Eagles — Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
I was able to evaluate Kenyon Sadiq in person twice, against UCLA in his 2024 breakout game, and then in the OT “White Out” game against Penn State and can confirm he is a physical specimen who should test quite well in combine drills. He’s a hyper-efficient YAC weapon, catching 25-of-27 passes (93%) for 307 yards with an 80.4 receiving grade in his 2024 breakout. That season showcased his calling card—balance, contact absorption, and violence after the catch, forcing 10 missed tackles and averaging a gaudy 10.1 YAC. Sadiq projects as an athletic, movement-based tight end whose NFL value hinges on leaning into his strengths as a screen, block-and-release, and underneath mismatch while he tightens up his ball tracking.
24 - Cleveland Browns (From Jacksonville) — KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies WR Kevin Concepcion was one of the most dynamic space players in college football with an impact 2025 season, catching 61 passes for 919 yards (15.1 YPC) and nine touchdowns while averaging 2.46 yards per route with 7.2 YAC per catch. Concepcion’s versatility has been evident since his true freshman breakout at NC State in 2023, when he piled up 845 receiving yards, 10 touchdowns, and an eye-opening 320 rushing yards on 41 designed touches (7.8 YPC), immediately showcasing his dual-threat value. With slot/outside flexibility (65% wide rate in 2025), strong man-coverage efficiency (2.83 Y/RR), and a history of prolific usage, Concepcion profiles as a modern NFL weapon who can stress defenses horizontally and vertically while adding value as a secondary rusher.
25 - Chicago Bears — Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
Caleb Banks (6’6/330) flashed disruptive upside along Florida’s interior in 2023–24 before a foot injury cut short his 2025 campaign. He took a clear step forward in 2024, playing 422 snaps and improving his overall defensive grade to 73.0, while his pass-rush grade climbed to 73.2 with 29 total pressures, 4 sacks, and 21 hurries, establishing him as one of the SEC’s more effective interior disruptors. Banks’ 2025 breakout bid was derailed after just 96 snaps, but his two-year trajectory beforehand painted the profile of a plus athlete with real interior penetration skills and a pass-rush ceiling that Florida coaches believed was just beginning to unlock. His eye-opening Senior Bowl showing helped to quell any injury concerns.
26 - Buffalo Bills — Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
Zion Young (6’5/262) recorded 58 total tackles with 18 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 23 havoc plays, while generating 31 run stops, forcing two fumbles and earning an 85.0 overall grade. His run involvement is notable for an edge defender with a strong 90.6% tackle efficiency, underscoring his ability to set the edge and finish in space. As a pass rusher, Young produced a 15.4% pressure rate, adding four sacks created and two strip sacks. Young’s profile suggests a balanced defender who can collapse the pocket without sacrificing run discipline, though continued development of counter moves and finishing consistency will be key at the next level. Overall, he projects as a versatile 4-3 defensive end with rotational utility early-on, and starter upside as his pass-rush toolbox expands.
27 - San Francisco 49ers — Caleb Lomu, T, Utah
Caleb Lomu (6’6/308) logged 792 snaps at LT while allowing zero sacks and a 1.7% pressure rate on 362 pass-blocking reps. He earned an 82.1 PFF pass-block grade and 62.0 PFF run-block grade in a scheme that leaned heavily on gap concepts (70% of run snaps) behind Lomu’s side. Even in true pass sets, Lomu remained sturdy with zero sacks allowed and a 98.9 pass-pro efficiency. Penalties (4) were a slight blemish, but overall Lomu’s 2025 film and metrics reflected a polished, assignment-sound blind-side protector whose stability elevated both the pass game and Utah’s gap-based run scheme.
28 - Houston Texans — Monroe Freeling, T, Georgia
Georgia OT Monroe Freeling enters the 2026 NFL Draft as one of the most experienced and efficient blindside protectors in the SEC, logging 881 reps at left tackle for UGA. As a pass protector, his 2025 pass-block grade jumped to 85.6 with only nine total pressures allowed, reflecting his competence in true pass sets. Freeling has been rising up draftboards as a plug-and-play left tackle prospect whose low-pressure rate and snap volume translate cleanly to the next level, though continued refinement in run-block consistency and play strength will determine whether he settles in as a long-term franchise starter.
29 - Los Angeles Rams — Kadyn Proctor, T, Alabama
Kadyn Proctor (6’7/366) anchored Alabama’s offensive line at left tackle in 2025, logging 901 snaps with 882 of them coming on the blindside and turning in his busiest collegiate season to date. He was notably sturdy in pass protection, allowing 21 pressures on 584 pass-block snaps with only 2 sacks attributed, translating to an 84.2 PFF pass-block grade and a solid 98.0 efficiency rating on traditional protections and 97.5 on true pass sets where Alabama asked him to win one-on-one. He was disciplined, committing just 2 penalties on the year and a modest 2.3% blown-block rate, helping to stabilize Alabama’s line. Despite some sluggishness with his footwork and kickstep, Proctor is rugged in the run game (0.6% blown run block rate) and possesses the gargantuan size to become a steady NFL OT.
30 - Denver Broncos — CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
CJ Allen (6’1/235) finished with 93 total tackles and an 89.4% tackle efficiency rate while generating 12 havoc plays, 7.0 TFLs, and 3.5 sacks while adding 8 run stops, showing three-down disruption rather than merely cleanup volume. His pass-rush profile was legitimately impactful from the ILB spot, recording 13 pressures on 80 rushes (16.3% pressure rate) with 3 sacks created and 12 first-pressure wins, underscoring how DC Glenn Schumann weaponized him as a delayed second-level rusher. Even with some minor coverage issues (55.6 cover grade), Allen was rugged between the hashes, highly efficient as a finisher, and a tone-setter for a Bulldogs defense.
31 - New England Patriots — Max Iheanacho, T, Arizona State
Born in Nigeria, Max Iheanachor didn’t start playing football until 2021 when he attended East Los Angeles Junior College. He enters the 2026 NFL Draft cycle with over 1,150 FBS pass-block snaps and steady year-over-year growth. In 2025, Iheanachor posted a 78.3 pass-block grade across 484 pass reps, allowing just 14 total pressures (0 sacks) with a 98.5 efficiency mark. His true pass set sample (346 snaps career) shows consistent control against NFL-caliber rush looks, with just two career sacks and a 95.8 efficiency metric in those isolated situations. Iheanachor showed-out at the Senior Bowl and has the traits to quickly slide into the lineup as a steady right tackle.
32 - Seattle Seahawks — Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
In 2025, Brandon Cisse (6’0/190) logged 269 coverage snaps and allowed just 18 receptions on 38 targets (47.4%), surrendering 361 yards with a 78.9 NFL passer rating against while flashing ball skills with one interception and seven pass breakups. His 2025 defensive grade (75.2 overall, 89.2 run defense grade) reflects a corner who can hold up in man coverage while bringing competitive run support, posting 26 tackles and 13 stops with a manageable 14.3% missed tackle rate. Cisse projects as a scheme-versatile outside corner with long-term starting upside, though continuing to refine transitional quickness and finishing consistency in space will determine whether he settles in as a CB2 or develops into a true CB1 at the next level.
Follow Froton (@CFFroton) as he attends the NFL Combine this week.