The Raiders make things officially official here, selecting the reigning Heisman Trophy winner. The former Hoosiers star is my top-ranked quarterback and brings a strong foundation of traits upon which Las Vegas can rebuild its offense. Mendoza is tall, with a good arm and excellent accuracy, and he has a knack for making big plays in big moments. I like his fit in the Raiders offense under Klint Kubiak, where his quick processing skills, smart decision-making, and precision ball placement will come in handy. Las Vegas also played this well from a broader team-building standpoint, signing Kirk Cousins as a bridge starter to give Mendoza plenty of time to really learn the offense before seeing action. 

The Jets grab my sixth-ranked player and third-ranked edge rusher here in Bailey, adding a souped-up chaos creator to their defensive front. Bailey is a high-motor defender with excellent first-step burst and closing speed. He gives New York a finisher on obvious passing downs, but he may need to bulk up a bit and play stronger at the point of attack at the next level to develop into a true three-down defender. I like Bailey, and I expect he’ll be productive for the Jets, but I have to dock New York just a bit here for passing on my top-ranked player in Arvell Reese, who might project as a less “safe” pick but in my opinion is the more talented and versatile option.  

The Cardinals thumb their nose at the idea of positional value here and grab one of the most purely talented players in the draft. On one hand, it’s easy to understand why GM Monti Ossenfort went with this pick: The former Notre Dame running back is my third-ranked player, a big-time runner who brings the skill set to create explosive plays for an offense that desperately needs them. You can easily talk yourself into the idea that Love will help whoever ends up playing quarterback for Arizona in 2026 and beyond. He’s also going to be fun to watch and create excitement. I do, however, remain dubious that the Cardinals will get the type of real return (in the form of wins) they’re hoping for by using a premium pick on a running back at this point of their roster rebuild, especially with my top-ranked player, edge rusher Arvell Reese, still on the board. Picture Jeremiyah Love (or any high-octane back) as a nitrous oxide booster: Putting one of those babies into an engine that’s built for racing could mean the difference between a win and a loss (like, say, Saquon Barkley on the Eagles). Dropping one into a minivan is going to make it more fun to drive and inarguably more cool, but all it’ll do is help you lose the actual race by a little bit less (like, say, Saquon on the Giants). 

This might be a best-case scenario for the Titans offense. Plenty of reports during the predraft process paired Tennessee with Jeremiyah Love, but with the Notre Dame running back off the board, Tennessee rolls with a big-time playmaking receiver instead in Tate. The former Ohio State star is exactly what Cam Ward needs to accelerate his development: Tate has natural hands, wins at the catch point, and can get deep to take the top off a defense. He can make this offense better from day one. Ward has to be doing backflips right now. 

The draft couldn’t have fallen any more perfectly for the Giants to this point, with a couple of surprise picks leading to an Arvell Reese mini-slide. New York lands my top-ranked player here in Reese, a hyperversatile playmaker who can make an impact from both the off-ball linebacker and edge rusher spots. The Giants will have to prove they can fully maximize Reese’s skill set—and that means figuring out how to split his time on the edge and off the ball—but with Brian Burns and Abdul Carter already on the roster, New York’s coaching staff won’t have to force Reese into doing only one thing. Reese brings some potential variance because of his tweener profile, but he has as much upside as any player in this draft. I absolutely love this pick for New York. 

The Chiefs give up third- and fifth-round picks to move up three spots to land their guy, grabbing my top-ranked cornerback in this class in Delane. This makes plenty of sense for Kansas City after the team traded away star corner Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson in free agency. Delane is a plug-and-play, day-one starter on the outside. Giving up two picks hurts Kansas City’s ability to quickly rebuild a roster that has more holes than you’d think, and with the Chiefs’ history of developing mid- and later-round prospects at the cornerback spot, I think I would’ve put offensive line or defensive line higher on the priority list with this pick. But overall, I like Delane for Kansas City. 

In a division where the Commanders have to face-off against dynamic quarterbacks in Jalen Hurts and Jaxson Dart, it will help to have a rangy linebacker like Styles to chase them down. This is a great pick for Washington, which lands one of the most athletic defenders the draft has ever seen. Styles is an instinctive linebacker with top-tier tackling skills, and he offers some untapped upside as a situational pass rusher as well. He can be the type of player the Commanders can build their defense round. 

I like the upside for the Saints with this pick, who get the twitchiest route runner in this draft. Tyson can break free from coverage and get open for his quarterback, giving Tyler Shough another much-needed target. It’s a pick that has a considerable amount of risk, though: Tyson suffered multiple season-ending injuries in his college career. I also think he still needs to learn to play through contact more down the field and avoid getting pushed off his route. Overall, though, Tyson has immense upside and the Saints needed another big playmaker to help Shough develop. 

Things fell really nicely for the Browns here, who not only picked up a pair of mid-round selections from the Chiefs to move back three spots, but still landed a much-needed addition to their offensive line. They get their guy in Fano, an easy-moving right tackle who plays with grit and determination. It’s not sexy, but the Browns played this right. 

This is a right-down-the-fairway pick for the Giants, who look to the trenches and nab a tough and physical lineman in Mauigoa. The former Hurricanes standout brings starting potential at both guard and tackle, and he should contribute right away. But there are some concerns about a herniated disc injury, which could lead to problems down the road. I had safety Caleb Downs ranked higher, and it could be argued that the defensive backfield was a higher priority for New York. But back-to-back trenches picks for the start of John Harbaugh’s tenure with the Giants—first Reese, now Mauigoa—just makes sense. 

This feels like a match made in heaven. Downs is a super-versatile defender who brings the potential to line up all over the secondary, where his instincts and ball skills really shine. He’s the type of player the Cowboys can build the back end of their defense around. It was a bit of an expensive one-pick trade-up, with Dallas giving up two fifth-round picks to get its guy. But Downs gives new defensive coordinator Christian Parker a player who can impact matchups and take the ball away on day one. 

I like that the Dolphins traded one spot back with the Cowboys and picked up a pair of fifth-round picks to continue restocking their shelves across the roster. And I see the logic in grabbing a road-grading offensive tackle like Proctor here, who brings a physical presence that this team desperately needs. I had a few offensive linemen ranked higher, including Penn State’s Vega Ioane and Georgia’s Monroe Freeling. And edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. would’ve been a great pick here. But Proctor is a big, big man and will help set the tone for this new Miami regime. 

In a vacuum, I really don’t get this pick. This feels like a massive reach for an undersized, lightly experienced quarterback who was injured (and played poorly) for half of his only season as a starter. And maybe more importantly, the Rams are in a position to compete for the Super Bowl right now, and this pick doesn’t give them a better chance to do that. But all that being said: Of all the potential landing spots for Simpson, this is, by light-years, the best he could’ve hoped for. He can sit behind Matthew Stafford for a year or two and learn from him and Sean McVay. I just think the Rams are paying way too much to find out what he can be down the line. 

This was one of the most commonly mocked pairings in the entire predraft process, and that’s because it just makes so much sense. The Ravens badly needed to bolster their interior offensive line, and that need became particularly acute when the division rival Bengals traded for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. Ioane is a tough, physical, and highly reliable blocker who will help stabilize pockets for Lamar Jackson and open up running lanes for Derrick Henry. Love this for Baltimore. 

The Buccaneers land my fifth-ranked player here, and they didn’t even have to move up to do it. Some thought that Bain could fall down the draft board a bit, primarily because of his short arms and a report that found that Bain was the driver in a 2024 car accident that resulted in the death of a passenger in his vehicle. As for his lack of arm length, it never seemed to show up in college, and I don’t think it will be a huge issue for him in the pros. He’s just too explosive and too powerful. He should be a big-impact player right away for a team that needed to bolster the ranks on the edge. 

The Jets throw a curveball here, bolstering an already strong tight end group with the highly athletic Sadiq. The former Oregon standout brings sky-high upside thanks to his rare athletic traits, so it’s easy to see the appeal. But from a value point of view, it’s a little bit puzzling, especially considering the Jets took Mason Taylor 42nd overall last year. That’s a lot of draft capital to invest in the tight end position, especially when both Taylor and Sadiq project more as “move” tight ends than true in-line Y types. I would’ve preferred to see the Jets take a receiver like Makai Lemon or KC Concepcion at this spot and then take a tight end later in the draft. 

This is a very Lionsy pick. Miller is a tough and super-durable offensive lineman with tons of experience blocking on the right side, so from a grit point of view, he should fit like a glove in Detroit. I do worry about his ability to deal with speed on the outside, and his balance is inconsistent in both the run game and pass game. He’s my 43rd-ranked player, so this feels like a bit of a reach at this spot. But Miller makes a ton of sense for a team that is reportedly planning on moving Penei Sewell to left tackle.

This could go down as one of the biggest gambles of the entire draft. When healthy, Banks has elite upside, bringing rare movement skills and incredible power at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds. But injury is a major, major concern here: Banks missed almost all of the 2025 season with a foot injury, then broke his foot at the NFL combine. The Vikings are clearly comfortable enough to roll the dice, but it feels like a massive risk, especially for a player of Banks’s size. 

Tackle was an underrated need for the Panthers coming into this draft. Right tackle Taylor Moton is 31, and Ickey Ekwonu’s timeline to get back to the field is uncertain after he suffered a torn patellar tendon in the team’s playoff loss to the Rams. Freeling has to get stronger in the run game, but he’s an elite athlete with excellent movement skills in pass protection. He gives the team a potential long-term starter at left tackle. 

The Eagles make a small move up the board here, giving two fourth-round picks this year to the Cowboys (while getting a seventh-rounder next year) to move up three spots and grab a playmaking receiver in Lemon. For starters, this all but confirms that A.J. Brown’s days in Philadelphia are numbered. But past that, it’s a sign that Philly wants its offense to evolve. Lemon is best from the slot and does the most damage over the middle of the field, where his toughness and physicality help him thrive both at the catch point and as a runner after the catch. That’s the area of the field that Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have struggled to attack over the past few years. Lemon could be a big boost—if Hurts can feed him the ball. 

You could have made the argument that outside of the quarterback position, offensive tackle was the biggest need for the Steelers heading into this draft. With that in mind, I really like the selection of Iheanachor, a nimble-footed right tackle who is relatively new to football but possesses Pro Bowl upside. With Broderick Jones’s health in question, Iheanachor can drop in at right tackle and push Troy Fautanu over to the blind side. That gives Aaron Rodgers (or whoever ends up under center for Pittsburgh) the best chance for success in 2026. 

Mesidor plays with reckless abandon, in the best way possible. I like him for the Chargers, who are in their championship window during Justin Herbert’s prime, because he provides an immediate impact to the team’s pass rush group. But because of Mesidor’s age—he’s already 25—there are legit questions about his overall value as a first-round pick. He’ll be 30 by the time he’s up for his second contract, which basically means that L.A. has to be comfortable getting the most out of him on one contract, and not much more. 

The Cowboys double up on defense in the first round, as expected, complementing safety Caleb Downs with a fearsome pass rusher. Lawrence is a souped-up athlete with explosive burst off the line and an array of pass rush moves at his disposal. His lack of strength in the run game means he’ll likely be utilized as a situational rusher early in his career, but he can bring heat off the edge. This is a bit of a reach on my board (Lawrence was my 41st overall player), but Lawrence should contribute right away in the pass rush rotation. 

I like this pick for the Browns, who pick up a three-level playmaker in Concepcion. The former Aggies star is electric with the ball in his hands. He complements Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman really well and gives the offense a much-needed boost in the pass game. He can make life easier on whoever ends up under center for Cleveland in 2026 and beyond. 

I love this pick for the Bears, who get excellent value in Theineman, my 15th-ranked player. The former Ducks star fills a need for Chicago, which lost Jaquan Brisker in free agency (funnily enough, Brisker is my comp for Thieneman), and he gives defensive coordinator Dennis Allen a versatile playmaker who can line up deep, cover over the slot, and blitz off the edge. Thieneman shows instincts both in coverage and against the run, and he should contribute from day one. 

This is an identity pick for the Texans, who traded third- and fifth-round picks to the Bills (getting a third-rounder back) to move up two spots and grab Rutledge. The former Georgia Tech stalwart is a rough-and-tumble, battle-tested blocker who plays with incredible physicality and power. He primarily played at right guard in college but brings the skill set to play at all three interior line spots. This is a bit of a reach on my board (Rutledge was my 45th overall player), but I like that Houston is prioritizing the protection of C.J. Stroud with both a cleaner pocket and a better run game. 

I really like this pick for the Dolphins, who traded a third-rounder to the Niners (while getting a fourth-rounder back) to move up three spots and grab a defensive playmaker in Johnson. The former Aztecs star brings excellent instincts in coverage and can play in both press and off-coverage looks. In a division with Josh Allen and Drake Maye, adding some talent in the back end makes a lot of sense. 

The Patriots’ offensive line was exposed in the Super Bowl, so it’s not a big surprise that they looked to bolster that group here. The Pats sent the Bills a fourth-rounder (125th overall) to move up three spots and grab a high-upside offensive lineman in Lomu. This pick immediately raises the question of whether last year’s first-rounder, Will Campbell, will be making a move from the left tackle spot to guard. But at least for now, early indications are that Lomu, who played on the blind side in college, could get early reps on the right side. Wherever he ends up, Lomu might need to get stronger to sustain blocks better in the run game, but he’s a nimble-footed athlete who will help New England keep Drake Maye upright—and nothing is more important for this team. 

The Chiefs needed to get younger on the interior defensive line, and they did just that by grabbing Woods, who is an explosive, twitchy pass rusher. The former Tigers standout is a bit of a gamble: He saw his production drop in 2025, and his sack and pressure numbers really never matched his athletic traits. But this late in the round, Woods’s upside makes him well worth the cost. Playing next to Chris Jones, he should get plenty of opportunities to shoot gaps against single blocks. 

The Jets keep adding to their pass catching corps with this pick, sending a fifth-rounder (179th overall) to the Niners to move up three spots and take Cooper. The former Hoosiers star is a rugged, reliable receiver who possesses run-after-the-catch talent and operates best over the middle of the field. He brings the skill set to complement both Garrett Wilson and AD Mitchell. I’m not sure Cooper has the highest ceiling of the available receivers here, but he brings a high floor as a trustworthy option for quarterback Geno Smith. 

This is a worthwhile roll of the dice for the Titans, who moved up four spots to get back into the first round (swapping third-rounders with the Bills while moving back 64 spots from the fourth to the late fifth) to select a high-upside edge defender in Faulk. The Auburn standout offers excellent length and plays with power against the run, giving Tennessee a plug-and-play contributor on early downs. But he leaves you wanting more in the pass rush department, where the numbers never matched the traits. Ultimately, this is a fine pick if Faulk never develops that part of his game. But if he can, this selection will turn into an absolute slam dunk. 

I would guess the Seahawks desperately wanted to move out of this spot, accumulate more picks, and then take Price on day two. But with so much trade movement happening before Seattle’s pick, no trade partners materialized. In any case, this is a big reach on my board (where Price is ranked 56th), and as a college backup who has never carried the ball more than 15 times in a game (or more than 125 times in a season), he certainly does not profile as a first-round running back. He doesn’t bring much proven production in the passing game, either. He does offer big-play talent and should help the Seahawks create explosive plays on the ground, but it feels like the Seahawks painted themselves into a corner at the running back position and ended up dramatically overspending.