2026 NFL Draft: Seven-round full mock draft picks for every team

Our "With the First Pick" podcast analysts built full seven-round mock drafts for every franchise — here are the projected picks, fits, and team-by-team takeaways
The 2026 NFL Draft is just about here, meaning we are nearing the end of "mock draft season." Everyone loves a good mock draft.

After all, this is one of the biggest events on the NFL calendar, where good teams turn into contenders.

Last year, we saw the Cleveland Browns score the Defensive Rookie of the Year with the second pick in the second round in linebacker Carson Schwesinger, while the Tennessee Titans found the player that would break the NFL rookie record for all-purpose yards in the fourth round with Chimere Dike.

Some surprises come in every round.

Our NFL Draft analysts on the "With the First Pick" podcast have been busy building out seven-round mock drafts for every NFL team, and we've collected them all in one place -- with our writers providing division-by-division breakdowns and analysis.

Let's take a look at what Ryan Wilson and the guys came up with.

NOTE: These mock drafts were all done separately, so some players have been selected multiple times.

Ran Carthon noted that the only thing he would question about taking Mauigoa is the value in trading down to some team that wants to leapfrog the Titans to land Jeremiyah Love.

Instead of pursuing a trade, Carthon said "let's not overthink it" and took Mauigoa over any of the potential pass rushers.

Carthon asked "are you kidding me" about Woods still being available at No.

34 and felt great about dropping him into the middle of the Arizona defense.

Carthon said that he's a bigger fan of Hill than he is of Josiah Trotter, reasoning that the Texas linebacker can do a little bit of everything.

Wilson and Carthon then said that there's a reality where Beck could actually play for the Cardinals eventually, with Carthon noting that he has the mental horsepower to handle Mike LaFleur's vision.

Later on Day 3, Carthon said Johnson would be a "lights out" fit in LaFleur's outside zone-based running scheme.

The Cards then landed a pair of pass catchers with their final two picks, acquiring some depth behind Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson and Trey McBride.

Carthon described Anderson as a slot guy who can win on choice routes, while Kanak could play some fullback and be used in the passing game as well.

The Falcons are not on the clock until the second round.

Ryan Wilson suggests that the Falcons need to "target a right tackle" given all the turnover Atlanta has recently had at that position.

If Atlanta follows his advice, Wilson thinks the Falcons should go after former Florida tackle Austin Barber, who has experience at both left and right tackle.

"He's a really good football player," Wilson said.

"He has a ton of experience.

He can play in any type of scheme because of his athleticism."
That being said, Josh Edwards has the Falcons taking former Alabama wideout Germie Bernard.

In addition to what he brings to the table as a pass-catcher, Edwards feels that Bernard can be an asset as a blocker for Falcons All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson.

"He is someone that I think is willing to do the dirty work." Edwards said of Bernard.

"He tested better than I think a lot of people expected at the NFL Combine.

[Atlanta] did not have a solid No.

2 next to Drake London.

...

I think that's the type of player that [Kevin] Stefanski wants to add to the offense."
JP Acosta said that Ioane is "one of the safest prospects in this class.

I think he's an ultra-reliable left guard.

I think he has the ability in a phone booth to put guys in the dirt.

I think he has the athleticism to be a guy that you use out in space on screens.

You want him as a puller.

But above anything else, he is just reliable with his hands.

He has such strong hands and such a strong punch, that he knocks guys back before they get started."
While they both love his fit in Baltimore, Ryan Wilson isn't sure if Ioane will still be available when the Ravens are on the board.

Either way, expect the Ravens to acquire several offensive lineman during the first two days of the draft.

An interesting name on the Ravens' mock draft is Kaytron Allen, who averaged an impressive 5.4 yards-per-carry at Penn State.

Allen could help take some of the load off of Derrick Henry, who enters his 11th season.

The Bills are first up at No.

26.

With needs all over the place, they start with safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

Wilson says he "loves that pick at 26," with the Bills getting a big, fast, ball-hawking safety who can play the run.

After some research on whether there is room for him, they determined there is absolutely space for another wide receiver and want Ted Hurst.

Wilson wouldn't pick a quarterback in the sixth for the Bills, claiming he won't see playing time and would find more value in someone who would, but gives Carthon the pick, who pleads his case.

Closing out the Bills' draft is linebacker Eric Gentry, taken in the seventh.

While Wilson acknowledged that the Panthers' secondary needs some reinforcements, he argued that Carolina might be better served by drafting former UCF pass rusher Malachi Phillips.

"You can never have enough pass rushers," Wilson said while alluding to Phillips, who had 19.5 sacks during his last three seasons at UCF.

Josh Edwards, however, has the Panthers using the 19th overall pick to select McNeil-Warren, the draft's top-ranked safety prospect.

A consensus All-American in 2025, McNeil-Warren checks multiple boxes as a physical safety who has a nose for the football.

He forced nine fumbles and returned one of his two picks for a score in 2025.

He was also second on the Rockets last season with 77 tackles.

McNeil-Warren's tackling prowess was on display against Toledo's toughest opponents.

He had 11 tackles and a forced and recovered fumble during Toledo's season-opener against Kentucky and 13 stops during a midseason game at Washington State.

Even though the Bears took a second-round edge rusher last year, they remain in search of help in creating pocket pressure.

They should have plenty of options even late in the first round.

With T.J.

Parker still on the board, he is the clear choice at pick No.

25.

The second round sees Chicago flip its attention to offense and select a pass-catcher for the third straight year.

Wilson sees Germie Bernard as an 800-yard receiver in his rookie year and is all-in on the Alabama wideout at this spot.

More defensive help is on the way with the second of the Bears' second-round picks as they take linebacker Jake Golday, whom the crew likes for his versatility.

Chicago adds depth to its center and tight end positions in the third and fourth rounds, respectively, in the form of Logan Jones and Justin Joly.

It is not until the final round that the Bears address their glaring need at safety.

Jalen Huskey is the selection at No.

239, and two picks later, Chicago closes its draft with a second edge rusher in Vincent Anthony Jr.

As you can see in our mock draft, expect the Bengals to use several high draft picks on the defensive side of the ball.

Thomas would provide Cincinnati with more depth at defensive line alongside fellow first-round picks Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.

Kyle Louis would help fill the voids left by the recent departures of Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt.

The best-case scenario for Cleveland would be Makai Lemon somehow still being on the board when they're on the clock with the No.

24 overall pick.

If that were to happen, the Browns would have a formidable duo at receiver with Lemon and Jerry Jeudy.

If Lemon isn't available, the Browns have plenty of promising receiving prospects from which to choose Day 2, including Concepcion and Sarratt, who both led their respective conferences in touchdown receptions in 2025.

More help at receiver will certainly be welcomed by both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson.

It appears likely that the Browns will spend their two first-round picks getting stronger in the trenches.

Proctor would be a key addition to an offensive line that yielded 51 sacks in 2025.

Bain would likely thrive while playing alongside reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

The Dallas Cowboys trade down from pick No.

12 to pick up the Los Angeles Chargers' 22nd overall pick, their second round pick at No.

55 overall and a third round pick in 2027.

With that deal, Wilson and Carthon opt to beef up Dallas' front seven, selecting Clemson edge rusher T.J.

Parker and Texas Tech All-American linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.

That gives the Cowboys the middle linebacker they desperately needed as well as much-needed help at edge rusher because outside of Pro Bowler Rashan Gary and 2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, they were pretty thin at that spot.

Then, they fill out their cornerback depth with the versatile Treydan Stukes out of Arizona, a player who lined up both outside and as a nickel at times for the Wildcats.

Stukes' stock exploded after a monster combine performance.

Arizona SCB/SS Treydan Stukes went crazy: 4.33 forty (99th percentile) 130" broad (90th percentile) 38" vert (80th percentile) 101st on the consensus board.

Stock up.

— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) February 27, 2026
Dallas then completes their secondary by selecting a local product in TCU's Bud Clark in the third round.

Clark's 15 interceptions since 2022 led all of college football in that span.

Denver traded its way out of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, landing receiver Jaylen Waddle (and a fourth-round pick) from the Dolphins in exchange for the No.

30 overall pick, along with third and fourth round picks.

Beginning at No.

62 overall, they added to what was already one of the top defenses in the NFL last year with Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.

That was the lone pick for Denver on Day 2, so the majority of their work came in Day 3.

Out of the gate, there was a debate on what to do at No.

108 with the Broncos also holding No.

111.

Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson and Miami quarterback Carson Beck were the two players Wilson and Carthon discussed, wondering if Beck would fall to No.

111 if they opted for Lawson.

The risk of losing out on a prime backup to Bo Nix was too much, so they ultimately decided on taking Beck at 108th.

The gamble ultimately paid off as Lawson found his way to No.

111, and Wilson and Carthon were quick to draft him.

Everyone expects the Lions to take an offensive lineman in Round 1, and the guys have them tabbing Kadyn Proctor as an immediate starter.

Carthon, though, wonders how adding a left tackle might throw a wrench into the plan to move Penei Sewell from the right side to the left.

He also has questions about R Mason Thomas' size but nonetheless is on board with taking him in the second round as a complement to Aidan Hutchinson in the pass rush.

The Lions don't pick again until the fourth round, where they grab Tacario Davis for cornerback depth and Garrett Nussmeier as an insurance policy behind Jared Goff.

It's defensive players the rest of the way.

Albert Regis and Lorenzo Styles Jr.

go in the fifth round, linebackers Harold Perkins Jr.

and Red Murdock arrive in the sixth and Domani Jackson becomes Detroit's second cornerback selection in the seventh.

The guys are thrilled to reload the linebacker position this late in the draft.

Because of the Micah Parsons trade, the Packers will not be on the clock until Round 2.

That's where they grab Chris Johnson for versatile cornerback depth.

Keyron Crawford also joins the squad on Day 2 to give Green Bay some pass-rushing upside opposite Parsons.

The rest of the Packers' action comes on the final day of the draft.

It's all about giving Jordan Love help from this point forward.

From Rounds 4 through 7, Jack Endries comes off the board to become the team's third tight end, Ar'maj Reed-Adams bolsters the middle of the offensive line, Chase Roberts joins the receiving corps and Robert Henry Jr.

adds depth to the running back group.

The Houston Texans begin this hypothetical draft by reaching for the 6-foot-6, 327-pound Caleb Banks out of Florida.

He suffered a broken foot at the NFL combine, but he's a massive athlete that CBS Sports has compared to Dexter Lawrence.

At No.

38, Houston reinforces the trenches with one of the top offensive guards in the class in Chase Bisontis.

He played more than 1,950 snaps at both guard and center.

Later in the second round, C.J.

Stroud scores a big target in Chris Brazzell II out of Tennessee.

To wrap up day 2, the Texans grab Michigan pass rusher Derrick Moore, who racked up 10 sacks last season.

In the fourth round, the Texans select the "quarterback" of the Alabama defense in Deontae Lawson, who brings something to the table in coverage.

David Montgomery finds his running mate at No.

141 overall with Nicholas Singleton out of Penn State, and then the Texans wrap up the draft with two Notre Dame selections in tight end Eli Raridon and cornerback DeVonta Smith.

The Indianapolis Colts begin this draft with an instant-impact pass rusher in R Mason Thomas at No.

47 overall.

While he's a smaller player at 6-foot-2, 241 pounds, he racked up 22 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks over the past two seasons.

The Colts address the front seven again in the third round with linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.

out of Texas, who some believe could be a first-round pick.

In the fourth round, Indy finds a coverage specialist in Bud Clark from TCU.

He picked off 15 passes over the last four seasons.

The Colts finally turn their attention to offense in the fifth round, taking running back Le'Veon Moss out of Texas A&M.

He's one of those runners who looks for contact, and is a willing pass protector, as well.

The Jacksonville Jaguars hold a whopping 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, and James Gladstone will attack it as if the Super Bowl window is wide open.

At No.

56 overall, the Jaguars grab a versatile pass-catching option in Eli Stowers out of Vanderbilt.

He won the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end after leading all players at his position with 769 yards receiving.

In the third round, the Jags get a steal in linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.

from Texas, then take Auburn EDGE Keyron Crawford -- who registered the seventh-most pressures in the SEC last season with 43.

With their third selection in the third round, the Jaguars find a prospect CBS Sports has compared to Justin Simmons in safety Genesis Smith from Arizona.

In the fourth round, Jacksonville finds a high-IQ right tackle in Brian Parker II out of Duke, who stands at 6-foot-5, 309 pounds.

The Jaguars keep their focus on the offensive line entering the fifth round, and take interior lineman DJ Campbell out of Texas, then take a swing on the athletic, high-energy Zane Durant from Penn State.

The Jaguars drafted an interesting quarterback at No.

203 overall in the sixth round, selecting Cade Klubnik out of Clemson, before finishing up the draft with defensive lineman Nick Barrett out of South Carolina, Alabama running back Jam Miller and SMU's Jordan Hudson.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier kicked things off on Day 3 with the 109th pick in the fourth round.

Of course, there was little debate about what the Raiders would do with the No.

1 overall pick, with Wilson and Carthon falling in line with consensus, with Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

From there, that's when things got interesting.

With the No.

36 overall pick in the early window of Day 2, Carthon identified wide receiver or offensive tackle as the areas to address, and he and Wilson landed on Tennessee wideout Chris Brazzell II.

Carthon noted that he believes Brazzell has WR1 ability, calling him a "big, explosive playmaker." At No.

67 overall in the third, Wilson plucked Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge to help bolster the offensive line.

On Day 3, the guys had Las Vegas bringing aboard Texas corner Malik Muhammad, South Carolina corner Jalon Kilgore, and Alabama defensive lineman Tim Keenan III all within the fourth round.

Over their final four picks stretched between the fifth and seventh rounds, they added Arkansas corner Julian Neal, Virginia running back J'Mari Taylor, Penn State defensive lineman Zane Durant and USC linebacker Eric Gentry.

Wilson and Carthon hoped that Penn State interior offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane would be on the board for L.A.

when they were on the clock at No.

22 overall, but it did not come to fruition.

From there, they pivoted to the defensive side of the ball with Miami pass rusher Akheem Mesidor.

In the second, they revisited the need for an interior offensive lineman, taking Chase Bisontis with the No.

55 overall pick out of Texas A&M.

Wilson called Bisontis "a Day 1 starter." With their final pick on Day 2, they brought in Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis, who Wilson says is "the best coverage skills in this class at the linebacker position."
With just two picks on Day 3, the Chargers rounded out this draft with South Carolina corner Jalon Kilgore and John Carroll wideout Tyren Montgomery.

Amid Puka Nacua's personal issues and Davante Adams getting up there in age, Carthon felt it was an "easy layup" to take Lemon with the No.

13 overall pick, noting that you can move Lemon around the formation in the same way you can with Nacua.

Considering the secondary issues have been largely cleaned up in trades or free agency, Carthon considered linebacker next to Nate Landman a bigger need and went with Trotter ahead of someone like Keionte Scott, who is a pure nickel corner and wouldn't have an obvious role here.

The Rams then opted for a developmental quarterback behind Matthew Stafford in Round 3, going with Nussmeier instead of another secondary piece in Daylen Everette.

With Stafford's career in the later stages and Sean McVay around to work with him, Nussmeier could develop into a starter down the line.

Late on Day 3, Wilson noted that Gill-Howard feels like the type of juiced-up, undersized player that the Rams have had success with in the past.

For Round 7, Carthon noted that the process is about finding guys with traits that can develop and potentially make the roster and specifically contribute on special teams.

Wilson noted that Sorey "plays with his hair on fire" and compared him to Ernest Jones, who Carthon had on his team with the Titans.

Fa'Amoe is right tackle depth, and Faison would work behind Kyren Williams and Blake Corum.

This offseason, the Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle, giving them an additional first-round pick, bringing their grand total to 11.

The guys don't think they'll go for an offensive lineman with their first selection and instead predict it will be a corner or receiver.

Wide receiver Carnell Tate would be hard to pass up and given that they have another first-round pick, they can wait to take their corner.

With their pick from the Broncos, cornerback Colton Hood is selected as the team remains true to their needs.

Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez could be a steal in the second round, and in the third they they give Malik Willis another weapon at wide receiver.

Adding wide receiver Elijah Sarratt improves a group that could use some revamping.

They need help everywhere and Rayshaun Benny can play up and down the line of scrimmage with power, so he is their final third-round selection.

Wilson feels strongly that Benny should be the pick here.

Carthon stays true to his rankings and goes with tight end Jack Endries in the fourth, over Justin Joly, who can be argued as the more athletic of the two.

The two look at cornerbacks and safeties in the fifth and land on safety Bishop Fitzgerald, before splitting the last two picks.

Wilson makes the case for defensive lineman Nick Barrett and Carthon goes with quarterback Taylen Green.

Safety and defensive tackle are the Vikings' two biggest needs, and they fill the former in Round 1 with Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

The guys think the foot injury concerns with defensive line prospect Caleb Banks are enough reason to wait until later to fill that position.

Without hesitation, Carthon pushes to pick Chris Johnson in the second round, and he is bullish on taking an edge rusher in Round 3 in the form of Keyron Crawford.

Malachi Fields is the target with the second of two third-round selections.

The Vikings will be busy late on the third day of the draft, and they start their run of late-round picks with Kaytron Allen at No.

163 overall.

They finally find their defensive lineman in Round 6 with Deven Eastern, whom Wilson compares to Jarran Reed with his 6-foot-4, 320-pound frame and values as a potential Day 2 pick.

With back-to-back picks in the seventh round, the Vikings double up on interior offensive linemen with Ethan Onianwa and Fernando Carmona.

Rangy linebacker Eric Gentry is the last of three final-round picks.

The Patriots' first pick comes at No.

31, but will they even make a first-round pick?

Carthon isn't so sure, predicting that this selection will be used for New England to land Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown.

For the purpose of the exercise, they act as if the Patriots will pick here, and it's offensive tackle Blake Miller who is the best option regarding the team's needs.

They need to build around their quarterback, and it's no secret that the team's offensive line struggled, especially down the stretch.

The team also has a need at the edge rush position, and after some back-and-forth, it's Romello Height who comes off the board in the second round.

Wilson says tight Justin Joly "won't block for you but he'll catch." His physicality down the field makes him a solid fourth-round selection for the defending AFC Champions.

Linebacker Harold Perkins is versatile and the type of player the Patriots like, as a defender that can move and adapt, and goes to kick off the team's sixth round.

Ryan is higher on safety VJ Payne than most, putting him next, followed by "tackling machine" linebacker Red Murdock.

Both Ryan Wilson and Josh Edwards feel that the Saints should spend a high pick on a receiver to boost the development of new starting quarterback Tyler Shough.

Specifically, if Carnell Tate is still on the board when the Saints are on the clock, both Wilson and Edwards feel that he is the choice.

If the Saints wait until the second round, Bernard would be an ideal option.

During his last two years at Alabama, Bernard caught 114 passes and averaged an impressive 14.5 yards per catch.

He caught at least four passes in nine of Alabama's 14 games.

Outside of receiver, the Saints could use some help at pass rusher, which brings us to Bailey, who put up video game-like numbers during his lone season at Texas Tech.

In 2025, Bailey led the Big 12 with 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.

He had two sacks 14 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in the Red Raiders' two games in the College Football Playoffs.

*This mock was done before the Giants traded Dexter Lawrence.

We picked a player at No.

10 based on needs and other draft picks.

With the New York Giants reshaping their roster in new head coach John Harbaugh's image, they go with physicality from one of the draft's best overall prospects in Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, the 2025 Doak Walker Award winner.

Love led college football in rushing touchdowns (35) and touchdowns from scrimmage (40) across the last two seasons.

New York then gives Malik Nabers a legitimate running mate at wide receiver by drafting the explosive Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State.

He's the kind of playmaker with the ball in his hands who, if he can just make one guy miss after the catch, can take it to the house at any time.

The Giants then make sure to address Jaxson Dart's offensive line early in the second round with Chase Bisontis, who is arguably this draft's No.

2 true guard prospect.

After that, Harbaugh's defense continues to be tightened up.

The Jets filled a lot of needs in free agency, which makes their draft an interesting one.

They also have three first-round draft picks next year, so they don't have to force anything with this year's picks.

The guys say linebacker Arvell Reese, a versatile player, is the right pick to start with "all the way." Carthon sees it as the finishing touch on all of the defensive movement from NFL free agency.

For the next Jets pick, and for this draft in general, Ryan's advice is "don't overthink it."
Wide receiver is a need for the Jets, but they're not going to take one at No.

2, so taking Makai Lemon at No.

16 makes sense.

The team already has an elite receiver in Garrett Wilson, but overall, their wide receiver room still needs to prove themselves.

Lemon fits into the group and can be used in the slot position.

Jumping to the fourth round, they're surprised to see linebacker Deontae Lawson on the board, and they stay with their defense-heavy selections.

Still sticking with the defense, they select Julian Neal, a physical corner who the team could use, especially after losing Sauce Gardner.

To add to the depth of the offensive line, DJ Campbell goes in the fifth round, followed by "contested catch machine" Colbie Young in the seventh.

The last pick for the Jets also goes to a receiver, taking Vinny Anthony II, who is a reliable route runner, is a smart player and has return ability.

The Philadelphia Eagles begin their 2026 NFL Draft by replacing departed safety Reed Blankenship.

"Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, especially for them at safety right now, I think he'll be the perfect combo safety to pair with Andrew Mukuba," Carthon said.

"I think he can play strong [safety], I think he can play free [safety].

He's just versatile, and he takes the ball away.

...

Quinyon Mitchell has established himself as one of the better young corners [out of Toledo where McNeil-Warren is coming from]."
Carthon then also pushed for Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis to compete with Tyler Steen for a starting spot.

Regarding or disregarding the rumors surrounding A.J.

Brown's status as an Eagle, Philadelphia adds another wide receiver with a wide catch radius in Elijah Sarratt, someone who Wilson called a "back shoulder machine" for Fernando Mendoza in college.

A self-proclaimed Steelers fan, Wilson hopes to will the Steelers selection of Tyson "into existence." Despite the recent trade for Michael Pittman Jr., Wilson said that Pittsburgh may still take a receiver with the No.

24 overall pick, which would put the Steelers in position to have their best receiving trio in years.

While his talent isn't a question, previous injuries appear to be Tyson's biggest question mark leading up to the draft.

This mock also has the Steelers selecting a quarterback during Day 2 in former Miami Hurricane Carson Beck, who recently led Miami to the College Football Playoff National Championship.

While he wasn't the flashiest quarterback in college, Beck was nonetheless an accurate passer who routinely made key plays in critical moments.

In addition to quarterback and receiver, expect the Steelers to focus on adding depth to their secondary, defensive line, and tight end position during the draft.

With 12 draft picks in tow, Pittsburgh can address virtually all of its positional needs during the draft.

The Niners took an edge in the first round last year (Mykel Williams), and here Wilson and Carthon decided to do it again by taking Parker, who was a relative disappointment this past season but still has incredibly high upside.

They chose Parker over options at tackle like Kadyn Proctor and Max Iheanachor, noting that the Niners need juice off the edge with both Williams and Nick Bosa coming off torn ACLs and Trent Williams is likely to come back for another year or two.

Carthon described the Brazzell pick as a "layup" that he was "not even thinking twice about."
After considering guard and safety, the guys elected to take a big, long corner in Davis with the first of San Francisco's four fourth-round picks.

The Niners then had three picks in a seven-pick span and attacked several different areas of either need or potential need on offense, securing a guard, a running back and another lineman.

Stephens is a zone-blocking guard who didn't allow a sack the last two seasons.

Zuhn can play multiple positions along the line, and Wilson said he could potentially slide to center and eventually take over for Jake Brendel at center.

The Seahawks took a guard in the first round last year (Grey Zabel), and here Wilson and Carthon double-dip by taking Bisontis to play on the right side of the line.

In the second round, they explored the possibility of taking a running back but felt it was too high and that a good back would still be on the board at 96.

Instead, they took an edge rusher to help backfill a spot where Boye Mafe left this offseason.

Instead of a back in the third, they opted for a center to get ahead of potentially seeing Jalen Sundell leave in free agency next offseason.

And finally, they landed a back in the late rounds.

Carthon expressed regret at going with Slaughter in Round 3 instead of Washington running back Jonah Coleman, considering a center (Pat Coogan) was still on the board in Round 6.

Seemingly, everyone is in agreement that the Buccaneers need to focus on improving their defense during the first round.

Ryan Wilson feels that Tampa Bay should use the 22nd overall pick to select Mesidor, who, according to Wilson, was "every bit as effective" as Miami Rueben Bain Jr., who is being projected as a top 10 pick.

Wilson alluded to Mesidor's age being one of his only potential concerns.

He's already 25 after spending six seasons in college.

"He is absolutely electric off the edge," Wilson said of Mesidor, whose 12.5 sacks in 2025 led the ACC.

"He plays with power, he can turn the corner, he is stout against the run, and he is consistently pressuring the quarterback.

...

I think Todd Bowles would love to get another EDGE rusher of this caliber on his roster in Tampa Bay."
Josh Edwards isn't ruling out the Buccaneers possibly using their first pick to select Keldric Faulk, who had 10 sacks in three seasons at Auburn.

Bryant McFadden started off this draft by taking Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame at No.

4 overall.

The Doak Walker Award winner led the FBS with eight plays of 20+ yards last season, and ran a 4.36 40-yard dash at the combine.

In the second round, Robert Saleh grabs his linebacker in Jacob Rodriguez out of Texas Tech.

He's been compared to reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, and Saleh needs a tough, rangy linebacker for his scheme.

In the third round, Cam Wards finds a new offensive guard in Keylan Rutledge, who could start immediately at right guard.

In the fourth and fifth rounds, the Titans find a new pass rusher in Jaishawn Barham, who offers off-ball linebacker versatility, a center in Pat Coogan out of Indiana, and then a wide receiver with Caleb Douglas.

The Texas Tech product is 6-foot-3 and ran a 4.39 40-yard dash.

McFadden finished up this hypothetical draft by selecting defensive lineman Nick Barrett out of South Carolina, an LSU EDGE in Patrick Payton and former Georgia tight end Oscar Delp.

Ryan Wilson and Ran Carthon got things going for Washington by taking Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, who led college football with 14.5 sacks in 2025, seventh overall.

"I think David Bailey fills a need," Wilson said.

"You can never have enough edge rushers."
Three of the Commanders' final five picks come on the offensive side of the ball.

Singleton and Coogan should be able to help take some pressure off of Daniels in the ground game.

Coogan paved the way for Indiana's ground game that helped Fernando Mendoza flourish as the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.