🏈 2026 NFL Draft Predictions: Final Mock Draft, Prospect Profiles, Team Guides & Live Odds
The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off this Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/NFL Network) with Fernando Mendoza widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders. But what about the other 256 picks across the three-day draft in Pittsburgh?
Our NFL draft expert Rob Paul has been studying this draft class all season, and we've gathered his 2026 NFL draft predictions and expert analysis for every team along with prospect profiles for the top players and my comprehensive draft guides for all 32 teams.
Bookmark this page as we'll be updating it through draft day with additional player profiles, updated mock draft projections, and our best bets and advice for how to bet the NFL draft this year. Then come join us on Thursday night for our live draft blog reacting to every pick with schematic fits and draft grades on all 32 picks in the first round.
🏈 NFL draft predictions by team
See the live NFL draft odds for the top picks from the best NFL betting sites.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, I broke down every team's full draft capital, their biggest needs and ideal prospect fits, the latest mock draft consensus from industry experts, and our draft prediction for their first pick this week:
AFC East: Bills | Dolphins | Jets | Patriots
AFC North: Bengals | Browns | Ravens | Steelers
AFC South: Colts | Jaguars | Texans | Titans
AFC West: Broncos | Chargers | Chiefs | Raiders
NFC East: Commanders | Cowboys | Eagles | Giants
NFC North: Bears | Lions | Packers | Vikings
NFC South: Buccaneers | Falcons | Panthers | Saints
NFC West: 49ers | Cardinals | Rams | Seahawks
⬇️ More NFL draft team markets
With the first round less than an hour away, I broke down all 32 teams' latest NFL draft position odds for which position they'll take with their first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
🔮 2026 NFL mock draft predictions
Paul released his latest NFL mock draft 3.0 with updated picks, projected trades, and the latest draft odds for all 32 picks and the top selections for every team without a first-round pick. He also breaks down each prospect's RAS score, pro comparison, and how they fit with their projected landing spot in the full mock draft.
Here's a look at the projected top 10 picks in the 2026 NFL draft, according to Paul:
| Pick | Team | Player | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza (QB) | Indiana |
| 2 | New York Jets | Arvell Reese (EDGE/LB) | Ohio State |
| 3 | TRADE: Washington Commanders (from Arizona) | David Bailey (EDGE) | Texas Tech |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Jeremiyah Love (RB) | Notre Dame |
| 5 | New York Giants | Caleb Downs (SAF) | Ohio State |
| 6 | TRADE: Dallas Cowboys (from Cleveland) | Sonny Styles (LB) | Ohio State |
| 7 | TRADE: Arizona Cardinals (from Washington) | Francis Mauigoa (OL) | Miami |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | Carnell Tate (WR) | Ohio State |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | Rueben Bain Jr. (DL) | Miami |
| 10 | New York Giants (from Cincinnati) | Vega Ioane (OG) | Penn State |
⬇️ Full NFL mock draft projections (Round 1)
Our NFL draft expert Rob Paul breaks down all 32 picks in the first round in his updated NFL mock draft, including full analysis for every selection.
🤝 NFL mock draft consensus picks
I surveyed 10 of the leading draft experts in the field to compile the latest NFL mock draft consensus picks based on the final mock drafts ahead of the first round tonight.
Unsurprisingly, there are only a few players with any sort of consensus heading into one of the most unpredictable drafts in recent memory. Mendoza (10), Bailey (7), and Dillon Thieneman (6) are the only players projected for the same pick across a majority of mock drafts, while no single player received more than four votes past the 18th pick.
Here's a look at the biggest consensus picks across the best NFL mock draft experts:
| Pick | Original team | Player | # of mocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana | 10 |
| 2 | New York Jets | David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech | 7 |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon | 6 |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State | 5 |
| 5 | New York Giants | Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State | 5 |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | TIE (Reese/Love) | 4 |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Spencer Fano, OT, Utah | 4 |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State | 4 |
| 10 | New York Giants (via CIN) | Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami | 4 |
| 13 | Los Angeles Rams (via ATL) | Makai Lemon, WR, USC | 4 |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State | 4 |
| 16 | New York Jets (via IND) | Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana | 4 |
| 24 | Cleveland Browns (via JAX) | KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M | 4 |
🔍 2026 NFL draft prospect profiles & scouting reports
Paul has spent months watching film and grading the top prospects in the 2026 NFL draft class. (If you don't believe me, follow Bobby Football on X.) Ahead of the first round on Thursday, he's breaking down 10 of the top prospects with full scouting reports on their strengths, weaknesses, and draft grade. He also breaks down the latest prediction market odds for their landing spot with his projection of which team will draft them.
➡️ Arvell Reese draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ David Bailey draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Rueben Bain Jr. draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Sonny Styles draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Caleb Downs draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jeremiyah Love draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Carnell Tate draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Jordyn Tyson draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
➡️ Makai Lemon draft profile: Scouting report, team prediction & draft odds
📈 2026 NFL Draft prediction markets
Ahead of the first round, our betting expert LJ Blut broke down the NFL draft prediction markets for each of the top 10 picks - offering his prediction for the entire top 10 with a focus on three players he thinks are undervalued heading into Round 1.
Here are his predictions to go in the top 10 entering Thursday's first round and the probability for each player to be drafted at that spot across prediction market apps:
| Pick | Player | School | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando Mendoza (QB) | Indiana | 99% |
| 2 | David Bailey (EDGE) | Texas Tech | 56% |
| 3 | Arvell Reese (EDGE/LB) | Ohio State | 31% |
| 4 | Jeremiyah Love (RB) | Notre Dame | 38% |
| 5 | Caleb Downs (SAF) | Ohio State | 17% |
| 6 | Spencer Fano (OL) | Utah | 30% |
| 7 | Carnell Tate (WR) | Ohio State | 29% |
| 8 | Sonny Styles (LB) | Ohio State | 5% |
| 9 | Mansoor Delane (CB) | LSU | 19% |
| 10 | Francis Mauigoa (OL) | Miami | 12% |
Blut also broke down his NFL draft first-round predictions with his picks to be the 32 players drafted in Round 1 tonight - including Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy - and the biggest names he expects to fall to Round 2.
⬇️ Best NFL Draft Over/Under Bets
Can't get enough draft-day betting content? Blut offered his five best NFL draft Over/Under bets for Round 1, including where he expects Ohio State stars Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Carnell Tate to get drafted tonight.
🆘 2026 NFL draft needs by team
Here is a look at every team's most pressing needs entering the 2026 NFL draft, ranked in alphabetical order. These needs were compiled based on each team's current roster following free agency and ahead of the first round:
| Team | Top needs |
|---|---|
| 49ers | EDGE, OL, DL, WR, S |
| Bears | EDGE, S, OL, DL, WR |
| Bengals | LB, OL, CB, EDGE, DB |
| Bills | DL, LB, OL, WR, DB |
| Broncos | DL, RB, TE, DB, EDGE |
| Browns | QB, OL, WR, CB, EDGE |
| Buccaneers | DL, EDGE, CB, LB, OL |
| Cardinals | EDGE, OL, QB, DL, CB |
| Chargers | OL, DL, DB, EDGE, WR |
| Chiefs | CB, WR, OL, EDGE, DL |
| Colts | EDGE, LB, S, OL, WR |
| Commanders | WR, CB, EDGE, OL, RB |
| Cowboys | EDGE, LB, CB, DL, OL |
| Dolphins | WR, EDGE, CB, OL, S |
| Eagles | EDGE, S, OL, WR, TE |
| Falcons | WR, EDGE, OL, CB, S |
| Giants | DL, OL, CB, LB, WR |
| Jaguars | LB, DL, OL, S, RB |
| Jets | QB, EDGE, CB, WR, OL |
| Lions | OL, EDGE, LB, DB, DL |
| Packers | EDGE, DL, OL, CB, RB |
| Panthers | WR, TE, DL, S, OL |
| Patriots | EDGE, DL, TE, OL, WR |
| Raiders | QB, WR, OL, DL, CB |
| Rams | WR, OL, CB, EDGE, QB |
| Ravens | OL, EDGE, WR, DL, CB |
| Saints | EDGE, OL, WR, QB, CB |
| Seahawks | RB, EDGE, CB, OL, S |
| Steelers | QB, OL, WR, LB, DB |
| Texans | OL, DL, LB, DB, EDGE |
| Titans | OL, EDGE, WR, RB, LB |
| Vikings | OL, DL, S, WR, CB |
It's a good year to need offensive linemen with that being a strength of a relatively weak draft, and all but one of 32 teams enter the first round looking for OL help. It's a similar story in the secondary with all but two teams needing a cornerback or safety entering the draft, while edge rusher (25) and wide receiver (22) should be well covered early on.
While it's a particularly weak class for interior defensive linemen, more than half the league could use help inside on the defensive front, so we could see some of the top names in this year's class pushed up the board as a result. We already saw the Bengals trade away the No. 10 pick for Lawrence with that in mind.
📊 2026 NFL draft pick rankings
We ranked every team's draft pick value based on the draft pick trade value chart popularized by Jimmy Johnson in the 1990s. The following values are derived from that value chart with an adjustment made for 2026 compensatory picks:
| Rank | Team | Total picks | JJ value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jets | 9 | 4,787 |
| 2 | Raiders | 10 | 4,036 |
| 3 | Giants | 9 | 3,697 |
| 4 | Browns | 9 | 3,245 |
| 5 | Cardinals | 7 | 3,169 |
| 6 | Dolphins | 11 | 3,050 |
| 7 | Chiefs | 10 | 2,885 |
| 8 | Titans | 9 | 2,809 |
| 9 | Cowboys | 8 | 2,327 |
| 10 | Saints | 8 | 2,252 |
| 11 | Texans | 10 | 1,924 |
| 12 | Ravens | 11 | 1,914 |
| 13 | Eagles | 11 | 1,810 |
| 14 | Buccaneers | 7 | 1,801 |
| 15 | Commanders | 6 | 1,795 |
| 16 | Steelers | 12 | 1,778 |
| 17 | Vikings | 11 | 1,685 |
| 18 | Bears | 9 | 1,612 |
| 19 | Rams | 7 | 1,583 |
| 20 | Panthers | 7 | 1,563 |
| 21 | Lions | 10 | 1,530 |
| 22 | Chargers | 6 | 1,349 |
| 23 | 49ers | 6 | 1,159 |
| 24 | Patriots | 11 | 1,153 |
| 25 | Seahawks | 8 | 1,073 |
| 26 | Bills | 8 | 961 |
| 27 | Jaguars | 12 | 897 |
| 28 | Bengals | 7 | 827 |
| 29 | Falcons | 7 | 761 |
| 30 | Colts | 7 | 747 |
| 31 | Packers | 8 | 674 |
| 32 | Broncos | 8 | 502 |
The Jets lead all 32 teams in draft capital value thanks to two premium picks (No. 2, No. 16) and four picks across the first two rounds, while the Raiders (No. 1 overall), Giants (No. 5 and No. 10), Browns (No. 6 and No. 24), and Cardinals (No. 3) round out the top five. This could be a rare opportunity for the Chiefs to add impact talent with two first-round picks, including the No. 9 pick, while the bottom five teams on this list will all need to make their picks count after offloading first-round capital in blockbuster deals in the last 12 months.
↔️ Which teams could make trades in 2026 NFL Draft?
Who doesn't love a draft-day trade? We've already seen one trade go down this week with the Bengals shipping the No. 10 pick to New York for Lawrence, and we could see a wild first round on Thursday with so many teams in position to make moves.
Here's a look at every team with multiple or zero first-round picks in this year's draft:
- Teams with two 1st-round picks: Jets (No. 2, 16), Giants (No. 5, 10), Browns (No. 6, 24), Chiefs (No. 9, 29), Dolphins (No. 11, 30), Cowboys (No. 12, 20)
- Teams with zero 1st-round picks: Bengals (No. 41), Colts (No. 47), Falcons (No. 48), Packers (No. 52), Jaguars (No. 56), Broncos (No. 62)
Paul projected multiple trades in the first round of his latest mock draft, including two within the first six picks with the Cowboys and Commanders moving up to get their guy. Dallas is clearly the team to watch on draft night: there's been a lot of smoke around the team's plans to be aggressive on Thursday with a potential top-10 target in their crosshairs, especially with so many premium defensive prospects leading this year's class.
📋 2026 NFL Draft order (updated)
| Pick | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | 3-14 |
| 2 | New York Jets | 3-14 |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | 3-14 |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | 3-14 |
| 5 | New York Giants | 4-13 |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | 5-12 |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | 5-12 |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | 6-11 |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | 6-11 |
| 10 | New York Giants (via Cincinnati Bengals) | 4-13 |
| 11 | Miami Dolphins | 7-10 |
| 12 | Dallas Cowboys | 7-9-1 |
| 13 | Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) | 8-9 |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | 8-9 |
| 15 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8-9 |
| 16 | New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts) | 8-9 |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | 9-8 |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | 9-8 |
| 19 | Carolina Panthers | 8-9 |
| 20 | Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay Packers) | 9-7-1 |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 10-7 |
| 22 | Los Angeles Chargers | 11-6 |
| 23 | Philadelphia Eagles | 11-6 |
| 24 | Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville Jaguars) | 13-4 |
| 25 | Chicago Bears | 11-6 |
| 26 | Buffalo Bills | 12-5 |
| 27 | San Francisco 49ers | 12-5 |
| 28 | Houston Texans | 12-5 |
| 29 | Kansas City Chiefs (via Los Angeles Rams) | 12-5 |
| 30 | Miami Dolphins (via Denver Broncos) | 14-3 |
| 31 | New England Patriots | 14-3 |
| 32 | Seattle Seahawks | 14-3 |
❓2026 NFL Draft FAQs
Who is the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza closed as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick, according to the 2026 NFL Draft odds. His odds closed at -20000, implying a 99.5% probability he'll go No. 1 in April, according to our odds converter.
Who has the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Las Vegas Raiders have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after finishing 3-14. The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants round out the top five picks in the draft.
Who was the first overall pick last year?
The Tennessee Titans selected Miami QB Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
When is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held from April 23-25. The first round of the draft will begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 23.
Where is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh.
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