nfl-draft
Happy football season everyone! Far as we know, The Sports Bank is the only independently-owned, mom and pop shop website to publish a mock draft in all four of the major North American sports. And also in the nation’s top women’s professional sport. So that’s five pieces of mock draft, organic content, served fresh from Chicagoland.
Here is the link to our current 2026 NBA mock draft. Our latest WNBA mock draft can be found here.
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Here’s the link to our final 2025 NHL mock draft. And our last MLB mock draft can be found at this link.
Past NFL Mock Drafts, final editions: 2024 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 20152014 2013 2012 2010 2009
As always, enjoy our 50 worst NFL Draft buzz phrases, cliches and other assorted word salad. Our 2026 NFL mock draft order is provided by Tankathon, who base it off the current standings.
Team needs were often, but not always taken into account for this 2026 NFL mock draft.
This year’s edition of The Sports Bank NFL mock draft has a new feature. Sports Bank Founder Paul M. Banks is a Contributor to Draft Wire, USA Today’s Draft site. So in every update we include snippets from Banks’ articles in the player descriptions of our 2026 NFL mock draft.
dante moore
1. New York Jets, Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
There has been a ton of flux when it comes to the quarterback prospects in this class. Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar and Garrett Nussmeier are all in decline while Arch Manning will likely stay in another year. That paved the way for other signal callers, like Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, to fill the void.
Moore, a UCLA transfer, is the real deal. He learned a lot from Dillon Gabriel, while he was backing him up last season. You can read all about what that was here.
dante moore
2. Cleveland Browns, Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
In the words of 1970s Swedish pop superstars Abba
There was something in the air that night The stars were bright, Fernando
Quoting our USA Today, Draft Wire piece: “Mendoza is not, never has been and won’t ever become a 400+ yards, 15+ yards-per-attempt in a single game kind of guy. He’s a bona fide football version of a true point guard.
Like a floor general on the hardwood, he distributes and gets others involved. That’s his game- being efficient, effective.”
cignetti shirt IU
3. Baltimore Ravens, Ruben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
4. Miami Dolphins, Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
Quoting our Draft Wire article:
“The 20-year-old Hoschton, GA native transferred in from Alabama last offseason, and his run stopping capabilities are top-notch. A true “run stuffer,” he can fill gaps to shut down rush lanes effectively.
He’s probably the best overall prospect in this class, regardless of position.
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5. New Orleans Saints, Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Quoting our Draft Wire piece on Proctor:
It is very likely that a quarterback will go first overall in the next NFL Draft, as that’s exactly how it has gone in seven of the past eight years and 10 of the last 12. But if it’s not a QB, then it could be a defensive end or offensive tackle. And as both the book and the movie “The Blind Side” told us, the NFL pays big money to offensive tackles, specifically left tackles.
Thus LTs, like edge rushers, are a premium position, come draft night, every year. And Proctor is the top prospect of them all.
“I haven’t really looked into it too much,” Proctor said, when asked about NFL mock draft projections at SEC Media Days. “Because I feel like I haven’t proven myself to be in at that level yet. Like I still have another season.”
6. Tennessee Titans, Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
7. Cincinnati Bengals, Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
8. Las Vegas Raiders, LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
It’s a Sellers market! Quoting our Draft Wire article:
“Sellers is an electric, dual threat quarterback who will be a sophomore this upcoming season. As a freshman, the Florence, SC native threw for 2,534 yards on 65% completion, 18 touchdowns, to go against just seven interceptions. He also run for 674 yards on a 4.1 yards per carry average.”
lanorris sellers
For now, the NFL Draft stock rating on Sellers, is Hold, not Buy or Sell. Not ideal by any means, but man this franchise BADLY needs a quarterback. Geno Smith is aging poorly, and throwing a lot of INTs while doing so.
9. New York Giants, Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
How exciting it would be to pair him with Malik Nabers and give young Jaxson Dart, not one, but two, top flight developing wideouts to work with. Look at Newark international airport- we know you’ve had some issues with air traffic control, and now your airspace will fill up with spiraling footballs from the Meadowlands.
10. Arizona Cardinals, Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
11. Kansas City Chiefs, T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson
12. Houston Texans, Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
13. Dallas Cowboys, Keldrick Faulk, Edge, Auburn
14. Carolina Panthers, Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
chcago bears
15. Chicago Bears, Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
The Bears believe they have their franchise QB in Caleb Williams, so perhaps in 2026 they’ll get their franchise feature back. Will they give much Love to Jeremiyah, as potentially becoming their next Walter Payton/Neal Anderson/Matt Forte/Gayle Sayers level bell-cow?
There is a big drop off inRB prospects after this guy, so “After the Love has Gone…ccEarth Wind & Fire/Philip Bailey, the quality of draft stock diminishes among tailback prospects in this class.
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Quoting our Draft Wire piece on Love:
“Agility is another strong suit of the St. Louis native, and that is conveyed every time he makes a cut in the open field. Very few defenders are “too fast for love” (with apologies to Motley Crue), as the focal point of the Fighting Irish offense consistently conveyed an ability to set the edge.
“And despite all opposing defenses keying in on him, during the Irish’s national runner-up season, he still averaged an eye-popping 6.9 yards per rush. That includes a long of 98 yards.”
notre dame
Love the local connection here too. The Bears have such a sorry franchise history of passing the football, that they always need to be at their best running it, in order to compete.
16. Los Angeles Rams via Atlanta Falcons, Jermond McCoy, CB, Tennessee
17. Washington Commanders, LT Overton, Edge, Alabama
18. Minnesota Vikings, A.J. Harris, CB, Penn State
Yes it is a total dumpster fire in Happy Valley right now, but don’t blame this guy. He does his job just fine.
Eliminated in Wild Card Round
makai lemon
19. New England Patriots, Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Facing Lemon and the USC passing attack is quite a challenge. Illinois free safety Miles Scott provided an insightful take on defending Lemon. Go here for that.
20. Denver Broncos, Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
OSU is, has been for awhile and will be for the immediate future, WRU. We covered that at USA Today Draft Wire here.
oregon ducks northwestern wildcats
21. Cleveland Browns via Jacksonville Jaguars, Matayo Uiagalelei, Edge, Oregon
We covered Oregon’s plethora of NFL prospects here and here. So follow those links to learn more about this guy.
22. Los Angeles Rams, Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
23. Detroit Lions, Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
We covered the Ducks multitude of NFL prospects here and here. So follow those links to learn more about this “All-World” tackle.
24. Seattle Seahawks, CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
Divisional Round Exit Teams
25. San Francisco 49ers, David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
26. L.A. Chargers, Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M
los angeles chargers
27. Philadelphia Eagles, Arvel Reese, LB, Ohio State
More on Ohio State and their defense here.
28. Buffalo Bills, Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
We covered Oregon’s abundance of NFL Draft prospects here and here. So follow those links to learn more about the hard-hitting Purdue transfer.
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Conference Runners-Up
29. Dallas Cowboys via Green Bay Packers, Anthony Hill Jr, LB, Texas
Cowboys must replenish the linebacker position after the departure of Micah Parsons
30. Pittsburgh Steelers, Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
Quoting our Draft Wire article:
“Nussmeier has something the other names on that list do not- NFL bloodlines. His father, Doug Nussmeier, played a couple seasons in the league, and he’s currently the New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator.
super bowl lx
Super Bowl Teams
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Quoting our Draft Wire piece on Styles: “Last season, Styles put up the kind of numbers (six sacks, five passed defended) that conveyed how strong he is in pass defense. And in today’s pass happy NFL, Styles will only see his stock continue to rise. He may be a second round prospect now, but don’t be surprised if he plays his way into the first.”
ryan day
32. Indianapolis Colts, Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
Also in contention
Oklahoma QB John Mateer
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank.He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked Inand Twitter
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