The NFL coaching cycle is finalized, with the last two vacancies filled by Klint Kubiak (Raiders) and Mike LaFleur (Cardinals).
This allows a bit of a better idea of which direction teams might be looking come the 2026 NFL Draft, especially with the conclusion of the Super Bowl.
So here’s an updated look at what might happen, post- Senior and Super Bowl, and before the NFL Combine...
No. 1: Las Vegas Raiders - QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Pick from Mock 1.0: Mendoza
This is the most obvious lock in the draft, especially after the Raiders hired Kubiak. They need a quarterback, and they’ll find one in Mendoza. The real question is when the next quarterback will be taken -- and who it will be.
No. 2: Jets - EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Pick from Mock 1.0: EDGE Reuben Bain Jr., Miami
I flip-flopped between Reese and Bain several times here. Bain would give the Jets more flexibility. He can kick inside in passing situations, allowing Jermaine Johnson and Will McDonald to play on the edge. The Jets were starting to experiment with Johnson inside before Aaron Glenn’s arrival, and that’s something they could revisit.
Reese has too much potential as a game-wrecking, Micah Parsons-like edge rusher to pass on at No. 2.
No. 3: Arizona Cardinals - OT Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Pick from Mock 1.0: EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State
The Cardinals still need their answer at quarterback, but with none available in this draft, they might as well build the wall in front of him for when he arrives -- that’s what Mauigoa does here.
No. 4: Tennessee Titans - EDGE Reuben Bain Jr., Miami
Pick from Mock 1.0: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
There was a moment when Robert Saleh, then the Jets’ head coach, thought Aidan Hutchinson might fall to him at No. 4. He allowed visions of Hutchinson’s positional flexibility and game-breaking ability to dance in his head -- until it became clear there was zero chance Detroit would pass on him.
Here is Saleh again, picking at No. 4, only this time the pass rusher is there. He gets Bain, who could be a supercharged version of what John Franklin-Myers was for him in New York.
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) celebrates during the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9. / © Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
No. 5: Giants - WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Pick from Mock 1.0: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
There are several directions the Giants can go here, and part of me still believes the pick could be Downs.
Questions about Darius Slayton’s consistency, Malik Nabers’ health, and Wan’Dale Robinson’s pending free agency make receiver a significant concern for the Giants entering the offseason.
The Giants have their quarterback in Jaxson Dart, now they must surround him with talent. Tate, the top wide receiver in the class, would go a long way toward accomplishing that.
No. 6: Cleveland Browns - OT Spencer Fano, Utah
Pick from Mock 1.0: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Like the Cardinals and Jets, the Browns need a quarterback -- there just isn’t a second one worth a top 10 pick. The Browns also have a pass protection problem, and Fano can help solve it.
No. 7: Washington Commanders - S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Pick from Mock 1.0: DL Peter Woods, Clemson
Downs is among the most intriguing players in this year’s class. He might be the best defender, but because he plays safety, his value is uncertain. Dan Quinn saw how much impact safeties can have with Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor in Seattle. Downs would give him a playmaker as the Commanders try to rebuild their defense.
No. 8: New Orleans Saints - WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Pick from Mock 1.0: Tyson
Tyler Shough came on late last season and looks like the real deal. After trading Rashid Shaheed to Seattle, the Saints need a running mate for Chris Olave to give their quarterback more weapons -- Tyson is that player.
No. 9: Kansas City Chiefs - RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Pick from Mock 1.0: Love
This might be my favorite pick in the draft. After years of dominance, the Chiefs find themselves selecting in the top 10. They land one of the draft’s best players in Love, who is available at No. 9 largely because of the position he plays.
No. 10: Cincinnati Bengals - OLB David Bailey, Texas Tech
Pick from Mock 1.0: Bailey
The Bengals’ offense will be among the best in the NFL, as long as Joe Burrow is healthy. The problem continues to be the defense. With Trey Hendrickson unlikely to return, Bailey steps in as the Bengals’ primary edge rusher.
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