2026 Mock Draft Thread

[manxman2601]

Who will be picking 3? And all that QB hoopla after the Combine. Hard for him to go 3 whether he deserves it or not.

If Bain carries on as he has been doing, it's hard not to see him be the first non-QB taken. Having said that his lack of length and athleticism might work against him.

 

[mayoclinic]

The Ravens currently pick 3.

I'm the biggest Reese homer around, and Reese would be great for the Ravens, but I have a hard time seeing them picking him if Rueben Bain is still on the board.

 

[mayoclinic]

Not a snowball's chance in hell this happens, but Luke Easterling has Arvell Reese going #25 to the Patriots in his latest mock:

https://athlonsports.com/nfl/2026-nfl-mock-draft-updated-1st-round-fernando-mendoza-ty-simpson-lanorris-sellers-dante-moore-garrett-nussmeier

 

[PatsfaninTx]

So who falls to us with the last pick of the first round? Pick number 32.

 

[manxman2601]

PFF has us picking at 25 now. Blimey!

I have to kiss goodbye to David Bailey for now.

Sonny Styles
Vega Ioane

would probably be my choice if that was how things played out.

 

[manxman2601]

Trevor Sikkema's latest mock has us taking Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee with the 25th pick.

One pick ahead of Vega Ioane, 3 ahead of Keldric Faulk and 6 ahead of Sonny Styles. Would you be happy with that. I think in terms of value, that's a potentially excellent pick. McCoy was a consensus top 10 pick in the summer but his injury has caused this slide.

One interesting aside, at least for me, is that he now has Joshua Josephs going in the first round at 27 to the Niners. Bailey, Height and Howell all go ahead of our pick. Ty Simpson goes first overall.

2026 NFL Mock Draft: Jets grab Ty Simpson with first overall pick, Cowboys select Caleb Downs at No. 12

Trevor Sikkema's latest 2026 NFL mock draft features Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson going No. 1 overall.

www.pff.com

 

[mayoclinic]

I like McCoy, but Keldric Faulk is a no-brainer in that scenario. He's #4 on my board right now.

 

[mayoclinic]

It looks like he has the Pats at 19 and gives us Romello Height.

 

[manxman2601]

It looks like he has the Pats at 19 and gives us Romello Height.

Read further down.

 

[manxman2601]

I like McCoy, but Keldric Faulk is a no-brainer in that scenario. He's #4 on my board right now.

I probably agree although I could make an argument for McCoy in the first and then Mesidor later. I doubt both would be available if we're picking that late, especially Faulk considering how high Mykel Williams went.

 

[stelfans]

I like McCoy, i've been thinking about a CB in the first round.
I think i would still take Styles in that case, but i certainly wouldnt mind McCoy.

 

[mayoclinic]

McCoy and Delane are in my Tier 2 along with Sadiq, Styles, Bailey, Parker, Mauigoa, and Tyson. Would be really happy with any of them.

But Faulk is in my Tier 1.

 

[manxman2601]

Here goes nothing.

25. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

With David Bailey likely no longer available the best choices for me were Sonny Styles or going the Vega Ioane/Jake Golday route. Styles' zero missed tackles, Ohio State pedigree and Jamie Collins like athleticism really makes him the no-brainer pick for me.

57. Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

All the best pass rushers were gone by this point so I was really left with safety. I'm torn between Wheatley here or Michael Taaffe later but went with Wheatley because of his athleticism and because he's the better complimentary piece to Woodson. I love Taaffe but he's too similar to Woodson.

89. Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami

He's simply the best pass rusher left at this point. I also like his versatility. He can play on the edge in a 4-3 (as he does now) or can be a 5-tech too as well as being able to kick inside on passing downs. Excellent edge setter too.

114. Brian Parker II, Center, Duke

The best graded OL in CFB and an A+ character to boot. Keep the left side of our OL intact by leaving Wilson at guard and switch Parker from RT to C which is where most people expect him to play anyway.

125. Boubacar Traore, EDGE, Notre Dame

He's an ascending prospect right now who has started to step up in the last few games. He has 6 sacks on the year and is equally adept at run defense as he is pass rush. Gives us a 4 man battle at EDGE between him, Ponder, Swinson and Jones for roster spots and the future replacement for Landry.

164. Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan

I'm a sucker for a TE with a sub 7 second 3-cone. He has a lot of inline experience and the athleticism to ppotentially be a future Hunter Henry replacement. Depending on what happens with Austin Hooper in the off-season, Klein becomes TE 2 or TE 3.

203. Dametrious Crownover, RT, Texas A&M

6'7", 335 lbs and 35" arms with pretty good athleticism. It's hard not to fall for that on late day 3.

218. Logan Taylor, OG, Boston College

Ohio State, tick. Boston college, tick. Just me hitting the Vrabel contact carousel just like last year. Taylor is built like a LT and has experience there but it's his LG/RG experience I've picked him for.

238. Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech

I really like him a a backup QB McDaniels can create a separate playbook for to maximise his strengths (literal strengths because this guy is huge and country strong a la Cam Newton)

 

[manxman2601]

I saw someone on twitter say that it's nice for Patriots fans to be able to watch NFL games and be able to root against teams, not so that we end up with a higher draft pick, but because of a game's playoff implications. To think that Vrabel et al have achieved this change in status within just 6 games is a credit to all.

Take last night. The previous reality would have been that we would have wanted the Bengals to win because they would have been competition for a high draft pick. Now we cheer for the Bengals to win because the Steelers might be a playoff home field advantage rival.

 

[mayoclinic]

I was thinking yesterday about how many good players we are going to miss out on, and that I just don't care.

Jalen Ramsey gave up a big reception that led to the game winning field goal. I remember when Ramsey was in college, watching him develop and know that he would be drafted far higher than we would ever pick. Patrick Willis, Travon Walker ... same story.

There will always be good players that slip through. I'll be content picking from the back part of the draft.

 

[mayoclinic]

My rough predicted ikely top-25+ picks as of right now would probably include:

QB(4+): Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore, Ty Simpson, LaNorris Sellers; maybe John Mateer

RB(1): Jeremiyah Love

WR(4+): Jordyn Tyson, Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate top 15; Denzel Boston, Chris Bell and Chris Brazzell all possible

TE(1): Kenyon Sadiq

OL(3): Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa, Kadyn Procter

DT(2+): Peter Woods a lock; Caleb Banks, A'Mauri Washington and several others could sneak in

EDGE(4): Rueben Bain, Keldric Faulk, TJ Parker, David Bailey

LB(2): Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles

S(1): Caleb Downs

CB(3): Mansoor Delane, Jerod McCoy, Aveion Terrell

 

[mayoclinic]

Pats currently with the #29 pick in the draft, per Tankathlon.

Going for 32.

 

[Clonamery]

Pats currently with the #29 pick in the draft, per Tankathlon.

Going for 32.

Yup. PFF/PFSN have Pats at 29.

 

[mayoclinic]

My binky mock:

Trade 1(32) for something along the lines of 2(50) + 3(80). Someone will want to trade up and get that 5th year option.

2(50). Jack Golday, LB Cincinnati
2(64). Austin Siereveld, OL, Ohio St.
3(80). Jelani McDonald, S, Texas or Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn St.
3(96). Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia.
4(118). Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas. Backup: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington.
4(132). Kade Pieper, IOL, Iowa. Backup: Brian Parker, IOL, Duke.
5(168). Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami.
6(196). Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia.
6(210). Nyck Harbor, WR, S. Carolina.

Use 7th round picks on moonshots, or to move around.

 

[mayoclinic]

A draft like that wouldn't be flashy, but would add 5-6 starts within 2 years:

- Siereveld could probably step in at RG day 1. 2027 OL of Campbell - Wilson - Pieper/Parker - Siereveld - Freeling with 3 starters.

- Woodson - McDonald/Wheatley - Grant would be a much ranger safety crotation.

- Spillane - Golday would be big improvement at LB. Combined with the S upgrade, the 2nd left of the defense would have much m9re pop.

That would focus on 2 of the major areas of need.