Pundit mock drafts 2026 [maybe with FAILs]

[ctpatsfan77]

Name one thing he can't do? Besides rush the passer.

Put on 40 pounds to get up to proper FB weight.

 

[Clonamery]

Put on 40 pounds to get up to proper FB weight.

It's PFF, what do they know?

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

No Edge until pick 202!!!

Like some of the picks, but no way we wait that long to take an Edge

2026 NFL seven-round mock draft: Steelers, Jets, Cardinals among teams targeting QBs as 11 come off the board

From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant, here's how every team builds its 2026 class.

www.cbssports.com

 

[Clonamery]

No Edge until pick 202!!!

Like some of the picks, but no way we wait that long to take an Edge

2026 NFL seven-round mock draft: Steelers, Jets, Cardinals among teams targeting QBs as 11 come off the board

From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant, here's how every team builds its 2026 class.

www.cbssports.com

Day 3 feels like they were bored and were just throwing darts.

 

[mayoclinic]

This us a really good mock, and it illustrates what I firmly bieve will happen - there will be good players at every point, and hard choices to be made:

31. Max Iheanachor (pick) vs. Akheem Mesidor (38). A dream choice and a nightmare - you win and lose either way. Blake Miller also available.

63. Ted Hurst (pick) vs. Treydan Stukes (66), Chris Bell (67) or Derrick Moore (64). I love Hurst, but passing on Bell, Stukes, or an EDGE is tough.

95. Max Klare (pick) vs. De'Zhaun Stribling (99), Mike Washington (100), Sam Roush (107) or Keyron Crawford (115).

Agonizing choices.

My re-draft:

31. Max Iheanachor (31), OT. Really tough call.
63. Chris Bell (67), WR. Really tough call.
95. Sam Roush (107), TE. Really tough call.
*** Trade: Pats trade 125 and 131 to Baltimore for 115 and 173.
115. Keyron Crawford (116), EDGE.
171. VJ Payne (204), S.
174. Adam Randall (175), RB.
191. CJ Demmings, CB (197).
198. Keagen Trost (198), IOL.
204. Eli Heideneich (210) or Cyrus Allen (216), slot WR.
212. Jimmy Rolder (213) or Justin Jefferson (228), LB.
247. Jordan Van den Berg (NR) or Rene Konga (NR), DT.

The Pats come out of that draft with a RT, alpha X-WR, Y-TE, slot WR, RB and IOL/swing tackle on offense. They get an EDGE, DT, LB, CB, and S on defense.

I feel like this is realistic:

- I agonizingly choose OT over EDGE at 31, with 2 1st round-worthy options.
- When Chris Bell falls to 63, I can't resist. 2 1st round caliber players at positions of need
- Sam Roush rounds out my offense nice. He and Bell are both very physical.
- When Crawford drops to 110, I trade up to get the kast starting caliber EDGE on my board.
- I assume I will miss out on safety, but am elated to find VJ Payne still available at 171.
- Having addressed most of my main needs, I add quality depth at LB, CB, DT, RB and slot WR with my 5 Kate round picks.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

This us a really good mock, and it illustrates what I firmly bieve will happen - there will be good players at every point, and hard choices to be made:

31. Max Iheanachor (pick) vs. Akheem Mesidor (38). A dream choice and a nightmare - you win and lose either way. Blake Miller also available.

63. Ted Hurst (pick) vs. Treydan Stukes (66), Chris Bell (67) or Derrick Moore (64). I love Hurst, but passing on Bell, Stukes, or an EDGE is tough.

95. Max Klare (pick) vs. De'Zhaun Stribling (99), Mike Washington (100), Sam Roush (107) or Keyron Crawford (115).

Agonizing choices.

My re-draft:

31. Max Iheanachor (31), OT. Really tough call.
63. Chris Bell (67), WR. Really tough call.
95. Sam Roush (107), TE. Really tough call.
*** Trade: Pats trade 125 and 131 to Baltimore for 115 and 173.
115. Keyron Crawford (116), EDGE.
171. VJ Payne (204), S.
174. Adam Randall (175), RB.
191. CJ Demmings, CB (197).
198. Keagen Trost (198), IOL.
204. Eli Heideneich (210) or Cyrus Allen (216), slot WR.
212. Jimmy Rolder (213) or Justin Jefferson (228), LB.
247. Jordan Van den Berg (NR) or Rene Konga (NR), DT.

The Pats come out of that draft with a RT, alpha X-WR, Y-TE, slot WR, RB and IOL/swing tackle on offense. They get an EDGE, DT, LB, CB, and S on defense.

I feel like this is realistic:

- I agonizingly choose OT over EDGE at 31, with 2 1st round-worthy options.
- When Chris Bell falls to 63, I can't resist. 2 1st round caliber players at positions of need
- Sam Roush rounds out my offense nice. He and Bell are both very physical.
- When Crawford drops to 110, I trade up to get the kast starting caliber EDGE on my board.
- I assume I will miss out on safety, but am elated to find VJ Payne still available at 171.
- Having addressed most of my main needs, I add quality depth at LB, CB, DT, RB and slot WR with my 5 Kate round picks.

It does highlight how there should be very nice options available at all our picks.
That said, I would puke if Gumbs was the first Edge we took.

 

[whybob]

This us a really good mock, and it illustrates what I firmly bieve will happen - there will be good players at every point, and hard choices to be made:

31. Max Iheanachor (pick) vs. Akheem Mesidor (38). A dream choice and a nightmare - you win and lose either way. Blake Miller also available.

63. Ted Hurst (pick) vs. Treydan Stukes (66), Chris Bell (67) or Derrick Moore (64). I love Hurst, but passing on Bell, Stukes, or an EDGE is tough.

95. Max Klare (pick) vs. De'Zhaun Stribling (99), Mike Washington (100), Sam Roush (107) or Keyron Crawford (115).

Agonizing choices.

My re-draft:

31. Max Iheanachor (31), OT. Really tough call.
63. Chris Bell (67), WR. Really tough call.
95. Sam Roush (107), TE. Really tough call.
*** Trade: Pats trade 125 and 131 to Baltimore for 115 and 173.
115. Keyron Crawford (116), EDGE.
171. VJ Payne (204), S.
174. Adam Randall (175), RB.
191. CJ Demmings, CB (197).
198. Keagen Trost (198), IOL.
204. Eli Heideneich (210) or Cyrus Allen (216), slot WR.
212. Jimmy Rolder (213) or Justin Jefferson (228), LB.
247. Jordan Van den Berg (NR) or Rene Konga (NR), DT.

The Pats come out of that draft with a RT, alpha X-WR, Y-TE, slot WR, RB and IOL/swing tackle on offense. They get an EDGE, DT, LB, CB, and S on defense.

I feel like this is realistic:

- I agonizingly choose OT over EDGE at 31, with 2 1st round-worthy options.
- When Chris Bell falls to 63, I can't resist. 2 1st round caliber players at positions of need
- Sam Roush rounds out my offense nice. He and Bell are both very physical.
- When Crawford drops to 110, I trade up to get the kast starting caliber EDGE on my board.
- I assume I will miss out on safety, but am elated to find VJ Payne still available at 171.
- Having addressed most of my main needs, I add quality depth at LB, CB, DT, RB and slot WR with my 5 Kate round picks.

Well done. I think only for the fact i think he can come in and play next year - I take Mesidor at 31 if available.

 

[mayoclinic]

Hard to pass up Mesidor and Stukes. Can't argue with those who would go that way.

I do think that Keyron Crawford gives 85% of what Mesidor, and is younger and has more room to develop.

My main points are (1) there will be good players who slip through, at each level, (2) we will probably have some tough choices to make, and (3) we need to be flexible.

If we have to make these kind of choices, we will be very fortunate.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Hard to pass up Mesidor and Stukes. Can't argue with those who would go that way.

I do think that Keyron Crawford gives 85% of what Mesidor, and is younger and has more room to develop.

My main points are (1) there will be good players who slip through, at each level, (2) we will probably have some tough choices to make, and (3) we need to be flexible.

If we have to make these kind of choices, we will be very fortunate.

It's a good mock in that it seems to have guys getting picked in the right area, much more so than other mocks I've seen (but again, maybe I'm wrong on that, we won't know till draft night).
The only way I could ever see us leaving Edge so late is if Vrabs and staff had the utmost confidence in:
Landry's ability to get healthy
the development of Ponder and Swinson.

Or...the value at Edge just never meets up with our picks in the draft and we add someone like Clowney as a one year rental.

Starting the year with an unhealthy Landry, Ponder, Jones, Swinson and Gumbs would be a huge mistake imo.
We were great generating pressure in the playoffs because we really went blitz crazy and played against a couple of really banged up Olines. That is not sustainable.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The only way I could ever see us leaving Edge so late is if Vrabs and staff had the utmost confidence in:
Landry's ability to get healthy
the development of Ponder and Swinson.

OT is very tough to plug in FA. We could add Bosa, Reddick or Clowney at EDGE (still unsigned). There are options to fill the hole at EDGE.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

OT is very tough to plug in FA. We could add Bosa, Reddick or Clowney at EDGE (still unsigned). There are options to fill the hole at EDGE.

There are, I've been a big Clowney supporter for weeks.
However I would be disappointed and incredibly surprised if we don't draft an edge in the first 2 rds.
But again, they value has to be there, you never know how the draft will go.
Even with a guy like Clowney who would be rotational, you're counting on a couple young guys and an unhealthy Landry. That is extremely risky, and extremely thin. An injury or two would be devastating for a team with high aspirations.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

There are, I've been a big Clowney supporter for weeks.
However I would be disappointed and incredibly surprised if we don't draft an edge in the first 2 rds.
But again, they value has to be there, you never know how the draft will go.
Even with a guy like Clowney who would be rotational, you're counting on a couple young guys and an unhealthy Landry. That is extremely risky, and extremely thin. An injury or two would be devastating for a team with high aspirations.

If Chris Bell is available in R2, how do you pass him by? Without the ACL tear, he might be in the Top 10. If we are going to be picking in the 25ish range and beyond going forward, how do you pass on Bell because of a possible injury at EDGE?

 

[mayoclinic]

I don't want to keep beating this one to death.

I do think that you need to be flexible and opportunistic in this draft, and not locked in any one scenario. Good players will fall, and value trumps need.

I am personally in the "OT at 31 if the value is there" camp, but there could easily be a run on tackles.

I had a mock with Iheanachor and Bell at 31 and 63, and I traded up to snag Keyron Crawford in the 4th round. I would personally be very happy with that.

What if the tackles were gone? Would you be happy with this?

31. Caleb Banks
63. Chris Bell
95. Keyron Crawford
125. Travis Burke
131. VJ Payne

Almost every scenario I have has OT - EDGE as my focus, but if things go otherwise, we can still fo very well.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

If Chris Bell is available in R2, how do you pass him by? Without the ACL tear, he might be in the Top 10. If we are going to be picking in the 25ish range and beyond going forward, how do you pass on Bell because of a possible injury at EDGE?

I said that in not so many words when I have consistently mentioned "value".
We will go into he draft with our our board. If Bell is much higher on our board than any of the remaining Edges, you take Bell, it really is that simple.
And if we have a remaining Edge rated higher we go that way.
You should't force a need, teams that do that are not successful in the long term.
Philly is the example of a team that lets the draft come to them and take BPA, and it works.
Last point on this as it's been beaten to death.
You ask how do you take an Edge over Bell because a possible injury. Well how do you take a RT at 31 to backup Moses?

 

[Clonamery]

I said that in not so many words when I have consistently mentioned "value".
We will go into he draft with our our board. If Bell is much higher on our board than any of the remaining Edges, you take Bell, it really is that simple.
And if we have a remaining Edge rated higher we go that way.
You should't force a need, teams that do that are not successful in the long term.
Philly is the example of a team that lets the draft come to them and take BPA, and it works.
Last point on this as it's been beaten to death.
You ask how do you take an Edge over Bell because a possible injury. Well how do you take a RT at 31 to backup Moses?

My philosophy:
prepare for every contingency or don't. Just don't ****ing cry about it when your season goes in the ****ter.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Don't know if it has been posted yet but I like the Deuce draft. He takes big dudes with upside.

1.
ZION YOUNG, EDGE, MISSOURI
31ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 262

2.
CHRIS BELL, WR, LOUISVILLE
63RD OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-2, WEIGHT: 222

3.
SAM ROUSH, TE, STANFORD
95TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 267

4A.
ZXAVIAN HARRIS, DL, OLE MISS
125TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-8, WEIGHT: 330

4B.
ISAIAH WORLD, OT, OREGON
131ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-8, WEIGHT: 318

Deuce's Mock Draft 1.0: Patriots Double Dip at Multiple Spots

 

[Username]

Don't know if it has been posted yet but I like the Deuce draft. He takes big dudes with upside.

1.
ZION YOUNG, EDGE, MISSOURI
31ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 262

2.
CHRIS BELL, WR, LOUISVILLE
63RD OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-2, WEIGHT: 222

3.
SAM ROUSH, TE, STANFORD
95TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 267

4A.
ZXAVIAN HARRIS, DL, OLE MISS
125TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-8, WEIGHT: 330

4B.
ISAIAH WORLD, OT, OREGON
131ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-8, WEIGHT: 318

Deuce's Mock Draft 1.0: Patriots Double Dip at Multiple Spots

Zion Young is ok, but I don't think I'd be picking him at 31

I don't see Chris Bell as worthy of a 2nd round pick. He's another Xavier Legette.

I like Roush. But he should be there later.

Harris has serious red flags. Arrested twice for DUI and domestic violence.

Isaiah World has apparently put up some borderline undraftable tape this year, after being good last year. Not sure I'd roll the dice in the 4th, should be more solid players available

 

[mayoclinic]

I like the Bell and Roush picks. Strong no to the rest.

 

[mayoclinic]

Not a fan of Chad Reuter's most recent 5-round mock:

Five-round 2026 NFL mock draft: Four trades, two QBs send jolt through Round 1

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Don't know if it has been posted yet but I like the Deuce draft. He takes big dudes with upside.

1.
ZION YOUNG, EDGE, MISSOURI
31ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 262

2.
CHRIS BELL, WR, LOUISVILLE
63RD OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-2, WEIGHT: 222

3.
SAM ROUSH, TE, STANFORD
95TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 267

4A.
ZXAVIAN HARRIS, DL, OLE MISS
125TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-8, WEIGHT: 330

4B.
ISAIAH WORLD, OT, OREGON
131ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-8, WEIGHT: 318

Deuce's Mock Draft 1.0: Patriots Double Dip at Multiple Spots

5
VJ PAYNE, S, KANSAS STATE
171ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-3, WEIGHT: 206

6A
TANNER KOZIOL, TE, HOUSTON
191ST OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-6, WEIGHT: 247

6B
JOSH CAMERON, WR, BAYLOR
198TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-1, WEIGHT: 220
Round 6, Pick 198 - Josh Cameron - WR, Baylor

6C
JUSTIN JEFFERSON, ILB, ALABAMA
202ND OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-0, WEIGHT: 223

6D
TJ HALL, CB, IOWA
212TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-1, WEIGHT: 189

7
LOGAN FANO, EDGE, UTAH
247TH OVERALL | HEIGHT: 6-5, WEIGHT: 257
Round 7, Pick 247 - Logan Fano - EDGE, Utah