Pundit mock drafts 2026 [maybe with FAILs]

Normally I have a Mock Draft FAIL thread, but, remarkably, I haven't seen more than one or two truly glaring ones so far. So instead I'll just use this one to track pundit mocks I find. In general, I'm only going to post ones that are unique [i.e., one-rounders with new names at 31] or three or more rounds.

TRADE: NE trades 31 and 201 to CIN for 41 and 72. [For some reason they're missing one of the 6s and the 7 they got back.]

• 2.41: R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
• 2.63: Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor
• 3.72: Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M
• 3.95: Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State
• 4.125: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
• 4.131: Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
• 5.169: VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
• 6.190: Lewis Bond, WR, Boston College
• 6.197: Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss
• 6.211: J’Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia

The latest PFF mock:

• 1.31 EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
• 2.63 TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
• 3.95 DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama

DraftTek's latest attempt at trying to understand the NEP:

• 1.31 OT Isaiah World, Oregon
• 2.63 WR Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
• 3.95 CB Julian Neal, Arkansas
• 4.125 EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
• 4.131 DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama
• 5.169 TE Justin Joly, NC State
• 6.189 S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
• 6.200 OG Micah Morris, Georgia
• 6.210 RB Noah Whittington, Oregon
• 7.247 WR Caullin Lacy, Louisville

And Tankathon.com:

• 1.31 EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
• 2.63 WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
• 3.95 OT Austin Barber, Florida
• 4.125 LB Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
• 4.131 DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama

ctpatsfan77 said:

DraftTek's latest attempt at trying to understand the NEP:

• 1.31 OT Isaiah World, Oregon
• 2.63 WR Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
• 3.95 CB Julian Neal, Arkansas
• 4.125 EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
• 4.131 DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama
• 5.169 TE Justin Joly, NC State
• 6.189 S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
• 6.200 OG Micah Morris, Georgia
• 6.210 RB Noah Whittington, Oregon
• 7.247 WR Caullin Lacy, Louisville

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At the current rate, Isaiah World, who picked up an injury in the CFB playoffs, might struggle to get drafted, never mind be a first round pick.

• 1.31 EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson
• 2.63 LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
• 3.95 WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana

manxman2601 said:

At the current rate, Isaiah World, who picked up an injury in the CFB playoffs, might struggle to get drafted, never mind be a first round pick.

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And he's not very good to begin with. He's nowhere close to being a first round talent, regardless of injury. Good size but really inconsistent and sloppy.

I wouldn't hate it either.

Not my favorite.

Substitute Ted Hurst for Fields and I like it much more.

mayoclinic said:

Not my favorite.

Substitute Ted Hurst for Fields and I like it much more.

2026 NFL mock draft: Jeremiyah Love joins Fernando Mendoza in top 5 after scouting combine

The No. 1 pick feels like a foregone conclusion, but the rest of the board beyond Fernando Mendoza is wide open.

www.nytimes.com

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Caleb Banks in the middle of R2? Is there a health issue.

mayoclinic said:

Not my favorite.

Substitute Ted Hurst for Fields and I like it much more.

2026 NFL mock draft: Jeremiyah Love joins Fernando Mendoza in top 5 after scouting combine

The No. 1 pick feels like a foregone conclusion, but the rest of the board beyond Fernando Mendoza is wide open.

www.nytimes.com

Click to expand...

Just took another look at Dane's mock. Some interesting nuggets.

1. Every decent EDGE is off the board by 63 aside from Keyron Crawford. Zion Young goes 43, R Mason Thomas (42), Malachi Lawrence 46, DDS 50, Jacas 54 and even Derrick Moore at 60. Better get one at 31 or after a trade back.

2. Jacob Rodriguez 51, Pregnon 52 and Stukes 53 are a nice tier of picks that would necessitate a trade up.

3. Freeling, Lomu and Iheanachor don't even make it to 31 while Blake Miller (34) barely does.

4. BPA at 63 for the Patriots.

RB - Mike Washington, Jadarian Price, Jonah Coleman

WR - Sarratt, Fields, Branch, Bell, Burks, Williams

TE - Klare, Endries, Trigg, Joly

OT - Caleb Tiernan

iOL - Sam Hecht, Connor Lew, Jake Slaughter, Keylan Rutledge, Billy Schrauth

EDGE - Keyron Crawford, Joshua Josephs, LT Overton

DT - Dontay Corleone, dominique Orange, Gracen Halton, Darrell Jackson

LB - Anthony Hill, Josiah Trotter, Kyle Louis

CB - Chandler Rivers, Daylen Everette, Julian Neal, Devin Moore, Will Lee, Malik Muhammad

S - Kamari Ramsey, Zakee Wheatley, Genesis Smith

There's a potential for there to not be a great choice at 63. LB, safety and WR look to be the best options. I'm not going to lie, Mike Washington and Jadarian Price really intrigue me. both would be excellent kick returners as well as impact runners should Henderson or Rhamondre get an injury.

So who's your horse?

For me, Hill or Trotter may be BPA, I can see why Dane went with Malachi Fields and then there's the safety. however, Antonio Williams would be my choice here.

Ted Hurst.

mayoclinic said:

Ted Hurst.

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forgoot him. The floor worries me with Hurst although I love the ceiling. We'll have to wait and see if alec Pierce is the guy. If he is, I don't think Hurst or Fields will be on their radar.

Doug Kyed's first mock is really interesting. The only pick I don't like is Markel Bell. Give me Crownover instead. A lot of prospects I really like there.

1. Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana
2. Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
3. Markel Bell, OT, Miami
4. Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan
4. Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky
5. Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F Austin
6. Eli Heidenreich, Wr, Navy
6. Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
6. Robert Henry, RB, UTSA
6. Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
7. Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State

manxman2601 said:

Doug Kyed's first mock is really interesting. The only pick I don't like is Markel Bell. Give me Crownover instead. A lot of prospects I really like there.

1. Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana
2. Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
3. Markel Bell, OT, Miami
4. Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan
4. Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky
5. Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F Austin
6. Eli Heidenreich, Wr, Navy
6. Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
6. Robert Henry, RB, UTSA
6. Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
7. Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State

Patriots 2026 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Adding offensive firepower early

The Patriots land an offensive playmaker early in our first 2026 NFL Mock Draft of the offseason.

www.bostonherald.com

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That would be a near perfect draft.

stelfans said:

That would be a near perfect draft.

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Not if we sign Alec Pierce. I like Cooper, but I'd rather go OT in the 1st and get Antonio Williams, Skyler Bell or DeZhaun Stribling instead of Markel Bell.

I don't like Klein, substitute Sam Roush or Oscar Delp.

Would like to find a way to get VJ Payne.

mayoclinic said:

Not if we sign Alec Pierce. I like Cooper, but I'd rather go OT in the 1st and get Antonio Williams, Skyler Bell or DeZhaun Stribling instead of Markel Bell.

I don't like Klein, substitute Sam Roush or Oscar Delp.

Would like to find a way to get VJ Payne.

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Lets just say im a big big Cooper fan.

Im not as big Roush fan as you. Klein is a big hit or miss guy but its a risk im willing to take.

stelfans said:

Lets just say im a big big Cooper fan.

Im not as big Roush fan as you. Klein is a big hit or miss guy but its a risk im willing to take.

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Did you mean 'I'm a fan of big big Cooper'

If I had to guess right now, I thinks it's:

Rnd 1 - EDGE
Rnd 2 - Safety (unless we sign a starting caliber safety in FA)
Rnd 3/4 (Lg and TE. One who projects to be a potential TE1 in time).
Day 3 - defensive depth - (CB (x2 potentially), linebacker, DT).

I think they bring back Munford for RT although I don't know what the plan is for LT. Lowe might get a decent contract.

stelfans said:

Lets just say im a big big Cooper fan.

Im not as big Roush fan as you. Klein is a big hit or miss guy but its a risk im willing to take.

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1. I like Cooper, but $25M AAV GA + 1st round pick is more than I would spend on the position.

2. Drop-off from Cooper to William/Bell/Stribling not enough to warrant a 1st.

3. I value other positions more.