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NFL 2026 NFL Draft Will David Bailey and Jeremiyah Love join Fernando Mendoza in the top five? Illustration: Demetrius Robinson / The Athletic; photos: Michael Hickey, Stacy Revere / Getty Images, Kirby Lee / Imagn Images With my 16th combine in the books, it’s time to translate what happened in Indianapolis into how it could affect the early rounds of the NFL Draft. Obviously, free agency is still going to be a major domino in the process, but the combine gives us breadcrumbs to how teams are thinking. I gathered plenty of NFL feedback during combine week and included some of it in this mock draft (including one interesting trade scenario, noted below by an asterisk). Advertisement It was surprising how little Mendoza-to-Vegas buzz there was in Indianapolis. But that likely reflects how much of a foregone conclusion this pairing seems to be at No. 1. Reese had one of the most impressive workouts at this year’s combine — full stop. His athletic testing was outstanding, as expected, but his on-field performance was even more remarkable. His blend of speed, explosion and violence separates him in this class. “Dude stole the freaking show, ” an NFL scout said. In terms of NFL ceiling, Mauigoa might not be on the level of past No. 3 picks. But this is a different draft, and he brings a high floor — one which would immediately upgrade the Cardinals’ right tackle spot. Should the Titans, at this point in their roster construction, invest a premium pick at running back? Debatable. But with money to spend in free agency, Tennessee should be in a much more stable place before we get to April. An AFC scout for a team that already has an established running back called Love “the best player in the draft. ” Instead of getting hung up on positional value, the Titans should focus on “impact value” and what a talent like Love could do not only for the run game, but the passing game and offense overall. Head coach Robert Saleh spent the last year watching Christian Mc Caffrey’s impact on the San Francisco 49ers and could see similar potential in Love. For much of the season and pre-draft process, I felt like I had to convince doubters of why Styles deserved to be a top-10 pick. After his workout in Indianapolis, the skeptics have disappeared. Advertisement But it wasn’t just what Styles did on the field, which prompted a standing ovation when he walked into one team’s interview room. His interviews with NFL teams were “phenomenal, ” according to a team source. “Easily the best O-line workout this year. ” The feedback from others matched that praise from a team source and was universally glowing about Fano’s combine performance. (“He confirmed the big grade I put on him, ” was another good reply from a team scout. ) His shorter arms (32 1/8 inches) will be interpreted differently by each team, but Fano is too well-liked across the league for him to fall down boards. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters are looking for speed and violence off the edge, and Bailey offers both. He took a jump as a run defender this past season and would improve the Commanders’ pass rush immediately. Social media seems to care more than NFL teams about Tate’s 40-yard dash time — he clocked in at 4. 53 seconds, although that official time has been under dispute. He averaged 32. 5 yards per touchdown catch in 2025 and showed the ability to win at all three levels of the field, which is something quarterback Tyler Shough would love to see in the Saints’ offense. It will be interesting to see how the Chiefs address their multiple needs this offseason. If they wait until the draft to make a splash at edge rusher, Bain — and his ability to constrict the pocket with his power — would make sense. He remains a polarizing prospect among NFL teams. He’s got a lot of fans, and plenty of critics. Count the Bengals among several teams that generally don’t draft safeties early in the first round. But Downs is different and will force front offices to rethink that stance. His intelligence, intangibles and on-field impact immediately will make the other 10 defenders on the field that much better. Advertisement Over the last few months, I’ve been pushing Freeling as an ascending prospect with talent worth an early-pick investment. His combine performance was uneven (NFL scout: “His testing was good. His positional workout wasn’t good at all. ”), but a 1. 71-second 10-yard split in the 40 at his size is impressive. Freeling would be a great building block for a new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, looking to revamp the roster. In the history of their franchise, the Cowboys have drafted only one LSU cornerback (Morris Claiborne) — and it didn’t go well. Delane doesn’t have elite size or speed (we will see if he runs a 40 before the draft), but he has an outstanding feel for coverage in man or zone, anticipating and driving on routes. History tells us the Rams don’t draft cornerbacks in the first few rounds, but that position on their depth chart needs almost a complete makeover. Terrell, whom several scouts singled out as having the top cornerback workout at the combine, makes plays against both the pass and run. Good players have a habit of falling to the Ravens in Round 1, and this would be just the most recent example. Ioane is one of the best players in the draft, although his lack of positional versatility could help him land in Baltimore’s lap. I don’t think general manager Jason Licht is necessarily looking to target a tight end with a top-15 pick, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the Bucs believe Sadiq is the best player available here. He’s been TE1 in this class from the summer until now, and his freaky combine performance was the cherry on top. Maybe the Jets will opt for more size at receiver to complement Garrett Wilson, but Lemon has the competitive DNA that should speak to head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey. Glenn had a front-row seat for Amon-Ra St. Brown with the Detroit Lions — it’s a good bet he would want to add a stylistically similar player. Advertisement The return of Taylor Decker in 2026 gives the Lions options on draft night, but it doesn’t eliminate offensive line from being the move here. Proctor has the talent to give Detroit immediate depth at both tackle and guard, especially after the release of Graham Glasgow. He’d be a long-term building block. With Harrison Smith’s future in question, the Vikings will have safety near the top of their wish list this offseason. Thieneman was expected to test well at the combine. Based on the reactions from teams, he surpassed even those high expectations and solidified himself in the mid-first-round range. (NFL scout: “It’s hard to find anything bad with ‘T-man. ’”) General Manager Dan Morgan, a member of the Hurricanes’ Ring of Honor, isn’t going to draft a Miami player because of the connections to his alma mater. But it wouldn’t hurt, especially with the Panthers in the market for a charged-up edge rusher. The Cowboys addressed their secondary at No. 12 in this mock, and they add an edge rusher here. One of the youngest prospects in the class, Faulk will enter the league as a physical edge setter with a developing pass-rush arsenal. The third wide receiver off the board in this mock, Cooper has the ball skills that would make him a great fit for the Steelers’ quick-strike offense. His strong lower body and toughness make him a chore for defenders to finish to the ground. This is a value pick for the Chargers. Mc Coy, now more than a year removed from ACL surgery, didn’t work out at the combine and remains a wild card in this class. There might be a discount sticker on his tag come draft weekend. Advertisement Iheanachor would give the Eagles short-term insurance behind Lane Johnson, and a long-term answer at right tackle. He’s still relatively new to football, so a year spent sitting behind a future Hall of Famer would be a master class for Iheanachor’s development. Make it back-to-back Sun Devils off the board. Without any concerns about durability, Tyson likely would be a top-10 pick. However, a lingering hamstring issue might create doubt in the minds of some decision-makers, which could in turn lead a team such as Cleveland to find awesome value in the back half of Round 1. Woods is a frustrating study, because the talent is evident but doesn’t equate to consistent disruption. Still, his “good” tape is enough for teams hunting interior help to consider him in the late first round. If the Bills draft a wide receiver in the first round, should they go with a speedy, smaller option or a bigger, more physical target? Boston would be the latter, with outstanding size and ball skills (and he isn’t a slug, either). Lomu will benefit from another year of strength development, which would leave him ready just in time to potentially take over for Trent Williams at left tackle. His athletic footwork and movement control suggest he has a bright future. The only proposed trade in this mock draft has the Cardinals getting back into the first round (just ahead of the Rams) to nab a quarterback, giving up a second-rounder (No. 34) and 2027 third-rounder to do so. This would be back-to-back years the Texans have traded down to No. 34 with a team looking for a quarterback (they made a similar deal last year with the Giants, who then selected Jaxson Dart). Advertisement With the Kyler Murray era in the rearview, the Cardinals could be in the mix for Malik Willis in free agency or get creative on draft weekend to address their quarterback spot. Simpson has the NFL-level processing and instincts to be a starter, although his pro ceiling is the question mark. With Davante Adams in the final year of his deal, Concepcion would give the Rams’ offense immediate firepower plus a long-term solution if Adams isn’t on the roster in 2027. His dynamic inside-outside versatility would be a fun addition to an already exciting passing attack. (Note: The Rams have traded this pick to the Chiefs as part of a package for CB Trent Mc Duffie, a league source told The Athletic. ) The Broncos have been doing their homework on Mc Neil-Warren, a long, athletic safety who makes plays in coverage and versus the run. Safety might not be the Broncos’ No. 1 need, but Mc Neil-Warren’s range would be a nice fit in their secondary. Upgrading the pass rush (in multiple ways) is expected to be top priority for the Patriots this offseason. And Parker is a well-rounded player who offers a reliable foundation built on leveraged power and a consistent motor, which will speak to Mike Vrabel. The Seahawks plucking another Gamecocks defensive back in this year’s draft would be a fun story. But more importantly, Cisse would give Seattle much-needed cornerback depth, especially if Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen both depart in free agency. Houston found its left tackle (Aireontae Ersery) in the second round last season and could do the same at right tackle this year. Miller is an iron man with the talent and intangibles that fit what the Texans covet. Advertisement Drop him at the nickel and Ponds would make an already stout defense even better. His size isn’t ideal, but Ponds would be in the CB1 conversation if he were two inches taller. I love what the Jets were able to do in this mock: a high-level pass rush threat in Reese; a dynamic pass catcher in Lemon; a green-dot linebacker in the middle in Allen. And now at cornerback, Johnson, one of the more underrated prospects in the draft. I’m speculating here, but I think it is fair to say Rodriguez is the type of linebacker that Morgan would greatly appreciate. Because of Rodriguez’s toughness, athleticism and instincts, this would be a great fit for both sides. With Kevin Byard and Jaquan Brisker both hitting free agency, safety could be a key need for Chicago in the draft. Luckily for the Bears, this is a deep safety class. Haulcy, who is similar to Byard in several ways, would be good value here. With Kenneth Walker III expected to sign elsewhere and Zach Charbonnet working back from a knee injury, Seattle will be active in the running back market. Price has NFL starting-caliber talent with his run instincts and contact balance. (Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported the timing of when a team gave Sonny Styles a standing ovation. The ovation came after his workout, not after his team interview. The article has been corrected. ) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Dane Brugler is a national NFL writer for The Athletic covering the NFL Draft. He previously covered the NFL Draft for NFL Draft Scout and CBS Sports. Follow Dane on Twitter @DPBrugler