2026 mock draft: What happens after the Raiders at No. 1?

Opening week of free agency very likely had a significant impact on the draft.

Some teams were able to address needs before needing to use a selection while others made trades to acquire extra picks.

Then there were the Raiders, who thought they had an extra first-round pick only for the Ravens to forget the playground laws of “no take-backs.”

The dust still hasn’t settled, but enough has happened to take a look at our first post-combine mock draft:

1. Raiders

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Mendoza will be the No. 1 pick, whether the Raiders make the selection or not. General manager John Spytek left the door open when he said the organization is “always listening” to trade offers, but it’s not clear whether there is even a market for teams interested enough in him as a prospect to trade up.

2. Jets

David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech

The Jets couldn’t cover anyone last year, a deficiency that wasn’t helped by their inability to get after the quarterback. They already traded away Jermaine Johnson this offseason and could use an influx of talent on the edge.

3. Cardinals

Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

There is a glaring need at tackle for Arizona, one that absolutely must be addressed in this draft. There’s not much that separates the top talents at the position in the draft, so it’s very possible they go with a different name. Mauigoa gets the nod here, though.

4. Titans

Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

Tennessee needs playmakers on both sides of the ball. Jeremiyah Love will be tempting here, but Mike Borgonzi came up through the Chiefs organization so it would seem out of character to select a non-premium position so high. Reese can be a game-changer.

5. Giants

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

And then there’s the Giants. It’s not hard to fault them for making the splash, however. They are trying to build an explosive offense around Jaxson Dart and Love would be a huge boost in both the running and passing game. Sitting inside Lucas Oil Stadium and seeing the look of amazement in the eyes of scouts during Love’s workout is a tough image to shake. He won’t last past pick seven.

6. Browns

Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

The quarterback of the future probably isn’t on the roster, but they aren’t finding him here either. Tate will end up providing a reliable target for whoever that ends up being when the dust settles.

7. Commanders

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Washington did a great job addressing needs in free agency, so much so that the Commanders are really in position to almost pick for luxury. Receiver and cornerback are very possible, but Downs could be special.

8. Saints

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Signing Travis Etienne likely means the Saints don’t believe Love will be on the board at this point. New Orleans needs to replace Demario Davis and Styles had one of the best combines of anyone.

9. Chiefs

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Trades and free agency left the cupboard a bit bare at corner and Delane is the best prospect in this draft at the position. This could also be a spot to trade down to get an eventual replacement for Travis Kelce in Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq because they are unlikely to use a top-10 pick on a tight end.

10. Bengals

Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami

Yes, it matters that Bain has short arms. Not every team will see him as a top-10 pick because of it, and he very well could slide on draft night. The Bengals took some steps to improve the pass rush after losing Trey Hendrickson but there is still work to do as they take a big swing here.

11. Dolphins

Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

It’s a pretty big rebuild process as Miami tries to dig itself out of a difficult cap situation. That should start in the trenches.

12. Cowboys

Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

There will be plenty of eyes on his pro day after McCoy missed last season with a knee injury and declined to participate in drills at the combine. A good workout could elevate his stock even more because the 2024 film is very good.

13. Rams (from Falcons)

Makai Lemon, WR, USC

It might appear to be an embarrassment of riches at wide receiver for the Rams, but Davante Adams has just one year left on his contract and they are very much in win-now mode. Lemon can help both this year and in the future.

14. Ravens

Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

This is going to be a tough pick for the Raiders to watch with several of their potential targets on the board for a selection that should be theirs. Baltimore took the pick back, however, and takes a really good prospect here. The Ravens lost two tight ends in free agency and Mark Andrews isn’t getting younger.

15. Buccaneers (from Falcons)

Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State

Tampa Bay has some work to do along the interior of the offensive line. Ioane will certainly help fill a need. He’s a wrecking ball along the line of scrimmage.

16. Jets (from Colts)

Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Geno Smith isn’t the long-term solution at quarterback. The Jets are probably fine waiting until next year to pick their franchise signal-caller in what figures to be a historically good quarterback draft, but Simpson could be an option if there is no other glaring match at another position here.

17. Lions

Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

Freeling has clearly solidified himself as a first-round pick and is quickly rising up the board. He even has a chance to go in the top 10 and could be in contention as the first tackle off the board. The post-combine hype may settle a bit by draft night, however.

18. Vikings

Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

One of the more intriguing prospects in the entire draft. He is massive and freakishly athletic even if there are plenty of plays on his film where he destroys two or three offensive lineman and finds himself alone in the backfield unable to finish the play. The size and potential scream top 10, but the injury history raises yellow if not red flags. He reportedly broke his foot at the combine, too.

19. Panthers

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

This is a pick the Raiders may have loved to make at No. 14 had they not had the rug pulled out from under them by the Ravens. Tyson is exceptional on 50-50 balls and works the sidelines extremely well. His tape is essentially a highlight reel, and he’d probably be a top-10 pick if not for repeated injury concerns.

20. Cowboys (from Packers)

CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

Dallas was able to address one big need on defense by landing a cornerback with their first pick and now take care of another by selecting a Day 1 starter at linebacker. Allen plays really smart and with great instincts, which makes him to compete beyond his athletic profile.

21. Steelers

Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

Pittsburgh has more pressing issues, but Broderick Jones has been inconsistent and oft-injured while Dylan Cook played surprisingly well in limited action. Neither is a sure bet to be the long-term answer at left tackle. While Miller has played mostly on the right side, Troy Fautanu played on the left side in college and could be an option there.

22. Chargers

Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

The signing of Dalvin Tomlinson makes the need a bit less pressing as the Chargers have starters and some depth. McDonald, however, would bring the explosiveness the room lacks.

23. Eagles

Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

Some teams will be scared off by a potential draft pick who will be 25 in April. The Eagles, however, are in win-now mode and are probably in a better position to deal with it better.

24. Browns (from Jaguars)

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

Even though the Browns have several needs, Thieneman could be paired with Grant Delpit to give Cleveland a back-end duo for years to come.

25. Bears

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

Chicago lost three of its top four safeties in free agency and added just Coby Bryant. McNeil-Warren is an interesting study in film versus measurables. He has incredible instincts and a great nose for the ball, constantly flashing on tape. Yet he’s very tall at 6-4 and doesn’t possess elite athleticism.

26. Bills

Cashius Howell, Edge, Texas A&M

He’s probably a pass rush specialist at the start of his NFL career. Howell has the skills to be better against the run, it’s just not something he has proven yet. He can really get after the quarterback, though. Buffalo is another team that has a shrinking window and may be more inclined to take a chance on someone who can be a specialist on a contending team.

27. 49ers

Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

He can really move, even at a massive 6-7 and 350 pounds. Trent Williams can’t play forever and is in a contract dispute.

28. Texans

Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Houston has a need and has shown a willingness to make big draft-day trades. It’s entirely possible Nick Caserio will trade up to pick one of the top tackles. The Texans would be thrilled to be able to land Lomu without giving up additional assets, though.

29. Chiefs (from Rams)

Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

Kansas City addresses another defensive need here after securing a cornerback with its first pick of the first round. Faulk is known as a natural leader with high character and will still be just 20 years old once training camp begins. He will get much better.

30. Broncos

Peter Woods, DT, Clemson

He wouldn’t really be a one-for-one replacement for John Franklin-Myers and he needs to get far more consistent, but the Broncos have the luxury of taking a chance on a defender who at his best could be a force and at his worst is probably a serviceable piece of an elite unit.

31. Patriots

Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

New England has still been on the search for help at wide receiver even after signing Romeo Doubs. Its pursuit of an A.J. Brown trade seems to have fizzled out. Boston will not be out-worked at the catch point and would provide Drake Maye a big target in the red zone.

32. Seahawks

Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

Seattle has to replace Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet is coming off a torn ACL.

____