2026 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team
Here is every team’s haul from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Arizona Cardinals
- Round 1, No. 3: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
- Round 2, No. 34: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
- Round 3, No. 65: Carson Beck (QB, Miami)
- Round 4, No. 104: Kaleb Proctor (DT, Southeastern Louisiana)
- Round 5, No. 143: Reggie Virgil (WR, Texas Tech)
- Round 6, No. 183: Karson Sharar (LB, Iowa)
- Round 7, No. 217: Jayden Williams (T, Ole Miss)
Atlanta Falcons
- Round 2, No. 48: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
- Round 3, No. 79: Zachariah Branch (WR, Georgia)
- Round 4, No. 134 (from Raiders)*: Kendal Daniels (LB, Oklahoma)
- Round 6, No. 208 (from Bills via Jets and Raiders): Anterio Thompson (DT, Washington)
- Round 6, No. 215) (from Eagles)*: Harold Perkins (LB, LSU)
- Round 7, No. 231: Ethan Onianwa (T, Ohio State)
Baltimore Ravens
- Round 1, No. 14: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
- Round 2, No. 45: Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
- Round 3, No. 80: Ja’Kobi Lane (WR, USC)
- Round 4, No. 115: Elijah Sarratt (WR, Indiana)
- Round 4, No. 133 (from 49ers)*: Matthew Hibner (TE, SMU)
- Round 5, No. 162 (from Chargers): Chandler Rivers (CB, Duke)
- Round 5, No. 173*: Josh Cuevas (TE, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 174*: Adam Randall (RB, Clemson)
- Round 6, No. 211 (from Broncos via Jets, Vikings and Eagles): Ryan Eckley (P, Michigan State)
- Round 7, No. 250: Rayshaun Benny (DT, Michigan)
- Round 7, No. 253: Evan Beerntsen (G, Northwestern)
Buffalo Bills
- Round 2, No. 35 (from Titans): T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
- Round 2, No. 62: Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
- Round 4, No. 102 (from Raiders): Jude Bowry (T, Boston College)
- Round 4, No. 125 (from Bears via Chiefs and Patriots): Skylar Bell (WR, UConn)
- Round 4, No. 126: Kaleb Elarms-Orr (LB, TCU)
- Round 5, No. 167 (from Texans): Jalon Kilgore (S, South Carolina)
- Round 5, No. 181 (from Lions)*: Zane Durant (DT, Penn State)
- Round 7, No. 220 (from Jets): Toriano Pride Jr. (CB, Missouri)
- Round 7, No. 239 (from Eagles via Jaguars, Browns and Bears): Tommy Doman (P, Florida)
- Round 7, No. 241 (from Bears): Ar’maj Reed-Adams (G, Texas A&M)
Carolina Panthers
- Round 1, No. 19: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
- Round 2, No. 49 (from Vikings): Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
- Round 3, No. 83: Chris Brazzell II (WR, Tennessee)
- Round 4, No. 129 (from Bears): Will Lee III (CB, Texas A&M)
- Round 5, No. 144 (from Titans via Panthers): Sam Hecht (C, Kansas State)
- Round 5, No. 151 (from Dolphins): Zakee Wheatley (S, Penn State)
Chicago Bears
- Round 1, No. 25: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
- Round 2, No. 57: Logan Jones (C, Iowa)
- Round 3, No. 69 (from Giants via Texans, Bills and Titans): Sam Roush (TE, Stanford)
- Round 3, No. 89: Zavion Thomas (WR, LSU)
- Round 4, No. 124 (from Jaguars via Panthers): Malik Muhammad (CB, Texas)
- Round 5, No. 166 (from 49ers via Eagles and Panthers): Keyshaun Elliott (LB, Arizona State)
- Round 6, No. 213 (from Seahawks via Jaguars, Lions and Bills): Jordan Van Den Berg (DT, Georgia Tech)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Round 2, No. 41: Cashius Howell (DE, Texas A&M)
- Round 3, No. 72: Tacario Davis (CB, Washington)
- Round 4, No. 128 (from Texans via Lions and Bengals): Connor Lew (C, Auburn)
- Round 4, No. 140 (from Bengals): Colbie Young (WR, Georgia)
- Round 6, No. 189: Brian Parker II (C, Duke)
- Round 7, No. 221 (from Giants via Cowboys): Jack Endries (TE, Texas)
- Round 7, No. 226: Landon Robinson (DT, Navy)
Cleveland Browns
- Round 1, No. 9 (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
- Round 1, No. 24 (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
- Round 2, No. 39: Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
- Round 2, No. 58 (from 49ers): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
- Round 3, No. 86 (from Chargers): Austin Barber (T, Florida)
- Round 5, No. 146: Parker Brailsford (C, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 149 (from Bengals): Justin Jefferson (LB, Alabama)
- Round 5, No. 170 (from Broncos): Joe Royer (TE, Cincinnati)
- Round 6, No. 182 (from Jets via Browns, Jaguars, Raiders, Bills and Broncos): Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas)
- Round 7, No. 248 (from Seahawks): Carsen Ryan (TE, BYU)
Dallas Cowboys
- Round 1, No. 11 (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
- Round 1, No. 23 (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
- Round 3, No. 92 (from 49ers): Jaishawn Barham (EDGE, Michigan)
- Round 4, No. 112: Drew Shelton (T, Penn State)
- Round 4, No. 114 (from Falcons via Eagles): Devin Moore (CB, Florida)
- Round 5, No. 137 (from Eagles)*: LT Overton (EDGE, Alabama)
- Round 7, No. 218 (from Titans): Anthony Smith (WR, East Carolina)
2026 NFL Draft Results By Round
From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant (No. 257), here are the results from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Round 1
1) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
2) New York Jets: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
3) Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
4) Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
5) New York Giants: Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State)
6) Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns): Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
7) Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
8) New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
9) Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
10) New York Giants (from Bengals): Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami)
11) Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs, (S, Ohio State)
12) Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys): Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama)
13) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
14) Baltimore Ravens: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
16) New York Jets (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
17) Detroit Lions: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
18) Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
19) Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
20) Philadelphia Eagles (from Packers via Cowboys): Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
23) Dallas Cowboys (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
24) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
25) Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
26) Houston Texans (from Bills): Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
27) Miami Dolphins (from 49ers): Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
28) New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills): Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
29) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams): Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
30) New York Jets (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana)
31) Tennessee Titans (from Patriots via Bills): Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
32) Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
Round 2
33) San Francisco 49ers (from Jets): De’Zhaun Stribling (WR, Ole Miss)
34) Arizona Cardinals: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
35) Buffalo Bills (from Titans): T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
36) Houston Texans (from Raiders): Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
37) New York Giants: Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
38) Las Vegas Raiders (from Commanders via Texans): Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
39) Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
40) Kansas City Chiefs: R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
41) Cincinnati Bengals: Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
42) New Orleans Saints: Christen Miller (DT, Georgia)
43) Miami Dolphins: Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)
44) Detroit Lions (from Cowboys via Jets): Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan)
45) Baltimore Ravens: Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
46) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
47) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Colts): Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama)
48) Atlanta Falcons: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
49) Carolina Panthers (from Vikings): Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
50) New York Jets (from Lions): D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana)
51) Minnesota Vikings (from Panthers): Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)
52) Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
53) Indianapolis Colts (from Steelers): C.J. Allen (LB, Georgia)
54) Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers (TE, Vanderbilt)
55) New England Patriots (from Chargers): Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
56) Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Boerkircher (TE, Texas A&M)
57) Chicago Bears: Logan Jones (C, Iowa)
58) Cleveland Browns (from 49ers): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
59) Houston Texans: Marlin Klein (TE, Michigan)
60) Tennessee Titans (from Bills via Bears): Anthony Hill Jr. (LB, Texas)
61) Los Angeles Rams: Max Klare (TE, Ohio State)
62) Buffalo Bills (from Broncos): Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
63) Los Angeles Chargers (from Patriots): Jake Slaughter, C (Florida)
64) Seattle Seahawks: Bud Clark (S, TCU)
Chargers Move Up To 117, Select Travis Burke
The Chargers have acquired the 117th pick from the Texans, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports. Houston received the 123rd and 204th choices in return.
The Chargers became the fifth and final team to hold the 117th selection in this draft. Before it went to the Texans, it belonged to the Vikings, Jaguars and Raiders. The Bolts used the pick on Memphis offensive tackle Travis Burke.
The mammoth Burke (6-foot-8, 325 pounds) divided his five college seasons among Gardner-Webb (2021-22), Florida International (2023-24) and Memphis (2025). The four-year starter picked up significant experience at both tackle spots along the way. After working as a full-timer on the left side at FIU, he switched to right tackle at Memphis. Burke played 762 snaps at the position over 11 games last year and finished as Pro Football Focus’ 10th-ranked tackle. He came into the draft as a top-100 prospect, per Dane Brugler of The Athletic (No. 78) and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com (No. 93).
While Burke has “predictable leverage issues,” he carries a “nasty disposition” and has the potential to develop into an NFL starter, Brugler writes. There should not be an immediate need for Burke to serve as more than a depth option in Los Angeles, which boasts an elite tackle tandem in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. Slater missed all of last season with a torn patellar tendon, and Alt sat out all but six games with ankle issues, but they are ahead of schedule in their recoveries.
Browns Add No. 86 From Chargers, Add T Austin Barber
Holding nine more picks in this draft, the Browns will send some to the Chargers to move up to No. 86. Cleveland added Florida tackle Austin Barber.
Cleveland will send Nos. 105, 145 and 206 to Los Angeles, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Browns had just obtained No. 105 from the Giants.
The Browns came into this draft widely viewed as wanting to leave Round 1 with a wide receiver and a tackle. They will now leave Day 2 with two more reinforcements at each position. Cleveland traded down (via Kansas City) and took Utah’s Spencer Fano — this draft’s first O-lineman selected — at No. 9. The team then added KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston at Nos. 24 and 39. Barber will provide more help for a Browns team that lost nearly all of its 2025 O-line nucleus.
The 6-foot-7, 317-pound Barber garnered experience at both tackle spots at Florida, where he started 38 games. He was a full-time starter on the left side in his last two years with the Gators. Pro Football Focus awarded Barber the second-highest run-blocking grade among all tackles last season, a year in which he earned third-team All-SEC honors. Barber is likely to begin his NFL career as a swing tackle in Cleveland, which has made sizable offseason investments in Fano and Tytus Howard. After acquiring Howard from the Texans in early March, the Browns gave him a three-year, $63MM extension.
Patriots Acquire No. 55 From Chargers, Draft EDGE Gabe Jacas
The Chargers will allow the Patriots to climb up a few spots. New England is moving up to No. 55. The Patriots are selecting Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas.
The Pats are sending Nos. 63, 101 and 202 to the Bolts in exchange for that 55th overall selection. This is the second straight move-up for New England, which did the same in the first round. The reigning AFC champions came into the draft with the 31st pick, but they sent it to the division-rival Bills in a deal for No. 28. The Patriots then addressed a key need in choosing Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. They have checked another box with the Jacas pick.
Despite ranking 19th in pass rush win rate and 26th in sacks last season, the Patriots went 14-3 and advanced to the Super Bowl. They have since lost one of their sack leaders from 2025, K’Lavon Chaisson, who left for the Commanders in free agency. The Patriots added Dre’Mont Jones via the open market, but he is also versatile enough to line up on the inside. Jacas will join Jones and Harold Landry as the Patriots’ top edge rushers next season. The soon-to-be 22-year-old will also add some much-needed youth at the position. Both Jones and Landry will turn 30 in 2027.
The high-motor Jacas was productive in all four years at Illinois, where he played 50 games and registered 27 sacks. He posted personal bests in tackles for loss (13.5) and sacks (11) in 2025, a first-team All-Big Ten season. The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder also forced three fumbles for the second year in a row. Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranked Jacas as the 49th-best prospect available before the draft, lauding his “powerful, proficient technique.”
Bolts Grab DE Akheem Mesidor At No. 22
The Chargers lost Odafe Oweh in free agency, and while they re-signed Khalil Mack, the team will add Miami edge defender Akheem Mesidor in Round 1.
Mesidor joins an EDGE group housing Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Bud Dupree. The Canadian pass rusher goes off the board seven picks after Miami teammate Rueben Bain Jr. Despite his rookie status, at 25 years old, Mesidor is already two years older than Tuipulotu, a second-round pick from 2023. While Mesidor doesn’t bring the long-range potential for a 10-plus-year run with the team that drafted him, he brings NFL-ready pass rush ability and a vast variety of experience.
A six-year collegiate athlete, Mesidor started his studies at West Virginia, notching five sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman. In Year 2 with the Mountaineers, Mesidor was moved inside to defensive tackle and still contributed with a disruptive 4.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. A transfer to Miami returned him to the edge, and he gave the Hurricanes seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss.
After a year lost to injury and a year covering for an injured Bain, Mesidor delivered a career-year on the Hurricanes’ run to the College Football Playoff national championship matchup. Together, Mesidor and Bain terrorized opponents, especially once they got to postseason play. While it was Bain that earned All-American honors, Mesidor led the Canes defense with 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss. His four forced fumbles were a team best, as well.
While his age and injury history may have scared some teams off, the Chargers are cashing in on hugely productive pass rusher with size to play all over the line and an arsenal of pass rush moves to find success as a rookie. Even if Mesidor doesn’t crack the starting lineup as a rookie, the team’s top pass rushing trio of Mack, Tuipulotu, and Dupree are all in the final year of their current contracts, so Mesidor may just represent the team’s future on the edge.
OL-Heavy First Round Expected
This draft is expected to bring the rare instance of a running back, safety and off-ball linebacker each chosen in the top 10. Beyond the Jeremiyah Love, Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles inclusions, this draft lacks quarterback depth — at least at the top of the prospect pool — and does not feature a surefire top-10 cornerback.
In terms of high-end volume, offensive line may be where this group stands out. Although no blockers are certain to go in the top five, ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes as many as 10 could come off the board in Round 1. Various executives have informed veteran insider Jordan Schultz simulations are seeing nine O-linemen go in the first round.
The Nos. 10-14 spots may be where the run begins, per Schultz, and Graziano names a host of teams as interested parties. The Lions (No. 17), Panthers (No. 19), Steelers (No. 21), Chargers (No. 22), Eagles (No. 23), Browns (Nos. 6, 24), 49ers (No. 27), Chiefs (Nos. 9, 29) and Patriots (No. 31) are among the teams who would “love” to exit Round 1 with an O-lineman added.
Cleveland’s O-line interest has been well documented, and Graziano adds the team wants to leave the first round with a tackle and a receiver. The Browns traded for Tytus Howard to play right tackle but have injury-prone Dawand Jones penciled in at LT; Jones’ place on the depth chart may well change based on a transaction tonight. Detroit has been linked to tackles following Taylor Decker‘s release. Kansas City was loosely tied to Trent Williams, but the longtime San Francisco LT has reached an extension to stay in the Bay Area.
The collection of teams Graziano mentioned would lend to the O-line run beginning in the back half of the first round, and FOX’s Jay Glazer points to seven or eight being off the board by the early 20s. That could influence trade-up moves from teams who view the first round as essential to restocking their front fives.
Francis Mauigoa (Miami), Spencer Fano (Utah), Vega Ioane (Penn State), Monroe Freeling (Georgia), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and Blake Miller (Clemson) look like the safest bets to be chosen in Round 1. Mauigoa and Fano have been connected to Cleveland at No. 6, while Ioane-Giants ties have circulated after Ravens connections emerged. Ioane may be viewed as the safest bet among the whole lot, as Glazer adds NFL personnel staffers have him among four players in this class (along with Downs, Love and Fernando Mendoza) as the surest candidates to rise to the Pro Bowl level.
The Chiefs using their No. 9 pick on a blocker would not be surprising, Graziano adds, and it would mean back-to-back years with a first-round lineman chosen. Kansas City has a right tackle vacancy following its Jawaan Taylor release. While Jaylon Moore (two years, $30MM) is an overpriced backup, the ex-49er entered last season behind Taylor and Josh Simmons — the Chiefs’ No. 32 overall pick in 2025.
Caleb Lomu (Utah) and Max Iheanachor (Arizona State) also land in Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com top 32. Both were busy on the “30” visit circuit. Although Keylan Rutledge comes in 47th on Jeremiah’s big board — as the next O-lineman listed — ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds the Texans have done plenty of work on the Georgia Tech guard. The Texans have been connected to further bolstering their O-line — a recent trouble spot — early in this year’s draft. Houston met with Lomu, Iheanachor and Miller recently, and Proctor visited in March.
Draft Rumors: Stukes, Allar, Seahawks, Price, Chiefs, Mauigoa, Bolts, Banks
This draft figures to produce at least three first-round safeties, with Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren following Caleb Downs off the board. Ely Allen’s PFR mock draft has Thieneman going 18th to the Vikings and McNeil-Warren heading to the Eagles at 23. A fourth safety looks to have entered the equation for Round 1, with CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz noting Arizona’s Treydan Stukes has made a push to go early on Day 2 or late on Day 1. Coaches have viewed Stukes favorably, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, who views the safety as a candidate to see slot time and potentially be a first-round pick.
Blazing to a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time (third among safeties) at the Combine, Stukes intercepted seven career passes (four last season) with the Wildcats. A six-year collegian (which is certainly no longer uncommon), Stukes looks to have made noise late in the pre-draft process. The versatile DB made 11 pre-draft visits, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano, who mentions meetings with the Chiefs and Seahawks. Although Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board places Stukes 48th (33 spots behind McNeil-Warren), the longtime draft expert’s final mock sends Stukes 29th to the Chiefs and leaves McNeil-Warren out of Round 1.
Here is the latest from the draft ranks:
- Francis Mauigoa‘s back issue has generated some concern. Some teams think he will need surgery to repair a herniated disk, and Graziano indicates some clubs are worried about the Miami tackle prospect’s health. A scenario in which Mauigoa — long hyped as being this class’ top O-lineman — falls behind Utah’s Spencer Fano and Penn State’s Vega Ioane is one to monitor as a result of the disk issue, per Graziano.
- The Chargers are hoping to trade down from No. 22, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, eyeing an increase to their five-pick total. Though, Popper cautions a few teams in this draft sector want to move down. This draft is not viewed as having a clear line of demarcation between talent beyond the top 15 or so, and teams eyeing drops to accumulate capital while still landing a comparable player after sliding down the board makes sense. The Bolts hold picks 22, 55, 86, 123 and 204 in this draft. If the Chargers do not move down, Popper points to Thieneman and fellow Oregon product Kenyon Sadiq as names to monitor. Ely had Sadiq going to the Panthers at No. 19 in his mock.
- As we covered Tuesday, the Seahawks have an extensive history of trading down in Round 1 under John Schneider. The two-time Super Bowl-winning GM confirmed he wants to move out of the first round, as the Seahawks hold a league-low four draft choices. Should Seattle stay at No. 32, however, Graziano connects the defending champions to Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price. It is possible Price could be there early in Round 2, depending on how far the Seahawks prefer to move down, but the Jeremiyah Love backup is viewed as this top-heavy RB class’ second-best option at the position. The Jaguars may loom as a Price suitor if he slips into Round 2.
- Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson and Central Florida edge rusher Malachi Lawrence are generating some late momentum heading into the draft, Zenitz adds. Allar’s college tape left plenty to be desired, per Zenitz, though one coach views Day 2 as an appropriate landing spot. Adam La Rose’s most recent PFR mailbag pegged LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier as this class’ No. 3 QB prospect, though it is not a lock any non-Fernando Mendoza or Ty Simpson options hear their names called before Day 3.
- Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks is recovering from a broken foot that required surgery. That has affected his draft stock, but ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel notes teams received a letter from Banks’ camp saying the ex-Gator will be ready for football work by early June. Banks broke his foot at the Combine; Jeremiah’s big board places him 51st.
Chargers’ Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt Recovering Ahead Of Schedule
The Chargers were unable to overcome major injuries to starting offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt last year, but there is optimism the two will return at full strength next season. Slater and Alt are ahead of schedule in their recoveries, according to general manager Joe Hortiz (via Kris Rhim of ESPN).
The Chargers spent recent first-round picks on Slater (No. 13 in 2021) and Alt (No. 6, 2024). When healthy, the investments have been worth it. Slater was so impressive over his first four seasons that the Chargers awarded the left tackle a four-year, $114MM extension last July. He now ranks first among tackles in guaranteed money ($92MM), second in average annual salary ($28.5MM) and third in total value.
Not even two weeks after he signed the mega-extension, Slater succumbed to torn patellar tendon that cost him the entire season. It was the second serious injury for the 27-year-old Slater, who missed 14 games in 2022 as a result of a ruptured biceps tendon.
Right ankle problems dogged Alt last year and forced him to undergo season-ending surgery in November. Despite playing just six games, Alt earned his first Pro Bowl nod. That will increase the price of Alt’s fifth-year option in a couple of offseasons, which is not ideal for the Chargers, but they’ll worry about that down the line. For now, the hope is Alt will put together his first 17-game season in 2026. He almost accomplished that as a rookie, but a knee injury led to a single absence.
Even with Slater out for all of 2025 and Alt on the shelf for most of it, the Chargers reeled off a second straight 11-win season and went to the playoffs. But fill-in tackles Trey Pipkins, Bobby Hart, Jamaree Salyer and Austin Deculus were in over their heads subbing for a pair of stalwarts. Stuck behind a porous line, star quarterback Justin Herbert took a beating in a 54-sack regular season. That continued during a six-sack drubbing in a 16-3 loss to the Patriots in the wild-card round.
As long as Slater and Alt are healthy, Herbert should play behind a much better group of blockers in 2026. Hortiz has upgraded at center in replacing the retired Bradley Bozeman with free agent addition Tyler Biadasz. He may have improved at right guard, where the Chargers switched out Mekhi Becton for Cole Strange. Left guard is an obvious weakness in the wake of Zion Johnson‘s departure in free agency, but the Chargers are likely to address it early in the draft.
Pro Football Rumors 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Making a mock draft a year ago was so much simpler. When the Titans were put on the clock at No. 1 overall, all 32 NFL teams held their own first-round picks. This year, four teams have two first-round picks, and five do not pick until Day 2. In addition, draft pundits believe teams will be aggressive with trades in the first round this year. As a result, there has been speculation an early run of offensive tackle prospects could be coming in this draft, delaying any similar run for wide receivers.
Unfortunately, in the current draft order, an early run of offensive tackles makes very little sense, and attempting to predict which teams will outbid which teams to trade up with whichever other third teams is a challenge that would ultimately lead to option paralysis — or, really, more option paralysis than a mock draft usually induces. Therefore, we will continue last year’s tradition, ignoring any trade possibilities after this date and identifying optimal prospects for each team in its current draft slot with its current position needs. And, because no one should have to miss out on the fun, the five teams not participating on Day 1 will still get mocks for their first picks in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Editor’s note: Bengals have since traded No. 10 overall to Giants for DT Dexter Lawrence
1) Las Vegas Raiders — QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Do we really have to explain much here? Mendoza established himself as the No. 1 overall pick weeks before ultimately securing the Heisman Trophy and a national title. The only question remaining at that point was which team would find their way to the top slot in the draft. Thanks to some late-season wins from the Giants, who had already seemingly found their quarterback of the future, Las Vegas became the clear destination for the Hoosiers’ champion.
Mendoza isn’t quite the top overall pick we’re used to. The Cal transfer benefitted greatly from the offense around him in Bloomington, running frequent run-pass options and quickly getting the ball out to his first, designed read. A good amount of Mendoza’s success last season stemmed from the system and a talented group of receivers around him, and he probably wouldn’t disagree with that. That’s not to say that he can’t do the things he didn’t need to in Indiana. He will just need to work at the next level on deep ball consistency and progressing to his third or even fourth reads, instead of bailing too quickly from the pocket.
Lucky for him, mentor Tom Brady & Co. are setting things up nicely for him. The Raiders have invested heavily in the offensive line lately, and Ashton Jeanty in the backfield should serve as a solid half of any RPOs Vegas opts to adopt from Mendoza’s former team. Mendoza is a smart leader with viral positivity, and he does a lot of the small things right, excelling with anticipation, velocity, and placement at the short and intermediate levels. The Hoosiers haven’t produced a first-round pick since 1994, and Mendoza should become the school’s second-ever top overall pick, following in the footsteps of fullback Corbett Davis (a 1938 Cleveland Rams draftee).
2) New York Jets — DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Jets have sold a lot of pieces in recent years, and it’s time to use the loot they’ve stored to restock. Pass rusher has long been the expected position here. Yes, New York has needs at quarterback, but it appears the team is saving up for next year. The Jets are reportedly interested in Ohio State off-ball linebacker Sonny Styles here, but at No. 2 overall, the designated salary in that draft slot would make Styles the ninth-highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL. That draft slot would bring more guaranteed money than Fred Warner and Roquan Smith secured on their extensions, and the Jets would have approximately $68.81MM going to the inside linebacker position — with the team signing Demario Davis a year after authorizing a pricey Jamien Sherwood re-signing — over the next two years.
More realistically, that kind of dough will be going to a pass rusher. Styles’ teammate Arvell Reese was presumed to be the pick here as a multifaceted defender with untapped pass-rushing potential in the mold of Micah Parsons or Abdul Carter, but lately Bailey has become a more popular pick. There’s more to the argument than just this, but it’s a classic debate between production and potential. Having just led Division I-FBS with 14.5 sacks as a Red Raider, Bailey could fit in beautifully across from Will McDonald to form an imposing pass-rushing duo.
3) Arizona Cardinals — DE/LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Man, it really feels like the Cardinals want Bailey here. Reese is also a talented pass rusher and may have a higher ceiling, but Bailey’s game could be a strong fit in Arizona. On offense, the team’s right tackle spot is wide open; Elijah Wilkinson is currently slotted into the starting role opposite Paris Johnson Jr. The Cardinals could go with college RTs Francis Mauigoa (Miami) or Spencer Fano (Utah) here, but ignoring the value of Reese at No. 3 feels wrong. Some early-drafting NFL teams have been looking to trade down, and the Cardinals could certainly offer to move back a few spots to let someone else have Reese while they get a tackle and some draft compensation, but we’re not doing trades.
Instead, the Cardinals take the best player available while still landing a player at a position of need. Reese could easily slot in as a starter across from Josh Sweat as a rookie and inject some life into a pass rush that boasted the third-lowest sack total in the NFL last year. Hell, if needed, Reese could even continue to split time as an off-ball linebacker, like he did as a Buckeye, supplementing a group currently headlined by Mack Wilson, Zaven Collins, and Cody Simon. Reese would have a clear path to becoming the best player at either position if he develops as expected. The Cards making this pick would continue a trend of selecting hybrid players in Round 1, which the team did with Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Haason Reddick (at the time) and Deone Bucannon.
4) Tennessee Titans — RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
The Titans still have so many positions of need they could go almost anywhere with this pick and not be wrong. If Reese or Bailey are still available, the leftover pass rusher could easily be the right call here. Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. would take to the NFL easily with Jeffery Simmons as a mentor (though, the team has strayed from this idea after early thoughts of reuniting him with Cam Ward). Styles would be an instant upgrade to the linebacking corps, or the team could explore any of the options at tackle. Tennessee could also go with yet another Buckeye and provide Ward with a high-caliber weapon in wide receiver Carnell Tate.
Ultimately, though, a different kind of weapon for Ward may prevail here. After initially being challenged on his rightful place in the top 10 picks of the draft, Love has been creeping higher and higher up projection boards. As we mentioned with Styles, taking Love here instantly makes him the eighth-highest-paid running back in the league. Love going here would also move him past Saquon Barkley for most fully guaranteed money allocated to a running back. The Raiders entered that neighborhood last year by drafting Jeanty at No. 6.
Love would instantly take an immense amount of pressure off Ward, who led the league in sacks taken last year. Love has the type of game-changing talent that could open up the offense. With a remarkable blend of strength, speed, aggression, and balance, this high-jumping rusher will bring Offensive Rookie of the Year potential.
5) New York Giants — T Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
One of the teams leading the charge for trading back from the early first round has been John Harbaugh’s Giants, and that could be the most likely outcome for this pick where talent exists but maybe not at positions New York is trying to bolster. At some point, adding another starting-caliber receiver or cornerback or investing in a top defensive tackle prospect could be really impactful for the Giants, but this early, anyone aside from Tate feels like a significant reach here, and Tate still feels like a bit of a reach at No. 5 (though, his stock has continued to grow lately). It feels like the team did enough work at linebacker and tight end in free agency to rule those out, too.
If the Giants are staying put here, Mauigoa makes sense for a few reasons. While the Giants have their starting tackles in place on multiyear deals, Andrew Thomas has struggled with his health in recent years. Now, a fifth overall pick may seem a bit rich for a swing tackle, but draft pundits have been pretty vocal about their belief that Mauigoa’s best position may be on the interior offensive line, where the Giants have questionable starters on expiring deals.
Though he only played right tackle in college, Mauigoa has expressed willingness to move around the line. There are areas he could improve on as he develops as an NFL tackle, but if Big Blue needs to stick him at guard right now, he’s got a strong skillset to start there and kick out to cover a tackle spot if needed, solving multiple issues along the team’s offensive line.
6) Cleveland Browns — T Spencer Fano, Utah
Let’s cheat a bit here. Even though the potential run of offensive tackles is not to come in this mock, we can put Cleveland in that mindset and still have this make sense. The Browns’ biggest needs are at wide receiver and offensive line. If there’s going to be a run of tackles delaying the selection of top receivers, it makes sense for the team to lock up a strong bookend at the start of the run and hope the depth of the top-tier receivers will leave some strong options remaining when their second Day 1 pick rolls around.
Cleveland was recently linked to Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, but it’s hard to picture him jumping up a few spots over Fano. Proctor may make sense if the Browns trade back a bit, though, and that’s something that’s been rumored for both their picks. Instead, Cleveland follows New York’s example and lands a top right tackle with potential versatility — honestly, these two picks could be swapped and it wouldn’t shock. Neither team could really go wrong with either player. As the Browns completely rebuild their offensive line from last year with a few new and familiar pieces, Fano could be an indispensable option with the ability to solve multiple issues, much like Mauigoa.
7) Washington Commanders — LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
This was a tough one. The Commanders lost a good number of pieces in free agency but did a good overall job of restocking. Bringing in Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson should help the pass rush, and Chig Okonkwo should be able to effectively replace Zach Ertz. The return of Dyami Brown and addition of Van Jefferson were barely convincing enough to not go Tate here, and it doesn’t feel like cornerback is the move here either after the team used high picks on Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos in recent years.


















