It is time to unveil my first 2026 Boston Sports Journal mock draft (version 1.0 if you will). Several more will follow in alternate forms. For this one, I'm doing round one with no trades (which will not happen going forward, nor when the real draft rolls around in less than 3 weeks). I am picking for every team, considering free agency and short—and long-term needs.
1. Las Vegas - Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana): The National Championship-winning quarterback can carpool to work with Kirk Cousins, who just signed with the Raiders. Sign me up for a reality series with those two. Their personalities suggest they are damn near twins.
2. NYJ - Arvell Reese (Edge, Ohio St): The one-year starter was a first-team All-American and won LB of the year in the Big 10. Played closer to 240 pounds in college, and I wonder how that will hold up outside in the NFL. Micah Parsons, who he has been compared to, is at least 20 pounds heavier.
3. Arizona - Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami): A power tackle who will struggle with more speedy rushers in space. A lot of chatter on the street that the Cards would like to move back and still believe they can get a tackle. I would agree.
4. Tennessee - David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech): The Titans added John Franklin-Meyers and a pair of high-priced cornerbacks in free agency for Robert Saleh’s defense. Add the super-charged Bailey off the edge, and they might be cooking with gas.
5. NYG - Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio St): 2nd best player in the draft, in my humble opinion. Could we be looking at the next Fred Warner? He’s bigger and faster. John Harbaugh and the Giants are no doubt tempted by Jeremiyah Love (best player in the draft), but having a playmaker and football genius in the middle of the defense for the next 8 to 10 years is hard to pass up.
6. Cleveland - Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio St): What if I told you the Browns have been linked to a tackle at this spot, and probably not the ones you think? You wouldn’t be surprised, would you? Kadyn Proctor, the behemoth from Alabama, is someone Cleveland has taken a shine to. Not sure if they have the guts to do it at #6, but if anyone has shown illogical behavior in the past, it’s these guys. If not, Tate is the safest of the wide receivers in this draft for a team that needs one (or three).
7. Washington - Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame): After a great year one under GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn, the Commanders were a mess, firing the DC in-season and letting the OC (Kliff Kingsbury) walk after. Love would come in and be an instant playmaker and take some of the weight off QB Jayden Daniels.
8. New Orleans - Rueben Bain (DL, Miami): No player with an arm length under 31 inches (Bain is 30 7/8”) has ever had 10 sacks in a single season since at least 2000. But this kid is a bull, and somehow managed to get into offensive linemen’s chests over and over. It’ll be harder at this level, but I think the Saints will be willing to bet on Bain being an outlier.
9. KC - Spencer Fano (T, Utah): There has been some connection between the Chiefs and explosive TE Kenyon Sadiq, which would make sense considering Travis Kelce is on his last leg. But protecting Patrick Mahomes should be priority one, and there is a void at tackle. Fano is another short-armed bandit (is there something in the water these days?) but has excellent feet. He’s also someone who could end up at guard or center because of how well he moves.
10. Cincinnati - Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State): Not the biggest or fastest, but Harbaugh called Downs a “future Hall of Famer” at the Buckeyes’ pro day. He just knows how to play, and could do it from either safety spot or as a nickel.
11. Miami - Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU): Best cornerback in the draft. The Dolphins don’t have a corner worth a damn. How’s that for logic?
12. Dallas - Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee): McCoy went into the summer as the top corner and then didn’t play a single snap because of injuries. But he ran for pro scouts recently and was moving well. This allows the Cowboys to continue to remake their defense.
13. LA Rams - Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon): The Rams used 13-personnel more than any team in the league. Sadiq would be their most explosive at the position, even after they drafted Ferguson in the second round a year ago. Also, a little insurance playmaker-wise if Puka Nacua is unavailable at some point (legal issues/behavioral rehab).
14. Baltimore - Olaivavega Ioane (G, Penn State): This would be classic Ravens. They Ioane has no positional flex, but he’s the best interior player in the class, and someone who could make a similar impact as Grey Zabel did for Seattle a year ago.
15. Tampa Bay - Akheem Mesidor (Edge, Miami): Started his college career as a nose tackle at West Virginia and finished thriving off the edge next to Bain. He’s older (25) but his versatility could work well in Todd Bowles’ defense.
16. NYJ - Makai Lemon (WR, USC): This is a huge draft for the Jets. Lemon isn’t a slot-only player, but that’s likely where he will do his best work at the pro level. With Garrett Wilson a movable piece, and hopes for Adonai Mitchell to blossom as the X, Lemon fits nicely.
17. Detroit - Blake Miller (T, Clemson): Surprised? Don’t be. The Lions didn’t want to do more business with Taylor Decker, and Dan Campbell said the team would like to move Penai Sewell from the right side to left. Miller has been an RT his entire college career, and as a glass-eater, fits Detroit’s personality.
18. Minnesota - Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon): A gifted athlete and playmaker. Will fit like a hand in a glove in that Brian Flores defense as he looks to fill the big shoes of team legend Harrison Smith.
19. Carolina - Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St): Tyson is the best receiver in the class, but his health is an issue. If the Panthers feel comfortable with it, that’s a hell of a combo with Tet McMillan.
20. Dallas - CJ Allen (LB, Georgia): The Cowboys want a new captain of their defense. Allen is so damn smart that the Georgia Bulldogs let him call some of the defense this fall. Solid.
21. Pittsburgh - Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama): The Steelers could go wide receiver here. Omar Cooper and KC Concepcion would be fits alongside DK Metcalf and their fleet of tight ends, but in drafting Proctor, they can move 2024 1st rounder Troy Fautanu inside, but it also gives them insurance for LT Broderick Jones, who hasn’t lived up to his draft status.
22. LA Chargers - T.J. Parker (Edge, Clemson): Heavy-handed edge rusher who may never be a 10-sack guy, but eight sacks and good run defense feels very Jim Harbaugh-esque.
23. Philadelphia - Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona St): Lane Johnson is still a great player, but can’t stay healthy. He considered walking away after this past year. The Eagles can draft the athletic Iheanachor and let him marinate for a year, though based on Johnson’s history, he’ll get his beak wet. Love the fit here.
24. Cleveland - Keldric Faulk (DL, LSU): Versatile defensive lineman with a lot of upside. He’s only 20 years old and hovers around 265 pounds. Faulk could be someone who could drop 10 and play full-time edge or gain 15 and be an edge on run downs and kick inside on passing downs.
25. Chicago - Emmanuel Warren-McNeil (S, Toledo): Freak. Big, tall, fast, twitchy, physical. I heart EWM.
26. Buffalo - Denzel Boston (WR, Washington): There has been some talk that Boston could slide because of his lack of speed and his lack of testing. I call bullcrap.
27. SF - Cashius Howell (Edge, Texas A&M): Will Kyle Shanahan skip out on adding another offensive weapon in favor of a twitched-up edge rusher to pair with last year’s first-rounder, Mykel Williams, and Nick Bosa? Howell feels like a fit, scheme-wise.
28. Houston - Caleb Lomu (T, Utah): I would bet Bedard’s podcast revenue that the Texans and Nick Caserio trade out of this spot. But as this is a no-trade mock, they stick and pick another player to solidify that offensive line.
29. KC - Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson): He missed the Clemson pro day as he recovered from a hamstring injury, then held a day for scouts last week and promptly tweaked the hammy again. No matter. He reminds me some of Trent McDuffie, and we know how well that worked in the KC system.
30. Miami - Omar Cooper (WR, Indiana): The Fins purged their offense this offseason. Now? Time to restock for Malik Willis, and Cooper would be the kind of tough playmaking wideout the Fins haven’t had since I don’t know when.
31. NE - Malachi Lawrence (Edge, UCF): Of all the edges in this class after that first tier, Lawrence might have the best chance to be a consistent three-down player eventually. Little stiff in the hips, but great hand usage and good motor.
32. Seattle - KC Concepcion (WR, Seattle): Give Sam Darnold another playmaker, or add another piece to that defensive front 7 that terrorized everybody, including the Pats in the Super Bowl. R. Mason Thomas and Zion Young would be under consideration. Ditto Parker if he fell.