It is time to unveil another 2026 Boston Sports Journal mock draft, version 2.0. We are just a little over a week away from day one of the three-day marathon. Get your snacks and make sure the drinks are cold. Today, I'm doing two rounds (trades included) while considering free agency and both short - and long-term needs.
1. Las Vegas - Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana): He’s already got the playbook.
2. NY Jets - Arvell Reese (Edge, Ohio State): Call me crazy, but I don’t believe the David Bailey smoke, though I do reserve the right to change my mind.
3. Arizona - Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami): My belief is they want out of this spot, unless Reese falls to them. But I couldn’t find a good match (Dallas most often mentioned) unless the Cowboys overpay or the Cards accept less.
4. Tennessee - Jeremyiah Love (RB, Notre Dame): Adding an elite back to the backfield will make Cam Ward’s life a hell of a lot easier. And make no mistake about it, Love is a three-down stud.
5. NY Giants - Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio St): So, unless the G-Men love Freeling or Lomu, I think offensive line doesn’t make as much sense. They’ll look long and hard at Caleb Downs here, too, but positional value wins out.
6. (Trade) - KC - David Bailey (Edge, Texas Tech): Chiefs surrender #9 overall and #74 (and get #206 back) to draft the twitched-up pass rusher. They’ve needed someone with more juice opposite George Karlaftis. Bailey brings that. Cleveland is happy to add assets.
7. Washington - Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio St): You know how I feel about the player. Dan Quinn will know how to deploy him as a movable chess piece.
8. New Orleans - Rueben Bain (Edge, Miami): His arms are crocodile short, but his power is unmistakable. There was the revelation of the car crash in ‘24 that killed a passenger, but the league has known about that for a while. Could lead to a drop.
9. Cleveland (Trade with KC) - Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona St): Browns go back and, if this dude can stay healthy, grab the best pass catcher in the draft. And when you look at Cleveland’s depth chart for that position, you see how badly they need it.
10. Cincinnati - Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU): Shorter arms but a big brain and great instincts. Delane could be used to travel, and we know how much that aids a defense.
11. Miami - Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee): McCoy didn’t play last season because of injury, but his ‘24 tape is better than Delane’s ‘25 tape.
12. Dallas - Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State): Jerry would be giddy if Downs fell into their lap.
13. LA Rams - Caleb Lomu (T, Utah): Why Lomu over his teammate Fano, a better prospect? He plays left tackle, and don’t get it twisted, Lomu is an excellent mover. Just a good fit here.
14. Baltimore - Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon): This popped up on my radar a couple of weeks ago, and with Isaiah Likley now with the Giants, Charlie Kolar in LA with the Chargers, and Mark Andrews closer to the end, Sadiq gives Lamar a playmaker who can eat between the hashes.
15. Tampa Bay - Akheem Mesidor (Edge, Miami): This isn’t quite 28-year-old Brandon Weeden going in round one to the Browns in 2012, but at 25, Mesidor is another outlier in a draft full of ‘em.
16. NY Jets - Mekhi Lemon (WR, USC): Initially, I had Omar Cooper here (He just visited Florham Park), but despite concerns about Lemon’s interviews (he hasn’t fared well), the talent is the talent, and he’s an excellent fit.
17. Detroit - Spencer Fano (T, Utah): With Penei Sewell going to left tackle, Fano is an immediate plug-and-play. Also toyed with the idea of Kaydn Proctor, someone I’ve been told Dan Campbell is fond of.
18. Minnesota- Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon): I continue to be married to this player at this spot to this team.
19. Carolina - Omar Cooper (WR, Indiana): The Panthers need to do everything they can to decipher whether or not Bryce Young is the guy. Cooper helps.
20. Dallas - Keldric Faulk (DL, LSU): A lot of buzz about how much the league likes this player. Wouldn’t be shocked if he ended up in the top-15. For now? A nice movable defensive lineman for the Cowboys' revamped defense.
21. Pittsburgh - Olaivavega Ioane (G, Penn St): The Steelers immediately get better with Ioane. Sure, he’s just a guard with no positional flex, but he’s a better prospect than, say, Tyler Booker is, and Booker went 12th last year.
22. LA Chargers - T.J. Parker (Edge, Clemson): Jesse Minter may no longer be the DC, but Parker fits the style of edge rusher the Chargers want. That dude has some heavy hands (Roberto Duran-esque).
23. Philadelphia