2026 NFL mock draft: Cowboys move up for Ohio State star, Cardinals land QB late

We all know this one is happening.

It seems like the Jets will be deciding between Bailey and Arvell Reese, and here we’re leaning toward the more known commodity in the pass-rush department. Bailey can anchor New York on the edges for the next several years.

Locking down the right side of the offensive line across from Paris Johnson Jr. allows the Cardinals to set the foundation for whenever they decide to land their quarterback of the future.

The Titans desperately need to find help for their quarterback, Cam Ward, but with Reese still on the board here they decide to throw Robert Saleh another bone and stack up offensive picks for the rest of the draft.

John Harbaugh has seen what an elite middle linebacker can do for a defense and elects to nab the electric athlete who can patrol the entire field.

Dallas sends Nos. 12 and 20, along with a Day 3 pick, to Cleveland for Nos. 6 and 39, then snags Downs before any of the teams ahead of the Cowboys can snatch him up. He’d be perfect for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s defense.

The idea of taking a running back this high in the draft makes *me* queasy, but it seemingly doesn’t do the same for NFL general managers and the idea of pairing Love with Jayden Daniels in the backfield might be too enticing for Washington to pass up.

The Saints let the board come to them and pair this Ohio State receiver with another in Chris Olave to give Tyler Shough a pair of reliable weapons for the foreseeable future.

The Chiefs stop Bain’s slide and slot him in across from George Karlaftis, giving them two powerful rushers off the edges for Steve Spagnuolo to work with.

The Bengals have needs all over the defense and here elect to take the top cornerback in the draft to help solidify things on the back end.

Miami feels like a prime trade-down candidate, but in this spot I couldn’t find anyone to come up the board. If McCoy’s knee checks out, he could have just as high a ceiling as Delane, who came off the board one pick earlier.

The Browns use the first of their now three first-round picks on a desperately needed tackle who also has the versatility to play elsewhere on the line if things don’t work out on the perimeter.

This feels like a match made in heaven, one that would supercharge the Rams’ offense in one of Matthew Stafford’s final seasons and allow the Rams to replace Davante Adams once he exits the stage as well.

The Ravens need to remake the interior of their offensive line after several offseason departures and here land the consensus best interior lineman in the draft.

The Bucs badly need help in the pass-rush department and that’s exactly what Mesidor brings, with the versatility to do it from the edge or aligned on the inside.

Pairing Cooper with Garrett Wilson will give Geno Smith two shifty passing-game options this year, and allow the Jets to let whomever their next quarterback is for 2027 and beyond to hit the ground running with a strong corps of weapons.

With Penei Sewell likely moving to the left side of the offensive line, the Lions could slide the massive Proctor to the right and continue mauling defenders up front.

It seems like everyone is pairing the Vikings with a safety, and Thieneman is one who makes perfect sense for a Brian Flores-led defense that prioritizes positional flexibility.

The Panthers have used multiple first-round picks on wide receivers recently, but with Tyson falling this deep into the first round the value of pairing him with Tetairoa McMillan is too good to pass up.

The Browns need explosive playmakers and Concepcion might be the most explosive receiver in the draft. Along with Harold Fannin Jr., he’d provide a nice baseline of weaponry for the eventual quarterback of the future.

The Steelers could opt to be the team that snaps up Ty Simpson before someone else trades up, but we have them solidifying the offensive line instead and again pushing the quarterback of the future issue another year down the road.

The Chargers are going to build their trenches on physicality and although Faulk didn’t have a ton of production at Auburn, he has prototypical size and traits and could develop into a strong option on the edge in time.

The Eagles love to get out ahead of their needs and here they can take Iheanachor and allow him to develop behind Lane Johnson before eventually taking over at right tackle.

Cleveland uses the third of its first-round picks on a safety with tremendous physicality and playmaking skills.

The Bears still need help on the edge and although Parker didn’t have his best season (like most of his Clemson teammates), his tape in prior years shows that he has really high upside.

The Bills, once again, are looking for help in the pass-rush department and get it in the form of Lawrence, who is of a different mold of player than the Bills have typically favored on the edge but could therefore be a strong option to change things up.

Like the Eagles, the 49ers get out ahead of a need here by taking Lomu to be the eventual successor to Trent Williams on the left side of the offensive line.

The Texans already have a dominant pass rush, and dropping McDonald into the middle of the defensive line would dramatically upgrade their run defense, making it even tougher to move the ball against them.

The Chiefs landed their pass rusher earlier and here give Spagnuolo another defensive back to replace the departed Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

Miami has a desperate need for playmakers on the outside and gets a big, physical X receiver for Malik Willis right here.

New England could also go with a pass rusher here but instead elects to continue solidifying the offensive line in front of Drake Maye.

Arizona moves up two spots and lands on Simpson while the Seahawks pick up additional capital after entering the draft with only four picks.