2026 NFL mock draft: Vikings address need on offense with move into top 10

The Raiders taking Mendoza with the first pick is the only certainty of this draft.

Not a certainty by any stretch, but this has been my projected pick throughout the entire process, and I see no reason to deviate from it now.

I’ve had the Cardinals trade down the last couple of mocks, but it’s probably more likely they stick here. If they do, drafting a tackle to improve the offensive line for whomever the QB of the future is makes sense.

I’ve had the Titans take Jeremiyah Love here most of the winter, but that was because a top edge rusher like Bailey wasn’t available to them in prior mocks.

The closer we get to the real thing, the more smoke there is about the Giants and Styles. Maybe it’s a misdirect, or maybe it’s just that the Giants really like Styles.

Nobody knows who Cleveland’s QB will be yet, but the Browns could use somebody to throw to, and Tate makes plenty of sense.

Now the phones begin ringing. Washington could take Bain here, but with only two top-100 picks and only six overall, the Commanders move down to acquire more. Meanwhile, the Bucs move up to get the pass rusher they desire in Bain.

Delane does not leave the state of Louisiana as the Saints add the best corner in the class to their defense.

Love may not go fourth overall, but his slide ends here. The Vikings have a need at running back and nine picks in this draft. Rather than sitting back and hoping he falls, they get aggressive and snap him up.

The top pass rushers are off the board, so Cincinnati grabs the best defensive prospect left in the class to help out a defense that needs all the help it can get.

It’s hard to know exactly what Miami will do with new people in charge, but I love the value of Freeling for the Dolphins here.

The closer we get to the draft, the less fears there seem to be among teams about McCoy missing the 2025 season with an ACL. The Cowboys take a chance on a player who could prove to be a lockdown corner.

Shortly after my last mock was posted, it was announced that Puka Nacua was entering rehab. That only solidifies my feeling that the Rams will go WR at this spot. They get my favorite one in the class.

For the first time this century (give or take), I have the Ravens going with somebody other than Ola Ioane. Mark Andrews isn’t getting any younger, and Lamar Jackson seems to prefer throwing to tight ends over receivers. Sadiq is a receiver in a tight end’s body, so perhaps this is fate.

After moving down, the Commanders still end up getting a Miami Hurricane to help their pass rush.

With only a couple of tackles off the board, the Texans decide it’s time to strike, as the cost of moving up to get Fano is cheaper than they would’ve anticipated only hours before.

I’m a big fan of Miller and believe the Lions could put him at RT and move Penei Sewell to the left, or they could put Miller on the left. He played RT at Clemson, but I think he’s got the ability to protect Jared Goff’s blindside.

After moving down from No. 9, the Chiefs are still able to land a WR who can be a difference-maker in Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.

With Ickey Ekwonu rupturing his patellar tendon in the playoffs last season, there’s no telling when he’ll be back. So the Panthers take a potential replacement for him.

Faulk is a beauty in the eye of the beholder prospect. His production at Auburn wasn’t fantastic, but he looks the part of a guy who can be a strong pass rusher at the NFL level. The Cowboys are willing to bet on the potential.

Ioane can stop looking at Zillow listings in Baltimore, but he says within the division, as the Steelers solidify the interior of their offensive line.

The Chargers could use a big body on the interior of their defensive line, and while I don’t know what McDonald will give you as a pass rusher, I know he’s going to help the run defense considerably.

I could see the Eagles going with an offensive tackle at this spot, but this team’s best days came when it had roughly a trillion defensive linemen to throw at opponents over the course of a game, so they add another one here.

The Browns are going to head into the second round with a WR and an offensive lineman of some sort in the fold. Who they are, and what order they take them, I don’t know. What I know is I like Lomu quite a bit.

The Bears have addressed a lot of needs on their defense this offseason, but there are still question marks at safety and in the pass rush. The top edge rushers are gone. The top safety isn’t, until now.

Surprise! The Raiders are back! The Bills only have two top 100 picks, so they drop into the early second round, while the Raiders pair Fernando Mendoza with his Indiana teammate.

Young is somebody to dream on, and he strikes me as the type of player the 49ers tend to target at the position.

After moving down in a swap with the Texans, the Jets are still able to address their secondary with Terrell. Getting Reese, Terrell, and a few extra picks makes for a great first night of the draft.

This is somebody I’m higher on than the consensus. I like Johnson’s size and length a lot and believe he has the potential to be a very good player in the NFL. In this mock, the Chiefs agree with me.

Considering Jeff Hafley’s background as a defensive backs coach, it’s hard for me to imagine the Dolphins don’t use at least one of their two first-rounders on a defensive back.

Everything should be about helping Drake Maye, and Boston (what a name for a Patriot!) is a big-bodied, sure-handed receiver who can get open downfield and also serves as a strong asset in the red zone.

Running back is Seattle’s biggest need, and by taking Price in the first round, the Seahawks can get the fifth year on him. That said, the Seahawks can do anything they want here, so I don’t make this pick with an extremely high level of confidence.