NFL Draft 2026's Top Prospects and 1st-Round Mock Predictions

The NFL draft is all about looking forward.

We're just taking things a step farther here by mocking the 2026 draft before the 2025 talent grab is even completed.

It is, quite frankly, a monumental task given everything that will change between now and next year's draft. That feels especially true when Texas quarterback Arch Manning, arguably the best prospect in the class, may not even leave college to be a part of it.

We'll still forge ahead—albeit without Manning—and plot out way-too-early picks before spotlighting two of the top prospects on the board.

2026 Mock First Round

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To set the order for this mock first round, we consulted the Super Bowl odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and used some gut-feeling guesses to break any ties.

1. New Orleans Saints: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
2. Cleveland Browns: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State
3. New York Jets: Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA
4. Tennessee Titans: Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn
5. New York Giants: Isaiah World, OT, Oregon
6. Carolina Panthers: T.J. Parker, DE, Clemson
7. Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas
8. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): Kayden Proctor, OT, Alabama
9. Las Vegas Raiders: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
10. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
11. New England Patriots: Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU
12. Seattle Seahawks: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
13. Miami Dolphins: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
14. Arizona Cardinals: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
15. Dallas Cowboys: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
16. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
17. Chicago Bears: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
18. Houston Texans: Francis Mauigoa, OG, Miami
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech
20. Denver Broncos: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
21. Minnesota Vikings: Suntarine Perkins, LB, Ole Miss
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
23. Green Bay Packers: Antonio Kite, CB, Alabama
24. Los Angeles Rams: Austin Barber, OT, Florida
25. San Francisco 49ers: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
26. Cincinnati Bengals: Keon Sabb, S, Alabama
27. Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
28. Detroit Lions: Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina
29. Baltimore Ravens: Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M
30. Buffalo Bills: Evan Stewart, WR, Oregon
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Gabe Jacas, DE, Illinois
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia

Top Prospects

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Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Nussmeier is the son of an NFL coach—his father, Doug Nussmeier, is the Saints offensive coordinator—and more or less plays like it. His aggressiveness bites him sometimes, but he has the arm strength and accuracy to usually get away with taking chances.

Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

In a Manning-free draft, Allar should be firmly in the hunt for QB1 status. This past season, he had three times as many passing touchdowns (24) as interceptions (eight) and completed a career-high 66.5 percent of his passes.

Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA

His publicized transfer from Tennessee to UCLA didn't earn him a ton of fans in the college football world (besides Bruins backers, obviously), but if he stars at the Rose Bowl, NFL evaluators won't hold that against him. And given his elite athletic traits, rocket arm and ability to improvise, he has a chance to do exactly that.

Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

A "Wow!" type of season could be coming for Faulk, who can lineup anywhere along the defensive line and wreak havoc. He can get to the quarterback and set the edge in the running game, and he'll only cause more disruption as he improves his block-shedding repertoire.

Isaiah World, OT, Oregon

If World isn't the top offensive lineman on the draft board now, he could snag that spot sooner than later. The 6'8", 312-pounder has enviable length and athleticism, and he could be a shoe-in for the top five if Oregon can ace his development.