Daniel Jeremiah Drops 1st 2026 NFL Mock Draft, Who Goes After Fernando Mendoza?

Indiana star quarterback Fernando Mendoza is universally expected to be selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL draft, but the next few months will determine how the rest of the order shapes up after him.

NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah unveiled his first mock draft for this year, predicting that Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese will be the next player off the board behind Mendoza to the New York Jets with the No. 2 pick.

Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano was projected to land with the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3, while the Tennessee Titans were predicted to use the No. 4 pick on Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane landed with the New York Giants to round out the top five.

The full top 10 in Jeremiah's mock draft is as follows:

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State
3. Arizona Cardinals: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
4. Tennessee Titans: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
5. New York Giants: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
6. Cleveland Browns: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
7. Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
8. New Orleans Saints: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

The Jets were initially expected to be in the running for a quarterback, but Dante Moore's decision to return to Oregon for the 2026 season makes Mendoza the only quarterback predicted to be selected in the first round in Jeremiah's mock draft.

Six players in Jeremiah's top 10 are on the defensive side of the ball, and two of the four offensive players are linemen. This year's class is a far cry from the recent draft classes that were dominated by quarterback prospects and players at skill positions.

There's a lot of time between now and the 2026 draft in April, so it will be fun to see how more mock drafts come together as players try to improve their stock over the next few months.