New NFL Mock Draft Trends to Know for Risers and Fallers from Mel Kiper, ESPN's Updated Predictions

USC star Makai Lemon may have overtaken Ohio State's Carnell Tate as the top wideout in the 2026 NFL draft class.

ESPN dropped a new mock draft Thursday with experts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates all alternating picks.

Miller had Lemon going sixth overall to the Cleveland Browns, five picks ahead of Tate going to the Miami Dolphins. The pair were flipped in Miller's mock from March 30.

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq was a relatively big climber. Kiper had the Kansas City Chiefs taking him at No. 9, positioning the 6'3" pass-catcher as the heir apparent to Travis Kelce.

Sadiq was the 15th pick in Kiper's last mock on March 17.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is heading in the opposite direction and fell out of the first round entirely. Playing the role of New York Jets general manager Darren Mougey, Kiper took Simpson 33rd overall.

Simpson's position isn't a stark contrast from where he's generally evaluated. The second-team All-SEC honoree is 26th on Bleacher Report's 2026 big board, with B/R scout Dame Parson comparing him to former Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo.

Simpson could sneak into the first round because quarterback is such an important position. There's also a pretty big gulf between him and the next-best available. LSU's Garrett Nussmeier (No. 51) is the only other QB to crack the top 100 on the B/R big board.

Still, it won't be a shock if Simpson slips into the second round.

Miami edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. might be losing some ground as well.

In the immediate aftermath of the College Football Playoff, one would've bet on Bain being a top-10 selection and maybe getting into the top five. Reid projected him as high as fourth overall on March 5.

Yates took him at No. 12 for the Dallas Cowboys, though. He was the third edge-rusher selected after Ohio State's Arvell Reese and Texas Tech's David Bailey.

As great as Bain was for the Hurricanes, the concerns about his arm length appear to be very real.

Whereas the pickings are pretty slim among the quarterbacks, this is a great year to be in need of receiver help.

Four wideouts were among the first 16 picks in the ESPN consensus mock. Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. was the most surprising inclusion, going 16th to the Jets with Yates making the pick.

Kiper didn't even list Cooper in his March mock, while Yates, Miller and Reid all had him in the mid-20s.

A lot of the attention has centered on Lemon, Tate and Arizona State star Jordyn Tyson. Cooper will be a name to watch on April 23.