2026 NFL Mock Draft: 5 Potential 1st-Rounders Who Could Fall Further Than Expected

Every NFL draft board is different. All 32 franchises don't operate off a homogenous set of rankings. As a result, some prospects perceived as top talents will inevitably experience a draft-day slide.

Some names could dip further than expected yet still hear their names called during this year's first round on April 23. Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy and Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell are potential examples based on injury concerns. Conversely, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is an elite talent who plays a non-premium position.

No one should expect a Shedeur Sanders-like multi-day slide, though. That case proved to be out of the ordinary.

In this instance, five individuals currently carry a grade of 7.9 or better among the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's top-30 prospects, yet they won't be found among the included first-round mock draft. The reasons why vary, but each is a high-profile name with plenty of first-round buzz at some point throughout this process.

Now, they have to wonder if they'll be waiting until April 24 to finally know where they'll play next season.

1st-Round Mock Draft

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Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
2. New York Jets: Edge Arvell Reese, Ohio State
3. Arizona Cardinals: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
4. Tennessee Titans: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
5. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
6. Cleveland Browns: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
7. Washington Commanders: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
8. New Orleans Saints: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
9. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Spencer Fano, Utah
10. Cincinnati Bengals: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
11. Miami Dolphins: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
12. Dallas Cowboys: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
13. Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta): OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
14. Baltimore Ravens: IOL Vega Ioane, Penn State
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
16. New York Jets (via Indianapolis): WR Makai Lemon, USC
17. Detroit Lions: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
18. Minnesota Vikings: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
19. Carolina Panthers: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
20. Dallas Cowboys (via Green Bay): DL Keldric Faulk, Auburn
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
22. Los Angeles Chargers: IOL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
23. Philadelphia Eagles: Edge Malachi Lawrence, UCF
24. Cleveland Browns (via Jacksonville): WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
25. Chicago Bears: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
26. Buffalo Bills: Edge Gabe Jacas, Illinois
27. San Francisco 49ers: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
28. Houston Texans: OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LA Rams): Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson
30. Miami Dolphins (via Denver): CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
31. New England Patriots: Edge Zion Young, Missouri
32. Seattle Seahawks: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

DL Peter Woods, Clemson

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Sky-high expectations were placed upon Peter Woods prior to the start of the 2025 campaign. Last summer, he was viewed a potential future top-five draft pick. His final season on campus didn't warrant that distinction.

Instead, Woods could easily find himself out of the first round altogether, mainly because he didn't show significant development as an interior pass-rusher.

Defensive tackles tend to hold a much higher value, especially regarding first-round possibilities, if they present every-down ability or upside. Interior defenders aren't nearly as sought-after if they can't apply pressure on a semi-consistent basis.

Woods is a ready-made run defender. He's not someone his next team should expect to win one-on-one interior battles and collapse the pocket. The first-team All-ACC performer will be 21 years old for the entirety of his rookie campaign. He still presents significant growth potential. But the production simply hasn't been there.

The true junior entrant managed five sacks in his three collegiate seasons. Woods generated a woeful sub-five percent pressure rate during his final campaign. Also, he's just under 300 pounds with arms less than 32 inches.

At this point in the process, Woods might be fighting an uphill battle to crack the first round since he doesn't offer the traits most teams want when investing that highly in the defensive interior.

DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

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Kayden McDonald finds himself in a similar situation as Peter Woods. Run-dominant defensive tackles aren't usually considered worthy of first-round consideration, unless they are truly elite athletes or absolute brick walls who can't be moved off their spots.

McDonald has the positional class working against him to a degree, too. The Ohio State product is the incoming crop's top-ranked nose tackle. While the following isn't said often, it's true for this particular class: Nose tackle is one of the group's strongest and deepest positions.

An organization in need of interior improvement doesn't need to spend a first-round pick on a widebody capable of eating space, doing the dirty work and letting a squad's other defenders make plays.

Still, the 21-year-old McDonald is a standout.

"While McDonald's technique is a work in progress, he displays a unique ability to get himself out of bad positions and dominate against the run thanks to his rare combination of size (6'2", 326 lbs), strength and athleticism," B/R scout Matt Holder wrote.

Poor technique needs to be addressed, because it serves as another reason why McDonald may not go as highly as anticipated.

The reigning Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year was only a one-year starter. He needs to improve his hand usage and block recognition, stop giving up his chest so often and playing tall at times.

McDonald could perform at a high level against collegiate competition despite an unrefined game. The same won't be said when he's facing NFL blockers. Just ask Mazi Smith and Kenneth Grant.

WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee

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Instant offense can be added to a lineup with the selection of Tennessee's Chris Brazzell II. He was born to play wide receiver, though he still requires some refinement to his game.

Brazzell's father was originally selected in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL draft by the New York Jets. He eventually spent two years with the Dallas Cowboys before playing for four different CFL teams in seven seasons. Considering his experience, his advice to never back down certainly hit home.

"Out there, you have no choice," the elder Brazzell said during 2024 interview with the Knoxville News Sentinel's Adam Sparks. "You either let someone be in your ear all game and talk that mess and hear parents chirping all game, or you're going to have to say something, too. And we encouraged him to fight back and not to back down."

After two seasons at Tulane, Brazzell transferred to Tennessee, where he became a first-team All-SEC selection in 2025. The 6'4" target has the elite body control and top-end speed (4.37-second 40-yard dash) to make him an instant vertical threat.

However, the 198-pound receiver will need to improve his play-strength, consistency at the catch-point and continue to evolve as a route-runner. Brazzell isn't as far behind as some of the recent receivers to come out of Tennessee's offense, but he still needs to add nuance within his route tree.

Brazzell has Pro Bowl potential. He's also in a class where other physically gifted wide receivers should be available through Day 2 and possibly into Day 3. In turn, his value takes a hit.

Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami

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Of any potential faller in this year's draft class, Miami's Akheem Mesidor is the most obvious possibility.

The likelihood of this occurring during draft weekend has nothing to do with the player's on-field prowess. Instead, he has two significant strikes against him, which could sour potential suitors.

Obviously, anyone who consistently creates pressure tends to be highly regarded. Mesidor certainly can.

"Mesidor possesses rare pass-rush ability for an NFL prospect, as his pass-rush artistry led to an impressive 92.5 PFF pass-rush grade (96th percentile), 71 total pressures, 21.3 percent pass-rush win (94th percentile) rate and 16.0 percent pressure rate," John Owning wrote.

The native Canadian is a technician with enough burst and bend to consistently threaten the edge and keep offensive tackles off-balance. Based on last year's play alone, Mesidor is a first-round prospect all day long.

In order for that possibility to be realized, an NFL front office must be comfortable A) drafting a possible one-contract prospect and B) get clearance from the organization's medical staff in order to do so.

Mesidor is already 25 years old. He'll turn 30 shortly after testing free agency for the first time (based on playing out his entire rookie contract, plus the fifth-year option). Still, he will provide instant pass rush, which makes his age a little easier to swallow.

Medical checks are dicey, though. Mesidor required surgery on both feet in 2023 after suffering torn ligaments. He's played in 28 games since that campaign and performed at a high level. The concern is whether his age combined with previous foot problems create a short shelf-life to his career.

QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

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A draft class' QB2 is generally considered a lock for the first round, but that's not always the case.

On four different occasions since the turn of the century, only one quarterback heard his name called during the opening frame. The 2026 class has a good chance of being the fifth.

Ty Simpson has first-round tape...for the first half of the 2025 campaign. As a one-year starter, he never had the opportunity to show more. Instead, he battled through a slew of injuries over the second half of last season.

Granted, Simpson showed a level of toughness that coaches love. Even so, he's not the type of prospect that still demands first-round consideration despite the small sample size.

"I don't think anything about him other than him being a one-year player is supremely polarizing," an AFC executive told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "There's not a good history of it, but I think you've got to take each guy as an individual case.

"I don't think anyone expects him to come in right away and be great. If picked in the 20s, he'll get experience and reps and get legs under him. He's a good kid, a coach's kid, had a lot of good production and success. Maybe not on the same tier as top guys, but he's still a player."

Simpson does present translatable traits as a pocket passer, with numerous NFL-caliber throws seen on tape. He should be able to operate a professional offense and serve as a distributor, even if he doesn't possess elite arm talent or athletic traits, which keeps him in the first-round conversation.

Slotting is another potential issue that pushes the class' second-best quarterback into Day 2. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns are the only teams in the back end of this year's first round possibly looking to draft a quarterback, though both seem content to move forward with their current setups.

Unless the New York Jets or Arizona Cardinals decide to trade back into the first round, a landing spot really doesn't exist for Simpson. He could well become a Day 2 selection, with enough upside to eventually start for an NFL team.