2026 NFL Draft: Bucky Brooks releases Mock Draft 1.0 for NFL.com

The 2026 college football season was one for the ages, producing some seriously memorable players who are likely to be the future of the sport in the NFL. It also set us up for some highly intriguing mock drafts.

While the Super Bowl will take place this week and one NFL team will be crowned champion, everyone looking for the next key on the roster will be eyeing a number of elite college players available in this year’s draft. How will things play out?

In an attempt to answer that question, the NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks released his mock draft 1.0 a few days ago. On3 is here to recap his picks. Let’s dive in.

1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and national championship winning quarterback seems to be a slam dunk favorite as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. He’s the kind of player who can change a program’s fortunes — just ask Indiana.

In his lone year at Indiana, Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, against just six interceptions. He also ran for 276 yards and seven scores. The perfect candidate to lead off Bucky Brooks’ mock draft.

2. New York Jets – LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State

It’s a defensive player up first after Mendoza, and Reese was the best that Ohio State — and possibly college football — had to offer at his position. He was absolutely everywhere in 2025.

This season, Reese logged 69 tackles, 10.0 tackles for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He also had two passes defended, showing some ability to be disruptive in the passing lanes.

3. Arizona Cardinals – OT Spencer Fano, Utah

Arizona needs help in plenty of places, but shoring up the offensive line is one of the top priorities for the team this offseason. Fano fits the bill to the letter there.

The Utah offensive lineman was an Outland Trophy finalist and a Lombardi Award semifinalist. He played in 37 career games with 35 starts, with a split between right and left tackle.

4. Tennessee Titans – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Tennessee will be looking to grow the arsenal of weapons for quarterback Cam Ward this offseason. Ohio State has been the place to go for wide receiver talent over the last decade, and Carnell Tate is next in line in this mock draft.

Tate finished his 2025 campaign with 51 catches for 875 yards. He also found the end zone nine times, showing he can be a big-play threat.

5. New York Giants – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami

The offensive line is a hard-hit position in the top 10 picks in Bucky Brooks’ mock draft, and the New York Giants are also tapping into the deep pool. Here, Francis Mauigoa comes off the board.

Mauigoa was the star of a very good Miami offensive line, one that helped the Hurricanes reach the national title game. At 6 foot 6, 335 pounds, Mauigoa is the ideal mold for an offensive tackle.

6. Cleveland Browns – OT Caleb Lomu, Utah

Continuing the run on offensive lineman is the Cleveland Browns midway through the top 10 in this mock draft. It’s the second Utah player off the board, indicating the Utes had an elite set of offensive lineman last year.

Lomu played in 25 games during his time at Utah, starting 22 games. He started all 12 games at left tackle in 2025 and was a first-team All-Big 12 selection.

7. Washington Commanders – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

One of the most dynamic athletes in the draft, Jordyn Tyson at times single-handedly powered the Arizona State offense. He demanded extra attention from defenses at virtually every turn … or you paid the price.

Tyson finished the year with 61 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns. During his three-year college career he totaled 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns.

8. New Orleans Saints – EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech

New Orleans needs to start thinking about the future with Cameron Jordan at 36 years old and currently not on contract for 2026. Few better places to turn than David Bailey from a stout Texas Tech defense.

Bailey was a first-team AP All-American this season. He also earned a slew of other awards after finishing with 47 tackles, 18.0 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and three passes defended.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The first running back off the board goes to a team that has been searching for answers at the position for the last year or two. Kansas City could certainly afford to use a draft pick to grab the top available back in this mock draft.

Love is coming off a season in which he tallied 199 carries for 1,372 yards. He was great in the big games and against cupcakes, scoring 18 times — in every game but the season opener against Miami.

10. Cincinnati Bengals – S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The trend turns back to defense to close out the top 10 in Bucky Brooks’ mock draft. Cincinnati snatches arguably the best defensive back in the class with Caleb Downs out of Ohio State.

Downs emerged on the scene as a star freshman at Alabama before transferring to Ohio State. With the Buckeyes, he won a national title. This season, Downs tallied 68 tackles, 5.0 tackles for a loss, a sack, two interceptions and two passes defended.

Rest of the Bucky Brooks Mock Draft 1.0

11. Miami Dolphins – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
12. Dallas Cowboys – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
13. Los Angeles Rams – CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
14. Baltimore Ravens – EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
16. New York Jets – WR Makai Lemon, USC
17. Detroit Lions – OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
18. Minnesota Vikings – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
19. Carolina Panthers – DT Peter Woods, Clemson
20. Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
22. Los Angeles Chargers – EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
23. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
24. Cleveland Browns – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
25. Chicago Bears – DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
26. Buffalo Bills – CB CJ Allen, Georgia
27. San Francisco 49ers – OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
28. Houston Texans – DT Caleb Banks, Florida
29. Los Angeles Rams – QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
30. Denver Broncos – S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
31. New England Patriots – EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
32. Seattle Seahawks – WR Denzel Boston, Washington