Renner's 2026 NFL mock draft 5.0: Giants trade No. 1 pick as QBs, edge rushers take over top 10
A blockbuster trade at the top of the board sets the tone for how this first-round projection unfolds
By
Mike Renner
•
1 min read
The 2026 NFL Draft may not feature the kind of all-world, slam-dunk, No. 1 overall quarterback prospects that defined the 2024 class, but franchises will still be jockeying aggressively for the top group of signal-callers in this year's pool.
With the Giants and Titans seemingly out on drafting a quarterback while holding two of the top three picks, expect one — or both — of those selections to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. In this mock draft, the Jets trade up to No. 1 with the Giants, giving up both first-round picks this year (Nos. 5 and 18) and their lowest first-round pick in 2027.
With the Giants and Titans seemingly out on drafting a quarterback while holding two of the top three picks, expect one -- or both -- of those selections to be auctioned off to the highest bidder. In this mock draft, the Jets trade up to No. 1 with the Giants, giving up both first-round picks this year (Nos. 5 and 18) and the worst of their three first-round picks in 2027.
Outside of quarterback, the top 10 should be dominated by the league's next two highest-paid positions: edge rushers and wide receivers. The depth at both spots is questionable, but there are clearly identifiable difference-makers at each position who already feel like near locks to come off the board early.
Without further ado, let's predict the first 32 picks
Note: This is the current NFL draft order before "Monday Night Football" in Week 15 (via Tankathon).
NFL Mock Draft
Round 1
Mock Trade from
New York Giants
Round 1 - Pick 1
A New York swap for the top spot in the 2026 draft sees the Jets nab the recent Heisman trophy winner. While Mendoza doesn't fit the "creator" mold that's become popular at the top of the draft, he's a perfect fit to operate the scheme that offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand has brought over from Detroit. He's a robotic pocket passer who rarely makes mistakes with the football.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
What Moore lacks in experience, he more than makes up for in calm aesthetics. He throws a beautiful football and is throw-for-throw the most accurate quarterback in this class. No one had more perfectly placed passes outside the numbers in this class than Moore. While he hasn't faced many top defenses or faced a ton of pressure, it's easy to see him developing into something special in the NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Bain was the down-in, down-out most impactful defensive lineman in college football. He collapses tackles in both the run game and as a pass rusher. With his body type, Bain could easily be a force as an interior rusher in the NFL, too.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
Tate is the kind of vertical X receiver the Browns offense has been missing. He hauled in a ridiculous 11 of his 15 deep targets for 453 yards this fall. His 14.4 yards per target is an eye-popping figure. Most importantly, though, he didn't drop a single pass all season.
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Mock Trade from
New York Jets
Round 1 - Pick 5
Jaxson Dart goes from having scant receiving options to arguably the most fully loaded receiving corps in the NFL with this pick. Tyson is a crafty, all-around route runner who creates more space for himself than anyone in the class. His only concern is his injury history that's caused him to miss time in three straight seasons.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
It was an up-and-down first season as a starter for Goosby, but by season's end there wasn't a better offensive lineman in college football. He was the best player on the field in Texas' upset win over Texas A&M to cap off the regular season. He also has experience on the right side in 2024, as he'd have to flip to that side in Arizona.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Bailey is a twitched-up athlete who can hunt quarterbacks. His 13.5 sacks led all Power Four defenders this fall. The Saints defense has turned a leaf from the Dennis Allen era and could use more speed off the edge instead of power.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Reese is what a modern hybrid linebacker looks like. He can rush the passer, drop deep into coverage, or run sideline to sideline in the run game at a high level. His juice is exactly what the Commanders are missing in their front seven.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
The Bengals haven't been right at safety since Jessie Bates III left. That would change in a hurry with Downs back there. He's a do-it-all safety who's also an exceptional tackler.
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From
Atlanta Falcons
Round 1 - Pick 10
The Rams won't be drafting top 10 anytime soon as long as Sean McVay is their head coach. Because of that, they may take a swing on their next franchise quarterback to apprentice Matthew Stafford in the meantime. Simpson has shown flaws of late in his first season as a starter, but there's more than enough flashes from him to get excited about what he could become.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
Given how this season ended for the Chiefs, the front office may very well want to make sure Patrick Mahomes is never in the firing line behind a UDFA offensive tackle again. Mauigoa would pair with Trey Smith on the right side to create one brutish double-team combo.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
Give J.J. McCarthy all the weapons you can give him to take the pressure off the young quarterback. Love would give opposing defensive coordinators a lot to think about in game-planning meetings with Jahmyr Gibbs-esque home run ability.
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Round 1 - Pick 13
Sadiq's mixture of speed, YAC ability and physicality in the run game is perfect for Mike McDaniel's offense. He'd be like a souped-up version of Jonnu Smith for them. Athletes like Sadiq are perfect for today's NFL, which so often asks tight ends to block on the move.
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Round 1 - Pick 14
Styles is the perfect linebacker for a Matt Eberflus defense. He's not a great blitzer, but Eberflus doesn't send linebackers much. What Styles is is an elite tackler (didn't miss one tackle all season) who has the best range at the second level in the draft class.
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Round 1 - Pick 15
The Ravens guard position has been among the worst in the NFL this season. Fano would change that with his fleet feet and quick hands. He starts at right tackle now for the Utes but looks better suited for the interior in the NFL.
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Round 1 - Pick 16
McCoy has already declared for the draft, making him the biggest wild-card prospect in the class. I say that because he didn't play a down of football this fall after tearing his ACL in January. His tape in 2024 was top-10 worthy, but the injury throws a wrench into that projection. For the Panthers, he'd be worth a swing given their need and how scary their secondary would be if McCoy hits his high-end projection.
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Round 1 - Pick 17
Faulk is a physically imposing defensive end who can play both inside and outside. He's a dynamo in the run game but a work in progress as a pass rusher with only 31 pressures this past fall. His tools are worth taking a chance on developing given how special they are.
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Mock Trade from
New York Jets
Round 1 - Pick 18
The last time an uber-strong defensive tackle from Clemson fell in the draft, it turned out fairly well for the Giants. You couldn't find Woods outside the top five in a mock draft prior to the season, but a disappointing junior campaign that saw him register a career-low 15 pressures could cause him to slip.
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Round 1 - Pick 19
The NFC is trench warfare, and the Bucs are just adding reinforcements here. Ioane was the best true guard in the country this fall. as he was lights out in pass protection all season. He allowed only four pressures on 310 pass-blocking snaps.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
The Biletnikoff Award winner slots into an offense in desperate need of a reliable No. 2 receiver. Lemon may be the most reliable receiver in the entire draft class with only a 2.8% drop rate for his entire career.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
Defensive tackle may not qualify as a need for the Eagles, but they will continue to pound the trenches as long as Howie Roseman is the GM. Washington is exactly the kind of player Roseman has coveted in his GM tenure: a big, freaky athlete. Washington's first step is elite for a 330-pounder and can be a problem in the right scheme.
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Round 1 - Pick 22
Offensive line may be the bigger need, but Allen's tape may be difficult for head coach DeMeco Ryans to pass on. That's because Allen plays the game exactly how you'd want a linebacker to play it. He's a tone-setter on every single play who hits like a brick. It takes a special talent to start at linebacker for Kirby Smart as a true freshman, and that's Allen.
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From
Green Bay Packers
Round 1 - Pick 23
The Cowboys need help anywhere they can get it on their defense, and Delane is just that at corner. He's got the best man-match tape in the draft class this past fall with only 13 catches allowed for 147 yards.
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Round 1 - Pick 24
The Bills finally get a Stefon Diggs-esque separator for the first time since his departure from Buffalo.
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Round 1 - Pick 25
The Bears have already got the league's best run game with a revolving door at left tackle. Adding Proctor to it would almost be unfair to opposing defenses. He can cave in a double team as well as any college tackle you'll see but comes with some foot-speed concerns in pass protection.
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Round 1 - Pick 26
McDonald is the kind of immovable nose tackle that Jim Harbaugh would love to plant in the middle of his defensive line. Not only can he eat double teams, but he can also shed to make plays. McDonald led all defensive tackles in college football in run-stop percentage this past fall.
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Round 1 - Pick 27
Pregnon is an explosive athlete at left guard who's had a breakout season for the Ducks. His ability to play on the move would be perfect for a Kyle Shanahan scheme. He's allowed only three pressures all season.
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From
Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1 - Pick 28
Lomu didn't quite fix his play-strength concerns from his sophomore to junior seasons, but his quick feet and crafty hands could still entice a tackle-needy team like the Browns to take him in the first round. The Browns' revolving door of tackles has allowed the most pressures in the NFL this season.
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Round 1 - Pick 29
Parker is yet another disappointing Clemson defensive lineman. He was in the top 10 of most mock drafts during the preseason but saw his pressure total fall from 51 last year to 41 this year. There's still a lot to like from him in the run game, but his lack of high-end juice could cause him to fall.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
This is likely Tariq Woolen's last season in a Seahawks uniform, which means a cornerback spot should be opening up next year. Terrell's game isn't too dissimilar to current Seahawk Devon Witherspoon. Having two of that player in one secondary feels unfair.
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Round 1 - Pick 31
Smith is one of the unsung stars on the No. 1 Hoosiers team. He's been dominant on the left side all season, especially in the run game. He's a left tackle for the Hoosiers, but I could see him slotting in on the right side or inside for the Rams.
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Round 1 - Pick 32
Jackson is one of the most intriguing athletes in the draft class. His blend of length, strength, explosiveness and flexibility is what the elites in the NFL look like. His down-to-down effectiveness, though, is not close to what the elites look like. The good news is we've seen progress from him, especially when reduced down on the interior.
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