Our NFL draft-day mock: Yates' final predictions for all 32 picks, plus Kiper's notes

Field YatesCloseField YatesESPN NFL InsiderField Yates is a fantasy football expert and NFL draft analyst for ESPN. You can find him on Fantasy Football Now on Sunday mornings and regularly on NFL Live throughout the week, as well as the Fantasy Focus and First Draft podcasts. A graduate of Wesleyan University (CT) and native of Weston, Mass., Yates has previous experience interning with the New England Patriots on both their coaching and scouting staffs. and Mel Kiper Jr.CloseMel Kiper Jr.Football analystMel Kiper Jr. has served as an NFL draft analyst for ESPN since 1984. He is a regular contributor on "SportsCenter," ESPN studio shows and ESPN Radio. He is the co-host of the First Draft podcast, and he writes regularly for ESPN+.Apr 23, 2026, 06:40 AM ETWe've finally reached the 2026 NFL draft, and Field Yates is in Pittsburgh. But before the Raiders are officially on the clock at No. 1, he projected all 32 first-round picks in his final mock draft -- which includes one big late trade for a team to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.After months of studying the top prospects, he wove together what he's hearing, big team needs and how the board stacks up to match players to each pick. The first selection is clear at this point, but the questions start immediately with the Jets at No. 2.At the bottom here, Mel Kiper Jr. shared some buzz he's hearing in the final hours before Round 1 begins. He has notes from conversations with executives, coaches and scouts from around the NFL on some top picks and late risers.Let's get to it, starting with Yates' final predictions for Round 1.Jump to: Yates' picks | Kiper's notesSee more on the NFL draft: Yates' top 150 | Kiper's top 150 Recent mock draftsYates projects Round 11. Las Vegas RaidersFernando Mendoza, QB, IndianaIn an unpredictable draft, Mendoza to the Raiders has been the only sure thing for months. According to ESPN Research, this pick would put him alongside Joe Burrow, Jameis Winston and Cam Newton as the only quarterbacks to win the Heisman Trophy, a national championship and then be selected No. 1 since 1967.Mendoza is an accurate, well-built and experienced. He has the arm strength and precision to drive the football to all levels of the field. A new era in Las Vegas will center on Mendoza and rookie head coach Klint Kubiak.2. New York JetsDavid Bailey, Edge, Texas TechThe Jets made meaningful progress this offseason through free agency additions on defense, but the team must add more youth to their pass rush room. Will McDonald IV was the only Jets player with more than four sacks last season, but half of his eight sacks came in Week 10 against the Browns.I had Bailey here in my last mock draft, and I'm sticking with him again. Bailey boasts the best first step in the class and plays with aggressive hands and instincts. He had 14.5 sacks in 2025, tied for the most in the FBS.3. Arizona CardinalsJeremiyah Love, RB, Notre DameArizona has far greater needs on both sides of the ball, but Love is No. 2 on my board and late momentum has suggested the Cardinals will take him here if they don't trade back. Love can supercharge an offense with his elite ability as both a rusher and a receiver. He had an FBS-best 40 scrimmage touchdowns since 2024, per ESPN Research. Arizona still has a lot of work to do on offense, and its RB1 James Conner sat out the majority of the 2025 season after surgery on his right foot.4. Tennessee TitansSonny Styles, LB, Ohio StateThis pick would come down to a pair of Buckeyes defenders, as Arvell Reese is still available. I'm expecting the tiebreaker to go to Styles since he is less of a projection than Reese, who was not a full-time edge rusher in college.Styles is an incredibly versatile, high-IQ prospect who could immediately be the field general in new coach Robert Saleh's defense. His tackle rate of 98% was third in the FBS last season, per ESPN Research.5. New York GiantsArvell Reese, Edge, Ohio StateReese falling to No. 5 might not be a scenario the Giants have contemplated much, but he's too good to keep sliding. Is it oversaturation to take a third pass rusher with a top-five selection in the past five years when you already have Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux? Not in my eyes, especially after losing Dexter Lawrence II's pass-rushing chops on the inside.6. Cleveland BrownsMonroe Freeling, OT, GeorgiaThe Browns enter the draft with a desperate need at both offensive tackle and wide receiver. Wide receiver should be easier to fill at a later time, as it's the deepest position in the draft. So the Browns should go with Freeling, who is a personal favorite of mine. He checks all the boxes in terms of his physical tools: 6-foot-7, 315 pounds and 34¾-inch arms. I firmly believe he can develop into the best pass protector in this class.7. Washington CommandersCarnell Tate, WR, Ohio StateDefense was a consideration here, with two talented defensive backs still on the board in Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. But Washington is thin at wide receiver after Terry McLaurin; Deebo Samuel is still a free agent after leading the team with 727 receiving yards last season. Tate has reliable hands (only four drops on 162 career targets), runs precise routes and is among the most pro-ready prospects in this class.8. New Orleans SaintsJordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona StateLike the Commanders, the Saints are in a need of more firepower in their receiver room. New Orleans' projected No. 2 wide receiver behind Chris Olave is Devaughn Vele, who had 25 receptions and 293 receiving yards in 2025. Tyson is one of the most explosive prospects, regardless of position. He can stretch a defense with his combination of size and vertical burst, plus he has a knack for picking up yards after the catch.9. Kansas City ChiefsCaleb Downs, S, Ohio StateCornerback, wide receiver and pass rusher are logical positions to consider for the Chiefs. But Downs is too good to pass up, as the impactful, tone-setting safety from Ohio State can help reshape a secondary that saw Bryan Cook depart to the Bengals.10. New York Giants (via CIN)Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn StateFor their second pick in the top 10, the Giants can address what will surely be a need next season at the latest: interior offensive line. Ionae is among the highest-floor players in the class, with power, athleticism and dependability. Only four interior offensive linemen have been taken in the top 10 since 1990, per ESPN Research. The most recent was guard Quenton Nelson to the Colts at No. 6 in 2018.11. Miami DolphinsFrancis Mauigoa, OT, MiamiThere are needs all over this roster for Miami, but I believe general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will adhere to the inside-out approach to roster construction that he is bringing from Green Bay. Mauigoa can be a fixture for another Miami offensive line, as the rock-steady right tackle allowed a 1.1% pressure percentage in 2025 (third best among FBS tackles).12. Dallas CowboysMansoor Delane, CB, LSUDallas is a team that people around the NFL believe would move up the board in the right scenario, but at what cost? The stick-and-pick approach pays off here, as the team lands the No. 1 cornerback after giving up a league-high 46 completions of 25-plus yards in 2025, per ESPN Research. Delane's size, run-support skills and ball disruption are NFL ready.13. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL)Spencer Fano, OT, UtahIs there a decided need right now for the Rams along the offensive line? There isn't, but Fano is a good enough player and there is no such thing as too much offensive line depth. That's especially true for a team led by a quarterback in Matthew Stafford who lacks mobility. Fano was an offensive tackle throughout college, but some evaluators say they believe he has the goods to play any of the five positions.14. Baltimore RavensRueben Bain Jr., Edge, MiamiThe Ravens' pass rush will be much better with Trey Hendrickson in tow, but this pick represents a blend of remaining need and value. Bain is a rugged, powerful pass rusher who doesn't appear to have the ideal size (30⅞-inch arm length specifically) and athleticism for the position, but that's not enough to drop him any more than this. Baltimore's 30 sacks in 2025 was its second fewest in the team's 30-year history, per ESPN Research.15. Tampa Bay BuccaneersKenyon Sadiq, TE, OregonTight ends for the Buccaneers totaled only two touchdowns in 2025, and their top player at the position right now is a steady but not dynamic athlete in Cade Otton. Sadiq is one of the most physically-gifted prospects we've ever seen at the position, with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He would help quarterback Baker Mayfield and this passing attack get back on track.16. New York Jets (via IND)Makai Lemon, WR, USCWide receiver is a must for the Jets early in the draft, and Lemon is coming off an incredible 2025 season in which he won the Biletnikoff Award for the nation's best wide receiver. He's extremely tough and fierce with the football in his hands. In 2025, he tied for the nation lead in two categories: receptions of 15-plus yards (31) and games with at least 150 receiving yards (four).17. Detroit LionsKadyn Proctor, OT, AlabamaI wouldn't put it past general manager Brad Holmes to be aggressive and trade up, especially with four offensive linemen already off the board in this scenario. At 6-foot-7, 352 pounds, Proctor is a massive player to fill the Lions' massive need -- they had the second-worst pass block win rate in 2025 (56%). He must be more consistent but has major upside at just 20 years old.play1:06Kadyn Proctor's NFL draft profileCheck out some of the top highlights from Alabama's Kadyn Proctor.18. Minnesota VikingsDillon Thieneman, S, OregonThis is the most common pairing in 2026 mock drafts outside the first handful of picks. The Vikings need to fill some gaps in the safety room and Thieneman is the best ball hawk in the class. He can quickly augment Brian Flores' defense and showed improvement as a tackler in 2025, finishing with eight missed tackles compared to 22 in 2024.19. Carolina PanthersKayden McDonald, DT, Ohio StateCarolina signed two defensive playmakers in edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, but they still need to address their defensive tackle depth after releasing A'Shawn Robinson. McDonald, like Robinson, is a standout run defender with excellent size and power at the point of attack. He had a breakout season in 2025, which included three sacks and a 7.8% run stop win rate (sixth highest in the FBS).20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB)Keldric Faulk, Edge, AuburnThe defensive overhaul for the Cowboys continues with Faulk, a 21-year-old who looked like a potential top-10 pick coming into this past season. His production tapered (only two sacks in 2025 after seven in 2024), but he has a lot of desirable traits. Faulk was the tallest (6-foot-5⅞) and heaviest (276 pounds) among all edge rushers at the combine. He is strong against the run and has positional versatility.21. Pittsburgh SteelersMax Iheanachor, OT, Arizona StatePer ESPN's Adam Schefter, there is uncertainty surrounding the health of Broderick Jones after a setback with his neck injury from last season. The Steelers could shore up their offensive tackle depth with Iheanachor, who is still piecing it together after not playing high school football. He has nimble feet and excellent size at 6-foot-6 and 321 pounds.22. Los Angeles ChargersAkheem Mesidor, Edge, MiamiThe Chargers must add to their pass-rushing depth, as they have three edge rushers entering the final year of their contracts (Tuli Tuipulotu, Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree). Mesidor would help that cause, with six years of experience that includes some time at defensive tackle. He's an explosive rusher, showing an arsenal of pass-rush moves that work both off the edge and when he kicks inside.23. Philadelphia EaglesBlake Miller, OT, ClemsonRight tackle Lane Johnson confirmed in February that he's back for 2026, but the Eagles have a chance to do what general manager Howie Roseman has consistently done: address "wants" before they become "musts." Miller logged nearly 3,700 career snaps as a four-year starter at Clemson, and he gave up only nine pressures and two sacks in 2025.24. Cleveland Browns (via JAX)Denzel Boston, WR, WashingtonCleveland has a clear path to fill its two biggest needs in the draft, and taking Boston here helps solidify the wide receiver void. Boston broke out over the past two seasons, totaling 20 receiving touchdowns and only three drops on nearly 200 targets. He has size (6-foot-4, 212 pounds) to go with fluidity, empowering him to operate both on the perimeter and as a big slot receiver.25. Chicago BearsR Mason Thomas, Edge, OklahomaChicago has put an emphasis on getting faster this offseason, and Thomas would support that push. He has an excellent first step, powerful hands and a high-level motor to help the Bears be less reliant on scheming pressure via blitzes. Last season, Chicago ranked 29th in pressure rate (28%).26. Buffalo BillsMalachi Lawrence, Edge, UCFAs the Bills move to more of a 3-4 system under new coordinator Jim Leonhard, they're going to need athletic edges to play from a stand-up alignment at the line of scrimmage. Lawrence has excellent chase ability and closing speed, posting a 4.52-yard dash in the 40 at the combine (second fastest among defensive linemen).27. San Francisco 49ersOmar Cooper Jr., WR, IndianaSan Francisco needs to add to the receiver room and Cooper would bring a run-after-catch element that fits well with coach Kyle Shanahan's scheme. He broke out in 2025 with 13 receiving touchdowns, showing excellent vision, patience and contact strength.play0:48Omar Cooper Jr.'s NFL draft profileCheck out some of the top highlights from Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr.28. Houston TexansPeter Woods, DT, ClemsonThe Texans are as talented as any team on defense, but defensive tackle is an area for them to get younger. Woods has a starter kit of tools to suggest he can produce much more than his 5.0 sacks over the past two seasons. He's an explosive, nimble pass rusher with strong hands to disengage at the point of attack.29. Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR)Colton Hood, CB, TennesseeA double-dip at defensive back for the Chiefs lands them with Hood, the explosive, confident cornerback who has a competitive streak that shows up on tape. The Chiefs must replenish the cornerback spot after trading Trent McDuffie and seeing Jaylen Watson depart as a free agent.Projected Dolphins-Cardinals tradeThis is the only new trade I'm predicting, as there already has been plenty of action concerning first-round picks. Miami can continue to stockpile draft capital, trading the pick it received from Denver in the Jaylen Waddle trade to the QB-needy Cardinals. But to move back into the first round through this scenario, Arizona would have to give up pick Nos. 34 and 65.30. Arizona Cardinals (via projected trade with MIA throu