2026 NFL Draft: CBS Sports unveils 7-round mock with 11 QBs drafted, predictions for every pick from No. 1 to Mr. Irrelevant

With the 2026 NFL Draft less than a month away, prognosticators are taking their final shots at projecting the picks. The latest mock draft from CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards goes a full seven rounds deep.

It’s often hard to nail exactly where each player is going to up. Such is the fluid nature of the draft.

But the utility of a seven-round mock draft is giving you a range on where some college players might find themselves in the upcoming NFL Draft. And this one is certainly useful for that. So let’s dive in below.

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 CBS Sports’ mock draft.

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

The Jets need a lot of help defensively, 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: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Many projections have Arizona taking an offensive lineman here, but the Cardinals instead look to shore up their defense with an early pick out of Ohio State, which provides plenty of options in the top end of the draft. In this mock draft, it’s Sonny Styles going just one spot after teammate Arvell Reese.

Pro Football Focus pointed to an 87.4 run-defense grade, a 91.6 tackling grade and an 86.9 coverage grade as reasons justifying a possible selection this high. Styles tallied 82 tackles, 6.5 tackles for a loss, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and three passes defended during his final year with the Buckeyes.

4. Tennessee Titans: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech

CBS Sports generally has a pretty good balance between offense and defense early on in this mock draft, and there are a few directions Tennessee could go here. 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.

5. New York Giants: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Not many mock drafts to date have had McCoy up in the top 10 picks, much less in the top five. This is a bit of a bold selection by CBS Sports. But it’s easy enough to justify.

Before he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the 2025 campaign, McCoy was proving to be a monster in the secondary. And he mostly answered those health questions with a head-turning pro day. He’s an elite athlete with amazing cover skills.

6. Cleveland Browns: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Cleveland has a lot of issues to figure out on offense. Not the least of those is significantly upgrading the talent in the skill position spots for whoever might man the quarterback gig in 2026.

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.

7. Washington Commanders: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

There are a few teams in front of Washington that could snatch up Love before he falls to No. 7 overall, but not in this mock draft. In this one, Washington is the team to take the stud Notre Dame running back.

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.

8. New Orleans Saints: EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami

A lot of mock drafts have New Orleans taking a cornerback at No. 8 overall, but with McCoy off the board the question becomes how highly the Saints value Mansoor Delane. Not enough to take him here, per the CBS Sports projection.

Instead, Bain racked up 15.5 tackles for a loss and 9.5 sacks en route to the national title game in 2025. During his three-year career at Miami, he logged 33.5 tackles for a loss and 20.5 sacks. That’s getting it done at a high level and New Orleans needs impact players in the front seven.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami

With a relatively deep offensive tackle class in the top half of the draft, it’s a little surprising to see Mauigoa last this deep into the top 10. Here, 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 and can provide more protection for Patrick Mahomes long-term.

10. Cincinnati Bengals: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

The Bengals have a big need at defensive back. Fortunately for them, in this mock draft Caleb Downs has not yet been selected. So the franchise gets the best safety in the class.

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 Mock Draft – Round 1

11. Miami Dolphins: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
12. Dallas Cowboys: WR Makai Lemon, USC
13. Los Angeles Rams: OT Spencer Fano, Utah
14. Baltimore Ravens: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: IOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
16. New York Jets: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
17. Detroit Lions: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
18. Minnesota Vikings: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
19. Carolina Panthers: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
20. Dallas Cowboys: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
22. Los Angeles Chargers: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
23. Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
24. Cleveland Browns: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
25. Chicago Bears: DL Peter Woods, Clemson
26. Buffalo Bills: LB CJ Allen, Georgia
27. San Francisco 49ers: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
28. Houston Texans: DL Caleb Banks, Florida
29. Kansas City Chiefs: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
30. Miami Dolphins: EDGE Zion Young, Missouri
31. New England Patriots: OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
32. Seattle Seahawks: RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame

Round 2

33. New York Jets: DL Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
34. Arizona Cardinals: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
35. Tennessee Titans: IOL Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
36. Las Vegas Raiders: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
37. New York Giants: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
38. Houston Texans: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami (FL)
39. Cleveland Browns: IOL Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
40. Kansas City Chiefs: EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
41. Cincinnati Bengals: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
42. New Orleans Saints: WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee
43. Miami Dolphins: DL Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
44. New York Jets: CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
45. Baltimore Ravens: IOL Sam Hecht, Kansas State
46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
47. Indianapolis Colts: LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas
48. Atlanta Falcons: WR Germie Bernard, Alabama
49. Minnesota Vikings: DL Christen Miller, Georgia
50. Detroit Lions: EDGE Gabe Jacas, Illinois
51. Carolina Panthers: LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
52. Green Bay Packers: EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
53. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
54. Philadelphia Eagles: TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
55. Los Angeles Chargers: OL Gennings Dunker, Iowa
56. Jacksonville Jaguars: DL Domonique Orange, Iowa State
57. Chicago Bears: EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
58. San Francisco 49ers: EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
59. Houston Texans: IOL Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
60. Chicago Bears: S A.J. Haulcy, LSU
61. Los Angeles Rams: WR Antonio Williams, Clemson
62. Denver Broncos: CB Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State
63. New England Patriots: WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State
64. Seattle Seahawks: EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan

Round 3

65. Arizona Cardinals: WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma
66. Tennessee Titans: CB Treydan Stukes, Arizona
67. Las Vegas Raiders: WR Chris Bell, Louisville
68. Philadelphia Eagles: S Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
69. Houston Texans: LB Jaishawn Barham, Michigan
70. Cleveland Browns: CB Keionte Scott, Miami (FL)
71. Washington Commanders: WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame
72. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Romello Height, Texas Tech
73. New Orleans Saints: LB Josiah Trotter, Missouri
74. Kansas City Chiefs: S Bud Clark, TCU
75. Miami Dolphins: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
76. Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
77. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
78. Indianapolis Colts: OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
79. Atlanta Falcons: CB Devin Moore, Florida
80. Baltimore Ravens: CB Malik Muhammad, Texas
81. Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Joshua Josephs, Tennessee
82. Minnesota Vikings: TE Oscar Delp, Georgia
83. Carolina Panthers: S Genesis Smith, Arizona
84. Green Bay Packers: OL Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M
85. Pittsburgh Steelers: LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh
86. Los Angeles Chargers: CB Daylen Everette, Georgia
87. Miami Dolphins: WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State
88. Jacksonville Jaguars: S Kamari Ramsey, USC
89. Chicago Bears: IOL Connor Lew, Auburn
90. Miami Dolphins: IOL Kage Casey, Boise State
91. Buffalo Bills: IOL Billy Schrauth, Notre Dame
92. Dallas Cowboys: DL Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State
93. Los Angeles Rams: LB Bryce Boettcher, Oregon
94. Miami Dolphins: OT Jude Bowry, Boston College
95. New England Patriots: TE Max Klare, Ohio State
96. Seattle Seahawks: CB Domani Jackson, Alabama
97. Minnesota Vikings (Compensatory Pick): RB Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
98. Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Pick): OT Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M
99. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Pick): WR De’Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss
100. Jacksonville Jaguars (Compensatory Pick): IOL Logan Jones, Iowa

Round 4 – Mock Draft

101. Tennessee Titans: RB Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas
102. Las Vegas Raiders: S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina
103. New York Jets: IOL Jalen Farmer, Kentucky
104. Arizona Cardinals: DL Gracen Halton, Oklahoma
105. New York Giants: IOL Brian Parker II, Duke
106. Houston Texans: CB Chandler Rivers, Duke
107. Cleveland Browns: TE Sam Roush, Stanford
108. Denver Broncos: DL Nick Barrett, South Carolina
109. Kansas City Chiefs: LB Deontae Lawson, Alabama
110. Cincinnati Bengals: RB Jonah Coleman, Washington
111. Denver Broncos: TE Justin Joly, NC State
112. Dallas Cowboys: LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU
113. Indianapolis Colts: EDGE LT Overton, Alabama
114. Philadelphia Eagles: WR Skyler Bell, UConn
115. Baltimore Ravens: DL Chris McClellan, Missouri
116. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE Keyron Crawford, Auburn
117. Las Vegas Raiders: CB Will Lee III, Texas A&M
118. Detroit Lions: QB Carson Beck, Miami (FL)
119. Carolina Panthers: WR Reggie Virgil, Texas Tech
120. Green Bay Packers: OT Drew Shelton, Penn State
121. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Tacario Davis, Washington
122. Atlanta Falcons: TE Matthew Hibner, SMU
123. Los Angeles Chargers: WR Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
124. Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Kendrick Law, Kentucky
125. New England Patriots: DL DeMonte Capehart, Clemson
126. Buffalo Bills: WR Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State
127. San Francisco 49ers: IOL Matt Gulbin, Michigan State
128. Detroit Lions: IOL Jake Slaughter, Florida
129. Chicago Bears: WR Josh Cameron, Baylor
130. Miami Dolphins: CB Hezekiah Masses, California
131. New England Patriots: LB Taurean York, Texas A&M
132. New Orleans Saints: DL Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern Louisiana
133. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Pick): RB Seth McGowan, Kentucky
134. Las Vegas Raiders (Compensatory Pick): DL Zane Durant, Penn State
135. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Pick): DL Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
136. New Orleans Saints (Compensatory Pick): OT Isaiah World, Oregon
137. Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Pick): DL Zxavian Harris, Ole Miss
138. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Pick): OT Travis Burke, Memphis
139. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Pick): TE Michael Trigg, Baylor
140. New York Jets (Compensatory Pick): QB Drew Allar, Penn State

Round 5

141. Houston Texans: IOL Jager Burton, Kentucky
142. Tennessee Titans: LB Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
143. Arizona Cardinals: OT Markel Bell, Miami (FL)
144. Tennessee Titans: IOL Parker Brailsford, Alabama
145. New York Giants: DL Tim Keenan, Alabama
146. Cleveland Browns: RB Nick Singleton, Penn State
147. Washington Commanders: LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
148. Kansas City Chiefs: DL Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
149. Cleveland Browns: LB Keyshaun Elliott, Arizona State
150. New Orleans Saints: TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
151. Miami Dolphins: LB Jackson Kuwatch, Miami (OH)
152. Dallas Cowboys: CB Julian Neal, Arkansas
153. Philadelphia Eagles: DL Albert Regis, Texas A&M
154. Baltimore Ravens: EDGE Anthony Lucas, USC
155. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: TE Jack Endries, Texas
156. Indianapolis Colts: DL Tyler Onyedim, Texas A&M
157. Detroit Lions: CB TJ Hall, Iowa
158. Carolina Panthers: IOL James Brockermeyer, Miami (FL)
159. Carolina Panthers: OT Austin Barber, Florida
160. Green Bay Packers: WR Kevin Coleman Jr., Missouri
161. Pittsburgh Steelers: S Michael Taaffe, Texas
162. Baltimore Ravens: LB Red Murdock, Buffalo
163. Minnesota Vikings: EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins, Boston College
164. Jacksonville Jaguars: EDGE Tyreak Sapp, Florida
165. Buffalo Bills: EDGE Caden Curry, Ohio State
166. Jacksonville Jaguars: TE Dallen Bentley, Utah
167. Houston Texans: TE Josh Cuevas, Alabama
168. Buffalo Bills: CB Jadon Canady, Oregon
169. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Eric McAlister, TCU
170. Denver Broncos: OL Carver Willis, TCU
171. New England Patriots: QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State
172. New Orleans Saints: WR Tyren Montgomery, John Carroll
173. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Pick): WR CJ Daniels, Miami (FL)
174. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Pick): RB Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
175. Las Vegas Raiders (Compensatory Pick): RB Adam Randall, Clemson
176. Kansas City Chiefs (Compensatory Pick): IOL Kobe Baynes, Kansas
177. Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Pick): EDGE Ethan Burke, Texas
178. Philadelphia Eagles (Compensatory Pick): TE John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming
179. New York Jets (Compensatory Pick): TE Marlin Klein, Michigan
180. Dallas Cowboys (Compensatory Pick): TE Joe Royer, Cincinnati
181. Detroit Lions (Compensatory Pick): TE Nate Boerkircher, Texas A&M

Round 6

182. Buffalo Bills: OT Nolan Rucci, Penn State
183. Arizona Cardinals: IOL Micah Morris, Georgia
184. Tennessee Titans: TE Tanner Koziol, Houston
185. Las Vegas Raiders: IOL Logan Taylor, Boston College
186. New York Giants: LB Lander Barton, Utah
187. Washington Commanders: CB Andre Fuller, Toledo
188. Seattle Seahawks: OT Fa’alili Fa’amoe, Wake Forest
189. Cincinnati Bengals: DL Skyler Gill-Howard, Texas Tech
190. New Orleans Saints: CB Ephesians Prysock, Washington
191. New England Patriots: CB Brent Austin, California
192. New York Giants: OT Diego Pounds, Ole Miss
193. New York Giants: S Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
194. Tennessee Titans: EDGE Max Llewellyn, Iowa
195. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: P Brett Thorson, Georgia
196. Minnesota Vikings: LB Jack Kelly, BYU
197. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin
198. New England Patriots: OL Keagen Trost, Missouri
199. Cincinnati Bengals: EDGE Nadame Tucker, Western Michigan
200. Carolina Panthers: DL Landon Robinson, Navy
201. Green Bay Packers: QB Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
202. New England Patriots: EDGE George Gumbs Jr., Florida
203. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
204. Los Angeles Chargers: S VJ Payne, Kansas State
205. Detroit Lions: WR Lewis Bond, Boston College
206. Cleveland Browns: TE Will Kacmarek, Ohio State
207. Los Angeles Rams: IOL Beau Stephens, Iowa
208. Las Vegas Raiders: S Louis Moore, Indiana
209. Washington Commanders: TE Dae’Quan Wright, Ole Miss
210. Kansas City Chiefs: RB/WR Eli Heidenreich, Navy
211. Baltimore Ravens: OT Tristan Leigh, Clemson
212. New England Patriots: RB Kaytron Allen, Penn State
213. Detroit Lions: LB Jimmy Rolder, Michigan
214. Indianapolis Colts (Compensatory Pick): QB Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
215. Atlanta Falcons (Compensatory Pick): EDGE Vincent Anthony Jr., Duke
216. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Pick): WR Cyrus Allen, Cincinnati

Round 7 – Mock Draft

217. Arizona Cardinals: TE Riley Nowakowski, Indiana
218. Dallas Cowboys: OT Enrique Cruz Jr., Kansas
219. Las Vegas Raiders: LB Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma
220. Buffalo Bills: DL Bryson Eason, Tennessee
221. Cincinnati Bengals: CB Devon Marshall, NC State
222. Detroit Lions: K Drew Stevens, Iowa
223. Washington Commanders: S Jalen Huskey, Maryland
224. Pittsburgh Steelers: RB Roman Hemby, Indiana
225. Tennessee Titans: S DeShon Singleton, Nebraska
226. Cincinnati Bengals: IOL Jaeden Roberts, Alabama
227. Miami Dolphins: WR Malik Benson, Oregon
228. New York Jets: LB Justin Jefferson, Alabama
229. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Jack Strand, Minnesota State-Moorhead
230. Pittsburgh Steelers: IOL Alex Harkey, Oregon
231. Atlanta Falcons: DL Deven Eastern, Minnesota
232. Los Angeles Rams: S Devan Boykin, Indiana
233. Jacksonville Jaguars: DL Jayden Loving, Wake Forest
234. Minnesota Vikings: WR Emmanuel Henderson, Kansas
235. Minnesota Vikings: CB Collin Wright, Stanford
236. Green Bay Packers: DL David Gusta, Kentucky
237. Pittsburgh Steelers: LB Jaden Dugger, Louisiana
238. Miami Dolphins: RB Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
239. Chicago Bears: CB Lorenzo Styles Jr., Ohio State
240. Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
241. Chicago Bears: IOL Jeremiah Wright, Auburn
242. New York Jets: RB Jam Miller, Alabama
243. Houston Texans: WR Jeff Caldwell, Cincinnati
244. Minnesota Vikings: IOL Ar’maj Reed-Adams, Texas A&M
245. Jacksonville Jaguars: RB Kaelon Black, Indiana
246. Denver Broncos: S Bishop Fitzgerald, USC
247. New England Patriots: EDGE Mikail Kamara, Indiana
248. Cleveland Browns: DL Jackie Marshall, Baylor
249. Indianapolis Colts (Compensatory Pick): S Jakobe Thomas, Miami (FL)
250. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Pick): QB Taylen Green, Arkansas
251. Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Pick): IOL Febechi Nwaiwu, Oklahoma
252. Los Angeles Rams (Compensatory Pick): RB Chip Trayanum, Toledo
253. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Pick): IOL DJ Campbell, Texas
254. Indianapolis Colts (Compensatory Pick): DL Brandon Cleveland, NC State
255. Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Pick): CB Thaddeus Dixon, North Carolina
256. Denver Broncos (Compensatory Pick): DL Aaron Graves, Iowa
257. Denver Broncos (Compensatory Pick): OT J.C. Davis, Illinois