The 2026 NFL Draft is less than two weeks away, and teams are finalizing their draft plans ahead of the big event in Pittsburgh.

There's a lot of uncertainty about how the first round will shake out, where some insiders believe we could see a trade-heavy first night with deep position groups at wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback and linebacker. There is a lack of depth in the later rounds of the draft, which could prompt a flurry of trades early on.

In our latest NFL Wires mock draft, our editors make their updated picks for the first round, which includes the Dallas Cowboys making a big jump into the Top 10 to land an impact edge rusher while the Cleveland Browns make three first-round picks in the process.

This pick couldn’t be more simple. Mendoza is undeniably the top QB in this draft and the Raiders need a long time franchise QB. Taking the Heisman Trophy and National Championship winning QB at the top of this draft is a complete no-brainer. Probably why his one and only pre-draft visit was to Las Vegas. Just turn in the card right now. – Levi Damien, Raiders Wire

Reese or David Bailey are the two players connected here the most, but the Jets go with Reese based on the higher upside potential and versatility. That will help with the new looks head coach Aaron Glenn says his defense will have in 2026 as well. – Nick Wojton, Jets Wire

The Cardinals have big needs at tackle, EDGE and quarterback. Taking Ty Simpson third overall would be crazy work, so here we look at either tackle or the edge. While the Cardinals could go with Francis Mauigoa, taking someone who can only play right tackle feels like a forced pick. Plus, they have a number of players who could be their starting right tackle. At the edge, they got 5.5 sacks from everyone combined other than Josh Sweat, and they did nothing in free agency. While Rueben Bain is intriguing, the Cardinals likely will have Bailey’s physical and athletic profile above Bain. – Jess Root, Cards Wire

There was consideration given to Rueben Bain Jr. with this pick. Still, the Titans can’t afford to pass on Love, who would give an immediate boost to the team’s offense, providing second-year quarterback Cam Ward with a top-tier skill position player. It could be argued that Love is the best overall player in the draft, and positional value shouldn’t prevent them from loading up, becoming more explosive, and taking some pressure off their young quarterback. – Dan Benton/Bryan Manning Titans Wire

If Jeremiyah Love were to fall, the Giants would scoop them up at No. 5 overall. However, that’s not how the dominoes fell here. Luckily for Jim Harbaugh & Co., there are quality players – potentially Day 1 impact starters – readily available. Sonny Styles is one of those players. He could come in and play alongside Tremaine Edmunds on the inside, or he could be used in a Kyle Hamilton-like role, splitting time between safety and off-ball linebacker, providing a big-hitting, run-stopping force on defense. – Dan Benton, Giants Wire

If the Cowboys stayed at 12, they’d be hoping against hope a top defender fell to them,, but the opportunity to select an elite edge rusher was too much to pass up. With this trade, they still get two prospects, and in this thin draft, 20 and 39 tags are far closer than most years. Dallas has to emerge from trading away Micah Parsons with an edge prospect, and landing on Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark and Bain as the basic return feels like a win, especially considering Parsons’ ACL tear late last season. Bain, paired with Donovan Ezeiruaku will combine with veterans Rashan Gary and James Houston as the edge rotation. With 2.39, Dallas will look for a corner, preferably Chris Johnson of San Diego State who has inside out versatility. Dallas will a linebacker, and that’s where 3.92 may come in, or more than likely a trade using a 2027 pick (Jordyn Brooks, come on down). – KD Drummond, Cowboys Wire

Jeremiyah Love and Sonny Styles would’ve been tempting if they still available. Fortunately, the Browns traded down, therefore passing on Tate, who gives Jayden Daniels and the Commanders a new, young weapon in the passing game. We’ve heard how none of these receivers are a Ja’Marr Chase, considering you are picking them in the top 10. That may be true, but Justin Jefferson was picked 22nd overall in 2020. Tate has some elite skills, and in Washington he doesn’t immediately need to step into a starring role. – Bryan Manning, Commanders Wire

The defensive line needs help but there isn’t a prospect I like here without Bailey or Bain on the board. Ultimately it came down to three players: Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, LSU corner Mansoor Delane, and Lemon. Downs and Delane would be three-down starters in Brandon Staley’s secondary but we can’t ignore the lack of depth behind Chris Olave at wide receiver. Lemon gives Tyler Shough another weapon who can get open with ease, make tough catches when needed, and score lots of touchdowns in the red zone. He’s exactly the kind of tone setter they need offensively. – John Sigler, Saints Wire

Initially, I had a deal in place to trade this selection to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the No. 20 pick and a 2027 first-rounder. In all honesty, I’d rather have that package than Sadiq, but the former Oregon Duck is a more-than-worthy consolation prize. As it stands, Sadiq is the consensus-best tight end in the class and would have the benefit of at least one season learning from Travis Kelce. When paired with Patrick Mahomes, Sadiq should prove to be exactly the type of tight end prospect who can fill Kelce’s shoes after his eventual retirement. While it would have been nice to guarantee Kansas City two consecutive draft classes with multiple first-round picks, any move that adds explosion to the Chiefs’ offense will pay dividends in short order. – John Dillon, Chiefs Wire

The Bengals need best player available. It’s probably going to be in the secondary. The signing of Bryan Cook to pair with Jordan Battle at safety in no way rules out Caleb Downs at No. 10. After all, they need a starter in the slot and Downs projects as a guy who can take plenty of snaps there. That would give them solutions at every critical spot to run with boundary starting corners DJ Turner and Dax Hill. – Chris Roling, Bengals Wire

Miami lost several cornerbacks this offseason, and while they signed a group of veteran free agents on short-term deals to take their spots, they still lack a true No. 1 cornerback in the room. Putting that type of pressure on a rookie in a division that boasts Josh Allen and Drake Maye is a lot, but Delane could step in and take over that role immediately after a strong collegiate career at LSU, where he earned All-American honrs in 2025. – Mike Masala, Dolphins Wire

Trading back in the draft, landing additional assets, and then still landing one of the top offensive tackles in the class is a dream scenario for a team that needs as many draft assets and young contracts as possible. Spencer Fano, while he played right tackle at the college level, is an A+ athlete with the skillset to learn left tackle. His on-field workout at the NFL Combine was described as one of the best ever, and his tape shows a player with strong hands and elite foot speed in his pass set. He rounds out a completely overhauled offensive line for the Browns this offseason. – Cory Kinnan, Browns Wire

Though there are concerns about Tyson’s durability and injury history, he has the talent to be the best wide receiver from this class a few years from now. And his skill set perfectly fits what the Rams are looking for. He can be a vertical threat alongside Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, while also operating as a true X receiver after Adams either retires or moves on to another team. Tyson’s ability to elevate over defenders and create easy separation makes him an intriguing target for the Rams – and really, any team in need of a receiver. Giving Matthew Stafford another weapon in what could be his final year would make a lot of sense, even at the risk of him being oft-injured in Los Angeles. – Cameron DaSilva, Rams Wire

The consensus pick is Ioane, and if not for the Rams drafting Jordyn Tyson as insurance for Puka Nacua, the Ravens might go wide receiver, with uncertainty centered around Rashod Bateman. Even with John Simpson returning on a three-year, $30 million deal after two years spent with the Jets, upgrading the offensive guard position is imperative for a team looking to take pressure off quarterback Lamar Jackson. In 2025, right guard Daniel Faalele was the clear weak link of Baltimore's offensive line and is currently a free agent. While Baltimore has said all the right things about Emery Jones, Ioane would be a Day 1 starter at a critical position. Ioane plays with intense power and quickness, using 330 pounds of elite force, playing in 44 games and making 32 starts at Penn State. According to PFF, he allowed zero sacks and three pressures in 310 pass blocking snaps in 2025. – Glenn Erby, Ravens Wire

The Bucs took a gamble on Benjamin Morrison in the second round of last year's draft, and it did not pay off. He played hurt all year and looked like a shell of himself compared to what Notre Dame fans had enjoyed in previous seasons. Between that and the departure of Jamel Dean, picking Jermod McCoy makes too much sense, especially after his Pro Day workout. McCoy seems to be healthy and back to himself following an ACL tear in January of 2025, and he could become a new CB1 with the Bucs. – Andrew Harbaugh, Bucs Wire

It’s all about getting a partner for Garrett Wilson here. While there is some thought to potentially grabbing a quarterback here like Ty Simpson, the Jets could grab a more solidified prospect like Cooper instead. Cooper burst onto the scene with Indiana last season after he recorded 69 catches, 937 yards and 13 touchdowns en route to a National title. – Nick Wojton, Jets Wire

The Lions signed Larry Borom in NFL free agency, but Detroit needs its long-term answer to pair with three-time first-team All-Pro tackle Penei Sewell after Taylor Decker’s release. At 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, Monroe Freeling is a prototypical size. Freeling will need to continue to improve his run blocking, but with just 17 collegiate starts, there’s plenty of reason to believe that Hank Fraley and Detroit will get the best out of Freeling. – Josh Helmer, Lions Wire