We are now just 4 days away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and there have already been some fireworks. Saturday night, the Cincinnati Bengals pulled off one of their biggest and most unlikely trades ever. They traded the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for DE Dexter Lawrence. This is a team that is known for being “frugal”. Pulling this deal off is meant to improve the team’s defense, and to send a message to the fans…and QB Joe Burrow, that it is a new day in Cincy.
After losing Trey Hendrickson to the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals have completely revamped their defense. Aside from Lawrence, the team has added four defensive free agents. They have acquired fellow DE/DT Jonathan Allen, Edge Boye Mafe, and two safeties, Bryan Cook and Kyle Duggar.
For the Giants, the trade sheds some salary and gives them two top 10 picks. This deal reshapes the draft. The Bengals now have no first-round pick, and the Giants have those two in the top 10.
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1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana. Their doesen’t seem to be a scenario that Mendoza goes anywhere but Las Vegas.
2. New York Jets: David Bailey, DE, Texas Tech. The Jets need help everywhere. With the second pick of the draft, they land on DE Bailey. There were many options here for them. The best move may have been to trade down to stockpile more picks, as they have been doing. This is a complete teardown situation.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio St. The Cardinals need help on both sides of the ball, but even with the release of Kyler Murray, they need more help on the defensive side of the ball. They opt for Styles. They just as easily could take fellow Ohio St LB Arvell Reese.
4. Tennessee Titans: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio St. Reese ends up going here, with the Titans. The Titans and Cardinals each need an impact game-wrecker, and Reese and Styles should each go #3 and #4, in some order.
5. New York Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St. Many feel that Downs is the best overall athlete in the draft. His position, more than anything, is affecting his draft position. Adding the No. 10 pick in the trade with the Bengals on Saturday allows the Giants to snag a potential No. 1 talent here at No. 5, even at a non-premier position, like LT, WR, CB, or QB.
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6. Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame. This team is dying for a game-changing offensive piece. They think they’ve found one in Love.
7. Washington Commanders: Francis Maugoa, OT, Miami. The Commanders are ecstatic that they can snag the top-rated offensive lineman in this year’s draft to protect Jayden Daniels.
8. New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio St. The Saints are ecstatic that they can snag the top-rated WR in this year’s draft.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon. Most mocks have Sadiq going lower than ninth, in the 15-20 range. This feels like such a no-brainer for the Chiefs that I can’t see them passing on Sadiq. They have an aging TE well into the back nine of his career, in Travis Kelce. Sadiq is by far the top-rated TE in this year’s draft.
10. New York Giants: TRADE DOWN TO #11 WITH DOLPHINS. Ruben Bain DE Miami. Moving up one spot will cost the Dolphins their fourth-round pick, but they get their man, who’s been in their backyard with the Hurricanes. Bain is the first piece of their rebuilding process.
11. Miami Dolphins: TRADE UP TO #10 WITH GIANTS, Spencer Fano, OT, Utah. The Giants turned Dexter Lawrence into an extra fourth-round pick by trading down one spot with the Dolphins. With this pick, they grab O-lineman Fano from Utah. Their two picks will help them greatly on both sides of the ball.
12. Dallas Cowboys: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU. Jerry Jones is psyched that Delane is available at no.12. He is a lightning-fast and fantastic cover CB. A good comp for him is Stefon Gilmore, which is rarified air.
13. Los Angeles Rams: Makai Lemon, WR, USC. For a team that relies so heavily on the passing game, they have new questions about Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Lemon has decent size and speed, with fantastic hands and route-running skills.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington. The Lamar Jackson era is closing fast, and the Ravens need some new blood to surround him with on offense. The team has brought in defensive-minded HC Jesse Minter. He addressed the defense by getting Trey Hendrickson, but with their first pick, they picked Boston, who has a great catch radius and excels in catching 50-50 balls.
15, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jordan Tyson, WR, Arizona St. The Buccaneers need to replace Mike Evans, and Tyson ends the run on WRs. He is the prototypical WR at 6’2 and 200lbs who possesses that rare, size and speed combination. Tyson is a great landing spot, with Baker Mayfield getting him the ball.