We’re only hours away from Las Vegas making the draft’s first pick in Pittsburgh.
As with every draft, there is no shortage of opinions.
And as we all know, opinions are like … assessments. Yes, that’s right, assessements.
This time of year, everyone’s an expert on the NFL’s biggest day(s) of the offseason.
Predicting the draft has become a cottage industry. It’s fun and foolish at the same time because there are always surprising, head-scratching selections. This year won’t be any different. Tune in and see.
MORE: Watch 2026 NFL Draft live on Fubo (free trial)
Future Super Bowl titles have been won through excellent drafts that have turned teams into champions.
This year, the Las Vegas Raiders, barring a stunner, will take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza No. 1 overall. He’ll be just the second player taken first by the Raiders in the franchise’s storied history.
Mendoza is as close to a lock as it gets. Every NFL Draft guru agrees on that. Seems like a simple pick to everyone, including the brainiacs who put together NFL.com’s 2026 Draft IQ.
After that, it’s unclear in which direction teams are leaning, starting with the New York Jets at No. 2.
The fine folks at NFL Mock Draft Database (MDDB) have compiled an incredibly comprehensive collection of mock drafts. In fact, a whopping 192 total. Wow. Well done.
Meanwhile, here at The Big Lead (TBL), we also have a wild man guesstimating this year’s draft, so we’ll include his picks as well, along with my own take.
From MDDB: “The 2026 Consensus Mock Draft aggregates data from multiple sources to project the most likely player selections for each NFL Draft pick. It compiles projections from 192 first-round mock drafts, identifying the most commonly predicted player for each team’s pick. The percentage listed reflects how often a player is projected for that specific slot. Updated daily, this consensus prioritizes unique player selections on a first-come, first-served basis, offering a reliable, dynamic snapshot of the 2026 NFL Draft landscape.”
Note: We’re focusing only on the top 10 picks because those are generally the most important ones, and also, that’s our prerogative. But you can easily peruse the projected first round here.
TBL’s Jobe Morrison: “This is the surest bet in the draft. No drama needed — Mendoza heads to the silver and black. The only guaranteed correct pick of any NFL mock draft.”
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MDDB’s percent chance Reese is selected second: 56%
Other possibilities: David Bailey, Sonny Styles, Carnell Tate
Morrison’s take: “After trading for Geno Smith, the Jets must improve their offensive weapons. Tate, the top receiver in the class, forms an exciting Ohio State duo in New York.”
My take: Not a chance they’re taking Tate at No. 2. Reese or Bailey here.”