The 2026 NFL Draft ~ Truly A Guessing Game

Before I get into my wild guesses as to how the top ten picks of the 2026 NFL Draft will go, a couple of things I wanted to share -

• Remember in the movie "Draft Day" when the Cleveland Browns GM Sonny Weaver Jr., played by Kevin Costner, had written down on a piece of paper "Vontae Mack No Matter What"?  IF by some chance the Browns are sitting at pick number 6 and Ohio State S Caleb Downs is there, that is what I will be channeling at that moment.   
• The 2026 NFL Draft will truly begin when the NY Jets are on the clock at pick number 2.  If the Jets do as I expect them to do, I believe we may see a few trades within the top ten, as I predict below.

My friend Tim asked me to come up with how I anticipate the first ten picks of the 2026 NFL Draft will go.  I realize that there is always uncertainty when it comes to the NFL Draft, but this year has me flummoxed ( I so seldom get a chance to use that word, and it just felt right to use it for this post).

1. Las Vegas - Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (gutsy call).  This is the ONLY certain pick for the top ten.

2. NY Jets - A toss up between Texas Tech's David Bailey and Ohio State's Arvell Reese.  Bailey is the better pass rusher now, while Reese has the upside potential to develop into a dominant defender.  I will go out on a limb and say the NY Jets feel the pressure for more wins in 2026, especially their head coach Aaron Glenn who was almost fired after last season, and will go with David Bailey here.

3. Projected trade with KC here from Arizona - I think the player will be Arvell Reese, DE/OLB, Ohio State. Arizona could go with Jeremiyah Love, could trade out with KC, New Orleans, Dallas - like I wrote up above, it is going to be interesting.

4. Tennessee - I believe new head coach Robert Saleh is tempted with the idea of Ohio State's Sonny Styles, but I think the Titans want to give QB Cam Ward help, and the best offensive player in this draft is RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame.

5. NY Giants - Here we go with the GMen making the first of their two top ten selections.  Giants head coach John Harbaugh (still getting used to typing that) had a dominant safety on his defenses when he was with Baltimore, and I think the Giants are going to take Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State.

6. Projected trade with Dallas (Cleveland gets #12 and #20, while Dallas gets #6 and #39) - Dallas swoops in front of Washington to take LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State.

7. Washington - Perhaps they wanted Styles, and if Styles is on the board, I can see that being the pick. If it falls the way I predict, I will go with WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State.

8. New Orleans - If by some chance David Bailey and/or Arvell Reese are available at pick 5, I could see the Saints trying to move up to grab one of them.  I can see them taking Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU.

9. Arizona (after trade with KC) - The offensive line is a mess, and the Cardinals will take a flier on Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL).  Maybe Arizona will make a move to get back into the first round later to take Ty Simpson, QB, from Alabama later on with some of the picks that they may get from making a deal with KC?

10. NY Giants - Now with the pick obtained from the Dexter Lawrence trade, maybe the Giants decide to grab Spencer Fano, OT, from Utah.  I am not sold on taking a WR here, but this could be a landing spot for Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State, if the Giants are not worried about Tyson's injury history (I would be, but that is only my opinion).