Wild-card weekend in the NFL playoffs provided four thrilling, down-to-the-wire games. Six teams are heading home for the postseason, though, and some are already making changes.
Less than a day after losing to the Houston Texans 30-6, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is stepping down from his position. That makes it eight teams with coaching vacancies heading into 2026: Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and the New York Giants.
The most reliable way for those teams to improve is to build through the NFL Draft.
This year’s class features a lot of prospects to like, especially on defense. It’s another year of solid defensive line and edge rushing players for teams to choose from as well as a trio of standout cornerbacks. This linebacker class is one of the best in the last decade.
But it’s not all defense, as wide receiver and offensive line – both outside but especially on the interior – have a lot of depth for teams to choose from.
Four of the six eliminated playoff teams have first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s our latest prediction ahead of the divisional round of the playoffs:
2026 NFL mock draft
1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Hard to imagine this changing much from now until April. Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, offers the highest floor of any passer in the class with his processing, accuracy, timing and NFL-level arm talent in a prototypical frame.
2. New York Jets: QB Dante Moore, Oregon
Moore has yet to declare for the draft. Assuming he does, he’s in play to be the top pick thanks to his tools at his young age. He’s in the mold of C.J. Stroud with his accuracy, layering and mobility with plenty of room for development. That loss to Indiana stings but it’s not the full picture of his talents.
3. Arizona Cardinals: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Instead of reaching for another quarterback, Arizona gets the best player in the class in Reese. He is an elite athlete with impressive size (6-foot-4, 243 pounds) who can rush the passer off the edge while also fulfilling traditional off-ball linebacker duties. He’s the top prize in an outstanding linebacker class.
4. Tennessee Titans: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
The Titans need a complement to Jeffrey Simmons in the middle. Instead of Rueben Bain Jr., Tennessee opts for the toolsy Faulk with inside-out versatility at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds. He’s one of the youngest prospects in the draft with plenty of room to develop.
5. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
New York needs a complement to dynamic wideout Malik Nabers, and this is a bit early for the offensive linemen in the class. Tate has some of the best hands in the class and excels at the catch point. He’d be a vertical threat defenses would have to respect, opening up more space for Nabers.
6. Cleveland Browns: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Cleveland’s offense has a lot of needs to fill but it’d be hard to find a much better value here than Tyson. He separates at will with good size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and impressive route running. He’d be WR1 immediately for a team needing it.
7. Washington Commanders: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)
If given the opportunity, this one feels almost inevitable. Bain is the type of powerful rusher Dan Quinn covets at a position of need. Washington has relied on aging veterans on defense for too long.
8. New Orleans Saints: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
With the top two wideouts off the board, New Orleans waits to address that position later and instead opts to get the most dynamic player on the board. Love is a home-run hitter with the pass-catching skills to be a difference-maker as both a runner and receiver. Kellen Moore could have fun scheming him up touches in the Big Easy.
9. Kansas City Chiefs: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
The Chiefs have maximized plenty of talent on defense but Downs would be a different story. The Ohio State safety is a force multiplier who can do anything you’d want from the position thanks to his impressive football IQ. It’s not a big-name position but could make this Chiefs secondary frightening.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
Cincinnati’s defense needs plenty of help so getting the most productive edge rusher in college football feels like the straightforward choice. Bailey has some size questions for run defense but no one can argue with his production and plug-and-play potential from day one.
11. Miami Dolphins: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Regardless of who is the Dolphins’ head coach next season, the secondary needs help in a big way. McCoy missed 2025 due to an ACL injury, but he has incredibly promising tools and impressive tape from 2024. If his medicals are clear, he’s the top cornerback in the class.
12. Dallas Cowboys: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
Dallas’ pass defense was awful down the stretch in 2025 and the team parted ways with Trevon Diggs before the end of the regular season. It depends on who calls the defense in 2026 but Delane would be an ideal, savvy technician on the outside to shut down opposing wide receivers.
13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Simpson’s one of the bigger mysteries of the draft. He has just one year of starting experience and has a smaller frame. But there were stretches where he looked like the best quarterback in the class. He’d take time behind Matthew Stafford before growing into the starting role.
14. Baltimore Ravens: Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson
Baltimore needs more pass rushers. Losing Nnamdi Madubuike was a massive blow to their pass rush as a whole. Parker is a toolsy player who underperformed at Clemson in 2025. With ideal size (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) and great physicality, he could complement 2025 second-round pick Mike Green off the edge.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: DT Peter Woods, Clemson
Vita Vea’s getting up there in age and Woods could learn from him. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Clemson defender disappointed in 2025 but has the tools to be a Pro Bowler on his rookie contract.
16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis): WR Makai Lemon, USC
There are few receivers in this class with a higher floor than Lemon. The USC slot receiver is as reliable as it gets and consistently finds space against opposing defenses. He’d be a great compliment to Garrett Wilson for Moore in this scenario.
17. Detroit Lions: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
This one almost feels like an inevitability. Proctor’s not the top tackle on our board but that doesn’t mean he won’t be in Detroit. He’s an outlier athlete at 6-foot-7 and 360 pounds and can start at guard before eventually moving to tackle if his consistency improves.
18. Minnesota Vikings: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Minnesota may not have Brian Flores helming the defense in 2026 and they desperately need some young talent on the back end. Terrell is slightly smaller than Delane and McCoy but plays with an ideal attitude in a 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame.
19. Carolina Panthers: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Carolina’s invested in the offense in recent years and that’s paid off. Now, they use a premium pick on defense. Styles is an elite athlete in a similar frame to Reese who can do anything for the Panthers’ defense at the off-ball linebacker position.
20. Houston Texans (from Green Bay via Dallas): OT Spencer Fano, Utah
Houston trades Nos. 28 and 59 overall to Dallas for No. 20.
Dallas has just two top-100 picks so they move back with a fellow Texas team to net an extra pick. Houston moves up to make sure they get the top tackle prospect in the class to build up the unit in front of C.J. Stroud.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
This pick could change wildly depending on who the Steelers’ next coach is. They could use more reinforcements on offense but really need more youth in the secondary. Cisse offers ideal outside cornerback size and elite athleticism.
22. Los Angeles Chargers: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)
The Chargers’ interior offensive line needs a lot of help and Mauigoa may be a perfect fit. He’s spent his college career at tackle but may be better at guard long-term with his powerful frame and mauling attitude. Given the Chargers’ injury history, his background at tackle could make him a depth option there as well.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Philadelphia could use some help elsewhere on the roster, but can’t pass up an offensive weapon like Sadiq. He’s a mismatch at the tight end position with elite speed and, as one of the younger prospects in the class, has plenty of room for development.
24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville): OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Cleveland’s offensive line is going to look much different over the next few years as its starters hit free agency. Ioane’s the best pure-interior offensive lineman in the class and would be a day-one starter at guard for a unit that needs one.
25. Chicago Bears: Edge LT Overton, Alabama
Overton is a tweener with the size to stick inside or outside at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds. That’s the kind of length that Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen likes at the position. He’s a physical presence with a solid bull rush already.
26. Buffalo Bills: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
This is a reach but the Bills’ offense needs some difference-making weapons for Josh Allen to throw to. Concepcion is a dynamic threat in the open field and would be more valuable for the Bills than other teams in this range of the draft.
27. San Francisco 49ers: WR Denzel Boston, Washington
San Francisco’s moving on from Brandon Aiyuk and everyone else seems to be injured. So the 49ers opt to bring in a big, physical, route-running outside receiver who can win at the catch point. He could be a reliable red zone target for Brock Purdy sooner than later.
28. Dallas Cowboys (via Houston): Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Dallas continues to bolster the defense, this time at the edge rusher position. Howell has some question marks due to his arm length but offers impressive burst and bend off the edge in a 6-foot-2, 250-pound frame.
29. Los Angeles Rams: OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
Los Angeles got their potential successor for Matthew Stafford earlier and now they’ll get someone to protect him before he retires. Tiernan is a plus pass blocker thanks to his length and experience and hasn’t missed a game in all four years with Northwestern.
30. New England Patriots: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
New England’s run defense took a. hitwith Milton Williams out of the lineup this season. McDonald eats up blocks in the run game with his powerful 6-foot-3, 330-pound frame. He’s shown flashes as a pass rusher, with room for improvement.
31. Denver Broncos: DT Christen Miller, Georgia
John Franklin-Myers may leave in free agency so this is a move to preserve what’s been outstanding defensive play in Denver for years. Miller’s elite anchor and play strength serve him well in run defense and provide a foundation to improve as a pass rusher.
32. Seattle Seahawks: IOL Gennings Dunker, Iowa
The Seahawks could build on a strength with more defensive reinforcements but they really need more help on the interior offensive line. They did well to take a former tackle in 2025 in Grey Zabel and move him inside and that’s what they do with Dunker, a college tackle better suited inside, in 2026.