We're a month into the NFL season and a few weeks into the college football season, so what better time for our first mock draft of the 2026 cycle! Lots of quarterbacks go in the top 10, but there's no shortage of impact defenders either.

In this mock draft, Nate Tice handled writeups for the odd-numbered picks, while Charles McDonald handled the evens.

1. New Orleans Saints — Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami (FL)

Bain started his college career strongly as freshman before a early calf injury led to an up-and-down sophomore campaign. He started at No. 17 of my preseason big board, and has done nothing but launch up my own rankings and to the top spot of this mock draft. Bain’s build and powerful play style remind me of Brandon Graham. He can align and affect the game across the defensive line, he plays with a great motor, and he has the light feet to win quickly and on defensive line games. He has quite simply been one of the best players in the country so far this season.

Why no quarterback for the Saints? Well, because I think Spencer Rattler’s effective play (who currently sits 13th among all quarterbacks in dropback success rate, per TruMedia) in a surprisingly watchable Saints offense under Kellen Moore might lower their desperation for a signal-caller unless they absolutely fall in love with one. At least for now and in this exercise. —Nate Tice

2. New York Jets — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

The Jets have some pieces on offense, but if they end up picking this high, you can just about guarantee they will be taking a new quarterback. Fernando Mendoza may end up being QB1 this year if his performance from the early portion of the season holds. He’s been a godsend for Indiana’s offense and his accuracy and ability to keep the Hoosiers ahead of schedule will make him a coveted prospect at the top of next year’s draft. — Charles McDonald

3. Tennessee Titans — Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Jordyn Tyson has been incredible to start the season. He’s a walking, talking big play waiting to happen. Tyson is a twitchy athlete whose hand-eye coordination and explosiveness really shine when he’s adjusting for throws above his head and away from his body. The Titans have been a mess this season, but have some decent trench pieces on both sides of the ball. Getting Cam Ward a dynamic No. 1 option to pair with interesting rookie Elic Ayomanor can help revamp that WR room in Nashville.

4. Cleveland Browns — LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina

Cleveland still needs a quarterback with legitimate upside for the future and they take a home run swing here in LaNorris Sellers. Sellers has been inconsistent this year compared to how he looked by the end of last season, but the physical upside is undeniable. He’s got the size (6-foot-3), arm strength and mobility that have become borderline necessary for NFL quarterbacks and has shown stretches of fantastic accuracy. That should be good enough for the Browns to take the dice roll.

5. Miami Dolphins — Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Moore has been one of the biggest risers in this year’s draft class. His steady, smooth process and play has resulted in plenty of production and success for the Ducks. He has a quick and consistent release that helps him maintain accuracy from the pocket, with enough athleticism to be able to create off-platform and adjust his arm angle. He has good arm strength and throws an especially nice deep ball. For a Dolphins team that feels like it needs a huge refresh, especially at quarterback, Moore would fit nicely into any type of offensive system, Mike McDaniel’s or otherwise.

6. Baltimore Ravens — Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

The Ravens likely won’t end up picking this high, but if they do, everyone knows it’s because the defense largely led them to this point. They’ve been pretty banged up this season, but it's clear the Ravens could use another impact player along their defensive front. They don’t have much by way of depth right now, as shown by how they’ve dropped from an elite run defense to one that is getting stampeded by everyone they play. Peter Woods hasn’t been as dominant as many were expecting this season, but he has elite physical tools and a high floor that would give the Ravens a huge boost toward rebuilding their defense.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

7. Las Vegas Raiders — Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

The Raiders have been kind of a mess on both sides of the ball so far, but they still do have some talent. The offensive line definitely needs to be looked at, but Downs is a hard talent to pass up. Pete Caroll selected Earl Thomas in his first draft class with the Seahawks, and while Downs has a bit of a different skill set than Thomas, he can be that kind of keystone player for the back end of this defense to build around for whatever the next step for the overall unit is.

8. Carolina Panthers — Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

It’s about time for the Panthers to turn the page and start finding a more viable quarterback prospect. Barring a miraculous turn of events, it doesn’t seem like Bryce Young has much longer to hold on to the Panthers' starting quarterback job. Whether it’s a new front office or Dan Morgan and Dave Canales are in Carolina next year, whoever is in charge will want their guy. Garrett Nussmeier isn’t the sexiest pick, but he profiles as a quality starter likely without elite upside.

9. New York Giants — Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Sadiq is a force of nature. Fast and explosive with the ball in his hands, Sadiq is a tight end that simply overwhelms defenders with his strength and athleticism, while also showing real blocking ability and effort. He’s one of my favorite players in this entire draft class. Now that the Giants have officially started the Jaxson Dart era, they can keep trying to build up the pass catchers outside of (now injured) Malik Nabers. Tight end Theo Johnson has shown flashes in his early career with potential to be a good starter. He could have real synergy with Sadiq and give the Giants a nice move-around piece that can legitimately affect the game in a variety of ways.

10. Houston Texans — Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

This has been a problem for the Texans for two years now. They can’t block. They need to block. Here, they draft someone who can block. Spencer Fano could potentially fill two holes with one. If he’s able to play left tackle right away, then 2025 second-round pick Aireontae Ersery could potentially kick inside to guard or flip out to another position. Regardless, this pick needs to be an offensive lineman and tackle is as good a place to start.

11. Dallas Cowboys — Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn

While the Cowboys' offense has been very fun to watch so far this season (come back soon, CeeDee Lamb), the defense has been horrid to watch in just about every way. You could even say there’s a Micah Parsons-sized hole in it. Faulk is big (listed 6-6, 285 pounds) and can align as a true 4-3 DE, and would be a steal at pick 11. He has length and is a smooth mover who has really improved his hand usage so far this season. And most importantly, he can defend against the run, too.

12. New England Patriots — Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Drake Maye has arrived on the scene as a bonafide franchise quarterback. He alone gives the Patriots a chance to run a competent offense despite sorely lacking firepower around him. That can change with this pick, sending Washington star Denzel Boston (no relation to former Cardinals wide receiver David Boston) to New England. Boston is a big, silky smooth player that tracks the ball well and is surprisingly effective after the catch as a ball carrier. He would fit well with what the Patriots are trying to build.

13. Denver Broncos — Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

A big-play generator for the defense in all phases of the game. Reese has the speed and range to play the pass from off the ball, can set the edge against the run on the line of scrimmage, and is also a plus pass rusher and quarterback spy because of his excellent athleticism. In a creative and aggressive defense like the Broncos have under Vance Joseph, Reese would be another dynamic player that has the bonus of fitting one of the few holes on an already top-notch unit.

14. Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons) — Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

The Rams have a lot of young talent on their defense that makes it an exciting unit to watch grow, but they can still use an injection of talent at defensive back. In comes A.J. Terrell’s little brother Avieon, who is a talented cornerback prospect in his own right. Pairing a cornerback with pedigree with the penetrators they have on the defensive line could instantly create more opportunities for turnovers and getting that offense back on the field.

15. Chicago Bears — Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

The Bears needed to add talent to their running back room yesterday. But, perhaps their patience (or ignorance to D’Andre Swift’s actual ability) gets rewarded with Jeremiyah Love. Love is one of the most explosive players in the country, and will give the Bears a true three-down back for a team desperately needing a real player in their backfield. Caleb Williams has shown a ton of growth this season under Ben Johnson, and they could look to add another lineman on their continued revamp. But Love would complete the set of the Bears' young and interesting skill players.

16. Washington Commanders — Matayo Uiagalelei, DL/EDGE, Oregon

The Commanders' retooling of their defensive line continues. Matayo Uiagalelei is bigger (6-5, 272 pounds) than the defensive ends Dan Quinn usually covets, but Washington could stand to get more stout up front and Uiagelelei has the upside to be a dangerous pass rusher off the edge. He’s a player that could really rise in the spring draft process.

17. Arizona Cardinals — Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Lomu has continued to show off his light feet and play balance so far this season, along with an improved play strength that has helped him sustain in the run game and against more powerful pass rushers. He has all the makings of a true blindside protector, but has the fluid athleticism to be able to adjust to the right side in Arizona with Paris Johnson Jr. entrenched on the left side. This Cardinals offensive line needs more talent, and Lomu gives them another tackle to pair with Johnson for the next decade.

18. Minnesota Vikings — C.J. Allen, LB, Georgia

A true middle linebacker to strengthen the middle of Minnesota’s defense. C.J. Allen and his excellent ability to play downhill would be a perfect fit for Brian Flores’ scheme. The team has been getting by with veteran players that would be better served as depth pieces, and the Vikings' defense could get a blue-chip talent that they quietly need in a big way.

19. Cincinnati Bengals — Francis Mauigoa, OG, Miami (FL)

Mauigoa plays tackle for the Hurricanes, but I think he will move inside at the next level. He’s a big, powerful blocker that has moments of real dominance in the run game. He is a solid athlete but lacks overwhelming length, which can be mitigated by a move inside. Mauigoa gives the Bengals another strong body in front of Joe Burrow to keep Burrow upright and on the field.

20. Kansas City Chiefs — Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

Jermod McCoy has been recovering from an ACL tear he suffered back in January during a non-contact drill, but at his best he profiles as a first-round cornerback talent in the NFL. He will apparently be making his season debut sometime in October, which would be a miraculous recovery if he can pull it off. The Kansas City Chiefs' defense is in desperate need of some real-deal outside cornerback talent after attempting to develop a handful of late-round picks over the last few years.

21. Dallas Cowboys (via Packers) — Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Delane might be going much higher in a few months, because he’s been great to start this year. Delane is long and twitchy, with a real ability to stay sticky in man coverage. His eyes and awareness in zone coverage are also notable, too. He has a real feel for reading concepts, and he can make plays on the ball because of it. After the Cowboys boosted their front earlier in this draft with Faulk, Delane gives them another talented player to revamp their bottom-of-the-barrel defense.

22. Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars) — Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

A big, bruising offensive tackle to go along with Sellers. Proctor will have to convince teams that he can keep his weight (366 pounds as listed by Alabama) in check, but he’s got incredible traits for a player that size. He’s a mauler in the run game and has the athleticism to be a good pass protector in the NFL. The Browns are going to need to invest a high resource into offensive tackle very soon, and their second first-round pick is a great spot to do it.

23. Seattle Seahawks — Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Jaxon Smith-Njigba is enjoying a star-making season through four weeks and Tory Horton has had some real strong moments as a Day 3 rookie. And while Cooper Kupp has found a nice role as a blocker and underneath option, Tate gives the Seahawks another young receiver to boost their offense that can win on the outside, provides big-play ability, and even be willing to scrap as a blocker (something a run-first Kubiak offense like the Seahawks' would love).

24. Los Angeles Rams — Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

Another defensive upgrade for the Rams, who add some serious power to their fleet-footed defensive line unit. Considering his size (6-6, 330 pounds), Caleb Banks has some impressive athleticism and ability to be a disrupter. He’s only played in one game so far this year due to a foot injury, but if his medicals are OK, he’s shown enough in the past to be considered for the first round this year.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

The Unsinkable Lavonte David is still patrolling the middle in Tampa Bay. But the Bucs now tab his long-term replacement in Hill, who has sideline-to-sideline range and is effective against both the run and pass. The Bucs' defense has been good to start the year while getting key contributions from young players like Jacob Parrish. General manager Jason Licht does a great job of having young players to fill voids left by aging veterans. Hill gives the Bucs a young defender that can contribute right away and help their transition into a post-David world.

26. Indianapolis Colts — TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson

Another first-round pass rusher for Indianapolis! The Colts have been about average this year on defense, but a clear area in need for improvement is their pass rush. Insert T.J. Parker, who could be the explosive option the Colts need to pair with 2024 first-rounder Laiatu Latu, who appears to be a quality, do-it-all defensive end without top-end pass rush ability.

27. Pittsburgh Steelers — Makai Lemon, WR, USC

2006 was the last time the Steelers selected a wide receiver in the first round (Santonio Holmes at pick No. 25). But after the Packers broke the mold and selected a wide receiver while hosting the draft this past April, the Steelers do the same here while hosting the draft festivities in 2026. Lemon is a big-play machine with good ball skills and can consistently make the first tackler miss with the ball in his hands. He might be best served as primarily a slot player at the next level, but he has been productive on the outside and against press this season. He would have great synergy of skill sets with DK Metcalf.

28. Detroit Lions — Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State

Detroit took an interior defensive linemen in 2025, now they take an edge rusher to play across from Aidan Hutchinson. Dani Dennis-Sutton has been a disruptive player for Penn State for a couple seasons now and appears to have the size requirement (6-5, 265 pounds) that Lions general manager Brad Holmes has desired from his edge players. Being able to play on a defensive line that already has multiple established starters is a good spot for Denis-Sutton, who profiles more as a high-end No. 2 edge defender.

29. Los Angeles Chargers — David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Bailey has the potential to be a pass rushing ace. He has the athleticism, bend and burst that has simply overwhelmed college offensive tackles this year. He isn’t the biggest player (6-3, 250 pounds), which might limit his effectiveness against the run. But he isn’t a negative in the area. Khalil Mack is aging (and currently injured), and Bailey would give the Chargers a talented young pass rusher to pair with Tuli Tuipulotu and give more juice to this well-coached unit. Bailey and his Texas Tech edge rusher partner Romello Height might be going higher than 29 when this draft process is over.

30. San Francisco 49ers — Isaiah World, OT, Oregon

The 49ers still need offensive line help. Trent Williams is starting to show signs of decline after a Hall of Fame-caliber career, allowing the 49ers to eventually draft a new starting offensive tackle. Isaiah World has the upside and ability to grow into that player, or even compete on the right side with the recently extended Colton McKivitz. More young talent would really give them a nice base as they continue to figure out what the next era of this team looks like with Brock Purdy at the helm.

31. Buffalo Bills — Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Another Ohio State linebacker in the first round. Styles is a great athlete with real range in pass coverage. He’s willing to take on blocks and uses his length to keep blockers at bay. The Bills have used more linebackers this year, even with Matt Milano dealing with (another) injury. Styles could give them a talented player to drop into that room. A pass rusher or safety could also be in the cards for the Bills. I was tempted to give the Bills Romello Height from Texas Tech here.

32. Philadelphia Eagles — Christen Miller, DL, Georgia

Couldn’t help it, another Georgia Bulldog for Howie Roseman and the Eagles. This is actually a need right now, as the Eagles could use another solid body up front after seeing their run defense fall off a bit this year amid an overall defensive facelift. Christen Miller has been a dependable player for Georgia on the defensive line and would give Philadelphia another chance to find a long-term partner for Jalen Carter on the interior.