We're down to two teams left in the NFL postseason. TheNew England PatriotsandSeattle Seahawkswill face off on Sunday inSuper Bowl 60to decide which franchise brings home its latest championship.
Roster building for both franchises used all available team-building options. Free agent signings and trade acquisitions played key roles in their journey to the title game.
But the NFL Draft brought them their stars.
New England's MVP-contending quarterbackDrake Mayewas a first-round pick, as was left tackleWill Campbellin the 2025 NFL Draft. Seattle's stars likeDevon Witherspoon,Byron Murphy II,Grey ZabelandNick Emmanworiwere all early picks in the last three draft classes.
The right draft class can fuel a turnaround and complement free agent signings and turn a franchise into a contender. It all starts in the first round.
Ahead of Super Bowl 60, here's our latest projections for how things will go in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft:
2026 Senior Bowl week: NFL draft prospects in action
2026 NFL mock draft
Order via Tankathon.
1.Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
This is as good a lock as any. Las Vegas looks poised to sign an offensive-minded head coach in Klint Kubiak and getting a new quarterback with this pick is seamless. Mendoza could bring a culture shift to the Raiders.
2.New York Jets: LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
In a perfect world, this would be another quarterback. Instead, New York ends up with the best player - regardless of position - in the class. Reese can do it all as one of the best linebacker prospects in recent memory.
3.Arizona Cardinals: Edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL)
There are concerns over Bain's arm length but Arizona could use him inside or outside for a defense that has promising talent on the back end. Bain's power could complement Walter Nolen's flashes as a rookie. In a division featuring the 49ers,RamsandSeahawks, more bodies up front on defense can never hurt.
4.Tennessee Titans: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
It's easy to go defense in mock drafts with theTitansconsidering they just brought on Robert Saleh to be the franchise's newest head coach. Instead, we're giving No. 1 pick Cam Ward a top receiving option in Tyson.
5.New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
With Tyson off the board, this makes theGiants' pick even easier. Tate's value opposite Malik Nabers should lift the Giants' offense and give Jaxson Dart a contested catch target. Reinforcements in the trenches can come later.
6.Cleveland Browns: OT Spencer Fano, Utah
The top two wide receivers leaving the board means that Cleveland opts for offensive line. Fano spent his recent years in Utah at right tackle but may switch inside due to his leaner frame. Either way, his athleticism, footwork and hand usage make him a day one starter for theBrowns.
7.Washington Commanders: Edge David Bailey, Texas Tech
Washington needs to get younger on defense, especially up front. Bailey was the most productive edge rusher in college football in 2025 and would be an immediate starter off the edge. He may have some concerns in run defense but that's well worth the pass rush boost he'll give this unit.
8.New Orleans Saints: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
New Orleans gets the most dynamic offensive weapon in the draft in Love. He can be deployed as a receiver or a runner, making him an ideal modern running back. He'd pair nicely with Devin Neal to create a formidable backfield for the Saints.
9.Kansas City Chiefs: Edge Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Kansas City rarely picks this high and needs more dynamic playmakers. With the top receivers off the board, they opt for one of the youngest prospects in the class with inside-out versatility on the defensive line. Faulk lacks the numbers of other rushers but could grow into a difference-maker.
10.Cincinnati Bengals: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Downs is at worst the third-best prospect in this class, the best safety prospect since Kyle Hamilton. He's a force multiplier on the back end who can do it all. His versatility and talent should improve the Bengals' defense.
11.Miami Dolphins: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Miami's secondary outplayed its talent in 2025 and needs an upgrade in 2026. McCoy's mix of athleticism, ball production and scheme versatility makes him a top cornerback choice in this class. He'd be a welcome upgrade on the back end.
12.Dallas Cowboys: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
With McCoy off the board, Dallas goes for the other top corner in the class. Delane lacks elite athleticism but makes up for it by being one of the top technicians at the position in the class. Quarterbacks just avoided him entirely in college and he'd help what was the worst pass defense in the league last season.
13.Los Angeles Rams(fromAtlanta): WR Makai Lemon, USC
There are many directions the Rams could go with their extra first-round pick. In Lemon, Los Angeles could have a ready-made slot weapon to complement Puka Nacua as Davante Adams ages. Lemon's always earning extra yards and excels at finding weaknesses in zone coverage.
14.Baltimore Ravens: DT Peter Woods, Clemson
Baltimore brought Jesse Minter in to upgrade the defense as he'd done with the Chargers for the last two years. Woods has plenty of talent and was viewed as a top-five prospect entering the 2025 college football season but struggled with consistency. If Minter and his staff can get the most out of him, Baltimore's defense has a building block for the future.
15.Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB CJ Allen, Georgia
All due respect to Lavonte David but he's entering his age-36 season in 2026. Tampa Bay needs a succession plan after investing in the secondary last year. Allen's a sideline-to-sideline linebacker and one of the surest tacklers in the class.
16. New York Jets (fromIndianapolis): WR Denzel Boston, Washington
New York may wait until Day 2 to take a shot at quarterback and instead continue to build up the offense around him. Boston is a big-bodied contested-catch outside receiver with red-zone upside. He's not a vertical threat but would provide immediate value for what was the league's worst passing offense in 2025.
17.Detroit Lions: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami (FL)
Detroit has its pick of offensive linemen here with Mauigoa as our prediction. The Miami tackle spent most of his career on the right side but may have a higher ceiling at guard. That'd be fine for the Lions, who could use an upgrade on the interior.
18.Minnesota Vikings: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Minnesota retained Brian Flores during this hiring cycle and should reward him with a top investment in the secondary. Terrell is slightly undersized but plays bigger than his frame with a penchant for forcing turnovers either in coverage or run defense (five forced fumbles in 2025).
19.Carolina Panthers: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Tetairoa McMillan was a hit in Round 1 last year, and this year, Carolina keeps investing in the offense. Sadiq isn't a finished product but is one of the younger prospects in the class and a vertical threat at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds.
20. Los Angeles Rams (from Dallas Cowboys viaGreen Bay): LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Trade details: Los Angeles sends No. 29 and No. 93 overall to Dallas for No. 20.
Dallas has two first-round picks but won't be on the clock again until the middle of the fourth round. This trade helps them pick up some value and the Rams get a premium talent at a position of need.
Styles entered the season as the No. 1 linebacker prospect and only dropped down because of Reese and Allen excelling. He's an elite athlete at 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds. The Rams have ignored linebacker for far too long in premium investment.
21.Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
Pittsburgh brought in former Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham for that role on Mike McCarthy's staff. He could mold the elite athlete Cisse into a solid outside cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr. The former Gamecock has the frame and tools to develop with a solid foundation in press coverage.
22.Los Angeles Chargers: IOL Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
Los Angeles' interior offensive line needs more help than most and it's hard to do better than Ioane. The Penn State product is the top pure-interior offensive line talent in the class with good athleticism and excellent physicality.
23.Philadelphia Eagles: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Philadelphia could use help on the interior as well. Proctor's an outlier athlete for his size (6-foot-7, 360 pounds), reminiscent of Mekhi Becton who had a standout year as a guard for Philadelphia. Proctor could start there before eventually transitioning to tackle.
24. Cleveland Browns (fromJacksonville): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Cleveland has a new coach and offensive play-caller in Todd Monken, with many questions at quarterback. By getting Simpson, the Browns offer another option at the position. Simpson looked like the top quarterback in the country for some of 2025 before Alabama fell off down the stretch. The son of UT-Martin head coach Jason Simpson, he should impress in interviews.
25.Chicago Bears: DT Christen Miller, Georgia
Chicago's secondary stepped up in the playoffs but the unit as a whole can't rely on turnover luck once again in 2026. Miller's anchor and strength as both a run defender and pass rusher at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds stand out in a class full of run-stuffing nosetackles.
26.Buffalo Bills: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Buffalo promoted Joe Brady to head coach to ensure offensive stability. They build on that by getting one of the most dynamic wide receivers in the class in Concepcion. The Aggies wideout is a threat in the open field with immediate value as a returner.
27.San Francisco 49ers: Edge T.J. Parker, Clemson
San Francisco is ecstatic to see Parker fall all the way to their pick at No. 27. He's a physical force off the edge at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds. Like many Clemson defenders, he underperformed in 2025. The 49ers' staff could maximize his potential to reach his high ceiling.
28.Houston Texans: OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
Houston's offensive line improved down the stretch but quarterback C.J. Stroud struggled as the unit continued to be a weak point on the offense. Tiernan's a steady presence in pass protection at 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds. He hasn't missed a snap in four years of college action.
29. Dallas Cowboys (from Los Angeles Rams): Edge Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Dallas moved back with Los Angeles and adds another edge rusher to the rotation. Howell has some run defense concerns at 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds but has the athleticism and bend to have a high floor as a pass rusher. He'd be a solid complement to 2025 second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku.
30.Denver Broncos: Edge LT Overton, Alabama
Denver could lose John Franklin-Myers in free agency and investing on the defensive line could ease that loss. Overton is a tweener at 6-foot-5 and 278 pounds but could find his spot alongside the likes of Zach Allen and Malcolm Roach.
31.New England Patriots: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Khyiris Tonga will be a free agent this offseason and McDonald could be a solid replacement. The Ohio State product is a powerful presence on the interior thanks to his size (6-foot-3, 330 pounds) and play strength.
32.Seattle Seahawks: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
This may be a bit of a reach now, but it could change by April. Johnson may be overlooked due to where he played, but he has prototypical size at 6-foot and 195 pounds. He's an NFL-caliber athlete with ball production who could fill holes on the Seahawks' defense with multiple pending free agents.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:2026 NFL mock draft: Rams, Cowboys make trade in pre-Super Bowl mock
