November Mock Draft: Weather changes and so does the 2026 NFL Draft outlook
What has shifted since my Week 1 mock draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft pre-draft circuit will be here before we know it. The Shrine Bowl is just over two months away as the College Football season is now closer to its conclusion than its start. It’s probably time for me to (begrudgingly) write another 2026 NFL mock draft.
I haven’t written a mock draft since Week 1, an exercise where I followed the consensus thinking of selecting Arch Manning first overall. That’s clearly not happening, at least in 2026. That’s not all that has shifted as the NFL Draft boards continue to build themselves out with 10 weeks of new tape this season.
So, let’s refresh a bit here. Who is the first quarterback off the board? How many go in the first round?
DISCLAIMER: I am not messing with any sort of trades right now. Obviously, they are going to happen in real life. Also, this is the current board ahead of Week 10 Monday Night Football, thanks to Tankathon.
1. Tennessee Titans: LB/EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Listen, if we are doing no trades, then it is as easy as taking the best player in the draft class for the Tennessee Titans. And that’s what they do by selecting the Ohio State menace Arvell Reese.
It doesn’t matter where you line Reese up; he is going to wreak havoc. He is displacing offensive linemen when stepping down from the second level, he is setting elite edges as a run defender off the edge, and he looks like a natural pass rusher when unleashed off the edge as well.
In reality, Tennessee trades this pick for a ransom, but alas.
2. New Orleans Saints: EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami
Cameron Jordan is getting up in age and is sure to hang up his cleats soon. After missing on some other defensive ends early in the draft over the years, the Saints take another shot here with quarterback Tyler Shough playing well enough to earn another year of opportunity.
Who is a defensive end built like Jordan and is winning with a similar skillset? Miami’s Rueben Bain. While Bain has slowed up a bit in recent weeks, he has been one of the most explosive playmakers in college football this year.
3. New York Giants: OL Cici Mauigoa, Miami
Jaxson Dart isn’t going anywhere after being selected in the first round a year ago. I could have drafted a wide receiver here to pair with Malik Nabers, but third overall felt steep. So, why not address the weakness along their offensive line at right tackle?
Sure, they have Marcus Mbow, who had no business slipping to the fifth round. But he has had his struggles, and could be a guard. While Miami’s Cici Mauigoa might also be a guard at the NFL level, he would be an elite one. Do you think the Colts regretted selecting tackle-to-guard convert Quenton Nelson with a top pick in 2018?
4. Cleveland Browns: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first quarterback comes off the board here, and the Browns have the first crack at it. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza came into the season as my QB1 (yes, really), and there has been no reason for me to come off of it.
He’s been excellent when heated up, precise with the football, lights out in “gotta have it” situations, and plays the game with a high intellect (he was committed to Yale and UC Berkeley; the kid is wicked smart).
The Browns take another swing at the quarterback position here.
5. New York Jets: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
The Jets, who just beat the Browns on Sunday, may have cost themselves the chance at picking the first quarterback. The reality is, however, the Jets added three additional first round picks at the NFL trade deadline, so if they want to go up and get a quarterback they can.
But again, no trades here.
Simpson has a heavy pre-snap workload. His ability to undress a defense using shifts is undeniable. The accuracy has gotten a bit scattered in recent weeks, but Simpson is running a tight ship in Tuscaloosa and playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Everything he is doing translates to the NFL level.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Dante Moore, Oregon
Three for three, all of the high-profile quarterbacks come off the board in the back-to-back-to-back picks here. Geno Smith has not worked out for the Raiders in Vegas this season, and he has no dead money attached to his deal if he is traded. The Raiders might have to eat an asset to move him, but it would be shocking to see him back in silver and black again next season.
Dante Moore has had his ups and downs this season, but he has put the Oregon offense on his back when it has mattered most in two big games. He is accurate, his mechanics are silky smooth, and how he operates in the pocket is clean. There are warts on the tape, but the good is extremely good with Moore.
7. Miami Dolphins: OL Spencer Fano, Utah
The Miami Dolphins have struck out on a quarterback in this simulation as I would put a lot of money on LaNorris Sellers going back to school after a rough stretch of games. So their next move? Clean up the trenches.
Patrick Paul has played well enough at left tackle for the Dolphins to stick with him there. However, the right side of the offensive line needs some solutions. With Miami’s own Mauigoa already off the board, Utah’s Spencer Fano gets the call here.
8. Washington Commanders: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is a unique player who is going to need a specific defensive mind to get the most out of him. However, Dan Quinn might just be that guy, as he has a ton of work on his resume with hybrid defenders.
Downs has even started to flash some playmaking ability from single-high looks, something you’d have to go back to his Alabama tape to find previously. In the box or over the top, Downs is making plays and has one of the best triggers in the country.
He lands with Quinn here.
9. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL): CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy has not played a down of football this season after tearing his ACL in January. However, his 2024 tape is on the borderline of being a blue-chip tape. The Rams desperately need a blue-chip-type player injected into their lackluster secondary.
Starting Cobie Durant and Darious Williams at cornerback right now with no depth behind them, the Rams cannot ignore the cornerback position anymore. So, they address that need here with McCoy.
10. Cincinnati Bengals: DT Peter Woods, Clemson
Peter Woods falling to 10th overall in this mock draft? His last couple of weeks have looked like he may have packed it in, as Clemson struggles through an extraordinarily disappointing season and no longer has anything to play for.
However, Woods is an incredible talent when he is locked in. And the Cincinnati Bengals need an interior defensive lineman in the worst way imaginable. He rounds out the top-10 of this 2026 NFL Draft simulation here.
11. Arizona Cardinals: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Jordyn Tyson doesn’t have to travel far from home here. Already residing in Tempe, Arizona, Tyson will now play his football in Phoenix. Outside of Marvin Harrison Jr., who himself has been up-and-down (perhaps a Kyler Murray issue), the Cardinals are trotting out Michael Wilson and Zay Jones.
The first wide receiver off the board here, Tyson is an exceptional talent at Arizona State who has inside-out versatility to isolate wherever an offensive coordinator wants to isolate him. He's the perfect complement to Harrison Jr. in the desert.
12. Dallas Cowboys: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
The Dallas Cowboys may have traded a seventh round pick for the struggling Logan Wilson, but that doesn’t address the long-term need at the position. With Arvell Reese already off the board, the Cowboys take the other Ohio State linebacker here, Sonny Styles.
A converted safety, Styles is listed at a massive 6-foot-3 and 235 pounds, looks more natural at the position every week, has the athleticism to get sideline-to-sideline, and has the instincts in coverage to cover ground in his backpedal and make plays on the football.
As teams begin to reprioritize running the football, the linebacker position will be elevated once again.
13. Baltimore Ravens: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Already the fourth Buckeye off the board here, wide receiver Carnell Tate lands with the Baltimore Ravens. While the Ravens need to make upgrades to the interior of their offensive line, doing so with the 13th overall pick would be a leap. So, instead, they get a dominant, ball-winning X receiver to pair with Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
No player has taken a bigger leap on their 2024 tape to 2025 tape than Tate. He has mastered the little things about being a wide receiver that were previously missing from his tape. As a result, he has every right to be the first wideout off the board. He’s the WR2 here in this mock draft.
14. Minnesota Vikings: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
The Minnesota Vikings’ defense lacks not only depth in the trenches, but they also need another body to start at cornerback. After transferring over from Virginia Tech to LSU, Mansoor Delane has answered the bell for the Tigers this year and developed into a true lockdown cornerback.
Light on his feet, sticky in coverage, and proven to get his hands on the football at the catchpoint, Brian Flores is going to love Delane.
15. Houston Texans: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
I was really tempted to mock Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love here. But the offensive line is in such a bad state in Houston that it would be negligence not to send them Utah left tackle Caleb Lomu.
Lomu came into the week as my OT1 in my refresh rankings (here), but no team I’ve stumbled upon through the first 15 picks has needed a left tackle as a priority need. So, that is to the gain of the Texans here, who traded Laremy Tunsil last season and put a band-aid on the position in 2025.
16. Carolina Panthers: LB CJ Allen, Georgia
The Carolina Panthers have done an excellent job of adding young talent to their roster. And that includes two second round pass rushers a year ago in Princely Umanmielen and Nic Scourton. Now, they need a new leader in the middle.
Already the third linebacker off the board in the first round here, CJ Allen of Georgia fits the bill. He’s smart, instinctive, and explosive downhill. He’s even shown the ability to robot out and match incoming crossers behind his ear. Carolina has their new man in the middle.
17. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
The Kansas City Chiefs picking in the middle of the first round feels weird. But that’s where they sit through 10 weeks ahead of Monday Night Football. And anyone who watches the Chiefs sees a need for an improved running game.
Is taking a running back with a first round pick the most fruitful use of an asset? Not necessarily. However, there is a difference between taking one in the top-10 and at 17th overall. Especially when a blue-chip player like Love is on the board. The Chiefs bite the bullet here and add a top-three player in the class.
18. San Francisco 49ers: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller had Day 3 grades coming into the season from NFL scouts. His 2025 tape has been an incredible improvement.
He’s one of the best athletes in the class at the position; his foot speed is tremendous, and he has prototypical length and size. The knock on Miller will continue to be the play-strength, as there is negligible punch in the hands, and he is not a trailblazer in the run game.
However, some improvement in his hand usage and the deployment of bearhug technique has reduced the leverage of pass rushers substantially this year to protect his softened core. The 49ers land a much-needed improvement at right tackle here.
19. Cleveland Browns (via JAX): WR Makai Lemon, USC
It’s a back-breaker for the Browns to see both Caleb Lomu and Blake Miller shoot off the board right before they come back on the clock. And on my board, there is no other offensive tackle that is worthy of being a top-20 pick in the draft. So, perhaps the Browns will have to wait until the second round on a name like Oregon’s Isaiah World to address the need.
They also have one of the worst (if not the worst) wide receiver rooms in the NFL. So, they go out and get a refined and sure-handed Makai Lemon to address that need. The Z/slot sturdy receivers are dominating the NFL right now (see: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka, etc.), so the Browns try to replicate that success with a well-rounded wideout of their own here.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
The secondary in Pittsburgh is a nursing home. Darius Slay has limited juice left, and Jalen Ramsey has been playing more apex/hybrid than true cornerback. This has left a real need at cornerback for the Steelers. They address that need here with Clemson lockdown cornerback Avieon Terrell.
While I was lower on Terrell entering the season, I saw the physical traits. He’s matched those traits with recognition and confidence that I felt like he lacked last year. Following in his brother’s footsteps as a first round cornerback, Terrell heads to Pittsburgh here.
21. Buffalo Bills: DT Caleb Banks, Florida
The Bills are one of the hardest teams to draft for at this point in a mock draft because their needs don’t match the value on the board. This is where we call in a potential redshirt pick and take the talented Caleb Banks, who is out for the season in Gainesville due to a broken foot.
When healthy, the 22-year-old defensive tackle is a menace who is incredibly powerful and explosive. He converts speed-to-power near the best of any defensive tackle in the class. Banks was a top-15 player in the class for me entering the season, but he has just not been healthy.
This could be a steal for the Bills here.
22. Chicago Bears: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
It might be a shock to see Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk mocked this low. However, I am just lower on his tape than others. I see a stout run defender, but a pretty upright, raw, and stiff pass rusher. He’s only 20 years old, so he could very well go back to school and transfer. But given the state of the Auburn program, he may be better off just hitting the road.
The Bears take him here to pair with Montez Sweat. Faulk is very much in the same mold as Dayo Odeyingbo, who has suffered a devastating season-ending injury. If Odeyingbo doesn’t return to form next season, the Bears could move off of him after 2026. It’s great to have depth. It’s better to have young depth to develop into a future starter.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
The Buccaneers have been looking for a dominant pass rusher since the departure of Shaq Barrett. And while Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey might be a soft run defender, there is no doubting his ceiling as a pass rusher.
Bailey is extraordinarily explosive. He might be the most explosive player in the entire draft class. He routinely beats tackles to the spot, has sharp hands, and leads the nation in pressures.
The Bucs find their guy here.
24. Detroit Lions: OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
For the record, I wouldn’t draft Kadyn Proctor in the first round. His tape has been far too up-and-down, with the downs being far more prevalent than the ups. Proctor’s weight is an issue, and it shows up in the limited amount of knee bend and ability to change directions, redirect, and recover.
But we are at the backend of the first round now, and perhaps if Proctor is inserted into a locker room with a strong culture, there is a chance for him to transform his body and find a level of consistency. Besides, his play-strength and explosiveness cannot be questioned.
The Lions might just be that locker room as they look to replace Taylor Decker this offseason.
25. Dallas Cowboys: EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell has been one of the most dominant pass rushers in the country. His knock, however, is that he has historically short arms… like historically. His arms were verified at sub-31 inches this summer.
However, he is explosive, ultra-flexible, and possesses a wide variety of ways to win as a pass rusher. He’s not a total net-negative against the run either, as he has little issue setting an edge and lowering his pad level.
But hey, Micah Parsons had short arms. Perhaps the Cowboys see a similarity between the two players, too. Howell is an outlier, and a massive one in terms of arm length. But the tape is good.
26. Los Angeles Chargers: OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
The Los Angeles Chargers have spent a ton of assets trying to protect Justin Herbert, and yet somehow the interior of their offensive line is still subpar. They address the guard position here by landing a brick wall in Penn State’s Vega Ioane.
While Penn State’s season went south in a hurry, the play of Ioane has been tremendous. He looks like he has slimmed down and transformed his body from 2024 to 2025 as well. Ioane is one of the very best pass protectors in the class. He helps to fortify the wall in front of Herbert here.
27. Los Angeles Rams: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
The Rams tried to take a massive swing two years ago and trade up for tight end Brock Bowers. They ultimately fell short of accomplishing that goal. And while they drafted Terrance Ferguson in the second round a year ago, that doesn’t stop a team that runs a ton of 12 personnel from taking another swing at the tight end position here.
Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is an athletic freak who has drawn comparisons to Vernon Davis. He’s a solid blocker in the run game as well, and not a player that has to be schemed around in that phase of the game. This is the exact type of playmaker that Sean McVay would love to scheme into space and get the ball into the hands of with frequency.
28. New England Patriots: WR Chris Bell, Louisville
The New England Patriots have turned it around fast under the guidance of head coach Mike Vrabel. Much of that has to do with the MVP-level play of Drake Maye as well. However, the Patriots’ best wide receiver is still an aging Stefon Diggs after the failed selection of Ja’Lynn Polk (already shipped out to the New Orleans Saints for a bag of potato chips).
Louisville’s Chris Bell is an explosive playmaker and has shown the ability to win at every level of the field. Design touches on shallow crosses and slants for him, and he can house them. Even in his 227-pound frame, Bell shows the ability to sink his hips exceptionally well can carve defensive backs, even on the steeper 45-degree routes.
He becomes Drake Maye’s new best friend here.
29. Philadelphia Eagles: EDGE Matayo Uiagaleilei, Oregon
For what it’s worth, I see Matayo Uiagaleilei as more of a pass rush specialist than a complete player despite his massive 6-foot-6 and 270-pound frame. He’s constantly a player I want to see more from, especially in the run game and in the development of some sort of power profile.
However, he is a fluid mover for his size and has the cross-chop down pat as a pass rusher. For Howie Roseman and the Eagles, he’s exactly the kind of consensus board slipper they’d target late in the first round. Especially to address a need at pass rusher.
30. Denver Broncos: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
The Denver Broncos need a playmaker they can design manufactured touches for. They have the big-bodied wideout and vertical threat mold hammered out on their depth chart. But someone has to take some pressure off the shoulders of Bo Nix on the designed quick-hitters.
Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion fits the bill here. And not only can Concepcion house a screen and make plays with the ball in his hands, he is a refined route runner who has proven capable of winning over the middle and on the vertical plane as well.
31. Seattle Seahawks: CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State
The Seahawks are looking good on the offensive side of the ball after adding Rashid Shaheed at the trade deadline and hitting on Grey Zabel in the first round last year. While they could take another guard here, the value doesn’t quite add up.
Instead, they add another talented playmaker to their secondary for Mike MacDonald to deploy. Arizona State cornerback Keith Abney II has been one of my favorite cornerbacks since I first saw him blanket 2025 first rounder Matthew Golden in the College Football Playoffs last year.
He is a gnat in coverage and displays exceptional ball skills when he has a chance to make a play on the football.
32. New York Jets (via IND): WR Denzel Boston, Washington
Pairing wide receiver Garrett Wilson (assuming they don’t trade him this offseason) with a dominant ball-winner at the X position would do wonders for Ty Simpson in this scenario. With the Colts’ pick acquired in the trade of cornerback Sauce Gardner, they get that ball-winner in the form of Washington’s Denzel Boston.
The Husky wide receiver has racked up 730 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He’s even shown the ability to make plays with the football in his hands after the catch as well. Boston has even returned a punt for a touchdown this season, showing his wits when transitioning to a ball carrier.
Welcome to New York, Denzel.
Gabriel played like a rockstar for the browns. There’s no way the browns are drafting another QB again. Trash article
As a Chiefs fan I think Brett Veach may be too scarred from picking Clyde Edwards-Helaire to pick another RB. But yes, huge need! I see them picking D-Line. I would pray to the football gods for a DT next to Chris Jones, but I'm not sure Veach would actually do that.