Making the Pick: 2026 NFL Draft full first-round mock

Good morning, Bills Mafia!

It’s Thursday, April 16, 2026. Do you know what that means?

You guessed it!

We’re one week away from opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

It’s true — This. Is. Not. A. Drill. — ladies and gentlemen.

We’ve nearly survived the pre-draft process, and now we are just days away from finding out where all of the impending rookies in this year’s class will land.

Finally.

So, with that said, in lieu of a Bills-centric, seven-round mock draft today, yours truly will take a stab at doing my one and only full first-round mock draft that will try and predict how the board falls in a little more than 180 hours from now.

I should preface this by saying the word “predict” is being used rather loosely here.

Who the heck knows what will take place on the big night. 

But, regardless of that undeniable fact, let’s try and have a little fun with this one. 

Unlike my normal heavily word-laden posts (which I hope you enjoy), this one will be more of a rapid fire style with minimal analysis for you to mindlessly consume.

Sound good? Good.

Let’s sling some s**t at the wall and see what sticks.

THE LAS VEGAS RAIDERS ARE NOW ON THE CLOCK.

THE 2026 NFL DRAFT IS OFFICIALLY UNDERWAY IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

1. Fernando Mendoza, Quarterback – R. JR., Indiana University (6-foot-5, 236 lbs/Age: 22)

This one LITERALLY needs no explanation. Mendoza to the Las Vegas Raiders is a forgone conclusion.

NEW YORK JETS

2. David Bailey, EDGE – SR., Texas Tech University (6-foot-4, 251 lbs/Age: 22)

There’s been some smoke lately around this being a possibility. Bailey is a supremely talented player, and he’s worthy of a top-five pick. 

So, the Jets decide to go with production over projection here and select the Red Raiders’ pure pass-rusher instead of the versatile Arvell Reese from Ohio State, who only had six-and-a-half sacks last season despite being the talk of the town this draft cycle.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

3. Arvell Reese, OLB/EDGE – JR., Ohio State University (6-foot-4, 241 lbs/Age: 20)

Still just 20 years old until the end of August, linebacker Arvell Reese is one of the most intriguing prospects in this entire draft class. And, when all is said and done, he could wind up becoming the best of the bunch.

So, we slot in the Ohio State defender for the Cardinals here in order to give new head coach Mike LaFleur and current defensive coordinator Nick Rallis a shiny new toy to deploy on Sundays.

If the team is going to be struggling to put it together on offense in LaFleur’s first year, then they’ll need to keep things competitive on the opposite side of the ball.

TENNESSEE TITANS

4. Sonny Styles, Linebacker – SR., Ohio State University (6-foot-5, 244 lbs/Age: 21)

Some might consider putting running back Jeremiah Love in this spot, but new head coach Robert Saleh has been there and done that when it comes to being a part of a team that selects a running back high in the draft — the Jets selected Breece Hall 36th overall in 2022 — and that didn’t work out for him as the former head man in the Big Apple.

With that said, he’ll be pounding the table to get a blue-chip player like Sonny Styles for his new defense in Tennessee.

NEW YORK GIANTS

5. Caleb Downs, Safety – JR., Ohio State University (6-foot, 206 lbs/Age: 21)

Much like the thinking behind the pick above, new Giants head coach Jim Harbaugh probably has an idea of what he wants to repeat as a head coach in his new surroundings and what he’d like to not repeat.

Selecting a premium safety who can transform a defense — much like the Ravens did with Kyle Hamilton when he was there — is the move here.

Many scouting analysts believe that Caleb Downs could be the best overall player in this entire draft.

So, New York gets its man, and we have three Buckeyes off the board within the first five picks . . . don’t be surprised to see this happen, folks.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

6. Francis Mauigoa, Offensive Tackle – JR., University of Miami (6-foot-5, 329 lbs/Age:20)

The first offensive lineman is off the board!

There’s varying opinions on who that might be and when it will happen, but, in this scenario, Browns General Manager Andrew Berry and new head coach Todd Monken decide to begin the start of a new regime by going the “old-school” route and selecting a big man up front to protect whoever is throwing passes for the Browns this season.

Mauigoa appears to be one of the safer picks in this class.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

7. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE – JR., University of Miami (6-foot-2, 263 lbs/Age: 21)

The Washington Commanders were terrible on defense last season, and it was due in large part to the team’s lack of talent and youth on that side of the ball.

Washington did add pass-rushers Odafe Oweh, K’Lavon Chaisson, and Charles Omenihu in free agency, but both Chaisson and Omenihu signed just one-year deals, and I’d like to think that head coach Dan Quinn believes that a team can never have enough players who can get after the quarterback.

Bain Jr. can do just that. 

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

8. Carnell Tate, Wide Receiver – JR., Ohio State University (6-foot-2, 192 lbs/Age: 21)

After the first offensive lineman went off the board two picks earlier, the Saints now grab the first wideout in the draft to pair with their current veteran wide receiver, Chris Olave, who appears to be on his way toward staying down in “The Big Easy” for the foreseeable future despite some trade chatter popping up at the deadline last season.

Giving second-year quarterback Tyler Shough, who showed tremendous potential in his limited time as a starter last year, would be a good idea for general manager Mickey Loomis and head coach Kellen Moore.

So far, this draft has been dominated by the Buckeyes and the Hurricanes.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

9. Spencer Fano, Offensive Tackle – JR., University of Utah (6-foot-5, 311 lbs/Age: 21)

The Chiefs could go a number of ways with this pick.

The team could choose to select another playmaker for quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid to utilize in the near future, or they could look to add an impact defender after losing a few players on that side of the ball this offseason.

Honestly, who knows?

But, considering Mahomes is coming off an ACL injury and will likely be less mobile than he has in the past, I’m choosing to believe they’ll value keeping their prized franchise player upright more often moving forward.

And while they have last year’s first-round pick, Josh Simmons, as the presumed left tackle of the future, there is still some uncertainty surrounding the team’s situation at right tackle.

Fano would clear up the fogginess regarding that position.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

10. Jeremiyah Love, Running Back – JR., University of Notre Dame (6-foot, 212 lbs/Age: 20)

Outside of positional value, University of Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love may very well be the best pick in this entire draft — no matter where he ultimately winds up going.

It could be in the top five or it could be somewhere around this range.

We’ll just have to find out.

But, given that he falls here, the Bengals would likely be jumping for joy to give Joe Burrow another weapon.

Their defense has been awful as of late — and one player isn’t going to turn that mess around in one season — so you might as well score as many points as you can.

Cincinnati hasn’t drafted a running back in the first round since 2004 when the team drafted Chris Perry out of the University of Michigan, but I’m sure they’d make an exception for Love here.

*TRADE* Detroit sends picks No. 17, No. 118, and No. 157 to Miami for pick No. 11

DETROIT LIONS

11. Monroe Freeling, Offensive Tackle – JR., University of Georgia (6-foot-7, 315 lbs/Age: 21)

The Miami Dolphins are seemingly in full rebuild mode under new general manager Jon Eric-Sullivan and first-year head coach Jeff Hafley this offseason, so there’s at least a chance they’d consider moving down from the 11th spot here in order to accumulate even more throws at the draft dartboard despite already having 11 picks of their own heading into the draft.

Getting cheap, young talent to fill out the bottom of your roster is always a solid move when constructing a team, and Eric-Sullivan will need to do so moving forward.

So, the Dolphins slide back six spots and pick up two more mid-round picks in the process.

But, who do the Lions want so badly?

Well, with the run on offensive tackle beginning to take shape following the selections of Mauigoa and Fano inside the top-10 in this scenario, the Lions decide to leap up the board in order to snag a player who they’d likely have as the highest-rated player left at the position if this were to happen in reality.

Detroit lost longtime veteran left tackle Taylor Decker to a mutual parting of sorts earlier this offseason, and now the team has a bit of a void to fill along its offensive line despite still having Penei Sewell under contract.

Freeling would fill in nicely at either left tackle or right tackle depending on what the Lions want to do with Sewell moving forward, and they’ve got the resources to spare in order to make it happen.

*TRADE* New York Jets send picks No. 16 and No. 103 to Dallas in exchange for pick No. 12

NEW YORK JETS

12. Makai Lemon, Wide Receiver – JR., USC (5-foot-11, 189 lbs/Age: 21)

There’s been rumors that the Cowboys might be eyeing a trade up into the top five in order to secure a pass rusher like David Bailey or Arvell Reese next week, and they certainly have enough capital to do it given that they also possess the 20th pick in the first round following the Micah Parsons trade.

However, in this scenario, the Jets and Cardinals held their ground and selected Bailey and Reese with back-to-back picks, seemingly leaving Dallas and owner Jerry Jones in the dark.

With that in mind, the Cowboys could certainly stick and pick here at No. 12, but the idea of picking up an extra early fourth-rounder while only having to slide back four spots was too hard to pass up.

So, with that in mind, our first pair of trades in the 2026 NFL Draft happen one right after the other as the Cowboys slide back and the Jets move up, but . . . for who?

Well, given that the Los Angeles Rams have reportedly been sniffing around wideout prospects in this year’s draft, and that New York also had a top-30 visit and a combine interview with Makai Lemon, new Jets general manager Darren Mougey gets aggressive to get another receiver to pair with Garrett Wilson.

If the team is really going to stick with Geno Smith as its starter next season, then the longtime veteran will need some more weapons at his disposal.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

13. Kadyn Proctor, Offensive Lineman – JR., University of Alabama (6-foot-7, 352 lbs/Age: 20)

After watching the Jets swoop in ahead of them to snag a wide receiver that probably interested them quite a bit, the Rams must think fast and reevaluate what they’d like to do.

Do they go with a different receiver? An impactful defender?

Or, do they try to fill in another big hole that they currently have along the offensive line, specifically at right tackle?

BINGO.

And, although Kadyn Proctor is one of the more polarizing players in this year’s draft due to the amount of varying opinions there are on him and what his future position will be moving forward in the NFL, he’s still one of the most physically-gifted players in this pool of prospects.

So, with that said, the Rams give quarterback Matthew Stafford some more protection with their pick here.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

14. Mansoor Delane, Cornerback – SR., LSU (6-foot, 187 lbs/Age: 22)

The Baltimore Ravens’ defense was rather putrid last season, especially against the pass. 

And, that’s historically not the case with the team from Maryland.

So, after adding Trey Hendrickson to bolster the pass rush through free agency, the team decides to add a cornerback in Mansoor Delane that seems to have “RAVEN” written all over him given his physical style of play from the defensive back position.

Baltimore did re-sign veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie to a one-year deal back in March, but that shouldn’t preclude the team from adding a player to its secondary early on in the draft.

This match makes too much sense.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

15. Jordyn Tyson, Wide Receiver – JR., Arizona State University (6-foot-2, 203 lbs/Age: 21)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are predicted to go defense at this spot in many other mocks floating around the internet, but that’s not my thinking.

Yes, they could add pass-rushers like Akheem Mesidor or Cashius Howell here, or decide to take the second linebacker off the board due to the retirement of Lavonte David.

But, what about the loss of Mike Evans?

The team has Emeka Egbuka and Chris Godwin, sure, but they have done nothing to replace the player who was the franchise’s all-time leading receiver and who was a consistent jump-ball target for quarterback Baker Mayfield in recent seasons.

With that said, Jordyn Tyson’s game — although much more than just 50/50 balls — would help circumvent the issue standing in front of them with the loss of Evans.

Pick submitted.

DALLAS COWBOYS

16. Cashius Howell, EDGE – SR., Texas A&M University (6-foot-2, 253 lbs/Age: 23)

In this scenario, owner Jerry Jones was probably sweating it out a little bit.

Still needing to fill the void left behind by the trade of Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have been on the prowl for help at EDGE this offseason.

And, given that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker has connections to Texas A&M University’s head coach, Mike Elko, there’s a chance that the Cowboys might have an affinity for Cashius Howell, who is one of the premier pass-rushing talents in this entire draft class despite having historically short arms.

In spite of his short limbs, though, Howell was still the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2025 after recording 31 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 11.5 sacks.

It might be a little early for Howell to come off the board in the minds of some, but there’s no denying that he’s one of the better pure pass-rushers in this class.

The pairing seems almost perfect.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (Trade with DET)

17. Blake Miller, Offensive Tackle – SR., Clemson University (6-foot-7, 317 lbs/Age: 22)

The Dolphins traded out of the 11th spot in this scenario, and they were able to gain two mid-round picks in the process while only having to slide down six picks.

The team isn’t in win-now mode, and acquiring as many draws as they can at the NFL’s player “lottery” seems like a good idea for Miami.

But, they’ll stick and pick after already sliding back once.

Adding a starting offensive lineman is never a bad thing, and if the team wants to give quarterback Malik Willis any chance of succeeding, then keeping him upright would be a solid place to start. 

Clemson’s Blake Miller, although not flashy, would be a quality first selection for general manager Jon Eric-Sullivan.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

18. Dillon Thieneman, Safety – JR., University of Oregon (6-foot, 201 lbs/Age: 21)

This selection by the Minnesota Vikings makes way too much sense.

The team struggled overall last season, and they appear to be in a bit of a state of flux given their unfortunate ties to third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the moment, and it’s unclear how they view themselves as a franchise currently.

Are they pretending they’re still contenders with McCarthy at the helm? Or are they facing the brutal reality that they might be in a slight rebuild mode yet again?

Well, if they’re hoping to still contend, then they may be inclined to go with an offensive lineman here or a playmaker to give their young quarterback more help . . . or they could decide to add a franchise building block on defense.

They chose the latter of the two options in this scenario.

After releasing longtime veteran safety Harrison Smith earlier this offseason, the team is now in need of another starting safety to play alongside their other current starter in the back-end of the defense, which of course is Josh Metellus.

Enter Dillon Thieneman.

He’s seemingly everything the team could want from the position.

I might put this one in ink, folks.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

19. Kenyon Sadiq, Tight End – JR., University of Oregon (6-foot-3, 241 lbs/Age: 21)

Quack, quack!

After the first Oregon player of the night goes off the board to the Vikings at pick No. 18, Thieneman’s teammate — tight end Kenyon Sadiq — gets scooped up immediately after him as the Carolina Panthers strike to bring in another young playmaker for quarterback Bryce Young, who finally started showing the potential on the field last season that made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft.

And, that promising season-long performance from Young was seemingly due to the fact that Carolina managed to bring in a bonafide number one wide receiver last season in the draft with the selection of Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick.

McMillan helped Young tremendously, and it resulted in the Panthers landing back in the playoffs last year for the first time since 2017.

With that said, the team could still use a few more difference-makers on that side of the ball despite just getting McMillan, and — given the way that the board fell in this scenario — the Panthers decided to do just that.

Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who ran a 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash and had a 43.5” broad jump at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, would instantly be Carolina’s best player at the position if he were to be drafted next week.

I think this is an interesting idea.

DALLAS COWBOYS

20. Jermod McCoy, Cornerback, University of Tennessee (6-foot-1, 188 lbs/Age: 20)

University of Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy isn’t a sure thing.

But, if you take a chance on him and it pays off . . . you’re getting a top-15, possibly top-10 talent in this draft class at pick No. 20 — not too shabby.

Given some concerns over his recovery from a torn ACL, there’s a really good chance he’ll be here for the Cowboys.

Dallas needs more depth at the position badly, and Jerry Jones was never one to shy away from a gamble . . . I’d keep an eye out for this as a real possibility.

McCoy, a Texas native, just seems like a perfect fit.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

21. Olaivavega Ionae, Offensive Guard – JR., Penn State (6-foot-4, 320 lbs/Age: 22)

Honestly, this just screams, “PITTSBURGH PLAYER.”

And, he’s already used to playing in the state of Pennsylvania . . . I had to do it.

The thought of pulling the trigger on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson crossed my mind here — and I think it’s a real possibility regardless if Aaron Rodgers comes back or not — but, in my heart of hearts, I don’t think it happens.

I believe Rodgers will be back with the Steelers next season, and he’ll want to stay upright.

Olaivavega Ionae is the best pure guard in this class.

The value is too good to pass up here, especially with how outrageous the contracts are getting at the position nowadays.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

22. Emmanuel Pregnon, Offensive Guard – SR., University of Oregon (6-foot-4, 314 lbs/Age: 24)

After we saw a run on offensive tackles early on, now we start to see the interior offensive lineman come off the board.

While this might be slightly high for a player like Emmanuel Pregnon, he’s widely viewed as the second best guard in this class behind Ionae and ahead of Texas A&M University’s Chase Bisontis, so sliding him in here feels right.

First and foremost, the Chargers need to keep quarterback Justin Herbert upright in the pocket. And, selecting a player from Herbert’s alma mater might just do the trick.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

23. Max Iheanachor, Offensive Tackle – SR., Arizona State University (6-foot-6, 321 lbs/Age: 22)

Philadelphia Eagles fans might be booing general manager Howie Roseman for this pick if it were to happen, but they shouldn’t.

While Iheanachor wouldn’t be a plug-and-play, instant impact starter from the jump, there’s potential for him becoming the best offensive lineman out of this entire draft class.

At 6-foot-6, 321 pounds, the 22-year-old Nigeria native has incredible measurables and only just started playing football in 2021.

The NFL loves to take a chance on incredible athletes, and this would be a gamble that might just pay off in the end for Philadelphia.

Iheanachor could come in and learn behind one of the best right tackles in the entire league in Lane Johnson for a year or two, and then he could team up with fellow offensive lineman Jordan Mailata to be the bookends for the Eagles protecting quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Hey — Mailata had never even played football before when Philadelphia took a flyer on him in 2018, and look how that turned out.

And, you’re not wrong if you think there are a lot of offensive linemen going off the board in this mock draft, but eight went in the first round last year . . . and this would be number eight. I think we’re being realistic.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

24. Denzel Boston, Wide Receiver – JR., University of Washington (6-foot-4, 212 lbs/Age: 22)

Many draft analysts throughout the league think there’s a good chance that the Cleveland Browns take a stab at grabbing a wide receiver at some point early on in the draft.

And, while some have them choosing Carnell Tate with their first selection inside the top-10, I don’t see it that way.

Building a roster from the inside out is the way to go, and snagging the first offensive lineman off the board would be smart for Cleveland.

So, they went offensive tackle with their first pick in this scenario. 

But, wait — what’s this?

Would you look who’s available for them with their second pick . . . a player they had in for a top-30 visit.

Interesting.

Boston might not be for everyone, but if the Browns are really going to stick with their current grouping of quarterbacks heading into next season, then they’ll need another guy for them to throw it to.

And, selecting a wideout who can catch it even when he’s covered might not be a bad idea.

CHICAGO BEARS

25. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Safety – SR., University of Toledo (6-foot-3, 201 lbs/Age: 22)

More often than not, draftniks are pegging a defensive lineman in this spot for the Bears.

Whether that be a big man in the middle like Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, or an EDGE rusher like Clemson’s T.J. Parker, people seem to link the Bears to players along the defensive front.

That connection does make sense.

But, what about their secondary? 

The team did sign veteran free agent Coby Bryant to a substantial contract this offseason, but they’re still missing a running mate for him.

Kevin Byard III and Jaquan Brisker left for elsewhere in March, and the only other player that’s seemingly capable of sliding next to Bryant right now is fellow free-agent signee, Cam Lewis, whom Bills Mafia knows all too well.

With that said, the Bears will undoubtedly be looking at safeties early on in this draft.

And, although Caleb Downs and Dillon Thieneman were long gone by this spot, the best remaining safety left on the board here just so happens to also be worthy of a first-round pick.

So, Chicago decides to turn their selection in for Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

THE BUFFALO BILLS ARE ON THE CLOCK . . .

At last, Bills Mafia . . . it’s here.

Your 2026 first-round draft pick. But, who will it be?

Your fan favorite — wide receiver K.C. Concepcion — is still on the board, and so is the top defensive tackle — Kayden McDonald. 

EDGE rushers? 

Yeah, the board was fairly kind to the Bills in this department, as well.

Malachi Lawrence, T.J. Parker, Akheem Mesidor, and Zion Young — they’re all there.

But, will Beane’s phone be burning a hole in his pocket with some team blowing up his line trying to get back into the first round in an attempt to secure quarterback Ty Simpson on a five-year rookie deal?

I guess you’re about to find out, aren’t you?

So, with that said, let’s see where this thing goes, shall we?

With the 26th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select . . .

BUFFALO BILLS

26. Keldric Faulk, EDGE/Defensive Lineman – JR., University of Auburn (6-foot-6, 276 lbs/Age: 21)

Woah. Woah. Woah.

This isn’t any of the players listed above!?

What the **** is going on here, Brandon? Some members of Bills Mafia would like a refund.

Others, however, are jumping for joy . . . and rightfully so.

I can hear it now from Brandon Beane, “Well, if Keldric would’ve had a repeat performance like he did in 2024, then we wouldn’t have had a shot in hell of landing him.”

You’re right, Brandon.

They just don’t draw them up like Faulk anymore, and, when you can get your hands on a 6-foot-6, 276-pound ball of clay that is still just 21 years old, you do it.

Every. Single. Time.

Faulk was a monster two years ago as a teenager in the SEC, recording 45 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and seven sacks, and he did so while playing all over the defensive front for the Tigers.

He’s not the most polished player at this point in his career despite playing at a major school in the SEC, but that might be due in part to the fact that he’s from a town in Alabama that’s population size is roughly only about 1,500 people.

With that said, Faulk presumably didn’t receive as much specialized attention as other athletes did in this class growing up, but the former five-star recruit has more tools and traits to work with than many of those other players could ever even dream of having in their arsenal.

His size is elite, and his athleticism seems to be close to elite, as well.

He ran the 40-yard dash at his pro day in 4.67 seconds at nearly 280 pounds, and he posted a 35” vertical to go along with a 9’-9” broad jump.

It’s easy to see — the potential is just bursting at the seams of this player.

And, although he’s not the bendy EDGE type that most are craving, the Highland Home, Alabama, native is capable of playing at nearly every spot along a defensive front from the outside at EDGE to the 4i position.

Oh, and did I mention that the Bills just so happen to have a need at BOTH spots?

Well, Faulk could man that 4i spot down from day one with his tremendous run-stopping skills, which is nothing to scoff at, and then he could conceivably continue to refine his pass-rushing technique and bag of tricks as he further develops down the line.

This selection kind of reminds me of the Gregory Rousseau pick back at the end of the first round in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Rousseau had more production in college, but both players had incredible size and length for the position despite being a bit raw coming out.

Honestly, any fan mad at this pick should reevaluate what the team might be looking for in the first round.

Sure, a part-time, speedy pass-rushing specialist would be great. 

But, Faulk would be on the field a majority of the time . . . not just on third downs.

That’s more valuable, in my opinion.

We’re turning the pick in. 

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

27. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE – SR., University of Miami (6-foot-3, 259 lbs/Age: 25)

In all honesty, University of Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor should be entering his second contract in the NFL right now.

But, instead, he’s an impending rookie who just turned 25 at the beginning of the month.

The label of being “old” isn’t exactly the best tag to carry around with you when trying to impress potential suitors at the next level during the pre-draft process, but teams who are in win-now mode likely won’t bat an eyelash at his age.

Mesidor is a terror off the edge, and he is coming off a magical season with the Miami Hurricanes in 2025 where he had 63 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and an ACC-leading 12.5 sacks.

He’s a beast. 

And, the 49ers are in need of some more beasts on defense, particularly up front.

Let’s pair them up.

HOUSTON TEXANS

28. Peter Woods, Defensive Tackle – JR., Clemson University (6-foot-2, 298 lbs/Age: 21)

Clemson University defensive tackle Peter Woods’ stock has seemingly fallen quite a bit since his breakout sophomore campaign back in 2024 (28 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 3 sacks, 1 FF), but the former Tiger still possesses some of the best pass-rush upside from the position in the entire draft class.

And, given that the Houston Texans just so happen to need help along the interior of their defensive front, a marriage between Woods and the AFC South team seems to make plenty of sense, especially considering that the other top defensive tackles available — Kayden McDonald and Christen Miller — don’t add as much “pop” when getting after the quarterback.

Woods just seems like a Texan.

We’ll lock it in.

*TRADE* Arizona sends picks No. 34, 104 to Kansas City in exchange for pick No. 29

ARIZONA CARDINALS

29. Ty Simpson, Quarterback – JR., University of Alabama (6-foot-1, 211 lbs/Age: 23)

C’mon!

You didn’t REALLY think we were going to make it out of the first round with only one quarterback taken off the board, did you?

Get real.

This one . . . is interesting.

Why would the Chiefs trade out? 

Well, after a down year last season, general manager Brett Veach has already stockpiled plenty of picks to replenish his squad with youth this upcoming draft, and he might find it intriguing to add one more early fourth-round pick for the cost of simply sliding back five spots to the second pick of the second round.

They might consider taking an EDGE player or a wide receiver here after already solidifying their offensive line with Spencer Fano earlier on in this scenario, but there’s a chance that the Cardinals can convince the Chiefs to move out of the back-end of the first round in order to be able to leapfrog the Jets at pick No. 33 and grab their future franchise player.

Deal done.

So, Simpson and Arizona, you say?

Yup. And, for good reason.

For starters, it just so happens that the former Crimson Tide quarterback’s first meeting of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine was with the team hailing from the Southwest. 

And, his last top-30 visit of the offseason?

Also the Cardinals.

The match between Arizona’s new head coach Mike LaFleur and Simpson just makes too much sense here.

The Cardinals get their franchise quarterback of the foreseeable future after releasing veteran quarterback Kyler Murray in March, and they also get to do so by getting him under the fifth-year option.

Smart.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

30. K.C. Concepcion, Wide Receiver – JR., Texas A&M University (6-foot, 196 lbs/Age: 21)

Uh oh.

Bills Mafia is NOT going to like this one.

After falling in love with the Rochester, New York, native throughout the pre-draft process, fans would really hate to see Concepcion suited up in a division rival’s uniform twice a year, but it would make plenty of sense for the Dolphins.

After the trading fellow wideout Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos last month — outside of running back De’Von Achane — Miami is completely devoid of playmakers.

They signed free-agent quarterback Malik Willis to a sizable contract, so you’d assume they’d like to give him some options to throw the ball to, right?

Concepcion was a pre-draft visitor of the Dolphins, which means the interest is there.

Sorry guys, the former Aggie is headed to Florida.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

31. Omar Cooper Jr., Wide Receiver – JR., Indiana University (6-foot, 199 lbs/Age: 22)

Well, Patriots fans have been clamoring for a wide receiver all offseason, haven’t they?

Yes. Yes they have.

So, here you go, Bostonians — rejoice — you get a shiny new toy for Drake Maye to throw to, and he’ll fill the massive void left behind by veteran Stefon Diggs in the slot, whom the team released earlier this offseason.

Diggs was a trustworthy target for Maye in his breakout campaign last year, and he’ll need another safety blanket if he wants to continue developing the way that he is.

Instead of trading for an aging veteran like A.J. Brown (sorry, Howie), the Patriots decided to dip their toes into the playmaking side of this draft’s prospect pool in order to grab one of the most electric players available — Omar Cooper Jr. — and they do so by getting him under an affordable five-year contract.

I don’t think New England fans would be too upset if this were to happen.

THE FINAL PICK IS IN . . .

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

32. Mike Washington Jr., Running Back – SR., University of Arkansas (6-foot-1, 223 lbs/Age: 22)

WOW! WOW! WOW!

A second running back gets taken from the board to finish off the opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft (at least in this scenario).

Who would’ve thought?

Well, if you watched Kenneth Walker III dominate the Super Bowl in February and then depart from Seattle in free agency, then maybe you did.

Regardless, it isn’t a popular pick at the moment amongst media analysts, but it does make sense.

The Seahawks did not address the position whatsoever in free agency after losing Walker III, and the team’s other main runner, Zach Charbonnet, is still recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered against the San Francisco 49ers in January.

With that said, it’s pretty easy to connect the dots.

Seattle will take a running back at some point . . . but, when?

Well, what about right now, perhaps?

Seeing as how Washington Jr. is 6-foot-1, 223 pounds, ran a 4.33-second time in the 40-yard dash at the combine, and had a senior season in 2025 where he had a career-high 1,070 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, it sure seems like an appropriate time to take this surprising shot in the dark on the former Razorback.

Let’s lock it in.

And, with that, the Buffalo FAMbase blog’s full first-round mock draft is complete. Phew! 

Let me know what you think in the comments below, Bills Mafia! I’d love to hear your (level-headed) feedback.