NFL mock draft 2026: Introducing next year’s class with 5 QBs in first-round

The 2026 NFL Draft class holds a lot of promise. Here’s a first look at our initial big board.

As we put a bow on the 2025 NFL Draft, we have to understand that the NFL Draft cycle never sleeps. While teams bring in their newest members, scouts once again are on the road looking at 2026 prospects. We’re going to look ahead to 2026, which has a class with a lot of promise. Overall, I’m excited for this group. There’s a handful of pure offensive tackles in this class up and down the board, guys who could stay at tackle in the NFL. Leading off the group is Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa, a big and powerful player who shows nimble feet in the pass and run game. Mauigoa also did this as a freshman:

In addition, there are guys like Utah’s Caleb Lomu and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor. Both are massive individuals, Lomu might be a better pass protector, but both are going to be early round draft picks come this time next year. Along the defensive line, the star is Clemson DT Peter Woods, but don’t sleep on his teammate TJ Parker at EDGE. He’s an explosive player off the ball, but is well built to hold up in the run game. In addition, I’m a big fan of Auburn’s Keldric Faulk. He plays in a front that isn’t useful to EDGE development, but he’s powerful and long, and is an impactful run defender.

With that being said, here’s the preliminary 2026 big board.

QBs are promising, but many question marks

If I had to use one word to describe this QB class, I would use the word “promising”. I think the overall athletic talent of this class is much better than 2025, but each of these QBs needs refinement in their own way. The QB1 of this draft so far isn’t who you expect, however. Transferring to Indiana from Cal, Fernando Mendoza has a lot of similarities to Patriots’ QB Drake Maye, from his mechanics to some of the wow throws that he makes. I think his reaction time is really quick, and he has the processing both inside and outside the pocket to make insane throws.

Behind him, I have South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers. It’s not a given that he declares at the end of next season (he’s a redshirt sophomore), but he’s a supremely talented and athletic QB whose best trait is his maneuverability in and out of the pocket. He’s impossible to get to the ground, using his 6’3, 242 pound frame to shake off defensive linemen. I think he has to improve his short area accuracy, but I’m willing to bet on his tools.

The next QBs behind him are guys you’ve seen a lot of: Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State’s Drew Allar. I’m intrigued the most by Nussmeier, who shares a lot of similarities to undersized passers with confidence throwing the ball downfield such as Shedeur Sanders. I’m worried a little bit about his athletic potential, but if he can reign in some of the chaotic plays, he could end up going really high (he might anyway, his father is Doug Nussmeier, OC of the New Orleans Saints, who need a QB). Drew Allar also intrigues me, with prototypical size and arm strength. However, his ball placement comes and goes and how he looks when the play isn’t dressed up for him will really be under fire.

If you notice, I don’t have Texas QB Arch Manning on here. Not because I don’t like the player--he’s talented and athletic. However, he only has a handful of reps to really judge him off of, so I want to see a full season with him as the starter. It wouldn’t surprise me if he comes back in 2027.

Among this group of QBs, some guys I like didn’t make the top 32: Eli Holstein from Pitt, Darian Mensah who is currently at Duke, and Michigan State’s Aidan Chiles.

Planting my flag on a draft-eligible receiver

This upcoming receiver class is interesting. There’s not a lot of surefire guys, but I’m a big fan of Washington’s Denzel Boston, who opens the cycle as my WR1. However, I’m planting my flag on Notre Dame wideout Jaden Greathouse being the second best receiver in this class. He plays very similarly to Emeka Egbuka, primarily lining up in the slot but winning with smooth route running and quickness in and out of his breaks. He also is strong after the catch, finishing first among all Notre Dame receivers in Yards After the Catch. In fact, he led the Irish in receiving yards as well. If he can show that ability to win on the outside as well as in the slot, you’ll be hearing his name a lot more.

This off-ball LB class is fun

There are two off-ball linebackers on my 2026 big board, but both are really fun watches. Leading it off is Georgia LB CJ Allen, who continues the trend of monster defenders entering the league from Athens. His ability to sift through the traffic between the tackles combined with the explosiveness downhill is pretty amazing to watch. He can go sideline to sideline and be a factor as a pass rusher, making him a fun modern linebacker.

Texas LB Anthony Hill Jr. is similar, but Hill has a crazy second gear in space that Allen doesn’t have, while Allen is better between the tackles. Hill is a blur coming downhill, lining up on the edge and off the ball as a blitzer. As the NFL goes to add more linebackers who can blitz or drop in coverage to keep them on the field, Hill and Allen are going to be major players in 2026’s draft class.