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Imago

Week 12 of the NFL season is done and dusted, and while a lot of the focus is rightfully on the playoff race, it’s time to give some love to the bottom feeders. There are plenty of teams and fans who are already counting down the days until the 2026 NFL Draft, so, as we do every week, it’s time to mock the first 10 picks.

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Here’s my prediction for the top-10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft after Week 12, plus the full updated draft order.

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1. TRADE: New York Jets via Tennessee Titans (1-10)

Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

I’ve been predicting the New York Jets to trade up for a quarterback for a few weeks now, so I’m sticking with my guns and saying they move up to No. 1 to select Fernando Mendoza. The Jets have all the ammo they need to pull off a move like this, and Mendoza is pretty clearly QB1 in this draft. I expect the Jets to move off of Justin Fields this offseason and bring in a rookie to help lead this rebuild under Aaron Glenn.

Stats: 2,641 passing yards, 216 rushing yards, 35 total TD, 5 INT

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2. TRADE: Las Vegas Raiders via New York Giants (2-10)

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

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Right now, Dante Moore is my QB2 in the 2026 class, but not by much. Ty Simpson’s playing well and could very well move into that QB2 spot, but for now, Moore gets the nod.

The Las Vegas Raiders are going to need a quarterback. Whether it’s this year or they run it back with Geno Smith and get one in 2027, I don’t know, but for entertainment’s sake, I’m saying the Raiders jump the New Orleans Saints and make a move for a quarterback in 2026.

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It feels like a lot of the quarterbacks drafted these days are 24 or 25 when they come out, but Moore is the exception. He’s in his third year of college and has been playing at a very high level. He’s still got a ton of room to develop, but he’s already shown traits of an NFL quarterback. The Raiders have Smith under contract for another year, so Moore could develop for a season before taking the reigns in 2027.

Stats: 2,447 passing yards, 180 rushing yards, 23 TD, 6 INT

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3. New Orleans Saints (2-9)

Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State

With two quarterbacks off the board, my top overall player in the draft, Arvell Reese, falls to New Orleans at No. 3. Reese is truly a do-it-all linebacker. He has length and quickness to rush the passer, but he also has great coverage skills against tight ends and receivers. He is an elite defensive weapon that can play anywhere around the line of scrimmage, so the Saints gets a defensive weapon at No. 3.

Stats: 59 tackles, 23 pressures, 6.5 sacks, 2 PBUs

4. Tennessee Titans via New York Jets (2-9)

Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami

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Rueben Bain Jr. is the best pass rusher in the class. Don’t let his three sacks fool you; he’s being double-teamed more often than not, and he’s still putting a ton of pressure on the quarterback. This is a guy who can step in and make a massive impact off the edge on day one, and we all know Tennessee could really use some help getting after the quarterback.

Stats: 56 pressures, 3 sacks

5. New York Giants via Las Vegas Raiders (2-9)

Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

Spencer Fano is, in my opinion, the most underrated player in this class. He’s the clear OT1, but he should be a top-five pick. He’s played 356 pass blocking snaps this season and has allowed just five pressures and zero sacks. I know he’s not playing top-end talent, but the Giants need help at offensive tackle, so selecting the best one available while picking up future assets makes a ton of sense for the Giants.

Stats: 356 pass blocking snaps, 5 pressures, 0 sacks

6. Cleveland Browns (3-8)

Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

I’ve had the Cleveland Browns taking a quarterback in a lot of my recent mock drafts, but if they think Shedeur Sanders has something, then maybe they’ll be inclined to get him a weapon instead of drafting a replacement. Getting someone like Jordyn Tyson would be a game-changer for this offense. He is easily the best receiver in college football, but it’s a shame we haven’t seen him healthy in a while (he played limited snaps this week for the first time in over a month). He can do it all, and he’s the type of wideout a young quarterback would love to have.

Stats: 61 receptions, 689 yards, 8 TD

7. Washington Commanders (3-8)

Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

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Bain is the top pass rusher in the class, but Keldric Faulk is young, has great size and is very athletic. He’s the type of defensive end teams love to draft early, so I wouldn’t be surprised if his name is called in the top-10. His production hasn’t necessarily been what you expect out of a first-rounder, but Faulk is a versatile pass rusher who can work from the inside and outside. And with the Washington Commanders having a big need at pass rusher, I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s the selection here.

Stats: 24 pressures, 2 sacks

8. Cincinnati Bengals (3-8)

Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

It’s no secret that the Cincinnati Bengals need help along their offensive line. It feels like Joe Burrow gets hurt year after year, and they’re completely wasting his prime. They’ve given him all the weapons he could want; now it’s time to upgrade the tackle position. By the time it’s all said and done, Francis Mauigoa could be OT1 on a lot of teams’ draft boards. He’s produced at a high level against a lot of great pass rushers. If another OT goes in the top-10 with Fano, it’ll be Mauigoa.

Stats: 376 pass blocking snaps, 9 pressures, 2 sacks

9. Arizona Cardinals (3-8)

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Caleb Downs might be the best overall player in this draft class. He is an elite talent, but the safety position is not one many teams invest a high draft pick in, so him even being in the top-10 discussion should tell you how special a talent Downs is. With Budda Baker turning 30 soon, getting another star safety could be the right move for Arizona. He’s still got some good years left in him, so they could have the best safety pairing in the NFL for the next three or so years before Baker starts to decline.

Stats: 49 tackles, 134 yards allowed, 2 INT, sack

10. Miami Dolphins (4-7)

Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

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Mansoor Delane has asserted himself as the best cornerback in America this year. He has been absolutely lock down for LSU’s defense, and he’s doing it against some of the best receivers in the country. With some of the issues Miami’s had defensively this season, it wouldn’t surprise me if they pick a defensive player with their first rounder this year, and in my opinion, Delane is the best one left on the board at this point.

Stats: 38.2 percent completion percentage, 147 yards allowed, 0 TD allowed, 2 INT, 9 PBU

Full NFL Draft Order

11. Los Angeles Rams via Atlanta Falcons

12. Minnesota Vikings

13. Dallas Cowboys

14. Kansas City Chiefs

15. Pittsburgh Steelers

16. Houston Texans

17. Carolina Panthers

18. Detroit Lions

19. Baltimore Ravens

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

21. Buffalo Bills

22. Cleveland Browns via Jacksonville Jaguars

23. Dallas Cowboys via Green Bay Packers

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24. Los Angeles Chargers

25. San Francisco 49ers

26. Chicago Bears

27. Seattle Seahawks

28. New York Jets via Indianapolis Colts

29. Philadelphia Eagles

30. Denver Broncos

31. Los Angeles Rams

32. New England Patriots

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