In 36 days the 2026 NFL Draft will deliver a new cohort of NFL rookies, and Pro Football Focus (PFF) has published an updated three-round mock that reshuffles the top selections and projects a major early trade. The mock places Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders and projects Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love to move into the top two after a proposed Titans–Jets swap. PFF’s board emphasizes positional strengths at quarterback, pass rusher and linebacker while highlighting areas of relative depth and weakness across the class.
Key Takeaways
- PFF projects Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) to be the No. 1 overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders after his 3,535-yard, 41-TD season.
- A blockbuster early trade is included: Tennessee is shown acquiring the No. 2 pick from New York (Jets) to select RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), a player with 2,882 career rushing yards and 36 TDs.
- Ohio State supplies multiple projected top-10 picks: linebackers Arvell Reese (No. 4) and Sonny Styles (No. 5), plus safety Caleb Downs (No. 10).
- Edge rushers feature prominently: Reuben Bain Jr. (Miami) is projected to No. 3 to Arizona after a CFP run with 17 tackles and five sacks in four games.
- PFF’s mock fills immediate roster needs for several playoff hopefuls—Kansas City (David Bailey) and New Orleans (Carnell Tate) among them—while teams like Cincinnati target defensive help (Caleb Downs).
- The projection lists picks 1–100 across three rounds and reflects positional clustering (OTs and EDGE players in early rounds) and team-specific needs.
Background
The 2026 class arrives with high-profile award winners: Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, Heisman runner-up Jeremiyah Love, Biletnikoff winner Makai Lemon, Outland winner Spencer Fano and Jim Thorpe winner Caleb Downs. Those honors have concentrated attention at the top of many boards; Mendoza’s solitary season at Indiana vaulted him into QB1 status, while Love’s sustained production at Notre Dame elevated his stock as a top-running-back prospect.
Mock-draft services routinely shift selections in the weeks before the draft as team interviews, medical checks, combine results and private workouts refine evaluators’ views. PFF’s update follows the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, where measurements—such as Sonny Styles’ reported 4.46 40-yard dash and 43.5″ vertical—moved players up several boards. Teams also weigh roster context: quarterback-needy clubs, defensive rebuilds and salary-cap realities all push front offices toward specific target priorities.
Main Event
PFF’s headline move places Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 to the Raiders, citing his 3,535 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and a 16-0 national championship season with Indiana as the profile of a modern franchise quarterback. Las Vegas, described in the mock as still seeking playoff traction since their last deep postseason run, would be betting on Mendoza to reset their long-term outlook under a new era of roster construction.
The mock projects a trade between the Tennessee Titans and the New York Jets that sends the No. 2 pick to Tennessee; Tennessee then selects Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Love’s college totals—2,882 rushing yards and 36 rushing TDs over three seasons, plus Doak Walker recognition—are presented as a transformational addition for a Titans offense that has lacked Henry-level explosiveness since Derrick Henry’s prime.
Arizona is tabbed to take Miami EDGE Reuben Bain Jr. at No. 3 after his standout College Football Playoff performance (17 tackles, five sacks in four CFP games). PFF’s mock emphasizes Bain’s disruptive playmaking as a potential cornerstone for an Arizona defense retooling after the Kyler Murray era. The Jets, per the mock, use a pick obtained in the trade to select Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 4, a player credited with 112 tackles and seven sacks over two seasons.
Other early selections in PFF’s projection include Sonny Styles to the Giants (No. 5), Monroe Freeling to the Browns (No. 6), Makai Lemon to Washington (No. 7) and Carnell Tate to New Orleans (No. 8). Kansas City is shown adding Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey at No. 9 and Cincinnati closing out the top ten with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 10.
Analysis & Implications
If the top of PFF’s board comes to pass, the Draft would reshape immediate roster outlooks for multiple franchises. A Mendoza-to-Raiders scenario signals a full franchise pivot to a long-term quarterback plan, affecting veteran depth charts and cap allocations. Tennessee acquiring Love would prioritize an offensive identity centered on a dynamic runner, changing play-caller game planning and personnel priorities in short order.
Defensively, selecting players like Bain Jr., Reese and Caleb Downs addresses clear gaps for teams that underperformed against the pass or struggled to generate pressure in 2025. For instance, Cincinnati’s projected selection of Downs directly targets a defense that finished near the bottom of the league in yards (380.9 YPG) and points allowed (28.9 PPG).
There are ripple effects beyond the top ten: interior offensive linemen and edge rushers populate rounds two and three in PFF’s mock, reflecting league-wide emphasis on protecting quarterbacks and generating backfield disruption. Teams with playoff windows will likely prioritize immediate impact players, while rebuilding clubs may chase higher-upside developmental prospects.
Comparison & Data
| Pick | Team | Player | Pos | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| 2 | Tennessee Titans | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | Reuben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami |
| 4 | New York Jets | Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State |
| 5 | New York Giants | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Monroe Freeling | OT | Georgia |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | Makai Lemon | WR | USC |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
The table above summarizes PFF’s projected top-10 selections. Across rounds one through three, the mock lists 100 players and shows positional concentrations at EDGE, OT and linebacker—reflecting both the class makeup and common team needs. These distributions help explain why certain positions appear more frequently early: protecting QBs and generating pass rush remain premium values in today’s NFL.
Reactions & Quotes
PFF released the mock as part of its ongoing draft coverage and framed the projected Titans–Jets trade as a significant early-movement scenario. Below are representative reactions drawn from industry analysis and the mock’s framing.
“The updated mock emphasizes how a single trade can reorient top-10 strategy, especially when a team covets a generational playmaker at a scarcer position.”
Pro Football Focus (mock analysis)
Analysts contacted by outlets following the release noted the mock reflects both Combine-measured athleticism—such as Styles’ leaps—and players’ college production. That combination often determines whether a prospect is slotted for immediate starting opportunity or longer-term development.
“Mendoza’s 41 TD season and a 16-0 national title campaign create a clear starter profile for teams in search of long-term quarterback stability.”
On3 draft summary
League observers also emphasized that mocks are predictive tools, not prescriptions: team evaluations, private medicals and late pre-draft visits frequently alter real draft outcomes. Fans and front-office personnel alike reacted on social platforms, debating fit and roster impact for the players named in PFF’s board.
“A selection like Caleb Downs at No. 10 would immediately address Cincinnati’s defensive shortcomings, but the pick depends on available medical intel and team priorities on draft night.”
Independent draft analyst (industry commentary)
Unconfirmed
- The proposed Titans–Jets trade in PFF’s mock is a projection and not confirmed by either franchise; front offices have not announced any deal.
- Player health statuses and final medical clearances—such as Jayden Daniels’ shoulder recovery timeline—can alter teams’ willingness to draft or sign certain prospects; those specifics remain subject to team medical evaluations.
- Individual team draft boards and internal valuations used by franchises are private and may differ materially from PFF’s public projection.
Bottom Line
PFF’s updated three-round mock offers a clear narrative: the top of the 2026 class is quarterback- and pass-rush driven, with high-profile award winners and combine standouts dominating early projections. A Mendoza-to-Raiders selection paired with a Titans acquisition of Jeremiyah Love would represent contrasting strategic choices—one franchise pivoting to a rookie QB, another doubling down on a dynamic running game.
Readers should treat mocks as informed forecasts rather than final outcomes. Between now and the draft, interviews, private workouts and medical reports will refine evaluation and could shift the order substantially. For teams and fans, PFF’s mock is a usable baseline for understanding how elite college production and combine athletics might translate into early NFL draft capital.