Gennaro Filice’s first 2026 mock draft imagines a first round shaped by positional value and medical uncertainty, sending running back Jeremiyah Love into the top five and landing wideout Jordyn Tyson with the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9. The mock leans into the reality that teams often shy away from premium picks at running back, off-ball linebacker and safety, even when elite prospects occupy those spots. Filice frames selections around roster fits, scheme fits and measurable production, and he reminds readers that combine medicals and interviews could alter this early map.
Key takeaways
- Jeremiyah Love projects inside the top five at No. 4, reflecting his multi-dimensional rushing profile and immediate fit for a QB-needy team (Tennessee in this mock).
- Jordyn Tyson is mocked to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 9; evaluators view him as a complete size-and-skill receiver with big-play and YAC upside despite medical questions.
- Edge rushers and interior defenders dominate the board: Bailey (sacks leader tie with 14.5) and Bain (PFF credit: 83 pressures) headline pass-rush value across the top 10.
- College production versus projection splits several prospects; examples include McCoy (no 2025 snaps due to ACL) and Woods (sliding after a down season despite earlier top-10 expectations).
- Positional scarcity shapes choices: several teams prioritize offensive line and interior defensive tackle to protect veteran QBs and support championship windows.
- Combine workouts and medical clearances, particularly for Tyson and McCoy, are flagged as pivotal and could reshuffle early-round outcomes.
- Late-run patterns in this mock favor defensive tackles, closing Round 1 with three interior defenders taken in the final selections.
Background
Mock drafts are narrative exercises that pair team need with prospect traits; Filice emphasizes the tug-of-war between a team’s stated wants and a prospect’s measurable strengths. The 2026 class, in his view, lacks an abundance of blue-chip talent at the traditionally premium quarterback and tackle spots, which elevates elite prospects at non-premium positions. That dynamic helps explain why a running back, a linebacker and a safety—Jeremiyah Love, Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs—receive early consideration despite positional value bias.
Franchise context matters heavily in this mock: teams with established quarterbacks tend to prioritize protection and weapons, while rebuilding clubs chase impact defenders and difference-makers in the trenches. Filice also leans on contemporary analytics signals—PFF pressure and passer-rating metrics—to justify selections and to contrast big-game production versus athletic projection. Finally, the scouting calendar is active: NFL Network and NFL+ were flagged for combine coverage beginning Feb. 26, and those evaluations are expected to refine many early rankings.
Main event
At No. 1 the mock places the clear QB1, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound Heisman and national-champion quarterback (Mendoza), as a coherent fit for the Las Vegas offense and a coach who values obsessive detail. The top-two certainty extends only so far; at No. 2 an explosive edge rusher with 14.5 sacks in college draws strong consideration for a Jets defense that finished 31st in sacks last year.
The draft’s early part includes massive linemen and edge traits: a 6-6, 335-pound tackle profile lands in Arizona at No. 3 to pair with an established blindside starter, while cliff notes on offensive line continuity push a high-upside blocker into Baltimore at No. 14. The Cleveland Browns in this mock take a high-upside hybrid defender at No. 6 who returns home and could coexist with veterans like Myles Garrett.
In the middle of Round 1, Filice sends Jeremiyah Love to Tennessee at No. 4 as a multi-faceted runner to complement last year’s No. 1 overall pick; he projects as a physical, pass-catching complement rather than a pure feature-back. At No. 9 the Chiefs add Jordyn Tyson, a big-bodied, refined route-runner with downfield explosiveness and YAC ability; the mock notes medicals as the chief outstanding variable for Tyson.
The board also reflects team-specific dueling priorities: Cincinnati doubles down on the edge at No. 10 with Bain (83 pressures per PFF) after prior drafts targeted pass rushers; Green Bay, Miami and Dallas fill coverage and edge needs with players who blend scheme versatility and anticipated NFL role clarity. The mock closes with a minor run on defensive tackles, fitting for clubs seeking immediate interior disruption.
Analysis & implications
Filice’s work highlights how positional value skews early-round thinking—teams rarely spend top picks on running backs or off-ball linebackers, yet this class forces evaluators to reconcile that orthodoxy with top-end talent at those spots. If Love truly grades as a top-five talent on film and in testing, he will force several front offices to decide whether a near-elite running back can justify a premium pick; that decision will in turn influence trade chatter and draft-day strategy.
The emphasis on pass rush and interior defense in this mock suggests clubs still view trench play as the fastest path to win-now upside. Bain’s PFF-noted 83 pressures and a four-game spike in productivity highlight how teams are willing to prioritize production over ceiling-only traits. Conversely, prospects like Reese (hybrid linebacker/edge) fall slightly because scheme fit questions remain about their best NFL deployment.
Medicals and the combine loom as real catalysts. Names such as McCoy (ACL recovery) and Tyson (foot/injury history flagged by scouts) are explicitly tied to Indy evaluations; a clean bill of health could vault either into steady Top-10 locks, whereas issues could trigger slides or pre-draft trades. The mock therefore reads as a first snapshot that assumes optimistic but cautious outcomes from medical and interview windows.
Comparison & data
| Pick | Team (mock) | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Tennessee | Jeremiyah Love | RB |
| 6 | Cleveland | Reese | LB/Edge |
| 9 | Kansas City | Jordyn Tyson | WR |
| 10 | Cincinnati | Bain | Edge |
| 7 | Atlanta | Caleb Downs | S |
The brief table above isolates several high-variance selections and aids comparison: two early non-premium prospects (RB, S) land inside the top 10, while production metrics (Bain’s 83 pressures, Bailey’s 14.5 sacks) anchor several defensive choices. These figures show how teams balance measurable college output with projection, and why some prospects are attractive to particular roster constructions.
Reactions & quotes
Filice foregrounds team voices and reporting that shaped his mock. Context matters because front-office moves, free agency and coaching changes will all influence eventual draft-day decisions.
“Building a structure for him that doesn’t ask him to be Superman 60 plays a game will be at the front of our minds.”
Robert Saleh, quoted by media
This quote, cited in pre-draft reporting, is used here to explain why Tennessee might seek a dynamic offensive complement for last year’s top pick rather than asking the young QB to shoulder the entirety of an offense.
“The odds are increasing”
Tom Pelissero, NFL Network Insider (on Aaron Rodgers return odds)
Pelissero’s short assessment about Aaron Rodgers’ potential return is referenced to show how quarterback futures affect nearby roster priorities—if a veteran signal-caller returns, a team may prioritize weapons over long-term line rebuilding.
Unconfirmed
- Medical clearances for Jordyn Tyson and McCoy are pending; combine results will determine whether either prospect rises or slides in real boards.
- The mock references growing odds of Aaron Rodgers returning; that assessment was reported by an insider and is not an official team announcement.
- Several team fits described here assume current coaching staffs and free-agent outcomes; unexpected signings or hirings could change draft priorities.
Bottom line
This mock draft is a considered early snapshot that stresses scheme fit, college production and medical clarity. Filice’s projection—placing a running back and a safety inside the top 10 while also awarding the Chiefs a complete WR at No. 9—illustrates how this class forces teams to weigh conventional draft wisdom against the practical reality of available talent.
Readers should treat this as a starting point: combine performances, interviews and late pre-draft medicals will change rankings and team boards between now and draft night. For front offices, the central question remains whether to chase immediate impact at the top of the board or hold value for premium positions later in Round 1.