• Ty Simpson goes No. 1 overall: In his first year as a full-time starter, the Alabama signal-caller has the highest overall passing grade of the projected first-round quarterbacks at an 86.6, and the highest intermediate passing grade (11-19 yards downfield) at 91.1.
• Five Ohio State Buckeyes land in first round: The No. 1 team in the AP’s top-25 poll also has the most players selected in the first round of this mock draft.
• Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool.

Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes

Seven weeks into the college football season and six weeks into the NFL season, it’s about time for a new and updated 2026 NFL Draft mock draft. Using the updated draft order that is current to the NFL standings, here are some players who are making first-round caliber plays here in 2025. 

1. New York Jets (0-6): QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

There isn’t a quarterback in the 2026 class who feels like a “safe” top-five talent – if there ever is such a thing. However, there are a handful of players who have shown promise in flashes or small sample sizes, and Simpson leads the way. In his first year as a full-time starter, he has the highest overall passing grade among the projected first-round quarterbacks (86.6) and the highest intermediate (11-19 yards downfield) passing grade (91.1).

2. Cleveland Browns (1-5): QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Mendoza had some fans coming into the season after showing some promise in 2024 at Cal – though he did produce more turnover-worthy plays than big-time throws. This season at Indiana, he’s taken his game to a more consistent level with five big-time throws, three turnover-worthy plays and an 81.0 passing grade. He also might have the best overall arm talent of the top quarterbacks right now, outside of South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers.

3. Baltimore Ravens (1-5): EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

Bain has been college football’s best player in 2025. At 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, he can play any sort of edge alignment from a three- and four-point stance in multiple fronts. He has recorded a 92.8 pass-rush grade against true pass sets with a 28.2% pass-rush win rate and an equally impressive 92.1 run-defense grade. He is the No. 1 player on the PFF big board right now.

4. Miami Dolphins (1-5): QB Dante Moore, Oregon

Moore is a full-time starter for the first time in his career after backing up Dillon Gabriel last season. He’s been consistently accurate this season with a 72.0% adjusted completion rate. He has also been a much faster decision-maker than he was at UCLA, averaging 2.71 seconds before he throws. He played strongly on the road at Penn State, but struggled against Indiana, specifically against pressure. He’s just a true junior, so he might not even be in the 2026 class, but that all depends on how well he plays down the stretch. 

5. New Orleans Saints (1-5): DI Peter Woods, Clemson

Woods entered the season as a top-three player on the PFF big board, and with Clemson’s struggles this season, it would be fair to wonder if Woods should still be considered a high pick. After going back through his film, the answer is yes. He isn’t having as dominant a year as we thought he could as a pass-rusher, but this is still a rare athlete for someone who is 6-foot-3 and 310 pounds with the ability to discard blockers at will. He still has an 84.2 run-defense grade with a 75.1 pass-rush grade against true pass sets, and he isn’t even 21 years old yet. 

6. Tennessee Titans (1-5): EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson 

Like Woods, Parker was in the top five of PFF’s initial preseason big board, and like Woods again, Parker’s future NFL ability is still evident even through Clemson’s struggles as a team. At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, Parker has the frame to play multiple edge alignments in multiple defensive fronts. He has a 15.2% pass-rush win rate in addition to a variety of pass-rush moves (both speed and power) this season. He has also earned a 78.0 run-defense game, which showcases a well-rounded game. 

7. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4): G Gennings Dunker, Iowa

I am higher on Dunker than most, but a big reason for that is that I am projecting him to guard at the NFL level, as opposed to the tackle position he plays right now at Iowa. With the Hawkeyes, Dunker really moves people off the ball with a 90.2 run-blocking grade in 2024 and a 76.9 run-blocking grade this season. He’s listed at 6-foot-5, which is why they play him at tackle, but you can see he isn’t overly comfortable on an island blocking against finesse rushers. A move to guard will maximize his imposing strength and run blocking impact while mitigating his weaknesses in pass protection as a tackle. 

8. Las Vegas Raiders (2-4): LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Reese is the biggest riser in this class. As a true junior this season who played just 309 total snaps last year, we didn’t really have many expectations. However, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound do-it-all linebacker has showcased a rare combination of athleticism and instincts when triggering downhill as a run defender, quarterback spy, blitzer or even true pass-rusher. He hasn’t been asked to play much in true dropback coverage, but as long as he is hunting downhill, he is a worthy top-10 pick.

9. New York Giants (2-4): WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

Tyson broke out last season with an 83.3 receiving grade for Arizona State. The 6-foot-2 and 200-pound senior took his game to another level this year and already has an 84.6 receiving grade with three 100-yard games. He has all-around ability and specifically wins in the intermediate areas with an 85.6 receiving grade on passes from 10-19 yards out. 

10. Arizona Cardinals (2-4): T Spencer Fano, Utah

Fano entered the season as the top offensive tackle on PFF’s big board, and though he still is that top tackle, the tackle class, as a whole, has been underwhelming. Fano recorded an elite 93.6 run-blocking grade last season, and though he is still solid this year with a 79.8 run-blocking grade, he really struggled against NFL-caliber pass-rushers when Utah faced Texas Tech. He still has plenty of NFL potential, but his name is lower on the list than it was for the preseason mock.

11. Houston Texans (2-3): T Francis Mauigoa, Miami

The Hurricanes have been one of the best teams in the country this year. A big reason for that is due to how well they have played in the trenches, and right tackle Francis Mauigoa epitomizes that on the offensive side of the ball. The true junior has a very balanced grade sheet this season with an 81.8 overall offensive grade, 81.5 run-blocking grade and 82.6 pass-blocking grade. He has only given up two sacks and two hurries on 153 pass-blocking snaps. 

12. Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1): S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Downs doesn’t grade as highly as he did in 2023 and 2024, but his grades are still very good this year, especially given everything that is put on his plate. He can play free safety, strong safety, slot defender and even linebacker. He’s a true do-it-all chess piece type of player. He deserves to be picked higher than this, but it’s just a matter of how high the league will draft a safety.

13. Carolina Panthers (3-3): CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

Six games in, and there likely hasn’t been a better cover cornerback in the country than LSU’s Mansoor Delane. He was at Virginia Tech and on the NFL draft radar over the last few seasons, but he has truly taken his game to another level in 2025. As a man coverage outside cornerback, he’s earned an 89.9 coverage grade while allowing just six receptions for 77 receiving yards and recording eight forced incompletions. 

14. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3): TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

It hasn’t been the big breakout season we thought it might be for Sadiq, who has recorded just a 62.0 receiving grade six games into the season, but the 6-foot-3 and 245-pound true junior remains one of the most talented players in the class, given his abilities as a blocker and receiver. Bruce Feldman reported earlier this year that Sadiq is up to 255 pounds and has a 41.5-inch vertical jump. His potential is still sky high.

15. Washington Commanders (3-3): EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech

Bailey has been on an absolute pass-rushing tear over the last two years, first at Stanford and now at Texas Tech. He has an absurd 94.5 pass-rush grade this season with a 30.5% pass-rush win rate. At 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, he aligns almost exclusively in a two-point stance as a standup pass-rusher, but his first step expressiveness and bend will be coveted by any team running any front. 

16. Chicago Bears (3-2): EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

Howell has short arms, and when we say that, they might be near outlier length when we get the official measurements at the NFL combine. However, if you get that out of the way, there really isn’t much else to dislike. His hands are fast despite the lack of arm length, which allows him to stay clean versus blockers and has earned him a 90.0-plus pass-rush grade for the third year in a row. He’s also recorded a pass-rush win rate above 19.5% in each of the last three years as well.

17. Los Angeles Rams (via ATL, 3-2): CB Colton Hood, Tennessee

Hood spent some time at Colorado as a backup to Travis Hunter and DJ McKinney last season. Now at Tennessee, he’s been one of the FBS’ more impactful players at that position. At 6-foot and 195 pounds, he has good size for the position with good explosiveness as well. He’s earned a 78.2 coverage grade this season with seven forced incompletions and two interceptions. He has the all-around game to play in press and off coverage alignments. 

18. Minnesota Vikings (3-2): RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

Love’s season started with a quiet showing against Miami, but that was less on him and more about a lack of opportunities. Since then, he’s been on a tear, showcasing once again that he is the most talented back in the country with an 88.0 rushing grade and 69.9 receiving grade. He’s already forced 26 missed tackles with a 3.65 yards after contact per attempt average. 

19. Buffalo Bills (4-2): EDGE Romello Height, Texas A&M

Height is in his sixth season of college ball, but he has really put it all together at Texas Tech this season after stops at Auburn, USC and Georgia Tech. The 6-foot-3 and 240-pound edge rusher has a deep bag of finesse pass-rush moves like a cross chop, inside spin and dip-and-rip, which has yielded a 27.1% pass-rush win rate and 38 total pressures in six games. His lighter weight and play style might make him more of a designated pass-rusher type, but he can give teams some of the most impactful plays of the game due to how he can beat offensive tackles.

20. Denver Broncos (4-2): WR Makai Lemon, USC

Lemon had a strong 2024 season with an 85.3 receiving grade and over 700 yards as a true sophomore. This season, the 5-foot-11 and 195-pound junior has taken his game to the next level. He has recorded a 92.6 receiving grade in six games as one of the best separators in the class, nearly matching his 2024 yardage total already. He plays best from the slot and in space, finding soft spots in zone and winning with elite quickness, something that can translate well to the NFL.

21. Cleveland Browns (Via JAX, 4-2): OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Proctor has had a decent start to his 2025 campaign. The supersized 6-foot-7 offensive tackle has earned a 78.6 run-blocking grade with an 82.5 blocking grade on zone plays. He has struggled at times as a pass protector, especially with speed, given how big he is, so he might be a guard at the next level. However, if he is, he can be a very good one, given his unique strength-athleticism combination at his size. 

22. Los Angeles Rams (4-2): WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Tate is a smooth and easy watch due to how he wins as a receiver. He isn’t the fastest or most explosive, but the 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior is so polished at creating separation as one of the best route runners in the class. He’s earned an 85.5 receiving grade this year alongside future NFL star Jeremiah Smith. He has zero dropped passes on 34 targets and 28 receptions. 

23. Detroit Lions (4-2): EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

Thomas isn’t built like your typical NFL edge rusher at 6-foot-2, but he is stacked and strong for his size at 250 pounds. He has incredible first-step explosiveness, which he can convert into devastating power. He has a 90.6 pass-rush grade this season and remains strong as a run defender (69.2 run-defense grade) despite being undersized. He has a relentless style to him that NFL teams will gravitate toward. 

24. Seattle Seahawks (4-2): WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee

I do not know if Brazzell will be a first-rounder when it’s all said and done, but I can tell you he’s looked like one through this 2025 season. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, he has rare explosiveness and one-cut ability paired with a frame and length that is reminiscent of Martavis Bryant. He’s earned an 80.1 receiving grade this season with some very impressive contested catches (5-for-9) deep down the field as a vertical receiver. Consistency will be key for him to be a first-round type of prospect.

25. New England Patriots (4-2): CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

If McCoy were draft-eligible last season, he would have been a first-round pick. On 393 coverage snaps, he earned an 89.6 coverage grade in addition to 13 forced completions and four interceptions. At 6-foot and 195 pounds, he is an experienced and talented press-man cornerback. He has yet to play this year, as he is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the offseason, but as long as that knee is good to go in 2026, he should remain a first-round pick.

26. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2): G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

The one they call “Vega” has been having a fantastic season on Penn State’s interior offensive line in 2025. At 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, he’s earned a 76.0 run-blocking grade and a very impressive 92.0 pass-blocking grade. His handwork has really stood out this year. He can dictate contact with a quick and impactful first punch and is also a natural at resetting his hands after pass-rushers attempt to break his grip. He’s been putting out starting-caliber NFL tape.

27. San Francisco 49ers (4-2): EDGE Joshua Joseph, Tennessee

Joseph has really stepped up this season while taking the torch from James Pearce Jr., who is now on the Atlanta Falcons. Joseph, at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, has very long arms that he uses as the baseline for an impactful pass-rush profile, which has yielded a 90.8 pass-rush grade and a 21.5% pass-rush win rate. His game is also more well-rounded this season, posting a 75.7 run-defense grade as an outside linebacker-type of edge defender. 

28. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2): EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

Faulk is higher on the PFF big board than where he is getting drafted in this mock, but truth be told, his range really could be all over the place. He’s an NFL player, no doubt about it, with a ton of strength and really nice first-step explosiveness at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds. His floor as a player is high because of that, but he still has yet to take that next step as a pass-rusher, as he has earned around a 13.5% pass-rush win rate this season, a career high. He is just a true junior, so there is plenty of reason to believe his best ball as a pass-rusher could be ahead of him. As a run defender, he’s graded above 71.0 in all three years of his career with back-to-back seasons above 80.0. 

29. Dallas Cowboys (via GB, 3-1-1): DI Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

McDonald may still be working on things as a pass-rusher – though he does have an improved 71.3 pass-rush grade against true pass sets this season – but the 6-foot-3 and 325-pound nose tackle has a 91.3 run-defense grade this season with a 10.5% solo run-stop rate. That is something the Cowboys desperately need in the middle of their front. 

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1): WR Denzel Boston, Washington

Boston has lived up to the billing as one of the best “big” receivers in the class. He’s earned an 82.9 receiving grade this year, hauling in five of his contested catch opportunities. However, he’s more than just his size and contested-catch ability. Washington has lined him up in the slot on 50 snaps already this season, thanks to his ability to win vertically from that alignment. At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, he is a “big” receiver but don’t simply put him in that box. 

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1): LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

Styles is a former safety-turned-linebacker who brings all the benefits of secondary speed with none of the worries of whether or not he can be physical enough to play in the box – at least he’s not showing that this season. Styles plays with the perfect blend of speed and strength. He has an 81.2 run-defense grade with zero missed tackles this season and has a 74.8 coverage grade as Ohio State’s primary drop coverage linebacker.

32. Indianapolis Colts (5-1): LB CJ Allen, Georgia

Allen has been a standout player for the Bulldogs’ defense this season. He’s recorded an 85.9 overall defensive grade thanks to a 92.1 run-defense grade. His coverage grades are on the lower side, but he is a commanding presence in the middle of the box who rarely misses tackles with a 5.7% missed tackle rate.