Oregon quarterback Dante Moore is returning to school, forcing the Jets to change directions at the top of this 2026 NFL mock draft. The Jets go in another direction with no quarterback options: With Oregon’s Dante Moore returning to school, New York focuses on its defense with the No. 2 overall pick. The Giants add a new weapon for Jaxson Dart: Ohio State’s Carnell Tate would create an exciting wide receiver tandem with Malik Nabers. 2026 NFL Draft season is here: Try the best-in-class PFF Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2026’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team. Estimated Reading Time: 14minutes Just four teams remain alive for a trip to Super Bowl 60. Everyone else is now fully focused on the offseason, and that means that we know the order for all but the final four picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Using the updated draft order, here’s how the first round could shape up when April rolls around. 🏈 Draft Season 2026 Prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft with PFF+ Your complete draft preparation toolkit Subscribe 1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana The Raiders seem unlikely to go in any other direction with the No. 1 overall pick at this point. It’s hard to find a reason for them not to make Mendoza the pick when the draft officially begins in late April. Heading into the College Football Playoff National Championship game, the Indiana quarterback has produced a 6.1% big-time throw rate and a 2.5% turnover-worthy play rate. Compare that to the 6.3% and 3.3% rates, respectively, that we saw from Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward in his final college season, and it’s clear that Mendoza is worthy of being drafted first overall. 2. New York Jets: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech The news that quarterback Dante Moore is staying at Oregon for another season is a blow to the Jets, who could have either selected him at No. 2 overall or traded the pick for serious draft capital. With Moore off the board, the most logical route would be to target one of the top defensive players in the draft. Bailey’s 81 quarterback pressures in 2025 led all FBS edge defenders, and while he’s not as refined a prospect as Penn State’s Abdul Carter was last year, he is more than good enough as a pass rusher to be worthy of a top-five selection. 3. Arizona Cardinals: S Caleb Downs, Ohio State The Cardinals are in an interesting position due to their quarterback situation, as they need to figure out if Kyler Murray is a long-term answer at the position. This draft class likely doesn’t give them the option of finding a potential replacement in the first round, though. So, like the Jets, the Cardinals may want to target a top defensive player. No. 3 overall is rich for a safety, but Downs is a special athlete and the top prospect on the PFF Big Board. He finished the 2025 season with PFF run-defense and coverage grades above 80.0 and should be an impact player at the next level. Try the PFF Mock Draft Simulator — trade picks and players and mock for your favorite NFL team. 4. Tennessee Titans: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL) Bain is likely to be a polarizing prospect if his measurements come in as expected, but it’s hard to ignore his dominance in his final college season. His 87.1 PFF run-defense grade ranked seventh among all FBS edge defenders this past season, while he placed second at the position with 80 quarterback pressures. His size should allow him to kick inside in obvious passing situations, too, giving him the type of versatility that can maximize his impact. 5. New York Giants: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State The Giants should follow a simple line of thinking in the 2026 NFL Draft: Build around quarterback Jaxson Dart. Thus, the optimal pick is either an offensive lineman or a pass catcher. If New York goes the pass catcher route, then Ohio State’s Carnell Tate is the best stylistic fit, given what the Giants already have in wide receiver Malik Nabers. The next man up in an increasingly long line of impressive Ohio State wide receivers, Tate caught 85.7% of the contested targets he saw in 2025, didn’t drop a pass and averaged 3.03 yards per route run. 6. Cleveland Browns: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State Regardless of the Browns’ plans at quarterback in 2026, a top wide receiver should be No. 1 on their priority list. Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson would make a lot of sense. He dropped just 1.6% of the catchable passes thrown his way this season and earned an 89.0 PFF receiving grade against man coverage. 7. Washington Commanders: EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M The Commanders will dream that one of the top two edge defenders falls to them at No. 7 overall, but if not, Howell would be a solid consolation prize. The Texas A&M standout earned a 90.3 PFF pass-rush grade and produced a 19.8% PFF pass-rush win rate in 2025. 8. New Orleans Saints: WR Makai Lemon, USC Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough showed enough in 2025 for the Saints to want to build around him with a playmaker like Lemon. The USC star logged an 81.0 PFF receiving grade against man coverage, caught 66.7% of contested targets and dropped just 2.5% of the catchable targets thrown his way this season. 9. Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame As long as Patrick Mahomes is the Chiefs‘ quarterback, opposing defenses will have reason to worry. A dynamic running back would only lift Kansas City’s attack in 2026. Love earned elite PFF overall grades of 91.1 and 93.9 over the past two seasons, and he averaged 4.5 yards after contact in 2025. He would instantly be the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year if he landed in Kansas City. Subscribe to PFF+ to unlock full access to the 2026 PFF Big Board and the
2026 NFL Mock Draft: Jets pivot to David Bailey at No. 2, Chiefs bolster their offense with Jeremiyah Love
Rams-Bears: Defense dominates at Midway
Anybody still need a minute? Talk about an emotional rollercoaster from the end of regulation, through overtime, and after the final kick by Harrison Mevis. The Los Angeles Rams prevailed over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field 20-17 and are advancing to the NFC Championship Game to face the Seattle Seahawks for the right to […] Anybody still need a minute? Talk about an emotional rollercoaster from the end of regulation, through overtime, and after the final kick by Harrison Mevis. The Los Angeles Rams prevailed over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field 20-17 and are advancing to the NFC Championship Game to face the Seattle Seahawks for the right to go to Super Bowl LX. 1. Kyren Williams recovers Matthew Stafford fumble, (Rams 7 – Bears 7), 11:46 left in the 2nd Quarter An easily forgotten about play in the first half. Stafford was sacked by Montez Sweat for -6 yards and the ball came loose with immediate uncertainty as to whether it was an incomplete pass or fumble. Kyren Williams wasted no time jumping on the loose ball. It was a good thing he did because it was in fact a fumble and the Bears could have had possession at the LA 23 yard line. 2a. Kam Curl stops Kyle Monangai for no gain on 4th down, (Rams 7 – Bears 7), 4:30 left in 2nd Quarter In the 2nd Quarter, Los Angeles could barely do anything right. The Bears had traveled down to the Rams 32 yard line and were well within Cairo Santos field goal range. Ben Johnson opted to be aggressive and go for it, but Los Angeles got a huge play from Kam Curl on the 4th down play; stopping the Kyle Monangai at the line of scrimmage to force the turnover on downs. 2b. Darious Williams & Quentin Lake send Deandre Swift airborne, (Rams 17 – Bears 10), 3:06 left in 4th Quarter The Rams run defense was exceptional all night outside of 1 or 2 plays. Pinned up against their endzone and needing to make a stand, they did on 3rd down with a valiant effort by Quentin Lake to limit Swift to no gain. 2c. Omar Speights breaks up 4th & Goal pass (Rams 17 – Bears 10), 3:06 left in 4th Quarter Down 7, the Bears needed a touchdown to keep pace with Los Angeles. They ran 12 plays for 61 yards and used 5:47 of game clock to get down to the Rams 2 yard line. On 4th & Goal, Caleb Williams tried to fire a pass to Luther Burden but Omar Speights was all over the play and forced the turnover on downs with the pass breakup. 3. Kam Curl picks off Caleb Williams to set up GW drive, (Rams 17 – Bears 17), 6:47 left in Overtime It seemed like the Rams chances of winning had run out after the botched the 4th & 4 play; surrendering a touchdown to Cole Kmet. Then to start overtime, the Rams went 3 plays & out. Then the Bears converted two first downs and looked ready to kick a field goal to send themselves to the NFC Championship. But on 2nd & 8, Caleb Williams got greedy and tried deep downfield to DJ Moore. He underthrew his WR and Kam Curl was all over the play; undercutting the WR to make the diving interception and give the Rams new hope. 4a. Davante Adams sideline catch, (Rams 17 – Bears 17), 5:51 left in Overtime On 1st & 10 at LAR 41, Stafford fired to the left sideline for Davante Adams. Adams made a diving catch with his arms outreached and managed to keep his feet inbounds. The play put the Rams on Chicago’s side of the field and was a huge play in gaining momentum for LA’s offense. 4b. “3rd down & Puka”“, (Rams 17 – Bears 17), 4:54 left in Overtime Facing a 3rd & 6 at the CHI 43, LA needed a play to get into field goal range. Sean McVay called a timeout with the clock just under 5 minutes. The play call: a simple pitch (Stafford) and catch (Puka Nacua). Nacua not only moved the chains, he barreled his way down to the CHI 27 with yards after the catch. 5. Harrison Mevis game winning kick, (Rams 20 – Bears 17), 3:19 left in Overtime The Rams special teams has plagued them all season but when they needed their unit to execute to move onto the Championship round, they got it. Harrison Mevis drilled a 42 yard field goal in windy conditions to give the 5th seeded Rams the right to play for the NFC Championship Game. If you haven’t taken a breath, you can now! Rams are moving on to the NFC Championship Game. See you next Sunday at Lumen Field in Seattle, WA. See More:
Chiefs News 1/17: Safety Caleb Downs is ‘not a great fit’ for Chiefs
The latest Chiefs mock draft reaction: Caleb Downs a ‘difference-maker’ — but not a great fit | The Athletic General manager Brett Veach, in other words, seems to have completely bought into the notion of surplus value in the draft, correctly realizing that the upside of hitting on an early-round player at a premium position pays […] The latest General manager Brett Veach, in other words, seems to have completely bought into the notion of surplus value in the draft, correctly realizing that the upside of hitting on an early-round player at a premium position pays much greater dividends based on draft picks’ lower salary structure. Per Spotrac, this year’s No. 9 selection is expected to make $5.6 million next season, with that number increasing to $9.8 million by Year 4. Getting an above-average safety at $9.8 million is … fine. OverTheCap lists 21 safeties as getting more than that amount on their current deals. But what if that $9.8 million fourth-year contract was being used for an above-average receiver? Or defensive lineman? That would be more valuable, given the market and the higher salaries those guys command in free agency. Gardner MinshewKansas City Chiefs – Age 29 It seems unlikely Patrick Mahomes will be able to return from his December ACL injury in time to start Week 1 next September. Chris Oladokun failed to capitalize on his opportunity to claim a backup spot on the Chiefs’ depth chart entering 2026. Minshew suffered a season-ending knee injury of his own, but it wasn’t an ACL tear. He should be ready to play sooner than Mahomes, bringing veteran backup experience to a Kansas City team that suddenly needs it more than ever. If the Chiefs receive optimistic news on Mahomes’ timetable for return, they might only temporarily need a steady hand to keep the offense afloat to start the season. Minshew proved his worth as an injury replacement in 2023, when he filled in for Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis and kept the Colts in postseason contention. The two friends apparently spoke frequently, even when Harbaugh’s Ravens were still alive for the AFC North Division title. “Andy Reid was part of this, right?” Russini said on the podcast. “So John really leaned on Andy Reid during this process, even before (Ravens owner) Steve Bisciotti fired John Harbaugh, John had reached out to Andy to have some conversations about, ‘Should I step down’ if he wasn’t going to get fired? ‘What does next look like?’ “One, Andy Reid has always been a really good friend to John Harbaugh over the years, but of course, we all know what Andy did, which was, of course, leave Philadelphia despite a lot of success, and take his talents to Kansas City, where he had ultimate success and continues to.” Around the NFL Collins suffered the injury when he fell face-first after trying to catch a pass in the Texans’ 30-6 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. The impact of the fall caused Collins to immediately put both hands to his face. Houston’s medical staff took Collins to the tent. It didn’t take long before the three-time 1,000-yard receiver was carted to the locker room. Collins has been Houston’s unquestioned No. 1 playmaker, totaling 71 catches for 1,117 yards and 6 touchdowns on the season. 4. Jan. 24, 2024, Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium Temperature: minus-4 degrees with wind chill of minus-27 Another warm-weather team got caught with a brutal draw. Miami had to manage painful conditions while facing Patrick Mahomes and the defending champs. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa struggled in uncharted territory, completing 51 percent of his passes and finishing with a 63.9 passer rating. Meanwhile, Mahomes shrugged off a cracked helmet, throwing for 262 yards and rushing for 41 in a 26-7 win. In addition, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson told On3’s Chris Low this week he turned down lucrative NIL offers to declare for the NFL Draft. He is among the group of prospects who completed the degree requirements and be eligible for the draft. Miami and Indiana players will be eligible to officially declare following Monday’s national championship, with a Jan. 23 deadline. In the meantime, here are the 63 underclassmen who will wait to hear their names called in the 2026 NFL Draft. For comparison, 70 underclassmen declared ahead of the deadline for the 2025 draft. In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride “Accountable” “I want to get back to that winning culture of being accountable to each other and going out there and playing great football every single day, practice or game,” Mahomes pointed out. One candidate for the offensive coordinator position comes to mind when seeking accountability: Kansas City’s former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is currently in his first season as the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears. Whether or not Bieniemy is the answer, Mahomes seeks that no-sugar-coating trait in a coach. Nagy seemed to have a more friendly approach, and the overly optimistic messaging may have gotten stale. Social media to make you think Follow Arrowhead Pride on Social Media Facebook: Like our page Instagram: @ArrowheadPride X: Follow @ArrowheadPride AP Staff on X: See complete list 90.9 The Bridge on X: Follow @909thebridge See More:
NFL Divisional Round Recap: Los Angeles Rams 20, Chicago Bears 17
The Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams traded punches in a back-and-forth battle at Soldier Field before the Rams prevailed 20-17 in overtime, advancing to the NFC Championship Game. After Caleb Williams tied it with a stunning fourth-down touchdown late in regulation, Chicago’s quarterback threw an interception in sudden death, setting up Harrison Mevis’ game-winning field goal for Los Angeles.
Rams-Bears: Divisional Round second half discussion
The Los Angeles Rams are tied with the Chicago Bears by a score of 10-10 after the first half of play. With both of these teams looking to book a ticket to Seattle for the NFC Championship game next week, it’s been a hard-fought battle so far in Chicago. The Bears began with the ball, […] The Los Angeles Rams are tied with the Chicago Bears by a score of 10-10 after the first half of play. With both of these teams looking to book a ticket to Seattle for the NFC Championship game next week, it’s been a hard-fought battle so far in Chicago. The Bears began with the ball, and marched down into the redzone, but on a fourth down play, Caleb Willams threw an interception. The Rams took advantage by tacking on seven points to take a 7-0 lead after the Chicago turnover. The Bears responded with a touchdown of their own to knot the game at 7-7 with plenty of time remaining in the second quarter. Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system! After that Bears’ score, the Rams and Chicago would go on to exchange several punts leaving the score at 7-7 for most of quarter two. L.A.’s defense was forcing punts and stopping Chicago on fourth down, while L.A.‘s offense struggled to do anything after their opening offensive drive. Finally, the Bears would break the ice and take their first lead of the day with a field goal to make the game 10-7 with L.A. getting the ball back with about a minute to go in the half. With the Rams also getting the ball to start the third quarter, they had a big opportunity to put up points here. The Rams managed to knot the game with a field goal as the half ended with game score at 10-10. Which of these teams will come out on top on Sunday night? There is an entire half of football to go, so you’re going to want to stay locked in to see how this Divisional Round contest comes to an end! See More:
Sunday Divisional Round Playoffs open threads
The weekend ends as the Houston Texans visit the New England Patriots at noon PT. Then, the Los Angeles Rams visit the Chicago Bears at 3:30. Discuss it all here. The weekend ends as the Houston Texans visit the New England Patriots at noon PT. Then, the Los Angeles Rams visit the Chicago Bears at 3:30. Discuss it all here. Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system!
Bobby Slowik is the Eagles’ latest offensive coordinator interview request
The Philadelphia Eagles have requested permission to interview Miami Dolphins senior passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik for their offensive coordinator opening, according to a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter. Here’s a snapshot of the 38-year-old’s coaching experience: As you can see, Slowik has experience working with Kyle Shanahan; they overlapped together for nine seasons. […] The Philadelphia Eagles have requested permission to interview Miami Dolphins senior passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik for their offensive coordinator opening, according to a report from NFL insider Adam Schefter. Here’s a snapshot of the 38-year-old’s coaching experience: 2011-2013 — Washington Commanders defensive assistant 2017-2018 — San Francisco 49ers defensive quality control coach 2019-2020 — San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant 2021 — San Francisco 49ers offensive pass game specialist 2022 — San Francisco 49ers offensive passing game coordinator 2023-2024 — Houston Texans offensive coordinator 2025 — Miami Dolphins senior passing game coordinator As you can see, Slowik has experience working with Kyle Shanahan; they overlapped together for nine seasons. Slowik left Shanahan to become DeMeco Ryans’ play-calling offensive coordinator on the Texans in 2023. In his first year on the job, Houston finished 12th in yards and 13th in points. That was significantly up from 30th and 31st in those categories, respectively, in 2022. And the Texans were starting a rookie quarterback in C.J. Stroud, who generated some MVP buzz that season. As such, Slowik was a hot head coaching candidate and interviewed for multiple openings before ultimately remaining with the Texans. Houston then finished 22nd in yards and 19th in points in 2024 as Stroud suffered a sophomore slump. Slowik was fired after the Texans lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round. Slowik landed with the Miami Dolphins, where he was reunited with fellow Shanahan protege Mike McDaniel. The Dolphins’ passing offense wasn’t exactly prolific with Tua Tagovailoa having the worst season of his career and getting benched. While he lacks a long track record of success, the Eagles could be interested in the upside that Slowik was once deemed to have. Maybe it’s worth giving him another shot. See More: Philadelphia Eagles News
NFL Divisional Round Recap: New England Patriots 28, Houston Texans 16
The New England Patriots advanced to their first AFC Championship Game since 2018 by forcing five turnovers in a sloppy, weather-filled 28-16 win over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud threw four first-half interceptions and Woody Marks lost a fumble, offsetting New England’s three turnovers and sealing the Patriots’ trip to Denver.
Rams-Bears: Divisional Round first half discussion
The Los Angeles Rams travel to take on the Chicago Bears in what is expected to be one of the coldest NFL games of the season. It’s playoff football and you aren’t going to want to miss this so here’s our how to watch guide! The Bears are sitting on top of the world after […] The Los Angeles Rams travel to take on the Chicago Bears in what is expected to be one of the coldest NFL games of the season. It’s playoff football and you aren’t going to want to miss this so here’s our how to watch guide! The Bears are sitting on top of the world after beating the Green Bay Packers, and coming from behind while doing it. Chicago also did so well in the regular season that they will be hosting their second playoff game in a row in The Windy City. There’s a lot to be excited about if you’re Chicago, and today’s cold weather very well could play in their favor as they try to find a way to win and get to the NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks. For the Rams, they survived the Carolina Panthers last week and now they are hoping to beat Chicago to get the chance to play the Seahawks for the third time this season. How will the Rams do with the cold weather? Will their defense be enough to contain Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams? Will Matthew Stafford continue his MVP year and will it be enough for L.A.? Get ready from some playoff Sunday Night Football! Enjoy the first half of the game, comment away on what you like, don’t like or whatever you want! And stay on the lookout for the second half game thread after the first half comes to a close! Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system! See More:
NFL Divisional Round: Houston Texans @ NE Patriots/LA Rams @ Chicago Bears – Game Information & Discussion
Please use this thread to follow this afternoon’s and evening’s NFL Divisional Round games and, as always, to discuss your Miami Dolphins. Please follow all site rules in the live threads and other posts on The Phinsider. Please note that SBNation strictly prohibits sharing illegal game streams. Sharing, discussing, or requesting illegal game streams may […] Please use this thread to follow this afternoon’s and evening’s NFL Divisional Round games and, as always, to discuss your Miami Dolphins. Please follow all site rules in the live threads and other posts on The Phinsider. Please note that SBNation strictly prohibits sharing illegal game streams. Sharing, discussing, or requesting illegal game streams may result in a temporary suspension from the site or a ban from the entire SBN platform. We have everything you need to know to watch today’s game right here: Houston Texans (13-5) AFC South @ NE Patriots (15-3) AFC East Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. EST, Sunday, January 18th Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts TV Broadcast: ABC Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+, NFL+ FANDUEL Sportsbook betting Odds: Spread: Patriots -3.5; Point total: 40.5; Moneyline: Patriots 168| Texans +142 LA Rams (13-5) NFC West @ Chicago Bears (12-6) NFC North Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. EST, Sunday, January 18th Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois TV Broadcast: NBC Streaming: NBC Sports, NFL+ FANDUEL Sportsbook betting Odds: Spread: Rams -3.5; Point total: 48.5; Moneyline: Rams 198| Bears +166 See More:
