With the NFL Scouting Combine in the rearview, I wanted to take a fresh look at where the community thinks the next crop of rookies will land. I also want to look at what I perceive as the team’s needs as they stand today, and I use our friends over at NFL Mock Draft Database to grab the roundup for this article!
2026 NFL Draft – Top Team Needs (My Opinion)
AFC East
Buffalo Bills – Edge Rusher, Interior Offensive Line, Linebacker *Adding DJ Moore is a huge get for their receiver room.
Miami Dolphins – Offensive Line, Defensive Tackle, Safety
New England Patriots – Wide Receiver, Offensive Tackle, Edge Rusher
New York Jets – Offensive Line, Quarterback, Wide Receiver
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens – Offensive Line, Edge Rusher, Cornerback
Cincinnati Bengals – Defensive Tackle, Offensive Tackle, Tight End
Cleveland Browns – Defensive Tackle, Quarterback, Wide Receiver
Pittsburgh Steelers – Quarterback, Offensive Line, Cornerback
AFC South
Houston Texans – Offensive Line, Wide Receiver, Interior Defensive Line *Adding David Montgomery makes running back less of a need in the short term.
Indianapolis Colts – Cornerback, Wide Receiver, Edge Rusher
Jacksonville Jaguars – Edge Rusher, Interior Offensive Line, Cornerback
Tennessee Titans – Offensive Line, Wide Receiver, Secondary
AFC West
Denver Broncos – Edge Rusher, Defensive Line, Cornerback
Kansas City Chiefs – Wide Receiver, Offensive Tackle, Defensive Line
Las Vegas Raiders – Quarterback, Offensive Line, Cornerback
Los Angeles Chargers – Wide Receiver, Interior Defensive Line, Cornerback
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys – Offensive Line, Running Back, Defensive Tackle
New York Giants – Offensive Line, Wide Receiver, Secondary
Philadelphia Eagles – Cornerback, Linebacker, Offensive Line
Washington Commanders – Offensive Line, Edge Rusher, Cornerback
NFC North
Chicago Bears – Offensive Line, Edge Rusher, Defensive Line Interior
Detroit Lions – Cornerback, Edge Rusher, Wide Receiver
Green Bay Packers – Offensive Line, Linebacker, Safety
Minnesota Vikings – Interior Defensive Line, Cornerback, Interior Offensive Line
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons – Edge Rusher, Cornerback, Wide Receiver
Carolina Panthers – Wide Receiver, Offensive Line, Edge Rusher
New Orleans Saints – Quarterback, Offensive Line, Defensive Line
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Edge Rusher, Interior Offensive Line, Cornerback
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals – Edge Rusher, Cornerback, Interior Offensive Line
Los Angeles Rams – Edge Rusher, Cornerback, Offensive Line
San Francisco 49ers – Offensive Line, Cornerback, Safety
Seattle Seahawks – Interior Offensive Line, Edge Rusher, Linebacker
2026 NFL Draft – Mock Draft Consensus for March 2026
Note: These are predictive players based on aggregated data, which NFLMDDB mentions on their website
#1 Las Vegas Raiders – Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
#2 New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State
#3 Arizona Cardinals – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL)
#4 Tennessee Titans – Rueben Bain, EDGE, Miami (FL)
#5 New York Giants – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
#6 Cleveland Browns – Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
#7 Washington Commanders – David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
#8 New Orleans Saints – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
#9 Kansas City Chiefs – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
#10 Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, SAF, Ohio State
#11 Miami Dolphins – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
#12 Dallas Cowboys – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
#13 Los Angeles Rams – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
#14 Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State
#15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
#16 New York Jets – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
#17 Detroit Lions – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
#18 Minnesota Vikings – Dillon Thieneman, SAF, Oregon
#19 Carolina Panthers – Peter Woods, DL, Clemson
#20 Dallas Cowboys – TJ Parker, EDGE, Clemson
#21 Pittsburgh Steelers – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
#22 Los Angeles Chargers – Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
#23 Philadelphia Eagles – Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
#24 Cleveland Browns – Kevin Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
#25 Chicago Bears – Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State
#26 Buffalo Bills – Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana
#27 San Francisco 49ers – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, SAF, Toledo
#28 Houston Texans – Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
#29 Kansas City Chiefs – Caleb Banks, DL, Florida
#30 Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
#31 New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M
#32 Seattle Seahawks – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
Mock Draft Consensus Analysis
A lot of the picks the community is making are reasonable for sure. I think with the Buffalo trade, you’ll see this pick change this time next month, but either way, Cooper would be a nice addition to their team. I’d be surprised to see so many offensive linemen go in round one, but they are all worthy of consideration for round one. I love the hype around McNeil-Warren, and going to either San Fran or Seattle would be a huge landing spot for him. It would also not surprise me if my Lions target a tackle or an edge rusher, so with Freeling flying up draft boards, he may be in play there for us.
Thanks for Stopping By!
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