2026 Nfl Mock Draft Heismandoza Hype Conquers Vegas Major Trade Up

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Jan 10, 2026, 6:54 AM

2026 nfl mock draft heismandoza hype conquers vegas major trade up

With Week 18 of the NFL season upon us, NFL playoffs seeding will be established through the weekend, but also the draft order for the 2026 NFL Draft. Who will land the No. 1 overall pick? As it stands, that pick will go to the Las Vegas Raiders, a team in need for a franchise caliber quarterback. Another team in the sweepstakes for one of the top quarterbacks are the New York Jets. Both teams had their eye on the quarterfinals of the college football playoffs with Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Oregon’s, Dante Moore and Alabama’s Ty Simpson all on display.

While Mendoza and Moore fueled their teams to advancement in the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl respectively, Simpson became more of a question mark after Alabama got throttled by Mendoza’s Hoosier to a score... If Moore declares, the top two QBs in this draft are established, but could Simpson be another potential first-round signal caller available? That unknown makes the top picks in this draft more important. The team with the shot at Mendoza is set, while the other teams may have to aim towards the 2027 NFL Draft. In projecting all three quarterbacks mentioned above declare for the draft, this Week 18 edition of the 2026 NFL Mock Draft features a big trade up which highly impacts the rest of the draft... The New York Giants and the New York Jets may share a stadium, but proximity has not led to many trades between the city rivals over the years.

Sure, there was the swap of defensive tackle Leonard Williams back in 2019 and Hall of Fame head coach Bill Parcells famously took both clubs to the postseason. But otherwise, the two clubs have largely treated each other as just another occasional out-of-conference opponent. The cold shoulder could melt this spring, however, with the Giants seemingly poised to "earn" a top-three selection and the Jets both desperate for a spark at quarterback and flush with draft picks. Their projected trade — along with a certain Heisman Trophy finalist — is where our latest mock draft begins. The Jets traded their two best players — cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams – to kick-start a roster rebuild midway through this season. Now, the club has two first-round picks in 2026 and three more in 2027, giving general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn the draft capital to do whatever they want.

Sure, the club could opt to wait until 2027 to draft a quarterback — as next year’s class appears richer than this one — but with no guarantee that either will have a job... The Jets need only look to Drake Maye and the New England Patriots atop their own AFC East division to be reminded how quickly a franchise can be turned around with a stellar young... Mendoza isn’t the no-brainer franchise quarterback that sometimes leads off a draft class, but his prototypical size, mobility, lightning-quick release and leadership make him this year’s surest thing at the game’s most important position. As division titles are decided and playoff seeding is finalized, the NFL inches closer to draft season. With Week 17 in the books, we’re just one week away from the order of picks 1-18 being finalized. On the contrary, bowls and college football playoff games are underway, making now a great time to get to know emerging prospects and see where familiar faces land.

In my 2.0 mock, I took a deeper dive into each team’s situation and the factors that could influence the pick, which is now ready for you to review below. After losing 34-10 to the struggling New York Giants, the Raiders jumped them for the honor of selecting first overall. In previous mocks, many slotted in Oregon quarterback Dante Moore at No. 2; however, Mendoza is now available. His big-stage poise, along with polished mechanics and anticipation, makes this selection effortless. If given the right pieces and coaching staff, Mendoza could go head-to-head with AFC West foes Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Bo Nix down the line.

Reese has emerged as a blue-chip prospect playing under former NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. While splitting time between edge rusher and off-ball linebacker, he’s shown elite physical skills, allowing him to generate 6.5 sacks despite limited pass-rushing snaps. There are only a few weeks left in what’s been a chaotic and unpredictable NFL regular season. As the playoff picture comes into sharper focus, a growing number of teams have already been forced to pivot toward the NFL Draft — a list that now, astonishingly, includes the Kansas City Chiefs. Using the updated draft order, here’s how the first round could shape up when April rolls around. Projected trade: New York Giants send No.

1 overall pick to New York Jets for No. 5 pick, No. 37 pick, a 2027 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The Jets package their No. 7 overall pick, one of their three first-round selections in 2027 and a pair of second-round picks to move up and secure a potential franchise quarterback in Mendoza. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner currently ranks fifth among FBS quarterbacks in PFF grade (90.5), while his 33 passing touchdowns lead the nation.

He draws comparisons to Jared Goff — a quarterback this Jets coaching staff knows well, with several members having previously worked with Goff in Detroit. It's sad to think that the 2025 NFL season is nearing its end, but for many fan bases around the league, the end of this season will mark the beginning of renewed hope. For more than half the league, this season didn't go the way everyone expected. Or maybe in the case of some teams, it went exactly as expected, and that's part of the problem. Thankfully, there's a new batch of prospects coming up to the league, but at the most premium positions (QB, OT, CB, WR, EDGE), beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. With big names like Arch Manning returning to school for another season, who is going 1st overall?

Will quarterback-needy teams be able to bank on this year's draft class? We're making picks for the entire first round in this all-new 2026 NFL mock draft. The Raiders play against the New York Giants in what could end up being a battle for the #1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. And right now, the Raiders need it more. They even put Brock Bowers on IR to give themselves a better chance. Okay, we can’t say that as fact, that’s more tongue in cheek, but if the boot fits…

The Raiders need a QB to build around, and Fernando Mendoza looks like he’s got what it takes to come run the point effectively. By the time you reach Week 17 of the NFL season, just as many teams are eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft and free agency as they are thinking about the playoffs. Heck, even some playoff teams, already have one eye on the NFL Draft, knowing a Super Bowl run isn’t in the cards. But with the New York Giants currently holding the No. 1 overall pick, draft drama is already brewing as multiple teams position themselves to trade up for a quarterback. The New York Jets and Cleveland Browns are the obvious options, as they should look to jump ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders.

But what about sleeper teams like the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams? They might have even more incentive to trade up for their choice of Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore Jr. One of them does exactly that in our latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, which projects the entire first round. It's become undeniable that the Tua Tagovailoa era is over in Miami. But with it looking like Mike McDaniel could be the one who sticks around, the Dolphins need surety at quarterback and Quinn Ewers hasn't shown those signs yet. It's time to make an aggressive trade, and Fernando Mendoza would be perfect in this offense.

His decisiveness, plus arm and mobility would reinvigorate the Miami attack and, though it'll cost likely multiple first-rounders, it'd be worth it to reset this franchise's trajectory. The race for QB1 between Mendoza and Dante Moore has gotten closer throughout the year, but the Raiders should happily take whichever quarterback falls to them at No. 2. Vegas misplayed their timeline with the Geno Smith deal, but getting out of it and moving on to Moore makes perfect sense. He's got all the tools, but just might need a bit more experience and polish. However, he would allow the Raiders, who are flush with cap space, to build around Moore and some other attractive pieces to make the elevation they'd hoped to this past season.

There's a chance that the Browns make a draft move for a quarterback in 2026, but it's not a guarantee. They could also either stick with Shedeur Sanders or make a move for a veteran. That seems more likely right now, which brings wide receiver to the forefront given how lackluster that corps is right now. Jordyn Tyson remains my WR1 by a hair over Carnell Tate. The ASU product has the size and movement skills to be a No. 1 at the next level, and the Browns direly need that no matter who is under center.

We're down to less than a week left of the NFL regular season in 2025. All but two of the 14 playoff berths have been secured - leaving many teams on the outside looking in for Week 18. Before the regular season finale, many fanbases are already looking ahead to the offseason and how their favorite franchise could improve its roster. The best way to do that is through the NFL Draft, thanks to young, inexpensive talent that can develop into team cornerstones over time. The 2026 NFL Draft class will feature quarterbacks at the top. How many is a question, as some haven't declared for the draft yet.

Beyond that, it will be another good class for defensive line and interior offensive line prospects. It's a standout year for linebackers at a time when the league is desperate for more talent at the position. The top of the draft order changed with Week 17's results. There's a new team at No. 1: the Las Vegas Raiders. They're now in the driver's seat for the top pick entering the regular season finale.

Who they pick and how the rest of the first round will go are burning questions for fans across the country. We've compiled expert predictions from Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports, A to Z Sports and Bleacher Nation to see what every team in the first round could do:

2026 Nfl Mock Draft Heismandoza Hype Conquers Vegas Major Trade Up

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