2026 Nfl Mock Draft New 2 Round Projections With Big Qb Changes

Bonisiwe Shabane
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2026 nfl mock draft new 2 round projections with big qb changes

We're likely to see a handful of teams desperate for franchise quarterbacks at the top of the 2026 NFL Draft board, but will there be enough elite talent to go around? What was billed in the preseason as a potentially loaded class of signal-callers has been turned upside down this season, with many of the top names in early mock drafts falling off the map... While the likes of Texas' Arch Manning, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State's Drew Allar, and Clemson's Cade Klubnik haven't lived up to the hype, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, and Alabama's Ty Simpson... South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers remains the biggest wild-card of the group, but his rare physical traits alone could still get himself selected in the top 10. How much will the desperation of those QB-needy teams influence the top of the board in 2026? How would an early run on passers impact the rest of the early going for teams that already have the position filled with a quality starter?

Here's an updated look at how the first two rounds of next year's draft could turn out, using the latest updated order following Week 11 results: The Serby Mock 1.0 gives head coach Aaron Glenn and GM Darren Mougey their quarterback of the future, plus a pair of picks, including the first in the second round, to begin the Jets’... Jaxson Dart, meanwhile, gets a Robin for Malik Nabers’ Batman. The 6-5 Heisman winner‘s Peach Bowl masterpiece should convince minority owner Tom Brady that he gives Brock Bowers a better chance immediately for a second 1,000-yard season than Dante Moore would. Jets fans were over the moon when GM Joe Douglas and HC Robert Saleh used the second pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on Zach Wilson to replace Sam Darnold. Some of them might have reservations that he isn’t pro-ready.

Some of them have recurring nightmares of Peyton Manning opting to remain at Tennessee when HC Bill Parcells held the first overall pick in 1997. A bookend RT is desperately needed for the next coach and quarterback opposite LT Paris Johnson Jr. A 6-6, 315-pound mauler who could end up inside fits the bill. 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: The Las Vegas Raiders finally catch a break.

While the Browns were complicating things for the Steelers in their quest to wrap up the AFC North in Week 17 -- and, in the process, realistically falling out of range for the top... That result puts Las Vegas in pole position to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. There will be debate about whether Mendoza is worth the top pick (he is) or whether other quarterbacks could challenge him for QB1 (they can in theory, but Mendoza is the surest thing as... Either way, a year after passing on Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart at No. 6 in favor of running back Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders have no choice but to draft a quarterback this spring. After that, it's worth watching how the rest of the class shakes out.

A long list of quarterbacks has already opted to return to school in 2026 -- either staying put or entering the transfer portal -- which could push QB-needy teams like the Jets, Cardinals, Browns,... In this mock, there are no trades, but three quarterbacks come off the board in the top five, leaving the Browns -- who own two first-round picks in 2026 -- on the outside looking... Instead, Cleveland addresses wide receiver and offensive line, signaling a commitment to the two rookie quarterbacks it drafted last spring, at least for now. It also means the Cardinals, picking fifth, land Simpson as QB3 in the class -- the third time since 2018 that Arizona has used a high first-round pick on a franchise quarterback. Happy Holidays, NFL fans! With the Christmas season in full swing, the NFL regular season is winding down.

As the playoff picture becomes clearer, so does the 2026 NFL Draft order. With more and more teams shifting their focus to the draft and hoping to find a shiny new prospect under their proverbial tree come April, it is the perfect time for a Christmas edition,... The top spots in the playoff seedings are up for grabs in both conferences with just two weeks left to play. The NFC West appears dominant with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers all vying for the NFC's top spot. The AFC East is up for grabs between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills while the West impresses in the AFC as well, with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers rattling off... While there doesn't appear to be a clear Super Bowl favorite at this point, with the playoff picture looking as intriguing as ever, NFL Draft enthusiasts are paying just as much attention to the...

The matchup between the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders could be incredibly decisive in determining the draft order, with the loser of this week's game sitting firmly in the driver's seat to... In terms of prospects, two quarterbacks appear to be rising to the top of nearly every 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Fernando Mendoza and Dante Moore. With teams like the Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Jets all in the market for a new quarterback, those names should be expected to come off the board very early in... Believe it or not, we’re already halfway through the 2025 NFL season. That means, with the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday (November 4), we’re fully entering 2026 NFL Draft season. Even though we here at NFL Spin Zone have been in 2026 NFL Draft mode since the Spring, but that’s neither here nor there.

Now, we have actual on-field results to react to, and needs are becoming clearer every single week for even some of the best teams in the league. In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, we’re going to take a look at not only the first round but the first two rounds of the draft and project where some of the top prospects... This 2026 NFL mock draft features a bunch of quarterbacks going within the top 20 picks, and a surprise player jumping all the way into the top two overall. We’ve got a lot to unpack, so let’s get right to it. There is no question that the New Orleans Saints are on the cusp of anointing a new franchise quarterback. We’ve already seen them bench Spencer Rattler in favor of second-round rookie Tyler Shough, and obviously, that’s the first step toward potentially using next year’s top pick at the position.

We’ll see what Shough can do for the rest of this season, but barring something miraculous, the top pick should be a new QB. And Fernando Mendoza has been exactly as advertised this season. One of the hottest risers in the 2026 NFL Draft process right now is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who went from being an intriguing potential Day 2 selection to the betting favorite as the... There’s obviously plenty of competition for the QB1 distinction at this point in the process, but Simpson has done his part to make a case this season, and the Jets need a fresh start... The Justin Fields investment did not work out. Dante Moore has completed a combined 45 of 60 passes for 547 yards in Oregon's two Playoff wins.

Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images Several potential top-20 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft are still busy with the College Football Playoff, so NFL front offices will have to wait a little longer to find exactly who’s going to... Will Oregon QB Dante Moore and Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza join the ’26 draft class? (TCU quarterback Josh Hoover announcing his transfer to Indiana probably gives us a hint at the latter’s decision.) Are both of Miami’s standout underclassmen, Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain Jr., going to take the... Could Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss shake up the entire quarterback group?

We’ll get all of those answers in the coming weeks. With the NFL regular season coming to an end in dramatic fashion Sunday night, though, let’s take a look at how Round 1 could play out: It’s time for Tom Brady and company to rip the cord on a quarterback. So long as he declares, Moore would be an exciting choice. The 20-year-old QB is light on experience, but his blend of football IQ, athletic instinct, poise and arm talent is beyond his years. He has the right mindset for a challenge like this and offers a skill set worth investing in.

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