University of Kwazulu-Natal

2026 Nfl Mock Draft Saints Add Surprise Qb Cowboys Stockpile Defenders

Bonisiwe Shabane
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2026 nfl mock draft saints add surprise qb cowboys stockpile defenders

It’s hard to believe that we’re already heading into the fourth weekend of college football, but then again, time seems to always fly by when we’re having fun. Before long, the conversation will turn to the College Football Playoffs, and then it’s on to the NFL draft. That said, we begin our look ahead with an early 2026 NFL mock draft, which gets kicked off with the New Orleans Saints selecting their new signal-caller. The Saints need a new quarterback and find one in their own backyard. Garrett Nussmeier continues to gain steam, but not everyone believes he should be the top pick. His numbers might not be elite, but Nussmeier is as pro-ready a quarterback as there is, and should have no problem operating under Kellen Moore.

The rising importance of the 2026 NFL Draft for several teams came into focus after last week's trade deadline. With the New York Jets having dealt cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts, there are now four NFL teams that have multiple first-round picks in April. And with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants having already fired their head coaches, several fan bases are probably ready to close the book on this season and enter offseason mode. But with the first-round order still shifting significantly week to week, there's still ample time for team's draft fortunes to rise or fall. With that said, here's USA TODAY Sports' latest first-round projection and 2026 NFL mock draft: There's a strong possibility for Tennessee to possess the No.

1 pick in consecutive years after the Saints' and Browns' victories left the Titans as the only one-win team remaining. And that creates a bit of a mystery atop the order. An organization that's yet again rebooting would clearly stand to benefit from trading back and stockpiling more early selections to support Cam Ward. Yet this quarterback class doesn't seem particularly conducive to drumming up a bidding war for this choice. If Tennessee does end up in the slot and stands pat, it could supercharge its defense with Reese. Though he operates as a linebacker for the Buckeyes, the 6-foot-4, 243-pounder has Micah Parsons-like movement abilities that could be best put to use in a full-time edge rushing role.

The Titans could pair him with Jeffery Simmons to create one of the league's most formidable inside-outside tandems and then use the rest of the draft – and free agency – to focus on... A franchise with a decades-long habit of being trigger-shy when it comes to selecting quarterbacks might be hard-pressed to go this route, especially if Tyler Shough continues to exhibit the promise he displayed in... But unless the second-round rookie firmly establishes himself as New Orleans' answer at the position in the back half of the season, Mendoza might be massively alluring. The Heisman Trophy front-runner now also figures to be the favorite to be the first quarterback taken, with his game-winning drive against Penn State highlighting resiliency and a knack for operating out of structure... The 6-5, 225-pounder is the kind of precise thrower who could allow Kellen Moore to launch a new era for the organization in earnest. Week 10 of the NFL season is almost in the books, as the only game left this week is a pivotal clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.

This week had a massive impact on the NFL season with the Trade Deadline turning teams into contenders and other teams into franchises looking to reset. This weekend saw a massive shakeup in the draft order as the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, and Miami Dolphins all picked up wins, shaking the top of the draft. After the trade deadline, for disappointing teams, the rest of the year is all about jockeying for position in the upcoming draft. The Tennessee Titans spent the weekend on the bye, but it was a succesful weekend as they moved into position to have the first overall pick. This team needs an influx of talent, and they may trade out of the top pick when the draft rolls around. If the Titans stay at 1, Rueben Bain Jr would be a great pick as it would give the team an elite edge rusher to pair with their talent on the interior.

The Saints won their second game of the year on Sunday, and Tyler Shough showed some promise, but if the Saints are on the clock early, Kellen Moore will take his pick of quarterbacks. This season, no quarterback has been more impressive than Alabama's Ty Simpson, who continues to make NFL-level throws each week in the SEC. Even with all of the weapons the Giants have lost this season, the issue for this team isn't the offense, as Jaxson Dart's rushing ability has masked a ton of holes. The Giants' defense is one of the worst against the run, and the team needs to address the linebacker position this offseason. Arvell Reese is a dominant force like Abdul Carter who can make plays off the edge while also playing linebacker, and he'd be a great addition to help this team slow the run. The NFL Trade Deadline is always going to make fans think about the potential deals that could be made, whether their favorite team is a buyer or a seller.

However, if you zoom out a bit, especially when it comes to sellers (but also for every other team), it's impossible not to think about the 2026 NFL Draft. If the New England Patriots trade for a wide receiver, would they still draft one? Would the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets or even the Miami Dolphins do anything to shake up the QB room for the future? That all plays into the draft, and that's beyond the picks that can be moved. So with the trade deadline approaching quickly, we have to take stock of where things stand for the 2026 NFL Draft. Obviously, the best way to do that is to dive full-on into a mock draft, projecting every first-round pick.

The quarterback class and market will dominate the conversation, but the starts from Ohio State and on defense throughout the country will make the first round a wild ride as things currently stand. While second-round rookie Tyler Shough is slated to make his first start for the Saints in Week 9, I wasn't a believer in the Louisville product when New Orleans drafted him. That hasn't changed — and it might even be a stronger feeling after Shough took until midway through the season to take the job from middling Spencer Rattler. But I am a believer in Fernando Mendoza. When you go across the board, Mendoza checks the boxes with plus arm strength, phenomenal ball placement, solid athleticism and ability to get out of the pocket, and a plethora of experience from his... Any QB-needy team picking first overall would be foolish, in my estimation, to take anyone other than Mendoza.

I'll be the first to admit that I was a Ty Simpson skeptic coming into the season. And his first start for Alabama in their lone loss of the year to Florida State in the season opener was confirmation bias for me. Since that time, however, Simpson has progressed rapidly. His arm strength has been on display in multiple ways, finding tight windows and fitting the ball in, dropping throws into a bucket, and perhaps most importantly, just becoming better with his timing and... There's a misconception floating around about the 2026 NFL Draft. Before this college season kicked off, Texas' Arch Manning, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier were widely viewed as the top eligible quarterback prospects.

Those three haven't quite met the early expectations, which has some people jumping to the conclusion that this is a "weak" QB class. In reality, the rise of Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (my QB1 back in May), Alabama's Ty Simpson and Oregon's Dante Moore has reshaped the board. All three still have remaining eligibility and could theoretically return to school in 2026, but in today's thought exercise, they come off the board quickly -- just not at No. 1 overall. Four teams enter the first round with multiple picks, while just as many have none. The Browns and Rams dealt away theirs in separate draft-day moves a year ago, and the Jets and Cowboys moved on from Quinnen Williams and Micah Parsons, respectively.

To set the stage, here are the current odds to be the No. 1 overall pick (via FanDuel Sportsbook). Reminder: This is the current NFL draft order after Week 10 (via Tankathon). The Titans could use more blocking protection for Cam Ward. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Fano has a lot of talent and has played well at tackle for the Utes. He has been a versatile tackle with 11 starts at left tackle and 13 at right tackle heading into the 2025 season.

For the most part, Fano played on the left side in 2023 and on the right side in 2024. Fano is fast, athletic, and plays with a mean streak. He is a force as a run blocker and shows a lot of athleticism to take away speed rushers. A lot of teams could fall in love with his tape. Unless Tyler Shough impresses over the final two months of the season, New Orleans will be looking for a true franchise quarterback. Simpson has been phenomenal in 2025, leading the Crimson Tide to some big wins against tough opponents.

In 2025, Simpson has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,461 yards with 21 touchdowns, an interception, and two rushing touchdowns. Simpson has shown some serious arm talent, making some beautiful throws downfield with superb ball placement to beat tight coverage. In tight games, Simpson made some great passes to lead his team to wins over Georgia and Missouri. Simpson is accurate, smart, has a strong arm, and throws with timing and anticipation. Simpson has shown superb ball security this season as well, with excellent decision-making. The Giants grab a right tackle to help protect Jaxson Dart.

The 6-foot-8, 309-pounder World dominated at Nevada, and if he plays as well at Oregon, he could skyrocket for the 2025 NFL Draft. As a pass blocker, World has a natural build with good size, strength, and length to play on the edge. He does a nice job of sinking his weight to stop bull rushes, and he shows an impressive ability to kill speed to power attempts. World does an excellent job of sustaining his blocks with the upper body strength to tie up defenders. In the ground game, World uses his strong upper body to knock defenders back and push them around. He has real power at the point of attack and blocks with a mean streak.

With overwhelming mass, he can knock defenders flat on their backs and will bury them with a violent pancake block. The Browns take their next hope for a franchise quarterback. Mendoza has completed 71 percent of his passes for 2,342 yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has two rushing touchdowns as well. The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder has a quality arm, reads the field well, makes good decisions, and has dangerous pocket passing ability. Mendoza played well for Cal in 2024.

He completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Mendoza has good size, and it will be interesting to see how he develops at Indiana. The Jets grab a franchise quarterback to build around. Moore has been a dynamic point-producer for the Ducks in 2025, making plays with his arm and legs. In 2025, Moore has completed 71 percent of his passes for 1,884 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. Moore (6-3, 203) is a dangerous quarterback who is tough to defend.

He has shown impressive arm talent and feel as a passer. Moore throws some beautiful deep balls and shows impressive composure and poise for a young player. The NFL season is past its halfway point, as the NFL trade deadline has passed for the 2025 season. The college football season is nearing the playoffs, while the NFL playoff picture is also coming into focus. Which means, it's starting to become clear which teams need to think about what they want to do in the 2026 draft. With a remixed order and the top prospects in flux, here's Sporting News' third set of first-round projections for what will go down next April 23 in Pittsburgh:

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