University of Kwazulu-Natal

2026 Nfl Mock Draft Trade Deadline Edition

Bonisiwe Shabane
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2026 nfl mock draft trade deadline edition

The trade deadline always tells you who’s chasing rings and who’s chasing quarterbacks. Now that the dust has settled, the draft order — and team priorities — are starting to come into focus. Some front offices sold off veterans for future picks, others doubled down for a playoff run. Either way, the moves made this week will echo all the way to April. So with half a season of tape and a new landscape across the league, here’s how the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft might look after the deadline reshuffle. 1.

New Orleans Saints — Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana If the Saints decide the second-half audition at quarterback by rookie Tyler Shough isn’t worthy of a longer leash in 2026, the team will be wise to jump at the strong-armed, pocket presence of... 2. Tennessee Titans — Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami Now that the 2025 NFL trade deadline has come and gone, team needs have changed — and that means a new mock draft is in order. Here’s how our post-trade deadline 2026 NFL mock draft looks right now.

Simpson could be the first quarterback drafted, after a very impressive first season as a full-time starter. He owns a 92.3 intermediate PFF passing grade as one of the best intermediate and middle-of-the-field passers in all of college football. He has made 14 big-time throws and just seven turnover-worthy plays this year. Bain has cooled down a bit after a red-hot start to the season, but the 6-foot-3, 270-pound edge rusher still boasts PFF run-defense and pass-rush grades above 90.0 for the year. He’s the total package for any defensive front. Game grades, positional splits and high-level metrics for Bain's 2025 season.

Moore, just a redshirt sophomore in his first season as a full-time starter, is not certain to be in this quarterback class. But there are signs of a top-five player if he declares. He has a 96.0 PFF passing grade on throws of 20 or more yards this year, with a 7.5% big-time throw rate to just a 1.7% turnover-worthy play rate. This year’s trade deadline brought plenty of fireworks. More than usual, actually, and plenty of teams got in on the action. The headliner, of course, was the Jets sending two-time All-Pro CB Sauce Gardner to the Colts for a pair of first-round picks and WR Adonai Mitchell.

The Jets now join the Rams, Browns and Cowboys as teams with two first-round picks in next year’s draft. With the immediate ripple effect this has on the draft, now is the perfect time for an updated mock. It’s been over a month since my last mock, and as the college football season rolls on, there is plenty to update. As always, this far out, specific prospect-to-team fits are a little tricky to work out. But given the topic is the trade deadline, I worked to match team needs more than I normally would at this point in the season. The undisputed top player in the class in my eyes, the Titans get a defensive cornerstone to pair with their planned quarterback of the future in last year’s No.

1 pick, Cam Ward. Bain shuts down his side of the line in run defense, but his pass-rushing skills are what set him apart. With an elite bag of pass rush moves and freaky burst off the line of scrimmage, Bain has the makings of a true difference-making NFL edge rusher. Second-round QB Tyler Shough will have the rest of this season to audition for the Saints’ starting spot in 2026. For now, let’s get them another receiver to pair with WR Chris Olave after New Orleans traded away WR Rashid Shaheed at the deadline. Tyson is a true No.

1 receiver in the NFL, with a prototypical frame and fantastic ball skills. His ability to get separation at all three levels of the field is unmatched, and he wins at the catch point with strong hands. The NFL Trade deadline has come and gone and for one NFL team it was highly eventful and impactful on the 2026 NFL Draft. The New York Jets didn’t just make one blockbuster trade, but two as they sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts for a 2026 first-round pick and Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys for... That give the Jets quite a haul when it comes to draft capital as they serve as the third team with two first round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. How will the Jets, Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys play the board?

It’s getting interesting especially with the top draft prospects starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. While quarterbacks are always the buzz at the top of the NFL Draft, it doesn’t mean they are the best players or even present as generational talent. The 2024 NFL Draft was one of the best when it comes to quarterbacks with franchise potential and although Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson are Dante Moore are sparking buzz, this is shaping up to... One of the top defenders in the nation is Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., who would tempt a team like the New Orleans Saints to pass on QB to take a disruptor off the edge... There is also Ohio State defenders like Caleb Downs and Arvell Reese who can impact any NFL defense. The 2026 NFL Draft picture has finally stabilized after the trade deadline.

Contenders have patched their weak spots, and the 1/3 of the NFL that isn’t playoff bound is eyeing the 2026 draft. For the first time this season, the big board has nearly a season of production to gauge.It’s not a draft loaded with skill players, but starting with Alabama’s Ty Simpson, it’ll be another quarterback... And one way or another the first round is trench heavy. Offensive linemen like Francis Mauigoa and Spencer Fano are off the board before ten. And Rueben Bain leads off an EDGE defender class with seven members getting called to the podium on day one. This is CutCall‘s Mock Draft 1.0 — the post-trade-deadline edition.

Full positional boards and top-five rankings for every spot are available on CutCall’s rankings. The Saints benched Spencer Rattler, and Tyler Shough hasn’t looked like the solution either. Ty Simpson brings verve and command — a live arm, rhythm mechanics, and SEC-tested pocket moxie. He’s fearless throwing to all levels and does so error free (only 1 INT on the year). A short trip down I-59 from Tuscaloosa makes this a local marriage of need and familiarity. The Titans have never truly recovered from letting A.J.

Brown walk. Calvin Ridley, now over 30, hasn’t found the end zone this season, and the offense ranks bottom-ten in yards per attempt. Jordyn Tyson changes that. He’s the most complete receiver in the class — dynamic after the catch, explosive vertically, and the type of true WR1 who can finally reset Tennessee’s passing attack. It’s never good to be drafting third overall again, but this time the Jets land a Heisman contender with real poise. Fernando Mendoza brings accuracy, anticipation, and calm in chaos — exactly what New York’s fractured (24th ranked) offense needs.

Moving on from the Justin Fields experiment gives the franchise and fanbase a clean reset built around leadership and tempo. If the Dolphins aren’t completely liquidated, missing on Jordyn Tyson will sting — but Dante Moore softens the blow. Tua Tagovailoa has as many interceptions as touchdowns over his last five games, and Miami has dropped four of those contests. Moore’s arm talent, mobility, and gift for playing in a rhythm/rpo style attack much like Mike McDaniel’s will give the franchise a necessary reboot and a modern prototype to rebuild around. Technically, rookie Tyler Shough is the Saints' starter for the rest of the season. When New Orleans goes on the clock in the 2026 NFL Draft, Shough will almost certainly become the latest high-round pick whose team uses an even higher-round pick 12 months later in the hopes...

The Panthers did it in 2011 when they took Cam Newton No. 1 overall, and the Cardinals did it eight years later when they selected Kyler Murray with the top pick. And as we sit here, nine weeks into the 2026 season, the Saints are staring that first-overall selection in the face. There will no doubt be discussions in the building about trading down and what such a draft haul might do to reset this roster, but if the organization feels that Fernando Mendoza or Ty... Former Titans GM Ran Carthon and I talked about this last week on "With the First Pick," our NFL Draft podcast: In my Mock Draft 2.0, I have just three QBs going in the first round -- and one via trade; after trading down from No.

2 to No. 5 last April, the Browns move up from No. 6 to No. 2 in this excerise for a quarterback. And much like the conversation surrounding Shough, it's fair to assume that neither Dylan Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders (or any other QB currently on Cleveland's roster) will be penciled in as the 2026 starter... The NFL regular season is halfway over and the trade deadline is behind us.

Big names were moved in the final hours of deadline day. New York Jets stars Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams were dealt to Indianapolis and Dallas, respectively, as the team goes for an overhaul. Smaller deals saw wide receivers Rashid Shaheed and Jakobi Meyers sent to Seattle and Jacksonville, respectively. Those were the last moves teams could make for the regular season. The biggest moves from here on out have to wait until the offseason - including the NFL Draft. The 2026 NFL Draft features a mix of talent at positions, namely linebacker, wide receiver and defensive line.

The quarterback class isn't as good as hoped but still offers multiple first-round talents, including at the top of Round 1. As the dust settles from the trade deadline, how have things changed in our latest mock draft? Here's a new prediction for the first round with the order from Tankathon: The NFL trade deadline shocked the sports world on Tuesday. Now it is time to pick up the pieces and move forward. The New York Jets traded two of their defensive stars, waiving the white flag on the 2025 season and turning their attention to the future.

How might that impact what we see next spring in the 2026 NFL Draft? Let’s answer that question and more with a mock draft. Regarding the draft order, this mock draft uses the current draft order based on NFL standings as outlined by Tankathon. The eventual draft order next spring may look a lot different. Here are the picks, followed with some big-picture thoughts as well as a few quick takeaways on some favorite pairings and players: This year’s trade deadline brought plenty of fireworks.

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