University of Kwazulu-Natal

December 2026 Nfl Draft Two Round Mock Fernando Mendoza Dante Moore

Bonisiwe Shabane
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december 2026 nfl draft two round mock fernando mendoza dante moore

Merry Christmas Eve to those who celebrate. Today’s mock draft is part of a more consistent content schedule that I’m rolling out to welcome the 2026 NFL Draft cycle ramping up. My first big board since August drops on New Year’s Day, and daily scouting reports will resume shortly. For now, enjoy picking apart my latest two-round mock. For the sake of this exercise, I’m inferring that several prospects who haven’t made official announcements will return to school for the 2026 season, including offensive tackles Monroe Freeling and Trevor Goosby, guards Knijeah... Now that I have a more complete view of the class, I’m beginning to mix predictive elements into my mocks.

I’m still testing fits to see what my brain gravitates toward, but these picks are more indicative of how I see the draft playing out than the selections I made in my November mock... Trade: Giants send pick No. 1 to Browns for picks No. 3, No. 38, and a 2027 Fifth Rounder 1.

Cleveland Browns (*Via Giants): Fernando Mendoza, QB Indiana 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...

The 2026 NFL Draft is a good time to be a team in need of pass rushing help. If you're looking for a quarterback, well, you'd better have a pretty great pick (or two). Next year's crop of pro prospects is loaded with defensive stars, wideouts and one elite running back. The quarterbacks, however, are a top-heavy field led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza (good!), toolsy Oregon deep ball savant Dante Moore (useful!) and Alabama's Ty Simpson (interesting in a way that might not... Thus, teams in need of passing help who are merely bad and not terrible might be looking at an expensive trade just for the right to draft a quarterback with no guarantee of panning... Since the 2025 NFL Draft order remains in flux and we have no idea what free agency holds for each franchise, we're eschewing theoretical trades across this theoretical exercise.

FTW's bowl season NFL mock draft remains a vague vision of what could be. It also helps us understand a little better which prospects could fill certain holes across the first 32 picks in April. Draft order is the inverse of our most recent FTW power rankings and, since we've still got three weeks left in the regular season, subject to change. Let's start at the top with a team entirely capable of sinking to the top spot in the draft. Geno Smith can stick around as a mentor for only $8 million more than his dead cap number. He'd be an asset for another accurate late bloomer behind center -- like Smith, Mendoza's elite downfield accuracy means he'll dazzle when it comes to advanced stats like completion percentage over expected (CPOE).

He balances pinpoint throws with strong, quick decision making and enough athleticism to keep defenses wary of his run game. Fernando Mendoza and top-seeded Indiana will take on Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Michael Reaves / Getty Images The race for the NFL’s worst record has a firm leader heading into the final lap. At 2-14 with one game left (versus the Chiefs), the Raiders are the current favorites to land the No. 1 pick for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Four three-win teams remain right behind Las Vegas: the Giants (versus Dallas in Week 18), Jets (at Buffalo), Titans (at Jacksonville) and Cardinals (at Rams). While we wait for the final non-playoff teams to settle into place, here’s a look at how the first 18 picks of this year’s draft — everything up until the postseason cutline — could... Once again, the Raiders need an awful lot, but they’ve kicked the QB can down the road long enough. The Las Vegas Raiders are officially on the clock and the first 18 slots for the 2026 NFL draft are set. The Jets follow the Raiders, and both teams are in desperate need of a franchise quarterback. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore are the top two quarterbacks in this class (as of now), with Alabama’s Ty Simpson also likely to garner consideration in the first round.

My best guess is Simpson returns to school for more seasoning. He may even transfer to Tennessee, which is closer to home and was his original plan before Nick Saban came calling for the Crimson Tide in early 2021. I’m also thinking this means Moore ends up declaring after the Ducks’ season ends, considering he’s almost guaranteed to be selected within the first two picks. The 2026 NFL Draft order is now set for the non-playoff teams at the end of the 2025 regular season. Outside of the Falcons and Colts, who have traded their first-round picks, 16 teams know for sure when they are picking first on April 23. From the growing obvious choice at the top based on need and talent to the teams who just missed the postseason, here's the latest look at Sporting News' projections also with the College Football...

MORE: Ranking NFL playoff teams 1-14 based on Super Bowl 60 chances Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (6-5, 225 pounds) With the transfer policy and NIL revenue encouraging players to maximize their college eligibility, the 2026 NFL Draft lacks the bonanza of high-end talent we’ve seen in previous years. That said, there are plenty of future NFL starters — and even stars — at every position available. Like always, the organizations whose scouting and coaching departments are aligned will likely improve their rosters the most with their selections between April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. But therein lies the cold reality.

Many of the teams whose seasons just ended are facing massive decisions within their coaching and scouting departments. The Falcons just dismissed their head coach and general manager and personnel changes are expected elsewhere in the coming days, which will cause ripple effects throughout the league. There's still much to sort out, but the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season Sunday night locked in the selection order for the first 18 picks of the draft. And with the player pool clarifying each day as the college season finishes, we are now on the cusp of "draft season." With that, here's our latest 2026 mock draft. It promises to be a fascinating offseason in Las Vegas, where Geno Smith's future is up in the air after head coach Pete Carroll was fired. Regardless of whether the Raiders bring back Smith, getting a fresh face at the game’s most important position is critical to keeping the fan base believing.

Mendoza has looked every bit the No. 1 overall pick in earning the Heisman Trophy and guiding Indiana to a possible national championship. Mendoza’s physical traits — a prototypical frame, lightning-quick release, pocket mobility and accuracy to all levels of the field — warrant a first round selection, but it's his decision-making and poise that has turned...

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