2026 NFL mock draft: Cowboys move up for Ohio State star; Cardinals land QB with late trade

The 2026 NFL Draft is now less than a week away, which means it's time for my one and only mock draft of the cycle.

Some things about this draft are well known. At the very top, we know that Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders. We don't yet know whether he'll start right away or sit behind Kirk Cousins to begin his career, but there's no real mystery about where he'll be playing his professional football.

After that, though, it seems like just about everything is up in the air. The Jets could go a number of different directions at No. 2, as could the Cardinals, Titans and Giants at Nos. 3, 4 and 5, while everyone in and around the league suspects that the Browns would love to trade down from the No. 6 pick, which could throw the entire board into chaos if they're able to find a partner.

There are also several teams with multiple first-round picks, allowing those squads to change the shape of the draft if they so choose. With a class that teams feel is light on star power at the top but strong through the second and third rounds, we could be in for some significant surprises.

With all that in mind, here's how we see things playing out. 

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. You can find more draft coverage at CBSSports.com, including weekly mock drafts and regular evaluations of the top prospects.