Using betting odds -- including draft-position over/unders and each team's first-pick position odds -- this mock projects the top 32 picks
By R.J. White Apr 22, 2026 at 2:31 pm ET • 1 min read 
Imagn Images We're just a day away from the 2026 NFL Draft, and that means it's time to put together my annual NFL mock draft based solely on how the betting market sees the draft. This exercise takes into account the odds for players to go at each specific pick in the top 20 but leans primarily on two other factors the further we get from the top: the over/under on a player's draft position and the odds for the position of each team's first pick. All odds used are from DraftKings.
When it comes to making picks in this mock draft, we start with a player's draft position over/under or the odds that he will go top five, top 10 or in the first round. That can create a little friction; for example, Sonny Styles is the fifth-most likely player to go in the top five but only at +110, while his draft position over/under has him at -150 to go over 5.5. We're going to give more weight to the -150 side and make sure he's not a top-five pick and stick to that method for every other draft position over/under.
Even with that being the case, we are able to get the 10 most likely top-10 picks off the board in the top 10, and the 32 most likely first-round picks by that market inside our mock draft.
Our other consideration is the position of a team's first pick, where we are able to match them without violating our previous rule. With the Lions at -380 to take an offensive lineman first, we will make sure they take an offensive lineman first. But when a team isn't as strong at one position, like with the Chiefs having a close split between offensive line, defensive line, corner and receiver, we have more leeway. If a team had minus odds to take a position first, I did my best to stick to that, including trading around the board three times where a prospect wouldn't fit for the initial team but we wanted him inside a certain range.
With that explanation out of the way, let's get to the picks.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place Thursday through Saturday in Pittsburgh. You can find more draft coverage at CBSSports.com, including weekly mock drafts and regular evaluations of the top prospects.
NFL Mock DraftRound 1 Round 1 - Pick 1
Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana • Jr • 6'5" / 236 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st PAYDS 3535 RUYDS 276 INTS 6 TDS 48 He's -20000 to be picked first, and he's going to be picked first. Round 1 - Pick 2 
Arvell Reese EDGE Ohio State • Jr • 6'4" / 243 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 3rd POSITION RNK 2nd This has gone back and forth over the past few days, with Reese being the heavy favorite on Monday, David Bailey moving to a moderate favorite on Tuesday, and Reese retaking the lead around midday Wednesday while I was putting together data for this exercise. We'll see if this is the final momentum shift or if there are still developments to come. Round 1 - Pick 3 
David Bailey EDGE Texas Tech • Sr • 6'4" / 250 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 3rd Odds are tight here between Reese, Bailey and Jeremiyah Love, and with Bailey and Love both +190, we're going to go edge rusher here for a cleaner top four. Reese and Bailey are still -4000 to be top-five picks, while Love is just -400 in that market, which is a good tiebreaker. Round 1 - Pick 4 
Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'0" / 214 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 1372 YDS/ATT 6.9 REYDS 280 TDS 21 Love seems almost certain to go anywhere from third to fifth, and even with the buzz connecting him to the Cardinals, he's still the -105 favorite to be this pick. Sonny Styles is next at +250 as of writing, while Bailey is +475 and Reese is +650. Round 1 - Pick 5 
Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State • Jr • 6'2" / 203 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 5th REC 61 REYDS 711 YDS/REC 11.7 TDS 9 We're going to pass on Styles here as he's -150 to go Over 5.5 as laid out in the intro. Not only is Tyson a logical fit after acing his workout, but he's also the next prospect on the over/under board juiced to the Under -- the next up behind Styles on the top-five board and the second favorite to be the fifth pick. Styles is the favorite to be the pick here, but only at +190, so we're giving more weight to the market's over/under. Round 1 - Pick 6 
Francis Mauigoa OT Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'6" / 329 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 4th Mauigoa is only +600 to be this pick, which is behind Styles, Carnell Tate and Spencer Fano. However, he is still the favorite to be the first offensive lineman selected and has much shorter odds to be a top-10 pick than Fano. Carnell Tate is -155 to go Over 7.5 as of writing, and Styles does not make a ton of sense for Cleveland. So Mauigoa it is. Round 1 - Pick 7 
Sonny Styles LB Ohio State • Sr • 6'5" / 243 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 1st Styles' mini slide ends here, where he's the third favorite behind Tate (who again is juiced Over 7.5, so not an option for us) and Love, who is long gone. A team interested in Styles would be well-served reaching out to Cleveland if he makes it out of the top five, and the Commanders could also be a trade-down candidate if they'd rather go receiver. Round 1 - Pick 8 
Carnell Tate WR Ohio State • Jr • 6'2" / 192 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 51 REYDS 875 YDS/REC 17.2 TDS 9 Tate is +450 to be the eighth pick versus +425 for Mansoor Delane, but the latter is 12th in odds to go top 10 (when factoring in the players not on the board expected to go in top five), so he's not as good an option for us here. Tyson is the favorite to go eighth at +200, but he went off the board a few picks ago. Round 1 - Pick 9 
Rueben Bain Jr. EDGE Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'2" / 263 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st Bain is -400 to go Over 8.5, so this is the first spot where we can slot him in, and while that massive number could mean a slide down the board, he's still slightly favored over Delane -- who is cofavored at ninth with Bain -- to be a top-10 pick. The Chiefs are the first team that we have positional odds for their first pick, but with the top-four favorites between +250 and +320, they don't help much. From Cincinnati Bengals Round 1 - Pick 10 
Caleb Downs S Ohio State • Jr • 6'0" / 205 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 1st Downs is a candidate to go fifth overall, where he's tied for third favorite with Love, and favored to go 10th, so you'd have to figure he'd be the pick here to wrap up our top-10 market. Since he's -125 to go Over 9.5, we didn't want to slot him in earlier than here. Round 1 - Pick 11 
Spencer Fano OT Utah • Jr • 6'6" / 311 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 2nd Fano is a cofavorite to go sixth and seems to be an option for the Chiefs and Giants as well. But his top-10 odds were just behind Bain, so he finds himself available here, where he's tied with Mauigoa as the favorite to go 11th at +425. Round 1 - Pick 12 
Mansoor Delane CB LSU • Sr • 6'0" / 187 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 3rd Delane is just +600 to be the pick here, but that makes him the favorite, and he'll appeal to the Cowboys if he's available considering their defensive needs. However, he could go anywhere in the back half of the top 10 or even 11th to Miami as well, explaining his longer odds as the favorite. Round 1 - Pick 13 
Makai Lemon WR USC • Jr • 5'11" / 192 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 79 REYDS 1156 YDS/REC 14.6 TDS 13 Lemon and the Rams have been a popular pairing throughout mock draft season, and he's the +250 favorite to be the pick here. The Rams are also +100 to make receiver their first pick, with offensive line next at +220. Round 1 - Pick 14 
Olaivavega Ioane IOL Penn State • Jr • 6'4" / 323 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 1st Ioane is -310 to go Under 14.5, so this is his absolute floor in this exercise. He's also the favorite for this pick at +230, with his next lowest odds at No. 10 (+500) in that market. The Ravens are +130 favorites to go with an offensive lineman first as well. Round 1 - Pick 15 
Kenyon Sadiq TE Oregon • Jr • 6'3" / 241 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 24th POSITION RNK 1st REC 51 REYDS 560 YDS/REC 11 TDS 8 Another popular pairing, and one that's needed for us, as Sadiq is slightly favored to go Under 15.5 at -120. He is the favorite to be the 15th pick at +300, and while Tampa Bay is +125 to go defensive line/edge rusher first, the player they're most connected to, Ahkeem Mesidor, has been pegged by the market right around the 25th or 26th pick. Mock Trade from New York Jets Round 1 - Pick 16 
Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama • Jr • 6'7" / 352 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st Our first trade results in Proctor being -195 to go Under 16.5 but not considered a match specifically for the Jets at 16th, where the market has him at +1500 -- tied for ninth in odds behind several players still on the board. So the Eagles send Nos. 23 and 68 to move up, as they are -200 to take an offensive lineman first and know Detroit would take Proctor next. Round 1 - Pick 17 
Monroe Freeling OT Georgia • Jr • 6'7" / 315 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 5th Freeling is a fine consolation prize for the Lions, and he's the second favorite behind Proctor to be the 17th overall pick. The Lions are -380 to go offensive line first, and Freeling is -250 to be taken before No. 20, so this is an easy pick. Round 1 - Pick 18 
Dillon Thieneman S Oregon • Soph • 6'0" / 201 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 47th POSITION RNK 3rd This is the first spot where we could take Thieneman, who is -215 to go Over 17.5, and the Vikings are a rare team favored to take safety first at +130. Another oft-mocked pick that makes a lot of sense in this exercise. Mock Trade from Carolina Panthers Round 1 - Pick 19 
Omar Cooper Jr. WR Indiana • Jr • 6'0" / 199 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 4th REC 69 REYDS 937 YDS/REC 13.6 TDS 14 Cooper isn't going to be on the board for the Browns at No. 24, as he's -160 to go Under 23.5, and while the Panthers could stick and take him, their positional odds board is a bit all over the place with offensive line the favorite at +225. So they get picks Nos. 24, 107 and 149 to move back and watch the board develop. From Green Bay Packers Round 1 - Pick 20 
Keldric Faulk EDGE Auburn • Jr • 6'6" / 276 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 34th POSITION RNK 6th Faulk is the cofavorite here with Akheem Mesidor, who we've said is closer to 25 than 20 in the market as of this writing. Faulk is also slightly more likely to be a Round 1 pick at -700 versus -650 for Mesidor, making him our selection for Dallas. Round 1 - Pick 21 
Blake Miller OT Clemson • Sr • 6'7" / 317 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 29th POSITION RNK 6th While Caleb Lomu is +900 to be the 21st pick and Miller is +950, I'm putting more weight on the latter being -1600 to go in Round 1 versus -350 for Lomu. The Steelers are -105 to go offensive lineman first with receiver at +200, so that's the direction we're looking. Round 1 - Pick 22 
Akheem Mesidor EDGE Miami (Fla.) • Sr • 6'3" / 259 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK 30th POSITION RNK 4th My initial run through the data had Mesidor as a slight favorite to go Over 25.5, which locked him out of the top 25, but that changed while working on this piece with him moving as a slight favorite to go Under 25.5. That makes this a good landing spot as the second favorite to go 22nd behind Faulk, with the Chargers -120 to go defensive lineman/edge rusher first. Mock Trade from Philadelphia Eagles Round 1 - Pick 23 
KC Concepcion WR Texas A&M • Jr • 6'0" / 196 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 1st REC 61 REYDS 919 YDS/REC 15.1 TDS 12 The Jets pick up an extra second-round pick to move down before taking their receiver, and this is the market's range for Concepcion, as he's -130 to go Under 24.5. He could be in play for either the Eagles or Browns (with the next pick) if they don't trade up. Mock Trade from Cleveland Browns Round 1 - Pick 24 
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo • Sr • 6'4" / 202 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 2nd We need to find a spot for McNeil-Warren, who is -260 to be a first-round pick. With the Panthers a candidate to go safety at No. 19 and no clear favorite for their position, we're going to make that the match. Round 1 - Pick 25 
Malachi Lawrence LB UCF • Sr • 6'4" / 253 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 52nd POSITION RNK 5th I initially had Lawrence at No. 22 before Mesidor's shift inside the top 25. With the Bears -120 to take a defensive lineman/edge rusher first, the last EDGE on our top-32 board is a good fit here. Mock Trade from Buffalo Bills Round 1 - Pick 26 
Ty Simpson QB Alabama • Jr • 6'1" / 211 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 3567 RUYDS 93 INTS 5 TDS 30 The Bills don't have an edge rusher/defensive lineman available in our top 32, and we're looking for a trade-up spot for Simpson, who is -270 to go Over 24.5 but the last player in our top 32 based on Round 1 odds. A swap of second- and third-round picks in 2027 makes sense for the value, but if the Cardinals want to stick to this year, they could offer Nos. 34, 65 and 183 for this pick and No. 91. Round 1 - Pick 27 
Max Iheanachor OT Arizona State • Sr • 6'6" / 321 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 31st POSITION RNK 7th Despite the Trent Williams extension, the 49ers are still favored to go offensive lineman first at -125. We're opting for Iheanachor, who is -450 to be a Round 1 pick, over Caleb Lomu, who is just -350 to be a first-rounder. Round 1 - Pick 28 
Caleb Lomu OT Utah • Soph • 6'6" / 308 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 3rd A clear match here with the Texans -145 to go offensive lineman first and our final tackle left on the board. This leaves us with three corners and one receiver in the top 32 according to the Round 1 market, so we'll have to match those players accordingly from here on out. From Los Angeles Rams Round 1 - Pick 29 
Colton Hood CB Tennessee • Soph • 6'0" / 195 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 59th POSITION RNK 9th Hood and Jermod McCoy are both -380 to be Round 1 picks, with the latter at -150 to go Over 28.5. That will make them our next two picks in either order with the Chiefs and Dolphins passing on Mansoor Delane in the top part of the draft. From Denver Broncos Round 1 - Pick 30 
Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee • Jr • 6'1" / 188 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 6th POSITION RNK 1st The Dolphins get the higher upside with the bigger medical risk in McCoy, a gamble they need to pay off as they look for stars to rebuild their roster. Round 1 - Pick 31 
Denzel Boston WR Washington • Jr • 6'4" / 210 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 45th POSITION RNK 8th REC 62 REYDS 881 YDS/REC 14.2 TDS 12 The Patriots don't have a positional market at DraftKings, so we're left deciding between a receiver and corner, with the former making more sense for their depth chart. Boston could go a little higher than this as he's just -125 to go Over 26.5, and the Chiefs and Dolphins both make some sense after neither went receiver earlier. Round 1 - Pick 32 
Chris Johnson CB San Diego State • Sr • 6'0" / 195 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 5th The final player left on our top 32 board is Johnson, and the Seahawks are favored to go cornerback first at +155. This is certainly a trade-down spot as well, especially if Simpson is still on the board, but with Johnson at -250 to go in Round 1 and no one else available shorter than -190, he's our pick here. Join the Conversation comments 
