Who will Eagles take in Roob's way-too-early 2026 NFL mock draft?

Now that we got through the draft, it’s time to think about the draft.

Next year’s draft!

In last year’s Way-too-Early 2025 Mock Draft, we did have guys like James Pearce Jr., Will Johnson, Emeka Egbuka, Luther Burden III, Will Campbell, Mykel Williams, Travis Hunter, Kelvin Banks, Cam Ward, Malaki Starks, Tyler Booker, Kenneth Grant, Colston Loveland and Josh Simmons all going in the first round.

But we also had Shadeur Sanders going third overall. Oops! And we had Texas QB Quinn Ewers going in the first round. He went in the seventh round. And Ohio State corner Jordan Hancock? We had him going 13^th overall. Wrong again. He went in the sixth round.

But we’ll try again.

This 2026 mock draft order was determined by reverse order of Las Vegas projected 2026 win totals, with ties broken by a random number generator.

As for the Eagles, I have them drafting a position they haven’t drafted in six years. And in a familiar spot.

1. Giants: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama: When you have a young franchise quarterback, priority No. 1 is protecting him. The Giants drafted Jaxson Dart 25^th overall on Thursday, but they didn’t take an offensive lineman until the fifth round. Without protection Dart won’t have a chance. Proctor has tremendous size at 6-7, 360 pounds, started at left tackle as a freshman and is already an NFL-caliber run blocker. Sitting here a year before the 2026 draft, he’s our projected first pick in the 2026 draft, which would make him the first offensive lineman to go No. 1 overall since the Chiefs took Eric Fisher first out of Central Michigan in 2013. The only other offensive linemen to go No. 1 overall since 1970 are Hall of Famer Orlando Pace out of Ohio State in 1997 and Jake Long out of Michigan in 2008.

2. Jets: Arch Manning, QB, Texas: After giving up on the Justin Fields experiment, the Jets snag the 3^rd-generation Manning quarterback, nephew of Eli and Peyton, grandson of Archie. Manning obviously has the bloodlines, but he just hasn’t played very much football after backing up Quinn Ewers the last two years. He’s been impressive when he has gotten on the field – nine TDs, two INTs, 68 percent – but has thrown just 95 passes in college going into 2025. Manning, son of Cooper Manning, would have been a fairly high 1^st-round pick this year if he was eligible for the draft. He’s got a huge arm, better mobility than his uncles Eli or Peyton, terrific accuracy and a natural feel for the game. The top QB prospect in next year’s draft.

3. Browns: Nico Iamaleava, QB, UCLA: The Browns have a crowded quarterback room with Shedeur Sanders, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and technically Deshaun Watson is still on the roster as well. But it's not like there's a sure thing in the mix. This is a franchise that has drafted exactly one 1st-round quarterback that’s ever made a Pro Bowl in a Browns uniform, and that was Bernie Kosar 40 years ago. And he made one Pro Bowl. Iamaleava is a fascinating prospect. Big, tall, mobile, rocket-armed young QB who backed up Joe Milton as a freshman at Tennessee and then had a breakthrough season this past fall in his first year as a starter, leading the Vols to a 10-3 record and top-10 ranking. Iamaleava, 6-foot-6, 215, put up decent numbers this past fall, completing 64 percent of his passes and throwing for 200 yards per game with 19 TDs and five INTs before transferring to UCLA for the 2026 season. But you get the sense he’s only scratching the surface. He's only 20, and he’s got all the tools to be a big-time NFL quarterback, although he does need to get a bit bigger and stronger.

4. Titans: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee: After a year at Oregon State, where he had two INTs and seven pass breakups, McCoy resurfaced this past year in Knoxville, where he had four INTs (4^th-most in the SEC) and nine pass breakups (7^th-most). With continued growth for the Vols in 2025, McCoy will almost certainly be the first corner of the board in 2026. He’s got elite coverage skills, tremendous athleticism and rare physicality for a cornerback. The last Tennessee defensive back taken in the first round was Eric Berry – fifth overall – back in 2010.

5. Panthers: Rueben Bain Jr., DE/DT, Miami: The Panthers continue trying to rebuild a defense that was worst in the NFL last year and hasn’t been in the top 10 since 2015. Bain stands 6-3, 275, so he’s probably not going to be a pure edge rusher once he gets to the league, but he’s got a knack for getting to the quarterback and had 11 sacks and 19 tackles for loss in 22 games in 2023 and 2024. He’s a powerful, instinctive pass rusher who knows how to beat offensive linemen and is stout vs. the run. A raw talent with a high ceiling and some inside-outside positional versatility. Our early guess for first defensive lineman off the board.

6. Saints: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson: Klubnik joins Trevor Lawrence as Clemson’s second No. 1 overall pick. Klubnik is a polished, productive, intelligent QB prospect who had a fantastic 2024 season, with 36 touchdown passes and just six interceptions while throwing for nearly 260 yards per game. If he decided to come out this year, he would have been one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. But he opted to return to Clemson for another year, and that could help him become an even higher pick. This is shaping up to be an intriguing quarterback class, and with another big season Klubnik could very well find himself at the top of the heap. The Saints did take Tyler Shough out of Louisville in the second round this year, but if Klubnik is sitting there when the Saints pick in 2026 he would be hard to resist.

7. Raiders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State: Raiders add some punch to their offense with the latest big-time Ohio State receiving prospect. Tate stands 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, and just turned 20 and his upside is through the roof. He’s been productive both in the slot and outside, runs terrific routes, catches everything thrown near him and is a rare young receiver who loves mixing it up as a blocker. Tate made an impact as a true freshman in 2023 despite playing behind guys like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka. He made huge strides last fall, with 52 catches for 733 yards and four TDs for the national-champion Buckeyes. The Raiders haven’t taken a 1^st-round receiver since Henry Ruggs in 2020 and before that Amari Cooper back in 2015. Cooper was a Pro Bowler as a rookie and Tate is a guy who could make a similar impact.

8. Seahawks: Austin Barber, OT, Florida: It was a bit surprising when Barber announced in December that he’d be returning to Gainesville for his final year of eligibility and waiting until 2026 to enter the draft. He’s already proven to be a solid left tackle at the highest level with terrific movement and athleticism. He’s got room to add bulk to his 6-foot-5, 315-pound frame, and he’ll need to get stronger to be able to anchor against the rushers he’ll see in the NFL. But he’s already a polished pass blocker with a year to go and barring disaster this coming season he’ll be one of the first offensive linemen off the board a year from now.

9. Rams (from Falcons): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah: A bit undersized at 6-foot-5, 305 pounds but with room to get bigger once he gets to the league. Fano is a plus athlete with terrific movement who makes up for his smaller stature with athleticism and power and surprising ability to anchor. He’s played both left and right tackle and NFL teams will like his versatility. The Rams didn’t take an offensive lineman this year and they haven’t taken one in the first round since Auburn’s Greg Robinson second overall back in 2014, when they were still based on St. Louis. If there’s a quarterback that makes sense here, it would behoove the Rams to snag him. But the way this draft fell, that wasn’t the case.

10. Patriots: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas: An explosive, physical downhill force who will add toughness and grit to a Patriots defense that could use a heavy dose of it. The Patriots haven’t drafted an off-ball linebacker in the first round since Dont’a Hightower back in 2012, and he had a long, productive decade in Foxboro. Hill has already established himself as one of the top young linebackers in the SEC (and Big 12 before that) and led the conference as a sophomore last fall with 17 tackles for loss to go with 8.0 sacks, an interception and four forced fumbles. Hill is a fundamentally sound every-down player who closes quickly on the quarterback but can also stuff the run at 6-foot-3, 235 pounds.

11. Cowboys: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson: The Cowboys haven’t taken a wide receiver in the first couple rounds since CeeDee Lamb 17^th overall back in 2020, and they didn’t take any WRs this weekend. Williams is a smooth, polished and productive receiver with soft hands, outstanding route running ability and positional versatility at 5-11, 190. Williams had a promising freshman season in 2022 with 56 catches for 604 yards and four touchdowns before missing much of 2023 with foot and ankle injuries. But he rebounded in style in 2024 with 75 catches for 904 yards playing with Cade Klubnik and led the ACC with 11 touchdown catches. Lamb is still tremendous, but the Cowboys need more at the position. Jalen Tobert is OK, but Williams has a chance to be a special player in the league.

12. Colts: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn: Faulk, who’s still only 19, is one of the more dynamic young edge rushers in college football. He didn’t play much as a freshman, but last year he blossomed with 7 ½ sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 45 tackles in his first significant action for the Tigers. The Colts were among the worst sack producing teams in the NFL last year with just 36 – only six teams had fewer. They added Ohio State edge J.T. Tuimoloau in the second round on Friday, and Faulk will give them a second young pass rusher as they continue to try and rebuild their defense.

13. Browns (from Jaguars): Peter Woods, DL, Clemson: The Browns acquired this pick from Jacksonville as part of their trade on Thursday that enabled Jacksonville to pick Travis Hunter. After taking Arch Manning with their first of two 1^st-round picks, the Browns go defense here and snap up Woods, an athletic and physical interior lineman who is a force against the run and a high-effort pass rusher who should be effective on passing downs once he learns some more moves. Had three sacks and nine tackles for loss this past year and if he builds on those numbers in 2025 he’s a slam-dunk 1^st-round pick.

14. Steelers: Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: It was kind of a shock that the Steelers didn’t draft a quarterback early over the weekend. They finally took Will Howard out of Ohio State in the sixth round, but they’ve still taken only two 1^st-round QBs since Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw in 1970: Ben Roethlisberger 11^th in 2004 and Kenny Pickett 20^th in 2022. So Bradshaw – the first pick 55 years ago – is the last top-10 QB they’ve drafted. Allar has been very efficient the last two years in State College, with 49 touchdown passes and just 10 interceptions while passing for over 200 yards per game. Allar probably would have been a 1^st-rounder in this year’s watered-down quarterback draft if he came out. Allar stands 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, has a big, strong, accurate arm and has shown terrific intelligence and instincts in the pocket. Only two Penn State QBs have ever been drafted in the first round – Todd Blackledge in 1983 and Kerry Collins in 1995. Barring disaster, Allar will be the third.

15. Cards: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU: Kyler Murray is a decent quarterback, and at times has been very good. But he’ll be 29 in 2026, he’s never won a playoff game, and he’s only had one winning season since the Cards made him the first pick in 2019, and that was back in 2021. At some point the Cards have to start thinking about a succession plan, and Nussmeier – whose dad was the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach during the 2024 season – could make sense in the middle of the first round. Nussmeier sat behind Max Johnson for one year and Jayden Daniels for two before a promising 2024 season with over 4,000 passing yards, 64 percent accuracy and 29 touchdowns. The biggest question about Nussmeier is how he’ll hold up in the NFL at 6-2, 200. The last quarterback 200 pounds or less drafted in the top 10 was Jim McMahon in 1982. If he shows he can withstand the punishment for another year, he’ll likely be a 1^st-round pick in 2026.

16. Vikings: Jermaine Mathews Jr., CB, Ohio State: It was surprising the Vikings didn’t add any cornerbacks in this year’s draft, but they only had five picks and no picks in the second or fourth rounds. They haven’t taken a 1^st-round defensive back since current Eagles safety Lewis Cine in 2022, and they haven’t taken a 1^st-round corner since 2020 with Jeff Gladney, who died tragically at 25 years old. Mathews hasn’t played a ton yet for Ohio State simply because they’ve been so deep in the secondary. But he projects to finally be a starter in 2025 and he’s already shown in limited action the traits and technique of a potential 1^st-rounder. Mathews has a nose for the football and a terrific understanding of how quarterbacks are trying to attack. A big 2025 and Mathews will be one of the first few corners off the board in 2026.

17. Dolphins: T.J. Parker, Edge, Clemson: With another big year, Parker could work his way into the top 10, but we still have him as the third edge in the draft, heading for Miami, who focused on the interior d-line in this year’s draft with Michigan’s Kenneth Grant 13^th and Jordan Phillips from Maryland in the third round. Parker is the third Clemson player in the span of five picks. Chop Robinson had a decent rookie year, and Parker would give Miami a nice young tandem off the edge. Parker was third in the ACC in sacks last year with 11 and second with 20 tackles for loss, and he also had a whopping six forced fumbles, which tells you how active he is. Parker stands 6-3, 255, so he’s a little short as NFL edge rushers go. But he makes up for it with explosion from the snap and an ability to turn speed to power. A big 2025 season and there’s no reason he won’t be the latest in a long line of outstanding Clemson defensive linemen along with guys like Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell and Bryan Bresee.

18. Bears: Makhi Hughes, RB, Oregon: The Bears haven’t drafted a running back in the first three rounds since current Detroit Lion David Montgomery in the third round back in 2019, and Hughes would be a good fit in Ben Johnson’s offense playing for running backs coach Eric Bieniemy. Hughes was insanely productive in two years at Tulane. He had 1,378 rushing yards in 2023, 9^th-most rushing yards in the BCS and most by a freshman, and then he followed that with 1,401 this past year along with 15 touchdowns. His 2,779 yards are 5^th-most in the BCS the last two years. Obviously level of competition is a question when you’re playing in the American Conference, and transferring from Tulane to Oregon will give him a year in the Big Ten, and if he can come close to his Tulane production in Eugene, he’ll have a chance to be the top running back off the board in 2026.

19. Bengals: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State: Has been productive both at Alabama as a freshman in 2023 and at Ohio State, where he spent 2024 on the national championship team. His two teams are 26-4 so far. Downs has four INTs – two in each of his first two seasons – and has shown a knack for finding the football both in coverage and in run support. A physical player with good size at 6-foot, 205 pounds. Another big year in Columbus and he’ll be one of the first defensive backs off the board in 2026. Eleven of Ohio State’s last 12 1^st-round picks have been on the offensive side of the ball, and six of them have been wide receivers. Downs would be OSU’s first d-back taken in the first round since the Raiders picked Damon Arnette 19^th overall in 2020. Arnette only played in 13 games in a brief NFL career. Fair to expect a little more in the NFL from Downs.

20. Buccaneers: Elijah Pritchett, OT, Nebraska: Pritchett, who stands 6-foot-6, 330 pounds, will play for Matt Rhule at Nebraska this year after spending his first three seasons at Alabama. Pritchett started most of last year at right tackle with one start at left tackle and despite some inconsistency as a pass blocker he’s got the size and tools to be one of the top offensive linemen in the draft next April. The Bucs didn’t draft any offensive linemen this year. They took center Graham Barton in the first round last year but haven’t taken a tackle in the first round since four-time Pro Bowler Tristan Wirfs in 2020. Pritchett may be more potential than sure thing, but the potential is enormous.

21. Packers: Roderick Kearney, G, Florida: This is a total projection based on Kearney’s size and physical tools. He’s only played 74 career offensive snaps – all last year – but those snaps were enough to draw the attention of NFL scouts. He’s expected to be a full-time starter for the Gators in 2025 and if he fulfills his potential he’s going to be a 1^st-rounder. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Kearney has terrific athleticism, technique and power, he’s just going to need some time because he’ll arrive in the NFL having played only one full season of college football.

22. Broncos: Zachariah Branch, WR, USC: Branch is one of those guys everybody will be watching when he lines up to run the 40 at the Combine next February because he’s a blazer. He first made an impact as a freshman when he led the BCS with a crazy 20.8 punt return average, and then he earned a spot in USC’s offensive rotation this past year with 47 catches for 503 yards. A natural pass catcher with soft hands and a demonstrated ability to use his speed and decisive cutting ability to separate former corners. Branch is only 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, and that lack of size is a concern, but he plays tough and has a combination of speed, physicality, versatility and toughness that is going to intrigue NFL scouts.

23. Chargers: Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama: Is he the next Jihaad Campbell? Too early to say that, but Lawson has many of the same traits as the Eagles’ 1^st-round pick. He stands 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, and like Campbell he fills up the stat sheet. His last three years at ‘bama, he piled up 194 tackles, five sacks, 19 tackles for loss, 12 pass knockdowns, an interception and a forced fumble. And like Campbell, he can do a lot of different things from a lot of positions in various schemes. Exceptional vs. the run, fluid in coverage, an effective blitzer. He’ll have a chance to shine this year and solidify his standing as a potential 1^st-round pick.

24. Commanders: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame: The Commanders have a serviceable back in Brian Robinson along with 30-year-old Austin Ekeler, but they haven’t taken a 1^st-round running back since Idaho’s Ray McDonald in 1967. That didn’t go well. McDonald ran for just 223 yards in his career. But maybe it’s time for Washington to try again. Love put himself on the map with a monster 2024 for the Fighting Irish, with 1,125 rushing yards, a 6.9 rushing average and 17 touchdowns. That 6.9 rushing average was highest by a Notre Dame back since Josh Adams averaged 7.1 in 2015. Adams went undrafted but wound up leading the Eagles in rushing in 2018. Love is a solid 6-foot, 205 pounds, and has a world of speed with true home run potential. He’s versatile enough that he had over 250 rushing yards and a couple more touchdowns last year, and he runs with tremendous vision and anticipation, understanding how to work behind his blocks to set up big yards.

25. Texans: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas: The Texans keep Muhammad in state, making him the third corner off the board. Muhammad is a fundamentally sound cover corner who likes to play physical both in coverage and coming up to play the run. Derek Stingley Jr. is a stud, and Kamari Lassiter played well as a rookie, but the Texans don’t have much behind their starters, and you need more than two. At Texas, Muhammad replaces Jahdae Barron, selected 20^th overall Thursday by the Lions, and could give Texas back-to-back 1^st-round corners for the first time since Michael Huff and Aaron Ross in 2006 and 2007.

26. Rams: Makai Lemon, WR, USC: After offboarding Cooper Kupp, Rams didn’t add a receiver until the seventh round this weekend, so Lemon makes sense in 2026 as the Rams make a second 1^st-round pick for the first time since 2014. Lemon had a big breakthrough season in 2025 jumping from 88 yards in 2023 to 764 yards with a solid 14.7 per-catch average. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds projects as a slot in the league but has a lot going for him, including plus athleticism, good enough speed, an ability to track deep balls and a natural feel for working against better cornerbacks.

27. Lions: L.T. Overton, DL, Alabama: Another intriguing Alabama defensive player, Overton stands a massive 6-foot-3, 285 pounds and will probably play inside in the NFL but has the athleticism to contribute some quality snaps outside as well. Spent his first two years at Texas A&M before transferring across the SEC and playing last year at Alabama, where he had two sacks, three tackles for loss, 42 tackles and a forced fumble. Overton is a high-energy guy who is a natural run defender but has gotten by on passing downs mainly with his strength and physicality and still needs to develop moves. But the tools are there for him to be a dominating defender once his NFL team figures out exactly what they have and how to use him.

28. Bills: Amare Campbell, LB, North Carolina: Twitched-up high-effort linebacker who’s got outstanding coverage skills and a terrific knack for getting to the quarterback from various spots in the alignment. Didn’t play much in 2023 but came into his own this past season on a weak North Carolina team that lost seven of its last 10 games and allowed over 28 points per game. But Campbell was a bright spot, with 6 ½ sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 76 tackles along with two pass breakups. Fast, physical and productive. Seems like a Sean McDermott player.

29. 49ers: Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma: Like the Eagles, the 49ers used their top five picks this year on defensive players, so we have them taking the best available offensive player in this spot. (I don’t think the 49ers are going to be this good, but I didn’t come up with the order, so not my fault!). Burks gradually improved in three years at Purdue before transferring to Oklahoma for the 2024 season. But he was limited to five games because of a couple major injuries, including a concussion, but he did some nice things in those five games, catching 31 passes for 245 yards with three touchdowns, and with his speed and ability after the catch he’s a big play waiting to happen. The one thing that might keep him out of the first round is his lack of elite stature. At 5-11, 185, he’s got less than ideal size. But he has a lot of other promising traits and with a healthy and productive 2025 season in Norman should work his way into the bottom of the first round.

30. Chiefs: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon: Big Red goes with a Big Red type of guy in Thieneman, who had six interceptions in two years at Purdue – all six in 2023, when he was defensive freshman of the year – before transferring to Oregon. Thieneman arrived in Eugene with the reputation of being an insanely hard worker, an obsessive film student and a natural leader. He’s a ballhawk in coverage and a big hitter against the run and it’ll be interesting to see how Chiefs defensive coordinator and former Eagles secondary coach Steve Spagnuolo finds ways to use him.

31. Ravens: Justice Haynes, RB, Michigan: Derrick Henry had an insane year in 2024 at 30 years old and would have been a 1^st-team all-pro if not for Saquon Barkley’s even more insane year. But Henry is 31 now and headed into his 10^th NFL season. He’s got almost 3,000 career touches, and it's time for the Ravens to prepare for Henry’s inevitable decline. Haynes didn’t get much playing time at Alabama – he was part of a deep rotation both years in Tuscaloosa – but averaged 5.9 career rushing average on 104 carries with a ridiculous nine touchdowns – one every 11 ½ carries. But it’s hard to be content with 4.2 carries per game, so Haynes transferred to Michigan, which lost its two leading rushers from 2024 – Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards. New Michigan offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey spent the last two years at North Carolina, where Omarion Hampton had over 500 carries and over 3,000 rushing yards. Expect Haynes to be showcased in a similar way, and if his projected production is there, he’ll have a chance to get drafted in the first round like Hampton.

32. Eagles: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.): For all the talk about Howie Roseman building through the trenches, he hasn’t taken an offensive lineman in the first round since 2019 and the Andre Dillard disaster and he’s the only one Howie has drafted in the first round since Lane Johnson in 2013. The Eagles took a couple tackles this weekend but not until the sixth round. It may be time. Johnson is going into his 13th season and turns 35 next week. At some point, the Eagles will have to start planning for Johnson’s retirement, and Mauigoa is an interesting possibility in next year’s draft. Mauigoa allowed just one sack and one quarterback hit on nearly 600 pass block reps in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus. Mauigoa started at right tackle for the Hurricanes as a true freshman in 2023 and again last year, so by the end of this coming year he’ll have three years of high-level right tackle starting experience. Mauigoa has next-level athleticism at 6-foot-6, 315 pounds and a nasty edge to his game that Eagles fans would love, playing to the whistle and beyond. Mauigoa has the whole package – size, athleticism and power. And he's has taken practice snaps at guard, so right guard is in the mix if the Eagles need him to swing inside before he takes over for Johnson. Hopefully, Johnson isn’t close to retiring because he's still the best right tackle in the game. But if he does, Mauigoa would be an elite heir apparent.