2026 NFL mock draft: Could Ty Simpson get Jaxson Dart treatment?

Fernando Mendoza will almost certainly be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draf t. After that, there isn't much clarity about what will happen in the first round.

The New York Jets will have their choice among the draft's non-quarterbacks with the No. 2 overall pick. There will be plenty of talented edge rushers available with that pick, but Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey's preference with the selection isn't yet clear.

Neither is the exact landing spot of Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love , who is looking to become the first top-five running back selection since Saquon Barkley in 2018. Love is universally considered one of the best players in the draft, but will a team like the Tennessee Titans be willing to use the No. 4 overall selection on him?

Then, of course, there's Ty Simpson , who could be the biggest wild card of this year's class. The Alabama quarterback will almost certainly be the second off the board at his position behind Mendoza, but he could fall to the latter stages of the first round if the NFL's quarterback-needy teams pass on him. Eventually, a clearer picture will crystallize atop the 2026 NFL Draft, allowing fans and draftniks alike to prognosticate how the opening round may play out.