Doug Farrar’s Two-Round Mock: Cowboys, Jets make major moves for future stars

There are five teams with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft: The New York Jets, the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Miami Dolphins, and the Cleveland Browns. Are we of the belief that all five of those teams will keep both first-round picks in a draft that doesn’t feature a ton of field-tilting talent up top? Maybe, and maybe not. It’s just as possible that some of those teams will make trades with their extra draft capital to add to their rosters in other ways.

In this particular mock draft, we have three of those teams — the Cowboys, Jets, and Browns — making major moves to add talent they believe to be worthy of the effort. Dallas swings for the fences on a “generational” running back, and the Jets get frisky after making their two first-round picks by trading back into the first round with Cleveland for who they believe to be their future franchise quarterback. As a result, the Browns get the extra picks they need as they continue a rebuild that’s been going on for a loooooooong time. It’s possible that the Browns are the smart ones here in that they get later picks in a very deep draft, and a high selection in 2027.

You know things have become interesting when the Browns may be the smartest guys in the room.

In any event, here’s my new two-round mock draft with the first round here, and the second round here. In addition, I’ll be doing a reader Q&A to explain myself at noon ET on Friday April 3. Submit your questions now!

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

We already know chapter and verse about Mr. Mendoza. One thing I wanted to address after talking to some highly-respected quarterback evaluators is the varying levels of concern regarding how much Mendoza relied on RPO concepts in Indiana’s offense, and what that means for his NFL transition. Yes, Mendoza led the nation with 103 RPO dropbacks last season, completing 77 of 97 passes for 687 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 115.9. Without the benefit of RPOs, he had 334 dropbacks, and completed 196 of 282 passes for 2,849 yards, an NCAA-best 34 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 134.3 — which was also the NCAA’s best.

This, folks, is a nothingburger.

2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State

Right now, the Jets’ EDGE room is led by Will McDonald IV, and the recently-acquired Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare. Not the worst rotation in the league, but outside of McDonald, I wouldn’t say there’s an alpha dog. Adding Reese and his eight sacks and 27 pressures in just 119 pass-rush snaps is a very spicy meatball, and when you bank on his ridiculous first-step quickness and his two-level off-ball potential… well, this is a guy around whom you can build your entire front seven over time.

3. Dallas Cowboys (From Arizona Cardinals): Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Okay, here’s where it gets good. The Cowboys trade their 12th and 20th overall picks to the Arizona Cardinals for Arizona’s third and 34th picks this year. For all of that, Dallas acquires the best player in this class (in my humble opinion) in Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. It’s not out of the question for Jerry Jones to pull the trigger on such a deal, given his history of being flexible with his first-round picks, and his general derision of positional value. In this case, Dallas’ offense becomes absolutely ridiculous — perhaps the NFL’s best — and while there’s obviously a metric crapton of work to do on the other side of the ball, I wouldn’t be completely surprised if such a thing actually happened.

4. Tennessee Titans: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Getting former Jets edge-rusher Jermaine Johnson in the trade that cost them T’Vondre Sweat shows that the team understands the need for more speed and disruption outside the tackles, but more is needed. It’s a loaded EDGE class, but when you have this much of a deficit in pure speed rush, you want a guy who can get to the quarterback in situations where slower guys might not be able to. Perhaps the most impressive thing about David Bailey’s tape is how often he was able to disrupt when the ball was coming out quickly. That’s an alpha skill on top of the alpha skills you want from an outside pass-rusher.

5. New York Giants: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

New Giants head coach John Harbaugh at the scouting combine:

“The inside linebacker isn’t always considered a value position, but you can’t stop the run without an inside linebacker making tackles in the middle. You can’t do it. That becomes pretty important.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen at the scouting combine:

“Coach and I have talked about that a lot. Stopping the run is very important to Coach Harbaugh. It’s important to everybody. It’s just something we haven’t done well. So that is definitely something that we’ll be conscious of this offseason in terms of how we’re going to be able to do that better.”

Sonny Styles, who can also rush the passer and drop back into coverage:

“Problem solved.”

6. Cleveland Browns: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami

Give the Browns credit for dealing well in free agency with the fact that their offensive line was leaving the building at an alarming rate as the new league year turned over. Zion Johnson, Elgton Jenkins, and Tytus Howard are all valuable additions, but the team could still add some beef and attitude to the front five in the person of Miami’s Francis Mauigoa. While I have some concerns about his pass protection — there are times when he’s a bit too concerned with kicking your ass to stay in phase — the overall skill set and playing personality is a combination that can help to take a line to the proverbial next level. Right tackle, guard… wherever. You can figure that out as you go.

7. Washington Commanders: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Last season, Washington’s touchdown rate allowed of 6.1% was the NFL’s fourth-worst, and their interception rate of 1.5% tied with the Las Vegas Raiders for the league’s fifth-lowest. Add to that an opponent passer rating of 104.0 (the NFL’s fifth-worst), and you begin to understand the desperate need for an outside cornerback who can set the table for the rest of the defense.

In other words, it’s time for Mansoor Delane.

Last season, Delane allowed 14 catches on 35 targets for 165 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 31.3. And his passer rating allowed in man coverage of 0.0 is summarily ridiculous. Delane is the best cornerback in this class, he’s right up there as the best overall defender, and this should be as much of a no-brainer as any pick this year.

8. New Orleans Saints: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Is Carnell Tate a true No. 1 receiver? It depends on how you view that particular idea. If you want him to be a big ball-winner like Ja’Marr Chase, you may be left wanting, but how many Ja’Marr Chases are there at any point in time? These days, NFL teams are adjusting to that reality with more motion, smarter receiver distribution, and condensed formations that give more outside space to every passing game. In that context, Tate absolutely has the skills to ascend to the top of any depth chart, and the Saints — who don’t have a ton of target talent outside of Chris Olave right now — might be very happy to prove the theory.

9. Kansas City Chiefs: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

If you go back to Jermod McCoy’s 2024 season, this was unquestionably a top 10 talent. That’s when he allowed 31 catches on 62 targets for 386 yards, two touchdowns, four interceptions, six pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 53.6. A similar 2025 season would have undoubtedly made him a top 10 pick, but a torn ACL scuttled that entire 2025 campaign.

That’s why Tennessee’s March 31 pro day was so important, because McCoy was able to show how he’s recovered. The Chiefs, who lost Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to the Los Angeles Rams via trade and free agency respectively, must have found this entirely interesting.

10. Cincinnati Bengals: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

Okay, let’s get the short arms thing out of the way. Yes, Bain is a massive outlier with his 30’⅞” arms (first percentile for edge defenders since 1999), but when you turn on the tape and watch Bain beat the living daylights out of some of the NCAA’s best tackles, that stuff tends to matter less. Bain’s game is less about speed and agility, and more about pure destructive force — my comp for him all along has been Joe Frazier, who used to move inside his opponent’s reach, and just bust up the poor guy’s insides. Bain had 12 sacks and 83 total pressures last season, and power generally translates from the NCAA to the NFL.

The Bengals, who still have a need at EDGE even after the Boye Mafe signing, should not overthink this for one single second.

11. Miami Dolphins: Caleb Downs, DB, Ohio State

I’m not sure if Downs lasts this long unless the NFL is still unsure about whether he’s supremely versatile, or would prefer him to define one position. What we do know is that Downs is capable of doing so many things, and that sort of do-it-all safety is of prime importance in today’s NFL. Maybe I just felt sorry for the Dolphins, who are going through a hellish salary cap correction this season, and are as talent-barren as can be as a result. Downs in Sean Duggan’s defense would solve a lot of important problems.

12. Arizona Cardinals (from Dallas Cowboys): Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

After the big trade with the Cowboys, the Cardinals begin their own transformation by filling their need at right tackle with Spencer Fano. One of the cleanest prospects at any position in the 2026 draft, Fano has experience at both tackle spots, and hasn’t given up a sack since Week 1… of the 2024 season. This isn’t a “sexy” pick, but Fano is the kind of player for whom you can just check the box at his position, and move onto everything else you need to wonder and worry about. For the Cardinals, that’s still an estimable list.

13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons): Makai Lemon, WR, USC

You’ve seen a lot of movement with Fano to the Rams in mock drafts, and that would be a great fit following Rob Havenstein’s retirement, plus the fact that the Rams are Super Bowl-ready just about everywhere else — especially following the aforementioned poaching of the Chiefs’ cornerback room. Instead, let’s give Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford yet another weapon in the passing game, just to piss off every defense that has to deal with it all.

As we discussed with Carnell Tate, you have to re-think the idea of a WR1 in today’s NFL, and nobody knows that better than McVay. He’s the one who turned Copper Kupp and Puka Nacua into target-grabbing demons without those old-school traits, and when you add Lemon’s explosive traits to what the Rams already are, that’s going to be tough (if not damned near impossible) to stop.

14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State

The Ravens lost Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, and there isn’t a center of that caliber in the draft. So, maybe it’s time to bring in a force multiplier at another interior offensive line position. As much as I like a lot of the tackles in this class, I could easily be convinced that Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane is the best overall offensive lineman in the 2026 class. New offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will likely bring his own spins on the team’s multi-faceted run game while building on what Lamar Jackson can do, and based on Ioane’s tape, there isn’t a thing Doyle could throw at him that he couldn’t hit right back.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Todd Bowles has been complaining about the Buccaneers’ pass rush seemingly since he became the team’s head coach in 2022, and based on recent results, the man has a point. But we’re not helping Coach in the first round with that, because this EDGE class is so deep. Instead, let’s give Baker Mayfield the absolute best player at his position in this class in Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Losing Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency leaves Mayfield one reliable target short, and while Cade Otton is a good player, he’s not a TE1 on Sadiq’s level.

Fear not, Bucs fans — we are addressing Bowles’ bete noire in the second round.

16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts): Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Aaron Glenn got a lot of visibility when he recently referred to Geno Smith as “The guy who’s going to take us to the promised land.” Based on Smith’s 2025 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, Jets fans could be forgiven for wondering if the promised land to which Glenn referred is somewhere between Jimmy Hoffa’s burial site, and where Paulie Walnuts and Christopher Moltisanti got lost in the Pine Barrens.

Regardless, Smith will have a much better shot at turning his career around with a better cadre of receivers. If he can stay healthy, Jordyn Tyson would be a wonderful bookend for Garrett Wilson because he’s big (6’2”, 203 pounds), fast, route-diverse receiver who can put defenders in hell with his understanding of the little things. Were it not for the knee, hamstring, and collarbone maladies, Tyson would be the No. 1 receiver on most boards, and here, the Jets bet on the upside.

17. Detroit Lions: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

The Lions have a need at left tackle following Taylor Decker’s retirement (which did not go well at all) and now, Dan Campbell is making noise about moving Penei Sewell to the left side. That’s one way to go. Another way to go is to keep Sewell where he’s the best player in the NFL at his position, and get the guy who can be Decker’s replacement in the draft. Which is what we have done here with Monroe Freeling. The Georgia alum is still refining his version of the nuances of the left tackle position, but his measurables are off the charts, and the good tape (which outdoes the bad tape) is REALLY good. This could be a huge boost for the Lions’ offense sooner than later.

18. Minnesota Vikings: Dillon Thieneman, DB, Oregon

While I try to go against the grain in mock drafts when possible, there are projected picks that make too much sense to buck. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman has been the consensus pick for the Vikings and defensive coordinator Brian Flores as the team prepares for life without Harrison Smith, and there are a lot of compelling reasons why. Like Caleb Downs and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (you’ll see his name soon), Thieneman has functional multi-position versatility, but he really excels in the kind of box to deep-third coverage that requires rare range and acumen. In that regard, he’d ease the pain of the post-Smith era.

19. Carolina Panthers: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

The Panthers hit the mark in the 2025 draft with Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan, and now, it’s time to give Bryce Young a true bookend to further improve Carolina’s passing game. It would be tough to imagine a better compliment for McMillan’s size and athleticism than the savvy Omar Cooper Jr., who is one of those receivers who just does everything he’s asked to do at a very high level. Some may see the 6’0”, 199-pound Cooper as a primary slot receiver at the NFL level, but I’m not ready to banish him there full-time — he lined up outside 18% of the time in the Hoosiers’ national championship season, and since the Panthers ran condensed formation on 36% of their offensive snaps in 2025, Cooper could win quite often as an outside guy on an inside track. Regardless, Cooper would round out this receiver group quite nicely.

20. Arizona Cardinals (from Dallas Cowboys): CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

The Cardinals must make several improvements on defense before they’re able to compete in the Night of the Long Knives that the NFC West has become, and linebacker is one of the most glaring trouble spots. Which is why we’re giving them Georgia’s CJ Allen without hesitation. The 6’1”, 230-pound Allen was a team captain for the Bulldogs and was responsible for getting everyone on the same page on the field, and in 2025, he totaled four sacks, 13 pressures, solo tackles, 39 stops, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and he had a couple of pass deflections in coverage, as well. When you’re redefining a defense as the Cardinals are, it helps to have as many guys as possible who know their own assignments at the highest level, and then can transfer those smarts to other positions, as well. That’s what Allen would bring to the Valley of the Sun.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

How reliant were the Steelers on D.K. Metcalf in 2025? We found out when Metcalf served his two-game suspension at the end of the regular season.

Yikes. Adding Michael Pittman Jr. in free agency was a good move, but Pittman doesn’t really replace Metcalf as a big-bodied ball-winner as Aaron Rodgers (or whomsoever plays quarterback in 2026) would prefer. Adding to the room with Washington’s Denzel Boston would make a ton of sense. Boston’s playing personality matches what you’d like to see from a 6’4”, 212-pound target in that he can make contested catches all over the field, and he also has the straight-line speed to break away from defenders. And given Mike McCarthy’s preference for 11 personnel, it would behoove the Steelers to give their new head coach a third alpha receiver regardless.

22. Los Angeles Chargers: Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon

Fortunately, the Chargers should have healthy versions of offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt to begin the 2026 season, which is great news for Justin “I’m tired of running for my life” Herbert. Guard is a less defined position — it’s possible that Trevor Penning could be the starting left guard as things pan out right now, and that’s not an ideal option. Instead, let’s give Herbert another nonpareil blocker on the inside in Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon, who allowed one sack and five total pressures for the Ducks last season, and no sacks at all for USC in the two seasons before. Pregnon is also a mauler in the run game, and he would help to amplify new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s concepts in every way.

23. Philadelphia Eagles: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami

Losing Jaelan Phillips to the Carolina Panthers on a four-year, $120 million contract that Howie Roseman couldn’t match leaves the Eagles in a bit of a hole from an outside pass-rush perspective. So, Philly might not mind that Miami’s Akheem Mesidor will turn 25 on April 5, because age ain’t nothing but a number when you have Mesidor’s moves. Last season, Mesidor totaled 13 sacks and 67 total pressures, and he’s already got a nice palette of NFL-ready pass-rush moves. Vic Fangio needs an edge destroyer who can help from Day 1, and Mesidor has the look of such a player.

24. New York Jets (from Cleveland Browns): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

I’m not sure that Ty Simpson is a first-round quarterback prospect (my concerns can be seen in the video below), but the Jets think differently with this move. Here, they trade for Cleveland’s N0. 24 pick, and give up the lowest of their three 2027 first-round picks, as well. The Browns also get New York’s 33rd overall pick, which they’ll use to augment their own quarterback situation (Spoiler alert!). With Geno Smith as the placeholder, perhaps Simpson can get the year of development he needs before unleashing himself upon the NFL to whatever degree he’s able.

25. Chicago Bears: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, DB, Toledo

The Bears said goodbye to cornerback Nahshon Wright and safety Kevin Byard in free agency, and there are two new safeties in Coby Bryant and Cam Lewis. Let’s add to that with a real gift for defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is one of the new wave of do-it-all safeties, and he may have the most functional range of any such player in this class. From the box to the deep third, McNeil-Warren adds all kinds of juice.

26. Buffalo Bills: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

The Bills know that they need more on the edge, because they signed Bradley Chubb to a three-year, $43.5 million contract with $21.75 million guaranteed. If Chubb can stay healthy and productive, all good. If not… well, no bueno. Let’s say that it all works out, and Chubb is able to team with Gregory Rousseau to form a formidable edge duo. I’d still like to add more to that rotation, and I’ll do it with Keldric Faulk, who had two sacks and 30 total pressures last season, but looked better than the numbers indicate, and can disrupt from multiple gaps. He could be the glue guy who ties the line together.

27. San Francisco 49ers: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

Things are not completely rosy with the Trent Williams situation. The future Hall of Famer wants a new contract at the same time that the four sacks and 40 total pressures he allowed in 2025 were among the highest single-season totals of his great career. I’m not saying that Williams is cooked as he comes into his age 38 season, but it is time to look to the future. Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor is an absolute mountain of a man who has taken great strides in his movement skills and technique over the last two seasons. Short-term, he could learn from the best, or help out should there be any kind of holdout. Long-term, Proctor may be the 49ers’ next left tackle solution.

28. Houston Texans: Kayden McDonald, DI, Ohio State

What do you give to one of the NFL’s best defenses, and the NFL defense that can get things done without specific schematic constraints better than any other? How about a 6’2”, 326-pound demolition expert in the run game who has a lot more potential as a pass-rusher than people generally see? Kayden McDonald was tasked with two-gapping and doing the dirty work for others quite often in Matt Patricia’s defense, but I’m of the opinion that if you open up his attack profile, you could be rewarded with a lot of surprise disruptions. This guy added to Houston’s defense could make that unit absolutely illegal.

29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams): Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

The merciful decision to cut ties with Jawaan Taylor and his blown blocks and penalty festivals was a must for the Chiefs, but it does leave question marks at right tackle. Okay, maybe the question marks were there even more when Taylor was there. In any event, since Andy Reid has never been averse to taking fliers on developmental offensive linemen as long as they have the tools, let’s give Coach a very nice ball of clay in Max Iheanachor. The 6’6”, 321-pound Iheanachor hasn’t played a ton of football in his life, but he’s putting things together well, and the athletic potential is absolutely there.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel clearly agrees, so this would be a good time to snap Iheanachor up.

30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos) KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

With Jaylen Waddle off to Denver, and the Dolphins’ mandatory cap-motivated tank in 2026 leaving few premiere targets for new quarterback Malik Willis… well, let’s correct that with one of the most interestingly explosive receivers in this class. The perception of KC Concepcion as a motion-led gadget receiver is ill-informed in my opinion — he’s got a better route palette than some may think, and he’s just as good at the catch point on intermediate and deep throws as he is working a tunnel screen for 20 yards. He would become Willis’ new best buddy right away.

31. New England Patriots: Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee

Mike Vrabel has seen his Max Iheanachor dream dashed, so let’s give the AFC champs a wonderful consolation prize in Tennessee receiver Chris Brazzell II. Now, if you’re concerned about Brazell making huge and impractical gains in a Vols offense that is as spread-horizontal as any in the NCAA… well, Tennessee adjusted that to a point in 2025, and there are plenty of examples of Brazzell winning deep in more condensed formations. Last season, Drake Maye was one of the NFL’s best deep passers, and he did not have a target with Brazzell’s downfield acceleration, so this would appear to be a great fit for everybody.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

Go Vols! The Seahawks let Riq Woolen fly to Philadelphia in part because head coach and defensive shot-caller Mike Macdonald would rather have consistency in his cornerbacks, and he’ll jettison athletic marvels if the variance is too wavy. That does leave Seattle with a need at outside cornerback, and I’m of the opinion that Tennessee’s Colton Hood would be a marvelous addition. Last season with Jermod McCoy out, Hood allowed 28 catches on 52 targets for 318 yards, one touchdown, one interception, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 70.8. Hood is also a physical tackler with juice as a blitzer, and he has the coverage consistency Macdonald requires.

What say you, dear readers? Do these picks and trades make sense, or has Doug lost his marbles three weeks before the actual draft begins? Make your opinions known in the comments below!