2026 NFL mock draft after Week 1 of college football season: LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier is QB1, Cowboys get EDGE

First things first: we're through Week 1 of the college football season and you might notice the absence of Arch Manning's name from this mock draft. Obviously, he's fallen out of the first round after what transpired in Columbus last weekend, when Manning and the Texas offense was overwhelmed by an Ohio State defense that is chock full of future NFL stars.

None of this is true, of course.

Well, the part about the Buckeyes defense taking it to the Longhorns offense is wholly and completely correct -- and promoted me to tweet this Saturday after the game:

The part about Arch playing his way out of the first round couldn't be sillier. Almost as silly as the over-the-top preseason expectations put on that young man. It's why, even before last weekend, I was happy to give him a break and not include him in upcoming mock drafts, at least for now. In part because I don't expect him to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft unless, say, Texas wins the national title and/or Arch wins the Heisman Trophy. In part because the top of the draft is a lot more interesting if we assume Arch will stay in Austin for another year.

With that in mind, let me point you to something I wrote about Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik.

They faced off in the preseason opener, and who will likely both be first-round picks. Unlike Arch, however, neither is 6-foot-4. In fact, they're both under 6-foot-2 but NFL teams appear to be coming around to the idea that being able to competently run an offense -- no matter your size -- is more important than checking the boxes when it comes to measurables.

OK, let's get to it. 

The 2026 NFL Draft order was determined using the reverse Super Bowl odds from FanDuel Sportsbook as of this writing.

2026 NFL Draft preseason big board: Arch Manning included in ranking of top 50 prospects, but he's not No. 1

Mike Renner

NFL Mock Draft

Round 1

Round 1 - Pick 1 Garrett Nussmeier QB LSU • Sr • 6'1" / 205 lbs Projected Team New Orleans PROSPECT RNK 9th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 230 RUYDS 2 INTS 0 TDS 1 It's not hard to see that Nussmeier is a coach's son -- he plays like a grizzled NFL veteran and when he's on it's pretty easy to see LSU Joe Burrow. The issues arise when Nuss Bus tries to do too much -- and that was something of a theme as the '24 season progressed and LSU Joe Burrow turned into New England Mac Jones. If Nussmeier can limit the poor decisions and untimely turnovers, he'll have a great chance to be the No. 1 overall pick.

Round 1 - Pick 2 Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama • Jr • 6'7" / 366 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 5th POSITION RNK 2nd PAYDS 4052 RUYDS -38 INTS 12 TDS 32 At 6-foot-7, 369 pounds, Proctor has an enormous frame and wingspan, but he's also a good athlete who plays with power and surprising agility both as a run blocker and in pass protection.

Round 1 - Pick 3 Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana • Jr • 6'5" / 225 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Jets PROSPECT RNK 13th POSITION RNK 3rd PAYDS 193 RUYDS 33 INTS 0 TDS 1 Mendoza is a pocket passer but not a statue; he buys time with subtle pocket movements, excels off-platform and when needed, can stride out in the open field. Will get through reads while hanging in a pocket closing in around him. Consistently played with pressure in his face, consistently stood tall in the pocket and delivered strikes to all three levels on time and accurately. Ball comes out on time and with touch/accuracy to all three levels. He has a good feel for pocket pressure, can climb with eyes downfield and deliver accurately off-platform. It's hard to envision him not having success at Indiana after the numbers he put up at Cal.

Round 1 - Pick 4 Spencer Fano OT Utah • Jr • 6'6" / 308 lbs Projected Team N.Y. Giants PROSPECT RNK 2nd POSITION RNK 1st Technician in both pass protection and against the run. Played in primarily zone scheme and fit it perfectly because of his mix of athleticism and power. Technically sound run blocker who wins with power/balance and with former first-rounder Evan Neal and starting RT Jermaine Eluemunor heading into the final year of their deals, Fano makes a lot of sense here.

Round 1 - Pick 5 Peter Woods DL Clemson • Jr • 6'3" / 310 lbs Projected Team Tennessee PROSPECT RNK 1st POSITION RNK 1st REC 75 REYDS 1101 YDS/REC 14.7 TDS 10 There are perhaps bigger needs at WR or RB but even with Jeffrey Simmons and T'Vondre Sweat atop the depth chart, you can't pass up on Peter Woods-type talent here. The Clemson standout plays with leverage, power and a low center of gravity. He flashes strong hands and can toss offensive linemen off-balance and shed blocks quickly to fill gaps and get to the ball carrier.

Round 1 - Pick 6 Keldric Faulk DT Auburn • Jr • 6'6" / 285 lbs Projected Team Carolina PROSPECT RNK 15th POSITION RNK 1st First, Faulk turns 20 in September. Second, he's unofficially 6-foot-6 and 288 pounds, and he is already near-elite as a run defender. The power and athleticism with which he plays makes it an easy projection to see him as a dominant pass rusher down the road. Maybe it doesn't happen this season, and maybe it doesn't happen until, say, Year 2 in the league, but when it all comes together, it's going to be scary.

Round 1 - Pick 7 Caleb Downs S Ohio State • Jr • 6'0" / 205 lbs Projected Team Las Vegas PROSPECT RNK 4th POSITION RNK 1st Downs could be a Troy Polamalu-level talent in the NFL. He's only 5-foot-11, and he may not end up running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash, but I don't care. Not even a little bit. Both Kyle Hamilton and Brian Branch slipped on draft day because of mediocre 40 times. They're two of the best young defensive backs in football. Downs is a run-game enforcer and has the sideline-to-sideline juice, coupled with the short-area burst, to excel in pass coverage.

Round 1 - Pick 8 Avieon Terrell CB Clemson • Jr • 5'11" / 180 lbs Projected Team Miami PROSPECT RNK 14th POSITION RNK 2nd The Dolphins currently have 10(!) CBs on the roster whose contracts will expire after either the 2025 or 2026 seasons. Terrell has NFL bloodlines -- his brother is former first-round pick A.J. Terrell. Avieon plays bigger than his listed size (see his matchup in 2024 against former Stanford WR Elic Ayomanor). He can stay in phase on vertical routes and has good ball skills and he will try to bait QB into making throws. In run support, he plays outside CB like he's a strong safety.

Round 1 - Pick 9 Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee • Jr • 6'0" / 193 lbs Projected Team New England PROSPECT RNK 8th POSITION RNK 1st Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis are the starting CBs but there's not much depth behind them and both NB Marcus Jones and backup DJ James could be free agents after the season. McCoy is a physical corner who can play man on an island and is also comfortable in zone looks. He's in phase on vertical routes, and in run support he comes downhill looking to thump someone. He's coming off a January ACL injury but he could end up being the best CB in this class.

Round 1 - Pick 10 Drew Allar QB Penn State • Sr • 6'5" / 235 lbs Projected Team Indianapolis PROSPECT RNK 22nd POSITION RNK 4th PAYDS 217 RUYDS 20 INTS 0 TDS 1 Allar might have been a first-round pick had he declared for the 2024 draft. He looks the part physically, he just needs to continue to make strides. We all saw glimpses of his first-round talent at various points last season, and if he can put it all together in '25, he'll be a first-round lock.

From Atlanta Falcons Round 1 - Pick 11 Francis Mauigoa OT Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'6" / 315 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 11th POSITION RNK 4th Road grader/earth-mover in the run game with enormous size and insane athleticism for that size. He plays with an edge and is better vs. the run than in pass protection right now but well above average in both departments. He could play right tackle or kick inside to guard.

From Jacksonville Jaguars Round 1 - Pick 12 Cade Klubnik QB Clemson • Sr • 6'2" / 210 lbs Projected Team Cleveland PROSPECT RNK 39th POSITION RNK 6th PAYDS 230 RUYDS 1 INTS 1 TDS 0 Klubnik and Clemson had a tough 2025 debut vs. LSU, but he showed constant improvement in '24; he got off to a slow start vs. Georgia in the opener and looked a lot like a first-round pick in the playoff loss to Texas. He's incredibly tough (and that was on full display against LSU), is a top-end athlete who can win with his legs, and he can play on time and with good touch on second-level layered throws. There is some symbolism in Klubnik going 12th here, just like Bo Nix two years ago. I had a second-round grade on Nix, and currently have Klubnik as a second-rounder, but in the right system he can flourish.

Round 1 - Pick 13 Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State • Jr • 6'2" / 200 lbs Projected Team Pittsburgh PROSPECT RNK 12th POSITION RNK 1st REC 12 REYDS 141 YDS/REC 11.8 TDS 2 The Steelers will be looking for a QB but after reaching for Kenny Pickett (and passing on Shedeur Sanders last April) they may look to address other needs. Tyson is a big-bodied receiver who can effortlessly snatch the ball out of the air and then immediately becomes a legit YAC machine. He has an enormous catch radius, routinely making tough catches. He can have the occasional focus drop, and I would like to see him stack defensive backs more consistently on vertical routes. That said, he has the contested-catch and high-point skills that will immediately translate to the next level.

Round 1 - Pick 14 T.J. Parker EDGE Clemson • Jr • 6'3" / 260 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK 16th POSITION RNK 2nd It's all coming together! Parker, one of the top edge rushers in this class, falls to the Cowboys in the middle of the round. Will he replace Micah Parsons? Nope! Not even close. Will he give you 60% of what Parsons gave the Cowboys in his first season? Again, not likely. And in that sense, this is wholly unfair to one of the best players in college football. But Jerry has a plan and we'll just have to wait to see how it plays out. Meanwhile, Parker can win with both speed and power, is stout at the point vs. offensive tackles and is a high-motor, high-end athlete who is just now in Year 3.

Round 1 - Pick 15 Rueben Bain Jr. EDGE Miami (Fla.) • Jr • 6'3" / 275 lbs Projected Team Seattle PROSPECT RNK POSITION RNK Bowling ball who can line up anywhere from 3T to 9T -- think Ed Oliver meets Jared Verse. One of the best edge rushers when it comes to inside counters. Plays with a low center of gravity, which makes up for lack of elite bend. Bain is good vs. both run and pass and is only going into his true junior season in '25.

Round 1 - Pick 16 Antonio Williams WR Clemson • Jr • 5'11" / 190 lbs Projected Team Arizona PROSPECT RNK 26th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 0 REYDS 0 YDS/REC 0 TDS 0 Williams, who suffered a first-quarter hamstring injury vs. LSU in the '25 season opener, was targeted 103 times in '24. And while he had eight drops, he consistently wins off the line of scrimmage vs. physical corners, can get hope at all three levels, and has legit separation ability. He can play outside, in the slot and has punt-return ability.

Round 1 - Pick 17 Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame • Jr • 6'0" / 214 lbs Projected Team Chicago PROSPECT RNK 10th POSITION RNK 1st RUYDS 33 YDS/ATT 3.3 REYDS 26 TDS 0 Love has legit track speed and high-end acceleration. He can stop on a dime and redirect with rare change of direction, while playing with good contact balance and the footwork to jump-cut to avoid defenders before hitting the crease. He wasn't asked to do a lot in the pass game last season but Love flashes ability there too.

Round 1 - Pick 18 Denzel Boston WR Washington • Jr • 6'4" / 210 lbs Projected Team Tampa Bay PROSPECT RNK 27th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 5 REYDS 92 YDS/REC 18.4 TDS 1 Boston has a huge catch radius, soft hands and surprising YAC wiggle. He's a smooth route runner who flashes urgency out of his breaks, is an asset in the screen game because he has the ability to win in small areas and can run through arm tackles anywhere on the field.

Round 1 - Pick 19 Connor Lew IOL Auburn • Jr • 6'3" / 303 lbs Projected Team Minnesota PROSPECT RNK 17th POSITION RNK 1st Lew just turned 20 years old in September and he already looks like a 10-year NFL veteran. He's a run-game technician who can also win with athleticism and power -- a rare player who reminds me of Zach Frazier coming out of West Virginia a few years ago.

Round 1 - Pick 20 Mansoor Delane CB LSU • Sr • 6'0" / 190 lbs Projected Team L.A. Chargers PROSPECT RNK POSITION RNK Delane was No. 34 on my preseason Big Board and the Virginia Tech transfer came out white hot vs. Clemson in the season opener. He's verified 5-foot-11 but plays much longer than that -- and he has ball skills. I do question his straight line speed but appreciate that he will throw his body around in run support.

Round 1 - Pick 21 CJ Allen LB Georgia • Jr • 6'1" / 235 lbs Projected Team Houston PROSPECT RNK 35th POSITION RNK 3rd Allen is a high-motor, high-end athlete who excels as a three-down player, whether it's vs. the run, the pass, or as a pass rusher.

Round 1 - Pick 22 Kenyon Sadiq TE Oregon • Jr • 6'3" / 245 lbs Projected Team Denver PROSPECT RNK 21st POSITION RNK 1st REC 1 REYDS 20 YDS/REC 20 TDS 1 A special teams standout, Sadiq is a versatile athlete who was used at QB on four extra points in '24, and twice threw TDs on rollout plays (and he's also run fake punts from the upback position). As a TE, he oozes athleticism, will run through arm tackles and is used all over the formation. He can be a quick-game target as outside WR and is used effectively on jet sweeps. He reminds me of Kadarius Toney in the quick game and Anquan Boldin in space with the ball in his hands.

Round 1 - Pick 23 LT Overton EDGE Alabama • Sr • 6'5" / 278 lbs Projected Team Cincinnati PROSPECT RNK 18th POSITION RNK 3rd Overton has a thick frame and plays with violent hands; he's able to disengage quickly from blocks, can rag doll interior OL to the ground on his way to the ball carrier. He can win with a powerful bull rush but doesn't have an array of pass-rush moves beyond that. He is surprisingly bendy for his size but doesn't consistently win with speed. He's better vs. the run than as a pass rusher right now but there is a lot to like.

Round 1 - Pick 24 Caleb Lomu OT Utah • Soph • 6'6" / 308 lbs Projected Team Washington PROSPECT RNK 7th POSITION RNK 3rd REC 52 REYDS 764 YDS/REC 14.7 TDS 3 Only his second year as the starting LT at Utah, but there was a reason the Utes felt comfortable enough moving Spencer Fano to the right side. Lomu has a long frame and plays with surprisingly good footwork. Not to oversell it, but if I squint, I see shades of Joe Alt because of the length and athleticism.

Round 1 - Pick 25 Anthony Hill Jr. LB Texas • Jr • 6'3" / 238 lbs Projected Team L.A. Rams PROSPECT RNK 20th POSITION RNK 1st REC 52 REYDS 733 YDS/REC 14.1 TDS 4 Hill can line up anywhere from off the ball to a 9-tech edge rusher to the slot. He's incredibly disruptive from all over the field, and his athleticism and burst makes him a nightmare for offensive linemen when he's coming downhill.

Round 1 - Pick 26 Xavier Chaplin OT Auburn • Jr • 6'7" / 348 lbs Projected Team San Francisco PROSPECT RNK 19th POSITION RNK 5th REC 61 REYDS 884 YDS/REC 14.5 TDS 6 In pass protection, Chaplin flashes power and athleticism, anchors well, though he'll need to tidy up his footwork at the next level. He's a powerful run-blocker who excels at combo blocks, and locking up second-level defenders.

From Green Bay Packers Round 1 - Pick 27 CJ Baxter RB Texas • Soph • 6'1" / 227 lbs Projected Team Dallas PROSPECT RNK POSITION RNK RUYDS 40 YDS/ATT 4 REYDS 25 TDS 0 Baxter missed the 2024 season because of injury but he could be the most explosive back to come out of Texas since Bijan Robinson. He's a thick, upright runner who can put his foot in the ground in a one-cut-and-go zone scheme. He'll run with patience, letting the play develop before hitting the hole with urgency. Baxter is a bulldozer vs. second- and third-level defenders.

Round 1 - Pick 28 Caleb Banks DT Florida • Sr • 6'5" / 330 lbs Projected Team Detroit PROSPECT RNK 25th POSITION RNK 2nd Banks is surprisingly explosive for his size, playing with power, juice and a nonstop motor.

Round 1 - Pick 29 Matayo Uiagalelei EDGE Oregon • Jr • 6'5" / 272 lbs Projected Team Kansas City PROSPECT RNK 23rd POSITION RNK 4th REC 24 REYDS 308 YDS/REC 12.8 TDS 2 Uiagalelei was No. 35 on my preseason Big Board but he fits the physical profile for what the Chiefs look for in their edge rushers. And if his performance against Montana State in the season opener is any indication of things to come, Uiagalelei will be long gone by this point in the first round.

Round 1 - Pick 30 Christen Miller DL Georgia • Jr • 6'4" / 310 lbs Projected Team Philadelphia PROSPECT RNK 34th POSITION RNK 2nd REC 56 REYDS 754 YDS/REC 13.5 TDS 4 Miller can line up anywhere along the defensive line, he plays with active hands and low pad level, and is disruptive vs. both run and pass.

Round 1 - Pick 31 Trevor Goosby OT Texas • Soph • 6'7" / 312 lbs Projected Team Buffalo PROSPECT RNK POSITION RNK Goosby has a huge frame and long arms on tape. He's a good athlete with impressive lateral movement skills who plays from a good base. He's a work in progress, for sure, but there's no denying the athleticism and flashes of big-time potential. Also loves that he plays with an edge.

Round 1 - Pick 32 Tyreak Sapp EDGE Florida • Sr • 6'2" / 274 lbs Projected Team Baltimore PROSPECT RNK 40th POSITION RNK 6th Sapp is an plus-run defender because of power, leverage and the low base he plays with. He has heavy hands that allow him to disengage from blocks quickly and be disruptive. As a pass rusher, he can overwhelm offensive linemen with sheer power and consistently collapse the pocket.