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A Re-do of the opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Which teams made the best and works pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Read the top picks including Fernando Mendoza, Caleb Downs, more.
With the 2026 NFL Draft now behind us, let's take a look back and identify where teams made the right and wrong calls. In this exercise, we will look to redo the entire opening round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
However, we will give each team its "original" selection back, but will take note of any pre-draft trades.
Let's dive in!
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Pick 1: Las Vegas Raiders
Original Pick - Fernando Mendoza, QB
New Pick - Fernando Mendoza, QB
Without a doubt, the Las Vegas Raiders will kick off our "redo" by making the same selection, selecting the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza out of Indiana. Mendoza turned in a dominant 2025 campaign, tossing 41 passing scores, which led the Big Ten. He finished his time in college by claiming the National Championship and will become the face of the Raiders for decades to come.
Pick 2: New York Jets
Original Pick - David Bailey, DT
New Pick - David Bailey, DT
While the Jets could have selected many defenders in this spot, including Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, in this version, we will have them follow suit with the actual draft and take David Bailey out of Texas Tech. Bailey will bring a much-needed force in the interior of their defense, which allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game. Bailey was named a unanimous All-American in 2025 and logged a Big 12 high of 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss.
Pick 3: Arizona Cardinals
Original Pick - Jeremiyah Love, RB
New Pick - Sonny Styles, LB
The first shake-up of the opening round will occur at the No. 3 spot. While the Cardinals selected superstar prospect Jeremiyah Love with the pick, it was not a "bad" choice; this was not a major position of need, as they already signed Tyler Allgeier in free agency and have James Connor and Trey Benson on the roster.
Instead, they will find a cornerstone of their defense in Sonny Styles. With the Buckeyes, Styles tallied at least 6.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons with 91.0 combined tackles per season.
Pick 4: Tennessee Titans
Original Pick - Carnell Tate, WR
New Pick - Jeremiyah Love, RB
With Love falling to the No. 4 spot, the Titans will have an easy choice. Even though Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are reliable NFL-caliber running backs, Love will bring a massive boost to this run game, which totaled the third-worst rushing yards per game. Love posted back-to-back 1,100-yard campaigns for the Irish and scored at least 17 rushing touchdowns in each of his last two campaigns.
Pick 5: New York Giants
Original Pick - Arvell Reese, LB
New Pick - Arvell Reese, LB
The Giants will stick with their original selection at the No. 5 slot, taking Arvell Reese out of Ohio State. While the defensive line is not a major need for this quad, Reese is clearly the best player on the board. Reese was a part of the 2024 National Championship squad and turned in a career campaign in 2025. Last fall, Reese was named consensus All-American and totaled a season-high 6.5 sacks with 10.0 tackles for loss.
Pick 6: Cleveland Browns
Original Pick - Mansoor Delane, DB (selected by Chiefs)
New Pick - Carnell Tate, WR
While the Chiefs opted to move up to this pick, the Browns will instead hold this spot and select their new WR1 in Carnell Tate. Tate spent the start of his college career playing behind some of the top WR prospects, including Emeka Egbuka, but took on a larger role in his final season. In 2025, Tate would find the back of the end zone nine times and tally a season-high 875 yards. Tate will immediately take on a massive target share in this weak WR room.
Touchdown, Tater! 🙌
Carnell Tate's highlight grab to help send No. 3 @OhioStateFB past No. 1 Texas is our Week 1 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠.
📍 @OldTrapper pic.twitter.com/jN38ijsZWl
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 1, 2025
Pick 7: Washington Commanders
Original Pick - Sonny Styles, LB
New Pick - Jordyn Tyson, WR
The Commanders will continue the WR run by selecting Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State. Given that the Commanders lack much of a WR2 outside of Terry McLaurin, Tyson will immediately fill a major need on this roster and play a key role in bringing them back to the playoffs after a rough 2025 campaign. In his final college season, Tyson dealt with injuries but flashed elite potential, scoring eight touchdowns in nine games with 711 receiving yards.
Pick 8: New Orleans Saints
Original Pick - Jordyn Tyson, WR
New Pick - Caleb Downs, S
With Tyson and Tate both off the board, the Saints could select Makai Lemon to fill their WR2 role, but will instead look to the secondary and take the top safety prospect, Caleb Downs. Downs was one of the best coverage backs in the nation last season, being named consensus All-America for the second-straight season.
In 2025, he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and even finished ninth in Heisman Voting. Downs figures to play a massive role in his debut campaign.
Pick 9: Kansas City Chiefs
Original Pick - Spencer Fano, OT (selected by Browns)
New Pick - Mansoor Delane, DB
Even though the Chiefs had to trade up to select Mansoor Delane in the real draft, the former LSU standout will fall to them at the No. 9 slot. Delane will fill a major need on this roster, especially since they shipped Trent McDuffie to Los Angeles earlier in the offseason. Delane spent his final collegiate campaign with the Tigers and was named a consensus All-American, logging a career-high 11 pass deflections.
Pick 10: New York Giants
Original Pick - Francis Mauigoa, OT
New Pick - Francis Mauigoa, OT
As with their earlier selection, the Giants will play "chalk" and once again select Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick in this redo. Mauigoa will be the first lineman off the board and will look to become a foundational piece on this young Giants roster. Mauigoa saved his best college seasons for last, earning consensus All-American honors with the Miami Hurricanes and appearing in a season-high 16 games.
Pick 11: Miami Dolphins
Original Pick - Caleb Downs, S (selected by Cowboys)
New Pick - Rueben Bain Jr., DE
The Buccaneers got one of the steals of the opening round, selecting Rueben Bain several picks later. However, in this version, Bain will not fall outside the top 11, as he will join the rebuilding Miami Dolphins. Bain played a key role on the Miami defense in 2025, logging 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss, en route to being named ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Pick 12: Dallas Cowboys
Original Pick - Kadyn Procter, OT (selected by Dolphins)
New Pick - Spencer Fano, OT
The Cowboys will turn to their offensive line with the No. 12 pick, a selection they initially traded to the Dolphins. Fano is coming off a consensus All-American campaign and will immediately slide into a starting role on the Dallas line. Fano spent all three seasons with Utah and will bring some added depth to the Dallas line.
Pick 13: Los Angeles Rams
Original Pick - Ty Simpson, QB
New Pick - Kenyon Sadiq, TE
The Rams made a head-scratching decision with the No. 13 pick in the actual draft, selecting their long-term solution at quarterback, Ty Simpson. However, with Matthew Stafford earning another extension, Simpson's role on a team that is eyeing a Super Bowl in 2026 is not expected to be overly important.
Instead, the Rams will pivot to elite playmaker Kenyon Sadiq to improve their chances of "winning now." In his final season with Oregon, he scored eight touchdowns over 14 games.
— Performances (@NotPerformances) February 16, 2026
Pick 14: Baltimore Ravens
Original Pick - Olaivavega Ioane, OG
New Pick - Makai Lemon, WR
While Ioane was a fine selection at this point of the draft, the Ravens will go slightly off the board and select Makai Lemon out of USC to find another player for Lamar Jackson. Outside of Zay Flowers, the Baltimore WR room leaves much to be desired, and Lemon should immediately take on a prominent role. Lemon is coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign, where he was named a consensus All-American.
Pick 15: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Original Pick - Rueben Bain Jr., DE
New Pick - Olaivavega Ioane, OG
With Bain already off the board, the Buccaneers will instead pivot to the offensive side of the ball and take the top lineman available in Olaivavega Ioane. Ioane is a four-year college veteran and enters the professional level well prepared to immediately take on a starting role. Ioane will look to bolster an offensive line that fell under the average marks in rushing yards per game.
Pick 16: New York Jets
Original Pick - Kenon Sadiq, TE
New Pick - Ty Simpson, QB
With the Rams opting to take Sadiq, this will leave the Jets the prime opportunity to select their potential long-term solution under center in Ty Simpson. Simpson only started full-time for one season at Alabama, but he has the raw upside to emerge as a starting option in the NFL. In 2025, Simpson led the SEC with 304 completions and tossed 28 passing scores with 3,567 yards. In this scenario, Simpson would have the opportunity to learn behind Geno Smith in Year 1.
Pick 17: Detroit Lions
Original Pick - Blake Miller, OT
New Pick - Kadyn Procter, OT
While the Lions targeted this position in the actual draft, they will once again do so, but instead take the better prospect who is still on the board: Kadyn Procter. Procter was a three-year veteran of the Alabama Crimson Tide and is coming off his first consensus All-American campaign. Procter will provide a much-needed boost to this offensive line.
Pick 18: Minnesota Vikings
Original Pick - Caleb Banks, DT
New Pick - Blake Miller, OT
The Minnesota offense was very inconsistent during the 2025 season, and bolstering the offensive line is a great way to help turn things around. While they opted to target the defensive side of the ball in the "real" draft, in this redo, they will look to strengthen their line in front of newly signed QB Kyler Murray. Blake Miller is a four-year college player with Clemson and should quickly slide into a starting role on this line.
Pick 19: Carolina Panthers
Original Pick - Monroe Freeling, OT
New Pick -Max Iheanachor, OT
Following suit, the Carolina Panthers will also target the same position, but instead pivot to Max Iheanacho in favor of Monroe Freeling. While both tackles have similar skill sets, Iheanachor has intriguing raw skill. While he is a bit of a raw product, having played only two full seasons at Arizona State, he has the potential to emerge as a foundational piece on this offensive line.
Pick 20: Dallas Cowboys
Original Pick - Makai Lemon, WR (selected by Eagles)
New Pick - Akheem Mesidor, DE
The Cowboys shipped this pick to their rival, the Philadelphia Eagles, on the night of the draft, but will hold the No. 20 pick and select Akheem Mesidor to bolster their defensive line. Mesidor had a lengthy college career, appearing in 65 games over stints at West Virginia and Miami. He saved his best season for last as he totaled an ACC-leading 12.5 sacks with the Hurricanes last fall and forced a career-high four fumbles.
Pick 21: Pittsburgh Steelers
Original Pick - Max Iheanachor, OT
New Pick - Caleb Lomu, OT
With Iheanachor off the board at the No. 21 spot, the Steelers will instead pivot to Caleb Lomu out of Utah at this spot. Lomu played in just three games during his debut college season but operated as a full-time option over his last two campaigns, before declaring for the draft. Per pre-draft scouting reports, Lomu has elite raw talent that will need further coaching to truly develop. However, his raw strength and plus balance should make him a long-time starter in the NFL.
Pick 22: Los Angeles Chargers
Original Pick - Akeem Mesidor, DE
New Pick - Dillon Thieneman, S
The Chargers opted to target their defense at this post but will instead select the top coverage option, given that Mesidor is off the board. Thieneman is a three-year college vet, spending his first two seasons with Purdue before joining the Oregon Ducks for the 2025 campaign. With the Ducks, Thieneman turned in a busy season, logging at least 96 tackles for the third-straight season and his second multi-interception campaign.
Pick 23: Philadelphia Eagles
Original Pick - Malachi Lawrence (selected by Cowboys)
New Pick - KC Concepcion, WR
The Eagles opted to read up to this spot to select Makai Lemon (with the Cowboys' selection), but will hold this pick and still find a top-tier wide receiver for this offense. With A.J. Brown already having one foot out the door, the Eagles need another reliable option to pair with DeVonta Smith in the passing attack. Concepcion is coming off a consensus All-American season in which he led the SEC with nine receiving touchdowns and added a season-high 919 receiving yards.
Pick 24: Cleveland Browns
Original Pick - KC Concepcion, WR
New Pick - Omar Cooper Jr., WR
With Concepcion going one pick earlier, the Browns will have to turn to their "Plan B" to find another top starting option for young quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Omar Cooper Jr. spent all four of his college campaigns with Indiana and turned in his best showing when they went to take the National Title in 2025. Last fall, Cooper Jr. brought in 937 receiving yards and picnicked in 13 touchdowns, both of which were career-highs on 69 receptions.
Pick 25: Chicago Bears
Original Pick - Dillon Thieneman, S
New Pick - T.J. Parker, DE
T.J. Parker was selected 35th overall in the "real" draft but will slightly slide up in this redo, coming in at the No. 25 spot. The Chicago Bears were one of the major overall risers in the 2025 season, smashing all expectations and now sit as legit Super Bowl contenders. Parker will add another layer to this pass rush. While he had a bout of down season in 2025, logging only 5.0 sacks, he flashed incredible upside for the Clemson Tigers in 2024, totaling a season-high 11.0 sacks.
Pick 26: Buffalo Bills
Original Pick - Keylan Routledge, OG (selected by Texans)
New Pick - Caleb Banks, DT
The Bills will look to target the interior portion of their defense with this pick. While they opted to eventually trade out of the first round in the real draft, they will hold pat and bolster their rushing defense by taking Caleb Banks out of Florida. Banks played in only three games in 2025, but put himself on the radar of many NFL teams in 2024, when he logged 4.5 sacks with a season-high 7.0 TFL.
Pick 27: San Francisco 49ers
Original Pick - Chris Johnson, DB (selected by Dolphins)
New Pick - Malachi Lawrence, DE
While on paper, the San Francisco defensive line is quite strong, many of their top contributors have struggled to stay on the field, which will encourage them to select the top edge rusher on the board, Malachi Lawrence, at the No. 27 spot. Lawrence initially went to the Cowboys a few picks early in the real draft.
After a quiet freshman season, Lawrence has logged at least 7.0 sacks in two of his final three college campaigns and has also posted double-digit TFL seasons in two out of three.
Pick 28: Houston Texans
Original Pick - Caleb Lomu, OT (selected by Patriots)
New Pick - Zion Young, DE
The Texans entered the draft with one of the clear top-tier defensive units in the game. However, while they opted to move this pick to the Patriots in the real draft, they will instead hold it and select Zion Young, the best pure pass rusher still available. Young spent his final two college seasons with Missouri and transferred in a dominant 2025 season. Last fall, Young logged an impressive 16.5 TFL with a season-high 6.5 sacks.
Pick 29: Kansas City Chiefs
Original Pick - Peter Woods, DT
New Pick - Jermod McCoy, DB
Jermod McCoy was one of the most debated prospects leading up to the NFL Draft. McCoy missed the entire 2025 season due to an ACL injury and fell to the fourth round in the "real" draft. However, McCoy has the upside to become an elite star in the sport and would be a steal for the Chiefs, even at this spot in the draft. In his final college season (2024), McCoy logged 44 combined tackles, nine deflections with four interceptions over 13 games.
Pick 30: Miami Dolphins
Original Pick - Omar Cooper Jr., WR (selected by Jets)
New Pick - Colton Hood, DB
The Dolphins will continue the trend of targeting defensive backs and select Colton Hood out of Tennessee. Hood spent all three of his college seasons with a new team but finished his time with the Volunteers. In 2025, Hood logged 50 combined tackles, the highest mark of his career, and added eight deflections.
Pick 31: New England Patriots
Original Pick - Keldrick Faulk, OT (selected by Titans)
New Pick - Monroe Freeling, OT
The Patriots eventually moved this pick to the Tennessee Titans on draft night, but will instead opt to keep it and select Monroe Freeling to add some depth to their offensive line. Despite reaching the Super Bowl, the Patriots showed some weaknesses on offense, especially in pass protection. Freeling is a three-year college veteran with the Georgia Bulldogs and entered the draft as a "fluid" option in pass protection and possessed the raw tools to grow into a full-time starter, per scouting reports.
Pick 32: Seattle Seahawks
Original Pick - Jadarian Price, RB
New Pick - Jadarian Price, RB
This redo draft will end the same way it did a few weeks ago. With the Seattle Seahawks entering the NFL Draft with a major need at the running back position, they will find their potential long-term RB1 in Jadarian Price at the final selection of the opening round. Price shared the spotlight with Love at Notre Dame, but flashed nearly just as much upside, averaging 6.0 YPC in each of his last two seasons and punching in 13 TDs in 2025.
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