2026 NFL Mock Draft: Nick Wright Predicts Jets Pick a QB; Eagles, Rams Get WR Help

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has seemed to pick up so much buzz in the weeks leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft that most mock drafts now have him going in the first round. “First Things First’s” Nick Wright believes that’ll be the case as well. However, does Wright agree with the idea that Simpson should be a first-round pick? In his first mock draft, Wright projects that the team that will select Simpson will massively overdraft him. But there’s also a pick in the top 10 that Wright projects will happen that he said would be a move he couldn’t support. Let’s take a closer look at Wright’s first mock draft. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Wright’s thoughts: “No shocker at all. We all know where [Mendoza] is going.” Odds to be selected No. 1: -20000 2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State Wright’s thoughts: “You’ll see a lot of Ohio State kids in the top 10. [Reese] is maybe the best defensive player in this draft. I feel Aaron Glenn looks at him and says, ‘Is there a little Micah Parsons there?’” Odds to be No. 2 overall pick: -270 3. Arizona Cardinals: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State Wright’s thoughts: “You guys like spider graphs and athleticism? His is 99 percentile everywhere. Maybe the sickest athlete in the draft.” Odds to be No. 3 overall pick: +700 4. Tennessee Titans: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame Wright’s thoughts: “The pick that everyone now seems to think is happening. … Is it smart to draft a running back that high before your offensive line has been fully built? Maybe ask the Raiders that.” Odds to be No. 4 overall pick: +160 5. New York Giants: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State Wright’s thoughts: “Malik Nabers is coming off the [ACL] injury. Even with Nabers, [the Giants] don’t have a surefire No. 2 [wide receiver].” Odds to be No. 5 overall pick: +1200 6. Cleveland Browns: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.) Wright’s thoughts: “A team that, on offense, needs. a bit of everything. Maybe they go get the No. 1 tackle in the draft?” Odds to be No. 6 overall pick: +500 7. Washington Commanders: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State Wright’s thoughts: “He was, according to a lot of people, the best player in college football going into the year. The only reason he would be available at No. 7, and might be available outside of the top 10, is the positional [value].” Odds to be No. 7 overall pick: +750 8. New Orleans Saints: David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech Wright’s thoughts: “I think the best pure pass rusher in the draft is David Bailey. I don’t know if he’s a three-down player or if he’ll be great against the run, but he’s a monster against the pass.” Odds to be No. 8 overall pick: +550 9. Kansas City Chiefs: Rueben Bain Jr., edge rusher, Miami (Fla.) Wright’s thoughts: “If it were to fall like this, I think the Chiefs would run to the podium to draft Rueben Bain. They have not had a blue-chip edge rusher, you could argue, in [Patrick] Mahomes’ whole career.” Odds that Chiefs use first pick on edge rusher or defensive lineman: +275 10. Cincinnati Bengals: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon Wright’s thoughts: “A move that I would not support, which is why I think the Bengals might do it. Most of the things they do, I don’t support. You know what would be fun? More offense. The no. 1 tight end and a guy who has, in a good way, gotten some Kyle Pitts comps.” Odds that Sadiq is drafted by the Bengals: +2500 11. Miami Dolphins: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah Wright’s thoughts: “The Dolphins are in a full-on teardown. However, you did sign Malik Willis. You traded away his weapons. You at least want to give him a little bit of protection.” Odds that Fano is a top-10 pick: +160 12. Dallas Cowboys: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU Wright’s thoughts: “Cowboys, I think, would run to the board to hand this pick in. The top corner, whom I think a lot of people incorrectly believe the Chiefs will take at No. 9. Delane is everyone’s top corner in this draft. The Cowboys need help in every aspect in the secondary.” Odds that Delane is the first cornerback drafted: -320 13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons): Makai Lemon, WR, USC Wright’s thoughts: “I like this fit a lot, not just because he would be able to stay home. … Lemon can play the slot or the outside [and] Davante Adams is, obviously, getting older and all of a sudden, Puka Nacua’s availability is a question mark. They’re an ultimate win-now team that might have short and longterm questions at wide receiver.” Odds that Rams use first pick on a wide receiver: +120 14. Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State Wright’s thoughts: “I got the Ravens going with the best available interior offensive lineman. He hasn’t played much center at all, I think 20 snaps total, but he’s played both guard spots. They need help on the interior of the offensive line.” Odds that Ravens use first pick on an offensive lineman: +140 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keldric Faulk, edge rusher, Auburn Wright’s thoughts: “The Bucs have been trying to address edge rusher in the draft for years. They have hit in some capacity, but no real stars.” Odds that Buccaneers use first pick on an edge rusher or a defensive lineman: +125 16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts): Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama Wright’s thoughts: “What I think would be a massive overdraft, but the Jets are kind of known to massively overdraft [players]. The Jets are one of the top picks for, ‘Team Most Likely To Have Their Owner Completely Reshuffle Their Board The Day Before The Draft.’” Odds that Simpson is drafted by the Jets: +145 17. Detroit Lions: Akheem Mesidor, edge rusher, Miami (Fla.) Wright’s thoughts: “The Lions still need an edge rusher opposite of Aidan Hutchinson.” Odds that Lions use first pick on an edge rusher or defensive lineman: +200 18. Minnesota Vikings: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State Wright’s thoughts: “I feel like Jordan Addison’s star has dimmed over the last couple of years for lack of on-field production and off-field [stuff]. It feels like the defense has people everywhere already.” Odds that Vikings use first pick on a wide receiver: +1800 19. Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia Wright’s thoughts: “Get Bryce Young some offensive line help.” Odds that Panthers use first pick on an offensive lineman: +400 20. Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers): CJ Allen, LB, Georgia Wright’s thoughts: “The Cowboys, remember, they thought Logan Wilson was going to transform the defense. That didn’t work out.” Odds that Allen is a first-round pick: +110 21. Pittsburgh Steelers: Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State Wright’s thoughts: “Cameron Hayward’s the oldest every-down defensive player in the league and T.J. Watt’s getting older. So I think Kayden McDonald is to try to add right now depth and then eventually heir apparent makes sense there.” Odds that Steelers use first pick on an edge rusher or a defensive lineman: +600 22. Los Angeles Chargers: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon Wright’s thoughts: “Yeah, they got the tackles back, but the interior of that offensive line, no one could win with that. Those excuses, I already see them being brewed up in Danny’s [Parkins] workshop. So they take one of the top interior offensive linemen.” Odds that Chargers use first pick on an offensive lineman: +155 23. Philadelphia Eagles: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana Wright’s thoughts: “The Eagles, I believe, anticipating an AJ Brown trade, end up drafting Omar Cooper.” Odds that Eagles use first pick on a wide receiver: +400 24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars): Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee Wright’s thoughts: “McCoy probably would have been a top 12 pick, but he totally blew out his knee prior to last year. Didn’t play last year. Now, he might not be a first-round pick. Those are the types of guys, if you’re Cleveland with your second first round pick, I think you should look at like the super high upside, even if he takes a minute to get acclimated.” Over/under on number of cornerbacks drafted in first round: 4.5 25. Chicago Bears: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama Wright’s thoughts: “He’s the tackle from Alabama that we saw, catching the passes and rumbling and running down like the most athletic 380-pounder I’ve ever seen in my life. I feel like the Bears all of a sudden have to address left tackle because of that, and so we have him going there.” Odds that Bears use first pick on an offensive lineman: +700 26. Buffalo Bills: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson Wright’s thoughts: “The Bills have been trying to get corner correct in the draft for a couple of years. I know they just drafted Maxwell Hairston. They take another shot at it with Terrell out of Clemson.” Odds that Bills use first pick on a cornerback: +275 27. San Francisco 49ers: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson Wright’s thoughts: “I think the Niners need to start looking at a post-Trent Williams world, especially at his age.” Odds that 49ers use first pick on an offensive lineman: +115 28. Houston Texans: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State Wright’s thoughts: “The Texans always need to address the offensive line.” Odds that Texans use first pick on an offensive lineman: -140 29. Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams): Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon Wright’s thoughts: “The Chiefs go with secondary help after losing Jaylen Watson, Trent McDuffie, and Bryan Cook this offseason with Thieneman out of Oregon.” Odds that Thieneman is a first-round pick: -4000 30. Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo Wright’s thoughts: “Dolphins also take a safety, McNeil-Warren, out of Toledo.” Odds that McNeil-Warren is a first-round pick: -260 31. New England Patriots: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington Wright’s thoughts: “Then the Patriots lost Stefon Diggs, having not necessarily traded for A.J. Brown. They take Denzel Boston out of Washington.” Odds that Patriots use first pick on a wide receiver: +370 32. Seattle Seahawks: Cashius Howell, edge rusher, Texas A&M Wright’s thoughts: “The Seahawks, after losing a few of the defenders in free agency, add to their defensive depth with Cassius Howell, the edge rusher out of Texas A&M.” Odds that Seahawks use first pick on an edge rusher: +400