5 Bold Predictions for the First Round of the 2026 NFL Draft

Mock drafts are for Mondays; bold predictions can be made all year round. And, with so few nailed-on studs in the 2026 NFL draft, there is plenty of opportunity for some unexpected prospects to make their way into the first 32 picks.

Let the madness begin!

Treydan Stukes is a first-round pick.

There are an awful lot of talented defensive backs in the 2026 class. Depending on who you believe, there could be as many as six or seven taken in the first round. But not many have Treydan Stukes in their top 60 picks!

A former walk-on at Arizona, Stukes had played 1,554 snaps and became a captain before he left! 6-foot-1 Stukes is in the 81st of the percentile of the class for height, but a little undersized at 190 pounds.

He’s an explosive athlete with a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine that certainly turned some heads and landed him in the 96th percentile of a very speedy class. The former high school receiver and defensive back followed up a sharp 40 with an impressive 130-inch broad jump that ranked in the 92nd percentile!

As impressive as his measurables are, Stukes’ USP is his versatility. In a league where teams are always looking for a linebacker who can cover like a defensive back, or a defensive back who can blitz like a linebacker, 24-year-old Stukes is worth his weight in gold.

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During his three years in Arizona, he lined up on the defensive line, in the slot, at corner, as a box safety and as a deep safety. One respected source suggests he lacks elite athleticism to play as an outside corner, but pure coverage cornerbacks are rarer than hen’s teeth these days!

So, Stukes isn’t going to be the next Pat Surtain II (who ranked as the 22nd best cornerback in 2025 according to PFF’s metrics), but he could be the next Ja’Quan McMillian (who ranked 6th).

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Chiefs Trade into the top 3

Rumour has it the Chiefs are finally going to address their lack of pass rush at the top of this draft. Chris Jones might not get double-teamed on every snap this season, but he will be delighted.

Brett Veach has nine picks to play with after acquiring the Rams' first-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks. Any trade would involve swapping a first round this year and at least one more future pick.

It seems unlikely the Jets would part with their second overall pick, but the Cardinals have a new head coach, though, and Mike LaFleur should be interested in acquiring more picks.

If the Chiefs really love David Bailey (or maybe Rueben Bain), the Cardinals could even persuade them to part with a 2027 first-rounder, which might require the Cardinals giving up their 34th overall pick.

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While Trent McDuffie’s departure is going to impact the Chiefs' passing defense, they had a reasonable pass defense in 2025, ranking fourth for the number of touchdowns they conceded (18) and 12th when it came to passing yards allowed.

But 21 teams recorded more sacks than the Chiefs, and they only ranked 18th for QB Pressures!

Even if Patrick Mahomes’ knee injury lingers longer than expected, Andy Reid will be content to begin the season with a limited offense as long as his defense can disrupt opposing quarterbacks.

Rams Pick a Receiver

Puka Nacua has had a controversial, if not busy, off-season. He’s been accused of biting someone, recorded whilst passed out intoxicated and checked into a “facility”. All that comes just months after he appeared on a livestream with someone who has been banned from Twitch for “hateful content”.

So far, the Rams, and Sean McVay in particular, have staunchly supported Nacu, and there’s no suggestion that his place on the team is in jeopardy, but they tried to trade Davante Adams for A.J. Brown, so the Rams are looking to reinvigorate their receiving corps.

Several mock drafts have Les Snead targeting Makai Lemon with their 13th overall pick. Lemon is another interesting character and shares Nacua’s power in contact. He’s very difficult to tackle, but he didn’t impress many people with his 40-yard dash.

The time won’t concern the Rams (Lemon’s 4.48-second 40-yard dash is almost a tenth of a second faster than Nacua’s was in 2023), but the way he laboured might alter their scouting, especially now they have some new-fangled AI involved.

If Lemon is out of their plans, or off the board by the time the Rams pick, but they’re married to the idea of a possession receiver who can make plays, they could well take Texas A&M standout, K.C. Concepcion (although Concepcion can do a bit of everything).

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Concepcion is an inch taller than Lemon and four pounds heavier, but avoids tackles rather than breaking through them. The 21-year-old is very elusive and has fast feet, not unlike Luther Burden III, who the Bears drafted 39th overall in last year’s draft.

9 Defensive Backs Go in the First Round

PFF have six DB’s ranked in their top 32 prospects, and Tankathon expect seven to be picked in the first 30 picks.

Neither of them expects Treydan Stukes to be a first-round pick, though, and with Chris Johnson attracting attention, it seems very likely that at least eight will be picked in the first round.

If there is to be a ninth, it will probably be Miami Hurricane Keionte Scott or Tennessee’s Colton Hood.

Scott turned heads at Miami’s pro day when he clocked a blistering 4.25 40-yard time! He’s a very experienced prospect who can play as a safety or nickel.

Scott spent three years at Auburn before transferring to Miami, while some teams are reticent to take a 24-year-old in the first round, Tyler Shough demonstrated that experience counts.

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Hood, on the other hand, is tough as nails and an excellent defender. He only clocked a 4.44-second 40-yard time, but he is very sticky in man coverage and very disciplined in zone.

The 21-year-old also has an uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time. In 29 college games, he defended 14 passes, intercepted 3, forced a fumble, and recovered a fumble.

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No Receivers Go in the Top 10

A few weeks ago, most experts were projecting Carnell Tate to the Browns with the sixth overall pick. However, more recent mock drafts suggest the Browns will be taking Francis Mauigoa, or even another Ohio State prospect in the form of Kayden McDonald.

Either of those picks would make a lot of sense for the Browns, but the Browns don’t always do sensible things.

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The 2027 receiver draft class will be absolutely loaded with talented players and some guys who could well be worth taking a gamble on in the first round. There are really only three receivers in this class who played in pro-style offences and came up against strong defenses in 2025.

There are definitely receivers in this class who will add value to an NFL offense, but with so many uncontrolled variables at play, it’s difficult to justify taking any of them with a high pick, especially when the teams with those picks need to fix their defenses first.