Colin Cowherd projects the first 15 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on offensive help for star QBs.
He has the Raiders selecting QB Fernando Mendoza first overall and suggests a follow-up pick for his teammate.
Cowherd's mock includes potentially unpopular picks, like the Giants taking S Sonny Styles.
He is critical of the Jets' projected pick of raw edge rusher Arvell Reese, preferring a proven player.
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Sports media personality Colin Cowherd has released his predictive mock draft for the first 15 selections of the 2026 NFL Draft, forecasting significant offensive reinforcements for star quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. In his analysis published on FOX Sports, Cowherd projects team needs and player fits based on his discussions with sources around the league, offering a speculative look at how the draft's early order could unfold just weeks before the event.
Cowherd's projection begins with the Las Vegas Raiders using the first overall pick on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, citing the player's impressive red-zone efficiency with 49 touchdowns and zero interceptions over two seasons. He suggests the Raiders could then target Mendoza's college teammate, wide receiver Omar Cooper, early in the second round. The mock draft takes a notable turn with the New York Giants, whom Cowherd has selecting Ohio State safety Sonny Styles with a pick that he acknowledges might not be widely popular among analysts, indicating a potential divergence from consensus team needs.
The core narrative of Cowherd's mock centers on providing elite quarterbacks with new weapons. He has the Kansas City Chiefs selecting a player to aid Patrick Mahomes, the Los Angeles Rams adding help for Matthew Stafford, and the Baltimore Ravens picking a target for Lamar Jackson. For the Cleveland Browns, he projects the selection of Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate. Cowherd expresses particular skepticism about the New York Jets' second overall pick, suggesting they take Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese—a raw, 20-year-old prospect without a defined position—despite his personal preference for the team to choose a more established 'plug-and-play' talent to address their league-low sack production.
Cowherd openly admits the inherent difficulty of accurate long-term forecasting, stating his hope is simply to correctly predict five of the top 15 picks. His mock draft blends analysis of collegiate talent, NFL team deficiencies, and organizational tendencies, serving as an early speculative framework for the 2026 draft conversation. The exercise underscores the highly unpredictable nature of the NFL Draft process, where team needs, player development, and pre-draft evaluations will evolve significantly over the next two years.
Colin Murray Cowherd (born January 6, 1964) is an American sports media personality. He began his broadcasting career as sports director of Las Vegas television station KVBC and as a sports anchor on several other stations before joining ESPN in 2003, where he hosted a radio show on the ESPN Radio n...
Carnell Tate (born January 19, 2005) is an American football wide receiver. He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes and won the 2024 national championship with them.
Fernando Gabriel Mendoza V (born October 1, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers. Mendoza previously played for the California Golden Bears before transferring to Indiana in 2025, where he won the Heisman Trophy among other awards en route to a national champion...
Can Colin Cowherd correctly predict the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft? He isn't sure, but he's hopeful that he can guess five of the first 15 picks right based on what he's hearing in his discussions with people around the league. Cowherd unveiled how he thinks the top 15 picks will go in his most recent mock draft as we're two weeks away from Round 1. While his top-four picks might be what you've seen in other mock drafts, he has the New York Giants making a move that might not seem to be too popular. He also has Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford and Lamar Jackson getting some reinforcements around them on offense. So, let's take a look at how Cowherd thinks the first 15 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft will go down, based on what he's hearing. 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. Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. 1. Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana Cowherd's thoughts: "That's the easy one. I'm going to go one-for-one. He threw 49 touchdowns and no interceptions the last two years in the red zone. Hyper smart, ball placement and toughness [are good]. I wouldn't be surprised if the Raiders at the top of the second [round] go get [Indiana wide receiver] Omar Cooper, who might be available at the top of Round 2." Odds to be No. 1 pick: -20000 2. New York Jets: Arvell Reese, edge rusher, Ohio State Cowherd's thoughts: "I think the Jets take a big swing on Arvell Reese, who I think is the youngest prospect in the draft. He's only 20 and he doesn't have a clear, defined position yet. That's what the Jets do. I think they need six or seven good players before they take a swing. With the coaching staff and head coach they have, I just don't trust them. I would rather get a plug-and-play guy who has a defined, already-made position. Reese is a fascinating player. The Jets had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL, so it
