NFL Mocks

The start of the 2026 NFL season is just weeks away, and several rookie storylines are already beginning to take shape. Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch is quickly validating the belief that he was one of the biggest steals of the draft after an impressive offseason, while Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Nate Boerkircher is showing why the Jaguars may have valued him much higher than the rest of the league.

Jayden Maiava is a Redshirt Junior from USC. He originally attended UNLV, where he redshirted as a freshman. But after a breakout year in 2023, he transferred to USC. 2025 was Maiava's first year as the full-time starter for the Trojans. He threw for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, and ten interceptions. Maiava briefly came into the draft conversation last December, but opted to return to school for 2026.

The 2026 NFL Draft featured a strong offensive guard class, with three players selected in the top 40 picks. The first guard came off the board at No. 14 overall when the Baltimore Ravens selected Penn State's Olaivavega Ioane. This year's class is headlined by another highly regarded interior lineman in Missouri's Cayden Green. However, it lacks the high-end depth of last year's group, as Green is the only offensive guard on my board who currently carries a first- or second-round grade.

CJ Carr is a redshirt sophomore for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, entering his second year as the starter. Listed at 6’2, 215 pounds, he comes from Saline High School in Saline, Michigan. 247 Sports had him as a four-star recruit, the 45th-ranked player in the nation, the sixth-ranked quarterback, and the top player from Michigan. In 2025, Carr threw for 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

The Washington Commanders landed one of the biggest defensive playmakers in the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick. If the rookie linebacker lives up to one bold prediction, Dan Quinn's defense could quickly become one of the NFL's most dangerous units.

Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Jadarian Price is poised to make an immediate impact in Year 1 because he enters one of the league's best situations for a rookie back. With an opportunity to emerge as Seattle's featured runner, Price has the talent and versatility to seize the backfield from the jump. The Super Bowl champions' main weakness before the 2026 NFL Draft was at running back after MVP Kenneth Walker III left for the Chiefs.

A big reason Fernando Mendoza is set up for success with the Las Vegas Raiders is his new head coach. Early in his NFL career, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft is already seeing one major similarity between Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and his former Indiana coach, Curt Cignetti. It wasn’t all roses at the University of Indiana for Mendoza playing under Cignetti, but there was a huge payoff for the rookie quarterback.

Who are the most important rookies entering the AFC South ahead of the 2026 NFL season? The AFC South looks like a three-team race entering 2026, but each contender still has major questions to answer. Can the Jacksonville Jaguars build on last season's division title? Will the Houston Texans field an even more dominant defense? Can the Indianapolis Colts return to playoff contention after Daniel Jones' season-ending injury derailed their 2025 campaign?

LaNorris Sellers is a redshirt junior quarterback for the University of South Carolina. The two-year starter is listed at 6’3 and nearly 240 pounds. Sellers attended South Florence High School in Florence, South Carolina, where he was a 3-star recruit from 247 Sports. They had him as the 34th-ranked QB and 7th-best prospect in South Carolina in the 2023 class. In 2024, he was the SEC Freshman of the Year after throwing for 2,534 yards and 18 passing touchdowns.

The Las Vegas Raiders found their franchise quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft by selecting Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick. The next step in accelerating his development is surrounding him with more playmakers, making wide receiver one of the organization's biggest priorities entering the 2027 NFL Draft.