Zak Drapeau's NFL Mock Draft 3.0 Post-Combine
- Zak Drapeau
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
by Zak Drapeau
Sportz Nation - 3/5/2026
1. Fernando Mendoza
Las Vegas Raiders
Big Board Rank: 7
Mendoza is the clear pick here for the QB-needy Raiders. The top Quarterback by a landslide in his class, this pick is al but decided already.
2. Arvel Reese
New York Jets
Big Board Rank: 4
And now the NFL draft starts, (or so they say.) Arevll Reese has gathered the most hype around his potential so he should be the pick here. As a hybrid off ball linebacker with tools to be a great edge rusher as well, he should be a dynamic and central piece of Aaron Glenn's defense... for however long he's in charge.
3. David Bailey
Arizona Cardinals
Big Board Rank: 3
David Bailey is my favorite of the two-leading Edges in the class and already has the tools to be a double-digit sack getter in the league. Lining up across from Josh Sweat in Nick Rallis' 3-4 defense should drastically help the Cardinals after their 3rd-from-worst Sacks total last season.
4. Sonny Styles
Tennessee Titans
Big Board Rank: 5
Styles will be a real wildcard in this draft in terms of how high he goes. After his combine, I'm confident in saying Styles is the best athlete in the entire draft which is exactly what Robert Saleh will want to lead his defense in Tennessee.
5. Spencer Fano
New York Giants
Big Board Rank: 13
I have had Fano mocked to the Giants ever since Harbaugh arrived and even after his combine I'm not changing it. Fano tested EXTREMELY well but his arm and hand size have serious questions on whether he can be an effective pass blocker in the league. Luckily for him, his run blocking ability as a Right Tackle could be EXACTLY what Harbaugh wants.
6. Francis Mauigoa
Cleveland Browns
Big Board Rank: 12
The Browns will have to do a complete rebuild of their offensive line and a lot of that will take place in Free Agency. Even if they sign another Tackle, Mauigoa is the best LT of his class and should be their pick here unless they go after a receiver to help Sheduer.
7. Caleb Downs
Washington Commanders
Big Board Rank: 1
Positional value will be a huge discussion around the top-2 prospects in this class and the Commanders are loving it. Even as a Safety, Caleb Downs dropping all the way to 7 is a HUGE steal for Washington.
8. Jeremiyah Love
New Orleans Saints
Big Board Rank: 2
Speaking of steals, Love is the next great RB coming after Jeanty, Robinson and Barkley. Adding to Kellen Moore's offense with Alvin Kamara will be as good of a RB duo as we've seen and should allow Tyler Shough to continue getting better.
9. Mansoor Delane
Kansas City Chiefs
Big Board Rank: 8
The Chiefs just traded away their All-Pro corner so they'll be needing a replacement. Delane is a rangy and athletic man corner and will be more L'Jarius Snead than Trent McDuffie but should fit in all the same.
10. Rueben Bain Jr
Cincinnati Bengals
Big Board Rank: 11
Bain may be the best player in the draft and shedding blocks but measured in the Combine a LOT smaller than we thought. Even though he made College Tackles look like high schoolers, at 6'2", 261 pounds with 31" arms, lots of people question if he'll be AS good, but no one questions that he won't be a force in the league either way.
11. Jordyn Tyson
Miami Dolphins
Big Board Rank: 9
This wide receiver class has more red flags than I saw initially and because of that I have them sliding. Tyson is the best of the bunch in my eyes and has very little bust-potential that the Dolphins will love while they rebuild their passing game.
12. Cashius Howell
Dallas Cowboys
Big Board Rank: 14
Howell could very well be Micah Parsons 2.0 with his speed and craftiness on the edge. Dallas obviously needs a pass rush this offseason and this marriage seems pretty destined to me.
13. Caleb Banks
Los Angeles Rams (via ATL)
Big Board Rank: 18
The Rams defense is almost completely set now after the McDuffie trade but they could still use a better Nose Tackle. In comes Caleb Banks who at 6'6", 326 pounds showed freaky athleticism and is the plug in the middle of the defense they need.
14. Olaiavavega Ioane
Baltimore Ravens
Big Board Rank:16
The Ravens will be rebuilding for a year I think under Jesse Minter especially with Linderbaum and Faalele leaving in FA. Vega Ioane has one of the highest floors in the draft and should maintain the Ravens' running attack in their absence.
15. Kenyon Sadiq
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Big Board Rank: 6
I thought about Carnell Tate here to make up for Mike Evans and even a cornerback, but in the end not only does Kenyon Sadiq make a lot of sense with Cade Otton leaving, but he's way too much of a steal at 15 for him to slide any more.
16. Jermod McCoy
New York Jets (via IND)
Big Board Rank: 17
For my money, McCoy is the best corner in the draft but his injury has taken way too long to recover from and that's going to drop him in the draft. For a defense that didn't get an interception all year, McCoy is a ball hawk that Aaron Glenn won't be able to pass up on.
17. Keldric Faulk
Detroit Lions
Big Board Rank: 19
This just feels like a Dan Campbell pick. Huge, physical edge rusher to pair with Aidan Hutchinson, oh boy.
18. Colton Hood
Minnesota Vikings
Big Board Rank: 23
The Vikings will be pissed that McCoy went right before them but Hood is a good consolation. A quick and instinctive man cover corner, Hood might fair better as a slot corner in the long term.
19. Peter Woods
Carolina Panthers
Big Board Rank: 20
The Panthers really turned things around last season and their D-line was a huge part of that. They could go for interior O-line or corner but adding Peter Woods to an already burgeoning D-line would really give the Panthers something to build on.
20. Makai Lemon
Dallas Cowboys (via GB)
Big Board Rank: 10
We should all hope this doesn't happen. After grabbing the Edge they need earlier, the Cowboys would RUN to the podium to add Makai Lemon as their slot receiver and would have the best receiving group next season and a possible long-term solution if they don't extend George Pickens long term.
21. Carnell Tate
Pittsburgh Steelers Big Board Rank: 15
Again, the Steelers would skip to the podium to draft Tate. Now this pick may be different depending on what Aaron Rodgers decides to do but if he resigns he's love to have Metcalf and Tate to throw the ball to.
22. Emmanuel Pregnon
Los Angeles Chargers
Big Board Rank: 28
The Chargers may lose their entire interior to FA so rebuilding will be essential. Pregnon is a large and powerful Guard who is very similar to Zion Johnson and will slot into their Guard position easily.
23. TJ Parker
Philadelphia Eagles
Big Board Rank: 21
I was very close to putting Lomu or Freeling here to be Lane Johnson's successor but I think they need to add an Edge as well. TJ Parker was once thought of as a blue chip prospect of this class and would be another draft steal-Linebacker for the Eagles.
24. KC Concepcion
Cleveland Browns (via JAX)
Big Board Rank: 26
I told you the Browns could've taken a Receiver instead of Mauigoa earlier so now they'll do it. Concepcion is a poor-man's Makai Lemon as a shift slot receiver but make no mistake, he'd be the Browns WR1 after a very short time.
25. Derrick Moore
Chicago Bears
Big Board Rank: 27
Moore really impressed me at the Senior Bowl and should be a dominant, albeit predictable power rusher for a long time. The Bears have a decent pass rush but if they're truly looking to become a Super Bowl contender they'll need to be better than decent.
26. Romello Height
Buffalo Bills
Big Board Rank: 29
Height is an interesting prospect and to be honest, I could see him going much higher than this. My problem is that he's already 25 and a lot of teams will knock him for it. The Bills likely won't be one of those teams and he could be good enough right now to lead them in Sacks for 2026.
27. Kadyn Proctor
San Francisco 49ers
Big Board Rank: 33
Patience will be the key for anyone drafting Proctor. He is still very rigid and not ready for a full NFL-workload on the edge. However, his agility and his size give him one of the best potentials in the entire class. If he sits for a year or two behind Trent Williams, he legitimately has a chance to pick up exactly where the Hall of Famer will leave off.
28. Christen Miller
Houston Texans
Big Board Rank: 24
Why not keep adding to the best D-line in the league? Miller is a hulking run defender that in between Hunter and Anderson would keep O-lines up at night.
29. Dillon Thieneman
Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR)
Big Board Rank: 36
In the pick they received for McDuffie, the Chiefs add to their DB room again with Safety Dillon Thieneman after already drafting Mansoor Delane. This could be the start to a dangerous Secondary in Kansas City.
30. Lee Hunter
Denver Broncos
Big Board Rank: 35
Hunter may be a bit of a reach in the First Round after a disappointing Combine but Denver would be the team to do it. I almost drafted a Receiver here but the Broncos only hole in their defense is at Nose Tackle and they've clearly shown they want to build that side of the ball first.
31. Caleb Lomu
New England Patriots
Big Board Rank: 22
Drafting Lomu could be the best case scenario for New England if he falls this far. With his versatility and arm length, the Patriots could decide between him and Will Campbell who will be their Tackle and who will be Guard.
32. Chris Johnson
Seattle Seahawks
Big Board Rank: 25
For a team that made their money on defense last season, having an elite Corner like Chris Johnson fall to 32 would be so unfair. Johnson is a smart and consistent athlete that will immediately replace Tariq Woolen as he head to Free Agency.
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-Z.D. (@DrapeauZak)