2026 NFL mock draft after Week 1: Steelers plan for life post-Aaron Rodgers, Cowboys target next Micah Parsons

Where Garrett Nussmeier lacks in size, he makes up for in his ability to read out a defense and deliver accurate passes. There is a potential conflict of interest given that his father, Doug, is the offensive coordinator for the Saints. Nussmeier has already proven that he is capable of uplifting his team in high-leverage situations, including the opener against Clemson. The race for QB1 is still underway, but the senior has acquitted himself well early in the season.

LaNorris Sellers may not fit the play style that Kevin Stefanski has targeted at the position, but he has rare athletic qualities that could allow him to be one of the league’s best if he’s able to reach his ceiling. Sellers needs to become a more consistent passer, but his size and mobility make him a nightmare for opposing defenders in the open field. Cleveland has not yet identified a long-term plan among Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.

There are some bigger issues than the offensive line in play right now. Head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka must do a better job of getting quality play out of the quarterback position regardless of whether that is Russell Wilson or Jaxson Dart. The hope is that Spencer Fano can be the right tackle Evan Neal could not be for them.

New York identified defensive tackle as a point of weakness during the offseason and acquired two prior to the cut deadline. The interior defensive line becomes a position of strength with Peter Woods and Quinnen Williams. The team limited Pittsburgh to just 53 rushing yards in the opener, but that will likely prove to be an outlier over the course of the season.

Rueben Bain Jr.’s mass and power was overpowering against Notre Dame in the opener. He has a condensed frame that has accumulated ample pass-rush production over the course of his career. Bain, a true junior, has 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble on the season. Suddenly, the Hurricanes need him even more to get after Byrum Brown, quarterback of the 2-0 USF Bulls, this weekend.

Carolina diverted significant resources to the defense this offseason, but the team is still lacking playmakers. Caleb Downs does not play a premium position, and that could result in him being available later than anticipated, but the Panthers get a blue-chip player to pair with Jaycee Horn in the secondary. Jamal Adams was the last safety taken top 10 overall in 2017.

Miami’s cornerback room is glorified papier-mâché in that they have taken several random pieces and brought them together. Beyond the trade of Jalen Ramsey and the injury to Kader Kohou, the team is now dealing with an injury to Storm Duck. Jermod McCoy is battling back from an injury of his own, but has the size, man coverage ability and ball production that could lend him to being a top 10 overall pick.

The contract dispute between the Raiders and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers has been put on the back burner for now, but it is apparent the franchise does not want to over-extend themselves to the soon-to-be 29-year-old long-term. Jordyn Tyson has been one of the standouts of the young college football season and has expressed inside-out versatility that should allow him to pair nicely with Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.

New England brought in veteran Morgan Moses this offseason, because it was not realistic to think the franchise would be able to reset its entire offensive line in the course of one offseason. The left tackle is new. The left guard is new. The center is new. The selection of Francis Mauigoa, whose brother is a fifth-round rookie linebacker for the Jets, would fortify the line for Drake Maye.

Seattle has a few pass-rushers potentially hitting free agency this offseason, and Demarcus Lawrence is not getting any younger. The selection of Matayo Uiagalelei, who is the younger brother of Chargers quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei, would allow Mike Macdonald to continue re-shaping that defense in his ideal image. His time at Michigan and, more recently, with the Ravens, illustrates his interest in having multiple options to rush the passer.

Matthew Stafford is not going to play forever. It is an ideal time for Los Angeles to address the position given its possession of Atlanta’s first-round pick. Fernando Mendoza is a tall quarterback with the arm strength to utilize the field in its entirety. Sean McVay will covet a player capable of reading out a defense and distributing the football on time.

Not sure if you had heard, but the Cowboys traded away Micah Parsons prior to the season. Thinking about Demarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong and some of the other physically imposing pass rushers that Dallas has had through the years, Keldric Faulk fits a similar mold. At 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, the Alabama native managed seven sacks last season for the Tigers.

Indianapolis has essentially fielded the same interior defensive line rotation for several years, and every year it is considered a position of need for the franchise. Perhaps the time will come that I learn my lesson and look elsewhere for the Colts, but that time is not today. Caleb Banks can gobble up space and ideally eat up double teams for Laiatu Latu and others to feast on the quarterback.

Being a mediocre team outside of early draft range has its disadvantages when the team needs a quarterback. Aaron Rodgers tapped into the fountain of youth in Week 1, but his time with the Jets taught us those moments of optimism could be fleeting. Pittsburgh will eventually need to bring in its quarterback of the future, and it worked well last time they brought in a big body from the state of Ohio.

Cleveland used the No. 2 overall selection on its quarterback of the future, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers. It swings around later in the round to address another critical position, left tackle. Caleb Lomu could be the top offensive tackle prospect in the class before all is said and done. Dawand Jones has dropped some weight this offseason, but showed in Week 1 that he is still very much a work in progress.

Chicago has used its last three first-round selections on a quarterback (Caleb Williams), wide receiver (Rome Odunze) and a tight end (Colston Loveland). The investment in offensive skill players continues with the selection of Jeremiyah Love. Running back is a luxurious selection, but the Bears may feel they are in a justifiable position should this season go over well.

Anthony Hill Jr. has been a personal favorite to study. Arizona has invested in a wave of defensive linemen and now have a rangy linebacker that can clean up the chaos. There are some intriguing pieces in the secondary, but it is time for some of those front seven players to come of age in Jonathan Gannon’s scheme.

Dalton Schultz is getting older and Cade Stover was held in high regard after being drafted, but there is no question that Kenyon Sadiq would bring another element to that Texans offense. He is a talented pass-rusher with underrated run blocking skills. There is a well-founded argument that suggests the franchise would be better suited using its first round pick on the offensive line.

The second Ohio State linebacker comes off the board. Sonny Styles has equally ideal size and athleticism. There is a lot to like about the prospect, but also still a lot to learn. Linebacker is not a premium position that often sees multiple taken in the first round, but I would rather project a prospect with desirable athletic traits and production than one that lacks the prototypical characteristic that the NFL often targets in the first round.

Cincinnati capitalized on Cleveland wide receiver’s misfortunes in Week 1, but there is no reason to wipe cornerback from the team’s list of needs yet. The younger brother of A.J. Terrell has three interceptions, four forced fumbles and two sacks in his collegiate career.

Los Angeles follows a similar path to Cleveland in this first-round by selecting a quarterback first and then a left tackle. The Rams first selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and now Chaplin, who transferred in from Virginia Tech this offseason. The Tigers have rushed for 531 yards and seven touchdowns in two games.

The Chargers are quickly coming to the fork in the road where they either have to pay Quentin Johnston or allow him to walk. Johnston had been a depressed asset prior to the tutelage of Jim Harbaugh and his staff. Los Angeles may have a similar impact on a rookie at a cheaper rate.

T.J. Parker is shouldering less of the responsibility on Clemson’s defense this season, but the team is relying upon his continued production. A year ago, Parker had 11 sacks, but some of that was manufactured by the overall success of the unit. Washington desperately needs a young pass-rusher to come in and bring some energy to that unit.

Kadyn Proctor has struggled to begin the season, but it is too soon to abandon ship in regards to his stock. The Alabama offense, as a whole, was underwhelming in the opener against Florida State. It will be interesting to see how that develops over the course of the season, but Proctor has good athleticism relative to his monstrous size.

Frank Ragnow abruptly retired this offseason and the team turned to veteran Graham Glasgow. Connor Lew is similar to Tyler Linderbaum in that he is not the biggest lineman, but he moves well and is technically sound.

Kansas City visited the veteran well this offseason and signed Kristian Fulton. The move will not move the needle, but solidifies the role for this season. Mansoor Delane, a Virginia Tech transfer, has stood out in his short time with LSU and fits the physical prototype to which Kansas City has previously been drawn.

George Pickens is a free agent at season’s end. Dallas could find itself in need of another piece complimentary to CeeDee Lamb. Antonio Williams has yet to play this season but promises to be a primary outlet of Cade Klubnik’s when he returns.

The Roquan Smith-Harold Perkins battery would not be too dissimilar to the 2023 version with Patrick Queen. Both are athletic prospects with sideline-to-sideline range. Perkins has battled back from injury and is on his way to re-establishing himself as one of the more intriguing linebacker prospects in the nation.

Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat, Bryce Huff and Haason Reddick are gone. They have re-made the room with Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith, but it is a far cry from the investments they had previously made in the unit. LT Overton is still a vision rather than a finished product, but history suggests Philadelphia is more than capable of bringing out the best in him.

Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa are scheduled to become free agents at season’s end. Buffalo has favored the big bodies to play on the edge, and Dani Dennis-Sutton is the latest Penn State pass rusher to make the leap to the NFL.