By Eddie Young, Joseph Caruso, Tyler Morello, Jhett Laurie and Tyler Fennell
Managing Editor, Sports Editor and Staff Writers
It is draft season in the NFL, as round one gets underway in Pittsburgh on Thursday night, April 23. The Signal’s sports staff is here to give you their predictions for the first ten selections of the night in this group mock draft.
Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, quarterback, Indiana
Pick by Eddie Young
This will be the easiest pick of the night to predict. Fernando Mendoza has been locked into the top spot of this draft since his game winning drive over Penn State back in November, and the leader of Indiana’s undefeated national championship team will be looked at as a potential savior by the fans in Vegas. It took Mendoza until year four to truly break out, but the future optics look good for the Raiders, as they already have Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers as weapons for Mendoza, and former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will look to mold last year’s Heisman winner into one of the league’s top quarterbacks. The golden retriever of college football will be looking to become the star of Sin City.
New York Jets: Arvell Reese, edge rusher, The Ohio State University
Pick by Tyler Morello
Arvell Reese was a catalyst for an incredibly star-studded Ohio State defense that could see three or four top-10 picks in the first round of Thursday night’s draft. Reese looks like one of the most polished players in the draft class despite being one of the youngest prospects in the draft at 20 years old. He does everything well on the football field while standing at 6-foot-4-inches and over 240 pounds. Reese not only has the upside of having multiple double-digit sack seasons, but he also is an elite edge setter in the run game while having the versatility to line up as an inside linebacker from time to time. Reese would be a great first step for the Jets in rebuilding their defense after offloading Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at last season’s trade deadline.
Arizona Cardinals: David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech
Pick by Tyler Morello
The Arizona Cardinals are searching for an answer on the defensive side of the ball after finishing in the bottom five in points allowed per game in 2025. David Bailey led the entire nation with 14.5 sacks this past season and proved to be able to completely blow up run plays in the backfield. He led Texas Tech to one of the premier defenses in college football last season, with the Red Raiders finishing with the third fewest yards allowed per game and the fewest rushing yards allowed per game. Bailey does not quite have all the versatility that Arvell Reese provides, but he should prove to be a great addition to rookie head coach Mike LaFleur’s squad.
Tennessee Titans: Jeremiyah Love, running back, Notre Dame
Pick by Jhett Laurie
Jeremiyah Love is coming off a historic career at Notre Dame. He has made it clear that he is the number one running back available in the draft class and will likely be the only one off the board on the first day. This guy makes big plays. He is incredibly athletic and makes defenders look foolish when he cuts up the field. With a rapidly aging Tony Pollard in the backfield, the Titans are looking to lighten his load and open the door for a new star to take over. The veteran back will likely be a good mentor to get Love adjusted to the NFL where he will make waves as a breakout player.
New York Giants: Sonny Styles, linebacker, The Ohio State University
Pick by Eddie Young
The Giants have two top-ten picks, and with new coach John Harbaugh entering the equation, these may be their last high draft picks for years to come, so they cannot swing and miss. In comes Sonny Styles. An athletic freak, he saw his draft stock skyrocket after he had one of the greatest ever combines ever for a linebacker, highlighted by a 43.5-inch vertical and a 4.46-second 40-yard dash. He walks into the NFL as one of the best athletes in the league, and while there may be some questions with his collegiate production and where exactly he will play on defense, Styles is a defensive coach’s dream to work with.
Cleveland Browns: Carnell Tate, wide receiver, The Ohio State University
Pick by Tyler Fennell
Carnell Tate has made a case to be the number one receiver in this upcoming draft. Tate made Second Team Associated Press All-American, First Team All-Big 10 and First Team Academic All-American in his draft year. In the year prior, he started and played an important role in Ohio State’s National Championship. The Browns have spent several years drafting anything besides elite weapons in the first round. Now, the Browns have a glaring hole at the receiver position that has needed to be filled for several years. Not one player on their current roster eclipsed the 750 receiving yard mark, with their highest being tight end Harold Fannin Jr. Carnell Tate would immediately become their best receiver, giving Shedeur Sanders somebody to throw to. Jerry Jeudy might benefit the most from this selection. After his career year in 2024, he struggled to get open this past year, posting only 602 receiving yards. With another option available, defenses will no longer be able to double team Jeudy and shut down their entire offense.
Washington Commanders: Francis Mauigoa, offensive tackle, Miami (FL)
Pick by Tyler Fennell
Francis Mauigoa is the clear number one offensive tackle in this draft. While this draft isn’t the deepest in that position, Mauigoa proved to be one of the best tackles in college football. Cam Ward benefited from his elite protection in Miami last year, as Mauigoa was a part of the best offensive line in college football and made Second Team All-ACC in 2024. This year, he made First Team Associated Press All-American, won the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy (top OL award) and was First Team All-ACC. An organization like the Washington Commanders have Jayden Daniels as their quarterback, and even going into his draft year, durability was a concern. After his sophomore season, those concerns have become a topic of conversation. A solution to this would be to take the obvious best offensive tackle this draft has to offer.
New Orleans Saints: Spencer Fano, offensive tackle, Utah
Pick by Jhett Laurie
Spencer Fano is an extremely athletic offensive tackle who showed out at the combine. He was ranked number one among all offensive tackles in athleticism and production. His senior year he took home a number of awards including First Team Associated Press All-American and the Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman). The Saints are still rebuilding and picking up a strong offensive lineman is a good way to amplify this. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Shough had a decent rookie season, however weak offensive line play severely limited his time to let plays develop. Adding a strong tackle can boost morale and hopefully help strengthen the Saints struggling offense.
Kansas City Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, cornerback, Louisiana State University
Pick by Joseph Caruso
After the departure of All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie, Kansas City looks to retool after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Mansoor Delane projects as the best corner in the draft, finishing up his collegiate career at LSU after his first three years at Virginia Tech. Delane’s potential to shore up this defense bodes well for the Chiefs, with Patrick Mahomes slated to return early in the season and Travis Kelce running it back once more.
New York Giants: Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State
Pick by Joseph Caruso
Harbaugh’s squad doubles up on defense in the first round, pairing Styles with arguably the most NFL-ready prospect in safety Caleb Downs. Downs possesses a high-caliber skill set and would immediately step up as the quarterback of Harbaugh's new-look defense. The three-year starter for the Buckeyes falling to 10 would be ideal for big blue, and although passing up on other positions of need like wide receivers Jordan Tyson and Makai Lemon would be difficult, Joe Schoen should be in best-player-available mode, as a rookie defensive duo of Styles and Downs would completely transform the Giants rebuild.
