Fernando Mendoza is officially a Heisman Trophy winner. As Indiana’s College Football Playoff run gets underway, could the No. 1 overall pick be in his future?
As it stands, the team selecting first in the 2026 NFL Draft might not be in the market for a quarterback. Three teams entered Week 16 tied for the NFL’s worst record at 2-12, but two of them — the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans — appear set at quarterback for 2026 after using first-round picks on the position in 2025.
The Las Vegas Raiders could be in the market for a quarterback, but they are far from guaranteed to land the top pick, with the Giants and Titans surrounding them and several other teams just a game behind the league’s worst record.
Here’s a look at the updated 2026 NFL Draft order as Week 16 unfolds and the season moves one step closer to the finish.
MORE WEEK 16 NFL:
NFL Draft order 2026
| Pick | Team | Record |
| 1 | Giants | 2-12 |
| 2 | Raiders | 2-12 |
| 3 | Titans | 2-12 |
| 4 | Browns | 3-11 |
| 5 | Jets | 3-11 |
| 6 | Cardinals | 3-11 |
| 7 | Commanders | 4-11 |
| 8 | Saints | 4-10 |
| 9 | Bengals | 4-10 |
| 10 | Rams (via Falcons) | 5-9 |
| 11 | Dolphins | 6-8 |
| 12 | Chiefs | 6-8 |
| 13 | Vikings | 6-8 |
| 14 | Cowboys | 6-7-1 |
| 15 | Ravens | 7-7 |
| 16 | Panthers | 7-7 |
| 17 | Lions | 8-6 |
| 18 | Jets (via Colts) | 8-6 |
| 19 | Buccaneers | 7-7 |
| 20 | Steelers | 8-6 |
| 21 | Cowboys (via Packers) | 9-5-1 |
| 22 | Texans | 9-5 |
| 23 | Eagles | 10-5 |
| 24 | Bills | 10-4 |
| 25 | Chargers | 10-4 |
| 26 | Browns (via Jaguars) | 10-4 |
| 27 | 49ers | 10-4 |
| 28 | Rams | 11-4 |
| 29 | Bears | 11-4 |
| 30 | Patriots | 11-3 |
| 31 | Seahawks | 12-3 |
| 32 | Broncos | 12-2 |
MORE: Who goes No. 1 in SN’s latest mock draft?
Top 2026 NFL Draft prospects
Here’s a look at the top 10 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, based on SN’s Vinnie Iyer’s rankings.
| Rank | Player | Position | College team |
| 1 | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami |
| 2 | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| 3 | Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State |
| 4 | Dante Moore | QB | Oregon |
| 5 | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech |
| 6 | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
| 7 | Cashius Howell | EDGE | Texas A&M |
| 8 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon |
| 9 | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State |
| 10 | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State |
Even in an odd year for quarterbacks, with many of the projected top prospects struggling, a handful of potential first-round picks still remain. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza has played himself into the No. 1 pick conversation, fueled by his Heisman-winning season. Oregon’s Dante Moore also remains in the mix near the top of the first round.
Defenders are also rising up the board. Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. and Ohio State LB Arvell Reese each have cases to be the top overall players in the draft, while Reese’s teammate Caleb Downs has long been projected as a likely top-10 pick.
While 2026 may not feature a true blue-chip wide receiver prospect, Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson remains a highly-rated player despite battling nagging injuries in 2025 and Ohio State’s Carnell Tate has only improved his stock throughout the season. Both have cases to be the first wide receivers off the board in April.
