NFL.com has published a seven-round Nfl Mock Draft 2026 nearly a full week before the real thing begins, projecting all 257 picks and sending quarterback Ty Simpson to the Jets in Round 1. The forecast also calls for four first-round trades.
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, with live coverage of Round 1 starting at 8 p.m. ET on April 23 across NFL Network, NFL+, the NFL Channel, ABC, and Deportes. NFL.com said it was returning to its annual practice of projecting every selection in the draft and still expects trade activity in the opening round while offering a wide-angle look at where teams can find value at positions of need.
That timing matters because the mock was released before the last-minute reporting that often reshapes how teams and prospects are viewed in the final days before the draft. It is also NFL.com's final mock of the year, which makes it less a casual exercise than a snapshot of how the league's draft board looks right now.
The gap between the projection and the draft itself is where this one can age quickly. A seven-round mock built nearly a week out can capture the shape of the event, but it cannot account for late movement, private interest or the kind of trade talk that tends to surface only when the clock is almost running.
For the Jets, the clearest takeaway is the quarterback call. For everyone else, the mock is a reminder that April 23 can still change the picture before the first pick is even announced.