2026 Post-Trade Deadline Mock Draft: Three Quarterbacks Go Top Five

James Foster produces his first 2026 NFL Mock Draft for Wide Left, using the trade deadline has a jumping off point for connecting players to teams. Who did your team select?

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Editor’s Note: With the trade deadline behind us, we have a good idea of what teams are working with as they head into the second half of the season. James Foster has used his dozens of hours of film study of the college season to best match the top prospects to teams holding the top-32 picks in next year’s draft.

The draft order was determined by the NFL ordering process before the results of Week 10’s Thursday Night Football matchup.

2026 Post-Trade Deadline Mock Draft

1. New Orleans Saints

Despite underwhelming production, I’ve been impressed by Tyler Shough’s tape over the last two weeks. Depending on how he plays down the stretch, the Saints might still take another quarterback this April, but based on the available sample, I’m penciling Shough in as their starter for 2026. This takes New Orleans out of the quarterback market and allows Mickey Loomis to recoup some draft capital after decades of recklessly trading up at every opportunity. 10-12 teams will be competing for three first-round quarterbacks this year, so he’ll likely have multiple offers and the leverage to demand higher compensation.

TRADE

• LV gives: No. 7, No. 38, 2027 1^st, 2027 2^nd, 2028 1^st

• NO gives: No. 1

1. Las Vegas Raiders: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama

The Raiders send a pick haul to move up and take Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson is the least-experienced quarterback in this class, and I understand having reservations about taking a one-year starter this early, but he’s one of the most refined pocket passers I’ve seen at the college level. I’m significantly more encouraged by the quality of Simpson’s tape than I am concerned by the lack of quantity.

He’s made more NFL throws in eight games than a lot of college quarterbacks make over their entire careers. His pre-snap responsibilities far exceed what is normally asked of a college quarterback, and he consistently displays his command of the offense, adjusting protections at the line or checking out of a bad look. He has fewer starts than every legitimate 2026 prospect, but is already a better anticipation thrower with advanced pocket movement and sharp coverage recognition. Considering how much he developed on the bench, I’m fascinated to see what the “battle-tested” version of Simpson looks like.

2. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee declined a massive offer for the #1 pick last year, but the roster is devoid of talent at most key positions, so they need to prioritize volume and accumulate as many top-100 picks as possible.

TRADE

• LAR gives: No. 11, No. 27, 2027 3^rd, 2028 2^nd

• TEN gives: No. 2

2. Los Angeles Rams: QB Dante Moore, Oregon

Matthew Stafford is playing like he’ll be back next year, but the Rams still have to find a long-term solution at quarterback, so they take Dante Moore. After a rough freshman season at UCLA and spending a year backing up Dillon Gabriel at Oregon, Moore took over as the Ducks’ starter in 2025. He’s been one of the more surprising breakout players this year, and with a strong finish, he can solidify himself as a top-three pick. Though he doesn’t “need” a redshirt year, sitting behind Stafford as a rookie would undoubtedly benefit his development.

Moore executes full-field reads and throws with exceptional timing and ball placement within structure. He cycles through reads efficiently and makes rapid decisions while protecting the football. He prefers to win from the pocket, but has the accuracy and playmaking instincts to create when the play breaks down (like the Penn State game). The Indiana tape exposed his average escapability, but it’s the lone blemish on Moore’s résumé

3. New York Jets: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The Jets have accumulated a war chest of draft picks and have plenty of ammunition to trade up for a quarterback, if necessary. In this scenario, they keep their picks and select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Mendoza is a sharpshooter with prototypical size, elite accuracy, and a good, but not great arm. Indiana’s RPO-heavy scheme and penchant for blowouts make Mendoza a tricky evaluation. While he’s shown the ability to attack tight windows and throw with anticipation, he isn’t asked to move off of his first read very frequently. He’s also usually on the sideline or running the clock out by the start of the fourth quarter, so he only gets ~75% as much tape as other quarterbacks. The lack of high-leverage throws clouds the analysis, but Mendoza’s timing and ball placement give him a high floor in multiple schemes.

4. Miami Dolphins: LB/EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Miami takes LB/EDGE Arvell Reese, the best and most physically imposing player in the 2026 class. Reese’s overwhelming punch and bulletproof anchor make him a force at the point of attack. Whether he’s setting an edge, stacking a guard at the second level, or using a long-arm/bull rush, he annihilates blocks with ease.

Reese has All-Pro upside as an edge defender or off-ball linebacker, and I initially didn’t have a strong opinion regarding his NFL position. But his pass-rushing tape over the last few weeks has been dominant, and I’m beginning to think he’s an edge at the next level.

5. New York Giants

Rueben Bain Jr. is the best player available, but it’s hard to see the Giants spending another top-five pick on an edge rusher. The (assumed) departure of Trey Hendrickson and lack of edge depth in the 2026 edge class create enough urgency for Cincinnati to trade up and select Bain.

TRADE

• CIN gives: No. 8, No. 72, 2027 3^rd

• NYG gives: No. 5, 2027 6^th

5. Cincinnati Bengals: ED Rueben Bain Jr., Miami

Bain is a densely built edge defender with a deadly blend of speed and power. His arm length is well below average, but he’s a great athlete for his size with surprising flexibility at the top of the arc. At 275 pounds, he bursts into contact and has natural leverage to convert speed to power effectively. But he also has a wide array of hand moves and wins the corner much more frequently than a player of his size should.