Field Yates’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft: What It Says About Ohio State, the Power Programs and the Future of the League

Field Yates’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft: What It Says About Ohio State, the Power Programs and the Future of the League

The Seahawks just stomped the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, the parade in Seattle isn’t even cleaned up yet, and we’re already onto mock draft season. Field Yates dropped his latest 2026 first-round projection on ESPN, with the full order locked in and no trades. It’s our first clear look at how the league might value this class after the 2025 college season and a busy coaching carousel.

So what can we learn from this mock about Ohio State, the usual powerhouse programs and where the NFL is headed? Let’s break it down.

The Top of the Draft: QB at No. 1, Defense Right Behind

Yates kicks things off with the Las Vegas Raiders taking Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. He’s described as an accurate, poised, clutch QB who just led the Hoosiers to an undefeated season and a national championship. In other words: the prototypical modern “point guard” passer who can process quickly and keep an offense on schedule.

But after that, it’s defense early and often:

• No. 2 – Jets: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State

• No. 3 – Cardinals: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

• No. 4 – Titans: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

• No. 5 – Giants: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

This top five tells you two things:

1. Teams are still absolutely willing to build around defense early if they don’t love the QB board.

2. Edge rushers and offensive tackles remain premium currency, just like we’ve seen over the past decade.

And sitting right in the middle of that: two Ohio State stars.

Ohio State: Yates Sees the Buckeyes as Defensive Tone-Setters

Yates has three Buckeyes in the top 12:

• No. 2 – Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State (Jets)Former off-ball linebacker who kicked out to edge in 2025 and put up 6.5 sacks. Yates highlights his length, first step, bend and the fact the Jets were one of the worst sack teams in the league. Reese is basically projected as the Jets’ centerpiece pass rusher of the future.

• No. 5 – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State (Giants)This is Yates’ “curveball” pick. Most mocks lean WR or OT for the Giants, but he taps Downs as a true “force multiplier” on defense. With John Harbaugh taking over, that comp-heavy Ravens safety DNA (Ed Reed, Kyle Hamilton) clearly factors into the thinking. Downs is seen as the modern do-everything safety: deep range, in-the-box presence, and a guy who changes the math for an entire defense.

• No. 12 – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State (Cowboys)Listed as a linebacker after starting his career at safety, Styles is exactly what NFL teams want in the middle of the field now: big, fast, can cover, can blitz. Yates notes his six sacks in 2024 and calls out his versatility in Matt Patricia’s defense. In Dallas, new DC Christian Parker gets a movable chess piece to fix a defense that gave up 6.1 yards per play last year.

Takeaway for Buckeye fans:Yates is basically saying Ohio State was the defensive talent factory in this class:

• EDGE (Reese)

• Safety/defensive centerpiece (Downs)

• Hybrid linebacker (Styles)

That’s three different levels of the defense, all in the top 12. For a program that has leaned heavily on flashy offensive stars at times, this mock paints OSU as the backbone of the next wave of NFL defenses.

Wide Receivers and Ohio State’s Continued WR Legacy

Ohio State’s reputation as “WRU” doesn’t get left out either:

• No. 7 – Washington Commanders: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Yates calls Tate one of the most “pro-ready” prospects in the class—sharp route runner, elite hands and body control, and real vertical juice (17+ yards per catch, regular 40+ yard bombs). The Commanders pair him with Terry McLaurin, giving Jayden Daniels a legit field-stretching No. 2.

So from an Ohio State lens, Yates is telling a familiar story:

• You still come to Columbus if you want to be a first-round wideout.

• But now, you also come to Columbus if you want to be a first-rounder at pretty much any defensive position.

Four Buckeyes in the top 12 (three on defense, one at WR) is the kind of draft that sells itself on the recruiting trail.

Power Programs Dominate the First Round

Beyond Ohio State, this mock is a billboard for the usual college heavyweights and rising powers:

• Miami:

  • No. 3 OT Francis Mauigoa, a mauler who fits a gap-heavy run scheme.

  • No. 10 EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., ultra-productive pass rusher and ACC DPOY.

  • No. 19 EDGE Akheem Mesidor, a violent, older rusher who lived in the backfield during Miami’s CFP run.

• Georgia:

  • No. 17 OT Monroe Freeling, long, athletic, and a classic “upside tackle” who still hasn’t hit his ceiling.

• Alabama:

  • No. 21 QB Ty Simpson, big-arm, accuracy, but late-season decision-making issues.

  • No. 28 OT Kadyn Proctor, massive human (6-7, 366) with raw pass pro but scary power.

• Texas A&M:

  • No. 15 EDGE Cashius Howell (SEC DPOY with 11.5 sacks).

  • No. 27 WR KC Concepcion, a touchdown machine and return threat.

  • No. 32 G Chase Bisontis, a versatile interior OL who fits Seattle’s zone scheme.

• Pac-12/Big Ten West holdovers and others:

  • USC WR Makai Lemon (Ravens, No. 14)

  • Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq (Broncos, No. 30)

  • Washington WR Denzel Boston (Browns, No. 24)

  • Clemson DT Peter Woods (Bills, No. 26)

  • LSU CB Mansoor Delane (Dolphins, No. 11)

  • Tennessee CB duo Jermod McCoy (Rams, No. 13) and Colton Hood (Rams, No. 29)

Big picture: the first round still runs through:

• The SEC (Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M)

• The Big Ten and its new “super league” look (Ohio State, Penn State, etc.)

• The top West Coast brands (USC, Oregon, Washington)

If you follow recruiting, none of this shocks you. The schools that hoard 4- and 5-stars are cashing those chips in on draft night.

Trenches, Trenches, Trenches: OL and DL Rule This Mock

One of the biggest themes: line play rules.

• Offensive line:Mauigoa, Fano, Freeling, Ioane, Iheanachor, Proctor, Bisontis, and more. Yates even notes that this could mark the third time in four years that eight offensive linemen go in Round 1.

• Defensive line / edge:Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr., Cashius Howell, Akheem Mesidor, Keldric Faulk, Zion Young, Peter Woods, Caleb Banks.

If you’re a college fan trying to project who pops in mocks next year, follow two pipelines:

1. Pass rushers who can win one-on-one

2. Tackles and guards who can survive in space and move people in the run game

This class, as Yates lays it out, screams “build from the lines out” more than “collect fantasy football weapons.”

How Teams Are Thinking: A Few Notable Fits

A few pairings stand out from an NFL perspective:

• Jets doubling down on defense (Reese + Banks)No QB at 2 or 16. Instead, they grab a potential cornerstone edge in Arvell Reese and a freak-sized interior lineman in Caleb Banks. That’s a long-term bet that they’ll solve quarterback later while building a dominant front.

• Giants trusting defense and Harbaugh’s identityPassing on WR/OT for Caleb Downs is a statement: they’re willing to lean into a coach’s defensive DNA and try to win with a Ravens-style formula—elite safety play included.

• Cowboys loading up their front sevenSonny Styles (LB) and Keldric Faulk (EDGE) in the same first round would be a clear reaction to how far the defense fell. Dallas wants athletes who can run, blitz and erase mismatches.

• Rams going “all-in” at corner Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood, both Tennessee corners, both in Round 1. That’s a huge tell that the Rams know their weak link: defending the pass. If McCoy’s medicals are clean, this double-dip could quickly flip their secondary from liability to strength.

What It All Means Going Into Draft Season

A few closing thoughts on what Yates’ mock signals:

• Ohio State is positioned as the defensive factory of this class, while still churning out a first-round WR. That balance is exactly what terrifies the rest of college football.

• The league still believes in building from the lines out. Quarterback is always king, but this mock is a reminder that tackles, guards, edges and disruptive DTs are still going to eat on Day 1.

• Blue blood brands still matter, Miami, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Texas A&M, USC—they dominate the board. NIL and the portal have changed roster building, but talent gravity hasn’t shifted that much.

• Versatility is the new must-have trait. Hybrid linebackers, safeties who can play deep and in the box, receivers who can move inside and out, defensive linemen who can kick inside or outside—Yates leans into multi-role players over old-school specialists.

As we head into the combine and pro days, expect this board to shuffle. A big 40 time here, a medical red flag there—suddenly a mid-first guy is top 10 or sliding into the 20s. But if you’re a Buckeye fan or a follower of the big programs, Yates’ early read is clear:

• The stars you watched all fall aren’t just college heroes.

• They’re about to reshape NFL defenses, one first-round card at a time.

If you’re fired up about this mock and what it means for Ohio State and the rest of college football’s heavyweights, stay locked in with Toss Boss. We’ll be breaking down every major mock, pro day riser and draft rumor on the blog and the podcast all the way to Pittsburgh in April. Drop your own mock in the comments and roll with us as we track which college stars are about to become NFL cornerstones.