Peter Schrager's First 2026 Mock Draft is Here, and the Seahawks Better Be Paying Attention
Mark your calendar: April 23 in Pittsburgh. That's when Round 1 of the 2026 NFL draft kicks off, and ESPN's Peter Schrager just dropped his first full mock of all 32 picks based on what he's been hearing from around the league.
Schrager spent time at the annual league meeting in Phoenix last week picking the brains of sources and digging into what teams are actually thinking heading into the draft. The result is his best projection for how the first round could play out. And yeah, there's another one coming in two weeks when things get even clearer. But this one is his read right now, straight from the people making the calls.
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We're less than three weeks out from the biggest night in football. This mock draft isn't gospel, but it's Schrager's educated guess on what's actually being discussed in war rooms across the NFL. Nothing is locked in yet, which is why these early projections matter. Teams are still working the phones, still evaluating, still trying to figure out their final board.
According to Schrager's projections, the Las Vegas Raiders are looking at Fernando Mendoza, the QB from Indiana, with the first overall pick. That's the kind of intel that moves markets and sparks debate from Emerald City to every other NFL city in the country.
What This Means For Seattle
The Seahawks have work to do this offseason, and knowing where the draft is heading helps Mike Macdonald and Brian Fleury plan for what's available when Seattle's pick comes up. With Sam Darnold under center and weapons like Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp in the arsenal, there's a clear direction for the offense. But the front office will be watching every projection, every rumor, every bit of intel that Schrager and others are hearing.
Schrager promises more breakdown all week on ESPN2's "NFL Draft Daily" at 3 p.m. ET, so there's plenty more to come before the real show starts on the 23rd. This is the time when every fan, every coach, every scout is trying to get ahead of what's actually going to happen.
Two weeks to the biggest night in football. Get ready.
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