AI Projections for the 2026 NFL Draft Rounds 1-3

With just over a week to go until the NFL Draft kicks off from downtown Pittsburgh, RotoWire.com used Claude to run 100 simulations through the AI tool to see projections for who will be drafted between rounds 1 through 3.

While you're here, check out our 2026 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft Simulator.

2026 NFL Draft AI Projections for Rounds 1 to 3

Round 1: Which Teams Could Surprise in 2026?  

Claude's first-round picks, at least when compared with other publication's NFL Draft projections, stray far after going chalk at No. 1 (Fernando Mendoza) and 2 (Arvell Reese).  

That's because one major differentials between our in-house projections and those from the AI company start near the top of the draft and roll on from there, with the Arizona Cardinals picking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.  

That switch meant that Claude's pick at No. 4 (Caleb Downs of Ohio State) was different than most US betting apps' expectations, with Sonny Styles of Ohio State being the consensus top pick, for the Titans.  

From there, Claude projects David Bailey out of Texas Tech going No. 5 according to the AI board, versus offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa in most other mocks. 

Defensive Talent At Premium in 2026 NFL Draft

According to Claude, defense will be the name of the game in the top 10, draft wise, this year, with linebacker Sonny Styles going sixth, while former Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. and cornerbacks Cornell Tate and Mansoor Delane  are projected to go at spots seven, nine and 10, with Mauigoa being the lone offensive player taken in that stretch, with the former Hurricanes offensive lineman going to the New Orleans Saints.  

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The big man love continues in Claude's first round breakdown, with former Utah tackle Spencer Fano going 11th to the Miami Dolphins, while USC wideout Makai Lemon goes to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12 in their projection.  

Throw in another elite college receiver, in Jordyn Tyson out of ASU at 13 to the Los Angeles Rams and another tackle (Monroe Freeling) to the Ravens at 14 and you have a sense of how offense-heavy the middle part of this year's draft could be, at least if Claude's projections prove prescient.  

Penn State lineman Olaivavega Ione (15th to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman (16th to the New York Jets) and another NCAA tackle (Kayden Proctor of Alabama) are next up, while cornerback Jermod McCoy, tight end Kenyon Sadiq and edge rusher Keldric Faulk are slotted in between spots 17 and 20.  

Ty Simpson To The Bears?

Interestingly, the only QB that Claude has going in the first round after Mendoza at pick 1 is Ty Simpson out of Alabama, who's projected to go to the Chicago Bears, even though the NFC North club made the postseason with former top pick Caleb Williams under center in 2025. Williams will be a legitimate MVP contender at the best NFL betting sites, which makes this a truly baffling simulation from Claude.

Round 1 NFL Draft Predictions

Aside from Simpson to Chicago, the rest of the first round played out rather uneventfully on Claude's board, with Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor going to the Pittsburgh Steelers at 21, while the Los Angeles Chargers are projected to take Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller at 22.  

From there, the rest of Claude's first round projections follow a similar arc, with two offensive tackles (Caleb Lomu and Max Iheanachor) coming off the board, along with two defensive linemen (Peter Woods and Kayden McDonald), an edge (T.J. Parker), linebacker (C.J. Allen), safety (Emmanuel McNeil-Warren) and a wideout (Denzel Boston).  

The Claude odds board continues apace with Georgia wideout Zachariah Branch going to the New York Jets with the first pick of the second round and Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes kicking off the third by going to the Arizona Cardinals.  

For now, we'll keep our eyes peeled to see which college prospects get called first in the Steel City come the evening of April 23, as the NFL's made-for-TV spectacle kicks off along the banks of the Alleghany River.  

Stick with RotoWire for more draft coverage and the top NFL betting promos ahead of the season.