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Immigration Agency Misconduct

At least two dozen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and contractors have been charged with crimes since 2020, and their documented wrongdoing includes patterns of physical and sexual abuse, corruption and other abuses of authority, a review by The Associated Press found.

While most of the cases happened before Congress voted last year to give ICE $75 billionto hire more agentsand detain more people, experts say these kinds of crimes could accelerate given the sheer volume of new employees andtheir empowerment to use aggressive tacticsto arrest and deport people.

The Trump administration has emboldened agents by arguing they have "absolute immunity" for their actions on duty and by weakening oversight.One judge recently suggestedthat ICE was developing a troubling culture of lawlessness, while experts have questioned whether job applicants are getting enough vetting and training.

"Once a person is hired, brought on, goes through the training and they are not the right person, it is difficult to get rid of them and there will be a price to be paid later down the road by everyone," said Gil Kerlikowske, who served as commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection from 2014 to 2017.

Almost every law enforcement agency contends with bad employees and crimes related to domestic violence and substance abuse are long-standing problems in the field. But ICE's rapid growth and mission to deport millions are unprecedented, and the AP review found that the immense power that officers exercise over vulnerable populations can lead to abuses.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that wrongdoing was not widespread in the agency, and that ICE "takes allegations of misconduct by its employees extremely seriously." She said that most new hires had already worked for other law enforcement agencies, and that their backgrounds were thoroughly vetted.

"America can be proud of the professionalism our officers bring to the job day-in and day-out," she said.

ICE misconduct could become a 'countrywide phenomenon'

ICE announced last month that it had more than doubled in size to 22,000 employees in less than one year.

Kerlikowske said ICE agents are particularly "vulnerable to unnecessary use of force issues," given that they often conduct enforcement operations in public while facing protests. With the number of ICE detainees nearly doubling since last year to 70,000, employees and contractors responsible for overseeing them are also facing challenging conditions that can provide more opportunities for misconduct.

The Border Patrol doubled in size to more than 20,000 agents from 2004 to 2011 — six years longer than ICE took. It was embarrassed by a wave of corruption, abuse and other misconduct by some of the new hires. Kerlikowske recalled cases of agents who accepted bribes to let cars carrying drugs enter the U.S. or who became involved in human trafficking.

He and others say ICE is poised to see similar problems that will likely be broader in scope, with less oversight and accountability.

"The corruption and the abuse and the misconduct was largely confined in the prior instance to along the border and interactions with immigrants and border state residents. With ICE, this is going to be a countrywide phenomenon as they pull in so many people who are attracted to this mission," said David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.

Bier, who has helped publicize some of the recent arrests and other alleged misconduct by ICE agents, said he has been struck by the "remarkable array of different offenses and charges that we've seen."

AP's review examined public records involving cases of ICE employees and contractors who have been arrested since 2020, including at least 17 who have been convicted and six others who are awaiting trial. Nine have been charged in the last year, including an agent cited last month for assaulting a protester near Chicago while off-duty.

Some of the most serious crimes were committed by veteran ICE employees and supervisors rather than rookies.

While federal officials have justified ICE's aggression, the behavior of agents is drawing scrutiny from cellphone-wielding observers and prosecutors in Democratic-led jurisdictions. Local agencies are looking into last month's fatal shootings in Minneapolis of protestersRenee GoodandAlex Prettiby federal agents, as well as the killing of Keith Porter by an off-duty ICE agent in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve.

Arrests have made local headlines

Around the country, the cases have attracted unwelcome headlines for ICE, which has spent millions of dollars publicizing the criminal rap sheets of those they arrest as the "worst of the worst."

Among them:

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__ The assistant ICE field office supervisor in Cincinnati, Samuel Saxon, a 20-year ICE veteran, has been jailed since his arrest in December on charges that he attempted to strangle his girlfriend.

Saxon had abused the woman for years, fracturing her hip and nose and causing internal bleeding, a judge found in a ruling ordering him detained pending trial. "The defendant is a volatile and violent individual," the judge wrote of Saxon, whose attorneys didn't return a message seeking comment. ICE said he is considered absent without leave.

__ "I'm ICE, boys," an ICE employment eligibility auditor told police in Minnesota in November when he was arrested in a sting as he went to meet a person he thought was a 17-year-old prostitute. Alexander Back, 41, has pleaded not guilty to attempted enticement of a minor. ICE said Back is on administrative leave while the agency investigates.

—When officers in suburban Chicago found a man passed out in a crashed car in October, they were surprised to discover the driver was an ICE officer who had recently completed his shift at a detention center and had his government firearm in the vehicle. They arrested Guillermo Diaz-Torres for driving under the influence. He's pleaded not guilty and has been put on administrative duty pending an investigation.

__ After an ICE officer in Florida was stopped for driving drunk with his two children in the car in August, he tried to get out of charges by pointing to his law enforcement and military service. When that failed, he demanded to know whether one of the deputies arresting him was Haitian and threatened to check the man's immigration status, body camera video shows.

"I'll run him once I get out of here and if he's not legit, ooh, he's taking a ride back to Haiti," Scott Deiseroth warned during the arrest.

Deiseroth, who was sentenced to probation and community service, is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation. "He did something stupid. He owned up to it," said his attorney, Michael Catalano. "He's very sorry about the whole thing."

Several cases involve force and abuse

The AP's review found a pattern of charges involving ICE employees and contractors who mistreated vulnerable people in their care.

A former top official at an ICE contract facility in Texas was sentenced to probation on Feb. 4 after acknowledging he grabbed a handcuffed detainee by the neck and slammed him into a wall last year. Prosecutors had downgraded the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.

In December, an ICE contractor pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a detainee at a detention facility in Louisiana. Prosecutors said the man had sexual encounters with a Nicaraguan national over a five-month period in 2025 as he instructed other detainees to act as lookouts.

Outside Chicago, an off-duty ICE agent has been charged with misdemeanor battery for throwing to the ground a 68-year-old protester who was filming him at a gas station in December. McLaughlin has said the agent acted in self-defense.

Other charges cited corruption

Another pattern that emerged in AP's review involved ICE officials charged with abusing their power for financial gain.

An ICE deportation officer in Houston was indicted last summer on charges that he repeatedly accepted cash bribes from bail bondsmen in exchange for removing detainers ICE had placed on their clients targeting them for deportation.

ICE said the officer was "indefinitely suspended" in May 2024, before his arrest one year later. He has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of accepting bribes and was released from custody while awaiting trial.

Prosecutors say a former supervisor in ICE's New York City office provided confidential information about people's immigration statuses to acquaintances and made an arrest in exchange for gifts and other gain. He was arrested in November 2024, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

Two Utah-based ICE investigators were sentenced to prison last year for a scheme in which they made hundreds of thousands of dollars stealing synthetic drugs known as "bath salts" from government custody and selling them through government informants.

ICE officials used badges to try to avoid consequences

The wrongdoing often included the use of ICE resources and credentials to try to avoid arrest or receive favorable treatment.

In 2022, ICE supervisor Koby Williams was arrested in a sting by police in Othello, Washington, while going to a hotel room to meet who he thought was a 13-year-old girl he'd arranged to pay for sex.

Williams had driven his government vehicle, which was filled with cash, alcohol, pills and Viagra, and was carrying his ICE badge and loaded government firearm. The 22-year ICE veteran offered a rationale that turned out to be a lie: that he was there to "rescue" the girl as part of a human trafficking investigation. Williams is serving prison time for what prosecutors called a "reprehensible" abuse of power.

"With a duty to protect and serve," they wrote, "defendant sought to exploit and victimize."

While most cases happened before Congress voted last yearto give ICE $75 billionto hire more agents anddetain more people, experts say such crimes could accelerate given the volume of new employees and their empowerment touse aggressive tacticsto deport people.

Almost every law enforcement agency contends with bad employees. But ICE's rapid growth and mission to deport millions are unprecedented, and the immense power that officers exercise over vulnerable populations can lead to abuses.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that wrongdoing was not widespread in the agency, and that ICE "takes allegations of misconduct by its employees extremely seriously." She said that most new hires have worked for other law enforcement agencies, and that their backgrounds were thoroughly vetted.

"America can be proud of the professionalism our officers bring to the job day-in and day-out," she said.

Here are some takeaways from AP's findings:

ICE's growth could lead to problems like the Border Patrol saw

ICE announced last month that it had doubled in size in less than one year, to 22,000 employees, after a frenetic hiring spree.

After the Border Patrol doubled in size to more than 20,000 agents over a 7-year period ending in 2011, it was embarrassed by a wave of corruption, abuse and other misconduct by some of the new employees.

Former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske recalled cases of agents who accepted bribes to let cars carrying drugs enter the U.S. or who became involved in human trafficking. He said ICE will likely see even more serious problems.

ICE agents are particularly "vulnerable to unnecessary use of force issues," given that they are conducting enforcement operations while facing protests, Kerlikowske said. With the number of people in ICE detention rapidly growing to 70,000, there are more opportunities for misconduct involving employees and contractors responsible for overseeing detainees.

Several ICE officials have been arrested in the last year

Arrests of ICE personnel over the last year have been a headache for the agency, which has labeled many of the people they deport as the "worst of the worst" because of their rap sheets.

The AP found at least nine such arrests across the country. They include the assistant ICE field office supervisor in Cincinnati, who has been jailed since December after a judge found he was a danger to the public who had violently assaulted his girlfriend for years.

Two ICE employees in Minnesota faced federal sexual misconduct charges related to underage girls last year, including an employment eligibility auditor arrested in a sting operation in November. The auditor has pleaded not guilty. An ICE investigator in the state pleaded guilty to sending images and videos of himself having sex with a 17-year-old girl, whose background he searched in a law enforcement database.

Two ICE agents face charges for incidents that occurred outside Chicago while they were off-duty but which involved their agency work. One was charged last month with assaulting a protester who was filming him at a gas station. Another was cited for driving drunk shortly after leaving work at a detention center with his government firearm in the vehicle.

Many of the cases involve violence and sexual abuse

The AP's review found a pattern of charges involving ICE employees and contractors who mistreated vulnerable people in their care.

A former top official at an ICE contract facility in Texas was sentenced to probation on Feb. 4 after acknowledging he grabbed a handcuffed detainee by the neck and slammed him into a wall last year. Prosecutors had downgraded the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.

In December, an ICE contractor pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a detainee at a detention facility in Louisiana. Prosecutors said the man had sexual encounters with a Nicaraguan national over a five-month period in 2025 as he instructed other detainees to act as lookouts.

Other charges involved corruption

Other similarities involved ICE officials charged with abusing their power for financial gain.

A deportation officer in Houston was indicted last year on charges that he repeatedly accepted cash bribes from bail bondsmen in exchange for removing detainers ICE had placed on their clients targeting them for deportation. He has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of accepting bribes and was released from custody while awaiting trial.

Two Utah-based ICE investigators were sentenced to prison last year for a scheme in which they made hundreds of thousands of dollars stealing synthetic drugs known as "bath salts" from government custody and selling them for profit through government informants.

The news is the latest sign of the FDA'sheightened scrutiny of vaccinesunder Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., particularly thoseusing mRNA technology, which he has criticized before and after becoming the nation's top health official.

Moderna received what's called a "refusal-to-file" letter from the FDA that objected to how it conducted a 40,000-person clinical trial comparing its new vaccine to one of the standard flu shots used today. That trial concluded the new vaccine was somewhat more effective in adults 50 and older than that standard shot.

The letter from FDA vaccine director Dr. Vinay Prasad said the agency doesn't consider the application to contain an "adequate and well-controlled trial" because it didn't compare the new shot to "the best-available standard of care in the United States at the time of the study." Prasad's letter pointed to some advice FDA officials gave Moderna in 2024, under the Biden administration, which Moderna didn't follow.

According to Moderna, that feedback said it was acceptable to use the standard-dose flu shot the company had chosen — but that another brand specifically recommended for seniors would be preferred for anyone 65 and older in the study. Still, Moderna said, the FDA did agree to let the study proceed as originally planned.

The company said it also had shared with FDA additional data from a separate trial comparing the new vaccine against a licensed high-dose shot used for seniors.

The FDA "did not identify any safety or efficacy concerns with our product" and "does not further our shared goal of enhancing America's leadership in developing innovative medicines," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.

It's rare that FDA refuses to file an application, particularly for a new vaccine, which requires companies and FDA staff to engage in months or years of discussions.

Moderna has requested an urgent meeting with FDA, and noted that it has applied for the vaccine's approval in Europe, Canada and Australia.

In the last year, FDA officials working under Kennedy have rolled back recommendations around COVID-19 shots, added extra warnings to the two leading COVID vaccines — which are made with mRNA technology — and removed critics of the administration's approach from an FDA advisory panel.

Kennedy announced last year that his department would cancel more than$500 million in contractsand funding for the development of vaccines using mRNA.

FDA for decades has allowed vaccine makers to quickly update their annual flu shots to target the latest strains by showing that they trigger an immune response in patients. That's a far more efficient approach than running long-term studies tracking whether patients get the flu and how they fare. In an internal memo last year, Prasad wrote that the streamlined method would no longer be permitted – leadingmore than a dozen former FDA commissionersto pen an editorial condemning the statements.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

The Pacers scored the first nine points of overtime and overcame a furious Knicks run over the final 24.3 seconds, during which they scored eight points in 20 seconds.

Indiana had eight players that scored in double figures and the Pacers' bench outscored New York's 43-18.

Jalen Brunson had 40 points and had eight assists and five rebounds for New York, which dropped only its second game in its past 11 overall and seventh time in 28 home games.

Josh Hart had 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his second triple-double of the season for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out with 2:14 left in overtime.

The Knicks entered tied for the NBA's second-most home wins with 21. Indiana, which played without center Ivica Zubac (ankle), came in tied for the league's fewest road wins (three) and with the worst road win percentage in the Eastern Conference at .120.

But the Pacers were able to come to Madison Square Garden and win for the first time since taking two of their three head-to-head games against the Knicks in last year's Eastern Conference Finals.

The game featured 39 lead changes, the most in the NBA this season, and the Pacers seemed poised to pull it out in regulation while leading by four with 1:49 in regulation.

But the Knicks outscored the Pacers 7-3 in that span, capped by Towns' two clutch free throws with 0.2 seconds left in regulation that forced overtime after he was fouled by Aaron Nesmith.

Pacers: Play at Brooklyn on Wednesday night.

Knicks: Play at Philadelphia on Wednesday night.

AP NBA:https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

"It's unbelievable. To be in this place, it's hallowed ground," Seattle receiver Cooper Kupp said following his team'sSuper Sunday rout.

"We had such a connected group. Every single person to a man would say the special thing about this group is how connected we are. A belief in each other, a genuine love for each other to see the guy next to you succeed and that made all the difference in the world."

And all the difference in the power rankings, the Seahawks lingering near the top for most of the season but never No. 1 … until now. And "now" − always an odd interregnum as some teams finish up while others are significantly moving ahead into the 2026 offseason − always makes for a compelling power rankings soup in mid-February. So here they are, with Super Bowl 60 and the 2025 season complete … and so much more set to happen soon (previous rank prior to Week 18 in parentheses):

1.Seattle Seahawks(2):Theybegan the season ranked 14thon this list − which is to say I viewed them as playoff-caliber coming offhead coach Mike Macdonald's encouraging maiden season. But did Iforesee QB Sam Darnold, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba andthe "Dark Side" defense− mostly − cruising to immortality a few months ago? Nope. That said, I caught up to Seattle quicker than most. Over the second half of the regular season, they spent six weeks ranked at No. 2 and three at No. 3. Before the playoffs began, I thoughtthey had the best chance to win Super Bowl 60− and they did so by beating three playoff teams that boasted a combined 44 victories. But seeing the Seahawks up close and personal in recent weeks truly illustrated what a talented, united, complementary, grounded collective this was. And whileSuper Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker IIIandplayoff hero Rashid Shaheedare pending free agents − along with several members of the secondary − Seattle seems to have the salary cap space to largely run it back in 2026 and possibly improve given its quotient of young, ascending stars.

2. Los Angeles Rams (1):They'd held the top spot in the power rankings since Week 10, and I'd had them holding off the Seahawks at No. 2 since Week 16. LA was maybe a play away from securing the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed along with the bye and home-field advantage that came with it. The Rams were still maybe just a play away from winning the NFC title at Lumen Field in a captivating NFC title game − which was really the de facto Super Bowl. But though they had the league's best offense in 2025 and its best player inMVP Matthew Stafford(called that in Week 7, btw), the Rams buckled a bit defensively down the stretch and were constantly undermined by their special teams − factors that ultimately left them that play away, and decidedly behind Seattle. But no one else was better this season.

Super Bowl VII (Dolphins 14, Washington 7): Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Manny Fernandez (75) tackles Washington running back Larry Brown (43) in Super Bowl VII at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Dolphins completed a 17-0 undefeated season with the win.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XVI (49ers 26, Bengals 21): San Francisco 49ers defensive back Ronnie Lott (42) celebrates a goal line stand against the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl XVI at the Silverdome.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XVII (Washington 27, Dolphins 17): Washington running back John Riggins (44) breaks loose from Miami Dolphins defensive back Don McNeal (28) on a 43-yard touchdown run during Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XVIII (Raiders 38, Washington 9): Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (32) carries the ball against Washington safety Mark Murphy (29) during Super Bowl XVIII at Tampa Stadium.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XXII (Washington 42, Broncos 10): Washington quarterback Doug Williams (17) looks to throw against the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XXII at Jack Murphy Stadium.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XXIV (49ers 55, Broncos 10) : San Francisco 49ers running back Roger Craig (33) celebrates with teammates against the Denver Broncos at the Superdome. The 55 points scored by the 49ers remains a Super Bowl record.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XXVI (Washington 37, Bills 24): Washington cornerback Alvoid Mays (20) hits Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly (12), causing him to fumble during Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl XL (Steelers 21, Seahawks 10): Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward jumps in the air and scores after catching a 43-yard touchdown pass from fellow wideout Antwaan Randle El.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl 51 (Patriots 34, Falcons 28 - OT): New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman hauls in a catch off a deflected pass that would help New England mount the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. The game also featured the first ever overtime in a Super Bowl.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl 53 (Patriots 13, Rams 3): Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore makes a pivotal interception in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With the win, the Patriots tied the Steelers for most Super Bowl victories (six).

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl 55 (Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9): Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski spikes the football after catching a touchdown pass during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl 56 (Rams 23, Bengals 20): Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp catches the game-winning touchdown pass as Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Eli Apple defends at SoFi Stadium.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl 57 (Chiefs 38, Eagles 35): The Chiefs' Kadarius Toney (19) is tackled by the Philadelphia Eagles' Nakobe Dean (17) and Arryn Siposs (8) after a Super Bowl-record 65-yard punt return at State Farm Stadium.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Super Bowl 58 (Chiefs 25, 49ers 22, OT): Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. (12) celebrates with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) after the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Super Bowl photos: Most memorable moments from Super Sunday

3.Chicago Bears(8):They gave the mighty Rams all they could handle in an overtime divisional round loss at Soldier Field. Chicago won eight of its final 12 games and captured its first NFC North title in seven years. "Good, better, best," this team incrementally got better in 2025 and not only found an identity but a power couple in coach Ben Johnson and QB Caleb Williams that could be a force to be reckoned with for the next decade-plus.

4. Denver Broncos (6):They ended K.C.'s nine-year AFC West reign and earned the conference's top playoff seed before being undone by QB Bo Nix's divisional round ankle injury − and even that barely kept Denver from reaching Super Bowl 60. Some slight upgrades on offense could propel this team further in 2026.

5. New England Patriots (3):This is going to feel like hot-take territory. It's not intended to be. But let's be honest for a minute − a team that went 14-3 in the regular season only beat one opponent that finished with a winning record, and the Pats caught the Bills early on but ultimately split with them. And despite winning three playoff games on the way to a berth in Super Bowl 60, New England had a very favorable path that included the decimated Chargers, mistake-prone Texans and Nix-less Broncos, whom they were fortunate to survive. And the Patriots' inability to generate virtually any offense over the past month very much caught up to them against an elite opponent like Seattle. All that said, let's celebrate what this team accomplished, reclaiming the AFC East crown from Buffalo and becoming the first NFL team to finish a season 9-0 on the road. Also, the Pats have the capacity to make more significant roster improvements this offseason. But the bar moving forward for a team that massively exceeded expectations, similar to Washington a year ago, will be much higher in 2026 − maybe loftier than it reasonably ought to be.

6.Buffalo Bills(11):This was supposedly supposed to be their postseason − and maybe it would have been had QB Josh Allen played just a touch better in a memorable overtime loss at Denver, one that cost Buffalo its Super Bowl shot andformer coach Sean McDermott his job.New boss (and former OC) Joe Bradylikely won't be afforded much margin for error, even as the rookie head coach learns the ropes of his new role − while his built-to-win-now team moves into a new stadium amid ownership's clearly expected move closer to the organization's first Lombardi Trophy.

7.Jacksonville Jaguars(4):They've got some personnel issues to figure out, LB Devin Lloyd, RB Travis Etienne and most of the starting secondary headed for free agency. They also need to figure out the optimal role forWR/CB Travis Hunter after an injury-curtailed but disappointing rookie season. Still, hard not to be bullish on this squad following the quantum leap it made in Year 1 under rookie coach Liam Coen and revitalized QB Trevor Lawrence.

8. Los Angeles Chargers (9):What is this team capable of with two All-Pro-caliber offensive tackles, a healthy running back room andMike McDaniel taking charge of QB Justin Herbert and the offense? Can't wait to see.

9.San Francisco 49ers(5):Fantastic season from coach Kyle Shanahan and Co., their rash of injuries unable to undercut them until their resounding playoff loss at Seattle. But while you'd want to be optimistic about a squad getting LB Fred Warner and DEs Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, among others, back in 2026,when will TE George Kittle regain his formfollowing the Achilles tear he suffered in the playoffs? And how doesAll-Pro RB Christian McCaffrey respond from shouldering a league-high 413 touches? The Niners also remain mired in a meat grinder of a division.

10.Green Bay Packers(12):What could they have been with a full season from DE Micah Parsons? And/or TE Tucker Kraft? And/or DL Devonte Wyatt? Almost certainly more than a seventh-seeded wild card for the third straight year.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (10):They've never missed the playoffs under coach Nick Sirianni, whose alternating pattern would suggest Philly is on track to reach Super Bowl 61. But a team that had its share of offensive drama − again − in 2025 is undergoing fundamental changes withthe arrival of rookie coordinator Sean Mannion, 33, anddeparture of longtime O-line guru Jeff Stoutland.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (26):That team that cratered to 6-11 and lost QB Patrick Mahomes to a torn ACL? So 2025. We're looking forward to what a tarnished dynasty might manage … with an ax to grind … and a healthy Mahomes who will doubtless return with a vengeance … and maybe another year of a revitalized Travis Kelce … and a top-10 draft pick … and maybe a significant move or two in free agency … once Mahomes and the club agree to necessary recalibration of his contract.

13. Houston Texans (7):They obviously have a Super Bowl-caliber defense. But it's very much worth wondering, as we move forward, if they have a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback.

14. Detroit Lions (18):A year ago, the overriding question was how they'd hold up after losing both of their coordinators to HC gigs. Asked and answered. But the offenseshouldget a bounce with newly hired coordinator Drew Petzing coming aboard, and the defenseshouldget a bounce with a healthy secondary.

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15. Baltimore Ravens (14):They've got their new coach, andJesse Minter was a highly coveted assistant− and one who knows this organization well. But, like Brady, Minter must adapt to the HC learning curve on the fly with a team that's positioned to win in a significant way. And, if it's going to get better positioned, near-term decisions need to be made financially with Pro Bowl C Tyler Linderbaum, a pending free agent, and all-universe QB Lamar Jackson, whose $74.5 million cap hits the next two years could hold Baltimore back if not redressed.

16. Cincinnati Bengals (20):Look who's suddenly the model of stability in the AFC North, Zac Taylor the lone holdover head coach. And maybe the Bengals are about to lose free agent DE Trey Hendrickson, who didn't contribute much in 2025 anyway, but they're also about to have more than $50 million in cap space − and what a difference that might make to this beleaguered defense, which has been among the league's worst during Cincy's three-season playoff absence.

17.Carolina Panthers(15):The team's steady improvement over the last three years has mirrored QB Bryce Young's. If that trend maintains in 2026, the Panthers will have their first winning season since 2017.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (22):Are the days when 8-9 was sufficient to win the NFC South gone? Maybe, maybe not. But the Bucs need to take a hard look in the mirror following their stunning late-season collapse.

19. Minnesota Vikings (17):They (quietly?) finished the season on a five-game winning streak − and 9-8 will get them into the playoffs if they relocate to Fort Lauderdale and that aforementioned NFC South. But they sent a loud and clear message with theirbelated firing of GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who didn't retain Darnold or Daniel Jones a year ago and has left a playoff-caliber team in jeopardy given the swirling questions about its not-so-easily remedied quarterback situation.

20. Dallas Cowboys (19):Expect another winter, spring (maybe) and summer (maybe?) of contractual handwringing as Jerry Jones decides what to do withWR George Pickens, RB Javonte Williams, several other pending free agents and a bloated salary cap.

21. Washington Commanders (28):It would be easy to explain away their issues due to QB Jayden Daniels' injuries. But they were getting thumped regularly even when he was on the field late in the season. A team that madeso much headway with a veteran influx in 2024needs to take a hard look at its roster construction now.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers (13):Maybe a lot of Steel City locals got their wish, but something will be lost here with Mike Tomlin's departure. Something else also might be lost with QB Aaron Rodgers once again needing to make a decision about whether to extend his career. And, regardless,maybe Mike McCarthy is a good enough coach to keep this franchise in the playoff friend zone− which is where ownership seemingly wants to stay despite Pittsbugh's latest postseason debacle − but a hard reset seems warranted here … even if it's unlikely to be forthcoming.

23. New Orleans Saints (23):Spearheaded by rookie QB Tyler Shough, they were arguably the NFC South's best team from December on despite their last-place finish (which was only two wins shy of the first-place logjam).

24. Indianapolis Colts (21):Presumably, they'll re-sign QB Daniel Jones and try to replicate their first-half success from 2025 … which could be problematic as he rehabs from a torn Achilles and the team tries to rehab after the Jaguars and Texans blew past it.

25. Tennessee Titans (24):Looking for a team that could make a big jump in 2026? Armed with high-end draft picks, more than $100 million in cap space and, seemingly, his first franchise quarterback, new HC Robert Saleh might finally be in position to spark a franchise revival.

26. New York Giants (29):John Harbaugh underachieved in Baltimore at the end of his tenure, even his former owner admitting as much. Now under the Big Apple's spotlight, Harbaugh had better find the other end of the spectrum in 2026 − especially with the young talent on this roster.

27. Atlanta Falcons (16):They played much better down the stretch last season … with QB Kirk Cousins in the lineup. Sure seems like he's headed for another lineup in what could be the latest domino to fall amid the latest organizational reboot.

28. Cleveland Browns (25):Newly hired coach Todd Monken inherits a Pro Bowl quarterback. What could possibly go wrong?

29. Las Vegas Raiders (31):Newly hired coach Klint Kubiaklikely inherits Heisman Trophy QB Fernando Mendozaand … uh. What could possibly go wrong?

2. New York Jets – Arvell Reese, LB/DE, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 3. Arizona Cardinals – Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 4. Tennessee Titans – Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami (Fla.)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 5. New York Giants – Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 6. Cleveland Browns – Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 7. Washington Commanders – David Bailey, DE/OLB, Texas Tech

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 8. New Orleans Saints – Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 9. Kansas City Chiefs – Makai Lemon, WR, USC

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 10. Cincinnati Bengals – Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 11. Miami Dolphins – Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 12. Dallas Cowboys – Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 13. Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) – Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 14. Baltimore Ravens – Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 16. New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) – Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 17. Detroit Lions – Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 18. Minnesota Vikings – Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 19. Carolina Panthers – Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 21. Pittsburgh Steelers – KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 22. Los Angeles Chargers – Caleb Banks, DT, Florida

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 23. Philadelphia Eagles – Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 24. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) – Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 27. San Francisco 49ers – Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 29. Los Angeles Rams – Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 30. Denver Broncos – CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 31. New England Patriots – Cashius Howell, OLB, Texas A&M

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 32. Seattle Seahawks – Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NFL mock draft: First-round projection with order set after Super Bowl

30. New York Jets (32):Newly hired OC Frank Reichinherits … uhhh. A bounty of draft picks, cap space and a sound offensive line are nice. But these are still the quarterback-killing Jets − what could possibly go wrong?

31.Miami Dolphins(27):Maybe they can fool the Jets into trading for QB Tua Tagovailoa amid what's probably going to be a rough reboot in South Florida this year.

32. Arizona Cardinals (30):Maybe they can fool the Jets into trading for QB Kyler Murray amid what's probably going to be a tough existence in the NFC West, where the other three teams all won at least 12 games in the 2025 regular season before each adding at least one playoff victory. Good luck to(the other) Coach LaFleur.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL power rankings 2026: Patriots sent to post-Super Bowl slide