Justin Bales – 2026 Mock Draft Prediction
When will Justin Bales publish his 2026 NFL mock draft? Based on 5 years of timing data, here’s our prediction.
Predicted 2026 Mock Draft Drop Date
Tuesday–Wednesday, April 21–22, 2026
1–2 Days Before Draft · Pittsburgh, PA
Why this date? Bales has published his final mock (Version 4.0) 1–3 days before the draft every year from 2021–2025. With the 2026 NFL Draft beginning on Thursday, April 23 in Pittsburgh, expect his mock around April 21–22.
Historical Mock Draft Drop Dates
Bales consistently publishes his "Version 4.0" final mock 1–3 days before Round 1.
| Year | Mock Published | Draft Date | Days Before |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 ↗ | April 22, 2025 | April 24, 2025 | 2 Days Before |
| 2024 ↗ | April 23, 2024 | April 25, 2024 | 2 Days Before |
| 2023 ↗ | April 26, 2023 | April 27, 2023 | 1 Day Before |
| 2022 ↗ | April 27, 2022 | April 28, 2022 | 1 Day Before |
| 2021 ↗ | April 26, 2021 | April 29, 2021 | 3 Days Before |
| 2026 | April 21–22, 2026 (predicted) | April 23, 2026 | 1–2 Days Before |