Thursday, April 23, the football world stops what it is doing and turns its eyes to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the 2026 NFL Draft gets underway at 8 p.m. on ESPN and ABC.
By the time Round 1 wraps up Thursday night, careers will be made, franchises will be reborn and a few general managers will either look like geniuses or spend the next decade explaining themselves.
Here is your guide on what to watch.
The No. 1 Pick Is “Already Decided”
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is heading to the Las Vegas Raiders, and that has been the story for months.
The Heisman Trophy winner led the Hoosiers to a perfect 16-win season and a College Football Playoff national championship. He threw 41 touchdown passes and just six interceptions and posted the nation’s top QBR at 90.3.
Raiders general manager John Spytek confirmed teams have called about trading up, but Las Vegas is not going anywhere. Mendoza is their guy and the clear best quarterback in this class.
No. 2 Is Where the Real Drama Begins
With Mendoza gone, the New York Jets are on the clock at No. 2 and the decision comes down to two edge rushers: Texas Tech’s David Bailey or Ohio State’s Arvell Reese.
Bailey is the polished, pro-ready option. He tied for the FBS lead in sacks with 14.5 last season and scouts consistently describe him as a player who can contribute from day one.
Reese is the higher ceiling bet, a hybrid linebacker and edge rusher from Ohio State with elite athleticism and versatility. In the days leading up to the draft, the Jets canceled their top-30 visit with Bailey, which most insiders took as a sign that Reese is the direction they are leaning.
Either way, New York addresses one of the most glaring needs in the league. The Jets ranked 31st in sacks last season. The Jets also hold the 16th pick, so they get two first-round swings on Thursday night.
Big Blue Has the Most Interesting Night of Anyone
The New York Giants enter tonight owning picks No. 5 and No. 10 after trading veteran defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 overall pick. Newly hired head coach John Harbaugh will have two picks in the top 10 to work with after having only one in his entire 18-year career as the Baltimore Ravens head coach.
The Giants’ front office has publicly called Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love an “offensive weapon” and not just a running back, which opens the door for them to consider him at No. 5.
Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, who draws Brian Urlacher comparisons from several analysts, is also in play. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, one of the most instinctive defensive players in the class, is another name to watch in that range.
With two picks, the Giants can get the best player available both times and cover two major needs in one night.
In roughly 50 minutes, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has a chance to rewrite his story or cement a legacy of questionable choices.
The Prospects That Will Shape Round 1
Once the top five picks are gone, this board opens up and the real chess match begins. Here are some of the other potential difference-makers in the draft.
For wide receivers, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate is the most polished pass catcher in this class. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch last season, led the nation in touchdowns of 30 or more air yards and caught 85.7 percent of his contested targets. He is not just a receiver, he is a closer. USC’s Makai Lemon is a smooth, high-cut route runner with elite acceleration out of breaks. Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson is a big-bodied threat who tracks deep balls the way most receivers only dream of, his only downside is his injury history. Any team in need of a No. 1 wideout better not hesitate when those three names come up.
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq ran a 4.39 second 40-yard dash at the combine at 6-foot-4. That is not normal for a tight end. Teams have been buzzing about him for weeks, and someone in the second half of the first round is going to pull the trigger. The George Kittle comparisons are not hype, they are earned.
On the defensive line, Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. is the most disruptive edge rusher in the class outside of Bailey and Reese. He is undersized by prototypical standards but plays with a relentless motor that never shuts off and a first step that offensive tackles consistently cannot account for. His Hurricane teammate Akheem Mesidor is a powerful, heavy-handed rusher who wins with violence at the point of attack and should come off the board in the back half of Round 1. Auburn’s Keldric Faulk closes out the edge rusher group as a 20-year-old with three years of SEC experience and the kind of upside that makes front offices giddy.
In the trenches, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa is a 329-pound road grader who plays with rare explosiveness for his size and gave up just 15 pressures all season. Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane did not allow a single sack in his final two college seasons and is the most pro-ready interior lineman in the class. Utah’s Spencer Fano and Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, a 6-foot-7, 360-pound former five-star, give teams two more legitimate options up front. Georgia’s Monroe Freeling rounds out a deep offensive line class that could see four or five players taken on Thursday night alone.
In the secondary, LSU’s Mansoor Delane is the premier cornerback in this class, a technically sharp press corner with elite hip fluidity who transferred from Virginia Tech and immediately shut down opposing receivers. Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy is the other corner worth watching in Round 1. Ohio State’s Caleb Downs is a safety with star written all over him. A high-IQ defender who can play deep or in the box and makes everyone around him better. Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are two more safety options who could sneak in late and start from day one.
Trades Could Flip the Night Upside Down
Do not sleep on the trade market.
The last several NFL drafts have averaged five or six deals involving first-round picks on Thursday night alone. This year, analysts across the board believe there is real trade potential in the middle of the round.
Dallas holds two first-round picks at No. 12 and No. 20 and has been linked to potentially moving up to grab a defensive cornerstone. The Cowboys’ defense allowed the most points in the NFL last season and is desperate for a playmaker. Washington at No. 7 is another team that could look to move back and collect extra capital if the right offer comes in.
Any movement in the top 10 could completely reshape who is available when teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers are on the clock later in the middle rounds.
New England Closes Out Round 1
The New England Patriots own the second-to-last pick of the first round at No. 31. Coming off a Super Bowl appearance under Mike Vrabel, the Patriots enter with 11 total picks and look to target an offensive lineman, a pass-catching tight end, or some front-seven help.
By the time pick No. 31 rolls around, the headliners will be long gone, but New England has a history of finding value at the back end of Round 1. Whoever Vrabel takes will be expected to contribute immediately to an offense or defense that is one or two pieces away from being a true contender.
Round 1 kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN and ABC. Rounds 2 and 3 will be held Friday at 7 p.m. Rounds 4 through 7 wrap Saturday at noon.
Pull up the board. Tell your roommates. Tonight, Football belongs to Pittsburgh.
