When the 2026 NFL Draft kicks disconnected Thursday nighttime successful Pittsburgh, the lone adjacent certainty is that a backmost volition beryllium taken No. 1 wide for the 4th consecutive year.
The Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to prime QB Fernando Mendoza, who capped his stellar Heisman season by starring Indiana to its archetypal nationalist title successful schoolhouse history.
The prime of Mendoza volition people an effort by Raiders number proprietor Tom Brady — the legendary QB who won a staggering 7 Super Bowl rings — to mentor an heir evident of sorts, giving Las Vegas a cleanable slate arsenic it enters a large rebuild pursuing the disappointing one-and-done tenures of caput manager Pete Carrol and QB Geno Smith.
People rehearse up of the NFL Draft successful Pittsburgh. April 22, 2026.
Gene J. Puskar / AP
Mendoza could beryllium the lone QB selected successful Round 1. After helium comes disconnected the board, teams volition apt crook their attraction to the trenches, successful a draught experts concur is lacking successful bluish chippers.
The biggest chartless is the destiny of almighty Notre Dame moving backmost Jeremiyah Love, arguably the champion jock who volition perceive his sanction called Thursday. Because the presumption is nary longer considered premium, it is often overlooked astatine the apical of the archetypal round. Since 2018, lone 3 moving backs person been selected successful the apical 10.
A imaginable destination for Love could beryllium the New York Giants, who finished with conscionable 4 wins past twelvemonth and are hoping for a reset nether caller caput manager John Harbaugh. The Giants person 2 apical 10 selections acknowledgment to a blockbuster commercialized past week successful which they acquired the No. 10 prime from the Cincinnati Bengals successful speech for disgruntled prima antiaircraft tackle Dexter Lawrence. The Giants besides person the No. 5 pick.
Meanwhile, shot powerhouse Ohio State could beryllium liable for arsenic galore arsenic 4 apical 10 selections with borderline Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, information Caleb Downs and wide receiver Carnell Tate each expected to beryllium taken early.
Miami borderline Rueben Bain Jr., Miami violative tackle Francis Mauigoa, Texas Tech borderline David Bailey and Utah violative tackle Spencer Fano are besides expected to beryllium snatched up quickly.
2026 NFL Draft bid for Round 1
- No. 1: Las Vegas Raiders
- No. 2: New York Jets
- No. 3: Arizona Cardinals
- No. 4: Tennessee Titans
- No. 5: New York Giants
- No. 6: Cleveland Browns
- No. 7: Washington Commanders
- No. 8: New Orleans Saints
- No. 9: Kansas City Chiefs
- No. 10: New York Giants
- No. 11: Miami Dolphis
- No. 12: Dallas Cowboys
- No. 13: Los Angeles Rams
- No. 14: Baltimore Raves
- No. 15: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- No. 16: New York Jets
- No. 17: Detroit Lions
- No. 18: Minnesota Vikings
- No. 19: Carolina Panthers
- No. 20: Dallas Cowboys
- No. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers
- No. 22: Los Angeles Chargers
- No. 23: Philadelphia Eagles
- No. 24: Cleveland Browns
- No. 25: Chicago Bears
- No. 26: Buffalo Bills
- No. 27: San Francisco 49ers
- No. 28: Houston Texans
- No. 29: Kansas City Chiefs
- No. 30: Miami Dolphins
- No. 31: New England Patriots
- No. 32: Seattle Seahawks
Where to find adept picks for a 2026 mock NFL Draft
CBS Sports has you covered for the NFL Draft, including the latest mock drafts and analysis.
In:
Pittsburgh buzzing with last NFL draught preparations
Pittsburgh buzzing with last NFL draught preparations
(15:51)

2 hours ago
7


English (US) ·