The 2026 NFL Draft is underway in Pittsburgh, and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza went down in history as this year’s No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. After that very much expected development, the draft quickly took some wild turns.
The draft will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network and runs tonight through Saturday, April, 25. Rounds two and three begin at 7 p.m. Friday, April 24, and rounds four-through-seven start at noon on Saturday.
The Cincinnati Bengals don’t have a first-round pick after trading the No. 10 overall pick to the New York Giants for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence.
Follow along for live updates during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft:
AFC North picks to be aware of in Cincinnati
Cleveland got the AFC North’s draft night started by first trading back with the Kansas City Chiefs to No. 9, and then taking Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano.
Baltimore was the next North team to pick, selecting Penn State guard Vega Ioana at No. 14. The Steelers finally made their pick in front of the thronging Pittsburgh fans in attendance and selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.
Get used to these names, Bengals fans, because they’ll be counted on to give your team problems for years to come.
A trade and Eagles draft pick that signals an AJ Brown trade
The Eagles traded up to No. 20 from No. 23 to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. Philly’s been stocking its wide receiver room this offseason and that continued here, likely signaling an end to A.J. Brown’s controversial time with the 2024 Super Bowl champions.
The trade was with the Dallas Cowboys, which is somewhat interesting because the teams are fierce divisional rivals. But the Cowboys were well-compensated, moving back to Philly’s No. 23 pick plus
Another draft surprise: Alabama QB Ty Simpson to the Rams
An heir apparent to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford appears to be in place because Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson just soared up the draft board to the Rams at No. 13.
Let the second-guessing of the Bengals begin after Giants use No. 10 pick
There it went: With the No. 10 pick that previously belonged to the Cincinnati Bengals, the New York Giants selected Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa. That meant that both Caleb Downs and Reuben Bain Jr. were still available, and the Bengals were thought to be in the running for both when they had the 10th pick.
Buckeye No. 3 off the board
We know this might not be fun for University of Cincinnati Bearcats fans to read because it’s Ohio State-centric, but it is NFL Draft history unfolding in real-time as the Buckeyes had their third former player selected in the first seven picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. The latest OSU product is linebacker Sonny Styles to the Washington Commanders at No. 7 overall.
Kansas City Chiefs trade up in 2026 NFL Draft
The Kansas City Chiefs, clearly not content to let their Super Bowl window slam shut, traded up to No. 6 in the draft from the ninth position. The Cleveland Browns received the No. 9 pick, plus the Nos. 40 and 109 picks.
With the sixth selection, the Chiefs selected Mansoor Delane, the LSU corner back.
Another Buckeye off the NFL Draft board
The New York Giants had EDGE Arvell Reese, who wasn’t supposed to last this long in the eyes of some, fall into their hands at No. 5 overall. Reese had 43 tackles and 3.5 tackles for the 2024 national champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
The first Ohio State Buckeyes player is off the draft board
The 2026 NFL Draft has a strong offensive lean through four picks with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, running back Jeremiyah Love and wide receiver Carnell Tate going at Nos. 1, 2 and 4. That’s of interest to any Bengals fans analyzing what might have been with the No. 10 pick. We’ll see where that situation ends up soon enough, but Tate, a Chicago native and prolific Buckeyes receiver, went at No. 4 to the Tennessee Titans.
Fernando Mendoza drafted by Oakland Raiders
Now, the rest of the 2026 NFL Draft can start. Why’s that? Because the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft wasn’t much of a surprise as Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza went to the Raiders. That had been expected since before Mendoza’s playing career ended in Indiana. In fact, it was probably expected by midseason last autumn.
But again, now the rest of the draft can get going.
2026 NFL Draft is underway | The Oakland Raiders are on the clock
The crowd has been assembling in Pittsburgh all day. The anthems have been sung. It’s time to begin the 2026 NFL Draft.
Can the Bengals trade back into the first round of the NFL draft?
The Bengals could package picks from this year and the future, but currently don’t have a first-round pick in this year’s draft. Coupled with limited salary cap space − less than $6 million in effective cap space, according to overthecap.com − Cincinnati would need to move around a lot of money via restructured contracts. For instance, the No. 10 pick, which now belongs to the Giants, is nearly a $6 million cap hit in the first season.
Cincinnati Bengals 2026 NFL Draft picks
Here are the seven picks the Bengals have in the remaining six rounds of the draft:
Round 2, Pick 41Round 3, Pick 72Round 4, Pick 110Round 6, Pick 189Round 6, Pick 199Round 7, Pick 221Round 7, Pick 226
How to watch the 2026 NFL Draft
The second round of the draft begins at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Rounds two and three are Friday with rounds four-through-seven on Saturday, starting at noon.
Where can I stream the NFL draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft can be seen on multiple outlets for live streaming. Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and NFL+ will all have live coverage. The platforms will have programming from ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
Who will the Bengals pick in the second round of the NFL draft?
Bengals reporter Kelsey Conway has the Bengals selecting Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez in the second round at No. 41 overall.
From Conway: “… the Bengals didn’t address the linebacker position in free agency despite a glaring need to improve at the position. … The Bengals used one of their top 30 pre-draft visits on Rodriguez, signaling their interest in him. He’s athletic and versatile, and maybe most importantly, is highly praised for his leadership. He was a two-time team captain at Texas Tech.
“Rodriguez also has a knack for taking the ball away and creating turnovers. He led FBS with seven forced fumbles in 2025 and registered over 100 tackles in each of his final two seasons at the collegiate level.
“In selecting Rodriguez, the Bengals get a player who can compete for a starting role immediately.”
Who will the Bengals pick in the third round of the NFL draft?
Conway has the Bengals selecting Missouri defensive end Zion Young in the third round at pick 72.
Per Conway: “Young started two years at Missouri and recorded nine sacks. He’s not the best edge rusher in this year’s draft class, but he showed a lot of promise during his final seasons in the SEC. He finished second in the SEC in tackles for loss (16.5) and third in quarterback pressures (53).
“With the right development plan and coaching, Young could make an impact early for the Bengals in their quest to apply more pressure on opponents’ quarterbacks.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Live updates from 2026 NFL Draft 1st round. Will Bengals trade up?
Reporting by Jason Hoffman and Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
