All the mock drafts, all the speculation, all the what-ifs: it all down to tonight when 32 young men see their NFL dreams come true.
The 2026 draft class isn’t considered to be loaded with superstars, but that should make for a wild ride. There could be plenty of jockeying for position as a handful of teams battle for the cream of the crop and then everyone switches to a more pragmatic mode, trying to maximize the value of each high-stakes pick.
The Cowboys will be one of the teams everyone is watching closely. They currently sit on the No. 12 and No. 20 overall selections, but whether they actually stay with those picks has become the top question in Dallas.
The festivities get underway from Pittsburgh at 8 p.m. ET. Fans watching from home can expect a more expeditious show on opening night; teams will have just eight minutes on the clock in the first round, down from 10 minutes in the first adjustment the league has made in that regard since 2008.
But with Dallas in the mix to perhaps trade up as far as No. 3 according to a few prognosticators, Cowboys Nation will want to be locked in from the very beginning.
Twenty-six of the league’s 32 teams currently have a first-round pick. Here’s a look at where everyone currently stands in the order, and what the rumor mill is saying as the first pick rapidly approaches.
1. Las Vegas Raiders
For months, the Raiders have been widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in the draft. And with nine picks still to make after that, the club wouldn’t seem terribly motivated to move out of the top spot just to amass more swings at the plate. But GM John Spytek has said the Raiders are “open to all options,” and they do have Kirk Cousins ready to roll out for 2026…
2. New York Jets
The drama could start at No. 2, where the Jets and head coach Aaron Glenn have a ton of needs. Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey is the popular pick and would provide an immediate boost to the defense, but Ohio State’s edge-rushing linebacker Arvell Reese is someone to build a unit around for future success. The Jets canceled a private visit with Bailey; have they already made up their mind one way or the other?
3. Arizona Cardinals
Bailey or Reese? Whichever player the Jets don’t take at No. 2 could be the pick here for the Cards. But there’s been plenty of buzz about Arizona trading out of this spot, to somewhere in the late first round. That would give them extra picks, but it would also put them in position to land Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, perhaps the player the team truly covets for offensively-minded head coach Mike LaFleur.
4. Tennessee Titans
The Titans have stated they’ll take the best player on their board at No. 4. That could be Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, as new head coach Robert Saleh puts his stamp on the Tennessee defense. But it could just as easily be Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, with the club looking to pair the running back with second-year QB Cam Ward as a set-it-and-forget-it offensive playmaking duo.
5. New York Giants
The Giants have been talking about many of the same defensive names as Cowboys Nation. NFL insider Adam Schefter believes the pick will come from Ohio State- either Styles if he’s available, or safety Caleb Downs as a Plan B. But Love and Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa have also been frequent mock choices for Big Blue with this pick; Daniel Jeremiah likes Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson.
6. Cleveland Browns
Things could get interesting with the No. 6 pick. The Browns are widely expected to trade down out of this spot, and the Cowboys are thought to be a possible partner… though the Saints and Chiefs have also been mentioned. Cleveland has needs, to be sure, but most players they’re targeting (other than Ohio State WR Carnell Tate) could still be available to them later in the first round.
7. Washington Commanders
If Dallas does trade up to No. 6, it’s because they fear losing their chosen player to the rival Commanders with this pick. Washington reportedly loves Love, but they’re also high on Downs and Styles. Rueben Bain Jr. could be a name to watch here, with the Miami edge rusher looking like the kind of player head coach Dan Quinn would be drawn to. They could trade back, if they can find a willing partner.
8. New Orleans Saints
If Tyler Shough is the answer at quarterback in New Orleans, he’s going to need some pass-catchers alongside Chris Olave. At least one of the top wideouts in the class- Tate, Tyson, and USC’s Makai Lemon- will be available here, but the Saints have defensive needs as well. LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, frequently mocked to Dallas, would be an attractive “hometown” option.
9. Kansas City Chiefs
Adding an elite wide receiver is one of the Chiefs’ priorities in 2026. Tyson has been a consistent choice in the pre-draft mocks. The team is also on the hunt for cornerback and edge rusher, but it’s believed they may wait until the second of their first-round picks to address other needs. But if Bain- or, somehow- Bailey is still hanging around here, Kansas City could re-arrange their board to take advantage.
10. New York Giants
The Dexter Lawrence trade gives the Giants a second top-10 pick, and while they could theoretically snatch a pair of premier defenders before the Cowboys turn in their first card, it’s looking instead like they may lean toward a wide receiver here. The club has reportedly fallen in love with Tyson; he’s been a major riser in recent days, and New York GM Joe Schoen flew to Arizona for a private dinner with him just last week.
11. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are sitting on seven top-100 picks, and they have a new GM who’s looking to stock the shelves with lots of young and affordable talent as they embark on a long ground-up rebuild. (It’s not just a coincidence that Troy Aikman is consulting on how to best do that.) With this pick, they’re looking at the same cornerbacks and edge rushers that Dallas is, with Delane and McCoy among the favorites.
12. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are a wild card and will be watched to possibly trade out of No. 12: maybe up, maybe down. If they stay put, they’ll take a cornerback… or an edge rusher… or maybe a linebacker. There’s even talk of a wide receiver like Tyson or Tate… but Jerry Jones could just make it sound like he’d pounce in order to get someone else to blink… and leave one more of the Cowboys’ defensive targets on the board.
13. Los Angeles Rams
The Puka Nacua drama this offseason may have the Rams poised to make a splash with a wide receiver insurance policy early, and they could trade up to do it, especially if they can secure Tate. But they might be able to end up with Lemon by staying put, and they could likely trade back and draft Washington’s Denzel Boston. Remember, QB Matthew Stafford is now 38 years old; it’s win-now mode.
14. Baltimore Ravens
Some picks are easier than others to forecast. In Baltimore, three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum is now gone, but Lamar Jackson still needs O-line protection. Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane and Utah tackle Spencer Fano seem to be the consensus options here, with either shoring up the Ravens’ front five for years to come. But if Tyson or Boston are still waiting here, things could change.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay GM Jason Licht has admitted the team has defensive needs, but he says they won’t “force a pick” at No. 15. They’d love a stud edge rusher, for instance, but the middle of the first round is a tough place to find one. Ioane could be a solid choice on the O-line, or they could try to fill the void in the passing game left by Mike Evans’s departure. Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq might be a sneaky-good pick.
16. New York Jets
Gang Green will have likely landed their defensive player of choice at No. 2, so there’s a good chance they go offense at No. 16. Tyson and Lemon are slim possibilities here. This part of Round 1 is where wide receivers Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) and KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) enter the conversation. But with another pick coming at No. 33, the Jets wouldn’t have to reach for a WR. Maybe a cornerback instead?
17. Detroit Lions
Offensive tackle is an obvious need in Detroit after the departure of Taylor Decker. Fano, Mauigoa, Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, or Georgia’s Monroe Freeling getting picked here would make sense. But the Lions also want a quality edge rusher to bookend Aidan Hutchinson; keep an eye out for Clemson’s T.J. Parker or Miami’s Akheem Mesidor. Cornerback is also a possibility not to be discounted.
18. Minnesota Vikings
Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman has been a very popular mock pick for Minnesota, but at least one Vikings beat writer is pushing back on that, saying that simply drafting a Harrison Smith clone is a little too convenient. Sadiq, the Ducks tight end, might make more sense and be a multipurpose piece in an offense with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. But, like many teams, there’s also a need at cornerback.
19. Carolina Panthers
Both Thieneman and Sadiq have also been linked to Carolina recently, but there’s also talk that the Panthers would like to create a two-headed monster at wide receiver alongside Tetairoa McMillan. Taking a WR in the first round for the third straight year? Panthers GM Dan Morgan vows to draft the best player available, so if that’s Boston, Cooper, or Concepcion, he says, “I wouldn’t hesitate.”
20. Dallas Cowboys
Stephen Jones expressed doubt that there would be 20 prospects to whom the club assigned a true first-round grade. That math suggests any pick here would technically be a reach. Without a trade, though, the Cowboys aren’t up again until No. 92, so what they do with this selection is of real importance. If they stick and pick, Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk and Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood are possibilities.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
The public doesn’t yet know what Aaron Rodgers plans to do this fall. If the Steelers know, this pick could offer a hint. While Mike McCarthy isn’t likely to go after a first-round quarterback, he may be looking for a pass-catcher like Lemon. Guard and center help are priorities, too. Word that the team may be dangling edge rusher Alex Highsmith as trade bait could give the Steelers some ammo in making a move.
22. Los Angeles Chargers
With just five selections overall and a draft class that’s considered weak on first-round talent, the Chargers are a prime example of a team who could be eager to trade back and stockpile an extra late-round pick or two for the trouble. That said, Ioane is far and away the year’s top guard; if he’s still on the board at No. 22, expect L.A. to take him to beef up an O-line that allowed 60 sacks last season.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
Longtime tackle Lane Johnson hasn’t officially retired, but it’s time for Philadelphia to look for a replacement for the six-time Pro Bowler. Proctor, Freeling, Max Iheanachor (Arizona State), Blake Miller (Clemson), and Caleb Lomu (Utah) are all thought to be on the Eagles’ watchlist. But trading up to get a top-flight wide receiver is certainly a possibility, especially with A.J. Brown trade rumors still swirling.
24. Cleveland Browns
With their second first-round pick, the Browns are among the teams expected to at least kick around the idea of taking one of the offensive linemen already mentioned (unless they did so at No. 6). But wide receiver is also a big need; at least one of the top six should still be available here for Cleveland. But with GM Andrew Berry promising to “maximize the asset” of the selection, that could always mean trading down.
25. Chicago Bears
Chicago needing to improve the D-line hasn’t exactly been on the DL. Many draft analysts have been mocking either Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods or Missouri edge rusher Zion Young to the Bears at No. 25. Those picks would also seemingly put them in contention for Parker, Mesidor, or Faulk, too. But a safety could come into play, too, either Thieneman or Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
26. Buffalo Bills
The Bills dealt away their second-round pick to get wide receiver DJ Moore. Now with a glut of similarly-graded prospects at the end of the first round, the club is widely expected to try to trade back just a bit. An edge rusher like Keldric Faulk (Auburn) or Cashius Howell (Texas A&M) or a linebacker such as Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) or Josiah Trotter (Missouri) could be the pick for Buffalo.
27. San Francisco 49ers
The Trent Williams extension likely doesn’t change San Francisco’s draft strategy. Williams will turn 38 this year, so getting the left tackle of the future would make sense if he’s there at No. 27. Plus, the Brandon Ayiuk situation is still hanging out there. Whether or not he’s traded during the draft, the 49ers could bolster their pass-catching depth with KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) or Denzel Boston (Washington).
28. Houston Texans
Some believe the Texans are one offensive lineman away from being a Super Bowl team. The question will be whether the ones available at No. 28 are good enough to pull the trigger on, or if the team thinks they can get comparable quality on Day 2. A tackle like Iheanachor, Auburn center Connor Lew, and Georgia Tech guard Keylan Rutledge have been mentioned as possibilities.
29. Kansas City Chiefs
There’s been a lot of chatter about the Chiefs going with a cornerback with one of their first-round picks; Tennessee’s Colton Hood and Clemson’s Avieon Terrell could be available here. Or maybe offensive line: Lomu, Proctor, Fano, or Freeling are are popular names. But Kansas City needs defensive line help, too. If they didn’t address edge rusher at No. 9, maybe now is the time.
30. Miami Dolphins
Eleven picks may not be enough for Miami. They’ve made it clear that trading back for even more capital is a real possibility. If they stay put, a wide receiver may be the move, with many experts predicting a pick from a deep class. Concepcion and Boston have been hot names for the Dolphins.
31. New England Patriots
The Patriots have a long history of picking very late in the first round, so they know flexibility is the name of the game. Faulk, the Auburn edge rusher, has been mocked frequently. But so have Howell, Missouri’s Zion Young, and Central Florida’s Malachi Lawrence. But the Pats will be ready to pivot on a dime if the board falls differently.
32. Seattle Seahawks
Coming in with just four draft picks, the Super Bowl champs have let it be known that they’re looking to move back to acquire more ammunition. For a team trying to sneak up even a few spots from the second round, the 32nd pick means a team will be able to exercise a fifth-year option and get one extra year of control over the player’s value.
Todd is on X at @ToddBrock24f7. Also, follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: First-round draft order: Cowboys, trade rumors, breaking news tracker
Reporting by Todd Brock, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
