The NFL will host the 91st edition of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948. The event runs April 23-25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium, featuring 257 picks across seven rounds and three days.
The league made one key change for 2026. First-round teams now have eight minutes between picks instead of the previous 10 minutes.
Round 2-7 timing stays the same as last year.
The shorter window could lead to more trades as teams feel pressure to make quicker decisions.
2026 NFL Draft Trade Tracker
Completed Trades:
• Giants trade Dexter Lawrence to Bengals for No. 10 overall pick
Draft Rumors and Reports
April 22
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah released his final mock draft, projecting the Eagles and Saints among four teams trading up in the first round.
ESPN’s Matt Miller also published his final mock with several trade scenarios.
First Round Draft Order
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- Tennessee Titans
- New York Giants
- Cleveland Browns
- Washington Commanders
- New Orleans Saints
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New York Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals)
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts)
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- Carolina Panthers
- Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Chicago Bears
- Buffalo Bills
- San Francisco 49ers
- Houston Texans
- Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams)
- Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos)
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
Draft History
The modern draft looks nothing like the original version. The NFL’s official history describes the first draft in 1936:
“This first draft was a far cry from the spectacle fans have come to expect today. Held on Feb. 8, 1936, at Philadelphia’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel, clubs selected from a pool of only 90 players. There were no formal scouting departments, no agents and no 24-hour sports media coverage.”
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago with the first pick. Berwanger chose not to play professional football, instead becoming a foam rubber salesman.
Only 24 of the 81 players selected actually played in the NFL. Most chose more secure careers that often paid better than professional football.
How to Watch
The 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET from Pittsburgh. Coverage airs on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network (available on Fubo).
The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 pick and are expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
