The Steel City is buzzing as the league prepares to descend upon Pittsburgh, and the stakes for the 2026 NFL Draft couldn’t be higher. With the Las Vegas Raiders on the clock at No. 1 and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza looming as the consensus prize of the class, the narrative is shifting from “what if” to “who’s next.” From the sheer gravity of Ohio State’s… well all of them Buckeyes (Sonny Styles, Carnell Tate, & Caleb Downs) to a deep, pool of first round talent that is sure to turn heads this season, this year’s board is a puzzle of elite instincts and high-upside gambles. As teams finalize their boards at the confluence of the three rivers, here is my look at how the first round will shake out in this 2026 Mock Draft, with more analysis to come as we get closer to Thursday night.
(Last Updated: 4/23/2026 9:49am)
FIRST ROUND SUMMARY
| Pick | Team | Player | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| 2 | New York Jets | Arvell Reese | LB | Ohio State |
| 3 | Arizona Cardinals | David Bailey | EDGE | Texas Tech |
| 4 | Tennessee Titans | Jeremiyah Love | RB | Notre Dame |
| 5 | New York Giants | Sonny Styles | LB | Ohio State |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Monroe Freeling | OT | Georgia |
| 7 | Washington Commanders | Mansoor Delane | CB | LSU |
| 8 | New Orleans Saints | Carnell Tate | WR | Ohio State |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | Rueben Bain Jr. | EDGE | Miami (FL) |
| 10 | New York Giants | Jordyn Tyson | WR | Arizona St |
| 11 | Miami Dolphins | Francis Mauigoa | OT | Miami (FL) |
| 12 | Dallas Cowboys | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
| 13 | Los Angeles Rams | Spencer Fano | OT | Utah |
| 14 | Baltimore Ravens | Olaivavega Ioane | IOL | Penn State |
| 15 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | Oregon |
| 16 | New York Jets | Makai Lemon | WR | USC |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | Kadyn Proctor | OT/G | Alabama |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | Dillon Thieneman | S | Oregon |
| 19 | Carolina Panthers | KC Concepcion | WR | Texas A&M |
| 20 | Dallas Cowboys | Keldric Faulk | EDGE | Auburn |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Omar Cooper, Jr. | WR | Indiana |
| 22 | Los Angeles Chargers | Peter Woods | DT | Clemson |
| 23 | Philadelphia Eagles | Avieon Terrell | CB | Clemson |
| 24 | Cleveland Browns | Denzel Boston | WR | Washington |
| 25 | Chicago Bears | Kayden McDonald | DL | Ohio State |
| 26 | Buffalo Bills | Cashius Howell | EDGE | Texas A&M |
| 27 | San Francisco 49ers | Caleb Lomu | OT | Utah |
| 28 | Houston Texans | Chase Bisontis | OG | Texas A&M |
| 29 | Kansas City Chiefs | Colton Hood | CB | Tennessee |
| 30 | Miami Dolphins | D’Angelo Ponds | CB | Indiana |
| 31 | New England Patriots | Zion Young | EDGE | Missouri |
| 32 | Seattle Seahawks | Jadarian Price | RB | Notre Dame |
THINGS TO WATCH FOR
- When Goes QB 2?
- Mendoza to the Raiders has been the worst kept secret in the NFL… but what about which QB is going second? Simpson and Beck both seem like the next quarterbacks off the board, but will either of them go in the first round? Right now it looks like a one quarterback first round… but maybe we will see some trades into the back half of the first round to sneak ahead of the Jets & Cardinals that are both needing a quarterback and are picking early in the second.
- The New York Jets Decision?
- NFL experts have been split on who the Jets are taking at the 2 spot – with many NFL experts and GMs assuming it is Bailey – but the Jets cancelled their meeting with him and seem to be all in on Reese, who matches what New York is looking for. If Reese drops past pick two, watch as teams try to trade into the 3rd and 4th picks to grab one versatile and ultra-athletic player in Arvell Reese.
- Trading Craze at 3 and 4
- Arizona and Tennessee are both reportedly looking to trade down, while Arizona is also trying to bulk up for next year. Keep an eye on the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, and Baltimore Ravens – all teams that have a huge chance of climbing into one of those two spots. And don’t be shocked if the New York Giants try moving up from 5 to 3 – Love is the perfect RB for Harbaugh’s rebuild of the G-Men – wouldn’t be shocked if he sneaks a few picks earlier to grab his star running back.
- Will the Steelers Make the Crowd Go Wild?
- Pittsburgh is in a tough spot, as by 21 almost all of the players they’ve looked at will have been drafted. So will Pittsburgh move up the board to try and get one of the offensive linemen they looked at in Olaivavega Ioane and Spencer Fano. Don’t be surprised if the new regime in Pittsburgh makes a splash.
- Could the Chiefs Start Another Run?
- Kansas City is one of the teams most likely to be busy tonight, with two selections in the first round that they will definitely use to move up. Watch as KC tries to get earlier in the Top 10 or steal a player in the mid-round, to fill some of their gaps while building for the future as they replenish the aging and expensive talent that they might not have for much longer.
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