The National Football League doesn’t stay out of the spotlight for long with plenty of activities during the offseason to whet the appetite of fans and bettors. It’s been a few months since the Seahawks won the Super Bowl bringing one of the biggest offseason activities to the forefront: The 2026 NFL Draft.
Over a 3-day span starting April 23 teams will adjust their rosters with an influx of young talent to hopefully change the trajectory of some and enhance the current standing of others. One of four teams to finish last season with 3 wins, Las Vegas secured the No. 1 pick through a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker.
The Raiders need a QB and Fernando Mendoza is the best of the bunch making him a huge NFL betting odds favorite to go first overall.
Key Details About the 2026 NFL Draft
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home of the Steelers, is the 2026 NFL Draft location. The 3-day event will take place primarily on the North Shore, including Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park. This marks the 91st gathering of NFL franchises to select eligible players. Including compensatory picks throughout the draft, a total of 257 picks are expected to be made over the three days.
One key change in the timing puts teams on the clock for 8 minutes instead of 10 minutes in the first round. Round 2 allows a maximum of 7 minutes with the time reduced to 5 minutes for rounds 3-6. For round 7 teams have 4 minutes to make their pick.
2026 NFL Draft Location and Event Format
For the second time and first since 1948 Pittsburgh will host the NFL Draft. The first 32 selections will be made on Thursday, April 23 starting at 8 p.m. ET. Rounds 2-3 will be held on Saturday, April 24 with the final four rounds on Saturday, April 25. ABC, ESPN and NFL Network will provide live coverage on all three days.
Projected 2026 NFL Draft Order
Unlike other major North American sports, there is no lottery for the NFL draft. The worst team gets the top pick and four clubs finished 2025 at 3-14 tied for the worst record in the league. Las Vegas beat out the Jets, Arizona and Tennessee with a lower strength-of-schedule percentage giving them the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history. Here is the 2026 NFL Draft order before any trades have been made.
- Las Vegas Raiders
- New York Jets
- Arizona Cardinals
- Tennessee Titans
- New York Giants
- Cleveland Browns
- Washington Commanders
- New Orleans Saints
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Miami Dolphins
- Dallas Cowboys
- Los Angeles Rams
- Baltimore Ravens
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- New York Jets
- Detroit Lions
- Minnesota Vikings
- Carolina Panthers
- Dallas Cowboys
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Cleveland Browns
- Chicago Bears
- Buffalo Bills
- San Francisco 49ers
- Houston Texans
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Miami Dolphins
- New England Patriots
- Seattle Seahawks
Top Prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft Class
Quarterback is always a hot position at draft time. Picking the right guy can quickly change the fortunes of a franchise. Heisman Trophy winner and National Champion Fernando Mendoza is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick. Experts view Mendoza as the only elite QB in the class.
It’s not like Mendoza came out of nowhere leading Indiana to an undefeated record last season. Many considered him among the best and he won everything proving his worth. There is a steep drop in the group after Mendoza, though.
The draft class is deep with defenders and at offensive tackle with some experts listing Arvell Reese as the best 2026 NFL Draft prospect. Often rated as the top RB in the class, Jeremiyah Love is a likely top-10 pick.
Offensive Playmakers Generating Attention
A do-it-all back, Jeremiyah Love is getting plenty of attention around the league. He rushed for more than 1,100 yards in each of the last two seasons at Notre Dame averaging nearly 7 yards a carry and totaling 35 TDs. He also caught 55 passes for 517 yards and 5 scores.
While not considered as deep as it’s been in previous years, the group of wide receivers is strong led by Carnell Tate. Jordyn Tyson had injury issues during his collegiate career, but when healthy his ceiling is up there. Tyson could be a gem if he can stay on the field.
Defensive Prospects With First-Round Potential
David Bailey is right there with Reese as the best pass rushing prospects in the NFL Draft. Bailey had ridiculous stats at Texas Tech last season leading the FBS in pressure rate and tied in sacks. The two are more than likely off the board in the first 5 selections.
In the secondary Caleb Downs is regarded as a generational safety talent helping Ohio State to the best pass defense in the country a season ago. A number of mock drafts have Downs, Rueben Bain Jr. and Sonny Styles all going within the first 15 picks.
Early 2026 NFL Mock Draft Predictions
Every 2026 NFL mock draft from the so-called experts is different and they never get it completely right. The consensus this year is Mendoza going first overall to the Raiders then the fun begins. And unless you’re Dianna Russini you won’t get the full scoop since teams play it close to the vest at draft time.
The draft order plays a huge role in who gets picked where. Teams will draft a position of need rather than the best overall prospect. The Raiders need a QB and Mendoza is the best prospect at the position. The Jets were one of the worst in the NFL getting to the QB last season and with the first overall pick they may have selected Reese or Bailey. As it turns out they’ll get their pick of the two with the No. 2 selection.
One thing you can’t factor into a mock draft is trades made on draft day. And according to one NFL team executive this year’s draft class is different. A number of top prospects do not play a premiere position and Mendoza is the only QB expected to be taken among the top 10 picks. The exec believes those factors will play a role in plenty of wheeling and dealing in Round 1.
Betting Markets for the 2026 NFL Draft
The NFL has betting markets cornered and that includes for 2026 NFL Draft predictions. It’s a good thing there is a diverse menu since Mendoza is a massive favorite to be selected first overall. There is no value backing him on the NFL betting line, but dropping pocket change on a guy like Reese or Bailey could be a big payday.
The Raiders do need a QB and they recently signed veteran Kirk Cousins. I’m sure Cousins would like to be the full-time starter rather than mentor a rookie who will eventually take his place. The team needs help just about everywhere so who knows.
NFL Draft betting is full of options and having a better understanding of the process will help to make more informed wagers. Check out this NFL betting resource that will give you a chance to turn a profit on draft day.
According to the odds the No. 1 pick is a virtual lock. There is, however, plenty of volatility surrounding the rest of the top 10. Reese is the favorite to go second, though Bailey has closed the gap and some draft experts have him going in this spot.
Popular NFL Draft Betting Markets
The most popular NFL draft betting markets are based on a player’s selection and general draft outcomes. The first overall pick is always a hot market, but with the odds for Mendoza astronomically high going down the draft board has better value picks. You can wager on which player will be selected in a specific spot.
There are odds for which player will be the first drafted from a position group and also over/under on a player’s draft position. At the time of this writing Jeremiyah Love was +145 to be drafted UNDER 4.5 overall.
Key Storylines Leading Into the 2026 NFL Draft
The lack of quarterback depth in the 2026 class is a big story heading into the draft. Mendoza was a top prospect entering last season and he bolstered his stock by leading Indiana to an undefeated National Championship season. Beyond Mendoza the crop of QBs is thin and could result in only one first round pick.
Several factors have NFL executives believing there could be chaos in the first round with plenty of trades. Teams like Arizona and Cleveland are prime candidates to trade down for more assets in later rounds. Dallas could move up the list in order to select a playmaking defender to bolster last season’s weak group.
Five teams have two first-round picks giving them leverage if and when it comes time to make a deal. The Jets have two picks among the first 16 slots while Cleveland, Kansas City Miami and Dallas also have two picks.
Early Outlook for the 2026 NFL Draft
The 2026 NFL Draft has been defined by a consensus No. 1 overall pick. The Raiders need a franchise QB to build around and Mendoza is the guy. Let’s not over think this and move on to who gets drafted second.
Another storyline heading into the draft is the amount of talent at the non-skill positions. Every spot on the field requires a certain set of skills, but the guys doing the dirty work in the trenches rarely get noticed outside the locker room. There is a historically deep crop of offensive linemen with as many as 9 projected to go in the first round.
Frequently Asked Questions
The number varies because of compensatory picks added, but it’s usually between 250-260.
