NFL Draft 2026

If the Raiders are being honest with themselves, Fernando Mendoza will go No. 1. Las Vegas is hoping he’s the kind of prospect who can elevate a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2002. Once Mendoza is on board, the Raiders have to continue adding around him after much of free agency focused on building the defense, along with the record-setting deal for center Tyler Linderbaum. The front office should be looking for receivers, offensive line help and secondary talent to help first-time coach Klint Kubiak get his program off the ground.

In the immediate, nothing matters if the Jets can’t find a quarterback. This should be apparent since New York has been looking for a star under center since Joe Namath left town after the 1976 season. Unfortunately, that’s not happening in this draft. However, the Jets can build a foundation for the future signal-caller, beginning with the second and 16th selections in the draft. New York has a host of needs, including interior offensive line, an edge rusher, a receiver opposite Garrett Wilson, a corner and others. With 10 picks and four in the first 44 selections, the Jets can improve in a hurry with the right moves.

The Cardinals are in the midst of a full-on rebuild. Arizona moved off coach Jonathan Gannon and replaced him with first-time coach Mike LaFleur, who comes over from the Rams. He’ll oversee an underwhelming camp battle between Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II for the starting quarterback job. In the draft, the Cardinals must focus on adding offensive line help and more talent in the front seven. While Arizona needs depth across the roster, those are among the most pressing needs.

Going into free agency, the Titans were aggressive across the board, adding along the defensive line, at receiver and in the secondary, utilizing their robust cap space. Still, general manager Mike Borgonzi has to be thinking about bringing in more weapons for second-year quarterback Cam Ward, including at running back, wideout and tight end. With the fourth pick, Tennessee could elect to take Notre Dame standout Jeremiyah Love and put his dynamic ability to use in the run and passing game. Borgonzi could also move up and down the board with Tennessee holding nine selections.

It’s going to be vital for John Harbaugh to protect Jaxson Dart from substantial hits without fully taking away his playmaking ability from the pocket. Still, there’s plenty to like about what he displayed on the field before Brian Daboll was fired. To help him ascend, New York should consider a replacement for departed receiver Wan’Dale Robinson while also improving on the interior. Defensively, the Giants have a terrific front four, but could add linebackers and corners to fortify that unit. If New York crushes the draft, it could be a playoff team in 2026.

The Browns' cap sheet is grounds for termination for general manager Andrew Berry. Cleveland is paying an obscene $80.7 million against the cap for Deshaun Watson while having nine void years on the books for 2026. To fix the mess, the Browns have a bevy of picks to utilize. Cleveland has a pair of first-round selections to go with three fifth-rounders. Looking at the roster, offensive tackle is an enormous need, along with receiver. Both of those spots should be in play early. The Browns could also consider a quarterback to compete with Shedeur Sanders, although the options are much better in 2027.

Washington went from being in the NFC title game to being completely out of the playoff race by Thanksgiving, amidst an injury-plagued season from Jayden Daniels. This offseason, the Commanders were among the most aggressive teams in free agency, particularly on defense. They added Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson to the pass rush, Leo Chenal to the linebacking crew, and Nick Cross and Amik Robertson to the secondary. For Washington, adding more help on the interior offensive line and receivers beyond Terry McLaurin would be smart.

Now that it appears the Saints have found the right coach and quarterback, it’s on the front office to round out the roster by adding more young talent and repairing the messy salary cap that has hampered this team for years. Going into the draft, the Saints need to find replacements for many older veterans, including Cameron Jordan, along the defensive line. New Orleans should also be looking for another receiver to pair with Chris Olave and some help in the secondary after losing Alontae Taylor, Paulson Adebo and Marshon Lattimore over the past two years.

The Chiefs have been active this offseason, both in additions and subtractions. Kansas City fortified its running game with Kenneth Walker III and added to the defense with safety Alohi Gilman, slot corner Kader Kohou and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. However, the secondary also lost Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook. Going into the draft, the Chiefs must find an edge rusher to pair with George Karlaftis, a receiver who can play quickly, and a corner to help buttress that room. Right tackle is also a long-term need, and could be a direction general manager Brett Veach goes with an early choice.

If the Bengals are going to get back to the playoffs, they need to find talent at all three levels of the defense. In free agency, Cincinnati started the facelift by adding safety Bryan Cook and edge rusher Boye Mafe, but the work is far from done. Cornerback remains a huge need, as does linebacker. The offensive line should also be a place general manager Duke Tobin is looking to upgrade, with guard being a particular area of focus. With a top-10 pick in hand, the Bengals could also choose Ohio State star safety Caleb Downs to pair with Cook on the back end.

The Dolphins are in the midst of a full rebuild, making this draft critical for the team and first-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Miami has a pair of first-round picks, along with four in the third round and 11 overall, giving it ample capital to start building around new quarterback Malik Willis (or a potential replacement in 2027). The needs are abundant, including at receiver, corner, safety, edge rusher and most other positions. It’s going to be an exercise in taking the best player available in each round.

On offense, first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer got positive results from the offense, quickly incorporating All-Pro receiver George Pickens into the scheme and getting Javonte Williams to rush for more than 1,000 yards. But to get back to the playoffs, Dallas desperately needs defensive improvements to get back into the mix, starting with finding some of the pass rush it lost when Micah Parsons was traded to the Packers last August. Additionally, the Cowboys have needs at both linebacker and corner for new coordinator Christian Parker. The good news? Dallas has a pair of first-round picks.

The Rams are the odds-on favorites to win the Super Bowl, and they should be. Los Angeles was very aggressive in fixing its secondary by trading four picks (including this year’s first-round choice) to the Chiefs for All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie, while also signing Jaylen Watson away from Kansas City. The biggest weakness for the Rams now is depth at wide receiver behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and they are looking to add some athleticism at linebacker. All told, though, general manager Les Snead has the luxury of taking whatever positions he would like without much reason to worry.

The Ravens started their offseason with the boldest move, firing John Harbaugh after 18 years and replacing him with a first-time head coach, Jesse Minter. Looking at the roster, plenty was lost in free agency, including center Tyler Linderbaum, tight end Isaiah Likely, fullback Patrick Ricard and punter Jordan Stout. General manager Eric DeCosta should prioritize adding a receiver to pair with Zay Flowers after watching Rashod Bateman catch only 19 passes for 224 yards last year. Finally, there’s also a long-term need at corner with Marlon Humphrey entering the final year of his contract.

The Buccaneers find themselves in a tricky situation. Last season, many believed Tampa Bay would take the next step and challenge for a Super Bowl. Instead, the Bucs fell apart and finished 8–9, out of the playoffs, behind the Panthers in the NFC South. In free agency, longtime star Mike Evans left for the 49ers while the defense watched corner Jamel Dean head to Pittsburgh. General manager Jason Licht has to fill a serious need at linebacker while also finding more options at edge rusher. While the offense could benefit from some depth, the defense needs multiple starters from this rookie class.

Last season was a mess for the Lions, who, after losing both of their coordinators to head-coaching jobs, stumbled to a third-place finish in the NFC North and missed the playoffs. However, there’s still plenty of youth and talent throughout the roster to become contenders again quickly. To that point, general manager Brad Holmes has to find an offensive tackle after releasing Taylor Decker while also aggressively pursuing pass-rush help alongside Aidan Hutchinson. With the loss of Al-Quadin Muhammad and his 11 sacks to the Buccaneers in free agency, that’s a dire need. The secondary is also a concern, with almost every starter coming off an injury-plagued year, including Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph.

Minnesota is a fascinating team. The Vikings have a new quarterback, Kyler Murray, and were able to retain defensive coordinator Brian Flores despite his having head-coaching interest. Add in the firing of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah this offseason, and it’s been busy in Minnesota. Moving toward the draft, the Vikings need to find help along both the offensive and defensive lines while securing some depth at safety, receiver, running back and cornerback. With a good draft—Minnesota has nine picks—the Vikings could be dangerous in 2026.

The future suddenly looks bright for a franchise that has been among the worst over the past decade. Dave Canales deserves a ton of credit for how much he’s improved this team since arriving two seasons ago, but now Carolina has to take the step from respectable to contender. To make that happen, the front office spent more than $160 million on edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd in free agency. In the draft, the Panthers must find pass-catching help alongside Tetairoa McMillan, along with depth at running back and the offensive line. Defensively, adding talent in the secondary around corner Jaycee Horn would be a wise investment.

Ultimately, it’s all about getting things right under center. Whether that’s Aaron Rodgers is the main question. Rodgers came over from the Jets and threw for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions. That said, he averaged 3.7 completed air yards per attempt, the league’s lowest total among qualified quarterbacks. Would the Steelers take a chance at Ty Simpson, who some believe is a first-round pick? Beyond quarterback, Pittsburgh could use another weapon in the passing game to pair with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., along with an eventual replacement for linebacker Patrick Queen.

The Chargers entered free agency with the third-most cap space in football, behind only the Titans and Raiders. Incredibly, they didn’t spend much, adding center Tyler Biadasz and re-signing Khalil Mack. Los Angeles should be thinking about adding multiple starting-level guards while improving its defense in the corner. There are also significant long-term needs at edge rusher and wide receiver, especially if Keenan Allen doesn’t return on another one-year deal. Unfortunately for the Bolts, it won’t be easy to satisfy all these issues as they only have five selections. By being cheap in free agency, Los Angeles now has a ton to do.

If A.J. Brown is eventually moved, there’s going to be plenty of pressure on Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts to win without the demanding, talented wide receiver. If that’s the route general manager Howie Roseman plans to go, Philadelphia should be looking at a receiver early in the draft, while also thinking about the eventual replacement for right tackle Lane Johnson. Defensively, the Eagles have a clear need at safety after Reed Blankenship’s departure, while also having limited depth at edge rusher beyond Nolan Smith Jr. Roseman has a cache of nine picks to use, and he’ll need them.

For the Bears, 2025 was a dream season. They won the NFC North for the first time in nearly a decade while first-year coach Ben Johnson helped Caleb Williams become the star everyone envisioned coming out of USC the year prior. Now, Chicago needs to add around that duo by finding a center to compete with veteran Garrett Bradbury after the shocking retirement of Pro Bowler Drew Dalman. The Bears also need to address edge rusher to give Montez Sweat some help, while also trying to upgrade at linebacker after cutting Tremaine Edmunds. Chicago could be especially thin at the second level as T.J. Edwards returns to full speed after sustaining a fractured fibula in the playoffs.

On one hand, the Bills are in good shape. They have the league’s leading rusher in James Cook III and a perennial MVP candidate under center in Josh Allen. However, they also lost guard David Edwards and edge rushers Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa, among others. While the signing of Bradley Chubb and the trade for DJ Moore helped, Buffalo could use more at receiver. The Bills are also transitioning to a 3-4 defense, giving them ample need at nose tackle and linebacker, along with depth at edge rusher after losing Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa.

The 49ers have enjoyed one of the best offseasons of any team thus far. They added Mike Evans to the offense while trading for defensive tackle Osa Odigizuwa. Now, with San Francisco trying to reach its third Super Bowl in eight years (and win this time), the draft takes on paramount importance. The Niners should be looking to add another receiver to play with Evans and Ricky Pearsall while also upgrading at safety and the interior offensive line. General manager John Lynch doesn’t have a ton of work remaining, but there are trouble spots.

Houston could be getting speedy receiver Tank Dell back after he missed all of 2025 with a knee injury, but the Texans still need to invest in offense. Center remains a problem spot for the Texans, something which could be addressed in the early rounds. General manager Nick Caserio could also be thinking about adding a dynamic running back to pair with David Montgomery and Woody Marks, while also thinking about a long-term replacement at tight end for Dalton Schultz. Defensively, any pick would be a depth move with an eye on the future.

If New England is going to get back to the Super Bowl in the next year or two, it must keep adding. The Patriots had more than $40 million in cap space and spent aggressively, signing receiver Romeo Doubs, edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.  Even with those moves, general manager Eliot Wolf should be looking to add playmakers and a new center. If there’s a receiver who drops in the early rounds that coordinator Josh McDaniels feels can fit his offense and the strengths of Drake Maye, Wolf should be proactive and pounce.

This team is well-positioned to contend for many years to come. Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are in the midst of their primes, the offensive line has cornerstone pieces and the defense is filled with youth and talent. However, the offense may need some time to adjust to a new offensive coordinator after former coordinator Klint Kubiak left for the Raiders. Considering the losses of Coby Bryant and Kenneth Walker III in free agency, running back and safety are needed, along with interior offensive line and depth at receiver. However, with only four draft picks, Seattle will need to prioritize its wish list.

General manager Chris Ballard faces a ton of variables. For starters, he’s without his first-round pick in 2026 and ’27 after sending them to the Jets for star corner Sauce Gardner. Knowing his draft classes will be compromised, Ballard has to be a maestro in the mid and late rounds. Indianapolis should be looking for a receiver to pair with Alec Pierce, while also thinking about replacing right tackle Braden Smith, who left for Houston on a two-year deal. On defense, the Colts should attack the front seven at edge and linebacker. Without a Day 1 pick, it won’t be easy.

Without a first-round pick in each of the next two drafts due to the Micah Parsons trade, the Packers will need to be opportunistic in the middle and later rounds. Green Bay will likely improve from better health regarding Parsons and tight end Tucker Kraft, but there are clear needs as well. The Packers should be looking to find offensive line depth, along with another pass rusher to play opposite Parsons. Cornerback is also an area to address, as that’s a deeper group in this rookie crop.

Defensively, the Broncos primarily kept their top-notch group intact. They only lost linebacker Dre Greenlaw and defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers after the 29-year-old amassed 7.5 sacks and 15 quarterback hits. Otherwise, all the key contributors are coming back. Offensively, Denver swung a huge trade in March for Jaylen Waddle at the cost of first-, third- and fourth-round picks. With such limited ammunition in the draft, general manager George Paton should look for an upgrade at tight end and depth at guard and defensive tackle, among other places.

It’s going to be vital for the Falcons’ new regime to get more from the young talent on this roster, especially from Michael Penix Jr., who had an uneven second year before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in November. To make matters worse, Atlanta doesn’t have a first-round pick because it sent it to Los Angeles in a trade to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr., who is now facing serious legal challenges. New general manager Ian Cunningham should be focused on linebacker, corner and perhaps another running back to replace Tyler Allgeier, who left in free agency for the Cardinals.

Jacksonville did very little in free agency, so the onus falls on general manager James Gladstone to nail the draft despite being without a first-round pick. The defense took a huge hit with linebacker Devin Lloyd leaving after he earned second-team All-Pro honors with 10 quarterback hits, six tackles for loss, five interceptions and 1.5 sacks. Safety and defensive tackle are also needed on defense, while the offensive line has areas to address at both starting and depth positions.