49ers 2026 NFL Draft: Picks by round, biggest needs, best fits
Explore the 49ers' biggest needs and draft picks for the 2026 NFL Draft!
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25, featuring 257 picks. The first round will see reduced pick time from 10 to 8 minutes, potentially increasing trade activity.
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2026 NFL Draft trade tracker live updates, social media reactions from Pittsburgh originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 91st edition of the NFL Draft will be hosted in Pittsburgh for the first time since 1948. In 2026, a total of 257 picks will be spread over seven rounds and three days from April 23-25 at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium.
We'll have a good sense early of how this year's draft will go. What's new in 2026 is the time between picks in the first round. The time will be reduced from 10 minutes to eight minutes. Also, the timing for Rounds 2-7 remains unchanged from last year.
Does this mean more trades on the horizon? Here's a look at the transaction details during the 2026 NFL Draft.
April 22
NFL.com Daniel Jeremiah's final 2026 NFL mock draft: Eagles, Saints among 4 teams to trade up
April 22
Several good nuggets in Matt Miller's final mock draft for ESPN.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held from April 23 to April 25.
A total of 257 picks will be made over the course of the draft.
The time between picks in the first round will be reduced from 10 minutes to 8 minutes.
The draft will take place at Point State Park and Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Explore the 49ers' biggest needs and draft picks for the 2026 NFL Draft!
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New Orleans Saints
New York Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals)
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons)
New York Jets (from Indianapolis Colts)
Dallas Cowboys (from Green Bay Packers)
Los Angeles Chargers
Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars)
Kansas City Chiefs (from Los Angeles Rams)
Miami Dolphins (from Denver Broncos)
Trades have made the event very interesting. Here's a quick history from the NFL.
"This first draft was a far cry from the spectacle fans have come to expect today. Held on Feb. 8, 1936, at Philadelphiaâs 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 list of eligible players was compiled from newspaper reports, visits to local colleges by team executives, and recommendations to front-office personnel.
"With the first pick, Bellâs Eagles selected Heisman Trophy winner Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago. Rather than play pro football, the star halfback opted for a career as a foam rubber salesman. Berwangerâs choice wasnât unusual â only 24 of the 81 players chosen in the first draft went on to play in the NFL. Most opted for more secure and stable professions, many of which paid better."
The 2026 NFL draft kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday in Pittsburgh (ESPN, ABC and NFL Network-- available on Fubo), The Las Vegas Raiders will likely select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick.