On its face, the NFL draft is designated to be an exercise in promoting equity.
The annual event can serve as a launching pad for even the league's most moribund franchises, affording them priority positioning for premier talent. In several cases, a singular figure has proven capable of facilitating a worst-to-first turnaround and promoting the parity that fuels optimism for a brighter day.
But level playing fields seldom stay that way in the NFL world.
With franchises operating on different timelines, salary-cap outlooks and roster-building approaches, the buy-in for a given draft can vary greatly from team to team. That's readily apparent this year, with four teams currently holding two first-round picks. The Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks, meanwhile, own a league-low four choices over three days.
More dealing is sure to come through the start and finish of the action next week in Pittsburgh. As it stands now, though, here are the 10 teams with the most at stake in the 2026 NFL Draft:
For the first time since the late Sean Payton years, it feels like a new day in New Orleans. A franchise that long resisted a rebuild has finally emerged from the financial hole it dug itself over the course of a decade. With Tyler Shough firmly in command of Kellen Moore's offense and the team having won four of its final five games, the Saints finally look poised to chart a new course rather than cling to the vestiges of the Payton era.
But New Orleans is still recalibrating a roster that had been disproportionately reliant on veterans. Outside of Shough and the recent run of first-rounders – including offensive tackles Kelvin Banks Jr. and Taliese Fuaga, defensive lineman Bryan Bresee and go-to wide receiver Chris Olave – general manager Mickey Loomis has largely failed to round out the depth chart with mid-to-late-round hits. The only homegrown projected starters who were picked after the second round are safety Jonas Sanker and cornerback Quincy Riley.
For the Saints to be a true factor in the fluid NFC South, more talent is required at premium positions. Having dealt Rashid Shaheed to the Seahawks at the trade deadline, New Orleans doesn't return a wideout beyond Olave who reached 300 yards last year. A deep receiver class could turn up a viable starter somewhere in the first two rounds. An edge rush long propped up by Cameron Jordan also looks due for a complement to Chase Young.
So much for the advantages conferred by having a star quarterback on a rookie contract. As Jayden Daniels enters the final year before he becomes eligible for what's sure to be a massive extension, the Commanders find themselves short on support at several key spots. While they hold the No. 7 overall pick, they're without their second- and fourth-round selections, which were the final portions of their bill from the Laremy Tunsil trade.
Trading back from the No. 7 slot to recoup more draft capital might be an ideal solution, but general manager Adam Peters acknowledged at the combine that there might be a shortage of suitors. Linebacker Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs each could help accelerate the offseason effort to ramp up a new-look defense under first-year coordinator Daronte Jones, who places a special emphasis on versatility. Yet cornerback Mansoor Delane, who would address a more pressing positional deficiency, could be an overlooked first-round consideration. If Jeremiyah Love isn't taken in the top five picks, the do-everything Notre Dame running back could change the calculus for an organization with an avowed commitment to operating under center more often.
No matter what path Washington pursues with its initial pick, it'll have plenty of work to do later in the draft to cover for its problem areas. At a macro scale, the Commanders have to bring aboard pieces capable of leading a youth movement for a roster that ranked as the league's oldest on cutdown day last year.
John Harbaugh hasn't been shy about implementing his vision to transform the Giants by enforcing a competitive framework that's been absent since the Tom Coughlin era. It's little surprise, then, that Harbaugh is set to take command of the talent pipeline that allowed his Baltimore Ravens teams to become a consistent threat in the AFC.
General manager Joe Schoen's sporadic success through the draft might have saved his job, with co-owner John Mara touting "our young core of talent." But Jaxson Dart's rookie season laid bare a roster that repeatedly left its inexperienced quarterback to pick up the slack for the rest of the group.
New York's issues remain rooted in its fronts. On offense, the interior lacks the sense of stability found at offensive tackle with Andrew Thomas and Jermaine Eluemunor. Yet the greater sense of uncertainty rests on defense, where Dexter Lawrence's trade request looms over a unit that has come to rely on the three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle's ability to dictate terms at the line of scrimmage. Taking Styles or Downs at No. 5 could boost a run defense that ranked last in yards allowed per carry. Yet the running back value discussion could be reignited if Love remains on the board when the Giants come on the clock. But the ultimate measure of success for this class might hinge on whether Harbaugh and Schoen can unearth the mid-to-late-round gems capable of rounding out an imbalanced roster.
With a first-year coach in Robert Saleh and second-year general manager in Mike Borgonzi, the Titans might not seem like a team under duress to straighten things out right away. But after coming up short in every facet of its plan to support Cam Ward during the quarterback's rookie season, Tennessee is at risk of cutting off avenues for the No. 1 pick's development if it can't establish a baseline level of competence.
The Titans' urgency in overhauling the roster was reflected by a nearly unmatched spending spree. But Tennessee's new leadership largely pursued patchwork solutions with whom Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll were well acquainted. To go beyond escaping the AFC's cellar, the franchise will have to turn unfamiliar draft entities into long-awaited cornerstones.
Getting a top-tier pass rusher would surely serve the interests of Saleh, who's attempting to fast-track the rise of a defense short on difference-makers. But the top two options in Texas Tech's David Bailey and Ohio State's Arvell Reese might end up out of reach. If they are, the conversation could then shift toward Love, even as questions linger about whether the offense is equipped to capitalize on his big-play flair. The Titans certainly could stand to arm Ward with another receiving threat, though that might take a backseat to affording him better protection in the form of a starting-caliber right guard or center.
6. Cleveland Browns
After wandering through draft purgatory for years in the aftermath of the Deshaun Watson trade, the Browns are finally poised to reload on young talent. The 2025 class, highlighted by Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger and promising tight end Harold Fannin Jr., gave the franchise reason to believe it once again had building blocks beyond Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward. But the big payout might still be ahead, as the organization holds two first-round picks after moving back in last year's Travis Hunter Jr. trade.
Even with second-year players taking on important roles throughout the depth chart, glaring holes remain at premium positions. Targeting a left tackle and wide receiver on Day 1 would account for two of the team's biggest question marks. But which problem should take precedence? In a vacuum, extending the offseason theme of upgrading the line might do more to get the offense off the ground floor. But identifying a blocker worthy of the No. 6 selection might be a stretch, and several of the most prominent candidates wouldn't be natural fits as blindside protectors. On the flip side, it likely would be easier for Cleveland to find a suitable pass catcher at No. 24.
Yet the greatest limitation remains at quarterback, where incumbent starter Shedeur Sanders will try to stave off Watson and Dillon Gabriel for the top job. General manager Andrew Berry said last week it was "wholly realistic" that the Browns could add another young passer who could push to the forefront of the competition. Still, in a thin class at the position, the only reasonable option might be Alabama's Ty Simpson. Maybe Cleveland could take a flier if he's still around in the early second round, but dropping an inexperienced signal-caller into this setup seems like an invitation for disaster.
5. Dallas Cowboys
With Jerry Jones typically only occasionally dipping his toe into the free-agency pool, the draft holds heightened significance for the Cowboys. But with Dallas owning two picks in the top 20 – and the higher of their two first-rounders in 2027 headed to the Jets to pay off the Quinnen Williams deal – the pressure is on to make good on the returns from the Micah Parsons trade.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on April 14 that the team typically has 16-22 first-round grades on players in a given draft class, but he added that he's "not sure we will get there this year." Could that be sufficient incentive for Dallas to move up? Dealing into the top 10 for Bailey, Styles or Downs could net Jerry Jones the top-tier talent he covets – with the latter two capable of helping satisfy Jones' desire to stuff the run. The more reasonable option might be to trade down from No. 20, though it might be difficult to drum up a buyer.
No matter where they end up picking, the Cowboys are positioned to double-dip on defense. New coordinator Christian Parker surely wants to cut down on the secondary miscommunications and meltdowns that plagued the unit throughout 2025, and taking a cornerback or safety early could help the secondary rapidly retool. But an edge rush that might struggle to do much more than get by likely requires a first-round talent to significantly alter this year's outlook. And while identifying a linebacker to put alongside DeMarvion Overshown might be atop the to-do list, orchestrating a trade for a veteran might be the more reasonable route for a franchise eager to return to the playoff chase.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
It probably goes without saying that the team holding the No. 1 overall pick has a lot riding on its rookie class. Las Vegas, however, is the only organization that can enter the proceedings feeling any sense of control, with the expected selection of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza atop the draft seemingly all but a certainty.
Yet general manager John Spytek knows he has a sizable task ahead of him to create an environment around Mendoza in which the Heisman Trophy winner can flourish. The failed Maxx Crosby trade drove home Spytek's interest in utilizing this draft to reconfigure his roster to that end.
Adding a stout target capable of stabilizing a shaky receiving corps could go a long way toward helping Mendoza settle in as a rookie. Washington's Denzel Boston would be a natural solution should he fall out of the first round, but Germie Bernard, Ted Hurst or Elijah Sarratt - Mendoza's former teammate - could all be considerations on Day 2. Infusing the defensive line with some form of interior disruption also might help the Raiders curb their reliance on Crosby to generate a spark up front. With three fourth-round picks in hand, Spytek has to bolster the depth of a defense that looks in flux almost everywhere except inside linebacker.
3. Miami Dolphins
In a league where teams often deny the realities of their competitive credentials, the Dolphins confronted their current inadequacies and acted accordingly. First-year general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan stripped a top-heavy roster of its most expensive and superfluous parts, saddling the team with a record dead-cap hit of nearly $200 million while loading up on draft picks. The result: Miami owns 11 selections, including two in the first round and seven of the top 100 choices.
With their nearly blank slate, the Dolphins possess far more flexibility than most teams while also working on a more extended timeline to put things together. Still, no franchise is completely free of expectations in the draft. Miami has arguably fewer building blocks than any other organization, with Sullivan having identified four players – running back De'Von Achane, center Aaron Brewer, left tackle Patrick Paul and linebacker Jordyn Brooks – as essential to the team's core. Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was among that group, but he was dealt to the Denver Broncos in March to secure the second first-rounder.
Now, Sullivan could go in any number of directions in his first draft. Moving Waddle rendered Miami perilously thin at receiver, leaving new quarterback Malik Willis with few legitimate threats on the perimeter. Restocking the pass-catching crew would be a natural move, but addressing the position early wouldn't be in keeping with the Packers approach Sullivan followed for the entirety of his career to date. Cornerback is sure to be circled given the dearth of trustworthy options on the back end, and the offensive line and edge rush each could stand for significant upgrades as well. For Miami, however, the directive is clear: Restock the roster with as many viable rookie starters as possible.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Brett Veach has never held a draft pick as early in the order as this year's No. 9 overall choice. He might not again, either. The Chiefs' calamitous 6-11 season left plenty of residual pain, but it also put the franchise in the rare position to add a blue-chip talent capable of helping expedite a return to form. Veach then doubled down by trading Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for a package that netted him the No. 31 overall pick.
While Kansas City will still be looking to maximize value, no team in the top 10 will face more scrutiny around what its top choice can offer right off the bat.
Two of the Chiefs' more persistent woes are likely to be points of focus. Veach has too often missed the mark with his early selections of edge rushers and wide receivers, with both deficiencies coming to the forefront during last season's unraveling. The former position might take priority, though Rueben Bain Jr. might test the team's openness to diverting from its past prototype for rangier defensive ends for Steve Spagnuolo. While reloading at cornerback could help the team cover for a newly created vulnerability, Veach might try to bring along 2025 third-rounder Nohl Williams for his latest development success story at the position.
1. New York Jets
Midway through a debacle of a debut season at the helm, Gang Green's new regime moved the goalposts. In selling off defensive linchpins Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams at the trade deadline, new coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey conceded that a much longer timeline than initially envisioned was required to orchestrate a turnaround. With four picks in the top 45, it's time to cash in on the accumulated chips.
With the Nos. 2 and 16 selections, New York might face a more straightforward framework than many other teams in the draft. Value and need would seem to align for the Jets to start things off with an edge rusher and follow up with a receiver. The bigger mystery might be in how Mougey decides between marquee prospects at each position. The choice between Bailey and Reese could end up one of the defining moves of the draft – and of Mougey and Glenn's tenure. Meanwhile, the job of alleviating pressure on Garrett Wilson in the passing game could come down to several stylistically different targets, including Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr. and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson. Of course, an offense that could stand to add a developmental passer behind Geno Smith could throw the draft for a curve by taking Simpson at No. 16 or 33.
After the Gardner and Williams trades, Glenn changed his tone about his group, saying that fans would be proud of the team "at some point." As things stand, any notion of pride seems far off for an organization that stands alone with the longest postseason drought in North American men's sports. Hope, however, might suffice for the fan base. Mougey and Glenn can either start to deliver some now or end up shifting the focus even further down the line to 2027, when the Jets are scheduled to have three first-round picks and could again top this list.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NFL Draft: Which teams are under most pressure to ace picks?
