The 2026 NFL Draft is expected to be highly dynamic, with numerous trades and movements among the 32 first-round picks. Last year saw significant trades, including the Jaguars moving up to select Travis Hunter Jr. and the Giants trading up for Jaxson Dart.
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The NFL Draft is inherently chaotic. There are over 250 picks to be made, and the pool of players shrinks every few minutes as the selections come in. We can do thousands of mock drafts and never get it right.
And it's not just the picks providing drama. It's the movement of picks, too. Last year alone, on the opening day of the draft, the Jaguars traded up to No. 2 to select Travis Hunter Jr., the Giants traded up to No. 25 to select Jaxson Dart, the Falcons traded up to No. 26 to select James Pearce Jr., and the Chiefs and Eagles swapped picks No. 31 and 32.
Even with all that movement, there was the potential for more: Some excellent footage from the Panthers showed they nearly sent the No. 8 overall pick to the Rams.
A blockbuster trade almost went down on Draft night 😯
(via @panthers) pic.twitter.com/lX4tjW5aDi
— NFL (@NFL) June 4, 2025
Ultimately, Carolina stayed at No. 8 and took Tetairoa McMillan. But those types of conversations are happening before and during the draft.
Who will be the movers and shakers of the 2026 first round? We assessed the best plan of action for every team with a first-round pick: stay put, trade up or trade down.
[Chiefs, Jets among a number of squads with multiple firsts that must ace 2026 NFL Draft
Garrett Podell
This is an easy call to start. The Raiders have the No. 1 pick in a draft in which they need a quarterback, and there's a player worthy of the selection in Fernando Mendoza. Las Vegas has added a top-tier center (Tyler Linderbaum) and a veteran mentor (Kirk Cousins) for Mendoza.
Like the Raiders, the Jets have been plenty busy this offseason after a disastrous 2025. Unlike the Raiders, though, they likely won't be selecting their face-of-the-franchise quarterback later this month. One has to think Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey are excited to have their pick of the non-Mendoza litter, especially with so much pass-rushing talent available. New York has another first-round pick (No. 16) this year and three next year, so there's no need to acquire more picks.
The Cardinals are very much a blank canvas with a bevy of needs on both sides of the ball. They could add to their defense or choose their favorite offensive tackle here. There are plenty of options for both approaches. Simply put, it's very rare for teams to trade up this high in the draft if they're not taking a quarterback, so Arizona stays put.
Just like the two teams ahead of them, the Titans are pretty much a blank slate with a bunch of options here. Could Jeremiyah Love be a fit? What about a top pass rusher? New coach Robert Saleh would certainly like that. He'd also love linebacker Sonny Styles, who has earned comparisons to Fred Warner; Saleh coached Warner in San Francisco.
The Giants have a plethora of needs, including cornerback, linebacker and wide receiver. They've also been connected to Love here. But what if they get an offer that's too good to refuse? What if a team calls wanting to move up to take, say, Carnell Tate, but the Giants actually have a different wide receiver -- perhaps Jordan Tyson or Makai Lemon -- as their WR1 in this draft? What if a team wants to move up for a premier pass rusher, something New York isn't interested in? Add in that the Giants are down a third-round pick this year after the Dart trade last year, and we have our first prime move candidate.
We prefer the Browns staying put here given their significant needs at wide receiver and at tackle. Tate has been a popular choice here in mock drafts, but Cleveland could also have the opportunity to choose its top tackle prospect. Considering the Browns also have the No. 24 pick after last year's trade with Jacksonville, it makes sense to stick and pick here.
This was a close call between staying put and moving down given the Commanders' shortage of picks, but ultimately, Washington should make its pick here. Adam Peters said at league meetings that there might not be many trade-down opportunities this year, and he added the team doesn't have to pick a certain position here. Love, Styles and Tate are among the non-pass rusher options.
Equipped with two extra picks after the Rashid Shaheed trade last year, the Saints could be our first major trade up candidate. But we'd prefer them not rush their building process, which finally began in earnest last year. New Orleans should have options at wide receiver, cornerback and edge rusher here.
The Chiefs are in an unusual spot. They haven't picked in the top 10 since 2017, when they moved up to select Patrick Mahomes. Coming off a 6-11 season, Kansas City wants to return to being competitive in 2026, but there are also a lot of needs -- wide receiver, EDGE defender, defensive back and perhaps tackle -- that must be addressed. Kansas City should aim to find a high-impact player here with the first of its two first-round picks.
The Bengals have missed the playoffs each of the last three seasons. A leaky defense is the biggest reason why. It's time for Cincinnati to be aggressive and assertive and get one of the elite defenders, whether it's Styles, a tier-one edge rusher or Caleb Downs. All three of the teams directly in front of Cincinnati -- as well as the Giants at No. 5 -- could be trade partners.
There is absolutely no need to rush a down-to-the-studs rebuild in Miami. The Dolphins could go in pretty much any direction other than quarterback or running back here. They have seven(!) picks in the top 100, including two in the first round. Miami can let the board fall where it may and take its top overall prospect here.
The Cowboys are similar to the Bengals in that defense is the overwhelming, glaring need, and this is a draft dominated by defenders early. In fact, Dallas is an even more major trade-up candidate because it's two picks behind Cincinnati. Any of the three levels of the defense can and should be addressed. Dallas also has the No. 20 pick from last year's Micah Parsons deal.
This is my favorite trade up candidate, even if it's a stretch. The Rams have this pick after fleecing the Falcons last year, sending Atlanta the No. 26 pick. Los Angeles is the Super Bowl favorite, and its roster is loaded. Let's load it up more. Add Styles to potentially make a solid linebacker unit a very good one? Add Lemon for juice in the slot between Puka Nacua and Davante Adams? The Rams might not have the picks this year (one first, one second, one third and then nothing until the sixth round) to make it work, but if they're willing to involve 2027 picks, they could add major firepower.
The Ravens, per usual, have a ton of picks, and if history serves, they'll want to use a lot of them. By staying at No. 14, they should be able to add an immediate-impact player without giving up any later picks. Baltimore can potentially take the first interior offensive limeman off the board. Maybe it goes wide receiver or tight end. Regardless, there should be good players who fit their needs here.
The Buccaneers exploring a trade down here makes sense, as they could gather more draft capital and still land an early contributor in the first round. Cornerback and pass rusher stand out as needs here, and there are multiple options -- especially with the latter -- in the mid-/late-first round.
After taking, in their eyes, the top defender in the draft at No. 2, the Jets can add to their haul here. They could double down on defense, especially if there's a cornerback Glenn really likes. Or they could take a wide receiver if one of Tate, Tyson or Lemon slips. Maybe a linebacker or even another edge rusher is in play. The point is the Jets have plenty of options, no need to trade up and no need to trade down.
The Lions are sitting on nine draft picks, including an extra fourth from the David Montgomery trade, and have been one of the most aggressive teams both on the field and in the draft. Perhaps they leapfrog the Ravens to get a top interior offensive lineman. Maybe they really want another tackle after Taylor Decker's departure. Maybe one of the top EDGE defenders falls a bit, and Detroit wants to scoop him up. Same for cornerback. Remember, the Lions once traded up from No. 32 to No. 12 to select Jameson Williams.
As enticing as it may seem to move up, the Vikings staying put makes more sense. They could go with a defensive back or an offensive lineman -- remember, Ryan Kelly retired this offseason -- or perhaps add to the pass rush if they move on from Jonathan Greenard. Interim GM Rob Brzezinski likely won't shake things up too much.
Carolina could add to its pass-catching group or to a defense that is rapidly accumulating talent. After making the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the Panthers don't need to get out over their skis. Remember, they still went 8-9, and that was their best record since 2017. A trade back wouldn't be out of the question, either, if someone really wants to move up.
If Dallas can successfully trade up from No. 12, it would make sense to try to recoup some draft capital by moving down from No. 20. Maybe it's a team interested in Ty Simpson. Maybe it's a team with an eye on an offensive lineman. Coming out of the first round with two immediate-impact defenders -- Styles or Downs early and a pass rusher late -- and not too much draft capital shipped out would constitute a great night for Dallas.
Plenty depends on Aaron Rodgers, but for now, Pittsburgh should stay put. Even if Rodgers returns, Simpson could be the play at No. 21; if Rodgers isn't back, Simpson makes even more sense, potentially. The Steelers could try to add an offensive lineman here, too. There should be plenty available.
Despite having among the most cap space in the NFL entering free agency, the Chargers have been measured in their approach, signing mostly second- and third-tier players. Perhaps they're saving up their ammunition for the draft, where a move up for the interior offensive lineman or pass rusher of their choice makes sense. It just feels like Los Angeles still has the opportunity to make one or two more big swings this offseason.
The Eagles have one of the best and most aggressive front offices in the NFL, but the A.J. Brown conundrum continues to hover over the entire offseason. A trade up for a wide receiver could signal Brown's time in Philadelphia is coming to an end. For now, though, there's a world where a pass catcher or a pass rusher falls, and the Eagles make do to start what will be a busy three days.
Let's say Cleveland takes an offensive lineman at No. 6. Here at No. 24, it has the chance to add a receiver in the tier below Tate/Tyson/Lemon: Think Omar Cooper Jr., KC Concepcion or Denzel Boston. It Cleveland goes wide receiver at No. 6, it could have its pick of several offensive lineman. Or perhaps defensive lineman or defensive back comes into play.
The Bears' breakout season was one of the top storylines of 2025, but they have significant work to do to keep the arrow pointing upward in 2026. For that to happen, we recommend a slight trade up: nothing massive, but perhaps enough to get them ahead of the other defense-hungry teams in front of them, such as Philadelphia and maybe Los Angeles and Dallas. The Bears will be focused on safety (Dillon Thieneman? Emmanuel McNeil-Warren?) or a bevy of second-tier EDGE defenders. They have an extra second from the DJ Moore trade.
There should be multiple options in places of need -- EDGE defender, linebacker, safety, and don't completely count out wide receiver -- for Buffalo in this range, so recouping some picks from the Moore trade makes sense here. Buffalo can still get a quality player 5-10 picks later than its current slot.
With just six picks -- including none in the third, fifth, sixth or seventh rounds -- the 49ers don't seem to be trade-up candidates. Plus, there are still good fits here, perhaps an interior defensive lineman, an EDGE defender or an offensive lineman.
With an overwhelmingly talented defense, the Texans are in position to generally play this straight up. They could add an interior defender between Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, or they could bring in an upgrade along the offensive line. Maybe a talented linebacker fits the bill.
Here, the Chiefs can address any level of the defense, offensive tackle or a much-needed big wide receiver. In his latest mock draft, Josh Edwards had Kansas City taking offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa at No. 9 and cornerback Colton Hood at No. 29.
The reasoning for the Dolphins staying put at No. 30 is similar to the reasoning for them staying put at No. 11. They don't need to rush things. This is another best-player-available spot.
Coming off a surprise Super Bowl appearance, New England would do well to stay the course here and find a good player at wide receiver, pass rusher or somewhere else. There should be plenty of the first two options to choose from.
The final pick of the first round always holds extra value, as it's the last selection that comes with the fifth-year option. So if a team really loves a prospect, it will likely be willing to pay well to move up here, and the Seahawks should be happy to oblige. Seattle currently has just four picks in the draft. John Schneider would love to add some midround picks, especially given his recent success with them.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jaguars traded up to No. 2 for Travis Hunter Jr., the Giants moved up to No. 25 for Jaxson Dart, and the Falcons traded up to No. 26 for James Pearce Jr.
While specific teams are not confirmed, the Panthers nearly traded their No. 8 overall pick to the Rams, indicating potential trading activity among various teams.
The 2026 NFL Draft will feature over 250 picks across multiple rounds, with 32 first-round selections.
The NFL Draft's chaos is driven by the rapid selection of players and the frequent trading of picks among teams, making predictions challenging.
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