NFL draft tracker: Teams needs, prospects, latest news pollsand more
In eight days, Roger Goodell will step to the podium at the stage on Pittsburgh’s North Shore and open the 2026 NFL draft.
Within minutes,the Raiders will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, and then the real fun will begin when the Jets go on the clock. Because the Jets, alongside the Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins and Cowboys, control the first round. Each has two selections, and the reasons these picks are paramount range from jumpstarting a program to putting the finishing touches on a contender.
In a year where none of those teams are expected to take a quarterback—due to the lack of top-end talent, along with a bevy of options in the 2027 class—the decisions are even more intriguing. These teams will not have easy choices this year, like we see when there are clear options either because of positional importance or talent disparity. Instead, there will be difficult decisions made throughout next Thursday night, with names on cards turning into either job security or a lack of it for the front offices that make the picks.
For New York, Cleveland and Miami, the mission is simple: start finding cornerstones.
The Jets are now entering their second year of the Darren Mougey–Aaron Glenn braintrust, and so far have nothing to show in the way of progress. The roster is arguably the league’s worst, unless Geno Smith regains his Seattle form, but the silver lining comes in the form of five first-round picks over the next two years. However, if 2026 is every bit the disaster the three-win ’25 season was, Mougey and Glenn may not be around to select or coach those players.
Picking both second and 16th, the Jets have the benefit of options. They are widely expected to take a front-seven talent with their first choice, perhaps Ohio State linebacker/edge rusher Arvell Reese or Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who notched a nation-high 14.5 sacks last year. With the second pick, acquired via the Sauce Gardner trade with the Colts, New York could elect to pair a receiver with Garrett Wilson or replace Gardner with a corner such as LSU’s Mansoor Delane or Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy.
As for the Browns, general manager Andrew Berry apparently has more longevity than a Supreme Court justice, going on his seventh year as general manager despite just one playoff victory, back in the 2020 season, and the Deshaun Watson contract looming over the team. Still, Berry is coming off drafting a strong 2025 class, including Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger, along with tight end Harold Fannin Jr., defensive tackle Mason Graham and running back Quinshon Judkins. If Berry can replicate that success next week, both he and rookie coach Todd Monken will be in an improving spot.
Considering the relative strength of their defense, the Browns should be focused on improving their offense. With pick Nos. 6 and 24, Cleveland could focus on the offensive line and receiver, the two biggest problem spots on the roster, save for quarterback. The Browns could also dive into those waters, with Ty Simpson likely to be the second passer off the board.
Then there’s Miami, which is in full-on rebuild mode. For the Dolphins, this draft is about finding the first pieces of a climb that’s going to last, at the minimum, a few years. The Fins overhauled their building this offseason, trading receiver Jaylen Waddle and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, releasing Tua Tagovailoa and Bradley Chubb, and firing coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier.
Suddenly, the Dolphins are swimming in both draft picks (they have 11 picks, including seven in the first three rounds) and future cap space once Tagovailoa’s dead money comes off the books. For new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley, this draft is an opportunity for growth while setting up the longer vision. Unlike Cleveland and New York, though, the Dolphins’ brass should have the gift of time and patience given to them.
In Dallas, time is of the essence. The Cowboys haven’t been to a conference title game since the 1995 season. It’s the longest such drought in the NFC and the only longer drought in the league belongs to the Dolphins, who haven’t reached that stage since the ’92 campaign. With owner and general manager Jerry Jones turning 84 in October, winning is a pressing matter for the Cowboys.
Sitting with pick Nos. 12 and 20, Jones should be focused on the defense, which has a new coordinator in Christian Parker after Matt Eberflus led the unit to a 30th-ranked finish in 2025. After trading away Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa over the past 12 months, Dallas could add both a pass rusher and someone to the secondary, whether it’s a corner or safety. Regardless of the positions taken, the Cowboys have to shore up multiple spots on their defense to contend in the loaded NFC.
Finally, there are the Chiefs. After reaching the Super Bowl five of the past seven years, including three consecutive trips from 2022 to ’24, Kansas City bottomed out last season with a 6–11 mark. This offseason, general manager Brett Veach added key pieces in running back Kenneth Walker III, defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga and safety Alohi Gilman, but also traded All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie to the Rams, receiving the No. 29 selection in return as part of a four-pick package.
With the ninth and 29th picks, Veach should be targeting pass rusher, corner and/or receiver. The Chiefs have designs on getting back to the Super Bowl immediately, provided Patrick Mahomes recovers well from a torn ACL and LCL. If any ideas of reclaimed grandeur are realistic, Kansas City knows it all starts with nailing at least two of its first three selections, all coming in the top 40 choices.
On April 23, the NFL draft will commence and the Raiders will take Mendoza. Then the Jets will be up, making the first of their two choices on Thursday night and setting off a chain reaction that has consequences for every team.
But for five teams, Thursday night isn’t just the next step. While they find themselves in different circumstances, they control the most important portion of a night which will set up the next half decade in the NFL.
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MATT VERDERAME
Matt Verderame is a national NFL staff writer for Sports Illustrated, writing features, columns and more. Before joining Sports Illustrated in March 2023, Verderame wrote for FanSided and SB Nation. He’s a proud husband to Stephanie and father of two girls, Maisy and Genevieve. In his spare time, Verderame is an avid collector of vintage baseball cards.
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