The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft begins at 7 p.m. CT on April 23 in Pittsburgh. The intrigue actually begins with the New York Jets and the No. 2 pick, and continues with the big mysteries and swirling rumors surrounding the Arizona Cardinals at No. 3 and the Tennessee Titans at No. 4.
With 32 names that have to come off the board and six teams in possession of multiple first-round picks, there are plenty of reasons to expect trades, surprises and movement up and down the board. Here's The Tennessean's final crack at what the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft will look like, top to bottom.
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The closest thing to a sure thing as there is in this class off the edge, Bailey was hyper-productive as a college senior and brings with him a pedigree that includes plenty of bend and burst to go with a Stanford education earned before transferring.
One way to atone for trading away Micah Parsons is to trade up and pick his heir apparent. The Cowboys give up picks Nos. 12, 20 and 112, plus a second-round pick next year, in exchange for Arizona's picks at Nos. 3 and 104. A huge haul to right a wrong.
No need to overthink this. Free agency was about fixing the defense. Now that Reese and Bailey are off the board, the Titans grab the Robin to Cam Ward's Batman and set up their offense for the next 5-10 years.
Inside linebackers never go this high. But coach John Harbaugh's success in Baltimore was built around a front office philosophy that always prioritized talent over need, and Styles' talents are huge.
The Chiefs move up three picks, giving up picks Nos. 40 and 148 along the way, to get the last of the three premium pass rushers available. Cleveland was already pick-rich, and now it's richer. Let the rebuild begin — again.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels needs playmakers around him. Terry McLaurin needs help, too. Enter Tate, the latest in the Ohio State receiver lineage who gives Washington a physical, aggressive presence downfield.
To the shock and delight of the bayou, the Saints keep one of LSU's finest in Louisiana. Delane will be a transformative presence in the Saints' secondary.
Back on the board after trading back from No. 6, the Browns still get the top offensive tackle on the board. Big win.
Let's believe the hype here. Tyson's injury history seems like a concern from the outside, but the Giants clearly have done their diligence.
The Dolphins need a full rebuild. It's tempting to pick a flashier player, but betting on a cornerstone blindside tackle is the safer and more prudent choice.
The Cardinals moved back nine picks and still ended up with the player so many folks connected to them at No. 3 back in January. Not a bad deal, and not a bad pair of tackles to have on the roster now.
What to give the team that already has it all? How about a human mismatch for the middle of the field? QB Matthew Stafford looks downfield and sees an embarrassment of riches.
The Eagles love to move up for a player who fell a little too far. The Ravens trust their scouting department to identify future stars late in the draft. Win-win ideologically. The Eagles get a Day 1 superstar for the back end. The Ravens get picks Nos. 23 and 54, plus second-round picks each of the next two years.
Good pass rusher for a team that needs pass rush help. Not much more to it.
The Jets still don't have a long-term answer at quarterback, but whenever they find one, he'll certainly enjoy throwing to Garrett Wilson and the polished Lemon.
Start him off at right tackle and see what happens. Wherever he sticks, he makes the already-athletic Detroit front better and even more athletic.