It is officially the first day of the 2026 NFL draft. The complete Round 1 will be broadcast from Pittsburgh beginning at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern) and can be viewed on ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, and Fubo. Additionally, CBS Sports HQ’s 24/7 streaming network will provide real-time analysis of the draft.
The full schedule of the draft is as follows: Thursday: Round 1, Friday: Rounds 2-3, and Saturday: Rounds 4-7.
RELATED: TRADE MARKET MAY FORCE CARDINALS TO MAKE A PICK
The amount of time for each round has changed this year. For Round 1, each club will have eight minutes (down from 10 minutes), Round 2 will be seven minutes, rounds 3-6 are again five minutes, while Round 7 has been dropped to four minutes. The shorter amount of time per selection is aimed at speeding up the pace, especially with the first round.
Every draft has its share of trades. This year, it will be no different. Here are the trade scenarios we have heard about so far that will affect the first round.
Cardinals get: #12 pick (Rd 1), #20 pick (Rd 1), #114 pick (Rd 4)
The Cardinals own the #3 pick. The Cowboys have two first-round draft picks, but don’t select until the #12 spot. Dallas owner/GM Jerry Jones is 83 years old and doesn’t want his legacy to be three Super Bowl wins over 30 years ago. He wants another championship now and has the offense to get him there. Last year, the Cowboys ranked #2 on offense, and almost every player returns.
But Jones doesn’t have that stud running back. Plus, his quarterback is beginning to age out as Dak Prescott will turn 33 this summer. Three really good receivers, his tight end just made his second Pro Bowl, and an offensive line that doesn’t have a player over 30 years old.
Notre Dame RB Jeremyiah Love is the player that Jones covets, and realizes that this one player could put his offense over the top. However, the Tennessee Titans are in the #4 spot and also need a good running back. The trade with the Cardinals would put Dallas one spot over the Titans and get their man.
Another trade possibility in the upper portion of the first round involves the Browns instead of Arizona. Dallas also needs a stud pass rusher. If Jones decides to pass on Love as his new running back, he won’t need to move up past Tennessee at #4, but will need to move up to get one of the beast pass rushers in this year’s draft.
Jones would love to snag David Bailey out of Texas Tech and realizes that Ohio State’s Arvell Reese will most likely be gone. But also available should be Sonny Styles of Ohio State or Miami’s Rueben Bain, Jr. By going to pick #6, he leapfrogs division foe Washington, who are also hoping to nab a top pass rusher. Jones would be able to grab one of the elite pass rushers instead of waiting to grab a second-tier guy on Day 2 and stop a division competitor from getting him instead.
This trade would give Cleveland three first-round picks this year.
The WR class in the 2026 draft could definitely have a tangential effect on the Arizona Cardinals if they trade back.Not only could WRs go much higher than expected, but it could be another trade down possibility for the Cardinals partnered with a team that wants to snag a WR.
Commanders get: #9 pick (Rd 1), #109 pick (Rd 4), #148 pick (Rd 5)
The Chiefs want to come out of this draft with a top receiver and an elite pass rusher. Washington owns the #7 pick while KC has the #9 selection. Cleveland at #6 and New Orleans at #8 are both in the market for a receiver. Getting the seventh pick would hop over at least one known clubs who should grab a receiver. This would give the Chiefs their pick of one of the top four elite pass catchers, like Makai Lemon of USC or Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson.
Chiefs get: #3 pick (Rd 1), #65 pick (Rd 3), #104 pick (Rd 4)
Cardinals get: #9 pick (Rd 1), #29 pick (Rd 1)
The Chiefs want to come out of this year’s draft with just one thing: a beast of a pass rusher. They have the #9 in the first round, and depending on how the top half falls, they may see that the elite pass rushers will be all gobbled up. If the top half begins to see a bunch of offensive linemen go, then KC may be all right at #9 and can stand pat.
Right now, it appears that all four elite pass rushers will be taken. If Arizona takes a tackle, and the Giants select S Caleb Downs from Ohio State, at least one pass rusher should fall to #9. If not, the Chiefs will need to trade with the Cardinals. That would give them their choice of three out of the four, assuming the New York Jets take either Bailey or Reese.
Steelers get: #25 pick (Rd 1), #89 pick (Rd 3)