Sometime shortly after 6 p.m. MT Thursday night, the Las Vegas Raiders will take Indiana quarterback with Fernando Mendoza as the first pick of the 2026 NFL draft, the first of 257 names that will be called across three days and seven rounds in Pittsburgh.
The drama will follow, as there are several ways the New York Jets could go with the No. 2 pick. The Dallas Cowboys have two picks in the first round as they look to rebuild their struggling defense.
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The draft will be carried on a number of platforms, including the NFL Network, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes as it takes center stage for three days.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place between April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. It will be televised on the NFL Network, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes.
Thursday, April 23: Round 1, 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT
Friday, April 24: Rounds 2-3, 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT
Saturday, April 25: Rounds 4-7, 10 a.m. MT/11 a.m. CT
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Each team will have eight minutes to make its selection in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. This is the first year for this, as last year it was 10 minutes between picks. With 32 picks to sort through, this potentially could save an hour.
Teams have seven minutes on the clock for the second round, five minutes for rounds 3-6 and four minutes in round 7.
Time: 6 p.m. MT/7 p.m. CT (Round 1); 5 p.m. MT/6 p.m. CT (Rounds 2-3); 10 a.m. MT/11 a.m. CT (Rounds 4-7)
Channels: NFL Network; ESPN; ESPN2; ESPN Deportes
Streaming: NFL+; ESPN Unlimited & Select; Fubo
Here is the list of the Cowboys' picks for the NFL draft, which is April 23-25. The first round is on the 23rd, the second and third are on the 24th and rounds three through seven are on the 25th.
Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback from Indiana who led his team to the national championship and won the Heisman Trophy, will be the top pick in the draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The drama starts at No. 2, where the Jets could take Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese or Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.
Draft simulators allow users to pick their favorite team and draft for them while the other 31 teams auto draft. Generally, trades are allowed. Here is ESPN’s mock draft simulator.
The LSU cornerback has generally been mocked anywhere from pick No. 7 to No. 12, which is where the Cowboys are drafting. The consensus is he goes 7th to the Washington Commanders.
The NFL.com prospect page says of Delane: “Delane is one of the top cornerbacks in a CB-rich draft. He excels in press coverage, altering release timing with punches and slides. Smooth hips and efficient footwork keep him connected in man coverage, while his processing allows for quick transitions in off-man and short zone looks. He has good top-end speed for vertical phasing but is inconsistent turning to find the football.”