NFL Draft Results: 1st round picks, analysis and highlights

Get to know the entire first night of 2026 NFL Draft results in our official tracker. Click here for the full list of picks.

The 2026 NFL Draft runs from Thursday through Saturday in Pittsburgh. Round 1 starts at 8 p.m. EST, while Day 2 (rounds 2-3) starts at 7 p.m. EST on Friday. Day 3, which includes rounds 4-7, begins at noon EST on Saturday.

The Las Vegas Raiders own the first overall pick and are widely expected to select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. A whopping six teams have multiple first-round picks: the New York Jets (2 & 16), New York Giants (5 & 10), Cleveland Browns (6 & 24), Kansas City Chiefs (9 & 29), Miami Dolphins (11 & 30), and Dallas Cowboys (12 & 20). Rumors have flown about teams potentially trading up or down the board as soon as Thursday night, so buckle up for some action. We'll have it all covered here.

Read below for live pick-by-pick updates, including analysis and highlights...

A second Notre Dame running back goes in the first round. Price doesn't grab headlines or hit highlight reels like Love does, but he's a smooth runner who sees the field well, and should be a plug-and-play starter for the Seahawks offense.

Faulk passes the eye test with his size and fluidity as a rusher. The Titans may need to figure out the best way to use him and get the most out of him early on, as he works on his game. But the raw ability is certainly there and Faulk has clear three-down upside.

According to reports, the Titans are acquiring the 31st pick in a trade with the Bills.

One of Fernando Mendoza's top targets heads from Indy to New York. Cooper has ideal size at 6 feet and 199 pounds, and has experience playing both inside and outside. He may pan out more as a slot receiver than a perimeter guy in the NFL, but a tough and productive one.

According to reports, the Titans are acquiring the 30th pick in a trade with the 49ers. San Francisco will receiver No. 33 and 179.

Woods has the versatility to line up in even or odd fronts and gets a surprising push for a relatively undersized defensive tackle at 6-foot-2 and 298 pounds. Optimistic draftniks would make Aaron Donald comparisons, but Woods will need to add some strength to prove he can be more than a good, solid starter in the Chiefs defense.

Lomu has the size you like to see at 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds, with arms that easily clear 33 inches. He may have the athletic ability to start right away for the Patriots, but as only a two-year starter at Utah, he may need help on his side while he develops. But there's a high ceiling here.

According to reports, the Patriots are moving up to the 28th pick in a trade with the Bills. Buffalo will receive picks No. 31 and 125 in return for the 28th pick.

Johnson has good-enough size at 6 feet and 193 pounds, and the speed and footwork to mirror routes down the field while covering from the inside or outside. This skill set makes him potentially an elite cover corner in the mold of Christian Gonzalez or Stephon Gilmore for the Dolphins, if he can keep bigger receivers from overpowering him.

Rutledge will arrive in Houston as an experienced offensive lineman that his coaches will love. The guard excels in run blocking, where he can move defenders at will. Rutledge does have room to improve in his pass blocking techniques, but should compete for a starting job for the Texans.

According to reports, the Texans are moving up to the 26th pick in a trade with the Bills. Buffalo will receive picks No. 28, 69 and 167 in return for the 26th pick. Houston will also receive pick No. 91.

A multi-time All-American and three-year starter at Oregon, Thieneman arrives in the NFL as a ready-made starter. He ran a 4.35 40-yard dash and can line up and execute in a variety of alignments. The Bears should be able to find a way to immediately drop him into their secondary, with the upside of a future Pro Bowler at the safety position.

While he profiles as a slot receiver at 5-foot-11 and 196 pounds, Concepcion may be the best pure separator in this draft class. He should be an immediate asset for Shedeur Sanders and the Browns offense with his ability to get open early in his routes, and make plays after the catch, with long-term volume WR1 upside.

Lawrence has good size for a modern-day NFL edge at 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, and moves very well for his size. He's been climbing up draft boards since the combine, so it's not surprising that the Cowboys ultimately targeted him in the first round. He has the skill set to make immediate contributions with long-term Pro-Bowl upside.

Mesidor plays with tempo and possesses a diverse set of pass-rush moves that he can often use in combination with each other. He has an injury history, which seems to have bumped him down the board. But if he can stay on the field, the Chargers are getting a starting-caliber edge rusher that will give opposing tackles a lot to prepare for during the week.

Iheanachor has good-enough size and length (6-foot-5, arms just under 34 inches) to play tackle in the NFL, certainly on the right side. He'll have a chance to play there right away for the Steelers offense, who did well to land a potential short-term and long-term starter at a critical position late in the first round.

The best slot receiver prospect in the draft, Lemon stands at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds but should make an immediate impact on the Eagles offense with his route-running and quickness. He'll make for an intriguing high-volume target for Jalen Hurts.

According to reports, the Eagles are moving up to the 20th pick in a trade with the Cowboys. Dallas will receive picks 23, 114 and 137 in return for the 20th pick.

Freeling has the size and length teams typically seek in a tackle (6-foot-7, 34 3/4-inch arms). He also ranked second in the combine's "athleticism score" among tackles. He played left tackle at Georgia, and for the Panthers, he should at least be an immediate starter on the right side.

On paper, Banks is a prototype interior defensive lineman with a quick first step. Banks is a big-framed, long limb prospect who still needs a little polishing to reach his full potential. An injury slowed him down in 2025, but a return to form could make him one of the better rookies on the defensive side of the ball.

A plug-and-play right tackle prospect, Miller should have a chance to line up from day 1 as the Lions' starter at that spot. He moves really well for a 6-foot-6 tackle and has the arm length you like to see at 34 1/4 inches.

Sadiq is arguably the most explosive tight end prospect in a class that has plenty of them. He can run, leap, and catch like a high-end receiver at the position, and should complement the Jets' receiver corps well. He should also be an immediate safety valve kind of target for Geno Smith, with elite upside.

Bain is a mean dude. His size (6-foot-2, 263 pounds) suggests that he'll live on the edge, but he has the strength and ferocity to disrupt on the interior as well. He should give the Buccaneers an instant injection of toughness and violence in the front-seven.

Ioane has prototypical size at 6-foot-4 and 320 pounds, with huge 10 1/2-inch hands. He plays with elite technique and should be a plug-and-play starter for the Ravens. His ceiling is very high, but he's also the best guard prospect in the draft with the highest floor.

The Rams have pulled off the first major surprise of the draft, as they will take Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. The clear No. 2 QB prospect in the class, Simpson was largely expected to go later in the first round or early on day 2, but the Rams made the bold move of taking him where they could. Simpson is now the clear quarterback of the future in Los Angeles, where reigning MVP Matthew Stafford still resides.

Standing at 6-foot-6 and 352 pounds, Proctor is a mountain of a man and potentially a Day 1 starting tackle for the Dolphins. His arms teeter on the border of too short at 33 3/8 inches, so it'll be interesting to see if he ultimately pans out as a guard. But there's no question he has NFL size and strength and should settle in as a long-term starter somewhere.

Dallas made an interesting move, trading up exactly one selection with the Dolphins to take Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. The Cowboys sent picks 12, 177, and 180 to the Dolphins to secure the pick.

Arguably the best prospect in the draft regardless of position, Downs "slips" in his draft class due to the fact he's a safety. But he's the rare caliber of talent at the position that can change the fortunes of his defense by himself. The Cowboys get a fierce, smart, instinctive player that can make big plays from anywhere on the field.

Mauigoa is 6-foot-5 with 33 1/8-inch arms, so his ceiling as a tackle may be on the right side, and there are questions about an eventual move to guard. He should be a starting-caliber player either way, with a strong package in terms of athletic traits--strength, footwork, balance. The Giants are adding a legitimate NFL lineman, even if his long-term position is up in the air.

With his sub-33-inch arms, Fano may be a guard at the NFL level after playing both tackle spots at Utah. But he has excellent athleticism and technique regardless of where he lines up, and profiles as a great fit for the Browns' blocking schemes, whether they try him against speedy edge rushers or move him around inside.

Tyson has a prototypical receiver build at 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds. He is noted for improved route-running and his hands-body control combo, which lends itself to production in the intermediate and deep areas. Tyson feels like a classic case of a "speed is overrated" wideout who can make up for a lack of it by excelling in every other area for the New Orleans offense.

A bigger inside linebacker with surprising speed, Styles has enough traits, athleticism, and intangibles to be an immediate starter for the ILB-needy Commanders. He should immediately be an asset in coverage and in situations that they need his closing speed.

Delane stands just under 6 feet and weighs about 187 pounds, but has the quick hands and aggression to make plays in press-man coverage, and the speed/footwork to cover down the field. Delane enters the league with immediate No. 1 corner upside for the Chiefs, who recently traded Trent McDuffie away to the Rams.

According to multiple reports, the Kansas City Chiefs are moving up to sixth in the draft order in a trade that will include picks 9, 74, and 148.

The Giants get an explosive and versatile future star for their front-seven. Reese has the ability to disrupt opposing offenses both on and off the ball, and John Harbaugh will have options on how to use him out of the gate and in the long-term.

Tate is a standout prospect in a largely underwhelming receiver class. His combination of separation speed, route-running, and body control makes him dangerous on intermediate strikes and a threat for big plays every time he heads downfield. For the Titans, he should immediately slot into a top-3 role, with the upside of a true No. 1 threat for Cam Ward.

Love has a rare combination of size, speed, and agility for the running back position, and should immediately be a frontline player for the Cardinals. He can hit home runs with his wheels and contribute in the passing game as well. It's just a matter of when he puts it all together at the NFL level, that he's talked about as one of the elite backs.

The Jets get an edge with elite speed and short-area quickness up front, with the potential to immediately generate sacks and tackles for loss at the NFL level. He should be able to land a starting spot from Day 1.

The Raiders finally confirm their selection of who they hope is their new franchise quarterback. Mendoza is coming off a national championship and Heisman Trophy, so if he can top those accolades in the NFL then things are probably going great for him.

Mendoza has an NFL-caliber frame with potentially deadly accuracy outside the numbers, and he showed off his toughness and intangibles in his final season at Indiana. He may lack the high-end athleticism or arm talent to make elite plays off-schedule like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, but if the Raiders can put him in position to succeed, it's hard to imagine he won't win them a lot of games with his overall command of the field.