The 2026 NFL Draft is still more than two months away, but teams are in the early stages of preparation as they look to build competitive rosters for the 2026 season through the talent acquisition portion of the offseason.
The NFL Scouting Combine will be held Feb. 23-March 2 in Indianapolis. Free agency officially opens March 11 at 4 p.m. ET. Any trades agreed upon prior to that date do not become official until the new league year opens March 11. Between the start of free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, teams will attend individual pro days and host prospects on top-30 visits.
There is still plenty to unfold, but fans can prepare by diving into the prospects, draft order and more below.
When is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25. The specific start times (Eastern) for each day are as follows:
- Thursday, April 23: Round 1 (8 p.m.)
- Friday, April 24: Rounds 2-3 (7 p.m.)
- Saturday, April 25: Rounds 4-7 (12 p.m.)
Where is the 2026 NFL Draft?
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place at Pittsburgh’s North Shore, including Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park.
2026 NFL Draft where to watch
The 2026 NFL Draft will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and NFL Network (stream for free on Fubo). CBS Sports HQ, CBS Sports’ 24/7 streaming network, will also provide coverage before, during and after the event.
Here is a look at the top 10 picks:
1. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
Las Vegas overextended last offseason by drafting a running back in the top 10 and trading for a 35-year-old quarterback despite having one of the league’s worst rosters. As a result, it fired head coach Pete Carroll after one season and now picks even earlier in the draft.
2. New York Jets (3-14)
The Jets finished with one of the worst records in the league, but at least they have a plan and positioned themselves to change the course of the franchise. Over the next two years, New York has five first-round picks.
3. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
Arizona made the decision to part with head coach Jonathan Gannon. It would not be a surprise if the franchise moved on from Kyler Murray as well, though there are limited options to replace him.
4. Tennessee Titans (3-14)
The positive momentum Tennessee built over the past month came to a frustrating end in the season finale. Still, Cam Ward’s strong finish to the 2025 campaign should give Titans fans hope.
5. New York Giants (4-13)
There are reasons to be optimistic about Jaxson Dart’s future with the franchise. He brought life to an offense that could have easily wallowed in self-pity following the Malik Nabers and Andrew Thomas injuries. With John Harbaugh now in place as head coach, a bounce back could happen sooner than most expect.
6. Cleveland Browns (5-12)
The Browns made the decision to part with head coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons. He did lead the franchise to its first playoff win post-expansion, but Cleveland may not be any closer to identifying its quarterback of the future.
7. Washington Commanders (5-12)
Next season is an easy sell for Washington. If Jayden Daniels returns healthy, the Commanders should be competitive once again, though there are still plenty of needs across the roster. An attempt to microwave those weaknesses last offseason did not work out.
8. New Orleans Saints (6-11)
The Saints’ season ended just as fans were clamoring for more of Tyler Shough. He looks like the clear favorite to open next season as the starting quarterback, bringing a level of optimism that simply did not exist earlier in the year.
9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
Kansas City will enter next season in unfamiliar territory: the hungry underdog. Assuming Patrick Mahomes returns to full health, there is no reason to believe the Chiefs will not be in the mix again. Still, the roster needs a youthful infusion.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
Joe Burrow made a notable attempt to get the Bengals into the playoffs after returning from an early-season injury but ultimately fell short. The offense should be in position to compete next season, but can the defense improve enough to generate stops?
Mock draft central
There is never a shortage of scenarios to play out in the NFL Draft, which is why CBS Sports publishes a new mock draft each week from a rotating group of analysts to account for the latest rumblings and opinions on the top prospects eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Renner’s 2026 NFL mock draft 7.0: Predicting all 32 first-round picks after Super Bowl LX
Mike Renner
Prospect rankings
Last year’s draft class was viewed as lacking blue-chip talent, but the rookie group ended up being one of the most impactful in recent years. Although this year’s class is similarly viewed as weak at the top, that does not mean teams will not find contributors.
There appears to be strong depth at wide receiver, edge rusher, tight end and cornerback. Quarterback mirrors last year in that there is one player at the top (Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza), one who may sneak into Round 1 (Alabama’s Ty Simpson) and others with ample playing experience.
Here are the top 10 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft, according to CBS Sports lead draft analyst Mike Renner:
- Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
- Rueben Bain Jr., DE, Miami
- Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
- Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
- Arvell Reese, DE, Ohio State
- Spencer Fano, OG, Utah
- Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
- Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
- Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
- Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Add Comment