2026 NFL Draft Is Tonight: Start Time, Mock Draft Picks, and Everything to Know
Pittsburgh gets the NFL. Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off tonight at Acrisure Stadium, and for the first time since 1948, the Steel City is hosting the event. The picks are loaded, the debates are heated, and nobody really knows what's coming at No. 2.
When and Where to Watch
Round 1 begins tonight, Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. ET. Rounds 2 and 3 follow Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m. ET. Rounds 4 through 7 wrap up Saturday, April 25 starting at noon ET.
The draft airs on NFL Network, ESPN, and ESPN Deportes. Streaming options include NFL+, Disney+, and DirecTV.
One rule change is worth flagging. The time between first-round selections has been cut from 10 minutes to eight — the first timing adjustment since 2008, when the window dropped from 15 minutes to 10. Expect a faster, tighter broadcast tonight.
Pick No. 1: Mendoza to the Raiders
No drama at the top. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been widely expected to go No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders for months, and it would be a shock if anyone else's name is called first.
The Pick Everyone Is Arguing About: No. 2 Jets
The Jets' second pick comes down to two edge rushers — Ohio State's Arvell Reese or Texas Tech's David Bailey — and the odds have been shifting between the two almost daily.
Peter Schrager is staying firm. He has had Bailey going to the Jets for a month and sees no reason to change course, citing Bailey's instant production — 14.5 sacks last season — as the decisive factor for a team that ranked 31st in sacks.
Dan Graziano, however, believes Reese is the pick. Everything he has been told since late last week leads him to believe the Jets will select Arvell Reese at No. 2.
No. 3 Arizona: Love or Trade?
Arizona is listening to trade offers at No. 3, with teams like the Chiefs and Saints potentially interested in moving up — likely to grab whichever edge rusher the Jets pass on. But if no deal materializes, the Cardinals are expected to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Love is the consensus best player in the class regardless of position. Some analysts view him as a Christian McCaffrey-type weapon in both the run and pass games.
Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and the Ohio State Wave
Ohio State has five players confirmed to attend the draft in person: safety Caleb Downs, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, edge rusher Arvell Reese, linebacker Sonny Styles, and receiver Carnell Tate. No program dominates this class like the Buckeyes.
Styles ran the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds at 6-foot-5, 244 pounds, recording a 43.5-inch vertical and 11-foot-2 broad jump at the combine. A former safety converted to linebacker, he took a major step last season under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
Key Numbers
There will be 257 total picks across seven rounds. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the first selection; the Denver Broncos hold the final pick — Mr. Irrelevant. The Pittsburgh Steelers have the most picks in the draft with 12. The Seattle Seahawks have the fewest with four.
The New York Giants hold two top-10 picks after trading Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati for the No. 10 overall selection. It gives new head coach John Harbaugh rare early-round firepower to rebuild the roster around second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Round 1 is tonight. Pittsburgh's North Shore goes live at 8 p.m. ET.
