Latest mock draft | Big Boards: Consensus Top 75 • Nate Tice • Charles McDonald | Draft guide
The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, with the first round set to start Thursday. This year’s draft will take place in Pittsburgh, with the main stage on the North Shore just outside of the Steelers’ home, Acrisure Stadium — though the presumed No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will reportedly not be in attendance.
Advertisement
Will the Dallas Cowboys be in the market for a first-round wide receiver? It’s possible, after Jerry and Stephen Jones told media on Wednesday that they are no longer negotiating a long-term contract with George Pickens. The Cowboys will have him play under the franchise tag this season, and Stephen Jones said it was mainly because of the fact he’s only played one season in Dallas so far, and the Cowboys are also paying top-of-market money to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
Meanwhile around the NFL, the positional stacks are falling into place. Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson spoke with 10 teams about how their boards are shaping up. There are consensus No. 1 prospects at quarterback (Mendoza), running back (Jeremiyah Love), guard (Olaivavega Ioane), tight end (Kenyon Sadiq), edge (David Bailey), linebacker (Arvell Reese), cornerback (Mansoor Delane) and safety (Caleb Downs). Opinion is split, meanwhile, between two wide receivers, and there are a slew of first-round worthy offensive tackles.
A key draft domino fell over the weekend with the trade of star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants to the Cincinnati Bengals. In exchange for Lawrence, the Giants received the 10th overall pick, giving the G-Men two top-10 selections in this year’s draft.
One big-time question mark that does remain is the status of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the 2026 season. The Pittsburgh Steelers have still not received word about whether or not he intends to play this year. With Rodgers’ status in limbo, that puts sixth-round quarterback Will Howard in the driver’s seat for QB1 heading into voluntary minicamp.
What other dominoes could fall ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft? Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest NFL news leading up to Round 1:
-
Andy Backstrom
Caleb Banks is one of the most intriguing prospects in this year’s NFL Draft.
While the former Florida defensive tackle has an injury history that was magnified by him suffering a broken bone in his left foot at the NFL combine, he could still go in the first round — especially after the good news he reportedly received after undergoing a CT scan on Tuesday.
NFL teams were informed by letter Wednesday that Banks is “on pace to be fully cleared for full football activities in early June,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported.
The 6-foot-6, 327-pound DT had surgery on March 9 to repair a fractured fourth metatarsal of his left foot.
He injured the same foot multiple times last year, only appearing in just three games during his redshirt senior campaign.
The season prior, he stacked 21 total tackles, including 7 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Banks had a strong Senior Bowl, and, in spite of his latest injury, his athleticism was on display during his partial combine workout.
-
Jori Epstein
-
Jori Epstein
-
Jori Epstein
-
Jack Baer
With Myles Garrett’s future with the Browns still up in the air, the All-Pro pass-rusher is skipping the team’s voluntary minicamp. Head coach Todd Monken addressed the matter with reporters, admitting he and Garrett have only communicated by text, via 92.3 The Fan:
“Myles and I have communicated by text. I’ve not spoken to him in person. It hasn’t been a lot. It’s fine. This is voluntary. We have other guys besides Myles that aren’t here. I wish they were here. They’ll be ready. They’ve communicated. Doesn’t mean I like the communication, but it’s voluntary.”
Per Pro Football Talk, Garrett’s decision will cost him a $1 million workout bonus for 2026.
-
Tarohn Finley
Shedeur Sanders is reportedly taking first-team reps for the Cleveland Browns at quarterback, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jori Epstein. Deshaun Watson took the second team reps.
Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, 7 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and went going 3-4 as the Browns’ starter. His season was enough to earn a Pro Bowl selection in his first year.
New Browns head coach Todd Monken has been vocal about not naming Sanders the starter but has expressed his admiration for the young quarterback, saying he wanted to draft him when he was coaching in Baltimore.
-
Kari Anderson
After a 12-year career, Jimmy Garoppolo is considering retiring, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The 34-year-old, who is technically a free agent, is set to be the Rams’ backup quarterback this season, sitting behind Matthew Stafford in the depth chart.
Garoppolo, who joined the Rams in 2024, played minimal snaps in three games last season.
-
Kari Anderson
Less than two months after spending time in a rehabilitation center, Puka Nacua is present at the Los Angeles Rams’ first day of offseason practices, per the L.A. Times’ Gary Klein.
Nacua had entered a “holistic care facility” in early March, per his lawyer, after a host of off-field issues. A lawsuit was filed against Nacua in late March by a woman who alleged that Nacua had made anti-Semitic remarks and had bit her strongly enough to leave a mark.
Timeline-wise, Nacua had entered the facility before the lawsuit was filed. But it was just the latest in a series of incidents for the wide receiver, who also apologized in December after agreeing to do an anti-Semitic dance as a touchdown celebration.
Nacua’s lawyer said that he had gone to the facility to “focus on his personal growth.” It now appears that he will practice with the team as normal.
-
Ian Casselberry
Pittsburgh Steelers left tackle Broderick Jones will have his neck injury examined after dealing with a setback in his recovery, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
The results of the exam could determine whether or not Jones is ready for training camp and could also influence the Steelers’ draft strategy. If Jones is sidelined for an extended period, Pittsburgh may decide it needs to select an offensive tackle in the first round. The Steelers have the No. 21 overall selection.
Jones, 24, appeared in 11 games last season before sustaining his neck injury in Week 12. He started 16 games (and played 17 total) during the 2024-25 season.
Pittsburgh’s 2023 first-round pick (No. 14 overall), Jones allowed six sacks and committed one penalty in 632 offensive snaps last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Tarohn Finley
The Philadelphia Eagles are expected to be without wide receiver A.J. Brown for voluntary offseason workouts, which begin on Monday, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
A trade is likelier than ever, according to Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson, but it’s still unlikely to happen before June 1, due to the salary-cap gymnastics involved.
The New England Patriots, who lack a No. 1 receiver despite signing Romeo Doubs in free agency, are expected to be the frontrunners. The Patriots also have not ruled out bringing in the 28-year-old wide receiver when asked about Brown this offseason. Brown spent his first three seasons with the Tennessee Titans under Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.
The Brown trade saga began last season when Brown voiced frustration with his role and the offense on multiple social media platforms.
-
Tarohn Finley
-
Ian Casselberry
The Pittsburgh Steelers open a three-day voluntary minicamp on Monday under new head coach Mike McCarthy and will do so without any indication from quarterback Aaron Rodgers regarding his status for this season.
Rodgers has not informed the Steelers on whether he intends to play for them in 2026, and thus sign a new contract, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. And that status isn’t likely to change before the NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday.
As a result, 2025 sixth-round pick Will Howard will get the starter’s work at quarterback. Mason Rudolph is the only other QB currently under contract with the Steelers.
