2026 NFL Draft first round order shows when your team will get their next picks

U.S. 2026 NFL Draft first round order shows when your team will get their next picks By Faris Tanyos Faris Tanyos News Editor Faris Tanyos is a news editor for CBSNews.com, where he writes and edits stories and tracks breaking news. He previously worked as a digital news producer at several local news stations up and down the West Coast. Read Full Bio Faris Tanyos April 23, 2026 / 6:00 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google When the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday night in Pittsburgh, the only near certainty is that a quarterback will be taken No. 1 overall for the fourth straight year. The Las Vegas Raiders are widely expected to select QB Fernando Mendoza, who capped his stellar Heisman season by leading Indiana to its first national title in school history. The choice of Mendoza will mark an attempt by Raiders minority owner Tom Brady — the legendary QB who won a staggering seven Super Bowl rings — to mentor an heir apparent of sorts, giving Las Vegas a clean slate as it enters a major rebuild following the disappointing one-and-done tenures of head coach Pete Carrol and QB Geno Smith.  People rehearse ahead of the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. April 22, 2026.  Gene J. Puskar / AP Mendoza could be the only QB selected in Round 1. After he comes off the board, teams will likely turn their attention to the trenches, in a draft experts concur is lacking in blue chippers. The biggest unknown is the fate of powerful Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, arguably the best athlete who will hear his name called Thursday. Because the position is no longer considered premium, it is often overlooked at the top of the first round. Since 2018, only three running backs have been selected in the top 10. A possible destination for Love could be the New York Giants, who finished with just four wins last year and are hoping for a reset under new head coach John Harbaugh. The Giants have two top 10 selections thanks to a blockbuster trade...