Analysts expect draft trades
- Analysts warn Round 1 will be volatile, with multiple teams likely to trade up during night one. (nfl.com) - Daniel Jeremiah projects four first‑round trades and names the Eagles and Saints as possible movers. (nfl.com) - That trade talk centers on teams trying to secure quarterbacks, pass rushers, or premium protection early. (espn.com)
Round 1 of the 2026 National Football League draft is expected to move fast, with analysts projecting several first-round trades before the night is over. (nfl.com) NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah published his final mock draft on April 22 and forecast four first-round swaps, with the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints among the teams he sees moving up. He said the uncertainty starts after the No. 1 pick and makes Thursday night harder to map cleanly. (nfl.com) ESPN’s Peter Schrager wrote April 22 that teams could “jump all around Round 1,” with the class offering one clear top quarterback but fewer elite options at offensive tackle, edge rusher, cornerback and wide receiver. His final projection also included trades built around what he called the latest team intel. (espn.com) That setup pushes clubs toward the same part of the board at the same time. Teams looking for a quarterback, a pass rusher or an offensive tackle — the premium spots tied to protecting or pressuring the passer — have more reason to pay to move up when the supply is thin. (espn.com) The draft begins Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. Eastern in Pittsburgh, with Rounds 2 and 3 on April 24 and Rounds 4 through 7 on April 25. The Las Vegas Raiders hold the No. 1 pick in a 32-selection first round. (nfl.com) Trade chatter is not coming from one mock draft alone. NFL.com’s draft coverage this month has repeatedly modeled four first-round trades, and a separate NFL.com analysis on April 16 said opening night moves are expected. (nfl.com 1) (nfl.com 2) History points the same way. NFL.com’s NFL IQ trade-trends piece said past draft data offers clues for 2026 and highlighted five possible first-round moves as teams weigh position scarcity against the cost of climbing the board. (nfl.com) The result is a board where the picks after No. 1 may matter as much as the players. Once the first run starts, the teams waiting for help at quarterback, tackle or edge could decide that staying put costs more than trading up. (nfl.com) (espn.com)
