NFL Draft Tonight

Round 1 of the 2026 National Football League Draft starts Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. Eastern in Pittsburgh, with the Las Vegas Raiders holding the No. 1 pick and trade talk dominating the board. (nfl.com 1) (nfl.com 2) The draft runs April 23-25 in the lots around Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park, and Day 1 will air on NFL Network, NFL+, ESPN, ESPN2, ABC and ESPN Deportes. (nfl.com 1) (nfl.com 2) Most public projections have Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza going first to Las Vegas, and The Athletic reported Thursday that the Raiders are expected to take him if they keep the pick. (sports.yahoo.com) (nytimes.com) After that, the board looks less settled. Daniel Jeremiah’s final mock draft for NFL.com projected four first-round trades and said the uncertainty starts “beyond the first overall pick this year.” (nfl.com) Jeremiah’s projected movers included the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles trading up, a sign that teams picking in the teens or 20s may not trust their targets to fall. (nfl.com) Quarterback depth is driving part of that market. NFL.com’s draft page highlighted “two QBs among first 16 picks” in one updated seven-round mock, while betting-market coverage from Covers described “widespread uncertainty beyond No. 1.” (nfl.com) (covers.com) That setup leaves teams balancing two timelines at once: fill a roster need tonight, or protect future picks if they think the 2027 quarterback class will be stronger. Jeremiah’s mock included New Orleans sending a 2027 first-round pick to move up to No. 3. (nfl.com) (msn.com) The official first round is set for 32 picks, but the order can change quickly once teams on the clock start dealing. The league’s draft tracker is already live for Round 1, and by Thursday night the biggest question may be how long the Raiders stay at No. 1 before the rest of the board starts moving. (nfl.com 1) (nfl.com 2)