NFL Draft opens tonight

The 2026 National Football League Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, with Las Vegas at No. 1 and trade talk building behind it. (cbssports.com) Round 1 begins at 8 p.m. Eastern on April 23, with coverage on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, NFL+ and ESPN Deportes. Pittsburgh is hosting the draft April 23-25, with later rounds set for Friday and Saturday. (cbssports.com, nfl.com) The Raiders hold the first pick after a 3-14 season, and both CBS Sports and NFL Media describe Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s Heisman-winning quarterback, as the expected choice. The New York Jets pick second, followed by the Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants. (cbssports.com, nfl.com) Most of the uncertainty starts at No. 2. CBS Sports reported Thursday that the Jets were weighing edge rushers Arvell Reese of Ohio State and David Bailey of Texas Tech, while NFL.com listed quarterback, edge rusher and wide receiver among New York’s biggest needs. (cbssports.com, nfl.com) The trade chatter is tied to the shape of this class. Daniel Jeremiah’s final mock draft for NFL Media projected four first-round trades, including New Orleans moving from No. 8 to No. 3 in a deal with Arizona. (nfl.com) Arizona is one of the pivots early in the round because the Cardinals enter the draft at 3-14, need a quarterback and offensive line help, and are described by multiple outlets as a candidate to move back. CBS Sports also noted that Cleveland, at No. 6, has been discussed as a trade-down team. (nfl.com, cbssports.com) The Jets sit in the middle of those scenarios because they have extra capital. NFL.com reported New York holds two first-round picks this year and three first-round picks in 2027, after adding Geno Smith as a bridge quarterback this offseason. (nfl.com) This year’s first round will also move faster. CBS Sports reported the league cut the clock for Round 1 picks from 10 minutes to eight, a change that could compress trade talks once the board starts to shift. (cbssports.com) Six teams do not own a first-round pick at all: Cincinnati, Atlanta, Green Bay, Indianapolis, Denver and Jacksonville, according to CBS Sports. That leaves fewer clubs with an easy path into Thursday night and raises the price for teams that want to jump into the top half of the round. (cbssports.com) If Mendoza goes first as expected, the opening question shifts immediately to whether the Jets stay put at No. 2 or help trigger the first trade run of the night. By then, teams will have only eight minutes to decide. (cbssports.com, cbssports.com)