Round one of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and the top players entering the league are just beginning their journey to an NFL roster.

Thursday’s first round came with a few surprises, thought not many that would be considered blockbusters compared with recent drafts. One of the night’s most dramatic moments came with the Cleveland Browns on the clock with the sixth pick; the team that finally stalled Shedeur Sanders’ free-fall in last years draft by selecting him in the fifth round traded out of their highest slot. Instead of taing a player at pick six, they accepted a haul of three later picks from the Kansas City Chiefs, who are trying to reload in anticipation of injured quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs took LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane, a six-foot, 187-pound coverman who ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Cleveland would pick ninth and 24th, taking Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano and Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion, both players at positions of need who could help whoever emerges as starter from the Browns’ still-crowded quarterback room, be it Sanders, fellow 2025 draftee Dillon Gabriel or veteran Deshaun Watson.


The second-most dramatic moment in the draft didn’t coe until late in the round, when the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are hosting the draft, found themselves outmaneuvered by cross-state rivals the Philadephia Eagles. The Steelers, whose receiver room has needed upgrading for years, were reportedly on the phone with USC wideout Makai Lemon, when Lemon was interrupted by a call from the Eagles, who picked at number 20. The Eagles took him off the board, leaving the draft’s host team to scramble for the next name on their draft board while a montage of Steelers highlights played on national TV. They landed on offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, a 6’5”, 321-pound offensive tackle from Arizona State.

The early picks in the drat went mostly as anticipated. The Las Vegas Raiders desperately need a quarterback and took Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza first overall to fill the need. The New York Jets, who have needs almost all over the field went with Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey with the second pick. The Arizona Cardinals raised a few eyebrows by making Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love the highest-picked running back since the New York Giants took Saquon Barkley second overall in 2018 The Giants would later famously fumble Barkley by letting him jump to the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles, who quickly won a Super Bowl with him on their roster while the G-Men muddled through another losing season.

Rounding out the top five: the Tennessee Titans took Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate fourth overall while the aforementioned Giants took his college teammate, edge rusher Arvell Reese fifth overall.