The NFL season isn't even fully in the rearview mirror, and yet, the chaos of the draft has already started. Honestly, if you're looking at the nfl draft picks so far, you’re seeing a landscape that looks nothing like it did in August. Between blockbuster mid-season trades and a few massive collegiate risers, the 2026 board is a total jigsaw puzzle.
Remember when the Indianapolis Colts were just a "young team with potential"? That changed the second they sent their 2026 and 2027 first-rounders to the Jets for Sauce Gardner. Now, the Jets are sitting on a goldmine of picks while Indy is all-in on a "win now" window that feels incredibly fragile.
Draft season is basically a year-round sickness for some of us.
We aren't just talking about names on a screen anymore. We’re talking about franchises like the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets potentially resetting their entire identities at the quarterback position. It’s messy. It’s loud. And it’s exactly why we love it.
The Quarterback Carousel: Mendoza vs. Moore
The biggest storyline regarding the nfl draft picks so far is the collision course between Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Oregon’s Dante Moore.
Mendoza is the guy everyone is talking about right now. He’s the reigning Heisman winner for a reason. Watching him carve up Alabama’s defense in the playoffs was sort of surreal. He’s got that "high floor" that GMs salivate over—basically the opposite of a project.
The Raiders, who currently hold the No. 1 overall pick, are desperate. The Pete Carroll and Geno Smith experiment in Vegas lasted about as long as a bad Vegas buffet—one disastrous season. If they stay at one, Mendoza is the pick. Period.
Then you’ve got Dante Moore.
He’s the "ceiling" play. His arm talent is, quite frankly, textbook. If you’re the Jets at No. 2, you’re looking at a kid who threw for over 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns this year. He’s younger, riskier, but the payoff could be Hall-of-Fame level if he lands in the right system.
The gap between these two has narrowed. Early on, Mendoza was the clear favorite, but Moore’s late-season surge has made the No. 2 pick just as valuable as the first.
The Trade That Broken the Draft Order
You can’t talk about the draft order without mentioning the absolute madness from the trade deadline. The Jets didn't just trade Sauce Gardner; they also shipped Quinnen Williams to the Cowboys.
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Dallas gave up a 2026 second-rounder and a 2027 first.
Because of these moves, the draft board looks like a grocery receipt from someone who went shopping while hungry. Here is the current reality of the top of the order:
- Las Vegas Raiders (No. 1): Locked in for a QB.
- New York Jets (No. 2): Also likely QB, but they have extra capital from Indy.
- Arizona Cardinals (No. 3): They are in a weird spot with Kyler Murray’s future. PFF has them eyeing LB Arvell Reese from Ohio State, but some scouts think they might pivot to David Bailey, the Texas Tech edge rusher who just shut down Oregon's run game.
- Tennessee Titans (No. 4): They took Cam Ward No. 1 overall in 2025. Now they need to protect him. Many experts have them looking at defensive help like Rueben Bain Jr., though WR Carnell Tate is a name that won't go away.
- New York Giants (No. 5): They need a playmaker. Badly.
The Colts don't even pick in the first round. Neither do the Falcons, who traded their pick to the Rams in the James Pearce Jr. deal last year. This is what happens when GMs start treating first-round picks like currency instead of future players.
Why the Trenches are Getting Scary
While everyone focuses on the QBs, the 2026 class is actually loaded with "monsters in the middle."
Keldric Faulk from Auburn is a freak of nature. He’s 6-foot-6, 290 pounds, and moves like a guy fifty pounds lighter. If the Giants pass on a receiver at No. 5, imagine putting Faulk next to Dexter Lawrence. That’s not a defensive line; that’s a restraining order for opposing quarterbacks.
Then there’s Peter Woods at Clemson.
He’s that classic 300-plus pound interior game wrecker. The Bengals are sitting at No. 10 right now, and if they don't take a defensive lineman, their fans might actually revolt. Their defense was essentially a sieve last year.
The Travis Hunter Factor
We have to talk about Travis Hunter.
The Colorado star is the ultimate "unicorn." He’s a WR/CB hybrid, and the NFL hasn't seen anyone like him in decades. Most mock drafts have him going to the Jaguars at No. 2, but wait—the Jags traded that pick.
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Wait, no, the Jags actually acquired picks.
Actually, the current order shows Jacksonville sitting at No. 2 via Cleveland. It’s confusing, I know. Basically, the Jaguars are in a prime position to take a player who can play 100 snaps a game.
Is that sustainable in the NFL? Probably not. But the talent is so high that you almost have to take the gamble. If he falls past the top three, someone is getting a steal.
Misconceptions About the 2026 Class
One thing people get wrong about the nfl draft picks so far is thinking this is a "weak" offensive line class.
It’s actually the opposite.
Players like Will Campbell (LSU) and Kelvin Banks Jr. (Texas) are elite bookend tackles. The Patriots at No. 4 and the Saints at No. 9 are likely going to sprint to the podium to grab these guys. If your team needs a left tackle, this is the year you want to be picking in the top ten.
Another myth is that there’s no depth at wide receiver. Sure, there’s no Marvin Harrison Jr. type "mega-prospect," but Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Carnell Tate (Ohio State) are legitimate WR1 candidates. Tyson is a separator. He gets open on third down every single time. Honestly, he reminds me of a more physical Keenan Allen.
What Actually Happens Next?
The Senior Bowl and the Combine are going to flip this entire list on its head.
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We see it every year. Some guy from a small school runs a 4.34 and suddenly he’s a top-20 lock. But right now, the foundation is set. The Raiders and Jets are the kings of the board, and everyone else is just trying to find a way to keep up with the arms race in the AFC.
If you’re a fan of a team like the Ravens or the Lions, you’re picking late. You’re looking for "value" picks—guys like Malaki Starks, the Georgia safety who is somehow falling to the late 20s in some mocks. That’s highway robbery.
Next Steps for Draft Fans:
- Watch the All-Star Games: Pay attention to the guys from "smaller" schools like Grey Zabel (North Dakota State). He’s an offensive guard who could easily sneak into the first round.
- Monitor the Coaching Carousel: A new coach in Vegas or New York changes everything. If the Raiders hire a defensive-minded coach, do they still take Mendoza at one? It’s a real question.
- Check the Medicals: Keep an eye on Walter Nolen (Arizona Cardinals' 2025 pick) and his recovery. If the Cardinals' interior remains a mess, their 2026 pick will almost certainly be a defensive tackle like Kenneth Grant.
- Draft Simulators: Start playing with mock draft tools now that the declaration deadline has passed. The board is finally set with real names, not just "projected" juniors.