Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday night and everyone knows Fernando Mendoza will be the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders. After that, chaos can happen and we're trying to present some surprises that could happen on draft night.
Let's take a look at our final set of bold 2026 NFL Draft predictions for Round 1.
New Orleans Saints trade up for No. 3 pick
Myriad of NFL Draft rumors have made it clear that the Arizona Cardinals are engaged in talks to trade down from No. 3 overall. A deal with the Kansas City Chiefs is certainly possible, but general manager Mickey Loomis' history of draft-day aggression leads us to believe it would be the New Orleans Saints. Along with the quarterback, New Orleans needs to find its own blue-chip talent on the defensive side. That would be Arvel Reese. While David Bailey is the better pass rusher at the moment, Reese offers more versatility as a player with a higher ceiling overall. He could be the centerpiece of the Saints defense for a decade.
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New York Giants snag Jordan Tyson, Caleb Downs
The Dexter Lawrence trade allows the New York Giants to double dip into this attractive prospect pool, addressing needs on both sides of the ball. We think the New York Giants will use the fifth overall pick on wide receiver Jordan Tyson, betting that his injury issues are behind him. When healthy, Tyson is a true No. 1 receiver whose skillset will complement Malik Nabors greatly. For the Giants, this gives Jackson Dart two No. 1 receivers to pair with tight end Isaiah Potential. With the 10th overall selection, head coach John Harbaugh is reminiscent of what the Baltimore Ravens did with the selection of Kyle Hamilton a few years ago. In grabbing All-American safety Caleb Downs at No. 10, New York gets a high-end starter who can do it all.
Washington Commanders Draft Jeremiah Love
Although there is a lot of talk that the Tennessee Titans could choose to bring back Jeremiah Love, we believe Robert Saleh will get his preferred player in David Bailey. So, with Tyson landing in New York, the Washington commanders' dream scenario unfolds. Running backs may not be the Commanders' highest need, but blue-chip edge defenders are off the board. It's also worth remembering that many teams view Love as the best player in the 2026 NFL Draft. He may be just a level below Bijan Robinson as a prospect, but Love's three-down ability and home-run explosiveness are reminiscent of an All-Pro. That's the ability you want to pair with Jaden Daniels and Washington will get him.
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Los Angeles Rams boost offense with Makai Lemon
If it hasn't already been made clear, the Los Angeles Rams are all set heading into the 2026 season and are putting together possibly the best supporting cast around Matthew Stafford. That means selecting wide receiver Makai Lemon with the 13th overall pick. Lemon will be in a position to have plenty of guys to feed into in the Rams' passing game, but he will also share the field with Puka Nakua and receive guidance from Davante Adams. If he can even be a discount version of Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Rams' passing attack could be one of the best the NFL has seen in over a decade.
Arizona Cardinals trade up in Round 1 for Ty Simpson
We think a pair of NFC West teams would make unlikely trade partners in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. With the Seattle Seahawks actively seeking more draft capital this year, the Cardinals are taking advantage. After moving down from No. 3 earlier in the night and selecting right tackle Francis Mauigoa, the Cardinals tapped into their war chest of draft picks and moved up two spots from the 34th to 32nd selection overall. This secures a fifth-year option on quarterback Ty Simpson, while Seattle picks up some additional draft picks and possibly lands a player with the second pick in Round 2 that would be taken to end Round 1. A win-win for everyone, and Simpson walks into a position with an advanced offensive line and a great supporting cast of weapons in Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson.
