We are just over two weeks away from the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza will be selected first overall in the first round by the Las Vegas Raiders. Mel Kiper believes it’s only a matter of time until Mendoza becomes the starter.
After the top pick, the draft really begins. Nobody knows what will happen from the second pick on. NFL insider Jordan Schultz released a report on X, highlighting trade buzz surrounding this draft in particular.
“The expectation among many NFL teams is that the 2026 draft will be one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory, according to multiple league sources. Specifically, on the defensive side of the ball — EDGE, CB and LB are all strong/deep — while WR is typically considered to be the most talented offensive position.”
“Several executives I’ve spoken with believe we’re likely to see a flurry of activity in the first half of Round 1. Additionally, because this specific draft lacks depth in the later rounds, many teams plan to pursue extra Day 2 and early Day 3 picks, per league sources.”
Seeing teams trade up to make picks is fun to see in the early rounds. It’s much more common as it is during the later rounds. It’s not often you see many first-round trades. If there is a oppertunity for a few teams to make trades in the first round, then this could be the draft for it. As Schultz mentioned, this is a deep class for a couple of positions. Many teams won’t mind trading down when acquiring a certain position.
This could lead to a wild weekend in late April.
The post NFL Draft rumors: Heightened trade buzz suggests wild draft is on the horizon appeared first on ClutchPoints.
