NFL Draft 2026: Trade Frenzy, Surprise Picks

0:00It's April 23rd. You're listening to NFL News Today, AI-powered NFL coverage. This 2026 NFL draft kicked off with a trade frenzy, flipping the script from last year's quiet night one. Six first round picks got swapped for veteran talent already, setting up teams like the Jets, Giants, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins and Cowboys to grab. Two selections each on Thursday. Meanwhile, squads such as the Colts, Bengals, Jaguars, Falcons, Broncos and Packers sit tight until Friday. The top spot looks locked in for Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, heading to the Raiders as their franchise guy under new coach Clint Kubiak. He's the first Hoosier taken in the first round since 1994, though not the first ever number one overall that goes to corporate Davis, back in 1938 with the Cleveland Rams. After back demands, they sky high after Mendoza, with Ty Simpson's spot up in the air amid wildly split opinions on his starter year.

1:00Teens like the Cardinals, Browns and Steelers roll in short on signal callers, and the class just doesn't have enough arms to satisfy everyone. Eyes are on positional, value, shaking things up. As Notre Dame running back, Jeremiah Love, Ohio State Safety, Caleb Downs and Ohio State Linebacker. Sunny Styles topped the big boards. Teambacks haven't cracked the top five since 2018. Safety's not top five since 2010, and linebackers top five since 20. 19. Those droughts might shatter tonight. Keep watching those moves unfold, because this drafts already rewriting the playbook on value and surprises.