A total of 257 picks will be made in the 2026 NFL Draft, but there will also be several trades made throughout the three days as well. In a trade-filled first round, here are all eight trades that occurred among the first 32 picks of the draft, as well as grades from our Eric D….
A total of 257 picks will be made in the 2026 NFL Draft, but there will also be several trades made throughout the three days as well.
In a trade-filled first round, here are all eight trades that occurred among the first 32 picks of the draft, as well as grades from our Eric D. Williams.
Browns trade No. 6 to Chiefs
Chiefs get: No. 6 overall pick
Browns get: No. 9 overall pick, No. 74 overall pick, No. 148 overall pick
The Chiefs selected LSU CB Mansoor Delane. Delane was one of the top cornerbacks available.
The Browns selected Utah OL Spencer Fano.
Williams: Kansas City general manager Brett Veach said he expected a lot of trades in this year’s draft. And with 10 picks in this year’s draft, including two in the first round and a rare pick in the Top-10, it’s not surprising that the Chiefs moved up to fill an obvious need in LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. Kansas City needed replacements in the secondary after trading Trent McDuffie to the Rams, along with losing cornerback Jaylen Watson to Los Angeles in free agency and safety Bryan Cook to the Bengals in free agency. The top-rated cornerback in this year’s draft, Mansoor gives defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo a developmental piece to help fill the talent void in the back end defensively. And the Chiefs didn’t have to give up much to make the trade work.
Cleveland had nine picks heading into this year’s draft, including one of six teams that had two picks in the first round. The Browns need offensive line and receiver help. And with several talented options at both of those position groups, the Browns wisely traded down, picking up two selections in the process to give them 11 picks in this year’s draft. Cleveland used that pick from Kansas City at No. 9 to select Spencer Fano, the first offensive lineman taken in this year’s draft as the Browns continue to focus on upgrading the trenches.
Chiefs grade: B+
Browns grade: A-
Dolphins trade No. 11 to Cowboys
Cowboys get: No. 11 overall
Dolphins get: No. 12 overall, No. 177 overall, No. 180 overall
The Cowboys selected Ohio State S Caleb Downs. Downs was labeled as one of the best defensive players available.
The Dolphins selected Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor.
Williams: In need of help defensively at all three levels of the defense, Dallas added a versatile player for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker to select one of the safest players in the draft in Ohio State product Caleb Downs. Parker had two play making defensive backs with the Eagles in Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell. Parker now has a cerebral, tone-setting defensive back that he can move all over the formation in Down, who immediately upgrades the Cowboys’ defense. And Dallas didn’t give up much to make sure the Cowboys got one of the best defensive players in the draft.
Miami picked up two fifth-round picks from the Cowboys to move down just a spot, further helping the team’s rebuilding effort under new GM John-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley by adding more picks, giving the Dolphins more bites at the apple as they remake the roster. Miami used that pick to beef up the offensive line for quarterback Malik Willis, taking Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor.
Cowboys grade: A
Dolphins grade: A-
Cowboys trade No. 20 to Eagles
Eagles get: No. 20 overall
Cowboys get: No. 23 overall, No. 114 overall, No. 137 overall
The Eagles selected USC WR Makai Lemon. Lemon was the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner.
The Cowboys selected UCF Edge Malachi Lawrence.
Williams: Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman lived up to his reputation for making moves, giving up a handful of selections to move up three spots to select USC receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20. With the expectation that Philadelphia will move on from No 1 receiver A.J. Brown, the Eagles made another move to beef up the receiver room once he’s gone with the versatile Lemon, who can play slot and on the perimeter. The Eagles also traded for Dontayvion Wicks, along with signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency. While Lemon’s a good pick, the Eagles gave up a significant haul to move up three spots to get him, with other talented receivers still available.
Even though they moved down three selections, Dallas still managed to secure another playmaker that can help their defense in Central Florida edge rusher Malachi Lawrence. The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in the league last year, giving up a league-worst 30.1 points per game. At 6-4 and 253 pounds with good speed, Lawrence should add juice to the Cowboys’ pass rush. Paired with safety Caleb Downs, the Cowboys added two difference makers on defense in the first round, along with adding picks to continue to upgrade the roster.
Eagles grade: B-
Cowboys grade: A
Bills trade No. 26 to Texans
Texans get: No. 26 overall
Bills get: No. 28 overall, No. 69 overall, No. 169 overall
The Texans selected Georgia Tech OL Keylan Rutledge.
Williams: Houston moves up from two spots to No. 26 to take Georgia Tech offensive guard Keylan Rutledge. A road grader in the running game who plays to the echo of the whistle, Rutledge should help ignite a Houston running game that averaged just 3.9 yards per carry, No. 29 in the NFL. The Texans moved down in the third round and gave up a sixth-round selection to get up to No. 26 for Rutledge to make sure to get the player they wanted.
Texans grade: B
49ers trade No. 27 to Dolphins
Dolphins get: No. 27 overall
49ers get: No. 30 overall, No. 90 overall
The Dolphins selected San Diego State CB Chris Johnson.
Williams: Miami moved up three spots to grab one of the most complete corners in the draft in San Diego State product Chris Johnson. It’s the third player Miami added in the first round as they look to revamp the roster, so the Dolphins have done a nice job of using their draft picks to move around the draft board, adding young talent to a depleted roster. Smart and poised, Johnson has a chance to develop into a solid contributor in his rookie season.
Dolphins grade: B+
Bills trade No. 28 to Patriots
Patriots get: No. 28 overall
Bills get: No. 31 overall, No. 125 overall
The Patriots selected Utah OT Caleb Lomu.
Williams: Runner-ups in the Super Bowl, New England moved up three spots to No. 28 to select Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu. New England struggled to protect Drake Maye last season, particularly on the left side of the line with rookie left tackle Will Campbell struggling in the Super Bowl. Lomu provides another athletic, developmental prospect that will grow in New England’s system. Better protection for Maye was well worth the fourth-round pick it took to move up and grab him.
Patriots grade: A-
49ers trade No. 30 to Jets
Jets get: No. 30 overall
49ers get: No. 33 overall, No. 179 overall
The Jets selected Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.
Williams: San Francisco traded back twice and did not select in the first round. While the moves make sense for the 49ers, who had just six picks entering this year’s draft. It’s also a bit concerning for a team that needs more young talent at receiver and along the defensive line. However, San Francisco now has seven picks over the next two days, including three selections on Day 2 of this year’s draft.
New York finished out a productive first round by trading up to grab receiver Omar Cooper Jr. The Indiana product earned the nickname “Deebo Samuel lite” because of his ability to make plays after the catch and should be a nice complementary piece to No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson. Along with David Bailey at No. 2 and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the Jets greatly improved their roster in the first round.
49ers grade: C+
Jets grade: A
Bills trade No. 31 to Titans
Titans get: No. 31 overall
Bills get: No. 35 overall, No. 66 overall, No. 101 overall
The Titans selected Auburn Edge Keldric Faulk.
Williams: Tennessee traded back into the end of the first round to add Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk. It’s no surprise new head coach Robert Saleh would want to add a difference maker on that side of the ball to jump start his defense. Paired with Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate at No. 4, the Titans secured two-tone setters on both sides of the ball to build around last year’s No. 1 overall selection quarterback Cam Ward.
Like San Francisco, Buffalo GM Brandon Beane traded back twice to secure more draft picks. Buffalo now has nine selections, including the third pick of the second round. While Buffalo missed out on adding a playmaker late in the first round, there are still some talented players available in areas of need for the Bills, including receiver.
Titans grade: B
Bills grade: B+
Rounds 2 and 3
Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft are officially underway. Here are are the latest trade updates, as well as grades from our Eric D. Williams.
Raiders trade No. 36 to Texans
Texans get: No. 36 overall, No. 117 overall
Raiders get: No. 38 overall, No. 91 overall
The Texans selected Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald.
The Raiders selected Arizona S Treydan Dukes.
Williams: Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans grabs a game wrecker with an early selection in the second round. McDonald was active up front for the Buckeyes, posting an impressive 65 combined tackles in his final season at Ohio State. A projected first-round pick, Houston had one of the best defenses in the league last year, and McDonald joins Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter to help boost one of the best defensive lines in the league. Houston drafted Georgia Tech offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge, so the focus for the Texans has been adding depth in the trenches.
Although they moved down a couple spots, Las Vegas still managed to draft a playmaking safety in Arizona product Treydan Stukes. The Raiders needed to improve a secondary that finished with just eight interceptions last season. Stukes finished with four interceptions and 52 combined tackles in his final season at Arizona. The Raiders added another playmaker on defense and picked up some valuable draft compensation in the process.
Texans grade: B+
Raiders grade: A
Jets trade No. 44 to Lions
Lions get: No. 44 overall
Jets get: No. 50 overall, No. 128 overall
49ers trade LB Dee Winters to Cowboys
Cowboys get: LB Dee Winters
49ers get: No. 152 overall
Williams: Dallas needed help at linebacker and already selected two defensive players in the draft in safety Caleb Downs and edge rusher Malachi Lawrence. Winters was a solid contributor for a surprisingly effective San Francisco defense last season, playing without their defensive leader in linebacker Fred Warner. But with the perirenal All-Pro returning from a season-ending leg injury and the 49ers bringing back Dre Greenlaw, Winters would have been relegated to a reserve role for San Francisco. Instead, he gets a chance to earn a starting job on what should be a much better defense for the Cowboys. Giving up a fifth-round pick isn’t bad for a potential starter.
San Francisco GM John Lynch continued his quest to accumulate more picks, trading a player at a stacked position group by moving Winters to the Cowboys for a fifth-round pick. However, the problem here is that San Francisco has dealt with injuries at linebacker, including Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, and might need Winters’ experience as a depth piece later in the season. In this case, it might be better for San Francisco to have the player instead of the pick.
Cowboys grade: A-
49ers grade: C+
Colts trade No. 47 to Steelers
Steelers get: No. 47, No. 249
Colts get: No. 53 overall, No. 135 overall, No. 237 overall
The Steelers selected Alabama WR Germie Bernard.
Vikings trade No. 49 to Panthers
Panthers get: No. 49 overall, No. 159 overall
Vikings get: No. 51 overall, No. 196 overall
The Panthers selected Texas Tech DT Lee Hunter.
The Vikings selected Cincinnati LB Jake Golday.
Chargers trade No. 55 to Patriots
Patriots get: No. 55 overall
Chargers get: No. 63 overall, No. 131 overall, No. 202 overall
