With less than two weeks remaining until the 2026 NFL Draft, teams are finalizing their strategies and honing in on their top targets. Only one team picking in the first round, the Las Vegas Raiders, can know with certainty that the player they want will be available when they are on the clock. All of the others have various plans and contingencies, and some of them have come to light.
From players of interest to potential trades, rumors about what each team will do with their respective picks are popping up with regularity and will continue to do so until and during the draft.
Below is the draft intel that surfaced over the weekend and into Monday.
Teams do due diligence on 2024 crash involving Rueben Bain Jr.
Potential top-10 pick Rueben Bain Jr. was the driver in a 2024 crash that left one passenger incapacitated, according to police records obtained by The Read Optional, and while his involvement was previously unreported, NFL teams are aware and have been investigating the matter for some time now.
Multiple teams consider the matter handled, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, but one team was not satisfied with Bain’s explanation of the situation.
Bain received a citation for careless driving after his vehicle struck another and crashed into concrete barriers on Interstate 95 in Miami. Two passengers were hospitalized, and 22-year-old Destiny Betts died after spending nearly three months in a coma. The charge against Bain was dropped about two months after the incident, and Betts’ family said in a statement that they “wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
Cowboys, Jets among teams that could trade up
Draft conversations over the last couple of days have begun to center around which teams are looking to move up and down in the order. Those with multiple 2026 first-round picks are the likeliest to trade up, and according to NFL Media, the Cowboys have the greatest odds of climbing the ladder. If an edge rusher or other premier defensive prospect is available at the right spot, they could move off the No. 12 and No. 20 spots to leap up and grab him.
Also, ESPN’s Jordan Reid says not to be surprised if the Jets push to secure a third first-round pick. They are already poised to select at No. 2 and No. 16, and they have a pair of second-round picks to work with, as well. If they can package that Day 2 capital into another Day 1 pick, they would have more first-round selections than any team in the draft and become the first team since 2020 to make three opening-round picks.
Five teams looking to trade down
For one team to trade up, another has to trade down. If the Cowboys, Jets or another franchise want to move up in line, they need to find a partner. And according to Sports Illustrated, five specific teams would be willing to answer calls. The Cardinals (No. 3), Titans (No. 4), Giants (No. 5), Browns (No. 6) and Commanders (No. 7) all reportedly have interest in sliding back for the right price.
Chiefs could scrap cornerback plans if Jeremiyah Love is available
The expectation has long been that the Chiefs would scoop up a cornerback at No. 9. After they traded star pass defender Trent McDuffie to the Rams and saw Jaylen Watson follow him to Los Angeles, they have some rebuilding to do in the secondary. There is one specific scenario, however, in which they might go a different direction.
“If Jeremiyah Love is there, I think all bets are off,” NFL Media’s Daniel Jeremiah said Monday.
It would be an eyebrow-raising move because the Chiefs just spent big money on reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency. Surrounding Patrick Mahomes with two star running backs — including one in Love who could make a huge impact as a receiver — is an enticing prospect, though.
Omar Cooper Jr. could go as high as No. 13
There is a growing consensus that Omar Cooper Jr. will hear his name called in the first round. Just how high the Indiana star will climb in advance of April 23 is not quite certain, but The Ringer’s Todd McShay says he could fly off the board as early as pick No. 13 to the Rams. Los Angeles already boasts an electric receiving tandem in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams but would benefit from securing a ready-made third option from this rookie class.
Spencer Fano might not get past Dolphins
Outside of Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall, Reid says the pick he is most confident in is No. 11, where the Dolphins would take Spencer Fano if he is available. The allure around the Utah offensive lineman is that he could realistically play anywhere on the interior or at right tackle as soon as this season. That positional flexibility makes it questionable whether he will still be on the board when Miami goes on the clock, though, as there are multiple teams ahead of them in the draft order that need either or both a guard and tackle.
Carnell Tate in play for Browns
The Browns could go a number of different directions with the No. 6 pick as they attempt to inject life into their offense, and there is reason to believe they will take a wide receiver over, say, a lineman. If they do go the receiver route, Carnell Tate is the name most often associated with that pick, according to ESPN. Tate is a geographic fit after playing his college football at Ohio State, and even though he was never a true No. 1 receiver for the Buckeyes, he is widely regarded as the headliner of this year’s pass-catching class.
