2026 NFL Draft order: Updated picks, team needs and outlook

Although it is early in the NFL season, one team has already created a bit of separation in its bid for the No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. On Sunday, the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans won their first games of the regular season, which leaves the New York Jets as the only winless team remaining in the league. 

There is a unique dynamic at play ahead of the upcoming draft relative to this past year. Three teams already hold a second first-round pick from draft-day trades this year, whereas the first 2025 first-rounder wasn’t dealt until Thursday night of that draft.

Pending Monday night’s result, here is the current 2026 NFL Draft order, per Tankathon, as well as potential team needs and free agents:

1. New York Jets (0-5)

Projected needs: QB, WR, DL, CB, TE
Projected free agents: LB Quincy Williams, OG Alijah Vera-Tucker, RB Breece Hall, TE Jeremy Ruckert, EDGE Micheal Clemons

Projected needs: OT, WR, QB, CB, IOL
Projected free agents: OG Wyatt Teller, OG Joel Bitonio, TE David Njoku, CB Greg Newsome II, CB Martin Emerson

Projected needs: EDGE, DL, IOL, TE, CB
Projected free agents: TE Mark Andrews, TE Isaiah Likely, EDGE Kyle Van Noy, C Tyler Linderbaum, EDGE Odafe Oweh

Projected needs: CB, WR, TE, IOL, S
Projected free agents: EDGE Jaelan Phillips, CB Kader Kohou, EDGE Matt Judon, TE Darren Waller, CB Rasul Douglas

5. New Orleans Saints (1-4)

Projected needs: CB, S, DL, RB, WR
Projected free agents: EDGE Cameron Jordan, OG Trevor Penning, WR Rashid Shaheed, LB Demario Davis, CB Alontae Taylor

Projected needs: CB, LB, S, DL, OT
Projected free agents: EDGE Malcolm Koonce, WR Jakobi Meyers, K Daniel Carlson, LB Germaine Pratt, OG Dylan Parham

7. Tennessee Titans (1-4)

Projected needs: OT, IOL, WR, DL, EDGE
Projected free agents: TE Chig Okonkwo, DL Sebastian Joseph-Day, WR Tyler Lockett, OG Kevin Zeitler, EDGE Dre’Mont Jones

Projected needs: IOL, OT, DL, CB, LB
Projected free agents: QB Russell Wilson, OT Jermaine Eluemunor, OG Evan Neal, WR Wandale Robinson, OG Greg Van Roten

Projected needs: IOL, CB, S, TE, EDGE
Projected free agents: EDGE Trey Hendrickson, S Geno Stone, EDGE Joseph Ossai, C Ted Karras, CB Cam Taylor-Britt

Projected needs: CB, S, IOL, WR, DL
Projected free agents: C Austin Corbett, WR Hunter Renfrow, S Nick Scott, RB Rico Dowdle, EDGE D.J. Wonnum

Projected needs: OT, IOL, LB, DL, RB
Projected free agents: OT Jonah Williams, OT Kelvin Beachum, OG Will Hernandez, WR Zay Jones, DL Calais Campbell

Projected needs: IOL, OT, TE, DL, S
Projected free agents: WR Christian Kirk, DL Denico Autry, DL Sheldon Rankins, EDGE Darrell Taylor, EDGE Derek Barnett

Projected needs: OT, TE, WR, LB, EDGE
Projected free agents: TE Austin Hooper, EDGE K’Lavon Chaisson, DL Khyiris Tonga, CB Marcus Jones, LB Jack Gibbens    

Projected needs: S, LB, EDGE, RB, CB
Projected free agents: WR George Pickens, EDGE Samuel Williams, LB Kenneth Murray, C Brock Hoffman, RB Miles Sanders

Projected needs: CB, OT, LB, S, IOL
Projected free agents: OT Rob Havenstein, TE Tyler Higbee, S Kamren Curl, WR TuTu Atwell, LB Nate Landman, S Quentin Lake

Projected needs: DL, S, IOL, RB, OT
Projected free agents: S Jaquan Brisker, S Kevin Byard, WR Olamide Zaccheaus, OT Braxton Jones, EDGE Dominique Robinson

Projected needs: EDGE, LB, CB, TE, WR
Projected free agents: WR Deebo Samuel, LB Bobby Wagner, TE Zach Ertz, RB Austin Ekeler, EDGE Von Miller

18. Los Angeles Rams (3-2)

Projected needs: CB, OT, LB, S, IOL
Projected free agents: OT Rob Havenstein, TE Tyler Higbee, S Kamren Curl, WR TuTu Atwell, LB Nate Landman, S Quentin Lake

Projected needs: DL, RB, CB, LB, TE
Projected free agents: WR Hollywood Brown, TE Travis Kelce, DL Jerry Tillery, S Bryan Cook, LB Leo Chenal, CB Jaylen Watson

Projected needs: LB, TE, S, WR, OT
Projected free agents: RB J.K. Dobbins, LB Alex Singleton, DL John Franklin-Myers, LB Justin Strnad, IOL Luke Wattenberg

Projected needs: IOL, EDGE, CB, TE, DL
Projected free agents: EDGE Khalil Mack, RB Najee Harris, DL Teair Tart, OT Trey Pipkins, S Alohi Gilman, WR Keenan Allen

Projected needs: LB, CB, S, DL, RB
Projected free agents: QB Carson Wentz, WR Jalen Nailor, WR Adam Thielen, S Harrison Smith, LB Eric Wilson

Projected needs: CB, DL, IOL, S, WR
Projected free agents: EDGE Boye Mafe, CB Tariq Woolen, DL Johnathan Hankins, RB Kenneth Walker, CB Josh Jobe

Projected needs: S, LB, EDGE, RB, CB
Projected free agents: WR George Pickens, EDGE Sam Williams, LB Kenneth Murray, C Brock Hoffman, RB Miles Sanders

Projected needs: QB, DL, WR, CB, IOL
Projected free agents:  QB Aaron Rodgers, OG Isaac Seumalo, CB Darius Slay, WR Calvin Austin, LB Cole Holcomb

Projected needs: OT, WR, QB, CB, IOL
Projected free agents: OG Wyatt Teller, OG Joel Bitonio, TE David Njoku, CB Greg Newsome, CB Martin Emerson, EDGE Alex Wright

Projected needs: LB, DL, EDGE, IOL, TE
Projected free agents: WR Mike Evans, EDGE Haason Reddick, LB Lavonte David, RB Rachaad White, DL Logan Hall

Projected needs: EDGE, DL, LB, CB, OT
Projected free agents: EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad, EDGE Josh Paschal, EDGE Marcus Davenport, DL Levi Onwuzurike, DL D.J. Reader

Projected needs: OT, IOL, DL, WR, TE
Projected free agents: OL Spencer Burford, DL Jordan Elliott, WR Jauan Jennings, EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos, CB Jason Pinnock

Projected needs: LB, CB, EDGE, IOL,DL
Projected free agents: OT Braden Smith, EDGE Kwity Paye, EDGE Samson Ebukam, QB Daniel Jones, WR Alec Pierce

Projected needs: TE, CB, EDGE, S, IOL
Projected free agents: TE Dallas Goedert, EDGE Za’Darius Smith, LB Nakobe Dean, S Reed Blankenship, WR Jahan Dotson

Projected needs: S, LB, EDGE, CB, WR
Projected free agents: EDGE Joey Bosa, EDGE A.J. Epenesa, LB Matt Milano, DL DaQuan Jones, OG Connor McGovern

The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and regular looks at the eligible prospects.