The first night of the 2026 NFL Draft provided surprises and plenty of trades.
Caleb Lomu AP Photo/Julio Cortez
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PITTSBURGH -Hello from Acrisure Stadium, where Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft got underway on Thursday night.
The Patriots held the No. 31 overall pick heading into the night, eventually trading up to select offensive lineman Caleb Lomu.
Here’s a recap of the night, as it happened:
11:04: The night concludes with reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle taking Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.
10:57: Bills send no. 31 to the Titans, who take Auburn edge Keldric Faulk.
10:52: Chiefs snag Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods, and the Jets take Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. Loud round of J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets chants here.
10:43: Patriots trade up to No. 28 to take offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, a 6-foot-6, 304-pound sophomore out of Utah. It’s the second year in a row that the Patriots have used a first-round pick on a tackle. They grabbed Will Campbell at No. 4 last year.
Veteran Morgan Moses was solid on the right side last year, but at age 35 the Patriots may have their eyes on the future here. Lomu primarily played left tackle at Utah, and Campbell struggled in the playoffs after returning from an MCL injury that sidelined him for weeks.
The Patriots sent No. 31 and No. 125 to Buffalo in exchange for No. 28.
10:35: Chicago adds Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, Houston adds Georgia Tech offensive guard Keylan Rutledge.
10:23: Dallas picks up UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, Browns grab Texas A&M receiver KC Concepcion at 24.
10:11: Chargers take Miami linebacker Akheem Mesidor. The 6-foot-3, 280-pound edge rusher spent six seasons playing college football and had a breakout season with 12.5 sacks in 2025.
10:07: Pittsburgh takes offensive lineman Max Iheanachor out of Arizona State at 21. That’s six offensive tackles taken in the first round now.
10:01: A pair of rivals make a draft day trade. No. 20 overall goes to the Eagles, who take USC receiver Makai Lemon.
The Cowboys get No. 23, No. 114, and No. 137.
9:56: A flurry of picks – Detroit takes Clemson offensive tackle Blake Miller, Vikings take Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, and the Panthers take offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.
9:43: Oregon tight-end Kenyon Sadiq is off the board. The Jets took him at No. 16.
9:38: Ravens go big at offensive guard with 6-foot-4, 330-pound Olaivavega Ioane from Penn State. Tampa Bay takes edge rusher Reuben Bain Jr. from Miami.
9:26: The Rams take their quarterback of the future, Alabama’s Ty Simpson.
Matthew Stafford beat out Drake Maye for league MVP last season, but at age 38 there are questions about how much longer he’ll play.
Simpson threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns against five interceptions in his lone season as a starter at Alabama. Now he’ll have a chance to develop in Sean McVay’s system as the Rams figure out their offensive future.
9:20: Make that three tackles in four picks with Fano to Cleveland, Francis Mauigoa heading to the Giants at No. 10, and Kadyn Proctor to the Delphins at 12. The Cowboys took Ohio State safety Caleb Downs No. 11 overall.
9:05: Alabama receiver Jordyn Tyson goes to the Saints at No. 8, and the Browns take offensive lineman Spencer Fano at No. 9.
8:53: Another Ohio State linebacker off the board, this time it’s Sonny Styles to the Commanders at No. 7.
8:42: Kansas City makes the first trade of the night, moving up to No. 6 following a deal with the Browns.
The Chiefs took LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane to bolster their secondary. The Browns get the No. 9 overall pick, along with No. 74 and No. 148.
8:37: The Giants land edge rusher/linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5.
Reese sported a Reese’s themed suit jacket, a nod to the candy brand with whom he has a partnership.
New York took Abdul Carter in the first round last year, and Brian Burns recorded 16.5 sacks.
Reese’s upside was enough for them to go for even more pass-rushing firepower to round out the top 5.
8:30: Carnell Tate tapped the Titans logo as he walked past it and yelled “mama we made it” as he put on his cap.
He’s heading to Tennessee at No. 4. The Ohio State receiver honored his late mother by having her name inscribed on the inside of his suit jacked.
She was his “rock” and his “world”, he said.
8:24: The Cardinals go with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3.
He’s the first running back to be taken in the top-5 since the Giants took Saquon Barkley No. 2 overall in 2018.
8:19: The Jets take edge rusher David Bailey No. 2 overall out of Texas Tech.
The 6-foot-3, 250-pound outside linebacker spent his first three years at Stanford before recording 14.5 sacks at Texas Tech during his senior season.
The Jets have three former Stanford assistant coaches on the staff who were there when Bailey was there.
New York had the second-fewest sacks in the NFL last year. They just picked up some speed to help address that.
8:12: The No. 1 overall pick is in. The Raiders have selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza, the first Heisman winner in Indiana football history, was born in Boston while his dad did a medical residency in the city.
He had originally committed to play college Yale, but wound up switching to Cal. He later transferred to Indiana and led the Hoosiers to a national title.
He did not make the trip to Pittsburgh, opting to spend time with family and friends in Miami where he grew up after his family moved from Boston.
8:04: League commissioner Roger Goodell, unsurprisingly, is booed upon his arrival at the stage. Several high-profile former Steelers including Ben Roethlisberger, Terry Bradshaw, and Mel Blout, drew large cheers and got the terrible towels waving.
7:45: A chill scene in Pittsburgh before the first pick. Fans are running around outside, tossing footballs. Lot of Steelers jerseys. Lots of sunshine and some thick clouds.
7:35: Vrabel addressed reporters in Foxborough, calling his actions a “distraction” to those he cares most about.
He said he is prioritizing his family this weekend and focused on the team moving forward.
“My previous actions don’t meet the standard that I hold myself to,” Vrabel said. “They don’t. And what I believe is best for the two most important things in my life, my family and this football team, is to take the necessary steps to work together and give them what I told them I’d give them, which is the best version of me, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
After a three-minute long opening statement, Vrabel fielded a few questions.
He was asked if he anticipated missing more time beyond just Saturday within the next few weeks.
“I can’t answer that,” Vrabel said. “I can only say whatever my family needs, that’s what I’m gonna provide.”
7:20: League commissioner Roger Goodell tells ESPN that Vrabel’s situation is not a personal conduct policy matter.
“It’s a personal matter, and we’ll leave it at that,” said Goodell.
It’s a matter for the Patriots to deal with, he said.
7:00: A quick look at the Pats’ rumor mill before we get started. NFL Media’s Tom Pellissero reported that the Patriots have already received calls about potentially trading down from No. 31.
Teams holding the No. 31 pick have traded it nine times in the last 14 years. The Patriots also have a history of trading down during the Bill Belichick era, though they’ve been less inclined to do so lately.
Also, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports that wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is a name to watch for a potential trade as he enters a contract year. He hauled in 76 catches for 1,140 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two years. His one-handed touchdown grab against the Texans helped vault the Patriots into the AFC title game.
6:45: First up, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is expected to address the media back home in Foxborough. ESPN reported early Thursday morning that Vrabel will step away from the team during Day 3 on Saturday to attend counseling.
Vrabel had been photographed at a resort holding hands and sitting in a hot tub with NFL reporter Dianna Russini. Both Vrabel and Russini are married to other people.
Russini has stepped down from her senior insider position at The Athletic. Vrabel acknowledged having tough conversations with those close to him during a press conference earlier this week. The NFL has said that it is not investigating Vrabel.
The Patriots released a statement Thursday in support of Vrabel’s decision to step away. New England will make the bulk of its picks on Saturday.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the statement reads. “Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Khari A. ThompsonSports Reporter
Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.
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