{"id":871899,"date":"2026-04-22T13:15:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/871899\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:15:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T13:15:38","slug":"nfl-draft-buzz-rumors-about-the-first-12-picks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/871899\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Draft buzz: Rumors about the first 12 picks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The 2026 NFL Draft is in less than 48 hours and the picture of what could happen before the L.A. Rams are on the clock at pick 13 is becoming a little bit more clear. Although nothing is more than a rumor at this point, the consensus on what is expected to happen in the first dozen picks is far ahead of where it was a week ago.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">And the Rams might want to trade up if they want to land a blue chip prospect this year.<\/p>\n<p>1. Raiders, QB Fernando Mendoza<\/p>\n<p>2. Jets, EDGE David Bailey or EDGE Arvell Reese<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Nobody knows who the Jets are going to pick outside of the top few people in the franchise and even they could be changing their mind. Todd McShay has changed his prediction to Reese, but the entire CBS Sports crew thinks it will be Bailey.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">For the purposes of this article it does not really matter because both Bailey and Reese are expected to go off in the top-5 picks.<\/p>\n<p>3. Cardinals, trade back\/RB Jeremiyah Love\/Reese or Bailey<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Arizona wants to move back, according to everybody, but does anyone want to move up? Is it worth it to trade up for a running back? <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/fballforeverhq\/status\/2045966115516326279?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\">The Chiefs are rumored as a team that could be interested in moving up for Reese<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>4. Titans, Love out, Styles in?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">After days of speculation that Tennessee will take Jeremiyah Love, Peter Schrager insists that the Titans absolutely will not take Love.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The CBS crew believes Sonny Styles is Robert Saleh\u2019s \u201cFred Warner\u201d but Love is still the betting favorite to go to the Titans now.<\/p>\n<p>5. Giants, WR Jordyn Tyson\/Carnell Tate or S Caleb Downs?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">After acquiring a second top-10 pick over the weekend, the Giants are believed to be leaning towards a receiver, specifically Tyson, at pick 5. Tyson had dinner with the Giants brass last week and reports from his private workout at ASU were all positive regarding his health. Tyson is the favorite to be the first receiver drafted, however that could still be Carnell Tate and Tate could be the Giants pick here instead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If it is a receiver to New York, there could be a run on receivers in the top-8 that ends up wiping all the first round options off the board for L.A. and that could be why we keep hearing rumors that the Rams want to trade up for a receiver, such as Tyson. Could the Giants be trying to trade back with L.A. by sparking rumors of interest in Tyson?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Beat reporter Connor Hughes insisted that it is Caleb Downs, however.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">And <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MarshallGreen_\/status\/2046325283628659148?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\">McShay is certain it\u2019s not Styles.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>6. Browns, will work hard to trade back (OT and WR)<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Let\u2019s say that the first five picks are Mendoza, Bailey, Reese, Styles, and Tyson. Where does that leave the top prospects remaining at six? Love, Tate, Downs could all go in the first five picks. Everybody else left on the board here is not as surprising, including tackle Francis Mauigoa, a probable pick if Cleveland doesn\u2019t trade down.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Adam Schefter hears that the Browns are dying to trade down. Will this be where the Rams could trade up?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If the Browns are dying to trade down then the cost to move up couldn\u2019t be that bad. To go from 13 to 6, would it really cost next year\u2019s first round pick? And who would the Rams be trading up for?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If Jeremiyah Love is available at 6, is he good enough for L.A. to trade pick 13, 93, a 2027 second rounder, and Blake Corum to go up for? I don\u2019t even know if that\u2019s realistic. Do the Browns need those extra picks that badly?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">They might insist on pick 61 and that could be too rich. But don\u2019t put anything past Les Snead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Even though some injury concerns reappeared this week on his back, I\u2019m going to push Mauigoa here if the Browns don\u2019t find a trade partner. But maybe the Giants would come up here for Love and then they\u2019d be giving Jaxson Dart two new weapons.<\/p>\n<p>7. Commanders, WR Tate or RB Love or LB Styles<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Schrager isn\u2019t the only one who has heard that the Commanders want Carnell Tate, but he also mentioned that GM Adam Peters, a former 49ers guy, could be enamored with Sonny Styles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">But Adam Schefter has said that pick 7 is \u201cthe floor\u201d for Love, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JayDanielsMVP\/status\/2044037774773231634?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\">implying that Washington will run to the podium if he falls this far<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>8. Saints, Not OL, but any WR or S Downs or CB Mansoor Delane<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Schrager says there\u2019s a 0% chance that the Saints pick an offensive lineman here. They\u2019ve been linked to Tate and Tyson, as well as Downs and cornerback Mansoor Delane. In this scenario though, Jeremiyah Love could be available at pick 8 if teams are wary of positional value. However, Schrager notes that he\u2019s been told to \u201cthrow positional value out the window this year\u201d by an executive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Okay, but it\u2019s not that hard actually to see Love get past the Cardinals, Titans, Giants, Browns, and Commanders, is it? He could go third overall or he could drop to this pick. And if he does, Love could be the best all-around player in Kellen Moore\u2019s offense, somewhat similar to Bijan Robinson in Atlanta.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If Tate and Tyson are off the board, do the Saints like Makai Lemon enough to take him this high and if not, perhaps Caleb Downs is off here. He could go as high as 5.<\/p>\n<p>9. Chiefs, trade up or take BPA<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Earlier I said a top-5 of Mendoza, Bailey, Reese, Styles, and Tyson. Then we could theorize Mauigoa, Tate, and Downs as the next three picks. There is talk of Kansas City being interested in moving up for Arvell Reese. If that happens and the Cardinals move down to three, imagine their luck of JEREMIYAH LOVE falls to pick 9. They\u2019d get the guy they wanted at 3 all the way down at 9.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If that trade doesn\u2019t happen though, do the Chiefs draft Love after they just signed Kenneth Walker? Probably not. Here the Chiefs could take Rueben Bain or Delane or Lemon or they might just shock everybody with a surprise pick that nobody is expecting to go this high like Dillon Thieneman or Cashius Howell or Kenyon Sadiq. You just never know until you know.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">At this time though, maybe the safest bet if the Chiefs are on the clock at 9 with this board is Lemon or Delane or Baine. But I don\u2019t know. If it\u2019s the Cardinals and Love has made it this far, then it has to be Love.<\/p>\n<p>10. Giants, Offensive Line (G Ioane?)<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If the Giants don\u2019t trade up for Downs or Love to pair them with their pick at 5 (Tyson or Tate), the general expectation is that they want to come out of this first round with an offensive lineman. It\u2019d be hard to resist the temptation for a Tyson\/Downs or Tate\/Love draft or some combination of those two.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If Mauigoa has not made it to pick 10, then there\u2019s a debate between Monroe Freeling and Spencer Fano as the next-best tackle. However, wouldn\u2019t it be just like John Harbaugh to draft Penn State guard Vega Ioane?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Unless New York just sees a higher ceiling with Fano or Freeling or even Kadyn Proctor, then Ioane could be their safe home run pick. But maybe the Giants can secure their top-2 choices at pick 5, which might be Downs and Tyson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Imagine if Cleveland and New York trade places (so the Giants take Tyson and Downs back-to-back) and the Browns come down to 10. Then Cleveland might actually still get Mauigoa at 10.<\/p>\n<p>11. Dolphins, Mauigoa or BPA<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">It\u2019s hard to find anything about the Dolphins that isn\u2019t related to Mauigoa, so if he falls because of his back then Miami might trade up for him with the Browns at 6 or the Saints at 8 if they have to do that. It wouldn\u2019t be that hard to do because the Dolphins have the most top-100 picks in the league by two whole picks:<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If the Dolphins don\u2019t trade up for Mauigoa or he doesn\u2019t fall to them at 11, then they have needs that could mean anything for them, including Fano, Freeling, Lemon, Keldrick Faulk, Bain, Delane, etc..<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">In fact, I\u2019ll project that Miami does trade up for Mauigoa and this pick ends up being the Browns or Saints and they take Makai Lemon.<\/p>\n<p>12. Cowboys, trade up (Downs, Bain)<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">McShay has hesitantly cited Dallas as a team that could move up but hedged his bets by saying that that is so unlike the Jerry Jones family to do in the draft. If they move up, the two most rumored names are Downs and Bain, but couldn\u2019t they also be just as interested in Tyson or Love? If the Cowboys are really desperate for a blue chip prospect, why not just move all the way up to 3 for Reese or Bailey?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">If we theorize a world where Dallas trades up for Arvell Reese at pick 3, then Cardinals move down to 12 and then they select \u2026 QB Ty Simpson?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">I don\u2019t know but they are a team rumored to be interested in moving back into the first round for Simpson in the 20-32 range. Well, given that it\u2019s the Cardinals, can we rule out that they\u2019d take Simpson a lot earlier than people expect him to go? Not really.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">Even so, a possible top-12 picks: Mendoza, Bailey, Reese, Styles, Tyson, Tate, Downs, Love, Mauigoa, Lemon, Bain, and Delane. I\u2019m just saying, it\u2019s possible those are the first 12 picks.<\/p>\n<p>Where does this leave the Rams at 13?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The best available players per big boards:<\/p>\n<p>OT Monroe FreelingOT Spencer FanoTE Kenyon SadiqG Vega IoaneEDGE Keldric FaulkEDGE Akheem MesidorCB Jermod McCoy (injury issues could drop him to round 2)WR Omar CooperS Dillon ThienemannDT Peter WoodsOL Kadyn Proctor<\/p>\n<p>Hmm, I wonder if this is why we keep hearing that the Rams want to trade up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">It\u2019s feasible that all three receivers and Love are all off the board in the top-10 picks. Should the Rams trade up to secure a play maker on offense or be patient and hope a star falls in their laps?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/fballforeverhq\/status\/2041985651763978603?s=20\" rel=\"nofollow\">Schrager has had Makai Lemon going to the Rams in his mock draft throughout the entire process,<\/a> but now says he is changing that away from Lemon at the last minute. What does he know?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">The Rams might move up for a player, but will it be Lemon? Could it be Tyson or Love? Maybe Mauigoa?<\/p>\n<p class=\"duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1\">With how the board appears to be falling in the days before the draft, he might have to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 NFL Draft is in less than 48 hours and the picture of what could happen before&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":828520,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2079],"tags":[7,1014,58,2619,2444,2611,6,424],"class_list":{"0":"post-871899","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles-rams","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-los-angeles","10":"tag-los-angeles-rams","11":"tag-los-angeles-rams-draft","12":"tag-losangeles","13":"tag-losangelesrams","14":"tag-nfl","15":"tag-rams"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116448547559199402","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=871899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/828520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}