The 2026 NFL Draft will take place from April 23-25. It will be the 91st edition and hosted in Pittsburgh for the first time in 78 years. Over 40 players have been granted special eligibility and over 20 underclassmen are also eligible for selection. The Las Vegas Raiders have the first pick after a 3-14 record. But who should fans really watch in the Draft?
Dallas Cowboys – rebuilding a defense
The Dallas Cowboys have the 12th pick and two first-round picks. With a 7-9-1 record, it was something of a season of two halves for the Cowboys. Its defense ended as the league’s worst, with 511 points against.
The team had an exciting start to the season but finished outside the playoffs. It had a strong record after 11 games (6-4-1) but 5 draws from the last 6 games was a disappointing end to the season.
Too many draws, injuries, and a struggling defense saw the Cowboys finish behind Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East. 7 wins for the Cowboys put them alongside the Miami Dolphins and way behind league leaders for regular season wins: Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Seattle Seahawks (14 each).
Dallas had 22 players with expiring contracts. It’s a huge off-season and Draft for them. Christian Parker has said he wants to play multiple schemes in defense so versatile players may be key.
It isn’t all doom and gloom for Dallas. DeMarvion Overshown is in his last year on a rookie contract but Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones has said he could have a great season. Jones said he’s “fired up about what he [Overshown] brings to the table”.
First pick
If the odds at sportsbooks are anything to go by, the Las Vegas Raiders’ decision is pretty much made already. Fernando Mendoza, college quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers, is the bookmakers’ huge favorite for first pick. NFL fans may enjoy a casino comparison ranking the best online sports betting sites by mobile play, crypto betting, eSports options, and other categories.
Mendoza played for the California Golden Bears before the Hoosiers. The 6-foot-5 Boston native was a CFP national champion in 2025 and earned the Heisman Trophy for best college player.
The time allowed to select a pick in the first round has been reduced from 10 to eight minutes.
Who will be the Cowboys’ first pick?
Dan Parr, senior editor of draft strategy at NFL.com, thinks the Cowboys’ most pressing needs are at edge, cornerback, linebacker, safety, and wide receiver.
12th in the order, Dallas likely won’t have any chance of picking Rueben Bain, but how they would love an edge with his talents. Bain has been praised as one of the nation’s best defenders by Florida State’s head coach and his versatility along the defensive front would be prized by Parker.
T.J. Parker of Clemson Tigers may be on the Cowboys’ radar. Scouts and the media have noted Parker’s intelligent defense and hand usage. His performances arguably dipped in 2025 but his athleticism and reading of the game will make him one to watch. The 265 lb defensive end recorded 11 sacks in 2024.
If Dallas prioritizes linebacker, they may look to Sonny Styles, who transitioned from safety to linebacker for Ohio State Buckeyes. Styles’ father is former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Styles; his brother plays cornerback for the Buckeyes.
NFL 2026 season
The season kicks off on September 9, 2026 and the Super Bowl will be held in Inglewood, California. Xavien Howard and Philip Rivers won’t be seen on the grass after retiring after nine- and 18-year careers respectively.
Dallas is expected to host its traditional afternoon doubleheader on Thanksgiving. The Cowboys will play the first ever NFL game in Rio (fans can check nfl.com/Rio to stay updated). The league has said that Brazil is one of the biggest international markets for the NFL with over 36 million fans. São Paulo hosted games in 2024 and 2025.
The other international games this season are to be held in London (two games), Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, Munich, and Paris. The NFL first had games overseas in 2007 in London’s Wembley Stadium, sometimes referred to as the New Wembley. Dallas will play in Rio’s Maracanã Stadium, one of the most famous soccer stadiums in the world. It hosted the final of the 1950 World Cup Final, in which Uruguay beat hosts Brazil.
