5 teams that could shape the 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is just over a week away, and teams are getting ready to select their next class of players.

Here's a look at five organizations that could define draft weekend:

New York Jets

The Jets will begin to reap the rewards of the Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner trades next week. New York owns four of the top 43 selections, and its nine-pick inventory holds the most value in the NFL, according to The Harvard Sports Analysis Collective. If you're watching the first two rounds, expect to see a Jets representative on the stage often.

However, the unfortunate reality for New York's front office is that this is the wrong time to draft a quarterback with the second overall pick, despite the club desperately needing a franchise passer. Fernando Mendoza will almost certainly go to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 1, but the signal-caller talent sharply declines after the Heisman Trophy winner.

As a result, the Jets will likely use the No. 2 selection on one of the top defenders, potentially edge rushers Arvell Reese or David Bailey. After that, it gets interesting. Do they use their second first-rounder (No. 16 overall) on Alabama's Ty Simpson, who's widely regarded as the second-best quarterback? Does New York use the pick elsewhere and see if Simpson slides to the second round? Is there another quarterback the team has its eye on?

The Jets have tons of flexibility with their haul of picks, but they also need to turn a number of them into quality players - and fast. Second-year coach Aaron Glenn can't afford another ugly season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The 2026 draft is incredibly important for the Steelers' future. Last year's George Pickens trade, combined with an influx of compensatory picks, has Pittsburgh holding a league-high 12 selections, including five in the first three rounds.

As for the roster, the Steelers are in familiar territory. They're again heading into the draft without knowing their starting quarterback. Aaron Rodgers didn't sign until June last year, and there's been no indication on whether the veteran will return for his 22nd NFL season. Additionally, Pittsburgh faces the same problem as the Jets: this isn't the right draft to address the quarterback position long term.

The Steelers are in a weird spot. They've made the playoffs in four of the last five years but have no postseason victories. Their roster sorely needs young, blue-chip talent, and they're transitioning to a new coach in Mike McCarthy.

General manager Omar Khan has plenty of resources to use next week, and he can't give the Steelers another ho-hum weekend. This aging roster needs help, no matter who's coaching it.

Kansas City Chiefs

Since hiring Andy Reid in 2013, the Chiefs have selected in the top 10 only twice. They took offensive tackle Eric Fisher first overall that year and traded up for some random quarterback named Patrick Mahomes in 2017. Both became staples in Kansas City's offense for years.

The Chiefs are back in those waters this draft with the No. 9 pick and hold the 29th selection after trading star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams. K.C. also has two more picks in the top 75, so all eyes will be on how the organization tries to retool for the second chapter of Mahomes' career.

Though general manager Brett Veach has made several attempts to provide Mahomes with weapons in recent drafts, the moves haven't really panned out. Skyy Moore (2022) is off the team, Rashee Rice (2023) has battled injuries and off-field issues, and Xavier Worthy (2024) ranks 38th in receiving yards (1,170) out of 41 wideouts with at least 1,300 snaps over the last two years, according to TruMedia.

With Travis Kelce at the tail end of his career and uncertainty at the wide receiver position, we could see the Chiefs stock up on offensive talent early. Conversely, this defense needs major reinforcements after losing McDuffie and fellow corner Jaylen Watson. Plus, star defensive tackle Chris Jones is getting older, and Kansas City is still deploying him as an edge rusher at times to aid a struggling pass rush. All told, this squad has lots of work to do.

Philadelphia Eagles

We've seen general manager Howie Roseman succeed in retooling his team before, but the Eagles are in a unique spot heading into this draft. While they won the NFC East again last year, the season was a roller coaster that ended in a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round. Now, Philadelphia has question marks at critical offensive positions.

Let's start with the low-hanging fruit: A.J. Brown. The star wide receiver has been the subject of trade rumors all offseason, and the Eagles have bolstered their receiving corps by adding three wideouts, including acquiring Dontayvion Wicks from the Green Bay Packers last week. The additions have only fueled speculation that a Brown trade could be imminent. His contract also becomes much easier for Philly to move after June 1, allowing the franchise to save on the 2026 cap rather than eat $20 million in dead money. Even if a potential trade is more likely to occur later in the offseason, the three-time Pro Bowler's status will be a hot topic throughout draft weekend.

Meanwhile, the Eagles also have serious concerns along the offensive line. Lane Johnson will be 36 when the season begins and started only 10 games last campaign. We know how much Roseman values the trenches, and he likes to find future replacements at important positions sooner rather than later. Factor in Landon Dickerson's flirtation with retirement and Cam Jurgens coming off a down year, and we could see Philadelphia addressing the line early and often.

The Eagles always keep things interesting during draft week, as Roseman loves wheeling and dealing. With the drama surrounding Brown and needs across the offense after spending recent top picks to solidify the defense, Philadelphia will again be fun to watch on draft weekend.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have seven picks in the first three rounds - that's not a typo. Their stock of top-100 selections results in the second-most value overall, and a new regime in general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley must take advantage.

Miami's depth chart is a depressing sight. After trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos, there aren't many (if any) building blocks left. To make matters worse, 59.4% of the Dolphins' salary cap is allocated to dead money, leaving little cap space remaining and presenting Sullivan with a significant challenge.

Look for the GM to get creative on draft weekend to put this rebuild into high gear. Malik Willis signed a three-year deal in free agency but is still unproven, so the Dolphins may deal veterans (such as Zach Sieler and Jordyn Brooks) for 2027 picks that can help the quarterback pursuit next year. Miami also holds the 30th selection, a potential trade-out spot that could net future draft capital.

Sullivan and Co. are basically starting from scratch while cleaning up the mess left behind by the previous front office. How they navigate draft weekend will be crucial to getting a team that hasn't won a playoff game since 2000 on the right track.