play0:30Kayden McDonald’s NFL draft profileCheck out some of the top highlights from Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald.
Matt MillerCloseMatt MillerNFL draft analystMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.Follow on X, Jordan ReidCloseJordan ReidNFL draft analystJordan Reid is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. Jordan joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. He played quarterback at North Carolina Central University and then went on to coach there from 2014-18.Follow on X, Field YatesCloseField YatesESPN NFL InsiderField Yates is a fantasy football expert and NFL draft analyst for ESPN. You can find him on Fantasy Football Now on Sunday mornings and regularly on NFL Live throughout the week, as well as the Fantasy Focus and First Draft podcasts. A graduate of Wesleyan University (CT) and native of Weston, Mass., Yates has previous experience interning with the New England Patriots on both their coaching and scouting staffs.Follow on X, Tim McManusCloseTim McManusESPN Staff WriterTim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after covering the Eagles for Philadelphia Magazine’s Birds 24/7, a site he helped create, since 2010.Follow on X, Jordan RaananCloseJordan RaananESPN Staff WriterJordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN and can be heard hosting on ESPN Radio. Raanan joined ESPN in 2016.Follow on X, Brooke PryorCloseBrooke PryorESPN Staff WriterBrooke Pryor is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN who has covered the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2019. She previously covered the Kansas City Chiefs for the Kansas City Star and the University of Oklahoma for The Oklahoman.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsApr 17, 2026, 06:30 AM ET
Let’s size up the ceilings and floors for three first-round prospects with potentially wide pick ranges.
Why Tannenbaum says Steelers should draft Ty Simpson (1:02)Mike Tannenbaum and Jason McCourty discuss why the Steelers should consider drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson even if Aaron Rodgers returns. (1:02)
Kayden McDonald’s NFL draft profileCheck out some of the top highlights from Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald.
Who will be the first pure defensive tackle go off the board?
How many draft-day trades will there be in Round 1?
With less than a week until the 2026 NFL draft (April 23-25), we asked analysts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates to break down the latest intel from around the league.
Who could be the biggest steals in the second and third rounds? In what’s considered a weak defensive tackle class, which prospect could be the first one off the board? Will we see at least five draft-day trades in Round 1 for the fourth straight year? And what are the ceilings and floors for when Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq could get picked?
We also took a fresh look at some interesting teams, with help from Eagles reporter Tim McManus, Giants reporter Jordan Raanan and Steelers reporter Brooke Pryor. And to wrap it up, Miller, Reid and Yates emptied their scouting notebooks with what they’re hearing, seeing and thinking.
Jump to a section: Steals | DT class | Trades NYG intel | PHI intel | PIT intel Ranges for Downs, Sadiq, Tyson Emptying notebooks: What we’re hearing
Miller: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson. If he slides into Round 2 as expected, he’ll be the steal of the class. The 5-foot-11 cornerback injured a hamstring while attempting the 40-yard dash at his pro day but showed on tape in 31 starts that he’s the type of tough, feisty cornerback who can win on the inside or outside of the formation. Scouts are interested in competitive toughness, and Terrell is dripping with it.
Raanan: In an ideal world, the Giants would like to move back a few spots, add more picks (they have just two in the top 100) and draft a player like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. But that’s easier said than done.
Staying at No. 5, the three players who seem to be most squarely on their radar are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Downs. Coach John Harbaugh and the Giants are especially high on Love. If he’s available, it’s hard to see them passing up that opportunity. Guard, defensive tackle or cornerback are likely targets on Day 2.
Miller: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State. My final board didn’t include any defensive tackles in the top 40 players, with Peter Woods (Clemson) and McDonald taking the top spots. However, word around the league is McDonald will be the first interior defender off the board.
Yates: McDonald. Out of our analysts, I’m the only one with McDonald as my top-ranked defensive tackle. Although he will not be a major factor against the pass, he is the best run-stuffer prospect after serving as the anchor of Ohio State’s 3-4 front. Although McDonald ranks as a fringe first-rounder on my board, we saw the Dolphins take a player with a similar profile 13th last year in Kenneth Grant (Michigan).
Reid: McDonald. We’re all in agreement here because McDonald has been the most consistent defensive tackle, and he’s healthy (Florida’s Caleb Banks is another top DT prospect but just had foot surgery). McDonald doesn’t only withstand his gaps, but he can also penetrate the first level and make plays in the backfield. In a league that’s starved for consistent run defenders, he will likely be picked inside the top 40.
Check out some of the top highlights from Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald.
Pryor: Unlike recent years, there doesn’t seem to be a consensus player — or even position — for the Steelers to take in the first round. The front office addressed some of the most glaring needs (wide receiver, cornerback, safety) in free agency, giving them the flexibility to play the board. The Steelers’ predraft visits also don’t necessarily tip their hand because many of those brought in are considered middle-round picks.
Yates: Six. We’ve seen at least five draft-day trades involving first-round picks in each of the past three drafts. Identifying specific teams that will aim to be active is no easy chore, but there is plenty of reason to believe that the same amount of activity will continue this year.
McManus: The offensive line was an issue for the first time in a long time last season, and there’s evidence the Eagles could invest early in the trenches after the bulk of their predraft visits were dedicated to that position group. Right tackle Lane Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson both contemplated retirement this offseason, further emphasizing the need to fortify the front.
However, they won’t force a pick. Philadelphia is primarily focused on walking away with what it considers a first-round talent, whether that’s at O-line, receiver, tight end or otherwise.
Yates: The Giants loom at No. 5 as the first logical landing spot for Downs, which would make him the first safety to go in the top 10 since Jamal Adams in 2017. It’s hard to envision him getting past the Cowboys at No. 12, as one of the ways Downs would still be available there is if an early run on defenders removes prospects such as David Bailey, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and Mansoor Delane from the board.
Miller: Tyson’s tape is top-15 caliber when he’s on the field, but the best ability is availability. He missed 17 of the possible 51 games he could have played in; he also missed the spring program for the Sun Devils last year. Tyson’s most recent injury was to a hamstring, which caused him to sit out of three games in 2025.
Teams will have varying levels of acceptance with injuries, but Tyson’s range is all over the place because of that — and eight drops in the 2024 season haven’t helped his stock either. He could come off the board as early as No. 8 to the Saints or slip to the Jets at No. 33 if those injury concerns prove valid.
Reid: Sadiq has a tighter range due to the lack of tight end depth for teams picking in the teens. The Ravens are an obvious landing spot at No. 14 after losing Isaiah Likely to the Giants in free agency. Sadiq could fill Likely’s role immediately and develop into Mark Andrews’ replacement. The Vikings at No. 18 are another obvious fit as this could be T.J. Hockenson’s last season with the team, but the Panthers at No. 19 also make sense. They could look to add a more explosive playmaker.
Reid: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana. My 27th overall prospect, Ponds won’t be for everybody at 5-foot-9, 182 pounds. But he has continued to silence his critics throughout the process and has some of the cleanest tape of any cornerback in this class. I believe Ponds is capable of playing on the outside and at nickel in the NFL. His control in route stems, ball skills and eagerness to help in run support make me think he’s in a similar range as Mike Sainristil, the No. 50 pick in 2024. Sainristil faced size questions as a prospect, and he has stayed on the outside with the Commanders.
Why Tannenbaum says Steelers should draft Ty Simpson (1:02)Mike Tannenbaum and Jason McCourty discuss why the Steelers should consider drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson even if Aaron Rodgers returns. (1:02)
Mike Tannenbaum and Jason McCourty discuss why the Steelers should consider drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson even if Aaron Rodgers returns. (1:02)
CloseMatt MillerNFL draft analystMatt Miller is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. A Missouri native, Matt joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter, NFL Live and ESPN Radio. Prior to joining ESPN, Matt spent 11 years as a senior draft analyst at Bleacher Report.Follow on X
CloseJordan ReidNFL draft analystJordan Reid is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. Jordan joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. He played quarterback at North Carolina Central University and then went on to coach there from 2014-18.Follow on X