There are some teams who aren't going to be getting in on the fun in the 2026 NFL Draft near the top, as some do not have a first-round pick for varying reasons. Other teams, though, have multiple first-round picks and could get a bit crazy.
In today's NFL, the lone way to sustain long-term success in this league is to draft and develop, and it's much easier said than done. Fortunately for some teams, there are some oppotunities to get a bit frisky this year.
We talked about why these three teams could throw a giant wrench into Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
These three teams could absolutely throw a giant wrench into Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins have four picks in the top-75 and seven in the first 100 selections, which is a mind-boggling amount of draft capital. While the Dolphins might not be looking at a quarterback prospect until 2027, for example, the amount of capital this team has gives them a ton of chances to go up for a certain player.
Miami acquired the 30th overall pick from the Denver Broncos for Jaylen Waddle, and that 30th pick really does give them a lot more ease in making a major move. With needs all over the place, the front office can go a bit wild here and really take ownership of the draft board this year given how many picks they have.
Kansas City Chiefs
Think about this, for a second - the Kansas City Chiefs have the 9th and 29th overall picks in the NFL Draft, and this team was shockingly bad in 2025. They probably think that there is simply no chance they'll finish with a losing record for the foreseable future, which is a reasonable thought.
What are the true odds that the Chiefs are again picking inside the top-10 in 2027 or 2028? The front office could view this as a 'once in a X years' type of opportunity, and where I am going here is that the Chiefs might feel compelled to package both of the first-rounders to perhaps move up further into the top-10, perhaps even into the top-5 to land one of the bluechip prospects.
You could argue which side of the ball, but that's largely irrelevant here. The Chiefs do have the ammo to make a major move like this.
Dallas Cowboys
With picks 12 and 20, there already being major defensive changes, and the offense being elite, the Dallas Cowboys may not truly have many roster holes and could view themselves as being one more impact starter away on defense from fixing that unit.
New and newer faces like Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, and Quinnen Williams are in the picture, and defensive coordinator Christian Parker brings some Vic Fangio influence with him. Given how good Dallas' offense was in 2025, it might only take an average defense for this team to be special in 2026.
And the front office could view a certain prospect just out of their reach as someone who could get them there and more in the future.