Here’s our NFL Nation reporters’ look at the biggest questions for each Round 1 pick and how every player fits.
Author: Michael
Mel Kiper Jr. makes sense of the first round of the NFL draft, sizing up moves like the Makai Lemon, Caleb Downs and Ty Simpson picks.
Ryan Wilson, Ran Carthon, Bryant McFadden, and
Some people collect comic books. Some people collect stamps. Some people collect baseball cards.
The Arizona Cardinals, so it appears, collect running backs.
Everyone knew Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love was the premier running back in the 2026 draft class, but few mocks had him landing in Arizona. After all, the Cardinals just signed Tyler Allgeier to a free-agent contract and extended veteran James Conner. Arizona also has Trey Benson on the depth chart. This room was already crowded.
NFL mock draft 2026 Rounds 2-3: 49ers upgrade o-line, Chiefs go corner again, Steelers get a QB originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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With the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft now complete, it’s time to take a look at what might happen on Day 2.
Friday night’s selections will begin an hour earlier (7 p.m. ET) from Pittsburgh and see more than double the action with the second and third rounds getting into the books.
Here are the updated projections, mocking the picks from No. 33 through No.
Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest – Predicted lineup and team news
Sunderland aim to end their Friday night hoodoo in front of a home crowd tonight as they welcome Nottingham Forest.
The Black Cats have never won a Premier League game on a Friday, managing just two draws and one defeat across three previous attempts. Despite that record, Régis Le Bris has his side three points off seventh place after a difficult run. Sunderland have relied on defensive solidity and collective spirit to carve out their success this season.
Nottingham Forest XI vs Sunderland – Predicted lineup and team news
Nottingham Forest travel to the Stadium of Light aiming for their first back-to-back wins since November and move further away from the relegation zone.
The Reds enter this clash in their best form of the season. They are unbeaten in five league games and recently thrashed Burnley 4–1. Vítor Pereira’s side are also preparing for a Europa League semi-final next week. That said, Forest have lost five of their last six matches against the Black Cats.
Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest – Match preview and team news
Friday night football returns to the Stadium of Light for a high-stakes Premier League clash as Sunderland host Nottingham Forest.
Sunderland sit eleventh in the table with 46 points after a chaotic seven-goal thriller against Aston Villa. Régis Le Bris’s men showed attacking flair but fell short in a 4-3 defeat.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest arrive full of confidence following their dominant 4-1 victory over Burnley. They occupy sixteenth place with 36 points and aim to pull further away from the relegation zone.
Brian Windhorst joins SportsCenter to recap the
Scott Van Pelt is joined on SportsCenter by Lou