NFL Draft in Pittsburgh ties record with 42 trades

The 2026 National Football League (NFL) Draft concluded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 27, 2026, ending a three-day event defined by unusually active trading and several selection benchmarks. Officials recorded 42 draft-day trades, tying the mark set in 2023 for the most in a single draft since 1990.

The volume of deals reflected widespread roster maneuvering, with teams moving up and down the board to pursue specific players and positional needs. While results differed across franchises, the trade total emerged as a central storyline of the weekend.

Record-level deal-making and conference representation

On the college side, the Southeastern Conference (SEC) achieved full representation in the draft. All 16 SEC programs had at least one player selected, a conference-wide outcome last reached in 2021.

Early selections also highlighted concentrated output from Ohio State. The school produced three top-10 picks and four of the top 11, marking the first time any program reached three top-10 selections since Alabama did so in 2021.

Notable picks and franchise milestones

At the top of the board, the Las Vegas Raiders used the first overall pick on Mendoza. Further down the draft, Oscar Delp was selected 73rd by the New Orleans Saints.

Cade Klubnik went 110th to the New York Jets, a pick that made him the 10th quarterback drafted by the Jets since 2010. In the host city, the Pittsburgh Steelers used the No. 21 pick on Max Iheanachor, the sixth time the franchise has selected at that exact slot in the common draft era.

Local culture moments alongside the transactions

Beyond the picks and trades, the draft produced moments that blended sports with local identity. Makai Lemon, a first-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles, participated in a pre-game bell-ringing ceremony for the Philadelphia 76ers, linking his arrival to the city’s wider sports scene.

Other lighter snapshots circulated during the weekend as well. One draftee’s dog was noted for taking over his couch spot after the selection, and another player received a lifetime supply of ketchup.