The 2026 NFL Draft is just three days away! Here are some rumors that I have heard from sources with the draft just hours away.
There have been a lot of rumors in the media and with team people about the Dallas Cowboys trading up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Sources at teams picking high in the first round have said they believe that if the Cowboys did trade up in the first round, it would be for Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. There are teams that want to trade down, like the Arizona (3), Cleveland (6), and Washington (7). However, the Cowboys do not have a second-round pick from the Quinnen Williams trade, and sources say that Dallas does not want to part ways with pick 20. That is one of the selections they received from the Packers for Micah Parsons. With not having a second and wanting to hold onto pick 20, Dallas would have to get creative to move up.
Sources said the Cowboys might be able to do a smaller trade-up if Styles slides. They said a potential partner would be Kansas City at pick 9. The Chiefs could drop to 12 and get the Cowboys’ third-round pick. Sources say Kansas City’s potential pick candidates would be Miami defensive end Rueben Bain and Alabama left tackle Kadyn Proctor. Kansas City also could do something unexpected at 12, as they could also consider Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, or Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. It sounds like Bain is their top target, but trading down to 12 could cost them Bain, as Miami could decide to keep him playing football in South Florida. From speaking with league sources, the Cowboys and Chiefs could be trade partners, but it will depend on how the draft unfolds.
As I posted on X over the weekend, Washington would love to trade down in the first round. The franchise formerly known as the Redskins is without a second-round pick due to the Laremy Tunsil trade. Sources say Washington is absolutely in love with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, but they do not think he will get there. Sources say if Washington were able to move down, a potential target would be LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. Cornerback is a big weakness on the team, and Washington likes Delane. If they are forced to stick-and-pick, it sounds like Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles could be the selection, with Delane and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs also getting consideration. While Washington wants to move down, it is always easier said than done, and they need a partner to help make it happen.
Another post I had on X over the weekend was that the Cleveland Browns would love to move down from the sixth pick. Sources say the Browns would like to move down and take an offensive tackle. In a trade down and if they are forced to stay at six, their top targets are Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano and Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor. Both players could finish off their revamped offensive line with a long-term starter at left tackle.
Multiple team sources have been raving about Proctor over the final days before the draft. Sources at four different teams said he looked elite at the Alabama pro day. For a lot of the lead-up to the draft, Proctor has been considered to be selected after Fano and Miami’s Francis Mauigoa. The media also put the hypemachine into overdrive on Georgia tackle Monroe Freeling. However, multiple team sources think Proctor could be the second tackle off the board.
“Proctor has better tape than Tristan Wirfs did coming out of Iowa,” said an NFC director of player personnel. “Don’t get me wrong, Proctor has his warts, and you’ve got to see them crystal clear as a three-year starter in the SEC. But Proctor is a freak. He is always going to be heavy; he is just a massive human being. Proctor has the highest ceiling of any of the top three [Spencer Fano, Francisc Mauigoa, Proctor]. Proctor has a high ceiling. He could be comparable to Wirfs, who is probably the best left tackle in the league. [Proctor] also has a floor of being a dirty starter like Kolton Miller. Proctor is a very unique human being.”
For a long time, I have had Proctor projected to go to the Detroit Lions at pick 17 in my 2026 NFL Mock Draft. Other media have made that connection as well. The 17th pick seems like the lowest that Proctor could slide. “Brad Holmes would love it if everybody were a bunch of dummies and let Proctor fall to them,” said the assistant general manager. However, sources say there is a real chance that Proctor is gone before the Lions. The Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, Rams, and Ravens are all candidates to take Proctor in front of Detroit.
If the Lions miss out on Proctor, I think the top candidates to go to the Lions are Auburn defensive end Keldric Faulk, Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, and Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. Faulk is a perfect culture and scheme fit while filling a need. Freeling is also a great culture fit while filling the biggest need on the roster. Cornerback has been a weakness for the Lions for years, and a healthy McCoy could give them a legit No. 1 cover corner. Thus, the Lions have a lot of options at 17 even if they miss out on Proctor.
