2026 NFL Draft Rumors: Where Will Ty Simpson Land? Chiefs Moving Up?

The NFL Draft is a beast. Rumors flying all over the place. Trade talk concerning players across the sport, which could involve draft picks in the coming draft. We need a place to store this buzz. With that, here's a tracker for the latest 2026 NFL Draft rumors: Kansas City Chiefs positioning for draft-day blockbuster? The Kansas City Chiefs could be positioning themselves for a draft-day trade, potentially moving up from the No. 9 overall pick. The Chiefs have discussed a possible trade-up with both the Cardinals at No. 3 and the Tennessee Titans at No. 4, per ESPN. A potential trade-up would likely signal the Chiefs are targeting a pass rusher, a position they’ve been strongly linked to throughout the offseason. The most commonly connected prospects are Texas Tech's David Bailey and Miami (Fla.)'s Rueben Bain Jr. Both the Cardinals and Titans have frequently been mentioned as potential trade-back candidates throughout the draft process, as each roster remains in a rebuild. With the Chiefs holding picks No. 9 and No. 29 in the first round, they are viewed as a logical candidate to explore a move into the top five on draft night. Those moves resulted in the selections of wide receiver Xavier Worthy (2024), cornerback Trent McDuffie (2022) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (2017). If history is any indication, Kansas City won’t hesitate to move up again if the right player is within reach. Would the Jets consider moving Garrett Wilson on draft night? The New York Jets are expected to be among the most active teams on Day 1 of the NFL Draft, holding both the No. 2 and No. 16 overall picks. A potential trade involving wide receiver Garrett Wilson could be in play, with multiple teams expected to check in on his availability, per Yahoo Sports. Wilson, 25, is coming off an injury-affected season in which he appeared in just eight games for the Jets. He recorded 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns before being placed on injured reserve after aggravating a right knee sprain. The Jets have been firmly invested in Wilson long-term after signing him to a four-year, $130 million extension last offseason with $90 million guaranteed. Still, general manager Darren Mougey could be willing to listen if teams come with a strong enough offer, especially with New York positioned to shape the top of the draft board. Chiefs GM Brett Veach anticipates "a lot" of trades in the first round Not only are the Chiefs exploring a potential draft-night trade-up, but Veach also expects a busy first round with plenty of movement. During his pre-draft media availability, he said it could be an "entertaining" night given the lack of multiple franchise-caliber quarterbacks and other high-end blue-chip prospects at the top of the board. Veach also added how it could naturally fuel more trade activity across the league as teams look to maneuver for value. "I think it should be an entertaining night and there will probably be a lot of trades and that's what I think with a draft like this, when you don't have two or three franchise quarterbacks and a Will Anderson Jr. or a Myles Garrett, it does lend itself to open up to a lot of fun and a lot of excitement. From a fan's perspective, they should have a lot of fun next Thursday." Not only is the lack of blue-chip prospects a factor, but Veach also believes the variance in team evaluations could shape how the first round unfolds. When it comes to this year’s class, differences in grading may come down less to pure talent and more to a scheme that fits team-specific needs. "I think that the fans will be in for a treat next Thursday because I think some of the grades are going to be close for some of these tackles, D-ends and other receivers," Veach said. "That a lot of these guys that are mocked high may go a little low and a lot of these guys that are getting mocked lower may go a little higher because they're so close this year and it's not this huge gap and big fall off. Even with the offensive linemen, there's traits that you like and there's some things all these guys need to clean up and work on, but I think that the grades are so close that it'll come down to the scheme fit, the coach's analysis, the vision [and] the fit for these guys." Ty Simpson a first-rounder? The Alabama quarterback is gaining traction to be selected in the first round, per CBS Sports. After serving as a backup for three seasons (2022-24), Simpson was Alabama's starter for the 2025 season. He totaled 3,567 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a 145.2 passer rating, while completing 64.5% of his passes that season. Simpson's Tide reached the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff before losing to Indiana. Most likely New York Jets pick The Jets, who own the No. 2 and 16 picks in the first round, are expected to select either Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese or Texas Tech linebacker David Bailey with the second pick, per CBS Sports. Last season, Reese logged 6.5 sacks, two passes defended and 69 combined tackles, while earning All-American honors; Bailey, who spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career playing for Stanford, racked up a Big 12-high 14.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, three passes defended and 52 combined tackles in 2025. Jeremiyah Love to the desert? There has been "significant buzz" surrounding the Arizona Cardinals selecting the Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back with the No. 3 pick, per SNY. Love, who finished third in the voting for the 2025 Heisman Trophy Award, rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 6.9 yards per carry last season, while tallying 280 receiving yards and three receiving scores. He rushed for 17.5 touchdowns per season from 2024 to 2025 on a combined 6.9 yards per carry.