The 2026 NFL Draft Could Make Or Break These 5 Teams

Every draft matters.

But every year, the NFL draft carries a little more importance for several teams.

These are those squads for 2026.

Las Vegas Raiders 

AP Photo/Ian Maule

Klint Kubiak

Key Picks: 1, 36, 67

Key Needs: QB, WR, DL, S

The Hot Seat: General manager John Spytek's future is almost certainly tied to the No. 1 overall pick. 

Make: They select Indiana's Fernando Mendoza first overall, and he becomes the franchise quarterback this team has been seeking since Derek Carr was in his prime. He teams up with Ashton Jeanty, Brock Bowers and Kolton Miller to give the Raiders a dominant offense for years to come. 

Break: Mendoza goes bust à la JaMarcus Russell, rendering the rest of the draft nearly useless, and the Raiders start from scratch yet again in a few years. 

Lingering Question: Will Spytek trade Maxx Crosby for the second time this offseason in order to add more draft capital and make this even more of a make-or-break event for the Raiders organization?

New York Jets

AP Photo/Dennis Waszak Jr.

Darren Mougey

Key Picks: 2, 16, 33, 44

Key Needs: QB, WR, Edge, CB

The Hot Seat: GM Darren Mougey might get 2027 to draft a quarterback, but there was buzz head coach Aaron Glenn could be one-and-done in 2025. He is unlikely to survive another lousy season, so a productive draft would go a long way. 

Make: They hit on the majority of those four top-50 picks, leading to progress in 2026 and setting the table for what the team expects will be a breakout 2027 with a franchise quarterback in place. 

Break: They botch having the most draft capital in football, with one or both of their top-16 picks going bust. That leaves their next quarterback high and dry. 

Lingering Question: Could that quarterback be Alabama's Ty Simpson? You'd think that would be worth a lower-risk gamble with that second-round pick. Even if they're holding out to draft or sign their next signal-caller in 2027, it would be surprising if they didn't use one of their nine picks on a QB.

New York Giants

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Joe Schoen and John Harbaugh

Key Picks: 5, 10, 37

Key Needs: OL, DL, WR, LB

The Hot Seat: GM Joe Schoen likely bought himself some time with a strong 2025 draft, but if this class can't help quarterback Jaxson Dart and the current core take the next step, big changes could be coming by 2028 if not earlier. 

Make: They replace the recently traded Dexter Lawrence and get stronger in the trenches on both sides of the ball in the first two rounds, paving the way for a breakout season from the Dart-led offense and a promising young defense. 

Break: They miss on the pick they got for Lawrence, who is still elite at 28 and isn't easily replaceable. That and anything short of a slam dunk with their other first-round pick would leave the Giants in a rough spot for their young core. You need to build from the inside out now.

Lingering Question: Are they done trading? There's a sentiment that the top 10 is a little watered down this year, which leaves the G-Men in an interesting position with a pair of top-10 selections. They have just one pick between 38 and 144, so I wouldn't be surprised if they were to trade back and collect some more Day 2 selections. That would also take the pressure off to an extent. 

Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Brian Schottenheimer

Key Picks: 12, 20

Key Needs: LB, Edge, CB, S

The Hot Seat: Fair or not, quarterback Dak Prescott's future could depend on the level of defensive support the Cowboys can provide him in this draft. Another year or two without playoff success could force Jerry Jones' hand in terms of the quarterback and the core in general. 

Make: They go all-in on elite front-seven defense in the top 20 and both guys make a positive impact in 2026, enabling Prescott and Co. to work with more breathing room throughout a bounce-back season for America's Team. 

Break: They get cute and break away from best defensive player available, or go that route but swing and miss on at least one of the picks. That leaves the 32nd-ranked scoring defense from 2025 in major trouble going forward. 

Lingering Question: Do they dare package the two picks and move into the top five or so in order to grab Sonny Styles or Arvell Reese? If so, the entire short-term future of the franchise might depend on that selection. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Terrance Williams

Aaron Rodgers

Key Picks: 21, 53 (and five selections in Rounds 3 and 4)

Key Needs: OL, WR, S, QB?

The Hot Seat: There is no way they'll tolerate another season with no playoff success with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, if indeed the 42-year-old returns. It's also probably safe to say the veteran quarterback would walk away anyway. 

Make: If Rodgers doesn't return, they need to gamble on someone like Simpson and hit. If Rodgers does return, they need to get him a starting-caliber interior offensive lineman and a receiver who can make an impact on Day 1. 

Break: If Rodgers doesn't return, they fail to replace him. If he does return, they fail to hit on both a lineman and a wideout. 

Lingering Question: Will they use all of that capital in Rounds 3 and 4 to move back into the first round for either the receiver or offensive lineman? Or, sans Rodgers, a quarterback like Ty Simpson?