In most years, the NFL Draft is a time of great excitement for teams and fans alike, offering a chance at a roster reset and the boundless optimism of what college superstars might become in the pros.

Many of these college stars are already national household names before they start playing on Sundays, and this pipeline of high-profile talent has only boosted the NFL’s popularity.

It has made the draft an annual spectacle, attracting at least as many viewers in the US as an NBA Finals game, which is astonishing.

There’s just one problem this year – a lack of bona fide superstars.

Of the 32 players who will be selected in the first round in Pittsburgh on Friday morning Australian time, most NFL teams reportedly view only 14 or so as worthy of a first-round pick.

The number of true blue-chip prospects – i.e. ones that are expected to make an instant impact and become perennial All-Pro players – is likely much lower, possibly under five.

A big part of this is a lack of franchise quarterbacks in this year’s class, after many of the top prospects failed to live up to lofty expectations ahead of the past college season.

Passers such as Garrett Nussmeier, Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik had been expected to top this year’s draft but now are unlikely to hear their name called until Day 2 or 3.

However, this is not to say the class is entirely bereft of talent, and one must never forget prospect identification and development is more of an artform than a science.

Teams often miss on draft picks, sometimes spectacularly, and, of course, all 32 teams passed on the GOAT Tom Brady multiple times before he was drafted with the 199th pick in 2000.

So, it’s fair to say we won’t really know the quality of this draft class until the dust settles a few years from now.

But we do know a number of storylines that are guaranteed to provide intrigue in Round 1, so let’s dive into it.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS

While there’s no mystery about the No.1 overall pick in the NFL Draft – the Raiders are locked in to selecting Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza – what happens next for this franchise will be riveting. Mendoza is a clean-cut nerd, who led the Hoosiers to a historic National Championship, winning the Heisman Trophy for best player in college football along the way.

He’s not a slam dunk prospect, and a clear step down from QBs drafted in recent years, such as Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams, but he’s got moxie. If you were ranking him compared to past prospects, he’d slot in below the aforementioned players but above the likes of Cam Ward, Anthony Richardson and JJ McCarthy.

More importantly, Las Vegas desperately needs an answer at the position to pair with new offensively-minded head coach, Klint Kubiack, who is fresh off working miracles with Sam Darnold in Seattle’s Super Bowl victory.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is considered by many pundits to be the best player in this draft class, irrespective of positional value. But, because positional value IS a real thing, how high will this dynamic playmaker get drafted?

The rookie pay scale means selecting Love in the Top 5 would automatically make him one of the highest-paid RBs in the league, after wages at the position have steadily eroded over recent years.

That’s a tough pill to swallow, and most teams have found success drafting RBs in later rounds. That said, Love has been linked to the Titans at No.4, who might want to pair him with promising sophomore QB Cam Ward, despite having more pressing needs across the roster. It’s equally possible sanity prevails and Love falls a littler further, where he could be scooped up by almost any team picking in the Top 10.

NY STATE OF MIND

After a blockbuster trade to send star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals, the Giants obtained the No.10 pick to go with the No.5 pick they earned from not being good at football last season.

Obviously, this would be even better in a draft class stocked with blue-chip talent, but, because the G-Men don’t need a QB or edge rusher, they should get their pick of the best receiver, offensive lineman or defensive back. Not bad for the start of the new regime under former Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

CHIEF CONCERN

After winning three Super Bowls from five appearances in recent seasons, it’s bizarre to see this dynastic franchise picking in the top 10 (No.9), but that’s what happens when your historically good record in one-score games regresses to the mean.

This provides Kansas City a rare opportunity to add a genuine difference-maker to a roster that will undoubtedly be back in Super Bowl contention next season.

Making things even more interesting is the fact star QB Patrick Mahomes is coming of a serious knee injury and that roster isn’t getting any younger. Do they pick a top offensive lineman or try to replace the starting cornerbacks they traded away this offseason?

Or will they default to the shiny object and pick yet another burner at receiver, even though this strategy has failed to produce good outcomes in the past. The team also holds pick No.29, putting even more pressure on knocking this draft out of the park.

TRADING PLACES

The NFL Draft has increasingly seen a flurry of trades as traditionally conservative general managers become more aggressive to maximise Super Bowl windows.

Over the past five years, an average of 12 first-round picks have been traded each year, but repeating that number this year could be a challenge.

The dearth of blue-chip talent means many teams would love to trade backwards and secure more picks in the process, but it remains to be seen who will be willing to move up. It takes two to tango, as they say.

More likely could be teams willing to offload picks in a trade for proven veteran talent, with disgruntled Eagles wideout AJ Brown looming as the big domino to fall. You could make the case Brown would be the best first-round pick-up, so let’s see if the rumours swirling around the Patriots come to fruition.

The 2026 NFL Draft Round 1 begins in Australia on Friday at 10am AEST on 7MATE.