Ink It In: 2026 NFL Draft Picks to Sign Topps Now Cards Live on Stage in Pittsburgh

Draft night is one of the most electric nights on the NFL calendar — a collision of years of work, months of speculation, and a single moment that changes a young man's life forever. For NFL fans, the wait is almost over. The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off Thursday, April 23, live from Pittsburgh's Acrisure Stadium, and the atmosphere in Steel City is already buzzing. But this year, there's a layer of anticipation that extends beyond the usual mock draft debates and trade rumours. For trading card collectors, draft night 2026 carries its own special charge — because Topps is back, and they're bringing the hobby right onto the stage.

For the first time in the modern era of the NFL Draft, the moment a prospect hears his name called and walks across the stage could come with an added flourish — a pen in hand and a trading card to sign. As Topps makes its triumphant return to NFL football, the brand is weaving the hobby directly into the fabric of draft night in Pittsburgh, with select 2026 draftees expected to autograph Topps Now cards live on the Acrisure Stadium stage.

It's a move that captures something collectors have always known: the rookie card signature is where a career begins.

Fanatics Collectables, the NFL, and the NFLPA have announced a multi-year exclusive licensing deal that brings Topps back as the NFL's official trading card partner for the first time since 2016. And rather than quietly reintroduce itself through retail shelves, Topps is going big — making the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh a full-blown celebration of the hobby.

The return of Topps will be front and centre at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, with Fanatics and the NFL planning a multi-day, interactive celebration of the trading card hobby where fans can learn about collecting, receive free packs, and watch live pack openings throughout the event. 

The on-stage card signing is Topps Now at its purest: a product built around capturing moments as they happen, in real time. There is no greater moment for a football prospect than hearing his name called and walking up to shake the commissioner's hand. Adding a card signature to that ritual transforms a fleeting broadcast moment into a tangible piece of history — one that collectors can own within hours of the pick being announced.

And for the truly dedicated collector, the stakes are even higher. Each on-stage autograph is widely expected to be produced as a 1-of-1 Topps Now card — the ultimate chase in the hobby. A single copy, signed in the moment, of a player drafted into the NFL. There is no pulling another copy, no competing print run, no second chance. Whoever lands one of these cards will own the only one in existence, making it not just a collectable but a genuinely irreplaceable piece of NFL history. In a world where collectors are always chasing the rarest pull, it doesn't get rarer than this.

The 16 Prospects Headed to Pittsburgh

The NFL announced that 16 prospects have accepted invitations to attend the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, meaning they will be on-site in the green room and will walk out on stage to receive their jerseys from Commissioner Roger Goodell. Three colleges — Ohio State (five players), Alabama (two) and Miami (two) — will have multiple players on-site, with the Big Ten leading all conferences with six prospects confirmed to attend. 

Here is the full list of who will be on stage in Pittsburgh:

Offense

• Makai Lemon, WR – USC
• Jeremiyah Love, RB – Notre Dame
• Francis Mauigoa, OL – Miami
• Kadyn Proctor, T – Alabama
• Ty Simpson, QB – Alabama
• Carnell Tate, WR – Ohio State
• Jordyn Tyson, WR – Arizona State

Defense

• Rueben Bain Jr., DE – Miami
• David Bailey, LB – Texas Tech
• Mansoor Delane, DB – LSU
• Caleb Downs, DB – Ohio State
• Keldric Faulk, DE – Auburn
• Colton Hood, DB – Tennessee
• Kayden McDonald, DT – Ohio State
• Arvell Reese, LB – Ohio State
• Sonny Styles, LB – Ohio State

Defensive prospects make up nine of the 16 attendees, reflecting the strength of the draft on that side of the ball. The pass-rush talent in this year's class is impressive, led by Arvell Reese, David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr., and Keldric Faulk. Notably, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, widely expected to become the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders, will not attend and will instead watch the draft from a party at home.

NFL trading cards have seen explosive growth in recent years, with the league noting a nearly sixfold increase in sales since 2019. Topps Now, which has thrived in baseball by producing cards tied to specific game moments and milestones, is a natural fit for draft night. The window to order is brief, the print runs reflect actual demand, and the urgency is part of the appeal — and in the case of the 1-of-1 autographs, there is no window at all. Someone will simply own it.

The 2026 NFL Draft marks a meaningful moment for Topps as it reestablishes its presence in football cards, with the Topps Collector Destination representing a central meeting point where tradition meets the modern hobby. 

For collectors, the draft-night autograph adds a layer that even the most premium chrome parallels can't replicate — the pen hitting the card at the exact moment a career becomes official. A player signing his Topps Now card on the Acrisure Stadium stage, in his new team's hat, under the bright lights of draft night? That's not just a card. That's a document of a moment — and if it's a 1-of-1, it's a document only one person in the world will ever hold.

As one Fanatics executive put it, cards help fans become invested — you might pick up a card of a player you didn't know before, and suddenly you're following their games, watching highlights, buying the jersey. That connection starts with the card. 

With the 2026 NFL Draft just around the corner, Topps Now orders for draft-night signers are expected to go live immediately following the picks. For collectors, the advice is simple: stay ready, and don't miss the window.

The 2026 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 23, at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Rounds 2–3 follow on Friday, April 24, with Rounds 4–7 concluding Saturday, April 25.