Higher Register: 2026 NFL Draft Edition!!!

The Rich Eisen Show resurrected its Higher Register segment for a 2026 NFL Draft-day edition, with Chris Brockman, TJ Jefferson, and Rich himself trading takes designed to land in the upper octaves of plausibility, a bit Rich introduced by explaining the rules to anyone who had not heard a guest betray themselves earlier in the day.

Rich pointed back to Rod Woodson's appearance as a perfect example. "He's like, 'You know, you've done pretty well,'" Rich recalled. "I'm like, do you know you went higher register, which means you don't believe what you just said? And he went, 'No, no,' which doubled down on the registering."

Brockman went first, predicting that the trade winds swirling around Brandon Aiyuk, George Pickens, and Brian Thomas would translate to actual moves before the night ended. "I think, guys, we're going to see some star players traded this weekend," Brockman said. "Some guys are going to get booed." Rich diagnosed the delivery in real time. "Sometimes your higher register is like some part of your anatomy's getting squeezed. That's the only way I know how to do it, apparently."

TJ accused Brockman of stealing his angle, then committed to a Cowboys-specific version anyway. "My higher register was going to be, with all the talk about George Pickens and the Cowboys and getting this contract done, the Dallas Cowboys, they're going to end up trading George Pickens tonight," TJ said. Rich rejected the premise on cap and timing grounds. "He's playing for the Cowboys this year on the tag. This is negotiating. They don't have to make this decision till mid-June. You're going to pay two wide receivers over $100 million?"

Rich's own higher register turned on the New York Jets and their two first-round picks at No. 2 and No. 16. He walked through the optics: David Bailey rumored at second overall, Arvell Reese causing teams to consider trading up, and the Jets canceling Bailey's top-30 visit, before delivering the punchline.

"I think the Jets are going to nail this thing tonight," Rich said. "They canceled the top-30 visit because they're going to take Bailey, and they're making you the right decision, and they're going to get the right guy at 16 because they had a top 30 visit. What could go wrong? I have faith in them." The room laughed. TJ, deadpan, returned the volley: "I know you do. I do not have faith in them."