Most simulators only let you trade with the computer. Here's which ones let CPU teams trade with each other — and what it actually looks like when they do.
Updated March 26, 2026
Quick answer: Three simulators offer CPU-to-CPU trades in 2026: Big Board Lab (32 individually built cognitive GM models reflecting real NFL GM tendencies, plus user-to-CPU trades), NFL Draft Buzz (toggle-based CPU trade system), and Pro Football Network (sim-to-sim trades). Every other major simulator — PFF, FanSpeak, NFL Mock Draft Database, StickToTheModel, Sportskeeda, Mock Draft Hero — only supports user-to-CPU trades.
In real NFL drafts, teams trade with each other constantly. The first round alone typically sees 3-5 trades — sometimes more. When Cam Ward starts sliding, somebody is calling to move up. When a team at pick 15 falls in love with an edge rusher still on the board at 8, they're working the phones.
Without CPU-to-CPU trades, your mock draft exists in a world where only you can change the order. Every other team sits at their assigned pick and waits. That's not how the draft works. CPU-to-CPU trades add the unpredictability that makes a simulation feel real — because it mirrors what actually happens.
| Simulator | CPU-CPU Trades | User-CPU Trades | GM Personalities | Trade Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Board Lab | ✓ | ✓ | 32 cognitive GMs | ~3-5 per first round |
| NFL Draft Buzz | ✓ | ✓ | Not specified | Variable |
| Pro Football Network | ✓ | ✓ | Needs-based | Variable |
| PFF | ✗ | ✓ (paid) | — | — |
| FanSpeak | ✗ | ✓ | — | — |
| NFL Mock Draft DB | ✗ | ✓ | — | — |
| StickToTheModel | ✗ | ✓ | — | — |
| Sportskeeda | ✗ | ✓ | — | — |
Big Board Lab's mock draft simulator features 32 individually built cognitive GM models, each reflecting the real tendencies of its NFL counterpart. During a simulation, you'll see historically aggressive teams jumping up the board when elite talent slides, while conservative front offices stay patient and let the board come to them. No two simulations play out the same way.
The variety of trade behavior is what makes it feel real. Teams that are competing for a championship treat their future capital differently than rebuilding teams stockpiling picks. You'll see trade-ups when a coveted prospect starts falling, trade-downs when a team sees value in accumulating assets — the same push and pull you see on actual draft night. Trade frequency lands in the 3-5 range per first round, matching real NFL data.
Every trade appears in the pick feed with a clear trade indicator so you can follow the action as it happens. And with user-to-CPU trades live, you can get in on the action yourself — packaging picks to move up for your guy or trading back to stockpile capital.
Beyond trades, Big Board Lab gives you a 458-prospect board with scouting reports, scheme fit analysis for every team, Team Insights pages with depth charts and roster context, draft grades when the sim finishes, and shareable draft cards to show off your results. The full experience is free.
NFL Draft Buzz offers a CPU-to-CPU trade toggle in the simulation settings. When enabled, CPU teams can execute trades during the draft. Their interface calls this an "exclusive feature" and recommends enabling it for the most realistic experience.
The specifics of their trade behavior aren't publicly documented — it's not clear how team-specific the trading is or what drives each deal. But the toggle exists and adds unpredictability to the draft when enabled.
Pro Football Network offers sim-to-sim trade functionality. Their system allows CPU-controlled teams to execute trades during the simulation, though the specifics of how trade decisions vary by team aren't detailed publicly. They also offer user-to-sim and sim-to-user trade modes.
Almost every simulator offers some form of user-to-CPU trading. PFF offers it for paid subscribers. FanSpeak uses the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart. Sportskeeda throws trade offers at you mid-round. StickToTheModel has a value-based trade calculator.
User-to-CPU trades are useful — you can trade up for your guy or trade down to accumulate picks. But they only change the order from your perspective. The rest of the draft plays out as if no other team has any interest in moving. That's the gap that CPU-to-CPU trades fill.
Big Board Lab supports both: CPU teams trade with each other throughout the simulation, and you can initiate trades yourself whenever you're on the clock. It's the closest thing to the full draft-night experience you'll find in a simulator.
If CPU-to-CPU trades are important to you — and for realistic simulations, they should be — your options are Big Board Lab, NFL Draft Buzz, and Pro Football Network. Big Board Lab is the only one with 32 individually built cognitive GM models, each reflecting how its real-world counterpart actually approaches the draft. Combined with user-to-CPU trades, scouting reports, scheme fit analysis, and draft grades, it's the most complete mock draft experience available. All three simulators are free.
32 cognitive GM models. CPU-to-CPU and user-to-CPU trades. 458 prospects with scouting reports and scheme fit. Free.
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