2026 NFL Draft Grades: First-Round Picks
Welcome to the 2026 NFL Draft! The action began at pick #3 and never let up from there (partially thanks to the new timing rule). Surprises appeared at every turn, with amazing and awful selections in equal measure. Two QBs were selected, and one was a shocker that may go down in infamy. You can check on my final mock draft , but it didn’t turn out to be incredibly accurate. Nobody’s did actually, as this was one of the toughest drafts to predict in recent memory. In this post, I’ll stick to what I do best: analyzing and grading the selected players. Here are my grades for each of the 32 picks made in the first round of the draft!
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana: B+
I graded this one earlier in the week. Sorry, but I was so insanely confident that this would be the pick that I decided to very slightly lighten my load. His odds were -20000 weeks ago. With only one QB viewed as a franchise talent and Las Vegas badly in need of a signal caller, they really had no choice. This isn’t the 2022 draft where nobody was even close to being worth the #1 pick. Mendoza is a national champion who just won the Heisman while running the table in the Big Ten. He is no sure thing, having shouldered a relatively light load in Indiana’s offense. If Tom Brady believes in him though, I’ll have to follow suit.
2. New York Jets – DE David Bailey, Texas Tech: A+
Confession: I got very few picks right in my mock, but this was one of them. Many posed the choice between Bailey and Arvell Reese as a decision between now and the future. I never agreed. Bailey was always the better pass rusher both today and as a projection. College production usually doesn’t lie, and Bailey racked up 14.5 sacks last year. He can win in so many different ways: speed, power, technique, you name it. His run defense does need some work, but that’s a secondary concern. New York had a chance to grab the one surefire pass rusher in this limited class, and they didn’t overthink it. Very good work.
3. Arizona Cardinals – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame: JAMARCUS RUSSELL
I refused to believe the smoke surrounding this one. Why would a team with so many roster holes and two of the best defenders in this class available take an RB? Those players ended up being Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, two Buckeyes who would’ve been fantastic for the Cardinals. The team also signed Tyler Allgeier in free agency and retained James Conner, so RB wasn’t even a need. Yet they spent the 3rd pick (I guess they couldn’t trade back) for an overrated RB who struggled when he faced good competition. I still like Love, but never this high and never for this team. Wasting resources like this is criminal.
4. Tennessee Titans – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State: D-
With Jeremiyah Love, at least there were whispers. Tennessee gave us our first true shocker of the night. I assumed HC Robert Saleh was doing a jig after he saw Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles both available. Instead, they took a WR2. Tate is a solid player, much like former teammate Emeka Egbuka last year. However, we’ve never seen him as “the guy” since Jeremiah Smith is OSU’s top dog. Tate’s 40 time not being great wasn’t as much of an issue, but he wasn’t an elite talent to me. I won’t fail Tennessee because helping QB Cam Ward is important, but the two defense guys were also needed and would’ve been far better options.
5. New York Giants – LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State: C+
I’m a little conflicted here. New York probably didn’t anticipate Reese being available, and they arguably went with the best player available (accounting for positional value). Just like last year with Abdul Carter though, why are the Giants spending top-5 picks on edge rushers they don’t need? Kayvon Thibodeaux may be on the move now, so this isn’t really an addition. Reese has excellent potential, and perhaps NYG plans to use him more at his college position of off-ball LB. If that’s what they wanted though, then they should’ve gone with Sonny Styles. I love the player they took, but I question the fit in the Big Apple.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (via Browns) – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU: B-
The fact that KC traded up from #9 wasn’t surprising (even if 3rd- and 5th-round picks comprised a hefty cost). Their selection at #6 was stunning. I don’t know why the Chiefs felt that they needed to leap over Washington, who only had eyes for Sonny Styles, or the Saints, who coveted a WR. As far as the fit, I’m a big fan of Delane with Steve Spagnuolo. He’s the best CB in this class once you consider Jermod McCoy’s knee, and Kansas City’s secondary is desperate for his services. Maybe the team simply didn’t know New Orleans’ priorities, but it seems like they could’ve gotten Delane at their original spot. I really like the match here at least.
7. Washington Commanders – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State: A+
GM Adam Peters’ dreams came true. Everyone knew that Washington wanted Styles. Peters had visions of Fred Warner in this kid from their time together in San Francisco. Maybe he even saw a bit of Bobby Wagner, who the Commanders are yet to re-sign. The issue was that almost nobody expected Styles to be available at #7. If you can show me a better athlete in this draft, I’d love to meet him. Styles is a freak who is just scratching the surface of his potential. He’ll be an alpha for a decade plus in Washington. The teams that didn’t overthink the obvious are the ones doing the best so far. Sometimes it’s not complicated.
8. New Orleans Saints – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State: B+
We don’t know for sure who New Orleans’ priority was, but it seems to have been Carnell Tate. They may be bummed that he wasn’t available, but I think they did better. Tyson is the draft’s best WR, and that’s probably not a debate. Only his injury history knocked his draft stock down a peg. I see true WR1 potential in Tyson, which is something I can’t say about any other receiver taken tonight. Furthermore, 2nd-year QB Tyler Shough needs support, with only Chris Olave as a truly viable target. I’m not crazy about a team taking their personal WR2 in the top 10, but the value is solid, and the Saints didn’t have many choices left.
9. Cleveland Browns (via Chiefs) – OT/G Spencer Fano, Utah: A+
Here’s something I don’t say very often: great job Browns! I correctly assigned Fano to them in my last mock with the idea that the 6th pick was for sale. What I didn’t know is that they’d find a taker. GM Andrew Berry navigated the board beautifully. He added two meaningful picks to move down just 3 spots, and then he got the guy he would’ve taken at 6 anyway. Fano could be a guard at the next level due to his short arms, but he may be able to stick at RT. The Browns need him
10. New York Giants – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami: C
Like they did with their first pick, the Giants spent a premium selection on a position they didn’t really need. Mauigoa is the best pure tackle prospect in the draft, but New York is pretty set on the edges. Maybe they envision him replacing Jermaine Eluemunor in a year, which would be an upgrade. I worry a bit about Mauigoa’s apparent back problem, but that’s not my biggest problem. Someone NYG really liked, Caleb Downs, was there for the taking. He would’ve filled a much bigger need. Don’t get me wrong: I’m very high on Mauigoa. It just seems like the Giants were too stubborn with their board and didn’t consider roster construction.
11. Dallas Cowboys (via Dolphins) – S Caleb Downs, Ohio State: A-
Unless someone notified Dallas that another team was planning to trade ahead of them for Downs, I don’t see why they traded two 5th-round picks to move up one slot. With a 1-slot trade, the team in front typically knows that the team they’re trading with isn’t targeting “their guy”. Regardless, that’s my only gripe here. As far as the pick itself, I think it’s fantastic. Downs is my #1 overall player, but he doesn’t play a highly-valued position. Dallas needs him though, and in a poor draft, the fact that he’s a safety doesn’t matter as much. This is one of my favorite picks, but the Cowboys get a slight ding for the trade.
12. Miami Dolphins (via Cowboys) – OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama: A
Miami’s new regime is off to a pretty good start. They’re probably the ones who tricked Dallas into thinking that they needed to trade up. That caused the Cowboys to hand them a pair of 5th-round selections for free. The Dolphins then didn’t panic once Mauigoa got picked in front of them and smoothly pivoted to Proctor. Detroit’s hearts broke when they did, as did the hopes of several other teams. Proctor has been rising because of his sky-high potential, and a rebuilding Miami team can be patient with his development. The Fins identified an impending run of tackles and got ahead of it while adding assets.
13. Los Angeles Rams – QB Ty Simpson, Alabama: URBAN MEYER’S PRO COACHING CAREER
My goodness. I assumed that the Jeremiyah Love pick would be this draft’s worst. Apparently it wasn’t even the dumbest pick by an NFC West team. LA had sniffed around on Simpson, but that was when they had the 29th pick. I would’ve hated that too. The Rams are Super Bowl favorites. They needed someone to help them win IMMEDIATELY. This reminds me of when the Packers drafted Jordan Love instead of helping Aaron Rodgers push for a ring. Los Angeles blew a golden chance to solidify their status and instead picked a position where they already have the reigning MVP. I didn’t expect this horrific thinking from Les Snead.
14. Baltimore Ravens – G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State: A
Finally a team went chalk. The fit was so natural here that Baltimore couldn’t avoid it. I’m sure Rueben Bain was a discussion, but making sure Lamar Jackson rebounds and Derrick Henry has room to run is the correct move. Taking a guard in the top 15 will never be flashy, but it’s what quality organizations do. Tom Brady once said that interior pressure scares him more than an edge rush. Who blocks interior rushers? Guards. Who creates running lanes? Guards. There’s a reason the Ravens have such great drafts. They let good prospects come to them while other teams act stupidly. I feel like I’ll be writing this every year in perpetuity.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr, Miami: A+
Many analysts noted how Tampa had eyes on Akheem Mesidor. We weren’t expecting his teammate (and superior prospect) to reach their pick. Once Kadyn Proctor got taken, the Bucs had no reason to trade. With Bain on the board, I’m not sure they would’ve moved anyway. I’m sure we’ll discuss his short arms plenty once pads go on. The fact is that he produced at a very high level in a Power 4 conference and in the CFP. His motor is relentless, and he’s a powerful rusher who has some bend to him. I think he knows how to work around his arms at this point, and Tampa Bay got themselves a much-needed steal.
16. New York Jets – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon: B-
As the Jets went on the clock, I figured we’d learn whether they liked Makai Lemon or Omar Cooper more. Both receivers were available after all. Nope. The Jets went with Sadiq a year after drafting Mason Taylor in the 2nd round. I can make two arguments for this pick. First, 2-TE sets are popular these days. Second, Sadiq is basically an oversized WR, so a weapon is a weapon in the end. My bigger issue is that I didn’t have Sadiq rated as highly as others did. He’s a good player, but not a round-1 pick to me. Still, he was projected to go in this range, so I can’t call him a reach from an analysis perspective.
17. Detroit Lions – OT Blake Miller, Clemson: B
Missing out on Kadyn Proctor was painful, but the way they redirected was eyebrow-raising. Instead of selecting Monroe Freeling, a high-upside player, they went with Miller, a different high-upside player but one who wasn’t as widely discussed. To be sure, Miller had been climbing draft boards in recent days, but he never went this high in any mock that I saw. There is a lot to like about Miller. His pass protection is ahead of his run blocking, and the former is usually the harder part. Miller is a durable player as well. I do wonder though if this means Penei Sewell will have to move to LT, as Miller is likely an RT only.
18. Minnesota Vikings – DT Caleb Banks, Florida: C+
One of the most popular picks was Dillon Thieneman to Minnesota. A DT was possible, but a second-round prospect with a recurring foot injury? From an ability perspective, Banks has it all. He’s a big body who can both play the run and rush the passer. There were plenty of other players for Minnesota to choose though, even at DT. Most analysts had Peter Woods and Kayden McDonald ahead of Banks. Putting aside the remaining safety hole, I understand the fit here, just not the value. Banks may well have been available with Minnesota’s second-round pick. The top safeties and edge rushers likely won’t.
19. Carolina Panthers – OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia: B+
Unfortunately, this pick is a bad sign about the state of Ikem Ekwonu’s knee. A torn patellar tendon is an awful injury, but it’s even worse for big linemen. Rasheed Walker is signed for just 1 year, and Taylor Moton is nearing the end of his contract as well. If I had to guess, Carolina saw their favorite players (including Kenyon Sadiq) fly off the board but noticed Freeling sitting there. The value became too great, and they had to pull the trigger. As much as I would’ve preferred an edge rusher or other defender in this spot, you can’t really go wrong when “best player available” and “offensive tackle” coincide this neatly.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (via Cowboys) – WR Makai Lemon, USC: B
A few years ago, Philly traded up with Dallas in the first round to take a WR (Devonta Smith). This draft, the intradivisional trade bug struck again, with the same two teams striking a deal so that the Eagles could grab a WR. If we weren’t sure that AJ Brown will be gone after June 1, we are now. The trade up needed to get Lemon was warranted, as he was apparently on the phone with Pittsburgh when Howie Roseman called. I find it very weird that Philadelphia would replace a diva receiver that has worn out his welcome with another potential headache, but Lemon is a very good player who should provide the offense some juice.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State: B+
Apparently the Steelers wanted Makai Lemon, but I didn’t love that fit. Iheanachor makes more sense. Whether Aaron Rodgers returns or not, QB protection is vital, and the Steelers need to run the ball. Iheanachor is very raw but is already a good run blocker. Personally, I would’ve gone with the stalwart pass protector in Caleb Lomu, but I get the thinking here. Pittsburgh is aiming for upside, and I do believe that a tackle was the proper selection with Broderick Jones’ neck not looking so good. Even if I disagree about the particular tackle to take, the process Pittsburgh is using is most definitely solid.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – DE Akheem Mesidor, Miami: D
I like Mesidor as much as the next guy, but there were 3 factors working against his status as a first-round pick. For starters, teams don’t love older prospects, and Mesidor is already 25. Next, his injury history is concerning. Finally, we don’t really know for sure, but it seems like Mesidor mostly racked up sacks because Rueben Bain did all the hard work. Who knows how Mesidor will fare when he’s the focus of an offense’s attention? An edge rusher was certainly an acceptable position to target. I would’ve gone with Keldric Faulk or Malachi Lawrence well before Mesidor though, as there are too many red flags for me.
23. Dallas Cowboys (via Eagles) – DE Malachi Lawrence, UCF: A
Jerry Jones has wanted a Micah Parsons replacement ever since he traded the star edge rusher away. Could this be the guy? The similarities are there: speed rushers with great athleticism but questionable run defense. I suspect this pick came down to Lawrence and Keldric Faulk, and I never fault a team for choosing production over potential. Lawrence has risen dramatically since his electric Combine performance, and his pass rushing is genuinely good. I like that the Cowboys traded down before making this pick, scooping up some bonus assets while targeting one of their weakest positions.
24. Cleveland Browns – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M: B-
Cleveland promised us that they’d come away from tonight with one tackle and one receiver. They kept their word. Which receiver they coveted was unknown, though Concepcion was third on my board among the receivers who were available. Omar Cooper and Denzel Boston still hadn’t heard their names called, and I think they’re more solid prospects. Concepcion definitely has upside and possesses explosion that the other two don’t. His returning skills are also welcome. I’ve heard questions about his maturity though, and I can’t help but have concerns about his hands due to drops. The talent is there, but this is a risky pick.
25. Chicago Bears – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon: A
If Chicago was in the “best defensive player available” mode, I don’t think they thought that Thieneman would be among their choices. Once again, safeties drop in round 1 regardless of their talent. I and many others had Thieneman going to Minnesota, but now he’ll play for their rival. The Bears needed a replacement for Jaquan Brisker, and in my opinion, they found an upgrade. Both players are very good in run support, but I think Thieneman’s speed and instincts make him a better coverage man. I also appreciate the value, as he could’ve gone 7 picks earlier and nobody would’ve complained one bit.
26. Houston Texans (via Bills) – G Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech: D
When Houston traded up to jump in front of San Francisco, my immediate reaction was “Great move. They needed to beat the 49ers to Caleb Lomu.” Except that’s not who they moved up for. They traded approximately a compensatory 4th-rounder in draft capital to select my 4th-ranked guard. The top guy (Olaivavega Ioane) was long gone, but Chase Bisontis and Emmanuel Pregnon were both available. Those two guards and Rutledge would’ve almost certainly been there for Houston at their original pick. And again, Lomu, the last of the 2nd tackle tier, should’ve been the pick. I like targeting the line, but Houston went about it stupidly.
27. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers) – CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State: B-
As with the last pick, I thought Miami was trading up in a shrewd maneuver. Some of the CBs were starting to fall, including both Volunteers (Jermod McCoy and Colton Hill). Surely if the Dolphins were trading a third-round pick to move up 3 spots, they wanted one of those players. Unlike Houston’s puzzling move though, Johnson is not a bad pick. I identified him as someone who could rise following the Combine, and indeed he has. Additionally, Miami targeted the correct position, as their CB group is in tatters. As much as I like Johnson though, he could’ve been taken at 30, and so could the other corners.
28. New England Patriots (via Bills) – OT Caleb Lomu, Utah: A+
Our third consecutive trade up was easily the best. New England was apparently the only team to notice Lomu falling because they sent a 4th-rounder to a division rival to get him. My statement in the Texans’ grade still holds: Lomu was the last high-end OT. I actually had him ahead of the 3 tackles who preceded him, as he possesses true LT upside. With how badly Will Campbell struggled last year, the Patriots couldn’t risk getting Drake Maye killed. If both guys develop well, they can figure out who moves where later. When you reach the Super Bowl, you have to attack your biggest weaknesses, and the Pats just handled theirs.
29. Kansas City Chiefs – DT Peter Woods, Clemson: A-
Despite the plethora of available corners at this spot, the Chiefs understandably didn’t want to double up at the position. They chose instead to address the defensive line, and they chose a strong fit. Woods is a big and powerful DT who complements the pass-rushing Chris Jones very well. He’s a case of potential over production, so we don’t know if he’ll be an effective interior rusher at the pro level. However, KC appears to be planning for Woods’ role to be more related to the running game, where we know he’s effective. That makes Kansas City an ideal landing spot for Woods, especially with Jones there to mentor him.
30. New York Jets (via 49ers) – WR Omar Cooper Jr, Indiana: A
Two first-round picks weren’t enough I guess! New York passed on Cooper at 16, but when they saw him still sitting there at 30, they went up and got him. I wasn’t sure that trading up was necessary since their trade partner (SF) needed a WR but didn’t seem interested in drafting Cooper. However, they only spent a 5th-round pick to leap 3 spots, which was a bargain relative to the other trades we saw. Cooper’s stock has been rising since he proved his speed at the Combine. He brings size, good route-running, and strong hands. His game is solid all around, and he gives the Jets yet another weapon for their future QB.
31. Tennessee Titans (via Bills) – DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn: A+
Another team jumped back into the first round, and the rationale was the same. The Titans saw a talented player dropping, and they seized the opportunity to grab him. Faulk was in play for the 20th pick or perhaps even earlier, so the value is great for Tennessee. I also adore the fit, as Faulk has ideal traits but needs to be developed. Enter Robert Saleh, one of the best DL tutors in the business. They paid approximately a compensatory 5th-round pick in capital to go and get Faulk, and I think he’s well worth it. This doesn’t make up for passing on the great defenders at #4 (they need multiple), but it’s an excellent move nonetheless.
32. Seattle Seahawks – RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame: B-
Of all the teams at the back end of the first round to stick and pick, Seattle?!? Ironically, they also went a predictable route. With Kenneth Walker gone and Zach Charbonnet coming off a torn ACL (which he suffered during the postseason), an RB was a top need. I really expected Seattle to trade down because they only had 4 picks coming into the draft, and now they’ve spent their top selection on an RB. That said, Price is my RB1 in this draft, and he’s an ideal complement to Seattle’s offense. His returning skills may go to waste with Rashid Shaheed around though, so my optimism surround the pick is slightly tempered.