The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books and what a wild one it was on Thursday night, especially if you were a Bills fan waiting for your team to pick (they kept trading down and finally out of the first round).
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza going No. 1 to the Las Vegas Raiders was expected, but there were a few surprises along the way. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs fell to 11, where the Dallas Cowboys scooped him up. The Los Angeles Rams pulled a bit of a shocker by selecting Alabama QB Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick.
The Jets ended up with three picks and vastly improved their roster.
Be sure to refresh this page throughout the weekend to get all the just in grades. If you want to do all that plus track the best available prospects and get access to every pick in the draft on one page, you can with our interactive draft tracker. This year, my pick-by-pick grades are being used to create real-time team report cards, so keep this page open throughout the weekend.
Grades: Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6 • Round 7
1. Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Grade: A
This was a no-brainer. Mendoza was the best quarterback in college football last season. That was especially the case under pressure and in clutch situations. He’s a perfect fit for Klint Kubiak’s offense.
2. Jets: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Grade: C-
Bailey is a solid pass-rusher who will give less athletic offensive tackles fits at the next level. He’s a hot-and-cold run defender, though, who struggles to set the edge. The Jets, unfortunately, already have one of those in Will McDonald
3. Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Grade: C+
Love is a special talent at the running back position and will immediately transform the Cardinals rushing attack. This grade isn’t an indictment of the caliber of player the Cardinals got, but the value for a team not built to contend without a quarterback. They’ll burn the most productive and cheap years for a player at a position with an already short career length.
4. Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Grade: B
Tate is exactly what the Titans don’t have on their roster: a rangy outside receiver with elite hands and crisp route-running chops. He’ll be a Cam Ward favorite from Day 1. While he doesn’t fit the physical profile of a usual top-5 pick at receiver, beggars can’t be choosers.
5. Giants: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio St.
Grade: A+
The Giants just became the scariest edge-rushing group in the NFL and truthfully it’s not even close. Their third down packages are going to be a true sprint to the quarterback. Reese has special play strength for someone with 4.46 speed. And he’s only scratching the surface at 20-years old.
6. Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Grade: B-
Delane is the safest pick at corner in this draft class. If you can do what he did in the SEC last season, you can produce in the NFL. It’s more the desperation of having to give up a third-rounder to do so that bumps this down. It’s a position that historically teams have been able to find later in the draft as the Chiefs themselves know well.
7. Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio St.
Grade: A
One of the least athletic front-sevens in the NFL a season ago completes their makeover with one of the most athletic linebackers in draft history. His ability to cover ground in coverage at his size is nothing short of special. He’ll allow Dan Quinn so much flexibility on the defensive side of the ball.
8. Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Grade: B+
Tyson got the best tape grade from me of all the receivers. His size, movement skills, and body control are that of a No. 1 receiver. And he’s the one receiver in the draft class that was truly treated as such by his offense as Arizona State went his way in every big situation. I can’t give it an A, though, because of his injury history as he missed time in all four of his collegiate seasons.
9. Browns: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
Grade: A+
Fano is the cleanest offensive lineman in the draft class. He pairs high-end athleticism with technical prowess and strong hands. He’s an elite zone blocker who has the size to play anywhere along the offensive line if needed. His arm length may scare some off, but it was never a massive issue for him on tape.
10. Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Grade: A-
The Giants lock in the missing piece to their starting five with Mauigoa. He’ll kick inside to right guard for now, where he’ll be a butt-kicker in the run game. His ability to move people off the line of scrimmage is special for a player who hasn’t even turned 21 yet. Jaxson Dart is somewhere celebrating.
11. Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St.
Grade: A
The much-maligned Cowboys secondary got a much-needed infusion of both talent and leadership. Downs is a true do-it-all safety with no true holes in his game. Downs will be able to do anything that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker asks him to do on the back end.
12. Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Grade: A+
Proctor has the most prodigious power in this tackle class with special movement skills for a 350+ pounder. His weight will be worth monitoring, but when he was at his trimmest, Proctor was dominant at the end of the season. He can start inside at guard or stick at tackle.
13. Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Grade: A
Simpson showed high-end ability last season before injuries started piling up. He understands how to attack tight windows and play with the anticipation necessary to translate to the NFL. I also think he gets underrated physically as he’s got very light feet in the pocket and an NFL-caliber arm. The Rams don’t plan on picking this high until Matthew Stafford retires, and now they have their transition plan.
14. Ravens: Vega Ioane, OL, Penn State
Grade: A
The mock drafts finally nailed one. Ioane is an incredibly clean guard prospect. I’ve described his tape as “boring” repeatedly, which is exactly what you want from a guard. He ends pass pro reps before they start with his quick sets and strong anchor. He’s exactly what the Ravens were missing up front.
15. Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
Grade: A+
Bain was the most dominant force in college football last season. He can set a hard edge in the run game and collapse pockets with ease. What I love most about his game is that he almost never came off the field for the runner-up Hurricanes last year. He fills what was easily the biggest need on the Bucs.
16. Jets: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Grade: B+
The Jets add one of the most explosive tight ends in NFL history to a budding offense. I’m guessing we’ll see a lot of 12 personnel (1-back, 2-tight ends) in New York this season after they took Mason Taylor in the 2nd-round last year. That’s Sadiq’s ideal role, though, as a movable TE2 who can block in space and run past linebackers. He’s still raw as a route-runner, but athletes like him don’t come around every year.
17. Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
Grade: C
Miller is an explosive and experienced offensive tackle who will fit in perfectly with the culture they’ve built in Detroit. This likely confirms Penei Sewell to the left side as Miller was a four-year starter at right tackle. Why I went lower with the grade here is because it felt like the Lions prioritized readiness given their tackle need over best player available.
18. Vikings: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Grade: D
Banks is the most prodigious physical talent in this defensive tackle class. At 6-foot-6, 327 pounds with an over 7-foot wingspan, when he fires off low into contact, he’s nearly impossible to block. The worry is that we never saw it consistently before his 2025 season was cut short with a foot injury that required surgery. He then had another foot surgery after an injury suffered during the combine week. That’s a big swing for the Vikings to take at 18.
19. Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
Grade: B+
Freeling is a wild card in this offensive tackle class. That’s because he really only started looking like a first-round tackle for the final few games of 2025. He’s got prototypical left tackle size and athleticism, though, to develop and he goes to a spot where they don’t need him to start right away after the Rasheed Walker signing.
20. Eagles: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Grade: A
With AJ Brown’s impending departure, the Eagles get an NFL-ready receiver who plays with a similar physicality – even if he doesn’t have Brown’s size. Lemons has very few weaknesses outside of his size and should be able to step into a slot role and be productive from Day 1.
21. Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State
Grade: B+
This is definitely not a win-now move, but I like it. Iheanachor has the most intriguing developmental tools in the draft class, with truly everything you could want to play the tackle position in the NFL. And the kicker: he only started playing football five years ago. For the Steelers, they won’t necessarily need him to start Year 1 with Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu already set at tackle.
22. Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami
Grade: B+
Mesidor’s tape this past fall was top-10-pick-worthy. He was truly dominant vs. both run and pass. The problem is he doesn’t quite have top-10 tools and at 25 years old is one of the oldest position players after being drafted in the first round. The Chargers need the help ASAP, though, and Mesidor will bring that.
23. Cowboys: Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
Grade: C
Lawrence has the highest-end tools in this edge class after the players who went top 5. His explosiveness is all over his tape. He’s undoubtedly a project, though, who flashed more on reps than he did for long stretches of time. What worries me about this pick was his lack of awareness in the run game, which was already an issue for the Cowboys’ edges last year.
24. Browns: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
Grade: A+
Concepcion was the best separator in the entire draft class. He can win with with speed, wiggle, and physicality at times. He can play on both the outside or slot for the Browns and has even taken 68 handoffs in his career. The only issue is a 9.3% career drop rate. If his hands improve, the Browns got a steal.
25. Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
Grade: B
Thieneman is exactly the kind of player the Bears were looking for this offseason: a deep safety with range. Thieneman had eight picks and 11 pass-breakups in his college career to go along with 4.35 speed. He’ll be a Day 1 starter for Chicago.
26. Texans: Keylan Rutledge, OL, Georgia Tech
Grade: A-
Rutledge fits exactly what the Texans’ offense morphed into down the stretch last season. He’s a hard-nosed guard who you’ll never have to worry about playing through the whistle. He’s a people mover at the point of attack and physical in pass protection. The Texans get a building-block piece to protect C.J. Stroud.
27. Dolphins: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
Grade: A
The Dolphins just got another cornerstone piece at pick 27. Johnson’s tape was incredibly clean last fall as he dominated the Mountain West. The cherry on top was his Senior Bowl performance, where, in my opinion, he was the most impressive cornerback in attendance. Miami agreed. While Johnson doesn’t “wow” physically, he impresses with his reliability and technical prowess.
28. Patriots: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
Grade: A+
To get a tackle with Lomu’s tape in pass protection at 28 overall is nothing short of a steal. He falls here because he needs to get stronger, more consistent, and play with more edge, but he goes to a great spot to develop himself in all three areas. He has special feet and hand usage on tape to be their future starting tackle.
29. Chiefs: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
Grade: A+
With Chris Jones turning 32 this offseason, the Chiefs nab his successor in Peter Woods. He’s a quintessential 3-technique with an incredible blend of explosiveness and play strength. He falls to this point in the draft because of lackluster tape this past fall compared to 2024, but now he gets to learn from the best in the business on how to rush the passer.
30. Jets: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
Grade: A+
What a special receiving corps the Jets are building. Cooper is the exact skill set they were missing in that unit. A rugged receiver who can consistently make tough catches over the middle of the field and create after the catch. Getting both him and Kenyon Sadiq in this draft will make Geno Smith’s job a lot easier this fall.
31. Titans: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
Grade: B+
The Titans complete the overhaul of their non-existent edge room from a season ago with one of the draft’s best run defenders. Faulk has the length to be a hard edge-setter across from Jermaine Johnson in the Titans’ defense. He also has the body type to kick inside and rush the passer. He’ll need some development as a true rusher, but he offers intriguing tools in that regard.
32. Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
Grade: B-
Price is not only the best back available, but he’s also the only one if you want a true starter based on my evaluations of this class. For that reason, it felt like a necessity for the Super Bowl champs who lost Kenneth Walker this offseason. Price has tremendous vision and runs decisively. His learning curve will be minimal when translating to the league.
