2026 NFL Draft Grades: Full team-by-team report card for all 32 teams
For NFL fan bases, the draft can feel like Groundhog Day - not the Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray, though Jets and Browns fans might argue they've been living in a time loop for years.
No, this is the other Groundhog Day - the ritual rooted in Pennsylvania Dutch folklore, where one glimpse of a shadow can stretch winter indefinitely, and its absence signals something better on the horizon.
That's the NFL Draft in a nutshell.
Every April, 32 general managers retreat to their war rooms, and over three days, they don't just pick players, they shape belief.
One class can convince a fan base that spring is coming. Another can make it feel like winter never left.
Every front office leaves convinced it got tougher, faster, smarter and more financially efficient. Every fan base spends the weekend talking itself into fourth-round guards, sixth-round edge rushers and undrafted slot receivers.
That is the beauty of the thing. For three days, everyone is undefeated.
This year's draft was especially revealing because it forced teams into some uncomfortable choices.
Do you chase premium positions or simply take the best football player? Do you draft for the roster you have now or the cap sheet you will have two years from now? Do you keep preaching positional value when Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles and Jeremiyah Love are staring at you from the top of the board?
The best classes balanced talent, need and future payroll pressure. The worst ones either got too cute, overpaid for replaceable positions or left obvious holes untouched.
The draft sells hope to everyone. The smart teams bought value, too.
Which teams fared the best this past weekend in Pittsburgh and which teams didn’t maximize their opportunity to get better? Here is the full team-by-team breakdown, and my draft grades for 2026:
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
Grade: B+
Draft picks: Round 3 (66th overall) Tyler Onyedim, DT, Texas A&M; 4 (108) Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington; 4 (111) Kage Casey, OT, Boise State; 5 (152) Justin Joly, TE, NC State; 7 (246) Miles Scott, S, Illinois; 7 (256) Dallen Bentley, TE, Utah; 7 (257) Red Murdock, LB, Buffalo.
Notable undrafted free agents: Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M; Dane Key, WR, Nebraska; Brent Austin, CB, Cal; Dasan McCullough, EDGE, Nebraska.
The lowdown: Denver's draft only makes sense when you fold Jaylen Waddle into the weekend equation, but once you do, the class looks functional and targeted. Still, without a first-rounder, this was more about depth and role players than real roster transformation, and that limits how high the grade can go.
Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (6) Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU; 1 (29) Peter Woods, DT, Clemson; 2 (40) R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma; 4 (109) Jadon Canady, CB, Oregon; 5 (161) Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska; 5 (176) Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati; 7 (249) Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU.
Notable UDFAs: Jaydn Ott, RB, Oklahoma; Jeff Caldwell, WR, Cincinnati; Omari Evans, WR, Washington; John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming; VJ Anthony, EDGE, Duke; Xavier Nwankpa, S, Iowa; Bryce Phillips, DB, San Diego State; Wesley Bissainthe, LB, Miami; EJ Smith, RB, Texas A&M.
The lowdown: Kansas City attacked premium defensive positions with serious intent, and Delane-Woods-Thomas could wind up one of the better top trios in the league. The only caution is that the Chiefs were drafting from a position of strength and still leaned projection-heavy on a few picks, but that is a very small complaint for a very sharp weekend.
Las Vegas Raiders
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (1) Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana; 2 (38) Treydan Stukes, S, Arizona; 3 (67) Keyron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn; 3 (91) Trey Zuhn III, C, Texas A&M; 4 (101) Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee; 4 (122) Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas; 5 (150) Dalton Johnson, S, Arizona; 5 (175) Hezekiah Masses, CB, California; 6 (195) Malik Benson, WR, Oregon; 7 (229) Brandon Cleveland, DT, NC State.
Notable UDFAs: Roman Hemby, RB, Indiana; Sawyer Robertson, QB, Baylor.
The lowdown: Mendoza was the obvious franchise-quarterback swing, and the Raiders smartly kept stacking support and secondary depth behind him. The only nitpick is that any class starting 1-1 always gets a natural boost, but Vegas backed it up with multiple smart Day 2 and Day 3 value plays. Especially McCoy in the fourth if his knee cooperates.
Los Angeles Chargers
Grade: B+
Draft picks: 1 (22) Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami; 2 (63) Jake Slaughter, C, Florida; 4 (105) Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State; 4 (117) Travis Burke, OT, Memphis; 4 (131) Genesis Smith, S, Arizona; 5 (145) Nick Barrett, DT, South Carolina; 6 (202) Logan Taylor, OG, Boston College; 6 (206) Alex Harkey, OG, Oregon.
Notable UDFAs: Avery Smith, CB, Toledo; Isaiah World, OT, Oregon; Lander Barton, LB, Utah.
The lowdown: Mesidor and Slaughter were ready-made answers for the kind of rugged roster Jim Harbaugh wants, and Thompson adds needed vertical speed. GM Joe Hortiz especially hammered the interior O-line, which was a must in this draft. I would’ve preferred them not waiting to address linebacker, but Utah’s Barton has potential as a priority free agent.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
Grade: A
Draft picks: 2 (35) T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson; 2 (62) Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State; 4 (102) Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College; 4 (125) Skyler Bell, WR, UConn; 4 (126) Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU; 5 (167) Jalon Kilgore, S, South Carolina; 5 (181) Zane Durant, DT, Penn State; 7 (220) Toriano Pride Jr., CB, Missouri; 7 (239) Tommy Doman, P, Florida; 7 (241) Ar'maj Reed-Adams, G, Texas A&M.
Notable UDFAs: Desmond Reid, RB, Pitt.
The lowdown: Buffalo addressed edge and corner quickly, which made sense for a contender trying to stay ahead defensively. The Bills original second-rounder was used to acquire DJ Moore, but GM Brandon Beane traded down three times in Round 1 to gain additional mid-round selections and might have hit on every single one.
Miami Dolphins
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (12) Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama; 1 (27) Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State; 2 (43) Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech; 3 (75) Caleb Douglas, WR, Texas Tech; 3 (87) Will Kacmarek, TE, Ohio State; 3 (94) Chris Bell, WR, Louisville; 4 (130) Trey Moore, LB, Texas; 4 (138) Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh; 5 (158) Michael Taaffe, S, Texas; 5 (177) Kevin Coleman Jr., WR, Missouri.
Notable UDFAs: Mark Gronowski, QB, Iowa; Mason Reiger, LB, Wisconsin; Louis Moore, S, Indiana; Rene Konga, DT, Louisville.
The lowdown: Miami hit Ctrl+Z on the front office, coach and roster this offseason. I applaud the Johnson, Rodriguez, Bell and Louis picks, but Proctor, Douglas and Kacmarek all felt like reaches. The hit rate needs to be strong for this haul to fully justify itself.
New England Patriots
Grade: B-
Draft picks: 1 (28) Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah; 2 (55) Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois; 3 (95) Eli Raridon, TE, Notre Dame; 5 (171) Karon Prunty, CB, Wake Forest; 6 (196) Dametrious Crownover, OT, Texas A&M; 6 (212) Namdi Obiazor, LB, TCU; 7 (234) Behren Morton, QB, Texas Tech; 7 (245) Jam Miller, RB, Alabama; 7 (247) Quintayvious Hutchins, EDGE, Boston College.
Notable UDFAs: None.
The lowdown: New England moved with purpose for Lomu and Jacas, and both picks lined up neatly with the roster's need for more young trench talent. The class just did not have much explosiveness after the top two, so it feels like a solid weekend, but I would have rather them add another receiver, considering how talented the class was. Yeah, I know they’re likely trading for A.J. Brown, but still.
New York Jets
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (2) David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech; 1 (16) Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon; 1 (30) Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana; 2 (50) D'Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana; 4 (103) Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State; 4 (110) Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson; 6 (188) Anez Cooper, OG, Miami; 7 (228) VJ Payne, S, Kansas State.
Notable UDFAs: Mory Bamba, CB, BYU; Chip Trayanum, RB, Toledo.
The lowdown: The Jets came out of Round 1 with a pass rusher, a matchup tight end and a receiver, which is exactly how you attack a roster with both immediate and long-term offensive needs. Plus, Ponds is one of my favorite players in this entire class. The only caution is that they also spent heavily on pass-catchers without fully solving every protection question on the interior, and Klubnik in Round 4 is a swing, not a solution.
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (14) Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State; 2 (45) Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri; 3 (80) Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, USC; 4 (115) Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana; 4 (133) Matthew Hibner, TE, SMU; 5 (162) Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke; 5 (173) Josh Cuevas, TE, Alabama; 5 (174) Adam Randall, RB, Clemson; 6 (211) Ryan Eckley, P, Michigan State; 7 (250) Rayshaun Benny, DT, Michigan; 7 (253) Evan Beerntsen, G, Northwestern.
Notable UDFAs: Nick Dawkins, C, Penn State; Diego Pounds, OT, Ole Miss.
The lowdown: Ioane and Young were classic Ravens value and fit, and Baltimore smartly added some pass-catchers for Lamar Jackson. The class could use more obvious star upside beyond Ioane. Would it have been better to sacrifice the top-tier guard and next year’s first-round pick for Maxx Crosby?
Cincinnati Bengals
Grade: B
Draft picks: 2 (41) Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M; 3 (72) Tacario Davis, CB, Washington; 4 (128) Connor Lew, C, Auburn; 4 (140) Colbie Young, WR, Georgia; 6 (189) Brian Parker II, C, Duke; 7 (221) Jack Endries, TE, Texas; 7 (226) Landon Robinson, DT, Navy.
Notable UDFAs: Jack Dingle, LB, Cincinnati; Eric Gentry, LB, USC.
The lowdown: After using the No. 10 pick in the Dexter Lawrence trade, Cincinnati still found useful help on the edge and at corner. Joe Burrow should benefit greatly with the additions of Lew and Parker. But without a first-round rookie added to the class itself - a pick that would have certainly been Caleb Downs or Rueben Bain Jr. - the Bengals were always fighting an optics problem, and the overall haul still feels thinner than the league's best weekends.
Cleveland Browns
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (9) Spencer Fano, OT, Utah; 1 (24) KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M; 2 (39) Denzel Boston, WR, Washington; 2 (58) Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo; 3 (86) Austin Barber, OT, Florida; 5 (146) Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama; 5 (149) Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama; 5 (170) Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati; 6 (182) Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas; 7 (248) Carsen Ryan, TE, BYU.
Notable UDFAs: Logan Fano, EDGE, Utah; Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, Florida.
The lowdown: Cleveland kept hitting value pockets, upgraded the offensive tackle spot, and gave itself much-needed playmaker help at receiver. Also, I may or may not have placed a sizeable wager on Polymarket that Green would be the Browns’ starting QB by the end of the season. Who’s to say?
Pittsburgh Steelers
Grade: B+
Draft picks: 1 (21) Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State; 2 (47) Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama; 3 (76) Drew Allar, QB, Penn State; 3 (85) Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia; 3 (96) Gennings Dunker, OT, Iowa; 4 (121) Kaden Wetjen, WR, Iowa; 5 (169) Riley Nowakowski, TE, Indiana; 6 (210) Gabriel Rubio, DT, Notre Dame; 7 (224) Robert Spears-Jennings, S, Oklahoma; 7 (230) Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy.
Notable UDFAs: Lake McRee, TE, USC; Devan Boykin, DB, Indiana.
The lowdown: Iheanachor and Dunker improve the line pipeline, and Bernard adds polish at receiver. Wetjen and Heidenreich are also two top-tier, versatile playmakers. If Allar is just another developmental tease, this class loses some of its shine, but I like the swing.
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (26) Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech; 2 (36) Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State; 2 (59) Marlin Klein, TE, Michigan; 4 (106) Febechi Nwaiwu, OG, Oklahoma; 4 (123) Wade Woodaz, LB, Clemson; 5 (141) Kamari Ramsey, S, USC; 6 (204) Lewis Bond, WR, Boston College; 7 (243) Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana.
Notable UDFAs: Noah Whittington, RB, Oregon; Jalen Walthall, WR, Incarnate Word; Collin Wright, CB, Stanford.
The lowdown: Houston clearly saw the interior line and front-seven sturdiness as priorities, and Rutledge/McDonald were direct answers to that. But it was not the flashiest class around C.J. Stroud, and if Klein or the line additions don't pop quickly, it may feel like a safe draft that missed a chance to be more dynamic.
Indianapolis Colts
Grade: B+
Draft picks: 2 (53) CJ Allen, LB, Georgia; 3 (78) A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU; 4 (113) Jalen Farmer, OG, Kentucky; 4 (135) Bryce Boettcher, LB, Oregon; 5 (156) George Gumbs Jr., EDGE, Florida; 6 (214) Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State; 7 (237) Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky; 7 (254) Deion Burks, WR, Oklahoma.
Notable UDFAs: Austin Brown, S, Wisconsin; West Weeks, LB, LSU.
The lowdown: The Colts did not have a first-rounder, but Allen and Haulcy gave them athletic second-level defenders with immediate roles. The downside is obvious: without premium capital, Indy had to piece together a class, and the offensive side still could have used more headline help despite Burks possibly ending up as one of the draft’s best values.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: D+
Draft picks: 2 (56) Nate Boerkircher, TE, Texas A&M; 3 (81) Albert Regis, DL, Texas A&M; 3 (88) Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon; 3 (100) Jalen Huskey, S, Maryland; 4 (119) Wesley Williams, EDGE, Duke; 5 (164) Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston; 6 (191) Josh Cameron, WR, Baylor; 6 (203) CJ Williams, WR, Stanford; 7 (233) Zach Durfee, EDGE, Washington; 7 (240) Parker Hughes, LB, Middle Tennessee.
Notable UDFAs: Joey Aguilar, QB, Tennessee; Jalen Hunt, DT, Cincinnati; Ben Patterson, WR, Texas-Permian Basin; Bryan Thomas Jr., EDGE, South Carolina; Trebor Pena, WR, Penn State; Garrett DiGiorgio, OT, UCLA; J’Mari Taylor, RB, Virginia.
The lowdown: Regis and Pregnon were sensible stabilizers, and the Jaguars at least added rotational depth in several spots. But league reaction was harsh for a reason: this class lacked premium punch, doubled down on secondary-tier positions, and featured a significant reach with its first selection (Boerkircher).
Tennessee Titans
Grade: B+
Draft picks: 1 (4) Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State; 1 (31) Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn; 2 (60) Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas; 5 (142) Fernando Carmona, OG, Arkansas; 5 (165) Nicholas Singleton, RB, Penn State; 6 (184) Jackie Marshall, DT, Baylor; 6 (194) Pat Coogan, C, Indiana; 7 (225) Jaren Kanak, TE, Oklahoma.
Notable UDFAs: Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Carroll; Latrell McCutchin, CB, Houston; Bishop Fitzgerald, S, USC; Shad Banks Jr., LB, UTSA; Aamil Wagner, OT, Notre Dame.
The lowdown: Tate and Faulk gave Tennessee first-round juice at two premium spots, and Hill added more speed/dynamism to the front seven while lessening the affect of passing on Arvell Reese. The criticism is that there is still a fair amount of projection baked in, especially if Faulk's pass-rush finishing never fully catches up to his traits.
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals
Grade: B-
Draft picks: 1 (3) Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame; 2 (34) Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M; 3 (65) Carson Beck, QB, Miami; 4 (104) Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana; 5 (143) Reggie Virgil, WR, Texas Tech; 6 (183) Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa; 7 (217) Jayden Williams, OT, Ole Miss.
Notable UDFAs: Elijah Culp, CB, James Madison; Tre Wallace, WR, Ole Miss.
The lowdown: Love is a star talent, Bisontis helps a line that needed sturdier interior play, and Beck is at least a worthwhile swing at the game's most important position. This grade slips to a C+ if Arizona eventually relents and grants Pro-Bowl pass rusher Josh Sweat’s trade request.
L.A. Rams
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (13) Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama; 2 (61) Max Klare, TE, Ohio State; 3 (93) Keagen Trost, OT, Missouri; 6 (197) CJ Daniels, WR, Miami; 7 (232) Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama.
Notable UDFAs: Matthew Caldwell, QB, Texas; Eddie Walls, EDGE, Houston; Austin Blaske, OL, North Carolina; Nikhai Hill-Green, LB, Alabama.
The lowdown: Simpson gives Sean McVay a real developmental quarterback with starter upside, and I really believe Daniels, a sixth-round pick, will be an eventual starter opposite Puka Nacua at receiver. But how many tight ends does McVay need? This class was already going to be thin, and betting big on a QB at 13 means the Rams passed on more immediate help for a roster with Super Bowl aspirations.
San Francisco 49ers
Grade: C+
Draft picks: 2 (33) De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss; 3 (70) Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech; 3 (90) Kaelon Black, RB, Indiana; 4 (107) Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma; 4 (127) Carver Willis, OT, Washington; 4 (139) Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington; 5 (154) Jaden Dugger, LB, Louisiana; 5 (179) Enrique Cruz Jr., OT, Kansas.
Notable UDFAs: James Thompson, DT, Illinois; Will Pauling, WR, Notre Dame; Khalil Dinkins, TE, Penn State; Mikhail Kamara, EDGE, Indiana; Wesley Grimes, WR, NC State.
The lowdown: Stribling, Halton, Prysock and the two tackle swings at least addressed some trench and depth concerns. But San Francisco again chased skill players and board-stretchers earlier than I would have liked, and for a team that needed cleaner value discipline, the opportunity cost was hard to ignore. I identified both Height and Black as potential Niners early in the process, but the way the board fell, Black would’ve been available on Day 3 and GM John Lynch had four 4th-rounders to play with. Also, how long can you kick the can down the road on finding an understudy for future Hall of Famer Trent Williams? Willis is a good get, but he’ll likely end up on the interior and Kansas’ Cruz is an uber-athletic lump of clay.
Seattle Seahawks
Grade: C
Draft picks: 1 (32) Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame; 2 (64) Bud Clark, S, TCU; 3 (99) Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas; 5 (148) Beau Stephens, OG, Iowa; 6 (199) Emmanuel Henderson Jr., WR, Kansas; 7 (236) Andre Fuller, CB, Toledo; 7 (242) Deven Eastern, DT, Minnesota; 7 (255) Michael Dansby, CB, Arizona.
Notable UDFAs: Devean Deal, LB, TCU; Uso Seumalo, DT, Kansas State; Lance Mason, TE, Wisconsin.
The lowdown: Clark, Neal and Stephens were practical answers for a roster that needed more defensive back help and interior toughness. Opening with a first-round running back is a luxury pick champions get to prioritize, but Seattle left itself needing more premium-position juice than this class delivered, especially at edge rusher.
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (11) Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State; 1 (23) Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF; 3 (92) Jaishawn Barham, EDGE, Michigan; 4 (112) Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State; 4 (114) Devin Moore, CB, Florida; 4 (137) LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama; 7 (218) Anthony Smith, WR, East Carolina.
Notable UDFAs: Jordan Hudson, WR, SMU; Michael Trigg, TE, Baylor.
The lowdown: Dallas kicked the defensive overhaul into high gear. Downs is a tone-setter, while Lawrence and Barham give the Cowboys two high-upside pass-rush pieces at a premium position. Both Moore and Overton have a real shot at becoming starters as well.
New York Giants
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (5) Arvell Reese, EDGE/LB, Ohio State; 1 (10) Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami; 2 (37) Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee; 3 (74) Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame; 6 (186) Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, Auburn; 6 (192) J.C. Davis, OT, Illinois; 6 (193) Jack Kelly, LB, BYU.
Notable UDFAs: Ben Mann, LS, Boston College; Thaddeus Dixon, CB, North Carolina; Dominic Zvada, K, Michigan; Anquin Barnes, DT, Colorado.
The lowdown: Reese and Mauigoa gave the Giants two cornerstone-caliber premium players in the top 10, and Hood/Fields fit obvious support needs around the core. The cost to move for Fields was a bit rich - three picks, including a fourth-rounder in 2027 - but this is what a roster-building draft is supposed to look like.
Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (20) Makai Lemon, WR, USC; 2 (54) Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt; 3 (68) Markel Bell, OT, Miami; 5 (178) Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State; 6 (207) Micah Morris, OG, Georgia; 7 (244) Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech; 7 (251) Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria; 7 (252) Keyshawn James-Newby, EDGE, New Mexico.
Notable UDFAs: Dae-Quan Wright, TE, Ole Miss; Deontae Lawson, LB, Alabama; Jaeden Roberts, OL, Alabama; Tucker Large, DB, Washington State.
The lowdown: Lemon is exactly the kind of explosive yards-after-catch piece Philly can weaponize quickly, and Bell/Morris continued the annual line-stockpiling tradition. The complaint is that the Eagles passed on some bigger defensive swings early, and the class felt more like roster maintenance than another Howie Roseman heist.
Washington Commanders
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (7) Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State; 3 (71) Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson; 5 (147) Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee; 6 (187) Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State; 6 (209) Matt Gulbin, C, Michigan State; 7 (223) Athan Kaliakmanis, QB, Rutgers.
Notable UDFAs: Fred Davis, DB, Northwestern; Malik Spencer, S, Michigan State; Tanoa Togiai, G, Utah; Quentin Moore, TE, Washington; Jeffrey M'ba, DL, SMU; Chris Hilton, WR, LSU.
The lowdown: Styles was one of the cleanest need-meets-talent picks of Round 1, and Williams/Josephs gave the Commanders useful offensive and pass-rush help. The class was a little light on volume (only two top-100 picks) and trench heft, though, so Washington still has work to do around Jayden Daniels.
NFC NORTH
Chicago Bears
Grade: B-
Draft picks: 1 (25) Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon; 2 (57) Logan Jones, C, Iowa; 3 (69) Sam Roush, TE, Stanford; 3 (89) Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU; 4 (124) Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas; 5 (166) Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State; 6 (213) Jordan Van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech.
Notable UDFAs: Gabriel Plascencia, K, San Diego State; Caden Barnett, OG, Wyoming; Jayden Loving, DT, Wake Forest.
The lowdown: Chicago came away with one of the safer first-round defenders in Thieneman and then kept adding useful offensive support. Jones should help the interior protection structure, and Roush gives the offense more formation flexibility. But Chicago’s Achilles’ heel last season was its run defense, and Thieneman won’t be able to fix that all by himself. The Bears are still lacking on the interior of their D-line.
Detroit Lions
Grade: B
Draft picks: 1 (17) Blake Miller, OT, Clemson; 2 (44) Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan; 4 (118) Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan; 5 (157) Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State; 5 (168) Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky; 6 (205) Skyler Gill-Howard, DT, Texas Tech; 7 (222) Tyre West, EDGE, Tennessee.
Notable UDFAs: De'Shawn Rucker, CB, USF; Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois; Anthony Lucas, EDGE, USC.
The lowdown: Miller and Moore fit Detroit's DNA perfectly and addressed two spots where the roster needed more young muscle. Abney was a theft in the fifth round. But other than that, it was a pretty no-frills haul, and for a possible contender trying to regain its footing, "solid" doesn’t always move the needle.
Green Bay Packers
Grade: C+
Draft picks: 2 (52) Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina; 3 (77) Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri; 4 (120) Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State; 5 (153) Jager Burton, C, Kentucky; 6 (201) Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama; 6 (216) Trey Smack, K, Florida.
Notable UDFAs: TJ Quinn, LB, Louisville; Murvin Kenion, S, Nevada; J. Michael Sturdivant, WR, Florida.
The lowdown: Green Bay added athleticism on defense and addressed cornerback depth with Cisse and Jackson. McClellan and Dennis-Sutton fit the Packers' preference for traits in the front seven. But without a first-round pick, the class lacked a true headliner.
Minnesota Vikings
Grade: B-
Draft picks: 1 (18) Caleb Banks, DT, Florida; 2 (51) Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati; 3 (82) Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State; 3 (97) Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern; 3 (98) Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami; 5 (159) Max Bredeson, FB, Michigan; 5 (163) Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin; 6 (198) Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest; 7 (235) Gavin Gerhardt, C, Cincinnati.
Notable UDFAs: Tristian Leigh, OT, Clemson; Delby Lemieux, OL, Dartmouth; Dillon Bell, WR, Georgia; Brett Thorson, P, Georgia; Scooby Williams, LB, Texas A&M.
The lowdown: Minnesota attacked the middle of its defense with purpose. Banks and Orange give the Vikings needed size and disruption inside, while Golday adds range behind them. What’s missing? A true offensive difference-maker, and it looks like they didn’t take their secondary concerns seriously. Also, Banks’ history with foot injuries makes him a true gamble at 18.
NFC SOUTH
Atlanta Falcons
Grade: C
Draft picks: 2 (48) Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson; 3 (79) Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia; 4 (134) Kendal Daniels, LB, Oklahoma; 6 (208) Anterio Thompson, DT, Washington; 6 (215) Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU; 7 (231) Ethan Onianwa, OT, Ohio State.
Notable UDFAs: Jack Strand, QB, Minnesota-Moorhead; James Brockermeyer, C, Miami.
The lowdown: Terrell and Branch are real athletes who can help immediately, and Perkins in Round 6 is the kind of upside dart every front office should throw. But the Falcons were still paying for past aggression with limited capital.
Carolina Panthers
Grade: A
Draft picks: 1 (19) Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia; 2 (49) Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech; 3 (83) Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee; 4 (129) Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M; 5 (144) Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State; 5 (151) Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State; 7 (227) Jackson Kuwatch, LB, Miami (OH).
Notable UDFAs: Haynes King, QB, Georgia Tech; Jaylon Guilbreau, DB, Texas; Aaron Hall, DT, Duke.
The lowdown: Freeling, Hunter and Brazzell gave Carolina three credible early-impact answers at clear roster pain points. GM Dan Morgan set out to make life easier for his QB and harder for opposing ones. Freeling upgrades the offensive line, Hunter adds interior force and Brazzell gives the passing game a needed weapon.
New Orleans Saints
Grade: B-
Draft picks: 1 (8) Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State; 2 (42) Christen Miller, DT, Georgia; 3 (73) Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia; 4 (132) Jeremiah Wright, G, Auburn; 4 (136) Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State; 5 (172) Lorenzo Styles Jr., S, Ohio State; 6 (190) Barion Brown, WR, LSU; 7 (219) TJ Hall, CB, Iowa.
Notable UDFAs: Michael Heldman, EDGE, Central Michigan; Keeshawn Silver, DL, USC.
The lowdown: Tyson gives New Orleans a legitimate offensive centerpiece if he can stay healthy, and Delp adds another useful target in the middle of the field. The Saints clearly wanted to remake the skill group and add more explosiveness. The risk is that the class leaned heavily into weapons while the broader roster still needed more structural work.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grade: A-
Draft picks: 1 (15) Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami; 2 (46) Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri; 3 (84) Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State; 4 (116) Keionte Scott, CB, Miami; 5 (155) DeMonte Kapehart, DT, Clemson; 5 (160) Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame; 6 (185) Bauer Sharp, TE, LSU.
Notable UDFAs: Deshawn McKnight, DT, Arizona; Eric Rivers, WR, Georgia Tech; Noah Short, WR, Army; Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas; Jack Pyburn, EDGE, LSU.
The lowdown: Bain is the kind of first-round defensive talent who can alter a front's personality. Trotter, Scott and Kapehart fit Tampa Bay's long-standing preference for physical defensive players who can run and hit. I also like the flier on Hurst in the third round to help fill the long-term void left by Mike Evans’ departure in free agency.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 6:02 PM.