Sports

One Thing We Learned About Every Team During the 2026 NFL Draft

By Eva Geitheim Sports Illustrated

First-round grades | Rounds 2-3 grades | Team grades | Every Team's Remaining Roster Holes| Way-too-early 2027 mock draft | Best picks of the draft

The 2026 NFL draft came to a close this past weekend, with each team adding several promising prospects to their roster over the seven rounds of action.

Per usual, the draft proved hard to predict, with many teams using their picks in different ways than anticipated. While debates rage on regarding which moves were great and which were reaches, there is plenty to glean from how every team approached the draft and made their selections. With the draft now over, here's a look at one thing we learned from every team during this year's draft.

Arizona Cardinals

Draft picks: RB Jeremiyah Love (No. 3), OL Chase Bisontis (No. 34), QB Carson Beck (No. 65), DL Kaleb Proctor (No. 104), WR Reggie Virgil (No. 143), LB Karson Sharar (No. 183), OL Jayden Williams (No. 217)

The Cardinals are building the pieces for their quarterback of the future-whoever that is. Arizona spent five of its seven draft picks on offense, and while one of those was on quarterback Carson Beck, it's clear that this team is setting the stage for its future signal-caller to be successful in new head coach Mike LaFleur's offense. That supporting cast starts with running back Jeremiyah Love, a player LaFleur liked so much he hoped nobody would call with trade offers.

Related:What Recent History Says About Drafting Jeremiyah Love in the Top 10

Atlanta Falcons

Draft picks: CB Avieon Terrell (No. 48), WR Zachariah Branch (No. 79), LB Kendal Daniels (No. 134), DL Anterio Thompson (No. 208), LB Harold Perkins Jr. (No. 215), OL Ethan Onianwa (No. 231)

If teams want to throw on Atlanta, they'll have to get past the Terrell brothers. With the No. 48 pick, the Falcons selected Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, who is the brother of seventh-year Falcons corner A.J. Terrell. Avieon comes to the Falcons after recording three sacks, five forced fumbles and nine pass breakups for the Tigers in 2025.

The Falcons called A.J. shortly before the pick to let him know they'd be drafting his brother, who soon found out there'd be a Terrell family reunion in Atlanta, making the moment all the more special for the family.

"It means the world to me, just being able to play with bro," Avieon said. "They've got me on one side, my bro on the other side. It's time to get to work, and I'm blessed."

Baltimore Ravens

Draft picks: OG Vega Ioane (No. 14), DL Zion Young (No. 45), WR Ja'Kobi Lane (No. 80), WR Elijah Sarratt (No. 115), TE Matthew Hibner (No. 133), DB Chandler Rivers (No. 162), TE Josh Cuevas (No. 173), RB Adam Randall (No. 174), P Ryan Eckley (No. 211), DL Rayshaun Benny (No. 250), OL Evan Beernsten (No. 253)

Ravens coach Jesse Minter felt strongly about drafting Vega Ioane with the No. 14 pick. As the Ravens mulled whether to take Ioane, tight end Kenyon Sadiq or edge Rueben Bain Jr. with their first-round selection, Minter pulled for them to select the Penn State guard.

"Jesse had a really strong opinion," general manager Eric DeCosta told The Athletic'sMike Silver. "That really resonated with me."

"As a first pick, he's the epitome of what we want the team to be like: a line-of-scrimmage-dominant team," Minter later told reporters, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. "He's everything that we want our guys to be."

Silver noted that not picking a center after Tyler Linderbaum's departure this offseason was a regret for DeCosta, though their top two centers went off the board earlier than they had anticipated in the second round, after they had already selected Zion Young on Day 2.

Buffalo Bills

Draft picks: Edge T.J. Parker (No. 35), CB Davison Igbinosun (No. 62), OL Jude Bowry (No. 102), WR Skyler Bell (No. 125), LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (No. 126), DB Jalon Kilgore (No. 167), DL Zane Durant (No. 181), DB Toriano Pride Jr. (No. 220), P Tommy Doman (No. 239), OL Ar'Maj Reed-Adams (No. 241)

Cornerback remained a top priority for the Bills over other positions. There were a number of needs the Bills could have chosen to address early in the draft, from receiver to linebacker to improving the run defense. But even after selecting corner Maxwell Hairston with their first-round pick last season, general manager Brandon Beane made it clear more investments were needed. Buffalo traded up to select Davison Igbinosun with its second pick and then added Toriano Pride Jr. on Day 3.

"Corner is a premium position, you can't have enough of those guys," Beane said. "… You saw the depths of our corners tested last year through injury. You want to make sure as the season goes along, if injury strikes that you got enough guys even if they're not starters."

The Bills finished the 2025 season first in passing yards allowed per game, but clearly weren't fully satisfied with their play on the back end, particularly after Bo Nix and the Broncos tested their depth by throwing deep to earn the win in the divisional round as Hairston dealt with injury.

Carolina Panthers

Draft picks: OT Monroe Freeling (No. 19), DL Lee Hunter (No. 49), WR Chris Brazzell II (No. 83), DB Will Lee III (No. 129), OL Sam Hecht (No. 144), DB Zakee Wheatley (No. 151), LB Jackson Kuwatch (No. 227)

The Panthers might have one of the shortest quarterbacks in the league, but they are bulking up around Bryce Young. Size was a key feature for the Panthers' first three picks, starting with first-round offensive tackle Monroe Freeling, who is 6' 7" and was the top player on their board at pick No. 19. Freeling will have the opportunity to compete for the starting tackle spot with new free-agent addition Rasheed Walker as Ickey Ekwonu continues to recover from a torn patellar tendon.

After selecting Freeling, the Panthers brought in defensive lineman Lee Hunter and receiver Chris Brazzell II on Day 2. Hunter, who is 322 pounds, is nicknamed "The Fridge." Meanwhile, Brazzell is a 6' 4" receiver with 4.37-speed that can provide another dynamic weapon opposite Tetairoa McMillan.

Chicago Bears

Draft picks: S Dillon Thieneman (No. 25), C Logan Jones (No. 57), TE Sam Roush (No. 69), WR Zavion Thomas (No. 89), DB Malik Muhammad (No. 124), LB Keyshaun Elliott (No. 166), DT Jordan Van den Berg (No. 213)

The Bears filled two of the biggest areas they saw losses at during the offseason, but they might not have filled the most important one-the pass rush. After watching multiple safeties depart in free agency, including Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the Bears landed Dillon Thieneman when he fell to them at No. 25. Then they selected center Logan Jones with their second pick, a player they were "smitten" with, who could be their long-term replacement for Drew Dalman after his retirement. The Bears traded for Garrett Bradbury earlier this offseason, but he has just one year left on his contract, opening the door for Jones to be the future there.

The area Chicago did not improve is the pass rush. Though the Bears notched just 35 sacks in 2025, they did not sign or draft an edge rusher this offseason. Instead, they'll look for continued growth from Dayo Odeyingbo, Shemar Turner and Austin Booker in 2026.

"We're certainly going to coach better than we did a year ago. It starts there. We've made a concerted effort in how we're going to get that done," Ben Johnson said of not adding pass rushers. "We were excited about the guys that finished the season on IR, the trajectory that they were on, both Dayo and Shemar."

Cincinnati Bengals

Draft picks: Edge Cashius Howell (No. 45), DB Tacario Davis (No. 72), C Connor Lew (No. 128), WR Colbie Young (No. 140), C Brian Parker II (No. 189), TE Jack Endries (No. 221), DT Landon Robinson (No. 226)

The Bengals continue to beef up their defensive line. A week after trading their top-10 pick to the Giants for Dexter Lawrence II, the Bengals selected Cashius Howell in the second round. Cincinnati is still seeking greater production from Myles Murphy and 2025 first-rounder Shemar Stewart, but will look for Howell, who had 11.5 sacks last season, to help boost their production after Trey Hendrickson's departure this offseason.

Cleveland Browns

Draft picks: OT Spencer Fano (No. 9), WR KC Concepcion (No. 24), WR Denzel Boston (No. 39), S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (No. 58), OL Austin Barber (No. 86), C Parker Brailsford (No. 146), LB Justin Jefferson (No. 149), TE Joe Royer (No. 170), QB Taylen Green (No. 182), TE Carsen Ryan (No. 248)

The Browns might not have an answer at quarterback, but the floor of their offense should be higher this offseason for whoever is taking snaps. Cleveland has spent much of its offseason retooling along the offensive line, and continued to do so in the draft by taking Spencer Fano at No. 9 and adding mid-round picks at offensive line in Austin Barber and Parker Brailsford. The Browns also tackled their other biggest need by selecting two receivers in the top 40: KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston. There's no guarantee with rookies, but the Browns have landed several talented starters that can surely improve their offense under new coach Todd Monken.

Dallas Cowboys

Draft picks: S Caleb Downs (No. 11), Edge Malachi Lawrence (No. 20), Edge Jaishawn Barham (No. 92), OL Drew Shelton (No. 112), CB Devin Moore (No. 114), DL LT Overton (No. 137), WR Anthony Smith (No. 218)

The Cowboys knew they needed "dramatic change" on defense, and did just that during the draft. Dallas finished the 2025 season ranked last in passing yards allowed, scoring defense and EPA allowed per play, making the unit their priority. Jerry Jones feels his team has executed that change throughout the offseason, most recently by picking six defensive players in the draft-including standout Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11.

"We have five first-round draft picks that we did not have this time last year on defense. Quinnen [Williams], [Kenny] Clark, [Rashan] Gary, [Caleb] Downs and [Malachi] Lawrence," Jones said. … "We've added nine new players on defense this offseason between trades and free agency. We've added nine new defensive coaches. … We have changed the concept of what we're doing defensively. … We've executed on our dramatic change."

Denver Broncos

Draft picks: DL Tyler Onyedim (No. 66), RB Jonah Coleman (No. 108), OL Kage Casey (No. 111), TE Justin Joly (No. 152), DB Miles Scott (No. 246), TE Dallen Bentley (No. 256), LB Red Murdock (No. 257)

The Broncos' roster didn't have many holes. With a stacked roster and no first-round picks, the Broncos weren't necessarily looking for immediate starters in the draft. One player that could have a strong impact as a rookie is fourth-round pick running back Jonah Coleman, whom they feel can play on third down in large part thanks to his blocking abilities.

"He does a really good job in blocking pressure looks. He's smart, he's tough, there was a lot to like with him," head coach Sean Payton said of Coleman.

Detroit Lions

Draft picks: OT Blake Miller (No. 17), DL Derrick Moore (No. 44), LB Jimmy Rolder (No. 118), DB Keith Abney II (No. 157), WR Kendrick Law (No. 168), DL Skyler Gill-Howard (No. 205), DL Tyre West (No. 222)

The Lions stuck to their philosophy, while also prioritizing positions of need. The Lions have made some stellar picks in the past by taking nonpremium positions high in the draft-RB Jahmyr Gibbs and LB Jack Campbell in 2023-but this year's draft was all about the trenches in the first two rounds, as they took offensive tackle Blake Miller and edge rusher Derrick Moore with their first two picks, positions that fit both need and value for Detroit.

"It really did line up, just because we've always said we're gonna pick the best player," general manager Brad Holmes said, via Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. "I'm sure there were other tackles that were available or there were other edge rushers that were available, but these were the guys that we liked. When it blends together like that, it's really nice."

Green Bay Packers

Draft picks: CB Brandon Cisse (No. 52), DL Chris McClellan (No. 77), DL Dani Dennis-Sutton (No. 120), C Jager Burton (No. 153), CB Domani Jackson (No. 201), K Trey Smack (No. 216)

Cornerback was a top priority for the Packers in this draft. The Packers held just six picks in this year's draft, and they focused on addressing the position by selecting Brandon Cisse with their first pick and Domani Jackson in the sixth round.

"Going into this draft it was no secret that we needed to add some bodies to this room and certainly we did that," Matt LaFleur said of drafting two corners.

Green Bay also added competition to the kicking room by taking Trey Smack in the sixth round. Brandon McManus successfully hit on just 50% of his kicks from 40 yards or more last season, so the Packers are bringing in Smack, who hit on 82.8% of his kicks during his time at Florida. Turns out, Green Bay has a simple, yet effective, way of scouting kickers.

Houston Texans

Draft picks: OG Keylan Rutledge (No. 26), DT Kayden McDonald (No. 36), TE Marlin Klein (No. 59), OL Febechi Nwaiwu (No. 106), LB Wade Woodaz (No. 123), DB Kamari Ramsey (No. 141), WR Lewis Bond (No. 204), LB Aiden Fisher (No. 243)

Good luck facing the Texans' defense next season. Not only did the Texans land Kayden McDonald, whom they feel was the best run defender in the draft, but they're also gaining an even more motivated version of McDonald after his fall into the second round. The Texans' defense was already the league's top-ranked unit in 2025, and it could be getting even better this season.

"Everybody that went before me, that's what fuels me," McDonald told reporters, per DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. "There's not one player better than me in this class. I'm gonna show it. I'm coming in to work."

Indianapolis Colts

Draft picks: LB CJ Allen (No. 53), S A.J. Haulcy (No. 78), OL Jalen Farmer (No. 113), LB Bryce Boettcher (No. 135), DL George Gumbs Jr. (No. 156), DL Caden Curry (No. 214), RB Seth McGowan (No. 237), WR Deion Burks (No. 254)

The Colts believe they found a leader for the middle of their defense. The Colts did not make their first pick until the second round, but they found some impact prospects, particularly on defense, where they used five of their first six picks. This starts with second-round pick CJ Allen, who is set to start as the Colts' green dot linebacker after the team traded Zaire Franklin to the Packers.

"We've liked CJ through the whole process. He stands for all the right stuff," general manager Chris Ballard said. "He's an athletic, fast Mike. He'll be a green dot guy for us from the get-go. He's a face of the program type of guy. He's a really special dude. Loves to play, is serious about football."

Ballard added that they are confident in his ability to start out as a green dot linebacker because he did so at Georgia as a true freshman. "That's hard to do, and in that defense," Ballard noted. "They stress him mentally. He handled that at a young age and it wasn't too big for him."

Jacksonville Jaguars

Draft picks: TE Nate Boerkircher (No. 56), DL Albert Regis (No. 81), OL Emmanuel Pregnon (No. 88), DB Jalen Huskey (No. 100), DL Wesley Williams (No. 119), TE Tanner Koziol (No. 164), WR Josh Cameron (No. 191), WR CJ Williams (No. 203), DL Zach Durfee (No. 233), LB Parker Hughes (No. 240)

The Jaguars certainly aren't afraid to go against the grain. That began with their first pick, the surprising selection of tight end Nate Boerkircher at No. 56. While the pick followed the trend of teams looking to run more two- and three-tight-end sets and began a run at the position, it also felt like a reach to most.

Ultimately, the Jaguars are clearly looking to utilize more 12-personnel in 2026, a priority highlighted by them taking Boerkircher as well as tight end Tanner Koziol in the fifth round. The Jaguars reached with their first selection, but they remain confident in their board and evaluations.

Kansas City Chiefs

Draft picks: CB Mansoor Delane (No. 6), DT Peter Woods (No. 29), DL R Mason Thomas (No. 40), DB Jadon Canady (No. 109), RB Emmett Johnson (No. 161), WR Cyrus Allen (No. 176), QB Garrett Nussmeier (No. 249)

The Chiefs clearly wanted to revamp their defense. While the Chiefs' defense was still good statistically last season, the unit was clearly a notch below where it was when they won the Super Bowl in 2023. The team's first four picks were all used on defensive players, highlighted by their choice to trade up for LSU corner Mansoor Delane, who will restock a corner room that lost Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason. Kansas City was clearly enamored with Delane, and wanted to turn over much of the defense.

As Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame put it:

The defensive focus also showed the Chiefs still have faith in the weapons and protection they have for Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs did not address their offense until the fifth round, and the buzz surrounding them going offensive line at No. 9 was a smokescreen to ensure they landed the guy they truly coveted in Delane.

Las Vegas Raiders

Draft picks: QB Fernando Mendoza (No. 1), S Treydan Stukes (No. 38), DL Keyron Crawford (No. 67), OL Trey Zuhn III (No. 91), CB Jermod McCoy (No. 101), RB Mike Washington Jr. (No. 122), S Dalton Johnson (No. 150), CB Hezekiah Masses (No. 175), WR Malik Benson (No. 195), DL Brandon Cleveland (No. 229)

Outside of adding Fernando Mendoza, the Raiders' primary focus during the draft was bolstering their secondary. The selection of Mendoza had been expected for months, but what was less clear was how Las Vegas would go about the draft after the No. 1 pick. Turns out, they were on the hunt to improve the back end of their defense by drafting Treydan Stukes, Jermod McCoy, Dalton Johnson and Hezekiah Masses. Though McCoy slipped to the fourth round due to injury concerns, the Raiders noted they are confident in both him and their medical staff, and could not pass up the value of landing him.

The area the Raiders did not address as much as anticipated was receiver. They waited until the sixth round to hit the position by selecting Malik Benson, a speedster akin to Raiders tradition. The Raiders are placing a lot of faith into a young receiving core featuring Benson, Jack Bech, Jalen Nailor and Tre Tucker.

Los Angeles Chargers

Draft picks: Edge Akheem Mesidor (No. 22), OL Jake Slaughter (No. 63), WR Brenen Thompson (No. 105), OL Travis Burke (No. 117), DB Genesis Smith (No. 131), DL Nick Barrett (No. 145), OL Logan Taylor (No. 202), OL Alex Harkey (No. 206)

Mike McDaniel has some more speed to work with. McDaniel has excelled at scheming for fast playmakers in the past, and he'll have the chance to do that with Mississippi State wideout Brenen Thompson, who ran a 4.26-second 40.

"Fast," general manager Joe Hortiz said of Thompson. "... Just a dynamic, explosive playmaker Mike loved, the scouts loved. The speed jumps out of film. His ability to track the ball downfield is really elite."

It's safe to say that McDaniel was excited about the pick, even proclaiming he would take his shirt off if the Chargers selected Thompson.



Los Angeles Rams

Draft picks: QB Ty Simpson (No. 13), TE Max Klare (No. 61), OL Keagan Trost (No. 93), WR CJ Daniels (No. 197), DT Tim Keenan III (No. 232)

The Rams aren't just going all in on winning a Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford. They also invested in their future by selecting Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick.

The pick received blowback, especially after Sean McVay initially did not appear enthused by the decision. McVay has since clarified that he and general manager Les Snead are on the same page, including with the choice to take Simpson early in the first round. Simpson has also revealed that he had secret meetings with McVay, but did not initially mention it to help keep the Rams' interest in him private.

Related:Ty Simpson Will Put Sean McVay's Reputation As a QB Whisperer to the Test

Miami Dolphins

Draft picks: OT Kadyn Proctor (No. 11), CB Chris Johnson (No. 27), LB Jacob Rodriguez (No. 43), WR Caleb Douglas (No. 75), TE Will Kacmarek (No. 87), WR Chris Bell (No. 94), edge Trey Moore (No. 130), LB Kyle Louis (No. 138), S Michael Taaffe (No. 158), WR Kevin Coleman Jr. (No. 177), TE Seydou Traore (No. 180), OG DJ Campbell (No. 200), edge Max Llewellyn (No. 238)

Size is a key priority for this iteration of the Dolphins, in contrast to the previous regime.

"It's important to me that this team looks a certain way and moves a certain way. I believe it's a big man's game," Jon Eric-Sullivan said. "That's not to say there's not really good players in the league that are on the smaller size, we know that there's a lot of them. We want to build this team big, physical at all positions and have a size advantage."

There was no greater evidence of that than the Dolphins' decision to use their first draft choice on offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor, who is 6' 6" and 352 pounds. Proctor is one of the biggest offensive line prospects in the class, and the Dolphins plan to start him out at left guard. The Dolphins also added size with their picks of 6' 5" tight end Will Kacmarek and 6' 3" receiver Caleb Douglas.

Minnesota Vikings

Draft picks: DT Caleb Banks (No. 18), LB Jake Golday (No. 51), DL Domonique Orange (82), OL Caleb Tiernan (No. 97), DB Jakobe Thomas (No. 98), TE Max Bredeson (No. 159), CB Charles Demmings (No. 163), RB Demond Claiborne (No. 198), C Gavin Gerhardt (No. 235)

The Vikings might have moved on from general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, but they remain unafraid of a risk as they used their first-round pick on defensive tackle Caleb Banks. Defensive tackle was a priority for the Vikings, but they selected Banks higher than many believed he'd go. As such, they are betting on him to stay healthy and reach the potential that made him such an intriguing prospect.

"We have the best doctors in the country. ... There's nothing without risk in every player you select, but we feel very good about where Caleb will be when it's time to go to training camp," interim general manager Rob Brzezinski said. "So we're comfortable with the injury."

New England Patriots

Draft picks: OT Caleb Lomu (No. 28), DL Gabe Jacas (No. 55), TE Eli Raridon (No. 95), CB Karon Prunty (No. 171), DT Dametrious Crownover (No. 196), LB Namdi Obiazor (No. 212), QB Behren Morton (No. 234), RB Jam Miller (No. 245), edge Quintayvious Hutchins (No. 247)

The Patriots remained focused on the offensive line. The Patriots went offensive tackle in the first round for the second consecutive year by taking Utah's Caleb Lomu. Lomu ultimately gives the Patriots flexibility when it comes to the future of their line, whether that's replacing veteran Morgan Moses down the line at right tackle, or playing left tackle so Will Campbell can eventually move to guard.

The biggest story surrounding the Patriots, however, remains Mike Vrabel, who was not present for Day 3 of the draft as he attended counseling in the wake of the photos with Dianna Russini. Vrabel was initially expected to remain in contact with the Patriots from afar on Day 3, but they reportedly did not end up speaking with him as they made their picks that day. Vrabel returned to the Patriots' building for the offseason program on Monday.

New Orleans Saints

Draft picks: WR Jordyn Tyson (No. 8), DL Christen Miller (No. 42), TE Oscar Delp (No. 73), OG Jeremiah Wright (No. 132), WR Bryce Lance (No. 136), S Lorenzo Styles Jr. (No. 172), WR Barion Brown (No. 190), CB TJ Hall (No. 219)

Overhauling the receiver room around Chris Olave was a priority for the Saints. New Orleans used the No. 8 pick on Jordyn Tyson and added two other receivers in Bryce Lance and Barion Brown. Outside of Olave and Rashid Shaheed-who was traded midseason to the Seahawks-the Saints did not have any receivers surpass 300 receiving yards last season. That should change with these additions.

New York Giants

Draft picks: LB Arvell Reese (No. 5), OL Francis Mauigoa (No. 10), CB Colton Hood (No. 37), WR Malachi Fields (No. 74), DT Bobby Jamison-Travis (No. 186), OT J.C. Davis (No. 192), LB Jack Kelly (No. 193)

The Giants are planning to start Arvell Reese at off-ball linebacker. The Giants walked away from the draft pleased after landing two players ranked in their top five. This included their highest-rated nonquarterback, Arvell Reese, who fell to them at No. 5. New York was in a unique position to take Reese since Big Blue already had a bevy of good edge rushers. As such, the Giants will not be rushing Reese's transition to the edge as they start him out at linebacker.

"Arvell is a versatile player, and we're gonna play him at inside backer," John Harbaugh said. "Our defense is pretty flexible, positionless you might call it. He'll line up next to Tremaine [Edmunds]. … He'll be running games and picks and stunts and things like that. He's good in coverage as well."

The Giants do see "tremendous" upside in Reese's ability to rush the passer, but will start him out at linebacker.

New York Jets

Draft picks: DE David Bailey (No. 2), TE Kenyon Sadiq (No. 16), WR Omar Cooper Jr. (No. 30), CB D'Angelo Ponds (No. 50), DL Darrell Jackson Jr. (No. 103), QB Cade Klubnik (No. 110), OL Anez Cooper (No. 188), DB VJ Payne (No. 228)

The Jets went looking for winners. The Jets hold the longest playoff drought in the NFL, so they decided to combat that, in part, with a common theme among their three first-round picks: Texas Tech's David Bailey, Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq and Indiana's Omar Cooper Jr.

"This was critical about those three players. They come from winning programs also," second-year coach Aaron Glenn told reporters. "When you get a chance to bring that into your locker room, it speaks volumes.

"Any time you can bring guys with a winning background to your team, that helps the morale of your team."

The Jets' 2026 draft class posted a combined 88–26 record in the 2025 college football season. Their first three picks combined for a 41–4 record in 2025.

Philadelphia Eagles

Draft picks: WR Makai Lemon (No. 13), TE Eli Stowers (No. 54), OL Markel Bell (No. 68), QB Cole Payton (No. 178), OG Micah Morris (No. 207), S Cole Wisniewski (No. 244), DT Uar Bernard (No. 251), edge Keyshawn James-Newby (No. 252)

A.J. Brown is good as gone. In this case, that's reiterating something we already knew. After investing at the receiver position by trading for Dontayvion Wicks and signing Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore during free agency, the Eagles traded up with the Cowboys to select Makai Lemon-taking him just ahead of the Steelers, who were on the phone with the USC product when Philadelphia made the call. Brown has been the subject of trade rumors for months, and with these additions, the Eagles have filled their receiving core so they are able to move on from Brown if they trade him after June 1.

Related:Six Players Who Could Still Be Traded After the NFL Draft

Pittsburgh Steelers

Draft picks: OT Max Iheanachor (No. 21), WR Germie Bernard (No. 47), QB Drew Allar (No. 76), DB Daylen Everette (No. 85), OL Gennings Dunker (No. 96), WR/KR Kaden Wetjen (No. 121), TE Riley Nowakowski (No. 169), DL Gabriel Rubio (No. 210), S Robert Spears-Jennings (No. 224), RB Eli Heidenreich (No. 230)

The Steelers missed out on their preferred first-round pick after the Eagles moved up to select Lemon, but they are excited about landing tackle Max Iheanachor at pick No. 21. Despite never playing high school football and picking up the game at community college, Iheanachor emerged as a first-round pick largely thanks to his enticing physical tools. The Steelers plan to start Iheanachor at tackle, and feel he is just getting started when it comes to reaching his potential.

"Our offensive line coaches are bouncing off the wall," coach Mike McCarthy said. "… As we winded down this week, he kept climbing up our board. We were real excited he was there and I think it's an excellent pick for us."

San Francisco 49ers

Draft picks: WR De'Zhaun Stribling (No. 33), DL Romello Height (No. 70), RB Kaelon Black (No. 90), DT Gracen Halton (No. 107), OT Carver Willis (No. 127), CB Ephesians Prysock (No. 139), LB Jaden Dugger (No. 154), OT Enrique Cruz Jr. (No. 179)

In De'Zhaun Stribling, the 49ers are clearly looking to bolster their yards after the catch production again. The 49ers surprised people when they made Stribling the first player off the board in the second round. They ranked 15th in yards after the catch and 28th in yards after the catch per reception in 2025, a falloff from their usual top-five ranking in this area during the Kyle Shanahan era. Over a third of Stribling's yards came after the catch in 2025 at Ole Miss, and he'll look to carry that to San Francisco.

Seattle Seahawks

Draft picks: RB Jadarian Price (No. 32), S Bud Clark (No. 64), CB Julian Neal (No. 99), OG Beau Stephens (No. 148), WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (No. 199), CB Andre Fuller (No. 236), DT Deven Eastern (No. 242), CB Michael Dansby (No. 255)

The Seahawks found their replacement for Kenneth Walker III. Seattle expressed before the draft that they wanted to trade out of the first round, but the defending champs stuck with the final slot and took Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price. Overall, the Seahawks managed to fill the two positions they saw the most losses in during free agency-running back and corner. Following the departures of Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant this offseason, the Seahawks took three corners and a safety throughout the draft.

"You can never have too many corners," coach Mike Macdonald told reporters. "I don't think I've been a part of a team that has had this many drafted corners on their team going into camp. Going to be a fun competition."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Draft picks: Edge Rueben Bain Jr. (No. 15), LB Josiah Trotter (No. 46), WR Ted Hurst (No. 84), CB Keionte Scott (No. 116), DT DeMonte Capehart (No. 155), OG Billy Schrauth (No. 160), TE Bauer Sharp (No. 185)

The draft went better for the Buccaneers than they could have even expected. They saw Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., at a position of need, drop to them at No. 15, and also picked up players at positions of need in Josiah Trotter and Keionte Scott. Overall, Jason Licht told 95.7 WDAE that all seven of the Buccaneers' picks were top-100 players on their draft board. After failing to reach the playoffs last season, Licht noted they were looking to add players with an "edge" to them. He achieved that while landing several of the best prospects on their board, which could certainly help the Buccaneers' defense improve in 2026.

Tennessee Titans

Draft picks: WR Carnell Tate (No. 4), Edge Keldric Faulk (No. 31), LB Anthony Hill Jr. (No. 60), OG Fernando Carmona (No. 142), RB Nicholas Singleton (No. 165), DT Jackie Marshall (No. 184), C Pat Coogan (No. 194), TE Jaren Kanak (No. 225)

The Titans made it a priority to support Cam Ward. Many thought the Titans would go defense with the No. 4 pick, but they surprised by taking Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate instead. The Titans ensured they got their young signal-caller a dependable weapon. Last season, no Titans receiver recorded more than 600 yards, and their leading pass catcher, tight end Chig Okonkwo, departed for the Commanders.

"Not to say he's the most important piece, but he's a pretty damn important piece, and that's the quarterback, and doing everything we can to help him and surround him with players who can get the ball in their hands and go score," Saleh said of Ward. "Carnell was by far the top receiver on our board, so when we got to No. 4 it was a very easy decision to make."

Washington Commanders

Draft picks: LB Sonny Styles (No. 7), WR Antonio Williams (No. 71), edge Joshua Josephs (No. 147), RB Kaytron Allen (No. 187), C Matt Gulbin (No. 209), QB Athan Kaliakmanis (No. 223)

General manager Adam Peters was glowing after the Commanders' selection of Sonny Styles with the No. 7 pick. He began his press conference by speaking about Styles, a player that embodies everything they look for in a Commander on and off the field, for three minutes straight before opening it up to questions. Not only did Styles falling to No. 7 allow Washington to come away with one of the true blue-chip prospects in this draft class, but the pick will add to the versatility and athleticism the Commanders have in the linebackers room, and the defense as a whole.

"Sonny's a guy who can play off the ball, he can play on the ball and he can mug up and blitz," Peters said. "There's so many different things he can do. … He's got the size to play on the edge, and he's really versatile."

More NFL Draft from Sports Illustrated



This article was originally published on www.si.com as One Thing We Learned About Every Team During the 2026 NFL Draft.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 5:00 AM.

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER