NFL DRAFT 2026: GRADES FOR EVERY TEAM, FROM BEST TO WORST
Updated: Oct 31
The 2026 draft has officially closed its doors, and as it does every year, the time has come for the postmortem. Who shined? Who fumbled? Who laid the foundation for a dynasty, and who will have explaining to do two years from now? Here's our run through all 32 franchises, with an overall grade and a pick-by-pick breakdown.
Las Vegas Raiders: A
The takeaway: ten selections, ten well-placed swings — or close to it. Klint Kubiak gets his guy in Fernando Mendoza with the very first pick of the draft — no suspense, but the right call. The real win, though, is what the Raiders did next: Treydan Stukes, Keyron Crawford, Trey Zuhn III, Jermod McCoy and Mike Washington Jr. lined up back-to-back with full conviction. McCoy at 101 borders on grand theft — if he comes back fully from his torn ACL, he could be the best cornerback in the entire class. A draft that feels like a long-term plan executed to the letter.
Headline pick: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) at No. 1.
Cleveland Browns: A
The takeaway: Andrew Berry barely missed a beat. Spencer Fano at No. 9 is arguably the cleanest offensive lineman in the class. KC Concepcion at 24, Denzel Boston at 39 — Cleveland checked the two boxes that absolutely had to be checked: protect and surround the future quarterback. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at 58 is another major haul. The lone hiccup: Taylen Green in the sixth tacks a fourth quarterback onto an already crowded room. Shedeur Sanders or Dillon Gabriel could be packing their bags.
Headline pick: Spencer Fano (OT, Utah) at No. 9.
Cincinnati Bengals: A-
The takeaway: the Bengals pulled a credible Trey Hendrickson replacement out of their pocket in Cashius Howell, who feasted on SEC tackles at Texas A&M. The defense — the offseason's biggest construction site — gets reinforcements both on the front and in the secondary with Tacario Davis. In the fourth round, Cincinnati landed Connor Lew, viewed by many as the best center available before his torn ACL in 2025. Finding your center of the future on Day 3 is the kind of move that wins games five years from now.
Headline pick: Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M) at No. 41.
Indianapolis Colts: A-
The takeaway: Lou Anarumo needed to exhale after a rough back half of 2025. Indianapolis delivered. CJ Allen would have been a first-rounder if positional value didn't push linebackers down — getting him at 53 is a gift. A.J. Haulcy at safety and Bryce Boettcher in the fourth shore up a group that struggled with consistency. Deion Burks in the seventh is another sneaky-good bet on receiver depth.
Headline pick: A.J. Haulcy (S, LSU) at No. 78.
Carolina Panthers: A-
The takeaway: the Panthers committed to building around Bryce Young, and they did it with real coherence. Monroe Freeling in the first adds protection — he's a bit of a project, but the upside is there. The real coup is Lee Hunter at 49: a force of nature against the run after his time at UCF and Texas Tech. Chris Brazzell II rounds out the offensive arsenal. Solid from top to bottom.
Headline pick: Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech) at No. 49.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
The takeaway: defense first, and done the right way. Rueben Bain Jr. at 15 could have gone a lot earlier — short arms dropped him, but that detail didn't stop him from being the most disruptive defensive end in college football. Josiah Trotter in the second round partly fills the void left by Lavonte David's retirement. Billy Schrauth in the fifth on the interior offensive line is another excellent value-to-position ratio.
Headline pick: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami) at No. 15.
Washington Commanders: A-
The takeaway: Sonny Styles at No. 7 officially marks the end of the Von Miller era. The positional value debate around taking an off-ball linebacker in the top 10 is fair, but Styles has been viewed as a top-10 talent since his eye-catching combine. Antonio Williams at 71 is exactly the receiver Jayden Daniels needed to take the load off Terry McLaurin. Kaytron Allen brings a more physical running style to the backfield.
Headline pick: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) at No. 7.
New York Giants: A-
The takeaway: the only team with two top-10 picks, and they capitalized. Arvell Reese joins Kayvon Thibodeaux — no trade in the works, per ESPN — to form a potentially terrifying front seven. Francis Mauigoa at 10 protects Jaxson Dart, possibly at guard to start. Malachi Fields at 74 fills another glaring need at receiver.
Headline pick: Arvell Reese (EDGE, Ohio State) at No. 5.
Los Angeles Rams: A-
The takeaway: only three picks in the first five rounds, but Les Snead swung big. Ty Simpson at 13 will spark plenty of debate — that's early for a quarterback who wasn't even a guaranteed first-rounder. But the profile is intriguing: light feet, NFL arm, ability to read tight windows. With Stafford on the back nine, the transition plan is now in place. Max Klare at 61 adds a real threat at tight end.
Headline pick: Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama) at No. 13.
New England Patriots: A-
The takeaway: Eliot Wolf is playing aggressively. The Patriots traded up for both of their first two picks — first for Caleb Lomu, then for Gabe Jacas. Lomu at 28 raises an interesting question: is Will Campbell, last year's No. 4 pick, sliding to guard? Or is Lomu simply the heir to 35-year-old Morgan Moses? Landing Behren Morton and Jam Miller in the seventh is smart depth-building.
Headline pick: Caleb Lomu (OT, Utah) at No. 28.
Atlanta Falcons: B+
The takeaway: the best human-interest story of the draft. Avieon Terrell joins his brother A.J. in the secondary — and the two could share the same defensive 11 sooner rather than later. Zachariah Branch brings explosive athleticism to the receiver group. Harold Perkins Jr. at 215 is a fascinating upside swing.
Headline pick: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson) at No. 48.
Baltimore Ravens: B+
The takeaway: Olaivavega Ioane might be the purest offensive lineman in the class. Opening lanes for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry was the absolute priority after losing Tyler Linderbaum. Zion Young is more run-stopper than pass-rusher — Baltimore could kick him inside. Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt give Lamar two imposing targets (6-foot-4 and 6-foot-2). The Ravens were also the first team to take a specialist with punter Ryan Eckley at 211.
Headline pick: Olaivavega Ioane (IOL, Penn State) at No. 14.
Miami Dolphins: B+
The takeaway: the Dolphins were knee-deep in a rebuild and could afford to take the best player available at every turn. Kadyn Proctor protects Malik Willis, their potential quarterback of the future. Chris Johnson could become a top-tier cornerback. Jacob Rodriguez? Probably the best defender in college football last year. The lone misstep: Caleb Douglas at 75, viewed as one of the bigger reaches of the entire draft.
Headline pick: Kadyn Proctor (OT, Alabama) at No. 12.
Kansas City Chiefs: B+
The takeaway: Brett Veach traded a third-rounder to move up for Mansoor Delane, viewed by analysts as "the safest bet at corner." Peter Woods late in the first is a potential successor to Chris Jones — the cherry on top. R Mason Thomas continues to bolster a front that already includes Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte. And to cap it off: Garrett Nussmeier still on the board at 249? Highway robbery. Mahomes now has a credible succession plan.
Headline pick: Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU) at No. 249.
New Orleans Saints: B+
The takeaway: Jordyn Tyson's injury history didn't scare off the Saints, who made him a top-10 pick. Knee ligaments, a broken collarbone, recent hamstring issues — the red flags are real, but the talent is undeniable. Tyler Shough inherits a serious weapon. Christen Miller is one of the most reliable run-defenders in the class. With Bryce Lance and Barion Brown added on Day 3, the commitment to Shough is total.
Headline pick: Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State) at No. 8.
Green Bay Packers: B+
The takeaway: Brandon Cisse is just 20 years old and fits Green Bay's coverage scheme perfectly — the Packers ask their corners to play a lot of off-zone. Finding that profile at 52 is a real win. Chris McClellan continues the defensive work. Domani Jackson at 201 is another savvy depth move in the secondary.
Headline pick: Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina) at No. 52.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B+
The takeaway: Max Iheanachor only has five years of football under his belt, but with Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu already locked in, the Steelers can develop him patiently. Germie Bernard at 47 is the receiver Pittsburgh hoped to land in the first round. But the pick that will dominate talk radio: Drew Allar at 76. If Aaron Rodgers doesn't return in 2026, does Allar really have starter DNA? His timidity at Penn State capped his ceiling. Eli Heidenreich, of the Naval Academy, also delivered one of the weekend's most heartwarming moments on stage.
Headline pick: Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama) at No. 47.
Philadelphia Eagles: B+
The takeaway: trading up for a receiver all but confirms A.J. Brown's pending exit to New England. Makai Lemon, the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner, is excellent value late in the first. Eli Stowers in the second sets up the succession plan for Dallas Goedert. Markel Bell, at 6-foot-9 the tallest tackle in the class, could eventually replace Lane Johnson. And yes, another North Dakota State quarterback: Cole Payton.
Headline pick: Makai Lemon (WR, USC) at No. 20.
New York Jets: B+
The takeaway: a first round of mixed emotions. David Bailey at No. 2 raises eyebrows — the Jets already have a similar run-stopping profile in Will McDonald IV. Kenyon Sadiq is their second tight end taken in two years after Mason Taylor. But Omar Cooper Jr. at 30 saves the day: an immediate starter opposite Garrett Wilson. D'Angelo Ponds at 50 could be the heir to Sauce Gardner. Cade Klubnik in the fourth adds youth and a possible ceiling at quarterback.
Headline pick: Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana) at No. 30.
Houston Texans: B
The takeaway: the Texans were in trade-up mode. They moved up for Keylan Rutledge — possibly unnecessary since most analysts had him going in the second — and for Kayden McDonald, a perfect complement to Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. But Marlin Klein at 59? Called by some "the most puzzling pick of the entire draft": the Texans already roster Dalton Schultz, Foster Moreau and several recently drafted tight ends.
Headline pick: Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State) at No. 36.
Seattle Seahawks: B
The takeaway: reigning Super Bowl champions, few needs — a luxury rare in the top 32. Jadarian Price in the first round as the second running back off the board is early in the abstract, but it makes sense for Seattle given Kenneth Walker III's departure and Zach Charbonnet's torn ACL. Bud Clark at 64 and Julian Neal at 99 address the safety and corner spots, the only other small holes on the roster.
Headline pick: Bud Clark (S, TCU) at No. 64.
Detroit Lions: B
The takeaway: as expected, Detroit took an offensive lineman in the first. Blake Miller lets Penei Sewell slide back to left tackle as planned. Prioritizing fit over best player available isn't ideal from a value standpoint, but the need was real. Derrick Moore at 44 doubles down on the local flavor: with Aidan Hutchinson up front and Jimmy Rolder behind him, the front seven has a distinctly Michigan feel.
Headline pick: Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan) at No. 44.
Buffalo Bills: B
The takeaway: out of the first round, the Bills focused on defense — a logical choice to free up Josh Allen. T.J. Parker on the front, Davison Igbinosun in the secondary. Jude Bowry at 102 is solid offensive line depth following David Edwards' departure. Jalon Kilgore and Ar'maj Reed-Adams are also strong late-round values.
Headline pick: Jude Bowry (OT, Boston College) at No. 102.
Denver Broncos: B
The takeaway: Denver became the last team to make a pick, finally getting on the board in the third round. Tyler Onyedim won't replace Jonathan Franklin-Myers, but he's a fresh body. Jonah Coleman shares traits with R.J. Harvey, drafted last year — a versatile back who can catch out of the backfield. And then there's Red Murdock, the 256th and final pick of the draft — the FBS career record holder for forced fumbles (17). He may not be quite so irrelevant.
Headline pick: Kage Casey (OT, Boise State) at No. 111.
Tennessee Titans: B
The takeaway: Carnell Tate at No. 4 is a surprise — few analysts had the Titans going receiver this early. With Jeremiyah Love off the board, Tennessee pivoted from running back to a potential favorite target for Cam Ward. Keldric Faulk at 31, acquired in a late trade with Buffalo, bolsters Robert Saleh's defensive front. Nicholas Singleton in the fifth is excellent value.
Headline pick: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) at No. 4.
Dallas Cowboys: B+
The takeaway: Jerry Jones had two scenarios on the board — move up or move down — and he did both. Caleb Downs sliding outside the top 10 triggered the trade with Miami. He has the ceiling to anchor this defense for years. After the Micah Parsons trade, edge rusher was a screaming need: Malachi Lawrence, Jaishawn Barham and LT Overton, on three consecutive days. Targeted reinforcement.
Headline pick: Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State) at No. 11.
Arizona Cardinals: B-
The takeaway: a clear plan — build the running game — executed with Jeremiyah Love and Chase Bisontis. But selecting Carson Beck in the third round rather than Ty Simpson in the first raises questions. Beck's arm was concerning during his senior year at Miami, especially on deep shots, and the UCL injury patched up at the end of his Georgia career adds another cloud over his future. Not the reassuring profile you want from a franchise face. Love has superstar upside — he's the one rescuing the grade.
Headline pick: Chase Bisontis (IOL, Texas A&M) at No. 34.
Chicago Bears: B-
The takeaway: Chicago's first defensive first-round pick since 2018 is Dillon Thieneman, an immediate starter at safety. Logan Jones at 57? The most debatable selection: why use a second-round pick on a backup center behind Garrett Bradbury, especially with his pass-protection issues? Sam Roush at 69 is far more reassuring — a blocker who doesn't step on Colston Loveland's toes.
Headline pick: Sam Roush (TE, Stanford) at No. 69.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B-
The takeaway: two Texas A&M products in the opener, and the first one is a head-scratcher. Nate Boerkircher is a strong blocker, but Jacksonville already has Brenton Strange at tight end and bigger needs elsewhere. The Jags doubled down with a second tight end in Tanner Koziol. The saving grace: Emmanuel Pregnon at 88 — a guard some had pegged for the first round who fell to the third.
Headline pick: Emmanuel Pregnon (G, Oregon) at No. 88.
Los Angeles Chargers: B
The takeaway: Akheem Mesidor at 22 anticipates Khalil Mack's eventual departure and offsets the loss of Odafe Oweh. Jake Slaughter, a steady performer at Florida, raises a question: why a center after signing Tyler Biadasz to a three-year deal? The most exciting addition: Brenen Thompson, 4.26 in the 40, in Mike McDaniel's offense — the imagination runs wild.
Headline pick: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami) at No. 22.
Minnesota Vikings: B-
The takeaway: two defensive tackles in the first two rounds raises a value debate. The Jonathan Greenard trade to Philadelphia in the second helps explain the urgency. Caleb Banks at 18 is a gamble: two foot surgeries since the start of the 2025 season, including one as recently as the combine. If the injury flares up again, that's a risky first-round bet.
Headline pick: Caleb Tiernan (OT, Northwestern) at No. 97.
San Francisco 49ers: B-
The takeaway: San Francisco fielded calls all day Friday for the No. 33 pick but ultimately kept it to take De'Zhaun Stribling. The Ole Miss receiver joins Mike Evans in a group undergoing major reconstruction. Romello Height at 70 reinforces a front that couldn't stay healthy in 2025. Kaelon Black at 90 is less inspiring — at best, a backup behind Christian McCaffrey.
Headline pick: Romello Height (EDGE, Texas Tech) at No. 70.
The Final Word
If there's one trend to take away from the 2026 draft, it's that patience paid off. The teams that stockpiled picks and trusted their boards — Las Vegas, Cleveland, Cincinnati — walked away with the highest grades. The teams that chased needs over players (Jacksonville, Arizona with its quarterback detour) may have some explaining to do 18 months from now.
Now comes the only judge that matters: the field.
