Once Fernando Mendoza came off the board to the Raiders with the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, all kinds of hell and chaos broke loose. Ty Simspon not only went in the first round, but he went Top 13 to the Rams. Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson went No. 4 and 8. Caleb Downs fell to the Cowboys at 11 while Rueben Bain Jr. was handed to the Buccaneers as well. But now comes the fun part — getting to grade what we all witnessed in the draft.
NFL Draft grades are always going to be subjective and, of course, imperfect. That doesn’t mean we can’t talk about the prospects, their fits and their on-field ability too. However, that.leads me to try and keep it tame-ish with no overly harsh grades.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Grade: A+
Mendoza has been the pick here since the Raiders secured it. While I wouldn’t go as far as to call the Indiana product the best QB prospect we’ve ever seen, but he checks the boxes to be a high-level player in this league with his accuracy to all levels of the field, underrated mobility, and his leadership. He’s precisely what the Raiders needed, and even if it’s a no-brainer, it’s a victory.Â
2. New York Jets – EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
Grade: B
I’m going to choose my words here carefully because, at the end of the day, I love David Bailey as a prospect and think the Jets just added a player who can rack up double-digit sacks in the NFL. At the same time, I’d have still taken Arvell Reese in this situation. He has the higher upside and is the better overall prospect. This feels a bit like Aaron Glenn trying to protect his job, which you never love — but I’m not going to destroy New York for still getting a good player.
3. Arizona Cardinals – RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Grade: C
Where I will be harsh on a team getting a good player is the Cardinals using the third overall pick on Jeremiyah Love. Love is a bonafide beast as a rusher, but the reality of the situation is that he doesn’t move the needle for Arizona. Even if they draft a QB, this roster is miles away from being ready to compete. Running backs, especially with premium picks, should be used to make good teams great. They’re far less likely to make a bad team good.Â
4. Tennessee Titans – WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
Grade: C+
The philosophy for Tennessee is pretty easy to see in this spot. They drafted Cam Ward at No. 1 last year, and are trying to do whatever they can to put him in the best position to succeed. At the same time, is Carnell Tate really the best available in this spot? He wasn’t even the clear-cut WR1 in the class in my opinion, and the Titans have big needs at more core positions of this roster. This felt like a better spot to trade back or take Arvell Reese.
5. New York Giants – LB/EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Grade: A
It could’ve been the Berlin Thunder drafting Arvell Reese at No. 5 to enter a time machine and play in NFL Europe and I’d have been happy with this pick. It’s the Giants, though. I understand the hesitancy with Reese here because, well, New York has three good edge rushers already. However, the G-Men clearly view him more as an off-ball linebacker, and Reese’s ceiling is still quite high there too. Positional value, sure, but it’s a team with too few good players on the roster adding one.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (via CLE) – CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
Grade: C+
Don’t get this grade completely twisted, Mansoor Delane is a helluva player and now gives the Chiefs a strong secondary core with him, Nohl Williams and Kristian Fulton. That being said, the trade up to No. 6 felt unnecessary for Kansas City — especially with some reports that they got duped by Washington leaking fake interest in cornerback. And for a team that, despite having Patrick Mahomes, has holes to plug, that looks a bit questionable to give up capital to make this pick.
7. Washington Commanders – LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Grade: A
Is Sonny Styles guaranteed to be a home run in Washington? Not necessarily. However, I love everything about the player. He’s a leader for this defense in the middle of the field with versatile playmaking ability all over the field. More importantly, he has an infinite amount of juice for a defense that was, frankly, too old and slow a year ago. This was a no-brainer pick for the Commanders and they have to feel lucky to have him fall in their laps.
8. New Orleans Saints – WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
Grade: A
Throughout the process, the messaging from New Orleans continued to seem like the draft would, in many ways, be about helping Tyler Shough out moving forward. Jordyn Tyson absolutely does that. He was my favorite receiver in this draft class. The injury concerns have always been a bit overblown, even if they are there, and he can affect every level of this passing offense. Especially if Chris Olave can stay healthy, the Saints defense looks a ton more dangerous now.
9. Cleveland Browns – OT Spencer Fano, Utah
Grade: B
Trading down is a definite win for the Browns, but Spencer Fano being the selection doesn’t move me all that much. He’s a fine player with a ton of experience from his time at Utah, and it’s nice that he could have some ability to move inside to allow Cleveland to sort out its best five offensive linemen throughout the summer and into training camp. Even still, I’d have preferred higher-upside options overall like Mauigoa or even someone like Freeling with this pick.
10. New York Giants – OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
Grade: B+
There are going to be some Giants fans who aren’t happy with passing on Caleb Downs (receiver Malik Nabers among them from his Bleacher Report stream), but Mauigoa is a great option for them. He can be an immediate fix at guard with long-term potential as one of the bookends for Jaxson Dart. I would’ve graded Downs a bit higher, no doubt, but protecting their young quarterback is always going to be a favorable strategy.
11. Dallas Cowboys (via MIA) – S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Grade: A+
“Home run” might not be strong enough of a term for the Cowboys landing Caleb Downs. They had to trade two fifths to move up one spot for him to block off contending suitors, but it’s worth it. He’s a field general this defense was lacking and perfect fit for the Christian Parker scheme that will put a lot on his plate. Dallas hasn’t had this type of player in almost 20 years on the back end of their defense, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan who isn’t over the moon — and rightfully so.
12. Miami Dolphins – OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
Grade: C
Put as simply as possible, the Dolphins might’ve messed up this selection pretty substantially. The traits with Proctor are always going to be enticing given his size, strength and movement ability in light of those things. But we’re talking about a player who Nick Saban might not be a self-starter and who has been highly inconsistent in college going to an NFL team that’s completely in flux right now. That has disaster potential, and it’d be an unforced error to with better tackles still available.
13. Los Angeles Rams – QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
Grade: C+
Any other team taking Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick would’ve gotten a worse grade than the Rams here. That needs to be said. In a vacuum, LA with Sean McVay and Matt Stafford still in tow is perfect for the talented but raw passer to come in and have time to develop. At the same time, the reach was egregious to get him, McVay’s reaction to the pick seemed like he hated everything about it, and this is a team in a win-now window, which Simpson doesn’t help a bit. If it wasn’t for the right spot for the player to be the best version of himself, this could’ve gotten cooked.
14. Baltimore Ravens – OG Vega Ioane, Penn State
Grade: A
Honestly, just a quintessential Baltimore Ravens draft pick in Vega Ioane, which is definitely a compliment. After losing Tyler Linderbaum this offseason in free agency, they’ve replaced him on the interior with top-tier guards they’ve added, Ioane being chief among them. He was a rock wall at Penn State across the past two seasons and, while picking a guard early isn’t going to win any popularity awards in the draft, it was a smart, safe pick for the Ravens in this spot.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Grade: A+
Even if it does seem like the league might’ve been lower on Rueben Bain Jr. than I am, the fact of the matter is that he still was one of the most effective edge rushers in college and the Bucs direly needed him. They’ve whiffed on their defensive front in some recent drafts and have paid the price. Tampa can have full confidence that won’t be the case when it comes to Bain, and he should absolutely be a force multiplier for the Bucs.
16. New York Jets – TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Grade: C
Looking at some of the initial reactions to this, I might be in the minority (and maybe it looks better in tandem with a forthcoming pick, too), but this just doesn’t do it for me. Kenyon Sadiq is an absolute freak. There’s no denying it or his potential. But he’s not a fully formed tight end at this point, and it’s even more curious going to New York after they just drafted Mason Thomas. They need talent and got more of it, but I’m not sure the fit and cost make sense.
17. Detroit Lions – OT Blake Miller, Clemson
Grade: B
Blake Miller weirdly became one of the most polarizing prospects of this class. Some people love him at this spot, others don’t think he’s a first-round player. I’m probably somewhere in the middle there, but this does make some sense for the Lions. With Detroit’s losses along the offensive line this offseason, they needed immediate help. While Miller still needs to improve his power, he has the tools to be a playable starter with upside for the Lions.
18. Minnesota Vikings – DT Caleb Banks, Florida
Grade: C-
This… just didn’t and still doesn’t make much sense. Caleb Banks, when healthy, is an absolute monster. Guys that big shouldn’t move the way he’s capable of. But he’s still dealing with a foot injury and, though the Vikings got the word he’ll be cleared and good, lower-body injuries for a player with his traits are terrifying. There were far safer picks, especially for a player who wouldn’t be that far from his pick ceiling here in terms of consensus ranking even if he was healthy.
19. Carolina Panthers – OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
Grade: B+
Despite this not being the direction that I expected that the Panthers would go in, I do enjoy the Monroe Freeling fit with Carolina quite a bit. He’s not a surefire immediate starter, even if Carolina asks him to be, but the upside is immense with the Georgia product. The Panthers have seemingly continued to build the best possible infrastructure around Bryce Young in the draft, and this is another piece placed neatly in that puzzle.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (via DAL) – WR Makai Lemon, USC
Grade: A-
Howie Roseman proved to be a maven in the draft once again to trade up for Makai Lemon. The receiver was literally on the phone with the Steelers when the Eagles traded up for him, meaning he had the right intel to make this move. Lemon is far better than the 20th pick would suggest, and the Amon-Ra St. Brown comp isn’t as crazy as it might sound. The only reason the grade isn’t higher is that Lemon’s game doesn’t quite fit well unless we see Jalen Hurts take a step forward to be a more complete thrower.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers – OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
Grade: B
My main concern when it comes to Max Iheanachor in Pittsburgh is it feels like they drafted another iteration of Broderick Jones, which hasn’t panned out for them thus far. While he’s unbelievably talented and fast-developing, he’s still so raw when it comes to playing football. Just one offseason of coaching doesn’t seem like enough to get him fully ready, and the Steelers may well need someone on the field who is.
22. Los Angeles Chargers – EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
Grade: A
Over the course of many mock drafts, a refrain that I kept using was that Mesidor being picked in this range wasn’t a reach on an older (25 years old) prospect, but rather, his value accounting for that. He’s a monster edge rusher with size to come inside, who can be a plus defender against the pass and run at either spot. The Chargers needed that on the defense in a huge way, and he should be a plug-and-play piece on this defense as it tries to contend.
23. Dallas Cowboys – EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
Grade: B+
For at least a little while, this is something we’d started to see in Daniel Jeremiah’s mock drafts for the Cowboys (he nailed both of their first-rounders, actually). Lawrence wasn’t my top edge on the board, and he’s purely a pass rusher right now with little help in the run game. At the same time, he has a developed pass rush arsenal and showcased high-end explosive traits at the Combine. He’s an immediate additon of pace to the Dallas front line, and the Cowboys got two fourth-rounders with him for trading back.
24. Cleveland Browns – WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
Grade: A-
Really, you could’ve put Omar Cooper Jr. or Denzel Boston in this spot too, and I would’ve liked it. However, I love KC Concepcion in this spot. His role in the Todd Monken offense is so easy to envision, and the A&M product might’ve been held back a bit by Marcel Reed last season with the Aggies. The Browns need wide receiver help desperately and could still potentially add another in this draft class. But Concepcion is a great place to start.
25. Chicago Bears – S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Grade: A+
This is just an absolute home run for the Chicago Bears. They had plenty of options sitting at No. 25 and let the board fall, then took the guy who fell to them: Thieneman. After reshaping the safety room this offseason, bringing him in to anchor that unit is absolutely massive. He’s a crazy athlete who has a nose for the football and can cover as well. The versatility he now brings the Bears secondary as a whole is going to elevate the defense further.
26. Houston Texans (via BUF) – OG Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
Grade: B-
Some people went as far as to say that this was a bad pick for the Texans. I’m not going there, but it does feel like they might’ve gotten played a touch by the 49ers to trade up to this spot. Even if that hadn’t happened, Rutledge didn’t wow me, even if he’s a good player. I’m not entirely sure where the buzzy late rise came for with him, but it felt like there were clearly better options to be had, even on the O-line.
27. Miami Dolphins (via SF) – CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
Grade: B+
Another potential reach, but I like Chris Johnson more than most. The Dolphins didn’t do well taking Proctor earlier, but they should feel a bit better after getting the Aztecs standout too. Johnson was a dynamo in coverage in the Mountain West. Some have questioned his athleticism translating to the pro game, but Miami is trying to almost build up from scratch, and getting a relaible coverage asset is a nice addition to that process.
28. New England Patriots (via BUF) – OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
Grade: B+
Caleb Lomu has a good amount of experience from his time at Utah, but is still coming to be a fully formed ball of clay. I’m of two minds with that for the Patriots. On one hand, it does make sense as the replacement for Morgan Moses and someone to develop further for a year behind him. The other train of thought, though, is that New England was just playing in the Super Bowl, and now they’re taking a first-round project or wait-and-see guy. That strategy feels slightly strange, to say the least.
29. Kansas City Chiefs – DL Peter Woods, Clemson
Grade: B+
Personally, the preference might’ve been for the Chiefs to look on the edge rather than the interior, but I also can’t fault them for betting on the upside of Peter Woods. He was a demon in the 2024 season for Clemson, but lackluster in a dismal 2025 campaign for the Tigers. Getting to join this defensive line in Kansas City is a great landing spot, though, as he’ll get to play with Chris Jones and learn behind him as a rotational piece until he’s hopefully ready to take it.
30. New York Jets (via SF) – WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
Grade: A
There were a lot of mock drafts that had Omar Cooper going 16th to the Jets. Instead, they traded back into the first round to get him. This is way better than Sadiq. I’ve said Cooper could be a new iteration of Jarvis Landry in terms of his tools, ability to get open, and the phenomenal hands. New York’s offense doesn’t have that reliable possession type receiver on the roster, and adding him should help give Geno Smith an immediate bost.
31. Tennessee Titans (via BUF) – EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
Grade: B+
Schematically based on what Keldric Faulk is as a player right now, he’s an odd pick for the Titans. But I’m overall favorable on the selection because I do think it’s the right type of landing spot. Even if Tennessee hits on all their draft picks, they’re probably still a team that’s a year away from going for a playoff spot. Faulk needs time to keep learning and growing, and being able to do so with little pressure and more reps should help push him in the right direction.
32. Seattle Seahawks – RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
Grade: C
Not going to be overly harsh with this grade for the Seahawks, but I wanted to be. There have been times when I’ve considered even the 64th pick to be a bit too much of a reach. But now Seattle used the most valuable of its only four picks this year on a non-premium position and reached for a player who has a ton of unknown with him. It’s a bit of an unnecessary risk, and the value couldn’t be further from ideal unless you’re the Cardinals.
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