2026 NFL Draft Biggest Winners & Losers From Round 1

As the opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft comes to a close, the league officially turns the page with 32 new rookies stepping into the spotlight and reshaping the future across the board.

Round 1 delivered no shortage of drama, from aggressive trade-ups to unexpected selections that lit up social media. More importantly, it offered an early glimpse into how teams are approaching the rest of draft weekend.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from a chaotic first round.

MORE: Buccaneers legend Gerald McCoy predicts Rueben Bain selection

Winners

Dallas Cowboys

Somehow, the Cowboys were able to not only make multiple beneficial trades on draft day but also land one of the top available talents without even being in the top ten.

Moving up just one spot to land Caleb Downs at No. 11, Dallas sent picks No. 12, 177, and 180 to Miami to make it happen.

A considerable bargain for Miami, but when weighing the cost against the upside of a player of Downs’ caliber at No. 11, the gamble feels justified, especially when you consider he was mocked as a top ten selection.

Dallas recouped some of that lost draft capital by flipping pick No. 20 to Philadelphia, sliding back to No. 23 while picking up selections at Nos. 114 and 137.

Even with the move down, the Cowboys stayed in control of the board and capitalized by landing UCF’s Malachi Lawrence, who was arguably the top EDGE still available at that point.

New York Jets

The Jets cracked off the draft in a major way as they selected the best pure EDGE in the draft by selecting Texas Tech’s David Bailey at No. 2 overall.

New York made it clear with this pick that they did not want to take any risks with the future of their front seven, opting for a mauler on the edge rather than one of the other versatile defensive options.

Coming off the board at No. 16, Kenyon Sadiq gave the Jets the top tight end in the class and a major upgrade at the position with an elite pass catcher.

Still, that would not be the final pick for New York as they traded their way into the back end of the first at No. 30, allowing them to snag Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr.

With three new faces in the Big Apple, perhaps a change of times is coming for a hopeful Jets team.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

While they had only one selection compared to the other two winners on this list, Tampa Bay still managed to land one of the premier talents in this class without having to make any trade-up move.

Fueled by concerns over arm length played right into Tampa Bay’s hands, as the Buccaneers scooped up in-state star Rueben Bain Jr. out of Miami, one of college football’s most disruptive pass rushers last season.

The pick gives Tampa Bay an immediate boost off the edge, and if Bain performs anywhere near the level many projected for him as a top-10 talent, this could end up as one of the best steals of the first round.

Losers

Minnesota Vikings

Arguably the biggest stretch of the first round, Minnesota’s decision to take Caleb Banks at No. 20 raised plenty of eyebrows given the circumstances.

At one point in the pre-draft cycle, Banks carried legitimate first-round buzz, but concerns surrounding his surgically repaired left foot clearly impacted his stock.

That makes this selection feel aggressive for a player who may not even be fully ready until well into training camp.

If Banks can return to full strength and recapture the form he showed at Florida, the upside is there to validate the pick. For now, though, it feels like a gamble that leans more toward risk than reward.

New York Giants

It was a puzzling start from the New York Giants, who entered the draft armed with two top-10 picks, only to leave fans with more questions than answers.

At No. 5, New York went with Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, an EDGE/LB hybrid whose profile overlaps heavily with players already on the roster, including Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

While Reese’s athletic upside is clear, the fit feels redundant, making the selection difficult to justify given the other options available.

The pick at No. 10, Francis Mauigoa, was more conventional, addressing the offensive line with a high-upside talent.

Still, given how the board unfolded, the Giants passed on opportunities to address more immediate concerns, particularly in the secondary, leaving this class open to scrutiny.