2026 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams from Giants 'A' to Jaguars 'huh?'

Best pick: Love. The Cardinals have a logjam at running back right now, but Love could quickly emerge as the team's best player.

Sleeper pick: DT Kaleb Proctor, SE Louisiana. He's a bit undersized, but he's got the tenacity to immediately crack the defensive rotation.

Potential reach: Beck. We don't get the Beck hype; the Cardinals could have gone for another developmental QB later.

San Francisco 49ers: D-

First three selections:

• Round 2, 33rd overall: WR De'Zhaun Stribling, Ole Miss
• Round 3, 70th overall: EDGE Romello Height, Texas Tech
• Round 3, 90th overall: RB Kaelon Black, Indiana

Best pick: Height. He can bring immediate third-down heat as an explosive edge rusher while filling out his game.

Sleeper pick: DT Gracen Halton. The 107th pick brought a pass-rushing interior presence who can reload the deep, quarterback-harassing front that the best Niners teams of the past decade-plus have all had.

Potential reach: Stribling. Rumors suggest the 49ers were interested in trading back even more after exiting the first round altogether. Stribling feels like a player they expected to take at pick 50, not with a borderline Day 1 selection. But, uh, there was plenty of competition for biggest reach here, because the Niners had a weird draft.

Los Angeles Rams: D

First three selections:

• Round 1, 13th overall: QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
• Round 2, 61st overall: TE Max Klare, Ohio State
• Round 3, 93rd overall: OT Keagen Trost, Missouri

Best pick: Klare. He's... fine. Look, it was a weird draft from a general manager that's crushed them lately, so Les Snead deserves at least a little benefit of the doubt.

Sleeper pick: WR CJ Daniels, Miami. Miami's big body and ability to create separation late in routes could make him the red zone successor once Davante Adams hangs up his cleats.

Potential reach: Simpson. The 13th overall pick for a player with limited experience in a weak quarterback draft. The Rams sacrificed a win-now asset to build a rickety bridge to the future. Trost is a close second in a weird draft for Les Snead, but he's earned the benefit of the doubt.

Denver Broncos: C

First three selections:

• Round 3, 66th overall: DT Tyler Onyedim
• Round 4, 108th overall: RB Jonah Coleman, Washington
• Round 4, 111th overall: OT Kage Casey, Boise State

Best pick: Casey. His strong, fluid athletic makeup is a perfect fit for what Denver is building on the offensive line.

Sleeper pick: TE Justin Joly, NC State. In a draft where less accomplished tight ends flew off the board on Day 2, Denver was patient and got one of 2026's more productive players.

Potential reach: Onyedim. It was a weird third round, but Denver's first pick was a player who didn't crack the top 100 on most big boards.

Chicago Bears: C+

First three selections:

• Round 1, 25th overall: S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
• Round 2, 57th overall: C Logan Jones, Iowa
• Round 3, 69th overall: TE Sam Roush, Stanford

Best pick: Thieneman. He's exactly what Chicago's secondary needed. He has a high ceiling and high floor.

Sleeper pick: Jones. Even if Garrett Bradbury starts for a year, Jones could assume starting center duties in 2027.

Potential reach: Roush. The Stanford tight end isn't an NFL-level blocker yet and might be inactive in a deep tight end room to start his career.

Minnesota Vikings: C+

First three selections:

• Round 1, 18th overall: DT Caleb Banks, Florida
• Round 2, 51st overall: LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
• Round 3, 82nd overall: DT Domonique Orange, Iowa State

Best pick: Orange. "Big Citrus" could thrive in Brian Flores' defense as a space eater who frees up other guys to get into the backfield.

Sleeper pick: CB Charles Demmings, Stephen F. Austin. Demmings had Day 2 buzz and could outplay his draft status.

Potential reach: Banks. If it all comes together, Banks could be a monster. However, this still felt a little early with Banks' variance as a player.

Detroit Lions: C+

Detroit Lions first round draft Blake Miller, center, poses for a photo with his father Chris Miller, left, and mother Karen Miller at his introductory press conference at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, April 24, 2026.

First three selections:

• Round 1, 17th overall: OT Blake Miller, Clemson
• Round 2, 44th overall: EDGE Derrick Moore, Michigan
• Round 4, 118th overall: LB Jimmy Rolder, Michigan

Best pick: Miller. Detroit needed to replenish its offensive line and found a Taylor Decker replacement in the well-tested Tiger.

Sleeper pick: CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State. Abney had second round buzz, so when he lingered into the fifth round his value was too much to pass up. He can challenge Roger McCreary for slot CB snaps immediately.

Potential reach: WR Kendrick Law, Kentucky. Law had 86 catches over four seasons in the SEC and failed to showcase the production of a top 150 pick -- especially for a team that already has its top three wideouts set.

Seattle Seahawks: C+

First three selections:

• Round 1, 32nd overall: RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
• Round 2, 64th overall: S Bud Clark, TCU
• Round 3, 99th overall: CB Julian Neal, Arkansas

Best pick: Clark. He can step into Coby Bryant's vacated role immediately, bringing high level coverage to one of the NFL's best defenses.

Sleeper pick: G Beau Stephens, Iowa. The fifth round is a wonderful place to land an experienced Iowa mauler. Stephens can handle either guard position and brings a high floor despite concerns about his athleticism.

Potential reach: Price. The Seahawks couldn't have known several solid prospects like Arkansas' Mike Washington Jr. or Emmett Johnson would linger into Day 3. Price serves a role, but the reigning champions could have found better value at the end of the first round.

Green Bay Packers: B-

First three selections:

• Round 2, 52nd overall: CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina
• Round 3, 77th overall: DT Chris McClellan, Missouri
• Round 4, 120th overall: EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State

Best pick: Dennis-Sutton. The Penn State product looked like a second round pick. Instead, Green Bay got a beefy edge presence who can contribute immediately while Micah Parsons rehabs his torn ACL.

Sleeper pick: IOL Jager Burton, Kentucky. The Packers saw a run on dependable centers before their fifth round selection, leaving them to settle on an experienced, if slightly limited, prospect at No. 153.

Potential reach: McClellan. He fills a need up front and can play a few different run-stopping roles, but his lack of burst could make him easy for NFL interior linemen to move out of the way.

Pittsburgh Steelers: B-

First three selections:

• Round 1, 21st overall: OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
• Round 2, 47th overall: WR Germie Bernard, Alabama
• Round 3, 12th overall: QB Drew Allar, Penn State

Best pick: Bernard. His positional versatility and run-after-catch ability make him a perfect chameleon in a passing offense with DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.

Sleeper pick: OL Gennings Dunker. The Steelers picked up a mauler of a lineman who can fill multiple roles up front toward the back of the third round.

Potential reach: Allar. His performances against the NCAA's best teams do not paint a rosy picture of his pro prospects.

Houston Texans: B-

First three selections:

• Round 1, 26th overall: G Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech
• Round 2, 36th overall: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
• Round 2, 59th overall: TE Marlin Klein, Michigan

Best pick: McDonald. The NFL's most fearsome defense added the draft's most fearsome defensive tackle. It just feels right.

Sleeper pick: G Febechi Nwaiwu, Oklahoma. Primarily a guard in college, he could very well find his home as a center in the NFL, where his strength is accentuated and limited lateral mobility is minimized.

Potential reach: Klein. The big German isn't a great blocker and wasn't very productive as a receiver. He's a worthy project, but that's not the guy you take in the top 60.

New England Patriots: B-

First three selections:

• Round 1, 28th overall: OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
• Round 2, 55th overall: EDGE Gabe Jacas, Illinois
• Round 3, 95th overall: TE Eli Raridon

Best pick: Jacas. Lomu has a high ceiling and brings flexibility to the Patriots line, but Jacas fills a major need on the edge with proven production and the base to stick it out all three downs.

Sleeper pick: OT Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M. Crownover looks the part of a franchise tackle but doesn't play like one yet and is nearly 25 years old. Still, there's talent to be unlocked here for a team that needs protection.

Potential reach: CB Karon Prunty, Wake Forest. Prunty has decent size and speed, but he's also spent six years in college football and only two contributing for FBS teams. Most scouting services rated him an undrafted free agent.

Buffalo Bills: B-

First three selections:

• Round 2, 35th overall: EDGE T.J. Parker, Clemson
• Round 2, 62nd overall: CB Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State
• Round 4, 102nd overall: OT Jude Bowry, Boston College

Best pick: Parker. Buffalo traded out of the first round and still landed a Day 1 talent in Parker, a high floor pass rusher with room to grow.

Sleeper pick: WR Skyler Bell. New head coach Joe Brady loves screen passes and easy yards-after-catch opportunities. Bell led all draft-eligible FBS wideouts when it came to yards after catch in 2025.

Potential reach: OT Jude Bowry, Boston College. It's not much of a reach, but Bowry is a raw prospect who may have to kick inside and has to refine his game.

Los Angeles Chargers: B-

First three selections:

• Round 1, 22nd overall: EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Miami
• Round 2, 63rd overall: C Jack Slaughter, Florida
• Round 4, 105th overall: WR Brenen Thompson, Mississippi State

Best pick: Thompson. His frame is concerningly small, but Thompson can absolutely fly. He'll help Justin Herbert and Co. stretch the field even if he doesn't command a ton of targets.

Sleeper pick: OT Travis Burke, Memphis. He's a massive individual who takes pleasure in driving D-linemen into the dirt. Quite a value at No. 117.

Potential reach: Mesidor. He's 25, on the shorter end at 6-foot-2 and only has one year of true dominant play at the college level. His first-round status is the byproduct of a good-not-great EDGE class.

Cincinnati Bengals: B-

Cincinnati Bengals second round pick Cashius Howell speaks with media during the 2026 NFL Draft, Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati.

First three selections:

• Round 2, 41st overall: EDGE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
• Round 3, 72nd overall: CB Tacario Davis, Washington
• Round 4, 128th overall: C Conner Lew, Auburn

Best pick: Lew. The Auburn center is an excellent value pick in the fourth round. He has a starter's ceiling.

Sleeper pick: Davis. The Washington cornerback had first-round buzz at one point in his career. He could be a very solid pro.

Potential reach: WR Colbie Young, Georgia. Young has talent, but him going as early as he did felt like a genuine reach.

Indianapolis Colts: B

First three selections:

• Round 2, 53rd overall: LB CJ Allen, Georgia
• Round 3, 78th overall: S A.J. Haulcy, LSU
• Round 4, 113th overall: G Jalen Farmer, Kentucky

Best pick: Allen. The Georgia star is a sideline-to-sideline menace who can immediately stablize the middle of the Colts' defense

Sleeper pick: Farmer. An athletic mauler in the middle of the line who can clear space for Jonathan Taylor while providing reliable pass protection.

Potential reach: EDGE George Gumbs, Florida. This is a pretty modest reach -- only about 10 spots ahead of expected to fill a position of need. Gumbs put up modest numbers in college but made his teammates better and is worthy of a developmental fifth round slot.

Baltimore Ravens: B

First three selections:

• Round 1, 14th overall: Vega Ioane, Penn State
• Round 2, 45th overall: EDGE Zion Young
• Round 3, 80th overall: WR Ja'Kobi Lane, USC

Best pick: Ioane. An absolute mauler who fits the Ravens perfectly and fills a glaring need.

Sleeper pick: CB Chandler Rivers. While Alabama's Josh Cuevas played his way up from Cal Poly to Alabama and staked his claim as a well rounded tight end who can fill a few different role, Rivers is the fifth-round pick with more upside and could eventually ease Baltimore's transition from the Marlon Humphrey era.

Potential reach: Lane. The Ravens revel in half measures at wideout to boost Lamar Jackson. Lane's separation issues could make him the next link in a regrettable chain.

Washington Commanders: B

First three selections:

• Round 1, seventh overall: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
• Round 3, 71st overall: WR Antonio Williams, Clemson
• Round 5, 147th overall: EDGE Joshua Josephs, Tennessee

Best pick: Styles. The Commanders could get a multi-year All-Pro lineabcker out of the Styles selection if all goes well.

Sleeper pick: Josephs. Washington gets excellent value with Josephs in the fifth round. He could push for real reps this season on the edge.

Potential reach:

New Orleans Saints: B

First three selections:

• Round 1, eighth overall: WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
• Round 2, 42nd overall: DT Christen Miller, Georgia
• Round 3, 73rd overall: TE Oscar Delp, Georgia

Best pick: Miller. The Saints needed to infuse juice into its middling defensive line. Enter Miller, a freak athlete who helped anchor Georgia's run D while showing upside as a pass rusher.

Sleeper pick: WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State. Based on Jordyn Tyson and Chris Olave's injury history, he has a chance to be the team's leading receiver in 2026. The brother of Trey Lance is big, physical and can fly.

Potential reach: Tyson. If he can stay healthy, he has Justin Jefferson-level potential. But the injury history is a real concern, and at No. 8 New Orleans could've fortified the trenches.

Dallas Cowboys: B+

First three selections:

• Round 1, 11th overall: S Caleb Downs
• Round 1, 23rd overall: EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF
• Round 3, 92nd overall: EDGE Jaishawn Barham, Michigan

Best pick: Downs. Dallas got one of this year's top three prospects outside the top 10, and he fits a position of need.

Sleeper pick: EDGE LT Overton. Overton has significant questions to answer about whether his athleticism and consistency will translate on Sundays, but the big lineman spent the last four years haunting SEC offenses and will have a wonderful opportunity to shine in Dallas' needy pass rush.

Potential reach: Lawrence. He's got a high ceiling and brings a badly needed pass rush, but his lack of bend could limit his success against experienced tackles.

Philadelphia Eagles: B+

First three selections:

• Round 1, 20th overall: WR Makai Lemon, USC
• Round 2, 54th overall: TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt
• Round 3, 68th overall: OT Markel Bell, Miami

Best pick: Stowers. Lemon is similarly great, but the Vanderbilt product is a big bodied target who can work the middle of the field and unclog what was a stagnant offense in 2025.

Sleeper pick: QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State. Payton could develop into a valuable passer for a team trying to sell off Tanner McKee for a Day 2 pick. More importantly, he's a ludicrous athlete who can do Taysom Hill things for one of the league's more dynamic offenses.

Potential reach: Bell. He's massive and will serve as Lane Johnson's understudy, but questions remain about whether he has the quickness and agility to mirror NFL edge rushers.

Tennessee Titans: B+

First three selections:

• Round 1, fourth overall: WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
• Round 1, 31st overall: EDGE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
• Round 2, 60th overall: LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas

Best pick: Faulk. His pass-rush technique needs refinement, but he's a plus athlete with a NFL-ready frame and ability to eat blocks. Good luck trying to run on him and Jefferey Simmons.

Sleeper pick: Hill Jr. A solid athlete with significant produciton under his belt, he can develop into a valued starter if he acclimates to the speed of the NFL.

Potential reach: Tate. He's technically precise with a similar build and play style to Tee Higgins, but No. 4 feels too high. Tennessee should've priorited a top offensive lineman here to protect Cam Ward.

Kansas City Chiefs: B+

Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; LSU Tigers defensive back Mansoor Delane is selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the number six pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

First three selections:

• Round 1, sixth overall: CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
• Round 1, 29th overall: DT Peter Woods, Clemson
• Round 2, 40th overall: EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma

Best pick: Delane. Kansas City's secondary got ravaged this spring. Backilling that with the draft's top corner? Beautiful.

Sleeper pick: Thomas. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo got a whole chest of new toys, and Thomas' speed and versatility should help add new pages to his pass rushing playbook.

Potential reach: CB Jadon Canady. Canady is a fierce competitor and another tool in Spagnuolo's box, but his lack of size and just-OK straight line speed could limit his pro potential.

New York Jets: B+

First three selections:

• Round 1, second overall: EDGE David Bailey, Texas Tech
• Round 1, 16th overall: TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
• Round 1, 30th overall: WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Best pick: Sadiq. The destination is puzzling considering the Jets just invested a high pick in Mason Taylor, but Sadiq is exactly who we thought Kyle Pitts would be. He'll be a threat down the seam and across the formation for years to come.

Sleeper pick: CB DeAngelo Ponds. He's small but an absolute playmaker who isn't afraid to mix it up in the run game. His passion on the field is infectious.

Potential reach: QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson. Perhaps Klubnik, a former top high school recruit, could succeed elsewhere. But this is where quarterbacks go to languish.

Las Vegas Raiders: B+

First three selections:

• Round 1, first overall: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
• Round 2, 38th overall: DB Treydan Stukes, Arizona
• Round 3, 67th overall: EDGE Keyron Crawford

Best pick: Mendoza. The Raiders have their best chance at a franchise quarterback in ages.

Sleeper pick: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee. Obviously, the potential here is absolutely enormous for Vegas if McCoy can stay healthy.

Potential reach: C Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M. With Connor Lew and Sam Hecht on the board, taking Zuhn here felt like a reach.

Miami Dolphins: B+

First three selections:

• Round 1, 12th overall: OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
• Round 1, 27th overall: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
• Round 2, 43rd overall: LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

Best pick: Rodriguez. Linebacker wasn't a position of need for Miami, but his talent and character were too undeniable to pass on. Getting the nation's most decorated defensive player in Round 2 is absurd value, even if he doesn't have all-world size.

Sleeper pick: S/LB Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh. A rangy linebacker who makes up for a lack of size with incredible athleticism, instincts and coverage ability. He likely won't start right away, but expect him to make an impact on third downs and special teams.

Potential reach: WR Caleb Douglas, Texas Tech. He fits the athletic profile and size first-year GM Jon-Eric Sullivan values, but more polished prospects such as Chris Brazzell and Ted Hurst were available.

Atlanta Falcons: A-

First three selections:

• Round 2, 48th overall: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
• Round 3, 79th overall: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
• Round 4, 134th overall: LB Kendal Daniels, Oklahoma

Best pick: Terrell. The Falcons get a likely starter at corner with inside-outside versatility who gets to play with his brother, Pro Bowler A.J. Slam dunk of a pick.

Sleeper pick: Daniels. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich loves his hard-hitting safety-turned-linebackers. He could carve a real role on Atlanta's defense.

Potential reach: DT Anterio Thompson, Washington. The sixth rounder went earlier than expected but... yeah, that's not too shabby.

Carolina Panthers: A-

First three selections:

• Round 1, 19th overall: OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
• Round 2, 49th overall: DT Lee Hunter, Texas Tech
• Round 3, 83rd overall: WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee

Best pick: Freeling. While he lacks starting experience, he has the traits to be the best blocker in the class of 2026.

Sleeper pick: IOL Sam Hecht, Kansas State. The fifth round pick brings solid size and athleticism along with supreme effort to be a stabilizing presence in the middle of the line.

Potential reach: Hunter. Carolina drafted very well and Hunter fills a need, but his lack of explosiveness could limit his impact in the middle of the Panthers' line.

Cleveland Browns: A-

First three selections:

• Round 1, ninth overall: OT Spencer Fano, Utah
• Round 1, 24th overall: WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
• Round 2, 39th overall: WR Denzel Boston, Washington

Best pick: Lomu. Cleveland traded back and still upgraded a disheveled offensive line with the best blocking prospect in the draft.

Sleeper pick: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo. McNeil-Warren is a heat seeker who probably shouldn't have made it out of the first round. Getting him late in the second could be 2026's biggest draft bargain.

Potential reach: C Parker Brailsford, Alabama. When a fifth round pick who plays a position of need is your biggest reach, you know you had a pretty nice draft.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A

First three selections:

• Round 1, 15th overall: EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
• Round 2, 46th overall: LB Josiah Trotter, Missouri
• Round 3, 84th overall: WR Ted Hurst, Georgia State

Best pick: Bain. If he didn't have T. rex arms, he'd be the top EDGE off the board. The Buccanners got the baddest man in the draft, a true culture setter.

Sleeper pick: DB Keionte Scott, Miami. Doubling up on Canes was the right idea. While Scott is a bit older than you'd like at 24, he's extremely physical on the boundary.

Potential reach: DT DeMonte Capehart, Clemson. His play style couldn't stray further from his huge stature. He could hardly make plays at Clemson, so I'm not anticipating much of a leap here.

New York Giants: A

Apr 24, 2026; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants draft picks Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa, Head Coach John Harbaugh (left) and General Manager Joe Schoen (right) pose for a photo during the introductory press conference at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Tom Horak-Imagn Images

First three selections:

• Round 1, fifth overall: EDGE/LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
• Round 1, 10th overall: OT Francis Mauigoa, Miami
• Round 2, 37th overall: CB Colton Hood, Tennessee

Best pick: Reese. A terrifying pass rush gets even scarier with a player few expected would last all the way to the fifth pick.

Sleeper pick: WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame. A reliable, powerful possession receiver should boost Jaxson Dart -- and give a returning Malik Nabers more room to work.

Potential reach: DT Bobby Jamison-Travis, Auburn. A sixth round pick on a 330-pound gap-filler who was expected to be a priority free agent signing isn't bad at all, just not as good as the team's other picks.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams in 2026: Giants get an A