The NFL Draft 2026 grades for all 32 teams have been released, highlighting the best and worst picks. The Kansas City Chiefs are undergoing significant changes, with questions surrounding Patrick Mahomes' recovery from a torn ACL.
Key points
NFL Draft 2026 grades released for all 32 teams
Kansas City Chiefs undergoing significant roster changes
Patrick Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL
Best and worst picks highlighted for each franchise
Mentioned in this story
Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs
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The dynasty is over. The Kansas City Chiefs, as we've known them for much of the past decade, are done.
So they said.
Maybe that iteration of the Chiefs is done, but the new version might be even better — provided Patrick Mahomes comes back from his torn ACL as the same superstar.
The reason is simple: The Chiefs just crushed the NFL Draft. In doing so, they earned the only A+ grade I am giving out. Let's just say I loved their draft.
The Chiefs had to get better on defense. If Mahomes is banged up early and can't be the same Mahomes right out of the gate, the defense and the running game have to be good. They signed running back Kenneth Walker as a free agent to help the run game and then loaded up on defense in the draft.
With their first three picks, they landed the best cover corner in the draft in Mansoor Delane, a power defensive tackle in Peter Woods, a player I loved, and the captain of my "Better-Than Team" in Oklahoma edge R.Mason Thomas.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has to be one happy man. He is one of the best coordinators in the league, and getting these three guys will enhance his ability to call a defense. When Mahomes is Mahomes again is still up in the air, but the new-look defense can carry them early this season if he isn't quite all the way back. Then, look out.
The Chiefs dynasty is done? Maybe that old version. But 2.0 is going to push for Super Bowls once again, thanks to a great draft, the best of any team this year.
Best Pick: Fourth-round defensive tackle Kaleb Proctor from Southeastern Louisiana is an undersized inside player, but he can move. He impressed against LSU last year and should be a nice rotational piece inside.
Worst Pick: Jeremiyah Love is a good player. Maybe even special. But the value of taking a running back third overall must be questioned. The cost is high, and the careers are usually shorter.
The Skinny: Aside from taking a running back too high — which is always my philosophy — they delivered a nice draft. Getting guard Chase Bisontis in the second, quarterback Carson Beck in the third and Proctor in the fourth were nice choices to go with Love.
Best Pick: Third-round receiver Zachariah Branch can flat out fly. He isn't a big receiver, but he will give the offense some real juice in the passing game. He can also help in the return game.
Worst Pick: Depending on legal issues, it could be the trade they made with this year's first-round pick to get back into the first round last year to take James Pearce. He's a good player, but he has some legal problems to work through.
The Skinny: Without a first-round pick, it's hard to be excited. But taking Avieon Terrell in the second and Branch in the third gives them two players I liked.
Best Pick: It was their first one, Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane. He was the best offensive lineman in this class. Landing him at 14 will prove to be a major steal.
Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of USC receiver Ja'Kobi Lane in the third round. There were better options out there.
The Skinny: Vega will be a clear hit, but the rest of the draft comes with questions. They'd better hope second-round edge Zion Young can contribute right away.
Best Pick: Fourth-round receiver Skyler Bell isn't a big receiver, but he can gets separation and should push for time as a rookie. He did have some trouble with drops, but he's a good player.
Worst Pick: This is based on personal preference, but I would have taken R.Mason Thomas over T.J. Parker., who the Bills took in the second. He fits better in my book.
The Skinny: The Bills traded down a few times — out of the first even — and added extra picks. I like the strategy. Taking Parker fills a pass-rushing need, and second-round corner Davison Igbinosun won't start right away, but he eventually will. Bell was a good pick.
Best Pick: Fifth-round safety Zakee Wheatley was a ball hawk at Penn State who showed up a lot on tape. He isn't a big guy, but he will come up and tackle, too.
Worst Pick: I didn't love the choice of Monroe Freeling in the first round. I thought he was a late-first, early-second round guy. They also didn't really need him right now.
The Skinny: I didn't love Freeling in the first round, but second-round defensive tackle Lee Hunter is a good player who will add a nice power presence inside. I like fifth-round center, Sam Hecht.
Best Pick: It was their first one. Safety Dillon Thienemann will be a big-time player for their defense. Caleb Downs was the best safety in the class, but this kid was tight there with him in my book.
Worst Pick: I didn't like the pick of tight end Sam Roush in the third. Why not take a pass rusher? I know they use 13 personnel a lot, but they had bigger needs.
The Skinny: I liked their first-round pick, but didn't love what they did with their next three. The offense was a priority in the draft, even if the defense was an issue last year. The defensive line was not addressed in the first six picks.
Best Pick: Second-round edge Cashius Howell plays with violence in his game, and he's one of the twitchiest edge players in this draft. He will give them a nice player to add to their front.
Worst Pick: I didn't love Washington corner Tacario Davis in the third. There were better options. He's a good cover player, but he isn't a great tackler.
The Skinny: They addressed defense with their first two picks, which they had to do. The defense will be much better, and Howell will be a part of that improvement. Fourth-round center Connor Lew will be a starter in a year.
Best Pick: Third-round safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is a big-body player who can do a lot of things. They got great value taking him in the third.
Worst Pick: After taking offensive lineman Spencer Fano in the first, I didn't like Austin Barber in the third since he will be a swing tackle.
The Skinny: The Browns have now had two good drafts in a row. This one impressed me. Getting Fano and receiver KC Concepcion in the first, followed by adding a bunch of other good players, the Browns are set up to take a quarterback next year.
Best Pick: I love edge Malachi Lawrence, whom they took with their second first-round pick. He is an explosive, high-ceiling. They needed help there.
Worst Pick: Fourth-round tackle Drew Shelton was a bit of a reach in my book. He's a swing tackle, whom they have to hope can develop into more.
The Skinny: The Cowboys killed it with their first three picks. Taking safety Caleb Downs, Lawrence and edge Jaishawn Barham will continue the overhaul of the defense. This is a team that improved greatly on that side of the ball.
Best Pick: Third-round pick Tyler Onyedim from Texas A&M will provide a down replacement for John Franklin-Meyers, who left for Tennessee in free agency. He will be a rotation player from the start.
Worst Pick: I didn't like fourth-round back Jonah Coleman as much as some in this process. I thought Nebraska's Emmett Johnson, who went in the fifth round to the Chiefs, was a better option.
The Skinny: They traded their first-round pick to get receiver Jaylen Waddle, so he is sort of included in this draft. They needed his juice. This draft will be judged on how he plays. I did like Onyedim pick in the second and linebacker Red Murdock in the seventh.
Best Pick: Fifth-round corner Keith Abney is a tough, physical corner who should push for time in the corner mix as a second-year player.
Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of tackle Blake Miller in the first round. He wasn't a player I rated as highly as others. They did need a tackle, so I get the pick.
The Skinny: They badly need Miller and second-round edge Derrick Moore to both be impact players as rookies. They have issues at both spots. Keep an eye on sixth-round defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard. He has some pop.
Best Pick: Third-round defensive tackle Chris McClellan from Missouri is a tough, strong player who will give them some much-needed help inside.
Worst Pick: Fourth-round edge Dani Dennis-Sutton doesn't have a ton of pass-rush pop, which they needed. He is a good run player, which will help in a division with teams that run the football.
The Skinny: They didn't have a first-round pick because of the trade for Micah Parsons, but they added some solid defensive pieces in second-round corner Brandon Cisse and McClellan. Sixth-round corner Domani Jackson is a guy to watch.
Best Pick: It was their first one, guard Keylan Rutledge. Most will say he was over-drafted but I loved the way he played. He will add toughness to a line that needed help inside.
Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of tight end Marlin Klein in the second. There were better tight end options on the board.
The Skinny: By taking Rutledge and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald with their first two picks, the Texans got better on both lines. They got meaner, too. Fifth-round safety Kamari Ramsey is an interesting player as well.
Best Pick: I love the sixth-round pick, Caden Curry. He is an edge, who plays with toughness and showed up on tape. He will be a guy to watch as a rotational player.
Worst Pick: It's not any of the picks, but waiting until the fifth round to address edge. They need more production from that group, so that was a little surprising.
The Skinny: The Colts didn't have a first-round pick after trading it to the Jets for corner Sauce Gardner. But they did have a lot of picks and focused on defense, taking five of the first six. Second-round linebacker C.J. Allen is a big-time thumper.
Best Pick: I love third-round guard Emmanuel Pregnon from Oregon. He is a mauler in the run game who will push for time right away and will be a long-time starter in a year or two.
Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of safety Jalen Huskey in the third. He is a future pick who likely won't do anything more than special teams this year. I might have taken a pass rusher in that spot.
The Skinny: This is a draft that will be ripped by a lot of pundits and fans - and, for now, probably rightfully so. It wasn't a sexy draft, but they felt they added some toughness to the team. Taking tight end Nate Boerkircher with the 56th overall pick might seem rich, but I liked the player more than most.
Best Pick: Second-round edge R. Mason Thomas will add a nice speed element to a defense that needed it. He is one of my favorite players in this draft.
Worst Pick: It's hard for me to find one with their group. So I will go with a strategy decision. Why wait until the fifth round to take a receiver? That's nitpicking a bit, but then again, I loved this draft.
The Skinny: The Chiefs killed this draft. They traded up to land the top corner in Mansoor Delane, then landed defensive tackle Peter Woods later in the first, and followed up with Thomas. It was a great first two rounds.
Best Pick: Second-round safety-corner Treydan Stukes will be a big-time player, wherever they use him. He was one of my favorite players in this draft.
Worst Pick: Running back Mike Washington has some juice to his game, but he doesn't run as physically as some other runners in this draft. Using a fourth-round pick on him wasn't what I would have done.
The Skinny: This draft will be decided by how well quarterback Fernando Mendoza plays in his career. He was the first overall pick for a reason. He will be good, but he better be. Stukes was a steal and third-round edge Keyron Crawford has some pop.
Best Pick: Fifth-round defensive tackle Nick Barrett will add a power player to a defense that needed more of that inside. I was shocked he lasted until the fifth round.
Worst Pick: Fifth-round safety Genesis Smith of Arizona brings some youth to a group that needs it, but he also has an issue with tackling. That won't work in that defense.
**The Skinny:**The Chargers had a Jim Harbaugh-like draft. They got tougher on both lines. Taking edge Akheem Mesidor in the first was a great move, and second-round offensive lineman Jake Slaughter will likely start at guard, even though he will be their center down the road. I liked their draft. You can never go wrong drafting big people.
Best Pick: Third-round tackle Keagan Trost will likely move inside to guard, where I think he can become a dominant player. He probably won't play a lot this year, but he will start down the road.
Worst Pick: I didn't like the idea of taking Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick. It didn't look much like coach Sean McVay did, either. They should have been all-in for Matthew Stafford this year. A receiver?
The Skinny: This is a year where they seemed to be all-in, with perhaps Stafford playing his last season. But the draft said otherwise. In addition to Simpson, they took tight end Max Klare in the second to add to an already deep room. Their picks won't help much this year.
Best Pick: Second-round linebacker Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech will prove to be a big-time player on their defense. He has the ball instincts you love for the position.
Worst Pick: Third-round tight end Will Kacmarek is a good blocker, not a great one, but is limited in terms of his receiving skills.
The Skinny: Jon-Erik Sullivan had a heck of a draft. I loved the pick of tackle/guard Kayden Proctor in the first round. They then loaded up on a bunch of good players with their remaining picks. Receiver Caleb Douglas will prove to be a steal.
Best Pick: Second-round linebacker Jake Golday will likely play on the outside, but a lot of scouts think he could someday play inside. Wherever he plays, he's a tough football player.
Worst Pick: They took Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks a bit too high. At times, he looked like the next Chris Jones at Florida. But at other times, the inconsistency showed up.
The Skinny: Without a true GM after the firing of Kwesi Adof-Mensah, they focused on defense with their first four picks. They landed some good players, but this draft has to be about Banks becoming a dominant inside player.
Best Pick: Second-round edge Gabe Jacas gives them much-needed help off the edge. He is a power rusher who needs some refining, but the tools are there.
Worst Pick: I like tackle Caleb Lomu as a player, but trading up to take a player who was a left tackle when you insist Will Campbell is the left tackle is puzzling. I know they say he can be the right tackle down the road, but he probably won't help this year.
The Skinny: This is not a draft I loved. Lomu will be a good player, but where and when? Jacas fills a need, but the rest of their draft was underwhelming. Does not taking a receiver mean A.J. Brown is on the way?
Best Pick: Their first pick, receiver Jordyn Tyson, gives the offense a dynamic playmaker. Only injuries held him back in college. Quarterback Tyler Shough had to love that pick.
Worst Pick: Third-round tight end Oscar Delp was just OK in my book. I thought they could have addressed other positions there or even a different tight end.
The Skinny: In Tyson and second-round defensive tackle Christen Miller, the Saints added two players who will make an immediate impact. The rest of their draft wasn't great, although fourth-round guard Jeremiah Wright has a chance to start eventually.
Best Pick: Landing corner Colton Hood in the second round will prove to be a nice move. They've had some issues taking corners in recent years, but this won't be one of them. He's a good player.
Worst Pick: I didn't like taking receiver Malachi Fields in the third. I know he's a big-bodied receiver, but he doesn't run that well.
The Skinny: Landing linebacker Arvell Reese and guard Francis Mauigoa in the first round gives them two immediate starters, and I think Hood will make it three. That's a nice haul. Sixth-round linebacker Jack Kelly is a player to watch down the road.
Best Pick: Second-round corner D'Angelo Ponds was one of my favorite players in this class. He is small, but feisty. Watch how good he becomes wherever he plays.
Worst Pick: I didn't like the trade-up for Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik in the fourth. What's the point? For a guy who will likely back up the quarterback they pick next year?
The Skinny: They killed it. Of course, it helped to have three first-round picks. Edge David Bailey, the second overall pick, will be a star. I wasn't as high on Kenyon Sadiq as some, but I get taking him with pick 16 and receiver Omar Cooper Jr. with pick 30 is a good pick. It was a heck of a draft.
Best Pick: Making the move up to land USC receiver Makai Lemon in the first will pay off big time. He is a good receiver. Bye-bye A.J. Brown?
Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of tackle Markel Bell in the third, but the Eagles have a great track record of drafting and developing linemen. So they get a little bit of the benefit of the doubt here.
The Skinny: After landing Lemon, this was a draft about the future. Both second-round tight end Eli Stowers and Bell will be second or third on the depth chart next year. But the Eagles do that a lot with their picks.
Best Pick: Second-round receiver Germie Bernard fills a need, but he's also a really good player. Look for him to be a part of the offense right away.
Worst Pick: I didn't love fourth-round receiver/returner Kaden Wetjen. In fact, I like seventh-round running back-receiver Eli Heidenrich more.
The Skinny: The Steelers wanted Makai Lemon, but lost out when the Eagles jumped them. Oops. They then settled on tackle Max Iheanochor with the 21st pick. He will be a good player, but he's raw. Taking Penn State quarterback Drew Allan in the third will be interesting to watch. The rest of the draft was just OK.
Best Pick: Most people think they took second-round receiver De'Zhaun Stribling too high, but I don't. I think he has a chance to be a productive NFL receiver. Watch him down the stretch for Ole Miss last year.
Worst Pick: I didn't love them taking Indiana running back Kaelon Black in the third. They had too many other needs, and history says their record taking backs in recent years isn't great.
The Skinny: This was a draft where the 49ers did their own thing, which you have to respect in terms of how the board played out. But if it doesn't work out, they will be ripped big time. Stribling and third-round edge Romello Height have to be producers right away.
Best Pick: Third-round corner Julian Neal is a perfect Seattle corner, long and athletic. He is big at 6-foot-2, which the Seahawks love.
Worst Pick: Second-round safety Bud Clark made a lot of plays on the ball in college, but I am not sure he was worthy of going 64th overall. Then again, the Seahawks do know a thing or two about finding defensive backs.
The Skinny: I normally don't like taking backs in the first, but landing running back Jadarian Price with the 32nd pick was a great move. He will be a big-time runner. The rest of the draft has a John Schneider look to it with the body types they took.
Best Pick: It was their first one, edge Rueben Bain. He slipped to them at No 15, and they quickly swooped him up. He helps fill a need, and his power will be a big addition to their defense.
Worst Pick: It's not really a player, but rather a strategy. Why not keep going on defense rather than taking receiver Ted Hurst in the third, since you have so many receivers? A Mike Evans replacement, maybe?
The Skinny: Both Bain and second-round linebacker Josiah Trotter will be contributors right away. That's a good return. Fourth-round corner Keionte Scott has talent, so taking him in the fourth works. Sixth-round tight end Bauer Sharp is a late-round guy to watch.
Best Pick: Second-round linebacker Anthony Hill will be a perfect Robert Saleh linebacker with his ability to run.
Worst Pick: I didn't like the trade back up into the first round to take edge Keldric Faulk from Auburn. He has the traits, but the production wasn't there. Boom or bust pick.
The Skinny: First-round receiver Carnell Tate will be a good pro, but I don't know if he will ever be great. Taking a receiver at No. 4 means he has to be great. Faulk has talent, but needs to show it more. This draft was just OK for me.
Best Pick: It was their first one. Landing linebacker Sonny Styles gives Dan Quinn a young Bobby Wagner for his defense. Styles may end up being the best defensive player in this class.
Worst Pick: Fourth-round edge Joshua Josephs has some pop to his game, but he wasn't as productive as you would have expected at Tennessee. He does have pass-rush traits.
The Skinny: Getting Styles will help a defense that needed it in the worst way. Think Fred Warner in terms of his game. I really like third-round receiver Antonio Williams.
