The 2026 NFL Draft concluded on April 25, highlighting key winners like Patrick Mahomes and losers such as Diego Pavia. Notable prospects were drafted while some big names went undrafted, impacting team rosters.
Several prospects who endured unexpected tumbles finally had their waits end. Others, however, weren't as fortunate, as some big names went undrafted. And several teams seemed to capitalize on the opportunity to round out their rosters with promising projects.
Here are the biggest winners and losers from the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft:
2026: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana - Las Vegas Raiders
2017: Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M - Cleveland Browns
11 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2016: Jared Goff, QB, Cal - Los Angeles Rams
12 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2015: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
13 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina - Houston Texans
14 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2009: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - Detroit Lions
15 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2008: Jake Long, OT, Michigan - Miami Dolphins
16 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2007: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU - Oakland Raiders
17 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2004: Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss - San Diego Chargers (traded to New York Giants)
18 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2003: Carson Palmer, QB, USC - Cincinnati Bengals
19 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2002: David Carr, QB, Fresno State - Houston Texans
20 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2001: Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech - Atlanta Falcons
21 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
2000: Courtney Brown, DE, Penn State - Cleveland Browns
22 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1999: Tim Couch, QB, Kentucky - Cleveland Browns
23 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1998: Peyton Manning, QB, Tennessee - Indianapolis Colts
24 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1997: Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State - St. Louis Rams
25 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1996: Keyshawn Johnson, WR, USC - New York Jets
26 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1995: Ki-Jana Carter, RB, Penn State - Cincinnati Bengals
27 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1994: Dan Wilkinson, DT, Ohio State - Cincinnati Bengals
28 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1992: Steve Emtman, DT, Washington - Indianapolis Colts
29 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1991: Russell Maryland, DT, Miami - Dallas Cowboys
30 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1990: Jeff George, QB, Illinois - Indianapolis Colts
31 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1989: Troy Aikman, QB, UCLA - Dallas Cowboys
32 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1988: Aundray Bruce, LB, Auburn - Atlanta Falcons
33 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1987: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
34 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1986: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (did not sign, later joined Los Angeles Raiders)
35 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1985: Bruce Smith, DE, Virginia Tech - Buffalo Bills
36 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1984: Irving Fryar, WR, Nebraska - New England Patriots
37 / 37
No. 1 NFL draft picks since 1983
1983: John Elway, QB, Stanford - Baltimore Colts (traded to Denver Broncos)
2026 NFL draft Day 3 winners
Jermod McCoy
At least his agonizing tumble didn't extend deep into Saturday.
The Tennessee cornerback finally got clarity when the Las Vegas Raiders made him the first pick of Day 3. How McCoy manages to move forward might hinge largely on his health amid reports of a bone plug and knee cartilage issue scaring off teams. In Las Vegas, however, he has a good chance to become a foundational piece for a secondary that currently lacks any true long-term assets.
Mike McDaniel
If anyone had questions about how Jim Harbaugh might meld his proclivities with those of his new offensive coordinator, Day 3 of the draft might have provided some hints. McDaniel's hand prints looked to be all over the fourth-round choice of wide receiver Brenen Thompson, who has a legit claim as the fastest player in the draft. Thompson opens up the offense considerably for Justin Herbert, who can take full advantage of him both in the deep game and as a run-after-catch threat. The Bolts also added more support up front with massive offensive tackle Travis Burke and solid offensive guards Logan Taylor and Alex Harkey.
The New Orleans Saints put the second-year quarterback's well-being at the center of its offseason strategy. After a couple of bold free-agent additions in running back Travis Etienne Jr. and offensive guard David Edwards, the Saints turned their focus in the draft to their receiving corps with first-round wideout Jordyn Tyson and third-round tight end Oscar Delp.
More support arrived Saturday. Fourth-round receiver Bryce Lance, who averaged more than 21.1 yards per catch last season, could form a dynamic downfield connection with the strong-armed Shough. Fourth-round guard Jeremiah Wright can also bolster the push up front for a more formidable ground game. And sixth-round receiver Barion Brown is a game-breaking speed demon, though his most valuable contributions might come in the return game.
The Kansas City Chiefs ensured their star signal-caller will return from last season's devastating knee injury to some fun new surrounding pieces.
After revitalizing their defense on Days 1 and 2 with cornerback Mansoor Delane, defensive tackle Peter Woods and edge rusher R Mason Thomas, the Chiefs turned their focus to their offense on Day 3. Running back Emmett Johnson can help a wholly ineffective running game get back on pace by spelling splashy signing Kenneth Walker III. Fifth-round receiver Cyrus Allen has the tools to become a fast favorite of Mahomes as a vertical threat out of the slot. And for good measure, Kansas City got its undrafted free-agent class going with Allen's former teammate Jeff Caldwell, an unpolished but unique matchup threat at 6-5 and 216 pounds and plenty of deep speed.
Tight ends
Perhaps it was fitting that a rather unglamorous draft class ended up defined by some of its more workman-like positions. The demand for tight ends remained sky high to the very end, with 22 taken overall. Prepare for a proliferation of multiple tight end sets as more teams imitate Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams, who engineered the NFL's highest-scoring offense in 2025 by getting three players at the position on the field with regularity.
Of course, there are worse spots to sit and learn than under Andy Reid and behind Mahomes. But Nussmeier looked as though he might qualify as one of the few passers in this class capable of becoming at least a spot starter sometime in the next two years. NFL teams summarily rejected that notion, and he'll have to show off his growth while serving as a third-stringer, with Justin Fields set to hold down the backup role.
Nearly two months ago in Indianapolis, Green set himself apart from his peers by ripping off a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at 6-6 and 227 pounds along with superlative marks in the vertical leap and broad jump. Already a proven big-play dynamo as a deep-ball thrower and running threat, he sparked excitement about what he might be able to achieve with more polish.
All that athleticism can only carry a quarterback so far, though. Green hung around until the sixth round, when he was taken by a Cleveland Browns team with a glut of young quarterbacks. Reps could be hard to come by in this landscape, which will further hinder Green's development. Given the outsized demand for tight ends and receivers, maybe he would have been better off entertaining the position switch he firmly rejected throughout the pre-draft process.
This was perhaps a pre-determined outcome for Pavia, who looked ill-suited to serve as a backup given his physical limitations and the unique dynamic tied to his style of play. Now, however, the Vanderbilt quarterback has become an unfortunate piece of trivia as the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since 2014 and the first runner-up not to be taken since 2003. Pavia will have to make quite the statement over the spring and summer to latch on somewhere.
The former LSU linebacker and pass rusher joined the cavalcade of collegiate stars who crash-landed on Day 3, with the Atlanta Falcons ending his wait in the seventh round.
Perkins had a fairly turbulent ride the last two years, so this outcome wasn't entirely a surprise, especially given the difficulty of projecting a 6-1, 223-pound defender without a true spot to call home. Still, he began his collegiate career as a legitimate playmaker with his pass-rush prowess. Maybe he can tap into that streak as a hybrid playmaker for Jeff Ulbrich, but he's facing an uphill battle to stick around.
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