2026 NFL Draft: 1st Round Grades

First pick is a given the rest were unknown… Let’s go!

A reminder draft grades are fun, and great for arguments, but they are ultimately meaningless. These grades are generally instant reactions with some adjustment as I write them up. As always I hate your team and all players you passed on are terrible and all players your team picked will be hall of famers.

 

Pick 1 – Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana – Grade: A –

A known commodity for a while now, I have my reservations but I think he has the ability to be very good I’m just not convinced it’s ultimately as high as some think.

 

Pick 2 – New York Jets: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech – Grade: A

The first surprise non-surprise of the night.  The Jets chose floor over ceiling and take Bailey confirming NFL insider sources that they were set on Bailey despite the cancelled visit and outside thoughts on Reese.

 

Pick 3 – Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame – Grade: C+

Pick 4 – Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State – Grade: B+

These are different types of “surprises”… Love is a fantastic prospect but RB is luxury I just don’t think serves the best long term interests of the Cardinals, especially with Reese still there. For Tate I think he’s a good solid reliable option to help out Ward, I understand this pick more but just think in a draft with limited elite talent and Reese slipping just a bit that there were better team building options.

 

Pick 5 – New York Giants: Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State – Grade: A-

Giants saw and picked BPA here, the reason it slips from A to A- for me is that you have such a stockpile at edge that you will most likely have to play him in a less valuable slot. That said, adding fantastic players to your defense and being able to shuffle those pieces is hardly a bad thing… as long as there is a plan.

 

Trade: Kansas City gets 6, Cleveland Gets 9, 74 & 148 – Grade: KC-C/CLE-C

Was surprised that it didn’t cost them more to jump up in the top ten.

 

Pick 6 – Kansas City from Cleveland: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU – Grade: A+

Pick 7 – Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles, OBLB, Ohio State – Grade: A+

Pick 8 – New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State – Grade: A-

Pick 9 – Cleveland Browns from Kansas City: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah – Grade: A

Pick 10 – New York Giants from Cincinnati: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL) – Grade: A

A run of great to good picks… KC gets my top corner and player on the big board, Washington gets what might be the best player in the draft, New Orleans gets a massive upgrade at WR2 and while a bit of a reach a good player, Cleveland gets the tackle the best tackle in the draft and starts to protect whomever starts for them and the Giants bolster an O-line that desperately needs all the help it can get.

 

Trade: Dallas gets 11, Miami gets 12, 177 & 180 – Grade: DAL-C+/MIA-C-

 

Pick 11 – Dallas Cowboys from Miami: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State – Grade: A

Pick 12 – Miami Dolphins from Dallas: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama – Grade: B+

Pick 13 – Los Angeles Rams from Atlanta: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama – Grade: C-

Pick 14 – Baltimore Ravens: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State – Grade: A+

Pick 15 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr, Edge, Miami (FL) – Grade: A

Pick 16 – New York Jets from Indianapolis: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon – Grade: C+

                                                Pick 17 – Detroit Lions: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson – Grade: D-        

Pick 18 – Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks, INT, Florida – Grade: C-

Pick 19 – Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia – Grade: C

 

Dallas making competent picks is always fun and Downs helps a beleaguered secondary, Proctor is a gamble for a team that is desperate for elite talent. McShay had Simpson to the Rams but I never thought it would happen and this was the first spot that I had a visceral reaction to what was happening. Baltimore continues it’s 20 year run of just being competent and getting good players at great value Bowles is gonna love Bain. The Jets took Taylor last year, I like the player, don’t quite understand the pick. Division rivals took players I don’t particularly like at the spot, Miller just didn’t pop for me the way he did for others and Banks is just loaded with questions. And Freeling ends the run of trench players that just didn’t speak to me.

 

Trade: Philadelphia gets 20 & ’27 7th, Dallas gets 23, 114 & 137 – Grade: PHI-D/DAL-B

 

Pick 20 – Philadelphia from Dallas from Green Bay: Makai Lemon, WR, USC – Grade: A-

Pick 21 – Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State – Grade: C+

Pick 22 – Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami (FL) – Grade: B+

Pick 23 – Dallas Cowboys from Philadelphia: Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF – Grade: A+

Pick 24 – Cleveland Browns from Jacksonville: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M – Grade: A

Pick 25 – Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon – Grade: A

 

Generally love this range as Lemon and Concepcion are good receivers and were top on the board for their positions, Lawrence was a guy I was very high on for his ability to bend the edge, Mesidor is just a solid pick, and Iheanachor needs work but he goes to a place that makes sense for both parties. I hate the Bears pick as a Packer’s fan but it’s a fantastic player for a defense that needs playmakers.

 

Trade: Houston gets 26 & 91, Buffalo gets 28, 69 & 167 – Grade: HOU-C/BUF-C

 

Pick 26 – Houston Texans from Buffalo: Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech – Grade: C

Meh. A reach for a solid line player on a team that needs help.

 

Trade: Miami gets 27 & 138, San Francisco gets 30 & 90 – Grade: MIA-C+/SF-C-

 

Pick 27 – Miami Dolphins from San Francisco: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State – Grade: A-

Miami grabs a second good piece.

 

Trade: New England gets 28, Buffalo gets 31 & 125 – Grade: NE-C/BUF-C

 

Pick 28 – New England Patriots from Buffalo from Houston: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah – Grade: A+

Pick 29 – Kansas City Chiefs from Los Angeles (N): Peter Woods, INT, Clemson – Grade: A+

New England moves up and grabs the last of the tackles that are clear difference makers while Kansas City drafts Chris Jones help and a good interior penetrator.

 

Trade: New York (A) gets 30, San Francisco gets 33 & 179 – Grade: NYJ-B-/SF-D+

 

Pick 30 – New York Jets from San Francisco from Miami from Denver: Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana – Grade: A-

The Jets continue to bolster their pass game this time in a much more understandable way with the best receiver still on the board.

 

Trade: Tennessee gets 31, 69 & 165, Buffalo gets 35, 66 & 101 – Grade: TEN-C+-/BUF-C-

 

Pick 31 – Tennessee Titans from Buffalo from New England: Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn – Grade: A+

Pick 32 – Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame – Grade: F

 

Faulk is a great pick and fit for Salah who likes bigger 4-3 ends with the ability to shift around the line and at 276 Faulk is definitely stout enough to hold up. Seattle finishes up the round with the other pick I saw in a mock that I didn’t think would actually happen with Price. I like Price and think he’s the second best RB but I don’t think he’s a first rounder and even if positional value moved him down my board a bit I think he was drafted a round early and positional scarcity doesn’t adjust him up that much.

 

That’s a wrap on round 1, always a good time. Will have BPA a little later today and a round 2 & 3 mock draft before Day 2 starts. Let the fun begin.