Matt BowenMar 31, 2026, 06:25 AM ETCloseMatt Bowen is a fantasy football and NFL writer for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2015, writes regularly for ESPN+ and spent multiple years on “NFL Matchup.” After graduating from the University of Iowa, Matt played safety in the NFL for St. Louis, Green Bay, Washington and Buffalo over seven seasons.Follow on XMultiple Authors
play1:31Why draft stocks of Rueben Bain Jr., Mansoor Delane have risenJordan Reid breaks down the players who saw their NFL draft stocks rise after their pro days, including Rueben Bain Jr.
play1:35Why Ty Simpson is evoking memories of Shedeur Sanders for Matt MillerMatt Miller explains why he doesn’t have Ty Simpson being drafted in the first round.
Mel Kiper Jr.: Jeremiyah Love would be a tremendous fit for Commanders (1:46)Mel Kiper Jr. and Tim Hasselbeck weigh in on whether Jeremiyah Love should be a top-10 NFL draft pick. (1:46)
Why draft stocks of Rueben Bain Jr., Mansoor Delane have risenJordan Reid breaks down the players who saw their NFL draft stocks rise after their pro days, including Rueben Bain Jr.
Jordan Reid breaks down the players who saw their NFL draft stocks rise after their pro days, including Rueben Bain Jr.
Why Ty Simpson is evoking memories of Shedeur Sanders for Matt MillerMatt Miller explains why he doesn’t have Ty Simpson being drafted in the first round.
Ahead of the 2026 NFL draft, it’s important to remember that team fit can sometimes be more important than talent. In order for the top prospects like Arvell Reese, Jeremiyah Love and Mansoor Delane to reach their star potential, they need the right scheme to maximize their skill set.
I took it upon myself to come up with the 20 best player-to-team matches for Rounds 1 and 2. I factored in player strengths and weaknesses, organizational needs, schemes and coaching staff tendencies. A lot of the tendencies are speculative, as the 10 head coaching changes from this offseason will lead to plenty of system changes. But the overall idea was to find spots where players would be put in a position to succeed because of their traits and the team’s existing infrastructure.
So which teams make the most sense for Reese, Love, Delane and the rest of the top draft prospects? Here are 20 ideal fits.
Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey could be a fit here, too, but I like Reese because of the positional versatility he would bring to coach Aaron Glenn’s defense. On his college tape, Reese shows the ability to close the perimeter in the run game, using his 4.46 pursuit speed to explode downhill. Plus, he can pressure or match underneath in coverage.
However, if I’m drafting Reese at No. 2, I’d really want to maximize his pass-rush upside. Reese had 6.5 sacks in 2025, using a variety of rush paths to disrupt the pocket — his short-area burst helps on stunts and loops. With the Jets, Reese should be viewed as a playmaker who could boost the second-worst scoring defense from 2025 (29.6 points allowed per game).
This would be a great first pick for new coach Robert Saleh, giving him a rare “stack” linebacker — inside linebacker or 4-3 outside linebacker — with high-level testing numbers. Styles’ 43½-inch vertical jump at the combine was the highest by an off-ball linebacker since 2003 and the second highest by any linebacker in that span.
Styles will show up in the box and on the edges of the formation as a run defender. He can fire into blockers to hold the point or scrape through to track the ball with his 4.46 speed. Plus, in Saleh’s loaded fronts, Styles can be schemed as a blitzer or fall back late in coverage. Despite his large frame, he can play the hook to curl or carry the seams. There’s big-time upside here for a linebacker who can develop into the Fred Warner role under Saleh.
Love could go as high as No. 4 to Tennessee, but for this exercise, the former Notre Dame star fits in Washington. New coordinator David Blough can bring more balance to the call sheet with Love — a scheme-transcendent player — as a runner and maximize his traits as a receiver, similar to how running back Jahmyr Gibbs is used in Detroit.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels is in serious need of a high-percentage target who can rattle off explosive plays. Love had 39 rushes of 10 or more yards last season, sixth most in the country. His volume as a pass catcher should expand in a pro offense. Love could slot into the lead role here, with free agent signing Rachaad White also seeing touches.
There’s a need here to add a pass rusher in New Orleans, as veteran Cameron Jordan is still a free agent. Plus it’s an opportunity for coordinator Brandon Staley to add a potential game-wrecker for his defense.
The Chiefs have some spots to fill at cornerback after trading Trent McDuffie and losing Jaylen Watson to the Rams. So, let’s give them Delane, who has the traits to fit in coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system.
Kansas City played man coverage on 52.3% of opponent dropbacks in 2025, the fourth-highest rate in the league. Delane would thrive in those coverages (mainly Cover 1, Cover 0 and Cover 2 Man) as a press corner with the speed to match vertically. Plus, he can jam and sink in Cover 2. This is an easy fit for who I think is the top cornerback in the class.
Why draft stocks of Rueben Bain Jr., Mansoor Delane have risen
I think Downs could go higher in the top 10, but this was the best fit in my eyes after the Bengals signed safety Bryan Cook in free agency.
Under coordinator Al Golden, Downs would be an interchangeable safety. He could rotate low in single-high zone, while playing over the top from depth. Plus, with Downs’ ability to create disruption near the line of scrimmage, Golden can play him as a big nickelback in three-safety personnel. He has the urgent play demeanor to set the identity of Cincinnati’s defense.
The Rams don’t have a major need at tight end, but Sadiq should be viewed as a matchup player for Sean McVay’s offense. With his frame and 4.39 speed, Sadiq could be a seam stretcher for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Plus, McVay could use Sadiq as a backside X receiver/power slot to draw favorable man matchups. And he would fit as a catch-and-run target on boot action concepts; Stafford led the NFL with 75 attempts on designed rollouts in 2025.
Obviously, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are two prime targets in the pass game. But Sadiq, who had 51 receptions and eight touchdowns last season, would make the Rams’ offense even harder to stop.
Fano played the entirety of his collegiate career at both tackle positions, but he could move inside for the Ravens. His ability to win in space would fit under new coordinator Declan Doyle, who worked with Ben Johnson last season in Chicago.
We should expect the Ravens to major in the wide zone run scheme, and Fano can also pull to kick/wrap on gap concepts. With his foot speed, Fano also can keep the pocket firm in pass protection for quarterback Lamar Jackson. He gave up just four pressures and zero sacks in 2025.
With reports of Penei Sewell potentially moving to the left tackle and replacing Taylor Decker, the Lions could find their new right tackle in Proctor. His 2025 tape showed some lapses in pass protection, but he has the strength to shut down power rushers. His ability to displace defenders in the run game would also fit with Detroit’s identity. And he’s still just 20 years old with 40 starts under his belt.
McNeil-Warren is ideal for coordinator Brian Flores’ scheme, which focuses on creating chaos for opposing offenses with late movement and pressure. Flores and the Vikings played two-high coverage on 56.5% of opponent dropbacks last season, the second most in the league. McNeil-Warren has the explosive forward ability to drive on the ball from the deep half or a “quarters” alignment. And he has the range to track it deep.
Flores will also use his third-level defenders on pressure concepts; Minnesota’s defensive back blitz rate of 15.1% ranked fourth highest last season. That lends well to McNeil-Warren’s forward burst.
Cornerbacks with Hood’s skill set in coverage tend to go higher than projected. And I like the fit under new coordinator Chris Parker, who will bring elements of Vic Fangio’s defense from Philadelphia. Here, Hood can match up one-on-one outside, playing opposite free agent addition Cobie Durant with DaRon Bland in the slot.
Plus, Hood is a dedicated run defender who knows how to cut off big gains on the perimeter. He is more of a ball disruptor than true playmaker, posting 17 pass breakups over the past two seasons. Parker and the Cowboys can land their Quinyon Mitchell in Hood.
After signing three defensive tackles in free agency, the Bears can look to the edges of their front by taking Young to play opposite Montez Sweat. With his long frame, Young fits the profile of the defensive ends in coordinator Dennis Allen’s system.
Young has the play strength and tackling range to set the edges versus the run game, which would upgrade a defense that allowed 5.0 yards per carry last season (fourth most in the NFL). Young also has the physical traits to develop as a speed-to-power pass rusher; he had 6.5 sacks and 43 pressures in 2025.
The Bills signed veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb in free agency to play under new coordinator Jim Leonhard, but landing Howell would give them an impact player in sub packages. With his quick first step and natural bend, Howell can dip under offensive tackles and close on the quarterback.
Howell can also press tackles vertically to open the door for inside counter moves. He had a total of 25 sacks over the past three seasons.
The Dolphins could opt for a wide receiver at No. 10, but Boston should be on the board for them with their second pick of the first round. Boston’s large frame would allow him to emerge early as a volume target for new quarterback Malik Willis. He has the physical catch-and-run ability to produce on quicks and unders, while giving the Dolphins a matchup target inside the red zone. Boston had 14 red zone touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons.