Mel Kiper Jr.Apr 26, 2026, 01:30 AM ETCloseMel Kiper Jr. has served as an NFL draft analyst for ESPN since 1984. He is a regular contributor on “SportsCenter,” ESPN studio shows and ESPN Radio. He is the co-host of the First Draft podcast, and he writes regularly for ESPN+.Follow on XMultiple Authors
play0:23Why Fernando Mendoza is excited to go to the RaidersFernando Mendoza breaks down the situation he is walking into in Las Vegas.
play0:52What Jeremiyah Love brings to the CardinalsCheck out the highlights from Jeremiyah Love’s career at Notre Dame.
play1:57Domonique Foxworth: Rams’ selection of Ty Simpson is a ‘risky bet’Dan Graziano and Domonique Foxworth detail why the Rams’ decision to draft Ty Simpson in the first round isn’t expected to pay off immediately.
Why Fernando Mendoza is excited to go to the RaidersFernando Mendoza breaks down the situation he is walking into in Las Vegas.
What Jeremiyah Love brings to the CardinalsCheck out the highlights from Jeremiyah Love’s career at Notre Dame.
Domonique Foxworth: Rams’ selection of Ty Simpson is a ‘risky bet’Dan Graziano and Domonique Foxworth detail why the Rams’ decision to draft Ty Simpson in the first round isn’t expected to pay off immediately.
Dan Graziano and Domonique Foxworth detail why the Rams’ decision to draft Ty Simpson in the first round isn’t expected to pay off immediately.
play0:39What Kenyon Sadiq brings to the JetsWhat Kenyon Sadiq brings to the Jets
play0:35What Mansoor Delane brings to the ChiefsWhat does Mansoor Delane bring to the Chiefs?
play0:56What Max Iheanachor brings to the SteelersWhat Max Iheanachor brings to the Steelers
play0:32What Rueben Bain Jr. brings to the BuccaneersWhat Rueben Bain Jr. brings to the Buccaneers
The 2026 NFL draft wasn’t short on excitement. Quarterback Ty Simpson to the Rams midway through the first round? Big defensive additions for the Cowboys? A dynamic running back to the Cardinals? Two brothers going to the same secondary? Eight trades on Day 1 and 41 across all three days? That was fun.
Now we take it all in and try to make sense of the picks. Which teams nailed their selections from start to finish, tackling needs, sticking to the board and actively getting better? Which teams found steals in some places but reached in others? And which teams made real head-scratching moves, missing big opportunities to get value or fill a hole on the roster?
We’ll start with the best report cards (I handed out four “A” grades) and go to the worst (yes, there is a few “C” marks). Teams that have identical letter grades are listed in alphabetical order. For more on how these rookie classes stack up, check out “NFL Draft Daily” and listen to the final episode of the “First Draft” podcast this week.
NFL draft coverage: Kiper’s Day 1 winners | Kiper’s Day 2 winners Pick-by-pick takes | Overreactions | Every pick
Top needs entering the draft: Left tackle, wide receiver, defensive tackle, safety, guard, cornerback
The Browns came into Thursday with two first-round picks (thanks to last year’s trade with the Jaguars so Jacksonville could go up to No. 2 for Travis Hunter) and two big needs. Would they go receiver at No. 6 and offensive tackle at No. 24? OT at No. 6 and WR at No. 24? Or would they completely shake things up and entertain a trade?
Among the Day 3 picks, Parker Brailsford and Taylen Green stand out. Brailsford is yet another option for the offensive line, with more than 2,400 snaps at center over his career. And while the Browns don’t need any more quarterbacks quantity-wise, Green is an explosive player who ran a 4.36 and jumped 43½ inches in the vertical jump at the combine. He needs to work on his accuracy, but he has a big arm and a lot of attributes.
The Browns received an A-plus from me last year, and the class lived up to expectations. Carson Schwesinger was Defensive Rookie of the Year, and Quinshon Judkins and Harold Fannin Jr. were the main catalysts of the offense, but all seven picks chipped in at some point during Year 1. I don’t know that Cleveland’s 2026 group of draft picks will have the same impact, but this is another good group which should have Week 1 roles. Another good draft weekend for the Browns.
You’ll notice the only top needs listed here are on defense. The 2025 unit was outrageously bad: 6.1 yards allowed per play (31st), 30.1 points allowed per game (32nd), minus-153 EPA (32nd), 58.4 opponent QBR (29th), 47.3% opponent third-down rate (32nd) … the list just keeps going. Big plays had an especially big role in the Cowboys’ defensive shortcomings, as they allowed a league-high 54 plays of 25 or more yards.
So it’s no surprise that the Cowboys’ first three picks — and five of their seven total — came on that side of the ball. They made splashes in Round 1, trading up for Caleb Downs and trading down for Malachi Lawrence.
Top needs entering the draft: Quarterback, defensive tackle, offensive line, wide receiver, cornerback
His rise in 2025 was incredible. He threw 41 touchdown passes en route to an undefeated record, the Heisman Trophy, a national championship and now the No. 1 pick of the draft. Mendoza is very precise with his ball location and can dial up any throw, with a miniscule 7.1% off-target rate. He’s going to elevate this offense for coach Klint Kubiak immediately.
There were a lot of strong picks on Day 2 and Day 3, too. Treydan Stukes is a versatile safety who wears a lot of hats. He can stick with receivers in coverage (4.33-second 40-yard dash), he can hit and he can make plays on the ball (four interceptions last season). If not for a torn ACL in 2024 that cost him a chunk of that season and the first few games of 2025, he might have done enough to warrant a first-round pick. Keyron Crawford can bring some depth and juice to the edge rush.
Why Fernando Mendoza is excited to go to the Raiders
Fernando Mendoza breaks down the situation he is walking into in Las Vegas.
And then Vegas picked Mike Washington Jr. Ashton Jeanty, last year’s No. 6 pick, isn’t going anywhere, but Washington can bring a speed factor to the table. The 6-1, 223-pound running back ran a scorching 4.33 in the 40 at the combine. Per ESPN Research, it tied for the fastest 40 time over the past 20 combines for players weighing at least 220 pounds (joining DK Metcalf and Isaac Guerendo). He can add a pass-catching factor on third down, too. Getting my RB3 at No. 122 is a win.
I do wonder where the receivers are, though. Las Vegas was working on improving the supporting cast around Mendoza, signing Kirk Cousins as a veteran mentor and Tyler Linderbaum as his new center. But the skill positions left a lot to be desired beyond the team’s past two first-round picks, tight end Brock Bowers and Jeanty. Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor are still the top two WRs on the roster. I would have thought Zachariah Branch or Antonio Williams would have been in play in Round 3.
Lemon (No. 11 on my board) is a tough, physical receiver despite his 5-11, 192-pound frame. He snags the ball on the run and turns upfield through traffic without fear, helping him to 1,156 yards in the 2025 season. He will match well with DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown.
To cap it off, remember that the Eagles made a draft-weekend trade for Jonathan Greenard. They sent a pair of third-rounders (one in 2027) to Minnesota for Greenard and a seventh-rounder (used on Cole Wisniewski). Greenard had just three sacks last season after hitting at least 12 in the previous two years, but he’s an instant starter for Vic Fangio.
Let’s flash back to 2022, when the Jets had two picks in Round 1 and ended up making three selections — Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson. Only one of those players is still with the team, and one of them was actually traded for one of the Jets’ first-rounders this year, but we’re running it back. New York added three playmakers on Day 1, starting with David Bailey.
I made the case that this should have been Arvell Reese because of his high upside. But Bailey brings tangible production to the table, having led the nation in pressure rate (20.4%) en route to 14.5 sacks — which also tied for the most among all FBS players. He’s a bendy 251-pounder with 4.5 speed that allows him to get on top of QBs quickly. Johnson is in Tennessee now, so the Jets needed a real presence opposite Will McDonald IV. They were 31st in sacks last season with 26.
What Kenyon Sadiq brings to the JetsWhat Kenyon Sadiq brings to the Jets
Coming right back with Omar Cooper Jr. after trading back into the first round suddenly turns one of the worst pass-catching groups in the NFL (if not the worst) into a promising unit. Cooper caught 13 touchdowns last season.
The Jets only made one pick on Day 2, but I love what they did. D’Angelo Ponds isn’t for every defense at 5-9 and 182 pounds, but the Jets didn’t have a single interception last season. Not one. So adding a slot corner with seven picks and 27 pass breakups over his three-year college career is a good move. Recall that Ponds got a lot of attention at the combine when he leapt 43½ inches in the vertical. He’s a tough kid who plays bigger than his size.
Where’s the QB, though? Well, probably in 2027, when the class is expected to be very, very good, and when New York is again set up with multiple first-rounders. But the Jets did add Cade Klubnik late. He’s competition for Brady Cook for the QB2 role. At one point, he looked like a first-rounder, but 2025 wasn’t kind to his résumé, as he went from 36 passing touchdowns in 2024 to 16 last year.
Top needs entering the draft: Guard, center, tight end, wide receiver, edge rusher, cornerback, defensive tackle
The Ravens’ eventful March gave way to an equally eventful April. After nixing a potential Maxx Crosby trade after a failed physical, Baltimore kept its first-round pick. General manager Eric DeCosta said at the time that he was “gutted” that the deal didn’t work out. But tasked with finding help for Lamar Jackson at multiple offensive positions, he might have been happy to still have that 14th pick when Olaivavega Ioane was on the board.