NFL NationApr 27, 2026, 06:00 AM ETCloseNFL Nation is made up of 32 team-specific reporters who cover the NFL year-round across ESPN.com, ESPN television shows, ESPN Radio, ESPN+ and social media platforms. It was established ahead of the 2013 season.Multiple Authors
Matt Miller’s favorite pick of the NFL draft (0:45)Matt Miller says the Cowboys’ pick of Caleb Downs is his favorite from the NFL draft. (0:45)
The 2026 NFL draft wrapped up Saturday in Pittsburgh. The three-day event saw 58 wide receivers and tight ends drafted — tied for the most in a seven-round draft (i.e., since 1994) — and a few early surprises, including the Arizona Cardinals taking Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3, the Tennessee Titans selecting Ohio State wideout Carnell Tate fourth and, perhaps most of all, the Los Angeles Rams drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson 13th.
There are 257 new faces joining the league, but will they help solve teams’ woes? What questions linger after the three-day player selection extravaganza, and what comes next?
We asked our NFL Nation reporters to tell us the most pressing question facing the teams they cover coming out of this weekend. Read their postdraft insights below.
Check out ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper’s grades for all 32 draft classes and analysts Jordan Reid and Matt Miller’s postdraft superlatives for more insight into all seven rounds of the draft.
The Bills put significant draft resources into their defense, using six of the team’s 10 picks on the unit. Many of the team’s newest players project to begin as backups. In free agency, the Bills added a few new defenders (three projected starters) and will be relying on players from last season’s team to mesh well in coordinator Jim Leonhard’s scheme.
GM Brandon Beane likes to sign free agents after the draft, but how this unit comes together, or whether other investments should have been made, will be an unknown until the season gets underway. — Alaina Getzenberg
Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was targeting Proctor at pick No. 11 and got “free money” in the form of two fifth-round picks from the Cowboys to move down one spot. Sullivan spoke highly of Proctor’s “rare” blend of size and skill, but Proctor’s career will likely be compared to that of Downs and Bain, who were on the board when Proctor was taken.
The Dolphins are confident they made the right decision, and if Proctor reaches his full potential, it’ll be hard to argue against them. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
What will the draft compensation be if the Patriots, who didn’t select a wide receiver, trade for A.J. Brown?
No two trades are the same, but one of the most recent high-profile receiver deals was for Jaylen Waddle, who was acquired by the Broncos in exchange for a package that included a late first-round pick. So it makes sense that the Eagles might hold out for a first-round pick, even if it means waiting for 2028 or the pick is conditional on Brown reaching certain performance-based markers.
The Patriots, however, could point to the 2024 deal that sent Stefon Diggs from Buffalo to Houston in a package that included a second-rounder as the top chip. — Mike Reiss
Coach Aaron Glenn said recently that tight end Mason Taylor, a 2025 second-round pick, is going to have “a hell of a year” in 2026. Then came the draft, and the Jets became only the fourth team over the past 24 years to pick a tight end in the first or second round in back-to-back years.
It’s on new offensive coordinator Frank Reich to make it work. Look for an uptick in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TEs, 2 WRs). In Reich’s recent history as a playcaller, his usage of 12 personnel was roughly the league average. — Rich Cimini
The Ravens made 11 picks in the draft but were unable to fill their biggest need — center. Almost two months after losing Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum in free agency, Baltimore still has a hole in the middle of its offensive line.
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said the two prospects he liked were surprisingly taken in the second round, and he didn’t believe the other available center prospects could make an immediate impact. “As the Hall of Fame general manager [Ozzie Newsome] once said, ‘You don’t play games until September,’ and I think we’ll have a great offensive line at that point,” DeCosta said. “We have a plan.” — Jamison Hensley
Cincinnati still has not made a major addition in the middle of its defense. Bengals assistant GM Steve Radicevic said that’s the way free agency and the board fell, despite having linebackers queued up.
But it’s a sign the Bengals believe Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter will continue to improve, especially after Cincinnati added defensive tackles Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen this offseason. — Ben Baby
Eight of the Browns’ 10 draft picks were on offense, and many should be poised for big roles sooner rather than later. No. 9 pick Spencer Fano will get a shot to be Cleveland’s franchise left tackle, and first-round wide receiver KC Concepcion could very well start opposite Jerry Jeudy in Week 1.
Second-round pick Denzel Boston provides a unique skill set in the Browns’ wide receiver room as a big-bodied target, and though center Parker Brailsford was a fifth-round pick, he has plenty of experience (42 college starts) and could push for a starting role. — Daniel Oyefusi
Starting with first-round pick Max Iheanachor — a tackle who began playing football only five years ago — the Steelers seemed to target developmental prospects with high upside but also plenty of unknowns. The same can be said for third-round quarterback Drew Allar, third-round cornerback Daylen Everette and sixth-round defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio.
The Steelers might be able to afford having multiple developmental quarterbacks with the hope that Aaron Rodgers returns, but the tackle position could need a plug-and-play contributor if Broderick Jones isn’t ready to go following neck surgery. — Brooke Pryor
Houston’s first- and second-round picks have mostly started in Week 1 in recent years. Since 2023, Houston has drafted tackles Blake Fisher and Aireontae Ersery, along with guard Juice Scruggs, wideout Jayden Higgins, quarterback C.J. Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson and cornerback Kamari Lassiter. Over that span, only Fisher and Scruggs weren’t immediate starters, largely because Scruggs was injured and Fisher was behind two tackles on high-priced contracts at the time.
So it shouldn’t take long before Rutledge, a guard, and McDonald, a defensive tackle, earn starting roles. — DJ Bien-Aime
The Colts let multiple veteran pass rushers walk in free agency, and it remains to be seen whether 2025 second-round choice Jaylahn Tuimoloau can adequately take over a starting job opposite Laiatu Latu. Indianapolis selected two edge rushers in this draft — George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry — but they were fifth- and sixth-round picks, respectively.
The Jaguars finished 27th in sacks (32) last season but didn’t add a pass rusher in free agency and didn’t draft an edge rusher until they took Wesley Williams, who had 11 total sacks in his past three college seasons, in the fourth round.
GM James Gladstone admitted that the pass rush isn’t any better today than when the season ended, but he’s confident it will be as the defensive scheme evolves in the second year under coordinator Anthony Campanile. It’s unlikely the Jaguars will add any of the unsigned veteran pass rushers available, so the pressure is on for the duo of Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker to step up production. — Michael DiRocco
Releasing center Lloyd Cushenberry and not re-signing right guard Kevin Zeitler meant two new starting spots were up for grabs. Veteran center Austin Schlottmann was signed to help, but he has never been a consistent starter. Second-year guard Jackson Slater and veteran free agent Cordell Volson will battle at right guard. The competition will be enhanced by Day 3 picks Fernando Carmona and Pat Coogan, but someone needs to emerge to secure a spot. — Turron Davenport
Yes, the trade for receiver Jaylen Waddle will add pop to the Broncos’ offense, and Waddle was essentially their first-round draft pick. And after a 14-win season, there aren’t many rookie snaps to be had in Denver. But the glaring predraft need for this team was at tight end.
The Broncos didn’t pick until the third round and waited until the fifth round (Justin Joly) and the seventh round (Dallen Bentley) to make selections at the position. Bentley is a physical player with big upside, but he is more of an in-line option at this stage. It is Joly who could offer some immediate help at receiver, and the Broncos will likely need him to be ready to contribute in the passing game in the regular season. — Jeff Legwold
The Chiefs’ top four selections were all defenders. We know cornerback Mansoor Delane will likely start in place of Trent McDuffie. But the trio alongside Delane — defensive tackle Peter Woods, defensive end R Mason Thomas and safety Jadon Canady — should have opportunities to be rotational contributors. How well they do will likely determine how much of an improvement the Chiefs’ defense makes in 2026. — Nate Taylor
Sure, the Raiders didn’t land a wide receiver such as Denzel Boston, Ted Hurst or Ja’Kobi Lane. But another factor in supporting a quarterback is a strong defense, and the Raiders made strides in that direction.
This has been the biggest question for this team since general manager Joe Hortiz took the job in 2024. The Chargers drafted four offensive linemen, their most since 1991, led by second-round pick Jake Slaughter, a Florida center.
L.A.’s biggest need was at guard, and Hortiz said the expectation is that Slaughter will compete to start at left guard. The only issue is that Slaughter never played a college snap at guard, but the Chargers are banking on him upgrading this line and keeping Herbert — the league’s most hit and pressured quarterback last season — upright in 2026. — Kris Rhim
The Cowboys gave a fifth-round pick to San Francisco for Dee Winters, who has started his past 27 games and had 101 tackles last season. Third-round pick Jaishawn Barham will begin his career at inside linebacker. The Cowboys already had DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James and Justin Barron on the roster as off-ball linebackers.