Jeremy FowlerApr 29, 2026, 07:59 PM ETCloseJeremy Fowler is a senior national NFL writer for ESPN, covering the entire league including breaking news. Jeremy also contributes to SportsCenter both as a studio analyst and a sideline reporter covering for NFL games. He is an Orlando, Florida native who joined ESPN in 2014 after covering college football for CBSSports.com.Follow on XMultiple Authors
WHY Mike LaFleur and the Cardinals drafted Jeremiyah Love (14:43)On The Rich Eisen Show, Mike LaFleur joins the show to discuss the NFL draft and his thoughts on Jeremiyah Love. (14:43)
Which selections stand out? What did teams consider, and which alternative scenarios came close to happening? We talked to coaches, executives and scouts throughout the league and got their takes on prospects, scenarios and what to expect from this year’s rookies.
We wound up with new information on all 32 franchises and most of the top prospects from this year’s class.
Multiple scouts see fourth-round receiver Skyler Bell (UConn) contributing right away. He has polish to his game and tested well predraft. There was an outside chance he would go in the third round but was appropriately picked in the fourth.
First-year GM Jon-Eric Sullivan earned high marks in league circles for his first draft. “They killed it,” an NFC executive said. “They got a mix of talent and culture guys, and all of the moves made sense.” Among the notable additions were fourth-round linebacker Kyle Louis out of Pitt (“He’ll be a good starter in the league,” the exec said) and Louisville receiver Chris Bell as a third-round steal.
The Jets executed four trades last week — and used at least six trade calculations or simulators to make their draft-day moves. They also utilize the old Jimmy Johnson-based points system that’s still considered effective by some teams. New York believes it succeeded in all of its trade-ups based on its projections of what it could have if staying put, as well as what it gave up.
The Rams ultimately chose to sit tight and select quarterback Ty Simpson. Baltimore’s patience paid off. Head coach Jesse Minter is a huge fan of Ioane’s game. Sadiq and Miami pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. were among players on the radar of Baltimore, which at one point contemplated a move back from 14.
The Ravens might also have gotten a first-round talent in edge rusher Zion Young. Some teams knocked him for character concerns, but the first-round ability is there.
Cleveland bet on a defensive run with those early picks and opted to sit tight. The move paid off, as Cleveland double-dipped at receiver, taking Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion 24th (who would have been off the board quickly after 24, as he had many suitors) and got Boston at 39.
With third-round quarterback Drew Allar, the Steelers are betting big on coach Mike McCarthy’s quarterback development to fix Allar’s footwork. “He’s really got a good feel for what that takes,” a team source said of McCarthy’s touch in this area. Pittsburgh believes Allar has similar arm talent to a young Joe Flacco.
GM Nick Caserio, one of the league’s most avid traders, worked on multiple scenarios to get Kayden McDonald at No. 36. He was prepared to trade to No. 33 to get him, and on the draft’s first night, he explored a late first-round trade-in after picking 28th.
Fourth-round Kentucky guard Jalen Farmer will likely play early and often. That has become the Colts’ way — draft midround linemen and throw them into the lineup. The team has selected five lineman in the third or fourth round since 2022: Jalen Travis, Matt Goncalves, Tanor Bortolini, Blake Freeland and Bernhard Raimann. Those five have started a combined 114 games.
“For better or worse, Jacksonville is going to do this their way — they are going to pick the players they want, perception be damned,” said one veteran NFL player agent.
The Titans believe they can get more pass-rush juice out of Auburn edge Keldric Faulk, their 31st pick who had two sacks last year. Faulk was in a two-gap scheme in Auburn, which limited his pass-rush opportunities. Tennessee believes he has the length and speed to do more as a pass rusher.
Denver explored taking a tight end somewhat early, but the board didn’t fall that way. The Broncos would have considered Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers if he made it to No. 62 (he went eight picks earlier). But fifth-rounder Justin Joly out of N.C. State can be a pass-catching weapon. The Broncos really like his tape from 2024, when he played at a lighter weight.
Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain was one of the fallback options. So, the final tally for Kansas City’s first-round haul, after trading Trent McDuffie to Los Angeles and the deal with Cleveland, looks like this: Delane, defensive tackle Peter Woods (29th pick) and a savings of $65 million over four years in exchange for McDuffie and the two picks. The savings come from McDuffie’s four-year, $124-million deal with Los Angeles vs. the combined contract worth for Delane and Woods ($59M).
“That can work for them, but you’re banking on Delane being as good as the All-Pro you already had in your building,” an NFC executive said.
One rival team exec on the Raiders: “This felt like John Spytek’s draft.” That’s considered a good thing. Pete Carroll’s influence was heavy this time last year.
Some inside Dallas’ building were stumping hard for fourth-round offensive lineman Drew Shelton — as early as Day 2. The coaching staff is high on Shelton’s ceiling. “Only so few humans can play tackle in the NFL, and he’s one of them,” a team source said. “Super athletic.” The Cowboys have a history of drafting successful offensive linemen.
UCF edge Malachi Lawrence was one of two primary players under consideration for Dallas at No. 23. A rival team believed the Cowboys might be considering Keldric Faulk, but a Dallas source says that wasn’t the case.
The team was high on Arizona State receiver Jordyn Tyson. Did the threat of taking a receiver high play a role in George Pickens agreeing to sign his franchise tag hours before the draft? Hard to know for certain, but it’s not out of the realm of possibilities. This feels far from over.
A few receiver coaches messaged me this week that they liked the Giants’ pick of Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields in the third round. “Downfield playmaking, plays faster than he ran and was able to go up and make plays on the ball,” an NFC assistant coach said. “Could win isolate routes outside the numbers.”
Second-round tight end Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt) was widely considered TE2, but multiple teams viewed him as a big wideout, similar to Michael Pittman Jr. That will give Philly flexibility in how it uses him. A few teams had knee concerns with Stowers due to a past injury, but by all indications the Eagles did not, and the issue is considered minor (he was durable throughout college).
The Commanders were zeroed in on linebacker Sonny Styles (Ohio State) at No. 7, but my sense in talking with the team is that Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and LSU corner Mansoor Delane would have been viable fallbacks on the team’s board.
In fifth-round Kentucky receiver Kendrick Law, the Lions believe they have a tough, versatile player who’s good with the ball in his hands. But the Lions’ receiving corps is deep, so Law must undoubtedly contribute on special teams to make the squad.
Second-round corner Brandon Cisse (South Carolina) was a favorite of defensive backs coaches predraft, in part because of the impressive tools. “He’s got a ton of ability — he just didn’t always show it,” one of them said. “Improve the consistency and you’ve really got something.”
The first-round selection of Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks felt risky to some, due to multiple foot surgeries. But his upside is high. Third-round safety Jakobe Thomas (Miami) was considered more of a mid-to-late Day 3 pick to multiple scouts. Scouts lauded the second-round selection of Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday, one of the top off-ball backers in the draft who should be able to contribute right away.
The Panthers were essentially tackle or bust on Day 1. Carolina was high on Proctor. If he somehow slipped to 19, he was a viable option for the Panthers. But eventual pick Monroe Freeling (Georgia) was highly regarded, and Utah’s Caleb Lomu was on the Panthers’ short list, too.
Carolina still has a glaring need at tight end that it didn’t fill. Stowers was on the board when Carolina picked at No. 49, but the Panthers weren’t totally comfortable with the player there and liked the idea of pairing Texas Tech defensive tackle Lee Hunter with Pro Bowler Derrick Brown inside.
An AFC scout on third-round receiver Chris Brazzell II: ‘He’s fast and big, but those Tennessee receivers have had trouble making it in the league. He does have some route-running ability, though. He could become an exception.”
Were the Saints a threat to move up within the top 10? A few teams I spoke to this week believed that, if Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey had fallen out of the top three, perhaps New Orleans would have jumped on picking him. Another exec from a team in the top 10 disagreed with that notion. Either way, based on the way the board fell, the Saints zeroed in on Jordyn Tyson. The sense is they would have been happy with Tyson or Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate, the Titans’ pick at No. 4.
An NFC scout on third-round tight end Oscar Delp (Georgia): “Athletic, can run, block, three-down tight end that was underutilized at UGA.”
Expect head coach Todd Bowles to utilize Bain inside as well as on the edge. Fourth-round corner Keionte Scott (Miami) is a natural in the slot, with second-year player Jacob Parrish having the ability to kick outside if necessary.
A Cardinals source on what the franchise likes from third-round quarterback Carson Beck of Miami: “Size. Winner. Natural thrower. Been through some s–.” The Cardinals believe that Beck’s struggles at Georgia and successful transition to Miami showed his resilience. While many around the league pegged Arizona as a Ty Simpson suitor, and the Cardinals liked him, they were also heavily scouting Beck, whose first top 30 visit was to the desert.