I’m not here to clap for every pick and call every class “elite.” Some teams drafted like they had a plan and executed it. Others drafted like they were bored, panicked, bullied, or trying to win a press conference. These are my 2026 NFL Draft grades for all 32 teams, with one pick I love and one pick I hate for each – based on talent, fit, positional value, roster needs, and how the board fell.
MORE: 5 best NFL signings of undrafted players following 2026 NFL Draft
Arizona Cardinals – B+:
Love – 4th-round DT Kaleb Proctor. Legit rotational disruptor value and a smart way to add interior juice without spending premium capital.
Hate – No. 3 overall RB Jeremiyah Love. Great player, but the slot is aggressive for a running back when the roster still had other premium needs.
Atlanta Falcons – C:
Love – 3rd-round WR Zachariah Branch. Game-breaking speed that immediately changes spacing and gives the offense a real stress point.
Hate – The Pearce trade-up clouding this class. When off-field and legal baggage enters the equation, the risk profile of the whole haul worsens.
Baltimore Ravens – C+:
Love – 1st-round OG Olaivavega Ioane. Plug-and-play trench pick that fits Baltimore’s DNA and stabilizes the interior.
Hate – 3rd-round WR Ja’Kobi Lane. The value felt forced at that spot with better options still on the board.
Buffalo Bills – B-:
Love – 4th-round WR Skyler Bell. Separation and utility at a cost that makes sense, plus a role that translates quickly.
Hate – 2nd-round Edge T.J. Parker. Not the direction I would’ve gone relative to alternatives and board value.
Carolina Panthers – C:
Love – 5th-round S Zakee Wheatley. Pure value swing with ball skills and a path to meaningful snaps.
Hate – 1st-round OT Monroe Freeling. Feels like a reach at that slot, and it didn’t align cleanly with the most urgent impact needs.
Chicago Bears – B-:
Love – 1st-round S Dillon Thieneman. Scheme fit, range, and a clear early role in the secondary.
Hate – 3rd-round TE Sam Roush. Opportunity cost stings when premium defensive impact options were still available.
Cincinnati Bengals – B-:
Love – 2nd-round Edge Cashius Howell. Real twitch and finishing traits that should translate as a rotational rusher immediately.
Hate – 3rd-round CB Tacario Davis. Tackling questions are serious for a team that can’t afford soft edges on the perimeter.
Cleveland Browns – B+:
Love – 3rd-round S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Strong value with a defined role and instant special teams + subpackage utility.
Hate – 3rd-round OT Austin Barber. Redundant swing tackle investment after already taking Spencer Fano.
Dallas Cowboys – A:
Love – 1st-round Edge Malachi Lawrence. Ceiling pick at a premium position, and Dallas needed disruptive traits.
Hate – 4th-round OT Drew Shelton. Too rich for a developmental swing where the hit rate is already shaky.
Denver Broncos – C+:
Love – 3rd-round DL Tyler Onyedim. Clean rotational replacement type with a path to real snaps early.
Hate – 4th-round RB Jonah Coleman. Value didn’t match the board and the role is easier to find later.
Detroit Lions – C:
Love – 5th-round CB Keith Abney. Usable depth add with toughness and a chance to stick on teams.
Hate – 1st-round OT Blake Miller. Need is understandable, but the player value at that slot is what’s debatable.
Green Bay Packers – B-:
Love – 3rd-round DT Chris McClellan. Interior nastiness and role clarity – exactly the type of mid-round hit that helps.
Hate – 4th-round Edge Dani Dennis-Sutton. Pass-rush pop isn’t consistent enough to justify the expectation.
Houston Texans – B:
Love – OG Keylan Rutledge. The line needed “mean” and he brings it – fit and urgency align.
Hate – 2nd-round TE Marlin Klein. Better tight end value existed, and the pick felt like a reach.
Indianapolis Colts – B-:
Love – 6th-round Edge Caden Curry. Tough rotational profile with a clean path to a role.
Hate – Waiting until Round 5 to address edge. That’s flirting with disaster in a league built around pressure.
Jacksonville Jaguars – C+:
Love – 3rd-round G Emmanuel Pregnon. Mauler traits that fill a real need and could start early.
Hate – 3rd-round S Jalen Huskey. Feels like a future pick more than an immediate impact add.
Kansas City Chiefs – A+:
Love – 2nd-round Edge R. Mason Thomas. Speed element and pressure profile match what Kansas City lacked.
Hate – Waiting until the 5th for a receiver. Even great drafts can leave one obvious need hanging too long.
Las Vegas Raiders – B+:
Love – 2nd-round S/CB Treydan Stukes. Real chess piece with role flexibility built into the skill set.
Hate – 4th-round RB Mike Washington. Physicality questions make the projection less clean than the slot demands.
Los Angeles Chargers – B+:
Love – 5th-round DT Nick Barrett. Absurd value for a power interior body with a clear rotational path.
Hate – 5th-round S Genesis Smith. Tackling concerns are not a small issue in the role he’ll be asked to play.
Los Angeles Rams – C-:
Love – 3rd-round OL Keagan Trost. Guard projection works long-term, and the pick supports the foundation.
Hate – QB Ty Simpson at 13. That’s a franchise drafting fear more than certainty.
Miami Dolphins – A:
Love – 2nd-round LB Jacob Rodriguez. Instincts and play speed translate, plus the fit is immediate.
Hate – 3rd-round TE Will Kacmarek. Limited receiving profile narrows the impact case.
Minnesota Vikings – B-:
Love – 2nd-round LB Jake Golday. Tough, versatile fit who can play multiple roles.
Hate – DT Caleb Banks. Inconsistency makes the investment feel like a bet without a safety net.
New England Patriots – C:
Love – 2nd-round Edge Gabe Jacas. Direct need-meets-toolbox pick with a straightforward projection.
Hate – Trading up for OT Caleb Lomu. Role and timeline aren’t clean enough to justify the move.
New Orleans Saints – C+:
Love – WR Jordyn Tyson. Offense needed a dynamic element, and he supplies it.
Hate – 3rd-round TE Oscar Delp. Value wasn’t special relative to what was available.
New York Giants – B+:
Love – 2nd-round CB Colton Hood. Starter-caliber swing with a clear pathway to snaps.
Hate – 3rd-round WR Malachi Fields. Big body is nice, but the movement skills don’t match the investment.
New York Jets – A:
Love – 2nd-round CB D’Angelo Ponds. Feisty cover talent that fits today’s passing league.
Hate – 4th-round trade-up for QB Cade Klubnik. The logic is thin, and the value felt forced.
Philadelphia Eagles – C+:
Love – Trade-up for WR Makai Lemon. Clear succession planning and real upside at a premium offensive position.
Hate – 3rd-round OT Markel Bell. Not a guaranteed hit even with Philly’s development track record.
Pittsburgh Steelers – C:
Love – 2nd-round WR Germie Bernard. Need plus immediate usage – easy to project into the offense.
Hate – 4th-round WR/RET Kaden Wetjen. Better value likely existed later for that role type.
San Francisco 49ers – C-:
Love – 2nd-round WR De’Zhaun Stribling. “Too high” talk is overdone if he produces and fits the plan.
Hate – 3rd-round RB Kaelon Black. Bigger needs were staring them in the face, and this is a position they keep misplaying.
Seattle Seahawks – B:
Love – 3rd-round CB Julian Neal. Built exactly like Seattle prefers corners to be built.
Hate – 2nd-round S Bud Clark at 64. Value doesn’t match the projection for me.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – B:
Love – 1st-round Edge Rueben Bain. Slip-and-pounce value with immediate role potential.
Hate – 3rd-round WR Ted Hurst. Defense still needed pressing, and they pivoted away too soon.
Tennessee Titans – C:
Love – 2nd-round LB Anthony Hill. Speed and fit show up right away in that defense.
Hate – Trading back into Round 1 for Edge Keldric Faulk. Boom/bust is a rough way to fix a roster fast.
Washington Commanders – B-:
Love – 1st-round LB Sonny Styles. Defensive centerpiece pick with real three-down potential.
Hate – 4th-round Edge Joshua Josephs. Traits are fine, but the production profile didn’t earn that confidence.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
