The first round of the 2026 NFL draft was difficult to predict right up until the clock started ticking. And the more difficult it is to predict, the more likely we get some chaos and big-time surprises.
It didn’t take long for the shockers to start rolling. Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 to the Raiders as we all knew would happen, and David Bailey went No. 2 to the Jets as most expected would happen. But then the Cardinals put a jolt into Round 1 with Jeremiyah Love at No. 3. The Chiefs followed by trading up to No. 6 for Mansoor Delane, and the Cowboys hopped up one spot to take Caleb Downs at No. 11. But the real stunner came halfway through the first round, with the Rams taking Ty Simpson at No. 13. I can’t wrap my brain around that one.
Now that 32 prospects are off the board, let’s put some context on these picks. Which teams were the big winners of the night? I really liked a bunch of these selections; I see some impact players who came at solid value. But there also were some head-scratchers. I sized up the good, the bad and everything in between, leaning on my own Big Board rankings and prospect grades to get a sense of which teams got steals and which teams reached. Each roster’s biggest needs and any trades involved in the picks — both up and down the board — were also important considerations.
We’ll be back for Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday (7 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App). Only two players from my top 25 are left on the board. I listed my best available players at the bottom here with some early second-round thoughts. But first, let’s recap the highs and lows of Round 1.
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Biggest winners and best picks from Round 1
The pick: Fernando Mendoza (No. 1)
We all knew it was going to happen, and they had the benefit of just getting to pick before any other team. But that shouldn’t discount Las Vegas’ night — the Raiders got a franchise quarterback and my No. 1 overall prospect in this class. Mendoza’s ball placement is tremendous (72% completion rate in 2025), and don’t sleep on his mobility and arm.
Las Vegas has a pretty good offensive battery with Mendoza, running back Ashton Jeanty and tight end Brock Bowers, the team’s three most recent first-round picks. New coach Klint Kubiak can cap this off by finding an impact receiver and/or offensive lineman on Day 2. I’d love to see Washington receiver Denzel Boston go to them at No. 36. The Raiders have nine more picks to keep building.
The pick: Jeremiyah Love (No. 3)
We started hearing some buzz that Arizona might go this way earlier this week. And I know, I’m not supposed to like a running back in the top five. This isn’t a running back. Love is so much more than that — he’s a true all-purpose offensive playmaker who is going to change this offense. He was No. 2 on my board behind Mendoza.
The Cardinals didn’t really have an identity on that side of the ball; that unit was pretty bland. But coach Mike LaFleur is going to line up Love in the backfield and let him break home runs with his 4.36 speed. He’s going to get Love in the slot and also out wide as a dynamic pass catcher. No pun intended, but I love this fit, even with James Conner and Tyler Allgeier in that RB room. This 20-year-old is going to energize the fan base.
The pick: Spencer Fano (No. 9), KC Concepcion (No. 24)
Everyone talked about how the Browns had to leave Round 1 with an offensive tackle and a wide receiver. But doing that and picking up extra middle-round picks after trading back from No. 6? That’s impressive work by general manager Andrew Berry. Once on the clock at No. 9, Cleveland took Fano, who was my No. 2 offensive tackle and is an extremely versatile lineman. Cleveland is remaking this line, bringing in Tytus Howard, Zion Johnson and Elgton Jenkins. But Fano is going to be the key option. He plays with power and quickness, and he gave up only one sack over the past two seasons. The question now: Will he stay at tackle, or will his 32â…›-inch arms kick him inside?
The next Browns pick checked the other box. To be clear, I thought Concepcion might fall a little bit, and he was my eighth-best receiver. I’m not sure he was the right receiver to take here. But he’s explosive and can do work underneath. Not quite an A-plus first round — Denzel Boston would have done it for me there — but I have to give Cleveland praise for hitting their two big needs and getting some picks back in a trade.
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What Spencer Fano brings to the Browns
What Spencer Fano brings to the Browns
The pick: Caleb Downs (No. 11), Malachi Lawrence (No. 23)
Dallas traded two fifth-round picks to move up one spot, but it was worth it. The Cowboys got my No. 6 prospect and a culture-changer for a defense that needed one. They had a top-five offense last season. It didn’t matter. Dallas would get into the end zone, and opponents would immediately go the other way and score. But Downs won’t tolerate that on the back end of the secondary. He diagnoses and sniffs out plays, and he has the coverage and tackling ability to limit the big plays that buried the Cowboys in 2025 (54 plays allowed of 25 or more yards, most in the NFL).
Turns out, those traded picks were coming right back, too. Putting aside the fact that it was an in-division move, how about the Cowboys trading back three spots from No. 20 to No. 23 with the Eagles and getting a pair of fourth-rounders in return? (Though, they sent a 2027 seventh-rounder to Philly as part of the deal.) The Cowboys turned the No. 23 pick into Lawrence, who has risen very fast over the past few months. As we saw both on tape and at the combine, he can fly off the edge. Lawrence had seven sacks last season and helps a defense that tied for 22nd in that area in its first year without Micah Parsons (35).
The pick: Olaivavega Ioane (No. 14)
I love this pick. Ioane is a big 6-foot-4, 320-pound blocker with light feet and immense strength, and he refuses to give up sacks. He hasn’t given up one since 2023. Baltimore wasn’t able to keep center Tyler Linderbaum, and though it signed John Simpson to play one guard spot, it needed to upgrade the other one in a big way. Ioane is a safe, high-floor prospect who is going to boost this unit and open some rushing lanes for the Ravens’ excellent run game.
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What Olaivavega Ioane brings to the Ravens
What Olaivavega Ioane brings to the Ravens
The pick: Makai Lemon (No. 20)
If you’ve followed my predraft preview content and listened to me on the “First Draft” podcast, you know I absolutely love Lemon’s game. I had him as the No. 11 prospect on my board. He’s a true baller who attacks the ball in the air and creates after the catch, finishing eighth in the FBS in receiving yards last season (1,156). Also, what a fit in Philadelphia, which appears to be on the verge of trading A.J. Brown to the Patriots. We knew the Eagles were probably going to target a receiver, but I didn’t think Lemon would still be on the board this late.
I gave the Cowboys props for the trade, so I have to mention the flipside here. But given the value of the prospect and the clear need on the not-so-distant horizon, I think it also makes sense for Philadelphia.
More picks I liked in Round 1
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I had Jordyn Tyson above Carnell Tate on the WR board, but they were back to back at Nos. 7 and 8, respectively. So I had no problem with Tennessee taking Tate at No. 4 and getting Cam Ward some immediate help. The Titans’ offense scored 15 points per game last season, and it was dead last in yards per dropback at 4.6. The Titans dropped a lot of money on Wan’Dale Robinson in the slot this offseason to join Calvin Ridley in the receiver room, but they needed a game-breaking pass catcher. Tate runs great routes and has terrific hands. He’s going to be Ward’s new best friend.
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The Jets made three picks Thursday, starting things off with edge rusher David Bailey at No. 2. I personally would have preferred Arvell Reese there, but I can’t argue with Bailey’s bend, burst and production. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq was an interesting selection in the middle of the round — he’s an after-the-catch maverick with explosive traits — and landing receiver Omar Cooper Jr. back at No. 30 after trading back into the first will absolutely boost this lackluster receiver room behind Garrett Wilson. Three good players for New York.
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The Commanders watched Love and a bunch of the top defenders come off the board before we got to No. 7. But they still landed the No. 4 prospect on my board in linebacker Sonny Styles, which is huge for a Washington defense that gave up 6.0 yards per play in 2025 (30th in the NFL). Styles is a former safety, and you can tell on the tape. He’s going to use that 4.46 speed to fly around the field and make plays on the ball.
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The Giants had a lot of options, and some might question the fit of Arvell Reese at No. 5, considering edge rusher wasn’t really a need. They just took Abdul Carter at No. 3 last year, and they have Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. But at the same time, Reese is a top-three prospect overall, and I could see New York using him as an off-ball linebacker as he develops and realizes his immense potential as an NFL edge rusher. Reese is a complete football player, and he’s going to be a factor regardless of how defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson uses him.
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The Dolphins-Chris Johnson match is fun. The Miami cornerback room was barren, and Johnson is a ball hawk. He had six interceptions and 16 pass breakups over the past three seasons, and he’ll be a day one starter on the outside.
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Buffalo didn’t pick any players Thursday, but it added some picks in three trade-backs. The Bills entered with seven picks and now have nine. In a year without many players with true first-round grades, this is good management of the board for general manager Brandon Beane. Maybe Buffalo uses one or two of those to move up for someone such as Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch on Day 2? The Bills need a linebacker, too, and CJ Allen (Georgia), Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) and Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas) are still available.
Questionable picks and reaches from Round 1
The pick: Mansoor Delane (No. 6), Peter Woods (No. 29)
There’s a lot to unpack here. First, we have to recognize that the Chiefs gave third- and fifth-round picks to Cleveland to move up to No. 6 to even make this pick. I had Delane as the No. 14 prospect on my board, so it feels like a slight reach. It’s an aggressive move for a team that hasn’t entered a draft with a top-10 pick since 2013.
But on the other hand, Kansas City had a massive cornerback problem after trading Trent McDuffie and letting Jaylen Watson walk in free agency. And with the medical concerns around Jermod McCoy‘s knee, there wasn’t another elite CB1 on the board this year. It was no lock that Delane would be there at No. 9, especially with the Commanders and Saints picking ahead of the Chiefs. Delane is instinctive and has ball-hawking coverage skills (eight interceptions over his career). He is a day one starter. But between the reach and the draft capital headed to the Browns, I’m not sure this was the savviest move.
With their second pick, the Chiefs got Woods to line up next to Chris Jones. Denzel Boston and Missouri edge rusher Zion Young were the two best players on the board at that point, and they both would have hit needs. Instead Kansas City rolled the dice on an interior lineman whose 2025 production (two sacks) didn’t match his talent. If defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can coach him up, maybe this looks great in a few years. But I saw more consistent prospects at positions of need sitting there for the taking.
The pick: Ty Simpson (No. 13)
Well, this was wild. I had Lemon to the Rams in my final mock draft, and the USC receiver was still on the board when L.A.’s pick came around. This team is in win-now mode as it tries to capitalize on a really good roster with 38-year-old Matthew Stafford playing on a year-to-year basis. I really thought the Rams would go get another playmaker for Stafford, or at least boost his protection with someone like tackle Monroe Freeling. This is a Super Bowl-caliber team!
Instead, the Rams took Simpson, who I wasn’t positive would even go in Round 1, let alone this high. I did have Simpson in my final mock but not until late in the 20s. So this was a little surprising to say the least. There was talk that the Rams were interested in him at No. 29 before they traded that pick, but No. 13? Way, way too rich.
Simpson is an accurate passer with a lot of promise, and he looked like the real deal for half of the 2025 season. But he fell off down the stretch and declared for the draft despite only 15 career starts. I get that Simpson is the heir apparent here, and Los Angeles is smart for planning for the future. But using the No. 13 pick on a QB with lingering questions when the Rams had the chance to do something to help them right now doesn’t fit with the contention window.
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Why Booger McFarland has doubts over Rams pick Ty Simpson
Booger McFarland expresses his concerns over Rams QB pick Ty Simpson.
The pick: Caleb Banks (No. 18)
Big-time reach for me. Banks was No. 62 on my board, the biggest stretch of the night. Sure, there’s reason to believe this could work out for the Vikings. Banks can stop running backs in their tracks, and he gets enough interior push to be a factor in the pass rush. He moves well for a 6-foot-6, 327-pounder. But he has been dealing with a foot injury for a while now, and he just had surgery on it after the combine. A lot of risk here, even if Banks healthy and at his best can shore up the interior.
This was made worse by the fact that safety Dillon Thieneman was still on the board. Everyone thought that pairing made sense. Harrison Smith is still uncertain to return for 2026, and even if he comes back, he’s 37 years old. Thieneman would have been perfect in Brian Flores’ defense. Not sure I understand this one.
Kiper’s best available prospects for Round 2
Here are the best players on my board still available for Day 2. I have their predraft top-150 ranking in parentheses.
1. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington (21)
2. Zion Young, Edge, Missouri (22)
3. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia (28)
4. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee (29)
5. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo (33)
6. Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon (34)
7. R Mason Thomas, Edge, Oklahoma (36)
8. Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State (37)
9. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech (38)
10. Christen Miller, DT, Georgia (39)
I’ve mentioned a handful of these players, but as you can tell by this list, there will be some solid linebackers and defensive tackles out there early on Day 2. Watch Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, Arizona safety Treydan Stukes and Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis could go quickly. I was hearing their names a lot on Wednesday night before the draft. And with Simpson off the board, the best QB still out there is Miami’s Carson Beck — who is ranked No. 111.
