The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. Starting with the Las Vegas Raiders and ending with the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, 32 young men had their professional football dreams come to fruition as they were chosen to join the NFL. While every person who was taken was a winner, the same cannot be said about everybody else involved in the first round of the draft. Though there were some winners, there were also some losers, and even some teams that made us all say, "What the f*ck are they doing?"
Winner: New York Jets
Gang Green seemingly aced the first round of the draft. With the second-overall pick, they chose Texas Tech edge David Bailey, who is the most polished pass-rusher in this draft class. He will immediately make the Jets' defensive line better and will probably be a force in this league for years to come. Later on, they selected tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who is arguably the most athletically gifted tight end prospect in the history of the NFL Draft. He’ll be able to line up as a wideout or a tight end and will most likely overtake Mason Taylor as the team's TE1. Finally, the Jets moved back into the first round by simply parting with a fifth-rounder and the pick they were going to make three spots later to snag wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. His Deebo Samuel-like versatility should have an instantaneous impact on New York's offense since he has the ability to line up almost anywhere on the field. Not only did they nail all three picks they made, but the Jets acquired three guys who will probably be Week One starters and a part of New York’s long-term plans.
Loser: Los Angeles Rams
They made the worst pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Rams are a Super Bowl contender. Hell, they were not that far away from making it to the Big Game last season after falling to the Seattle Seahawks, 31-27. There aren't many holes on this roster, but there are some positions that could use an upgrade, like offensive line, wide receiver, and linebacker. Plus, LA is not a team that has had many high-value draft picks recently. In fact, this was just the second time they have had a first-round selection since 2017. But instead of adding a player who could be a starter somewhere on this team, the Rams took a massive reach on quarterback Ty Simpson, who doesn't really have a first-round value, let alone the talent to warrant being the #13 pick in the NFL Draft. Los Angeles has a two-year Super Bowl window, and Ty Simpson will almost certainly not be a factor during that stretch. In all likelihood, this team's Super Bowl window will be closed by the time he makes his first start. Head coach Sean McVay seemed unenthusiastic about Simpson's selection. Not to mention, he’s not even guaranteed to be the number-two quarterback in this offense. Sean McVay said that Simpson will have to compete for that role with former fourth-round pick Stetson Bennett! If Ty Simpson loses that QB competition, then the Rams just used the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on a third-string quarterback instead of a starter when this team is built to win RIGHT NOW!
What the f*ck: New York Giants
The "what the f*ck" for the Giants is fascinating. It's not that they made bad picks, but the long-term vision New York has for the guys they selected is questionable. At the number-five spot, the G-Men took Ohio State pass-rushing specialist Arvell Reese. I don't hate this pick by any means. Reese is an athletic monster who has the potential to become one of the best edge defenders in the NFL. The problem head coach Jim Harbaugh has a confusing plan for the former Ohio State Buckeye. Harbaugh said of Reese that they're "gonna play him at inside backer... He’ll have an opportunity to move around, but he’ll line up next to Tremaine (Edmunds).” Okay, so you drafted a pass rusher who you want to lineup at a position he wasn't projected to play when there was a natural inside linebacker available with the number-five pick in Sonny Styles. If you wanted to draft an inside linebacker, wouldn't it make more sense to, I don't know, draft an inside linebacker who tested just as well as Arvell Reese? Five spots later, New York used the tenth-overall pick on Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa. It was somewhat surprising based on their secondary needs, but this is another selection that I can wrap my head around. Mauigoa is the best offensive lineman in this draft class. But once again, the plan they have for him doesn't make sense. Instead of having Mauigoa play his natural position of right tackle, he's going to be the team's right guard. What are we doing, Coach Harbaugh? You had two top-ten picks, and though they're both talented, you're going to ask Reese and Mauigoa to line up at positions they're not used to playing at the highest level of competition in the football world. Decisions like that leave us asking, "What the f*ck?"
Winner: Dallas Cowboys
It's no secret that the Cowboys' downfall last season was their defense. Everybody knew that they would use their picks to address the defensive side of the ball. But nobody thought that they would land two of the most exciting top 50 prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. After originally being slated to have the #12 pick, they moved up one spot to take safety Caleb Downs. Not only was he the most productive safety in the country last year, but a case could be made that Downs is the most promising safety prospect we have seen since the start of the decade. Downs is a natural leader who will change the complexion of the entire Dallas defense. His production and versatility will present a big problem for the team’s NFC East rivals. Later, they moved back a few spots, which allowed them to acquire a pair of fourth-rounders and take Malachi Lawrence, an athletic freak edge rusher who had a scouting combine performance that measured up to David Bailey and Arvell Reese. Lawrence’s athleticism will make him a difference-maker as he gets to lineup alongside former Pro Bowler Rashan Gary and former All-Pro Quinnen Williams. It feels like a foregone conclusion that the Cowboys' defense will be better next year based on the team’s first-round picks alone.
Loser: Arizona Cardinals fans
The Arizona Cardinals were arguably the worst football team in the NFL last season. After starting the 2025-26 campaign 2-0, they lost 14 of their final 15 contests while ending the season on a nine-game losing streak. Despite the clear lack of success and no direction at the quarterback position, the Cards used the THIRD-OVERALL PICK on a RUNNING BACK when they had countless holes across the roster. They must have seen how well things worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders after the 2025 NFL Draft when they picked Ashton Jeanty and thought to themselves, "We need to emulate that type of success!" Arizona could have used a versatile linebacker like Sonny Styles or taken a freakishly athletic edge rusher like Arvell Reese to play opposite Josh Sweat. But they ended up landing on Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. This feels like a pick that came down from ownership. The Cardinals were not going to be good this coming season, regardless of who they picked, but NFL owners care about ticket and jersey sales. Taking a top-flight linebacker, pass rusher, or offensive lineman isn't sexy. That’s not going to put asses in the seats. You wanna know what gets fans to spend money on tickets? A game-breaking running back! It doesn't matter that he'll average fewer than four yards per rush since opposing defenses know that their entire offensive game plan is predicated on establishing the run. Young children will want to see Jeremiyah Love play, which will force parents to buy tickets to see their 3-14 team. What’s truly atrocious is Love’s projected contract value. He’s expected to earn $53 million guaranteed over four years with a fifth-year option. That means Jeremiyah Love, who has never played a snap in the NFL, will make more guaranteed money than Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker III, Bijan Robinson, etc. This pick was an egregious miscarriage of NFL roster management.
What the f*ck: Philadelphia Eagles
With the rift between the Eagles and number-one wide receiver A.J. Brown, we have long expected Philadelphia to use its draft pick on a wideout. Not to mention, the guy they got, Makai Lemon, had already cemented himself as one of the three best wide receiver prospects in this class behind only Carnell Tate and Jordyn Tyson. You would think this would be a massive win for the Eagles, but it left us with more questions than answers. Earlier this month, Philadelphia traded for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks and gave him a one-year contract extension worth $12.5 million. They also signed Hollywood Brown to a one-year, $6.5 million deal in March. With Lemon in the mix, they basically have three starting slot receivers. If the plan is to move on from A.J. Brown, it would've made more sense to draft a big-bodied, A.J. Brown type. The elephant in the room is that Makai Lemon was at his most effective when he was catching passes over the middle of the field. Meanwhile, quarterback Jalen Hurts has one of the lowest middle-of-the-field pass rates of any quarterback to start a game from 2021 to 2024. It would've made more sense to take a big wideout like Denzel Boston or a speedster like KC Concepcion. They could have even traded back, acquired more picks, and still landed one of those two guys. Instead, they moved up to add a fourth slot wide receiver to the roster. This wideout room will be incredibly undersized once they get rid of A.J. Brown. Makai Lemon will probably end up making me look foolish long-term, but the immediate vision doesn't make sense.
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs needed to bring in a difference-making pass rusher. For the most part, it seemed like Tampa would end up settling for one of the second-tier guys in this class, like Akheem Mesidor, Keldric Faulk, or Malachi Lawrence. However, the Buccaneers' patience paid off, and they landed one of the tier-one edge defenders in this draft when they selected Rueben Bain Jr. with the 15th overall pick. Forget his short arms, the guy was productive as hell last season. Bain elevated his play when it mattered most and often looked like the best player on the field during the 2026 College Football Playoffs. More importantly, did you see his post-draft interview? Rueben Bain Jr. was FURIOUS that he was not a top-ten draft pick. He was already a tenacious defender, but now he has a massive chip on his shoulder, which will give him all the motivation he needs to come out right away and show other NFL teams that they made a mistake by not drafting him. On top of all that, Bain will be working under one of the best defensive coaches in the NFL, Todd Bowles, who will help him expand his arsenal of pass-rushing moves. This is a match made in heaven for both Bain and the Buccaneers.
Loser: Offensive linemen's job security
Last night, seven offensive tackles were taken in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Of those seven guys, three are going to teams that have recently used first-round draft picks on offensive linemen who play their exact position. First, the Carolina Panthers selected left tackle Monroe Freeling with the 19th overall pick. That could be disastrous for Ikem Okwonu, the number-six overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and the team's starting left tackle for basically the entire 2025-26 season. By picking Freeling, the Panthers are telling the rest of the league that they’re not sure Ekwonu will recover from the ruptured patellar tendon he suffered in the playoffs in time to be available for Week One of the 2026-27 season. Freeling will probably be the starter, and there's a chance that Ekwonu will lose his starting role if the rookie impresses early in the campaign. Two picks later, the Steelers drafted Arizona State left tackle Max Iheanachor. That seems to indicate that former first-round pick Broderick Jones' neck injury is more serious than expected. Similar to Ekwonu, if Iheanachor plays well in training camp and through the first few weeks of the season, Jones could be demoted to a backup role. Lastly, the New England Patriots drafted left tackle Caleb Lomu just a few months after rookie Will Campbell struggled mightily in the Super Bowl, as he continued to struggle with a knee injury. Though Campbell is not at risk of missing the start of the season, it feels like there will be a positional battle between him and Lomu for the team's starting left tackle job. There's a trend here of teams not wasting time waiting around to see if their former first-round picks will be ready for the season and can return to full health. Instead, these franchises are doubling up along the offensive line as an added layer of insurance. Though this is smart for business, it’s concerning for the guys who were already on the roster.
What the f*ck: Minnesota Vikings
The Vikes look somewhat directionless from a managerial standpoint, and that issue reared its ugly head in the first round of the NFL Draft. They had a ton of time to find a new general manager after firing former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah in January. But that's not what they chose to do. Instead, Minnesota's owners threw their support behind interim general manager Rob Brzezinski rather than find a permanent replacement for Adofo-Mensah, even though they had over a month to make a hire before the start of free agency. That's not a terrible decision. After all, Brzezinski has over 30 years of executive-level experience in the NFL. This guy has been around a lot of different GMs. He even had a solid showing in free agency by signing Kyler Murray to an inexpensive deal and reworking the contract of starting running back Aaron Jones. But last night, Brzezinski's inexperience as an NFL Draft manager led to the Vikings using the 18th overall pick on defensive tackle Caleb Banks. The physical attributes that Banks has cannot be ignored. He's 6'6" and weighs 327 lbs., but also demonstrated unparalleled athleticism at the scouting combine. More importantly, Banks fills an immediate need that the Vikes have along the defensive line. So why are we asking "What the f*ck?" It's simple: Banks is a second-round graded defensive tackle who has a history of foot injuries. In 2024 and 2025, he had to miss games due to foot issues. During the NFL Scouting Combine process, he broke the same foot AGAIN and had to undergo surgery. Banks has consistently dealt with foot injuries throughout his college career. Those issues do not tend to go away when you weigh 320+ lbs. As a matter of fact, they tend to get worse as you put more strain on your body, which is exactly what will happen in the NFL. The biggest reason we're left scratching our heads is that Kayden McDonald, who weighs as much as Banks but doesn't have any injury history, was right there for the taking. It feels like the Vikings' inexperienced interim GM didn't factor injury risk at all into this decision, which is highly questionable to say the least.
