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.<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t 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\u2019t wrap my brain around that one.<\/p>\n
Now that 32 prospects are off the board, let\u2019s 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 were some head-scratchers, too. 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\u2019s biggest needs and any trades involved in the picks — both up and down the board — were also important considerations.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll be back for Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday (7 p.m. ET on TSN). 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\u2019s recap the highs and lows of Round 1.<\/p>\n
Biggest winners and best picks from Round 1Las Vegas Raiders<\/p>\n
The pick:\u00a0Fernando Mendoza\u00a0(No. 1)<\/p>\n
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\u2019t discount Las Vegas\u2019 night — the Raiders got a franchise quarterback and my No. 1 overall prospect in this class. Mendoza\u2019s ball placement is tremendous (72% completion rate in 2025), and don\u2019t sleep on his mobility and arm.<\/p>\n
Las Vegas has a pretty good offensive battery with Mendoza, running back Ashton Jeanty<\/a> and tight end Brock Bowers<\/a>, the team\u2019s past three first-round picks. New coach Klint Kubiak can cap this thing off by finding an impact receiver and\/or offensive lineman on Day 2. I\u2019d love to see Washington receiver\u00a0Denzel Boston\u00a0go at No. 36. The Raiders have nine more picks to keep building this thing.<\/p>\n Arizona Cardinals<\/p>\n The pick: Jeremiyah Love (No. 3)<\/p>\n We started hearing some buzz that Arizona might go this way earlier this week. And I know, I\u2019m not supposed to like a running back in the top five. This isn\u2019t a running back. Love is so much more than that — he\u2019s a true all-purpose offensive playmaker who is going to change this offense. He was No. 2 on my board behind Mendoza.<\/p>\n The Cardinals didn\u2019t really have an identity on that side of the ball; that unit was pretty bland. But coach Mike LaFleur is going line Love up in the backfield and let him break home runs with his 4.36 speed. He\u2019s going to get Love in the slot and out wide as a dynamic pass catcher, too. No pun intended, but I love this fit, even with James Conner<\/a> and Tyler Allgeier<\/a> in that RB room. This 20-year-old is going to energize the fan base.<\/p>\n Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n The pick: Spencer Fano (No. 9), KC Concepcion (No. 24)<\/p>\n 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? 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<\/a>, Zion Johnson<\/a> and Elgton Jenkins<\/a>. Fano is going to be the key piece, though. He plays with power and quickness, and he allowed just one sack over the past two seasons. The question now: Will he stay at tackle, or will his 32\u215b-inch arms kick him inside?<\/p>\n 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\u2019m not sure he was the right receiver to take here. But he\u2019s explosive and can do work underneath. Not quite an A+ 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.<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys<\/p>\n The pick: Caleb Downs (No. 11), Malachi Lawrence (No. 23)<\/p>\n 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\u2019t matter. Dallas would get into the end zone, and opponents would immediately go the other way and score. But Downs won\u2019t 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).<\/p>\n 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 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\u00a0Micah Parsons<\/a>\u00a0(35).<\/p>\n Baltimore Ravens<\/p>\n The pick: Olaivavega Ioane (No. 14)<\/p>\n 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\u2019t allowed one since 2023. Baltimore wasn\u2019t able to keep center Tyler Linderbaum<\/a>, and while it signed John Simpson<\/a> 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\u2019 excellent run game.<\/p>\n Philadelphia Eagles<\/p>\n The pick: Makai Lemon (No. 20)<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve followed my predraft preview content and listened to me on the \u201cFirst Draft\u201d podcast, you know I absolutely love Lemon\u2019s game. I had him as the No. 11 prospect on my board. He\u2019s 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). What a fit in Philadelphia, too, who appears to be on the verge of trading A.J. Brown<\/a> to the Patriots. We knew the Eagles were probably going to target a receiver, but I didn\u2019t think Lemon would still be on the board this late.<\/p>\n 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 makes sense for Philadelphia, too.<\/p>\n Questionable picks and reaches from Round 1Kansas City Chiefs<\/p>\n The pick: Mansoor Delane (No. 6), Peter Woods (No. 29)<\/p>\n There\u2019s 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\u2019s an aggressive move for a team that hasn\u2019t entered a draft with a top-10 pick since 2013.<\/p>\n But on the other hand, Kansas City had a massive cornerback problem after trading Trent McDuffie<\/a> and letting Jaylen Watson<\/a> walk in free agency. And with the medical concerns around Jermod McCoy\u2019s knee, there wasn\u2019t 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 1 starter. But between the reach and the draft capital headed to the Browns, I\u2019m not sure this was the savviest move.<\/p>\n With their second pick, the Chiefs got Woods to line up next to Chris Jones<\/a>. 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n Los Angeles Rams<\/p>\n The pick: Ty Simpson (No. 13)<\/p>\n 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.\u2019s 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<\/a> 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\u00a0Monroe Freeling. This is a Super Bowl-caliber team!<\/p>\n Instead, the Rams took Simpson, who I wasn\u2019t 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 away that pick, but No. 13? Way, way too rich.<\/p>\n 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 just 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\u00a0right now doesn\u2019t fit with the contention window.<\/p>\n Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n The pick: Caleb Banks (No. 18)<\/p>\n Big-time reach for me. Banks was No. 62 on my board, the biggest stretch of the night. Sure, there\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n