2026 NFL draft: Best, worst first-round picks, trades, QBs

As rumored for months, quarterback Fernando Mendoza went to the Raiders to start Round 1 of the 2026 NFL draft. But status quo went out the door after that, especially with the Rams throwing a curveball at No. 13.

So with the 32 first-round picks now official, it’s time to go over everything that’s happened — the good picks, the overzealous reaches and the teams that perfectly filled their draft needs. NFL draft analysts Matt Miller, Jordan Reid and Field Yates answered some of the biggest lingering questions. Which trades stood out? Which teams filled their needs best? What are our biggest mock draft regrets?

The second round will get underway Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC/ESPN App). But first, here’s our instant reaction to Day 1.

Jump to a section:
Best pick | Most confusing | QB questions
Biggest surprise | Mock regrets | Glaring need
Best trade | Multiple first-rounders | Love’s impact
Fantasy WRs | Day 2 lookahead

Who was the best pick of the night?

Miller: Safety Dillon Thieneman to the Bears. No one thought Thieneman would get past the Vikings at No. 18, but he slipped and the Bears were smart to patiently wait and select him to be the new free safety next to enforcer Coby Bryant. The Bears are a team with legitimate Super Bowl hopes, and Thieneman’s versatility and alignment flexibility are perfect for what coordinator Dennis Allen wants to do defensively.

Reid: Safety Caleb Downs to the Cowboys. He’s my second-ranked player in the class, and the Cowboys got him with the No. 11 pick. Dallas needed help on the back end of its defense, as it struggled with giving up explosive plays. Downs helps solve that problem right away.

Yates: Linebacker Sonny Styles to the Commanders. Not only did Washington get good value here by picking my No. 5 overall player at No. 7, but he fills a gigantic need on a Commanders defense that needs playmakers. As a former safety, Styles excels in coverage and also showed pass-rushing chops with the Buckeyes. He could really be a star for coach Dan Quinn.

What was the most confusing move of the night?

Miller: Arvell Reese to the Giants. I love Reese; he’s an elite prospect, but the Giants don’t need edge-rush help with Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux on the roster. Even if you make the case for Thibodeaux being traded, Burns is only 28 years old and has three years left on his contract. Best player available is talked about a lot, but not really at No. 5 overall.

Reid: Ty Simpson to the Rams. In win-now mode, I thought the Rams would want to maximize the window of Matthew Stafford. Wide receiver Makai Lemon and tight end Kenyon Sadiq were both on the board and it made sense to add another receiving threat. But the Rams instead opted to get their QB of the future in Simpson.

With Ty Simpson off the board, what could other QB-needy teams do?

Miller: Punt to 2027? In all seriousness, this is why we saw so many teams address quarterback before the draft started. The Jets added Geno Smith, making their situation not at all desperate. The Cardinals are the lone team with a true “need” at quarterback, but even there they’ll have Jacoby Brissett back on the roster for 2026.

Reid: Simpson going inside the top 15 helps push other QBs up the board for teams looking for Day 2 or middle-round options. Garrett Nussmeier and Carson Beck are likely the next two signal-callers that will be selected. I expect them to be drafted in Round 3 or Round 4.

Yates: Will Arizona pounce on a QB early? Yes, the Cards do have Brissett on the roster, but can they really afford to wait until Round 3 or Day 3 to get a youngster at the position. We’ll figure out the answer pretty quick, as the Cardinals have the second pick in Round 2 (No. 34 overall).

What was the biggest surprise of the night?

Reid: The Cowboys trading back from No. 20 and allowing a division rival (the Eagles) to get the WR it wanted in Makai Lemon. The Cowboys made a surprisingly risky move, and I don’t understand why they allowed the Eagles to trade up and find what could eventually be A.J. Brown’s replacement. Lemon fits perfectly alongside DeVonta Smith, as they have skill sets that complement each other well.

Yates: Defensive tackle Caleb Banks to the Vikings. As far as talent, Banks makes sense, as he’s a top-15 player when healthy. But he hasn’t been healthy for nearly a year. Banks was limited to 90 snaps last season due to foot injuries and recently underwent foot surgery after being injured at the combine. If he’s ready to go, he could be a big-name player for Minnesota. But that’s a big if.

What is your biggest regret from your final mock draft after seeing Day 1 play out?

Miller: The buzz surrounding Arizona selecting Jeremiyah Love was heating up in the days before the draft, but there was enough pushback from sources who knew the Cardinals’ front office that I got scared off and stuck with the chalk pick of Arvell Reese. Sometimes the buzz is right, and you’d love to use hindsight to say you should have connected the dots and realized the pick was happening.

Reid: Not having the Chiefs taking a CB early. The Chiefs lost three corners this offseason in Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams. It was clear that they were going to have early interest in drafting a corner. Mansoor Delane fits their scheme perfectly and has a chance to be a true CB1 on the next level.

Yates: I was this close to nailing the draft slots for Rueben Bain Jr. and Sadiq. I had Bain going to the Ravens at No. 14 and Sadiq coming off the board to the Buccaneers at No. 15. Of course, Bain went to the Bucs and Sadiq went to the Jets at No. 16. So close to mock draft glory!

Which team best addressed a glaring need on Day 1?

Miller: Delane to the Chiefs. The trade up to select Delane was a bit surprising, but I’ll applaud the move as Kansas City was desperate for cornerbacks after trading McDuffie to the Rams, then seeing Watson follow him to Los Angeles in free agency. Delane will be tasked with replacing the All-Pro McDuffie; interestingly enough, that was my predraft comparison for the former LSU corner.

Reid: OT Blake Miller to the Lions. After the release of Taylor Decker, offensive tackle was a clear need in Detroit. Miller immediately becomes a plug-and-play starter opposite All-Pro Penei Sewell, who’s likely to move over to left tackle. Miller could settle into his natural spot at right tackle and help the Lions get their line right again.

Yates: OT/G Francis Mauigoa to the Giants. Mauigoa is a tough, physical player with the ability to play both inside and outside. Even though he was a three-year starter for Miami, Mauigoa is more than able to slide inside to guard and fortify the Giants’ protection of second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart.

What was the best trade up, down or for a player during Round 1?

Miller: I’ll go back to the Delane move. It was important to jump the Commanders at No. 7 to secure Delane, but this was also a draft with just one sure thing at cornerback after injury concerns surfaced surrounding Jermod McCoy (Tennessee). The Chiefs clearly believed cornerback was a primary need, and with no guarantees that a starter-level grade corner would be available at No. 29, the aggressive move to get Delane was wise.

Reid: The Browns trading down and still getting OT Spencer Fano. One of the worst-kept secrets heading into the draft was the Browns’ desire to trade down. They were able to accomplish that and still end up with one of the more versatile offensive linemen in this year’s class. Fano has the potential to play all five positions up front.

Yates: The Cowboys moving up one spot to get Downs. It wasn’t a huge move, but when a player like that is available, you can’t leave things to chance. Downs is an immediate starter in Dallas and will be essential in improving one of the NFL’s worst defenses in 2025.

Which team with multiple first-rounders fared best Thursday?

Miller: The Jets absolutely cooked Thursday night. David Bailey, Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. is a heck of a haul for a team that badly needs impact players. Bailey is ideal for the transition to a 3-4 defense thanks to his world-class speed off the snap. And though we don’t know who the Jets’ long-term quarterback will be, whoever it is will have two fun playmakers with the speedy Sadiq and Cooper, who is a playmaker in the middle of the field.

Yates: The Cowboys. I really liked the Downs pick (the player and the value), and Malachi Lawrence was one of the biggest risers late in the predraft process. The Cowboys’ defense needed an upgrade in talent, and both of these players should contribute immediately. Dallas also accumulated some picks in trading down before the Lawrence pick. It was a great night at The Star.

Predict Jeremiyah Love’s stat line for 2026.

Miller: 1,100 rushing yards, 450 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns

Reid: 1,200 rushing yards, 400 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns

Yates: 1,025 rushing yards, 420 receiving yards, 12 touchdowns

play

How Jeremiyah Love will bolster the Cardinals’ offense

How Jeremiyah Love will bolster the Cardinals’ offense

Which pass catcher will have the biggest Year 1 fantasy impact?

Miller: Carnell Tate enters a fantastic situation with the Titans, where he has the tools to be the team’s WR1 by Thanksgiving. Tate is the lone Round 1 receiver headed to a team that (A) has an established quarterback and (B) no established No. 1 wideout. It stands to reason he’s going to see the most targets of any rookie wideout, and his ability to make plays in the red zone will help him get the fantasy points needed to lead the pack.

Reid: Jordyn Tyson. He steps into a situation in New Orleans where he’s expected to be a heavy contributor right away. Outside of Chris Olave, the Saints didn’t have a second option, but Tyson is an instant upgrade and a reliable playmaker for Tyler Shough on the perimeter.

Who are you most shocked to see available on Day 2?

Miller: The top-ranked player on my board is Jermod McCoy at No. 10, but we knew he was likely to slip due to the knee-injury question marks. Outside of McCoy, I’ll highlight Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. He was my No. 20 overall prospect, but it’s very possible he’ll be the first pick of Round 2 to the 49ers.

Reid: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee. I thought there could be as many as four cornerbacks drafted in Round 1. Considering Hood’s upside and polished technique, I’m surprised a team didn’t take a chance on him.

Yates: No one, to be honest. My highest-graded player was McCoy. I thought Hood might make his way into Round 1 with coverage skills, but there’s no one who was a big shocker to me.

What’s the biggest story to watch Friday?

Miller: What are the Cardinals going to do at quarterback? With Simpson going to the Rams and Brissett skipping the offseason workout program, the Cardinals have a gigantic question mark at the game’s most important position. Perhaps they can persuade Brissett to commit with a pay raise, but this is a team in desperation for help at quarterback. Will they jump on Carson Beck early in Round 2?

Reid: Where will McCoy land on Day 2? It was well-documented that he could ultimately fall into the second round because of durability concerns. The talent isn’t the question, but without playing at all last season and the questions about McCoy’s knee, there wasn’t a team that was willing to take a risk on Day 1. McCoy likely won’t have to wait long to hear his name called on Day 2.

Yates: Will the deluge of trades continue at the top of Round 2? There was a lot of shuffling Thursday, especially in the last third of the first round. Will that continue? I have a sneaky hunch that there will be more wheeling and dealing early Friday.

Make one prediction for Day 2.

Miller: No quarterbacks will go in Round 2, despite needy teams such as the Jets and Cardinals. This quarterback crop isn’t loved by the league, with the next tier largely seen as backup-caliber players instead of future starters. That, plus history telling us that quarterbacks tend to slip after Round 1, has me thinking we’ll see QBs waiting until late Friday night to go.

Reid: Delane (Chiefs, No. 6) and Chris Johnson (Dolphins, No. 27) were the only two corners drafted in the first round. I believe that many more will come off the board quickly during the early parts of Day 2. McCoy, Hood, Avieon Terrell, Brandon Cisse and D’Angelo Ponds are among the high-quality corners still available.

Yates: The 49ers will start things off by taking Washington receiver Denzel Boston. San Francisco needs receiving help, and Boston is one of the most productive in this class. He has a big body and a nose for the end zone, which would help him make an impact in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.