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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.