The 11 worst value picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, from Ty Simpson to Max Iheanachor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Drafting in the NFL is all about value. From a player's position and projected rookie contract, to their fit on a team, each team is seeking to strike a balance in getting "their guys" on the draft board vs. risking losing out on another talented player.
That's where trades often come in — in the first round alone at the 2026 NFL Draft, teams were moving up and down the draft board, assessing where they felt they could land the players they desire. But as draft history will show, not every pick can be a star.
Some decisions have more of a chance to fall into the "bust" category than others, especially considering how high a team takes a player. By overshooting a prospect's value, that team likely lost the chance to add another dynamic talent.
Here's a look at the 11 of the worst value picks of the NFL Draft, including Ty Simpson and Max Iheanachor.
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On one hand, Proctor's size — 6-foot-6, 352 pounds — brings potential. However, with all that size and power have come some questions; draft analysts have suggested Proctor could've been a shoo-in top-five pick if he played up to his full potential at Alabama.
At No. 12, the Dolphins took a slightly earlier shot on Proctor than anticipated. He's expected to have to stabilize his playing weight in the NFL, has shown inconsistent technique and needs to improve his hand placement. For a No. 12 pick, there could be concerns with Proctor if he's not coached and developed into his rookie season.
Miami is landing an offensive lineman with immense upside — but there's a reason Proctor was projected to land somewhere closer to the 15-to-20 range. He has the physical tools, but hasn't yet shown an ability to put it all together, making this a risky selection for a rebuilding team.
MORE: Winners and losers from round one of the 2026 NFL Draft
In perhaps the most surprising pick of the 2026 draft, the Rams — typically known for their anti-draft-picks strategy as an annual Super Bowl contender behind Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford — decided to invest in a player who likely will not see the field this upcoming season.
While the Rams could have taken Makai Lemon, Rueben Bain Jr. or added offensive line depth, they made a bolder decision, selecting a quarterback nearly all draft analysts had pinned as a second-round talent who could go in the late-first.
The good news for Ty Simpson is that he should have a long runway to learn behind Stafford and McVay. The processing skills are certainly there, and there are plenty of reasons to think Simpson can one day succeed as the franchise quarterback of the Rams. But if we're focusing on value, L.A. could have done way more to help its 2026 Super Bowl chances — and even if Simpson was the pick, the Rams likely could've traded back for more valuable assets into the 16-to-25 range to get him.
NFL Mock Draft Database's consensus rankings, compiling mocks and big boards from all over, had Simpson pinned as the No. 32 player available in the class. The Rams took him 19 picks higher than that, despite having a star quarterback in place — this was a massive gamble for a team that usually prefers proven players.
MORE: Why NFL fans think Sean McVay wasn't in on Rams' Ty Simpson pick
Most mock drafts and analysts had Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks as a projected second-rounder, a player who has shown flashes of dominance but also remains inconsistent and needs to improve technically. Like Proctor, the physical tools and hints of pure power were encouraging for Banks, but because of his shortcomings, he wasn't expected to land in the top 20.
The Vikings ignored all of that talk, taking Banks as the first defensive tackle off the board ahead of Ohio State's Kayden McDonald and Clemson's Peter Woods, who went 11 picks later to the Chiefs. Should the pick work out, Minnesota will be praised for going after a player it liked, but the Vikings also took the consensus third-best player at his position first, and that was at a point in the first round when there weren't many other threats to steal Banks off the board.
Minnesota could've gotten away with trading down into at least the mid-20s before taking Banks. There weren't many indications that the former Gator would go as high as No. 18. Instead, the Vikings passed on talent on the offensive line and at edge rusher to get him.
The fact that the Steelersthought they were landing USC receiver Makai Lemon at No. 21 feels indicative of the pick they wound up making. Pittsburgh shouldn't be criticized for adding help in the trenches with Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor, but they were also in a slot that could've brought a higher-ceiling prospect like Akeem Mesidor or Dillon Thieneman. Even if the Steelers wanted a receiver after missing out on Lemon, either of KC Concepcion or Denzel Boston would have been great fall-back options.
Instead, Iheanachor, still relatively newer to football, may have fallen into the late-20s had the Steelers not taken him. That isn't to say this couldn't be a great pick someday — the lineman brings some speed and good movement skills to the NFL — but he's also a project player who needs time to develop. There's no guarantee that Iheanachor is ready to take on an NFL starting role as a rookie.