The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft has concluded, with the top 32 picks yielding a few surprises and a handful of trades. Although the real results for these teams and players won't come for years, it's always fun to have some intense reactions.
Let's take a look at our winners and losers from the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Winner: New York Giants
It's highly unlikely the New York Giants have their first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft looking this way. Many viewed All-American linebacker Arvel Reese as the second-best player in the class. If he doesn't finish second overall, he won't finish outside the top four. When they were on the clock with the fifth overall pick, New York wasted little time in turning over the cards. What they've got is an edge player with an even higher ceiling than Abdul Carter, and he's far more well-rounded. New York has built a pass-rushing trio of Carter, Reese and Brian Burns that can absolutely wreak havoc in Denard Wilson's system.
Once that was added, the Giants' focus turned to helping Jackson Dart and Cam Scatebo. There is a little medical risk with Francis Mauigoa, but he is arguably the best offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft. New York has the option to kick him inside to save, where he could be a phenomenal starter. This is also just a backup plan if he doesn't excel at right tackle. Great teams invest in the trenches, and New York did that tonight and got great value as well.
Loser: Arizona Cardinals
We saw Jeremiah Love as the best player in the 2026 NFL Draft. He comes in and immediately becomes one of the best NFL running backs right now; As a prospect, he's just one level below Bijan Robinson. The problem is that the right side of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line is abysmal, and they don't have a viable quarterback that defenses have to actually respect, let alone fear. This is also ignoring the fact that Arizona signed Tyler Allger this offseason and even worked out a deal to retain James Conner. This pick is reminiscent of the Las Vegas Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty and effectively wasting the first year of his rookie contract. Oh, let's also take into account the contract value along with the fact that the contract for the third overall pick would make Love the seventh-highest paid receiver in the NFL. We don't like the idea of the Tennessee Titans taking Love; This is even worse.
RELATED: 2026 Dynasty Positional Rankings
Winner: Dallas Cowboys
A dream scenario for the Dallas Cowboys. There is a legitimate possibility that All-American safety Caleb Downs was rated as a top-three prospect on the Cowboys draft board. He is the do-it-all defensive player this franchise has needed for over a decade. The instincts he brings to the table are phenomenal, and his football IQ – there's no better way to highlight the fact that he was a standout starter as a true freshman in Nick Saban's defense. Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker needed a star who could be the focal point of his secondary; This selection completes that. In three years, we'll probably be talking about Downs as one of the best safeties in the NFL and one of the biggest reasons for the remarkable defensive turnaround in Dallas.
Loser: Matthew Stafford and the 2026 Los Angeles Rams
The thinking going into this offseason was that the Los Angeles Rams were set to make a run at the Super Bowl next season. A few weeks after Matthew Stafford committed to return in 2026, Les Snead traded a first-round pick for Trent McDuffie and then signed Jaylen Watson to play boundary cornerback. They all suggested the Rams would use the 13th overall pick on a wide receiver, right tackle or another defender. Instead, Snead and head coach Sean McVay took quarterback Ty Simpson.
Obviously, Simpson won't see the field in 2026 unless disaster strikes for Los Angeles. This in itself, without any additional context, is a good thing as he has only 15 career starts and is not even close to being NFL ready. In fact, that's one reason why many don't see him as a legitimate first-round talent, even in a draft class that's relatively weak. The Rams took him 13th overall. Stafford must be disappointed; Los Angeles made a move that took it no closer to winning the Lombardi Trophy. As far as the Rams' future goes, there's still a very good chance Simpson ends up being a league-average starter.
RELATED: Los Angeles Rams surprise draft of Ty Simpson
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers probably dreamed of a night like this during the pre-draft process. Ahead of the NFL Combine, Miami edge rusher Reuben Benn Jr. was viewed as a consensus top-10 prospect, who could even be a top-five pick. His stock then declined slightly due to his short arms, and it is fitting that there is no modern example of an edge rusher with sub-31 inch arms who has recorded double-digit sacks in a season in the NFL. That said, what Bane showed in some of Miami's biggest games, coupled with his winning ways, led us to believe he could be a standout player. The Buccaneers have been in desperate need of a true No. 1 edge rusher for several years, and they finally have one.
Loser: Jermod McCoy
An injury can change everything for a young player, which is what makes the NIL era so big. Jermod McCoy was an All-American cornerback in 2024 and tore his ACL during a workout a month later. He sat out the 2025 season and this allowed him to be healthy for the pre-draft process, regaining his status as a top 10 prospect. Unfortunately, reports have indicated that McCoy may need knee surgery for a second time and how much he will be able to play in 2026 is now a real question. Due to this, he was eliminated from Round 1. It was an incredibly tough night for McCoy and clearly the road ahead looks like a long one for him.
Winner: Cleveland Browns
A great night for the Cleveland Browns. Seeing an opportunity to trade down from the sixth overall pick, while still getting his guy, Andrew Berry took the 74th and 178th picks overall. He still got the guy he wanted, offensive tackle Spencer Fano, 10th overall. He's a plug-and-play starter, even though we don't know what position he'll take on the Browns' offensive line. Cleveland desperately needed to strengthen their pass protection, and adding Fano does just that, while also adding a third-round pick to go with it.
Later in Round 1, Cleveland helped Chedure Sanders even more. While Casey Concepcion may never be a No. 1 wide receiver, his playmaking with the ball in his hands is reminiscent of Jaylen Waddle. He's also a weapon as a returner. Cleveland rebuilt its offensive line this offseason and now has an offensive core of Concepcion, Quinshawn Judkins, Isaiah Bonds and Harold Fannin Jr. This franchise is really building a better long-term infrastructure for its franchise quarterback, whether that's long-term.
Loser: Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers spent the 22nd overall pick on a 25-year-old edge rusher with durability concerns. That's because of how desperate this team is for pass-rushing help, especially with defensive wizard Jesse Minter out of the building. Akhim Messidor is a solid player, but prospects with his yellow flags (age and medical) are generally selected in the top-50. Desperation to fill a need and a relatively weak 2026 NFL Draft forced the move. This could work out fine, but it's really the best-case scenario, and there's no long-term benefit to it, as Messidor will be close to 30 when his rookie contract expires.
Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs defense showed off again tonight. If you want to know how much confidence Steve Spagnuolo has in Mansur Delaney, trading up to get him with the ninth overall pick shows it. This is an organization that has a great track record in drafting and developing cornerbacks; Dellen is in the perfect position to be the No. 1 cornerback. Also, unlike Trent McDuffie, Dellen is a much better fit on the perimeter. To top it all off, he knocked out Peter Woods in Round 1. Before a poor season at Clemson, he was viewed as a potential top-five selection. There were still flashes of that ability last season, and now he has the opportunity to learn from Chris Jones. Kansas City will have hit two home runs with its first-round pick tonight, and a new defense is a big step toward returning to Super Bowl contention.
Loser: Seattle Seahawks
It feels like Rashaad Penny all over again. The Seattle Seahawks made it clear to anyone who would listen that they would prefer to trade down from the 32nd overall pick. Why? Because they were in dire need of more draft capital. With all the trades made ahead of him, it seems as if he was taken off the selection board for the team. So, clearly in desperate need of a running back, they reached out to Jadarion Price. He is the clear-cut RB2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, and if he weren't on the same team with Jeremiah Love he would probably be the starter at many programs. Still, his skill set makes him the best fit for a running back on the committee, and the Seahawks used a first-round pick on him. It's a baffling choice, and it's highly likely that this choice will seem even more foolish two years from now.
