NFL Player News

The Dolphins selected Traore in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 180th overall.

A native of England, Trore is the first draft pick from the NFL Academy. Traore compiled 35 catches for 369 yards and five touchdowns in his senior season at Mississippi State, and he only started playing football in 2020. He's raw as a result and has plenty of developing to do, but Traore is athletic and a receiving threat, boasting enough size (6-foot-4, 244 pounds) for the modern tight end position. While Traore is likely bound to be a special-teams contributor as a rookie, Miami's tight end room is nothing to write home about, headlined by Greg Dulcich and 2026 third-round pick Will Kacmarek, so there's a chance he moves his way up the chart as he gets coached up at the next level.

The Eagles selected Payton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 178th overall.

Payton finally took over the starting job at North Dakota State in his fifth season and looked excellent, completing 72 percent of passes for 2,719 yards (12.1 YPA), 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while rushing 136 times for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns. He has a strong arm that still needs some tuning with its accuracy, but his legs are phenomenal. Payton had six carries of 30-plus yards in 2025 before running a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3, 232 pounds at the NFL Combine. His tools are rare, but his lack of experience is a concern and can easily remind us of former NDSU quarterback Trey Lance. However, Payton is less risky as a fifth-round pick (Lance went third overall), meaning the Eagles can take their time with his development while Jalen Hurts remains the starter. The Eagles also have quarterbacks Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton on the roster, and one of those two will need to get cut for Payton to make the 53-man roster.

The 49ers selected Cruz in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 179th overall.

Cruz (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) might lack the size and reach (33 and 3/4-inch arms) to stick at tackle, but the Kansas product is extremely athletic and might be able to develop into a noteworthy guard if tackle doesn't work out. It didn't work out at tackle when Cruz was at Syracuse from 2021 to 2024 -- he was benched as left tackle after starting there in his sophomore and junior years. Cruz played right tackle with more success for Kansas, but his 4.9 speed and 35-inch vertical still might work better at guard.

The Dolphins selected Coleman in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 177th overall.

Coleman played for four different schools during his four-year college career, which ended in 2025 with Missouri, when he posted 66 catches for 732 yards and one touchdown across 13 games. He served primarily as a slot wide receiver and had the explosiveness to beat the first man, and his experience as a punt returner could earn him playing time in his rookie season in the NFL. Coleman is the third wide receiver selected by the Dolphins in this year's draft, joining Texas Tech's Caleb Douglas and Louisville's Chris Bell.

The Chiefs selected Allen in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 176th overall.

Allen (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) led Cincinnati with 674 receiving yards while totaling a career-high 13 touchdowns across as many games in 2025, and he also logged stints at Louisiana Tech and Texas A&M during his collegiate career. He assisted his draft profile courtesy of a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and a solid showing at the NFL Combine (4.49-second 40-yard dash), but given that Nikko Remigio, Jalen Royals, Jason Brownlee, Jimmy Holiday and Andrew Armstrong are all also competing for depth opportunities behind starting wideouts Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton, Allen may have to show competence on special teams this offseason in order to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

The Raiders selected Masses in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 175th overall.

Masses played three seasons of his four-year college career at FIU before transferring to Cal as a senior, where he racked up 47 tackles (one for loss), 13 pass deflections and five interceptions. He clearly has skills playing the ball, but he has a slender frame at 6-foot-1, 179 pounds and likely needs to bulk up. As a result of the frame, he struggles to get off blocks at times and isn't the most consistent tackler. Moses is likely bound for a depth role in 2026 and will likely be expected to contribute on special teams as a rookie while he adds to his frame.

The Ravens selected Randall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 174th overall.

Randall (6-foot-3, 232 pounds) moved to running back last year after spending the prior three seasons at wide receiver, but for the entirety of the season Randall continued to look like something other than a running back. It's concerning that Randall was only vaguely productive as a runner (4.8 yards per carry), and it was all but admitted that Clemson moved him to running back because it wasn't working at wide receiver. With that said, Randall is a standout athlete for his build (4.50-second 40-yard dash, 37-inch vertical, 124-inch broad jump), so perhaps there is developmental potential there. Just don't be surprised if it eventually occurs at tight end rather than running back.

The Ravens selected Cuevas in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 173rd overall.

The Ravens add another tight end to the mix after they picked up Matthew Hibner in the fourth round. They're likely hoping these additions stick after they lost tight ends Isaiah Likely (Giants) and Charlie Kolar (Chargers) in free agency. Cuevas spent the final two seasons of his five-year collegiate career at Alabama, working as a starter in 2025 and catching 37 passes for 411 yards and four touchdowns. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Cuevas is a bit undersized, but he was a strong blocker in the SEC and could line up at fullback if needed in the NFL.

New Orleans selected Styles in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 172nd overall.

Styles didn't see much playing time over the first four years of his college career but emerged as a starter in Ohio State's secondary in 2025, when he posted 30 total tackles and three pass defenses across 12 games. He caught the attention of scouts at the 2026 NFL Combine, when he posted an impressive 4.27-second 40-yard dash time, the fastest among defensive backs. Styles struggled at times with his processing time in the secondary, but he does bring experience on special teams both in coverage and as a returner, which should help him see the field in his rookie season. On defense, his main competition for snaps will come from the likes of Jordan Howard and Jonas Sanker.

The Browns selected Royer in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 170th overall.

After starting his career at Ohio State and spending four years with the Buckeyes, Royer transferred to Cincinnati prior to 2024 and racked up a combined 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns over the last two seasons with the Bearcats. Royer sports sound hands and an ability to make things happen after the catch (8.9 YAC/reception in 2025), and he's a solid blocker in the run game. However, he isn't blessed with the top-tier athleticism for the position. Royer joins a tight end room that cut David Njoku loose this offseason, leaving Jack Stoll as the No. 2 option at tight end. Royer will likely slot in as a depth option for now with potential to move up the depth chart, depending on how he fares in camp.