NFL Player News

The Panthers selected Wheatley in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 151st overall.

Wheatley (6-foot-3, 203 pounds) started the final two seasons of his five years at Penn State, demonstrating the versatility and physicality to make up for his lack of high-end speed (4.62 40-yard dash). As a rookie, Wheatley and 2025 pick Lathan Ransom figure to operate as Carolina's top reserve options at safety behind Tre'von Moehrig and Nick Scott. Wheatley boasts the experience to contribute in a rotational role during his first pro season under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

The Raiders selected Johnson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 150th overall.

Johnson played multiple safety roles for Arizona and is certainly unafraid to help out in the running game, racking up 94 and 97 tackles in his last two collegiate campaigns. He added four interceptions and 11 interceptions to his resume' as a senior, but he's a bit undersized for the position at 5-foot-11, 192 pounds and can struggle against bigger wideouts. Still, Johnson has good instincts, is a good tackler and has plenty of special teams experience, making him a good depth option on the back end and a special-teams candidate.

Denver selected Joly in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 152nd overall.

Joly spent the last two years of his four-year college career at NC State, and he was named to the All-ACC First-Team in 2025 after catching 49 passes for 489 yards and seven touchdowns across 12 games. Joly was mostly detached from the offensive line with NC State and lined up primarily in the slot, making him a mismatch when lined up against opposing secondaries. His 6-foot-3 frame and large, strong hands helps him finish catches regardless of coverage, and he could earn himself regular snaps on offense if he can be more consistent as a blocker. Evan Engram leads the Broncos' tight end room, so Joly is set to compete against Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins for snaps as the TE2 and in 12-man personnel.

The Packers selected Burton in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 153rd overall.

Burton played all three positions of the interior defensive line as a four-year starter at Kentucky, ultimately settling in as a center in his final season. The 23-year-old is an impressive athlete with a 4.94 40-yard dash at 6-foot-4, 312 pounds, and while he needs to polish some of his technical skills, he should be a dependable backup for the Packers heading into 2026.

The Seahawks selected Stephens in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 148th overall.

The Seahawks sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Browns for this pick. Stephens was a three-year starter at Iowa and didn't allow a sack as a senior. He played at left guard at Iowa but did take some snaps at center at the Senior Bowl. Stephens should provide depth to the Seahawks' interior offensive line. However, his upside is ultimately limited by his below-average athleticism. After all, he had the shortest arms and smallest hands at the NFL Combine, and his 5.35-second 40-yard dash left plenty to be desired.

The Raiders have traded Wilson and the No. 219 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Saints in exchange for pick No. 150, Rachel Gossen of the team's official site reports.

Wilson is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he recorded 35 tackles and 4.0 sacks in 17 games. In his new locale, the seventh overall selection in the 2023 Draft will get a fresh start while giving the Saints -- who were in need of pass-rushing help -- an edge player with some untapped potential.

The Browns selected Jefferson in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 149th overall.

Jefferson played most recently for Alabama but transferred there after initially playing two years at Pearl River Community College. At Alabama, he was a backup until 2025, his third year there and fifth collegiate season. If a player can't earn a starting FBS role within their first four collegiate seasons then it generally means they won't be starting in the NFL, and Jefferson raises further concern on that front with his light frame (6-foot, 223 pounds). Jefferson is athletic enough to contribute on special teams, though, and might even be able to play some rover-like functions thanks to his 4.57 speed.

The Commanders selected Josephs in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 147th overall.

Josephs spent his entire four-year college career in Tennessee and was a full-time starter in 2025, when he posted 33 total tackles, including 4.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and three pass defenses across 11 games. He explodes off the jump and brings the physicality needed to compete against offensive linemen in the NFL, especially when attempting to beat the opposing man round the corner, but his tendency to act first before reading blocks or play design will need to be cleaned up. Josephs figures to serve in a rotational role at edge behind Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson.

The Chargers selected Barrett in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 145th overall.

Barrett doesn't have a long list of production to his name at South Carolina, but he did well in his lone season as a starter for the Gamecocks in 2025, racking up 42 tackles and 2.0 sacks. He sports above-average arm length and is pretty athletic for his size, but he's a bit raw on the pass-rush front. Barrett will provide some depth on the defensive line for the Chargers and might fit in better as a defensive end in the 3-4 scheme.

The Browns selected Brailsford in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 146th overall.

Brailsford (6-foot-2, 289 pounds) will provide much-needed depth at center for Cleveland, where new starter Elgton Jenkins (lower leg) and reserve options Luke Wypler (knee) and Kingsley Eguakun (knee) are all recovering from injury. The limitations of Brailsford's frame may make him most suited to a rotational gig at the NFL level, but he brings significant experience to the table after having started 42 games across his final three seasons with Washington and Alabama.