2026 NFL Draft grades, tracker: Live Round 1 analysis for every selection made in order
Mike Renner grades the first 32 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft
After a year that featured no trades heading into night one of the NFL draft, 2026 has been at the opposite end of the trade spectrum. Six first-round picks have already been moved for veteran players, with a good chance to have even more on the move throughout the weekend. That means the Jets, Giants, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, and Cowboys will all be doubling up Thursday night, while the Colts, Bengals, Jaguars, Falcons, Broncos, and Packers all have to wait until Friday.
The only pick that feels known at this point is No. 1 overall, where Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is pegged to become the Raiders' franchise quarterback under new head coach Klint Kubiak. He'll be the first Hoosier drafted in the first round since 1994 (WR Thomas Lewis to the Giants), but he won't be the first Hoosier to ever go No. 1 overall. That honor, as everyone knows, belongs to the great Corbett Davis, who was taken first overall by the Cleveland Rams in 1938 (I swear that sentence wasn't an AI hallucination).
While there isn't much intrigue in this quarterback class after Mendoza, where Ty Simpson lands is still a mystery. The takes on his lone season as a starter have been all over the map. Some see him as worthy of a top-10 pick, while others wouldn't take him on night one at all. One thing is for certain: there are not enough quarterbacks to go around, as the Cardinals, Browns, and Steelers all enter this weekend relatively empty-handed at the most valuable position.
The story of this draft that I'll be watching for is how the NFL handles positional value. From a pure grade perspective, the top-3 players in the class are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. A running back hasn't gone top-5 since 2018, a safety hasn't gone top-5 since 2010 or top-10 since 2016, and a linebacker hasn't gone top-5 since 2019. Those streaks could all fall on Thursday night.
Be sure to refresh this page throughout the weekend to get all the latest grades. If you want to do all that plus track the best available prospects and get access to every pick in the draft on one page, you can with our interactive draft tracker. And follow along with each pick, rumor and every trade in our live blog.
Grades: Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6 • Round 7
1. Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Grade: A
This was a no-brainer. Mendoza was the best quarterback in college football last season. That was especially the case under pressure and in clutch situations. He's a perfect fit for Klint Kubiak's offense.
2. Jets: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Grade: C-
Bailey is a solid pass-rusher who will give less athletic offensive tackles fits at the next level. He's a hot-and-cold run defender, though, who struggles to set the edge. The Jets, unfortunately, already have one of those in Will McDonald
3. Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Grade: C+
Love is a special talent at the running back position and will immediately transform the Cardinals rushing attack. This grade isn't an indictment of the caliber of player the Cardinals got, but the value for a team not built to contend without a quarterback. They'll burn the most productive and cheap years for a player at a position with an already short career length.
4. Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Grade: B
Tate is exactly what the Titans don't have on their roster: a rangy outside receiver with elite hands and crisp route-running chops. He'll be a Cam Ward favorite from Day 1. While he doesn't fit the physical profile of a usual top-5 pick at receiver, beggars can't be choosers.
5. Giants: Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio St.
Grade: A+
The Giants just became the scariest edge-rushing group in the NFL and truthfully it's not even close. Their third down packages are going to be a true sprint to the quarterback. Reese has special play strength for someone with 4.46 speed. And he's only scratching the surface at 20-years old.
6. Chiefs: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
Grade: B-
Delane is the safest pick at corner in this draft class. If you can do what he did in the SEC last season, you can produce in the NFL. It's more the desperation of having to give up a third-rounder to do so that bumps this down. It's a position that historically teams have been able to find later in the draft as the Chiefs themselves know well.
7. Commanders: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio St.
Grade: A
One of the least athletic front-sevens in the NFL a season ago completes their makeover with one of the most athletic linebackers in draft history. His ability to cover ground in coverage at his size is nothing short of special. He'll allow Dan Quinn so much flexibility on the defensive side of the ball.
8. Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
Grade: B+
Tyson got the best tape grade from me of all the receivers. His size, movement skills, and body control are that of a No. 1 receiver. And he's the one receiver in the draft class that was truly treated as such by his offense as Arizona State went his way in every big situation. I can't give it an A, though, because of his injury history as he missed time in all four of his collegiate seasons.
9. Browns: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
Grade: A+
Fano is the cleanest offensive lineman in the draft class. He pairs high-end athleticism with technical prowess and strong hands. He's an elite zone blocker who has the size to play anywhere along the offensive line if needed. His arm length may scare some off, but it was never a massive issue for him on tape.
10. Giants: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
Grade: A-
The Giants lock in the missing piece to their starting five with Mauigoa. He'll kick inside to right guard for now, where he'll be a butt-kicker in the run game. His ability to move people off the line of scrimmage is special for a player who hasn't even turned 21 yet. Jaxson Dart is somewhere celebrating.
11. Cowboys: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio St.
Grade: A
The much-maligned Cowboys secondary got a much-needed infusion of both talent and leadership. Downs is a true do-it-all safety with no true holes in his game. Downs will be able to do anything that new defensive coordinator Christian Parker asks him to do on the back end.
12. Dolphins: Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama
Grade: A+
Proctor has the most prodigious power in this tackle class with special movement skills for a 350+ pounder. His weight will be worth monitoring, but when he was at his trimmest, Proctor was dominant at the end of the season. He can start inside at guard or stick at tackle.
13. Rams: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Grade: A
Simpson showed high-end ability last season before injuries started piling up. He understands how to attack tight windows and play with the anticipation necessary to translate to the NFL. I also think he gets underrated physically as he's got very light feet in the pocket and an NFL-caliber arm. The Rams don't plan on picking this high until Matthew Stafford retires, and now they have their transition plan.
14. Ravens: Vega Ioane, OL, Penn State
Grade: A
The mock drafts finally nailed one. Ioane is an incredibly clean guard prospect. I've described his tape as "boring" repeatedly, which is exactly what you want from a guard. He ends pass pro reps before they start with his quick sets and strong anchor. He's exactly what the Ravens were missing up front.
15. Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami
Grade: A+
Bain was the most dominant force in college football last season. He can set a hard edge in the run game and collapse pockets with ease. What I love most about his game is that he almost never came off the field for the runner-up Hurricanes last year. He fills what was easily the biggest need on the Bucs.
16. Jets: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Grade: B+
The Jets add one of the most explosive tight ends in NFL history to a budding offense. I'm guessing we'll see a lot of 12 personnel (1-back, 2-tight ends) in New York this season after they took Mason Taylor in the 2nd-round last year. That's Sadiq's ideal role, though, as a movable TE2 who can block in space and run past linebackers. He's still raw as a route-runner, but athletes like him don't come around every year.
