Winners, losers from Round 1 of 2026 NFL Draft: Rams, Jets, Eagles make list
The first 32 picks are in the books.
Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft has concluded from Pittsburgh, and the fates of many top prospects are now known. More will await their names to be called in the remaining two days and six rounds to come.
As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders took Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza at No. 1 overall. He’ll join a QB room that includes recently added Kirk Cousins, with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Bo Nix also in the division.
But what happened after Mendoza was more unpredictable, from Carnell Tate being the first Buckeye off the board to the Los Angeles Rams going quarterback at No. 13.
Let’s analyze the 32 picks further with winners and losers:
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WINNER: Ohio State stars go early
They didn’t all go in the top 10, but the Buckeyes saw four of their best prospects go early in the first round. It started with wideout Carnell Tate going No. 4 overall to the Tennessee Titans, giving last year’s first pick Cam Ward a needed go-to target. Linebacker/edge Arvell Reese followed suit at No. 5, going to the New York Giants. John Harbaugh should love Reese’s versatility as New York hopes to make a playoff push.
Two picks later, the Washington Commanders added linebacker Sonny Styles before the Dallas Cowboys took safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 after trading up. Styles, who has safety experience, brings fresh athleticism and speed that Washington sorely needed to bounce back in the NFC, while Downs gives Dallas a certified playmaker in the defensive backfield that they can build a culture around.
LOSER: Rams take QB Ty Simpson (?)
Not many could’ve seen this one coming. Despite having a win-now team with Sean McVay as head coach and Matthew Stafford under center, the Rams went with a…quarterback. Out of all the teams that could’ve picked a QB after Fernando Mendoza, the Rams weren’t seen as a primary option.
But that’s now the case, as Alabama’s Ty Simpson is headed to California amid rumors QB2 Jimmy Garoppolo wants to retire. It’s a pick that’ll raise several questions given the need and value of adding a ready-now prospect elsewhere to boost Los Angeles’ contending window. Simpson spent four years with the Crimson Tide but only his last saw him start, so the sample size is limited. He was seen as more of a Day 2 or Day 3 project pick for a QB-needy team.
There is the argument that the best time to take a QB is when you don’t need one. That needs context, though, as Atlanta’s decision to take Michael Penix early at No. 8 overall when Cousins had just received over $100 million hasn’t worked out well yet either.
WINNER: Jets make three promising selections
The New York Jets needed to show some intent in this draft — take the best talents possible and look to make a small leap to build hope for a franchise stuck in a playoff drought. It’s early, but the intent was there.
At No. 2 overall, New York took Texas Tech edge David Bailey to give Aaron Glenn a ready-now and productive edge rusher. Bailey is coming off a season where he logged 14.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. Then at No. 16, the Jets soared with tight end Kenyon Sadiq. The 21-year-old Oregon Duck hadn’t lit up the stat sheet yet, but his insane athleticism, physicality and potential proved too intriguing to pass up on.
They then traded back in for pick No. 30, as the San Francisco 49ers moved back. In came Indiana wideout Omar Cooper Jr., a 22-year-old who played a key role in the national championship win. He nearly had a 1,000-yard season and will form a solid tandem with Garrett Wilson. A franchise QB1 is still needed, but the Jets are rare winners on a key night.
LOSER: A.J. Brown’s future in Philly
The Philadelphia Eagles flew right over the Pittsburgh Steelers to take USC star Makai Lemon at No. 20, the wideout said of his call process.
He’ll be a new weapon for Jalen Hurts alongside DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown. But one of those names may no longer fit. Recent rumors have Brown set to be traded from Philadelphia soon, which would see this pick make more sense.
The New England Patriots are seen as the favorites to land Brown given their need of a No. 1 target and Brown being vocal about wanting more touches. If that materializes, Lemon will play an important role for an NFC contender early on.
WINNER: Investment in offensive linemen
It’s good to see offensive linemen are still valued. Arguably the most underrated position in the sport, many NFL teams don’t have enough quality in the trenches to protect their respective quarterbacks. But that is starting to be addressed with crucial investment. This first round tied a recent record for OL picks, with seven tackles and two guards going off the board.
The other times that happened were in 2024, 2022 and 2013. These are the linemen who heard their names called tonight:
No. 9: Cleveland Browns, Utah OT Spencer Fano
No. 10: New York Giants, Miami OT Francis Mauigoa
No. 12: Miami Dolphins, Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
No. 14: Baltimore Ravens, Penn State G Olaivavega Ioane
No. 17: Detroit Lions, Clemson OT Blake Miller
No. 19: Carolina Panthers, Georgia OT Monroe Freeling
No. 21: Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona OT Max Iheanachor
No. 26: Houston Texans, Georgia Tech G Keylan Rutledge
No. 28: New England Patriots, Utah OT Caleb Lomu
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