Sports
2026 NFL Draft Grades: Raiders, Browns score near perfect
Apr 24, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (center) poses with jersey with general manager John Spytek (left) and head coach Klint Kubiak at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images With the 2026 NFL Draft in the books, we’re ready to check the work of all 32 teams.
The good news for the teams who paid the price to pick early in this year’s draft is many of them made of the most of the opportunity.
Our analysts break down the work of every team’s front office and assign a letter grade with rapid reaction to the draft class of every club.
As always with assessments based on projections of evolving talent and schemes, the curve can be steep. It typically takes at least two full seasons to grasp the why behind these selections, and not all planted seeds bear fruit.
Arizona Cardinals
Grade: B-
The selection of RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) at No. 3 inspires hand-wringing given the history of teams finding backs later in the draft. Our top need for Arizona was a quarterback, but none were worth the No. 3 pick with Fernando Mendoza gone. The No. 2 need was pass rusher. The only proven high-end edge in this draft was Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who went off the board one spot ahead of Love. We don’t argue the talent as a big-play running back but the wisdom of making the pick with offers to move back and fill multiple needs.
Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B+
With no first-round pick due to the 2025 draft-day trade to acquire pass rusher James Pearce Jr., the Falcons were able to find value with cornerback Avieon Terrell (Clemson) at No. 48 overall and electric Georgia WR Zachariah Branch (4.36 40) in the third round.
Baltimore Ravens
Grade: A-
There wasn’t an easier assignment to make pre-draft than the O-line hungry Ravens and Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane with the 14th overall pick. Second-rounder Zion Young (Missouri) is a player we thought Dallas might reach for earlier in the draft. He has all the tools to make an instant impact opposite Trey Hendrickson.
Buffalo Bills
Grade: B
Trading back served the Bills well. The picks that stand out today as stellar values are fifth-rounders — safety Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina) and DT Zane Durant (Penn State) — but the first two are likely to have the most immediate impact in No. 35 pick T.J. Parker, an edge rusher from Clemson, and 62nd pick Davison Igbinosun, a cornerback from Ohio State).
Carolina Panthers
Grade: B-
There would have been a serious shot at top-10 grades if OT Monroe Freeling had gone back to Georgia for his senior season. He’s a great pick at No. 19 and No. 49 pick Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) could be the ideal prospect at nose tackle because of his enormous frame and light feet. There is not a wide receiver around with more enticing size, ability and speed in combination than Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, the 83rd overall pick.
Chicago Bears
Grade: B-
Kudos to the Bears for the fortune of being in position to draft safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall. The Oregon product can do a lot to stabilize a shaky secondary. Iowa C Logan Jones (57th) helps recalibrate the front five behind Garrett Bradbury, but if he’s not a starter, why not swing for a bigger need such as pass rusher?
Cincinnati Bengals
Grade: B+
If not for his decline in production last season with the Giants, we’d feel better about sacrificing the No. 10 pick to New York for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence. If he comes in motivated and one of the Bengals’ top picks learns to fly — No. 41 overall pick Cashius Howell is all energy but lacks perfect size — this looks a lot better.
Cleveland Browns
Grade: A-
Based on Field Level Media analysis of the prospects Andrew Berry called to welcome to Cleveland, the Browns’ draft is another home run. The first-round selection of offensive tackle Spencer Fano (Utah) and wide receiver KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) was only the start of a gold-star weekend for the Browns. No. 39 pick Denzel Boston (Washington) is a borderline No. 1 receiver most expected to be in the top 30 picks, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) went 58th, about 40 spots lower than we projected based on his value and versatility.
Dallas Cowboys
Grade: A
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was one of the six “undisputed” blue-chip prospects by our count and Dallas was wise to sacrifice a couple mid-round picks to draft the versatile playmaker. We can’t argue with the traits of edge Malachi Lawrence (UCF). He’s not a ready-made pass rusher. We do expect him to win consistently. Acquiring LB Dee Winters (49ers) for a fifth-round pick and selecting Michigan edge Jaishawn Barham gives the Cowboys the makings of a seriously strong defense.
Denver Broncos
Grade: C+
A proven commodity in Jaylen Waddle is better than the Broncos would have been able to do with the 30th overall pick traded to the Dolphins.
Detroit Lions
Grade: B
Offensive tackle Blake Miller (Clemson) is a turnkey starter to replace Taylor Decker, and edge Derrick Moore (Michigan) was an on-brand selection in the second round.
Green Bay Packers
Grade: B
This year’s top pick — and the 2027 selection in the first round — went to Dallas in the Micah Parsons deal. Parsons flashed Defensive Player of the Year production before a season-ending injury at Denver. As he works his way back, the Packers should be a legitimate contender. South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse (52nd overall) was worthy of first-round attention.
Houston Texans
Grade: C
Question that pick of OG Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech) in the first round? We do, too. Not because Rutledge was an unreasonable pick. But there was no queue forming to take him — or any interior offensive lineman — at this point in the draft and trading up to get him was an overpay. GM Nick Caserio did acquit himself nicely in the second round, adding Ohio State NT Kayden McDonald.
Indianapolis Colts
Grade: C
Sauce Gardner said himself, he’s the first-rounder for the Colts in 2026. Acquired at the trade deadline last season, Gardner’s season imploded due to a calf injury. Will he be back in 2026 to the All-Pro cover corner he was in 2022 and 2023?
Jacksonville Jaguars
Grade: C-
There wasn’t a lot of wow in the Jaguars’ draft, especially after the move up to take Travis Hunter second overall in 2025. When you weigh the cost of the 2026 first-rounder against Hunter’s value to the franchise so far, this is a dud.
Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: A
Doubt Andy Reid at your own peril. We’re flag-waving fans of the move up to snag LSU CB Mansoor Delane at No. 6, and 29th pick DT Peter Woods (Clemson) has top-15 talent and tools. Edge R Mason Thomas has the chance to be a huge hit in this defense.
Las Vegas Raiders
Grade: A
QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) was the no-brainer No. 1 pick but less-heralded picks could be the difference in the franchise’s turnaround. Multi-positional OL Trey Zuhn III and CB Jermod McCoy — a first-round talent who missed last season because of a January 2025 ACL injury — at pick No 101 are the type of selections that build a foundation for a turnaround if they click.
Los Angeles Chargers
Grade: B-
Edge Akheem Mesidor (Miami) can breathe new life into the Chargers’ pass rush. Odafe Oweh is gone and Khalil Mack is closing in on retirement. The best work was done later in the draft, particularly with their four picks invested in the offensive line.
Los Angeles Rams
Grade: D+
We don’t like to fail anyone around here. The Rams went with QB Ty Simpson from Alabama at a point where at least three consensus first-round level players were still on the board. Simpson’s grade was closer to No. 44 overall, and our reaction was pretty similar to Sean McVay’s. But if you look at this as a “bonus pick” and view offseason trade acquisition Trent McDuffie as the first-round score, we can understand those who are applauding GM Les Snead for the overreach.
Miami Dolphins
Grade: C
This draft was always going to be about volume for the Dolphins, who exited the first round with two likely starters who could just as easily be first-year projects: 12th pick OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and 27th overall pick CB Chris Johnson (San Diego State). LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) has the makings of a second-round gem. Nobody had WR Caleb Douglas anywhere near the top 100 when the Red Raiders’ wideout was selected 75th overall.
Minnesota Vikings
Grade: C-
We stand to be corrected on the investment of the 18th pick in the draft on massive Florida DL Caleb Banks, but the Vikings could’ve moved back or found a reasonable facsimile in the second or third round. We’re fully on board with second-round LB Jake Golday (Cincinnati) and big fans of fourth-round pick Jakobe Thomas (Miami).
New England Patriots
Grade: C+
The 28th pick in the draft was Utah OT Caleb Lomu, who is flexible and has guard experience. GM Eliot Wolf moved up in the draft for Lomu and then traded to get Gabe Jacas (Illinois) in the second round.
New Orleans Saints
Grade: B
Maybe Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson proves us wrong and he’s the perfect fit. But at No. 8 overall, Tyson still feels like a risk considering his durability concerns and the similar knock on current Saints No. 1 WR Chris Olave. Georgia TE Oscar Delp stands out of a potential steal in the third round.
New York Giants
Grade: A-
Most believed Arvell Reese of Ohio State would be long gone before the No. 5 pick, where the Giants landed him, five picks before selecting Francis Mauigoa, a powerful tackle at Miami. Based solely on upside and fit, the Giants aced the first round. As the draft chugged along, we kept waiting for anything close to a replacement for DT Dexter Lawrence — traded to the Bengals for the No. 10 pick last week — to be on the radar.
New York Jets
Grade: A
Jets GM Darren Mougey came away with three potential Pro Bowl players in the first round. It’s a haul the franchise can celebrate knowing there are more premium picks coming next season. Edge David Bailey of Texas Tech was the best pure pass rusher in the draft; TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) is the only elite player at his position in the draft and we liked Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), the 30th pick overall, as much or more than a few of the receivers drafted in the first half of the round. Cooper’s Hoosiers teammate D’Angelo Ponds is a speed merchant with a nose for the ball and represents a serious value as the 50th overall pick.
Philadelphia Eagles
Grade: B
We’re not in position to sling arrows at Howie Roseman’s roster-building technique, but moving up for a slot receiver — Makai Lemon — in the first round was more difficult to understand with multiple talented receivers still available late in the first round.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Grade: C-
Round of applause for landing one of the best finishers in the draft class, Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. Since we don’t have anything nice to say about the QB pick, we’re not going to say anything at all on the Drew Allar selection. Fine, we will. Tools are there. Upside is really difficult to see unless the plan is to park him for two years and hope it all comes together.
San Francisco 49ers
Grade: B-
After multiple trades back, the 49ers stood pat with the first pick in the second round and selected Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling. He’s a big-bodied receiver to pair with Mike Evans, signed in free agency, and 2025 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall.
Seattle Seahawks
B
Leave it to GM John Schneider to pump his tried and true approach of trading out of the first round in the buildup to the draft only to confiscate our No. 2-ranked ballcarrier, Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price with the final pick in the first round. Price can be the Kenneth Walker III replacement immediately if necessary.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Grade: A
All the Warren Sapp feels around the selection of falling edge Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) at No. 15 sparked a run of winning selections. Missouri LB Josiah Trotter (46th) and Bain’s college teammates, CB Keionte Scott (116th), enter the NFL with starter-plus ability.
Tennessee Titans
Grade: A-
Suddenly QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, has an arsenal of weapons. Round 1 picks WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State (No. 4) and 31st overall pick, edge Keldric Faulk of Auburn, are tempo-setters and check boxes at need positions.
Washington Commanders
Grade: B
Most felt Ohio State LB Sonny Styles (No. 7) was a top-five talent after his NFL Scouting Combine showcase. In the heart of every great Dan Quinn defense there is a linebacker with coach-on-the-field tendencies. Clemson slot WR Antonio Williams (No. 71) is better than advertised.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fire endeavor to keep unbeaten run alive vs. last-place SKC
Apr 18, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Chicago Fire FC forward Hugo Cuypers (9) (center) dribbles forward during the second half of an MLS match against FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images After letting a second-half lead slip away in their last outing, the host Chicago Fire renew their rivalry with fellow Midwestern foe Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
While the Fire (4-2-2, 14 points) are unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions (4-0-1), they blew a 3-1 second-half lead against FC Cincinnati on April 18. Evander’s penalty kick in the 79th minute and Dje D’Avilla’s own goal seven minutes later engineered Cincinnati’s 3-3 come-from-behind draw.
“For us, there were a couple things we did wrong, and a lot of that is correctable. We looked at the video and worked on it. It’s something we want to stay focused,” Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter said.
Though Kansas City (1-6-1, 4 points) is currently at the bottom of the Western Conference, that’s “a little bit misleading,” Berhalter said.
“They have played better at times than the results show, and they pose some problems. For us, it’s being really focused on what we’re trying to do, being aggressive and trying to set the team up for success,” he said.
Sporting KC have dropped five in a row across all competitions, including a 3-0 upset loss to USL Championship side Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on April 14. They have been outscored 16-3 in that span.
It’s far from what SKC head coach Raphael Wicky anticipated, ahead of his first meeting against the club he helmed for just shy of two seasons in 2020 and 2021.
“When you look at all these games, there’s always moments where we’re good, that we’re in the game, and then very quickly we make a mistake or we concede, and then we’re quickly out of the game,” Wicky said. “So that is always frustrating, but that is where I think we have to keep going.”
Chicago forward Jonathan Bamba (personal matters) will remain out against Kansas City, per Berhalter. Defender Leonardo Barroso (lower-body injury) is out as well.
Wicky was 12-26-14 in 52 matches as the Fire’s head coach.
Hugo Cuypers has netted half of Chicago’s 12 goals. Dejan Joveljic has four of SKC’s seven to lead the visitors.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Better-rested Nashville SC welcome Charlotte FC
Apr 11, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Nashville SC forward Sam Surridge (9) chases the loose ball during the second half against the Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images Two months into the regular season, Nashville SC built the best record in the Eastern Conference while juggling matches in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Now, Nashville will have had a rare full week’s rest when it hosts Charlotte FC on Saturday.
Nashville SC (6-1-1, 19 points) had Wednesday off while much of the league was in action. They also didn’t have a midweek Champions Cup fixture for a change: Nashville beat Club America on aggregate last week and will tussle with Mexican power Tigres UANL in the semifinals beginning April 28.
“I think when you actually get a full week of training, you can really focus on yourself for periods of time,” Nashville head coach B.J. Callaghan said. “Obviously when you’re playing every two days, a lot of it has to do with recovery and thinking about what you’re going to do for the opponent.”
Recovery helps, too. Callaghan said Nashville’s top scorer Sam Surridge, who hasn’t played since April 11 due to a hamstring injury, is back at practice and available for selection. He’s tied with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi for third in the league with seven goals.
That April 11 match was the first meeting between regional rivals Nashville and Charlotte this year. Edvard Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek scored in either half to lift Nashville to a 2-1 road win.
“We didn’t play well in the first half against Nashville. We never got the ball back,” Charlotte coach Dean Smith said this week. “I didn’t think we pressed as well as we could’ve, with the intensity that we needed to. We certainly need to go and do that.”
Charlotte FC (4-3-2, 14 points) have dropped two of three in league play, most recently taking a 4-1 road loss to Orlando City on Wednesday. That was Charlotte’s highest yield of the season, yet Smith insisted his team played better than in its previous match, a 2-1 win over New York City FC. Defender Morrison Agyemang, 21, had his first career goal.
Smith said defender and U.S. men’s national team captain Tim Ream (adductor) will miss one more match but should be ready for May 2 at the New England Revolution.
“I think they’ve had to make a few adjustments with Tim Ream out,” Callaghan said, “but I think what you always get from Charlotte is a really well-coached team, organized in a lot of phases and again, that highlights a lot of — I would say, some of their individual attacking qualities really are able to come out from that.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red-hot San Jose Earthquakes seek 1st-ever win over St. Louis City
Apr 22, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Earthquakes forward Timo Werner (11) celebrates scoring the team’s second goal against Austin FC in the second half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images St. Louis City SC has never lost or tied in six matches against the San Jose Earthquakes in their four-year existence.
If current form holds for both teams, that streak figures to end Saturday night when San Jose invades Energizer Park in a fixture of Western Conference squads.
After routing Austin 5-1 on Wednesday in northern California, the Earthquakes (8-1-0, 24 points) boast the top record in MLS and are tied with Vancouver for the best goal differential at plus-18.
Meanwhile, St. Louis (1-4-3, 6 points) is coming off a 4-1 loss last Saturday at Seattle that extended its MLS winless streak to three matches (0-1-2). Not only is it once again struggling to score goals — it has seven in eight matches — but its defense has conceded at least once in every match.
Midfielder Marcel Hartel didn’t have a real answer when asked why the team continues to struggle to finish its chances.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “We speak about it after every game — analyze the goals we concede, the goals we score. We defend good as a collective. … We have to score more goals. We have good opportunities in every game.”
The return of Eduard Lowen could help St. Louis unlock its offense. He played briefly at the end in Seattle and scored in stoppage time.
As for San Jose, its only problem might be overcheering. The team is scoring nearly three goals per match and its defense, an issue last year when it missed the playoffs, is maintaining its shape beautifully.
It’s adding up to another magical second season for coach Bruce Arena. If the Earthquakes earn the Supporters’ Shield, it would be the fourth team Arena has coached that has earned that honor in his second year with that squad.
“We won nine games last year. We have eight now,” he said. “I attribute it simply that they grind it out, they work hard every day and they like each other.”
Oussemi Bouda and Preston Judd each have five goals, while four other players have scored two goals each.
–Field Level Media
Fire endeavor to keep unbeaten run alive vs. last-place SKC
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