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The NFL Draft was created to add college players in a way that rewards the NFL’s worst teams more than its best, in an effort to maintain some semblance of competitive balance.

While prior year record dictates current year selections, several elements cause the distribution of draft capital to be imbalanced every year.

For instance, trades cause some teams to be better off, and the overlooked (by many fans) world of compensatory selections allows some really good teams to have even more value than expected based on their finish the year before.

So, which teams have the most and which teams have the least 2026 NFL Draft capital?

Let's examine that question using our Sharp Football Total Draft Value metric.

Last Updated: April 19

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2026 NFL Draft Capital Rankings

2026 NFL Draft Capital Infographic

How Sharp Football Total Draft Value is Calculated

The draft value metric is a valuation on draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.

This is based on two public models:

• AV model created by Chase Stuart: Performance delivered based on the draft slot
• OTC model created by Brad Spielberger and Jason Fitzgerald: Contractual earnings for non-rookie deals based on draft slot

When used together, our Sharp Football Total Draft Value metric gives a good picture of the average rookie contract value of each pick along with the longer-term value of the players selected at each pick.

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Reports emerged in early April that Dexter Lawrence had requested a trade from the New York Giants, and the team obliged him the weekend before the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Giants sent Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick in the upcoming draft.

It is a massive swing for a Bengals team that simply had to get better on defense, but will Lawrence be worth the draft cost?

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Dexter Lawrence Has Been Elite

While Lawrence took some flak for his level of play last year, our own Warren Sharp outlined just how elite Lawrence has been over the last three seasons.

Lawrence's pressure rate slipped last season when he finished with just 0.5 sacks, but there is no question he has been as impactful a pass rusher as we have seen in recent seasons among interior linemen.

He has also had that success despite facing double team after double team.

According to Next Gen Stats, Lawrence has been double-teamed at the highest rate among defensive tackles since 2024.

The defensive attention Lawrence commands can be seen in his on-off numbers.

As Warren notes, those numbers were just for the 2025 season, which was a “down” season statistically for Lawrence.

Now he joins a defense that has already added DT Jonathan Allen, EDGE Boye Mafe, and S Bryan Cook this offseason.

With Lawrence also joining, the Bengals are set up to have the most improved defense in the league in 2026.

Subscribe to the Sharp Football Email Newsletter to receive all our 2026 NFL content:

No matter how well they did in free agency, all 32 NFL teams head into the 2026 NFL Draft with holes to fill on the roster.

Leading into the draft, we will identify the top needs for every team and break down the depth chart position by position.

What are the Texans' top positions of need heading into the 2026 NFL draft?

Houston Texans Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2026

1. Defensive Line
2. Offensive Line
3. Edge Rusher

Explore all of our 2026 NFL Draft content:

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The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.

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Houston Texans 2026 Draft Capital

The Texans have the 11th-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.

Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.

Houston Texans Mock Draft Predictions

Find out who our top-rated experts expect the Texans to draft:

• Brendan Donahue's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
• Ryan McCrystal's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #20 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.

Houston Texans Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Houston Texans, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Quarterback

1. C.J. Stroud
2. Davis Mills
3. Graham Mertz

C.J. Stroud was a mixed bag in 2025.

He completed a career-high 64.5% of his passes last season while improving his touchdown rate (4.5%) and interception rate (1.9%).

He also threw for 217.2 yards per game, which was the lowest rate of his career.

Stroud’s 42.3% success rate ranked 24th in the league.

The season ended on an extremely bitter note, with Stroud throwing 4 interceptions in a Divisional Round loss in New England.

One of the disappointing parts of this new offense under Nick Caley was the lack of top-down creativity.

The Texans used pre-snap motion on 49.9% of Stroud’s dropbacks (21st) and play action on 24.8% (19th).

The downer is that when Stroud did get to use play action, he averaged 8.5 yards per pass attempt (10th) and 13.1 yards per completion (7th).

When the Texans used motion, Stroud averaged 7.8 Y/A (7th) with 11.7 yards per completion (9th).

Without either, Stroud averaged 6.0 Y/A (30th) and 9.6 yards per completion (31st).

Stroud missed three games due to a scary concussion in Week 9.

Before the injury, he was using his legs at the highest rate of his career.

Stroud had a 6.8% scramble rate over eight weeks, ranking 10th in the league.

Returning from his concussion, Stroud then only scrambled on 3.1% of his dropbacks, 24th in the league.

The Texans have made the postseason every year of Stroud’s early career, but the season ended on such a down note that there were some whispers about questioning if Stroud was the long-term answer.

He is entering 2026 in the final year of his rookie contract, although the Texans have already picked up his fifth-year option for 2027.

Houston did get a look at their offense without Stroud last year, if they believe the grass could be greener.

Although they went 3-0 in the games Davis Mills started, the offense sagged in production.

Houston averaged 5.2 yards per play with Stroud on the field last year, and that includes the playoff debacle.

That fell to 4.7 yards per play with Mills.

Mills completed 57.2% of his passes compared to 64.5% for Stroud.

Mills averaged 5.8 yards per pass attempt to Stroud’s 7.2 Y/A.

Mills is set to be an unrestricted free agent after 2026.

Running Back

1. David Montgomery
2. Woody Marks
3. Jawhar Jordan
4. British Brooks

The Houston running game was a weak spot for the offense in 2025.

Texans running backs combined for:

• 3.8 yards per rush (27th)
• 34.1% success rate (29th)
• 8.3% rate of runs for 10 or more yards (27th)
• 20.3% rate of runs that failed to gain yardage (27th)
• 18.5% of runs resulted in a first down or touchdown (30th)
• 2.76 yards after contact per rush (28th)

Looking to recalibrate things, the Texans made a trade for David Montgomery.

Montgomery will turn 29 in June and is coming off a year in which he was bypassed by Jahmyr Gibbs.

Montgomery had career lows in touches (182) and yards from scrimmage (908) with Detroit in 2025.

Over the final eight games of the season, Montgomery only played 32.6% of the offensive snaps with 336 yards.

Before that, he had played 41.3% of the snaps with 572 yards.

Montgomery was still a solid back when on the field, averaging 4.5 yards per rush (21st out of 49 backs with 100-plus attempts), a 39.9% success rate (24th), and 3.17 yards after contact per rush (17th).

For better or worse, the real appeal of getting Montgomery for Houston was his underlying usage in man/gap concepts.

In Caley’s first season with the Texans, he brought over that same rushing scheme from the Rams.

Houston was second in the league in man/gap run rate (38.8%), trailing only the Rams.

45.9% of Nick Chubb’s runs in 2025 were man/gap runs, the second-highest rate in the league.

Woody Marks was at 38.3%, which ranked sixth.

On man/gap runs, Montgomery had a 50% success rate (10th) and led all backs in EPA per rush (.034).

The Texans traded up for Marks in the fourth round last season (116th overall).

Marks ended up being the lead back, handling 220 touches for 911 yards from scrimmage with 5 touchdowns.

Marks took control of this backfield midseason, averaging 17.5 touches per game with 63.1% of the backfield touches over his final eight games.

Unfortunately, that did not lead to great results.

He only averaged 63.1 total yards per game over that span.

Out of 49 running backs with 100 or more rushes last season, Marks was 48th with a 3.6 yards per attempt average.

He had a run of 10 or more yards on 7.7% of his runs (41st) while failing to gain yards on 23% (45th).

His 2.59 yards after contact per rush ranked 45th.

Stroud targeted his running backs only 15.2% of the time (23rd), so Marks never got active in the passing game.

He did not have more than two receptions in a game after Week 8.

With Montgomery coming in, Marks can serve more of a complementary role in year two.

Wide Receiver

1. Nico Collins
2. Jayden Higgins
3. Jaylin Noel
4. Tank Dell
5. Xavier Hutchinson
6. Justin Watson
7. Jared Wayne
8. Josh Kelly

Houston threw the ball to their wide receivers 63.7% of the time in 2025, which ranked sixth in the league.

As a byproduct, their wideouts combined for 212 receptions (9th), 2,688 receiving yards (8th),  and 18 touchdowns (8th).

Nico Collins was productive again, catching 71 passes for 1,117 yards and 6 touchdowns.

He did take a slight dip in per-game output.

After 5.3 and 5.7 receptions per game in Stroud’s first two seasons, Collins averaged 4.7 catches per game in 2025.

His 74.5 yards per game were a smidge down from 83.8 in 2024 and 86.5 in 2023.

He caught 4 or fewer passes in five of his final six games.

He also had two concussions that impacted his season, missing two games in the regular season and then the final playoff game.

Collins has yet to play a full season through five years.

All of that said, Collins still had the profile of an alpha WR1.

He accounted for 24.6% of Houston's targets (WR11) and 37.3% of the air yards (WR7) in his games played with 2.35 yards per route (WR12).

He still has two years remaining on his current contract at good numbers, counting $27.8 million against the cap this season and then $28.8 million in 2027.

Houston played a hodgepodge of receivers surrounding Collins.

Xavier Hutchinson was second at the position in routes run, playing on 62.3% of the dropbacks.

He was lackluster with the opportunity, catching 35 of 57 targets for 428 yards and 3 touchdowns.

He produced 1.07 yards per route run, which ranked 99th at the position.

Hutchinson is in the final season of his current contract.

Instead of producing, Hutchinson served as more of a roadblock for rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

Higgins was on the field for 56.4% of the dropbacks as a rookie, catching 41 of 68 targets for 525 yards and 6 touchdowns.

He only played more than 67% of the passing plays in two games as a rookie, but Higgins was second among the receivers with a target on 18.7% of his routes and produced a first down or touchdown on a team-high 41.2% of his targets.

Noel only played 31.4% of the dropbacks as a rookie, catching 26 of 35 targets for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He did not play 50% of the passing plays in any game as a rookie.

Both year-two players should have more on their plates in 2026.

Houston is expected to get Tank Dell back at some point.

Dell missed all of the 2025 season because of a devastating knee injury he suffered at the end of 2024, enduring a torn ACL, MCL, LCL, meniscus, and dislocated kneecap.

Houston is optimistic that he will play in 2026, but there is no current timetable for his availability.

Dell will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Tight End

1. Dalton Schultz
2. Cade Stover
3. Foster Moreau
4. Brevin Jordan
5. Luke Lachey
6. Layne Pryor

Dalton Schultz caught a career-high 82 passes last season for 777 yards (his most since 2021) and 3 touchdowns.

He was second on the team with 106 targets.

His 45.7 yards per game ranked TE11 on the season, although his 9.5 yards per catch ranked TE44.

Schultz is more volume-dependent than dynamic, but he is a reliable asset at the position.

He was on the field for 77.5% of the dropbacks (TE7) with 19.2% of Houston's targets (TE6).

He will turn 30 this July with two years remaining on his current contract.

The depth here is solid with run-game blockers Cade Stover and Foster Moreau both under contract for multiple seasons.

Offensive Line

LT: Aireontae Ersery, Blake Fisher
LG: Wyatt Teller, Jarrett Patterson
C: Jake Andrews, Evan Brown
RG: Ed Ingram, Jarrett Kingston, Sidy Sow
RT: Braden Smith, Trent Brown

This offensive line is still a work in progress.

Houston ranked 30th in ESPN’s pass block win rate (56%) and last in run block win rate (68%) last season.

Per Pro Football Focus, they ranked 23rd in pass-blocking grade and 20th in run-blocking grade.

Houston moved on from Tytus Howard (who led the offensive line in snaps last year) and Juice Scruggs (351 snaps), as they did not fit their man-blocking scheme.

In an effort to throw more at the line, Houston added veterans Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith to the roster.

Teller will turn 32 in November and is coming off a down season with Cleveland that was marred by injuries again.

He was benched late in the year in Cleveland, ranking 40th in overall grade among guards per Pro Football Focus.

He missed four games for the second straight season.

Smith turned 30 this March and is also coming off a down year with the Colts.

He ended last year 53rd among tackles in grade, allowing a 5.5% pressure rate (41st).

Smith missed four games as well and has missed multiple games in five of the past six seasons, playing his last full season in 2019.

Smith has early-career experience playing center and guard, and there have been whispers that he could move inside.

Houston kept Trent Brown as a potential starter or insurance for Smith if he should miss more action.

Brown played 547 snaps at right tackle last season, allowing only a 3.7% pressure rate, 11th at the position.

Brown also allows Houston some versatility should Aireontae Ersery fail to develop.

They selected Ersery in the second round last year (48th overall) and threw him to the fire.

Ersery played 99% of the snaps as a rookie, taking his lumps.

He allowed the third-most pressures (49) among tackles with 11 sacks (tied for the most) and 13 penalties (tied for the 2nd most).

Houston has some added versatility since it brought back Ed Ingram on a three-year extension.

Ingram had bounced around the league before having his best season last year in Houston.

Ingram ranked 13th among guards in overall grade per PFF in 2025.

Center Jake Andrews made a career-high 16 starts for Houston last year and was 28th among overall centers in grade.

Andrews will be an unrestricted free agent after 2026.

Houston has a lot of pieces to throw at the wall here that could work out if veterans like Teller and Smith can bounce back and stay healthy.

Those additions allow some flexibility, so Houston does not have to force the offensive line, but they are still open to adding players who can be longer-term solutions.

Houston Texans Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Houston Texans, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Line

1. Sheldon Rankins
2. Tommy Togiai
3. Logan Hall
4. Naquan Jones
5. Kyonte Hamilton
6. Junior Tafuna

The Texans shut down running backs in 2025, allowing just 3.7 yards per carry (2nd) to the position and finishing second in success rate against running back runs.

Sheldon Rankins re-signed on a two-year deal this offseason, but Tim Settle left in free agency.

Rankins bounced back in his return to the Texans, but he is heading into his age-32 season.

Tommy Togiai played the second-most snaps among the defensive line group last season, and he was excellent against the run.

Togiai finished with 9 run stuffs and recorded a tackle on 25.6% of his run defense snaps, the best mark among qualified defensive linemen.

Togiai also posted a career-best 10.6% pressure rate despite finishing with just 1.5 sacks.

Logan Hall was added in free agency after four years with the Bucs.

Hall was never more than a rotational player in Tampa, but that is all he needs to be for the Texans as they look to replace the versatility offered by Denico Autry — Hall can also push outside to defensive end.

Togiai is coming off a great season, and Houston obviously brought back Rankins for a reason.

Still, it does seem like the Texans could use one more quality addition to the defensive tackle group.

Edge Defenders

1. Will Anderson Jr.
2. Danielle Hunter
3. Dylan Horton
4. Dominique Robinson
5. Xavier Thomas
6. Solomon Byrd

The Texans finished second in pressure rate (42.2%) last season, notching 47 sacks (7th).

Houston has one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league with Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter.

Anderson led qualified pass rushers in pressure rate (21.0%) last season while recording 12 sacks.

Hunter finished seventh in pressure rate (17.7%) while getting 15 sacks (3rd).

Anderson just signed an extension, and Hunter is under contract through 2027.

Hunter will turn 32 in October, but he has shown zero signs of decline.

A 2023 fourth-round pick, Dylan Horton only has 0.5 sacks through three seasons and has never played more than 250 snaps on defense.

He did post the best pressure rate of his career last season, though, so perhaps there is more there.

The Texans also added Dominique Robinson in free agency, who also posted his best numbers last year.

It seems ridiculous to call edge rusher a need given what is at the top of the depth chart, but the Texans probably could use more depth here, and there are not many other holes on the roster.

That depth could come by signing a veteran (or maybe bringing back Derek Barnett), but getting a young player to sit behind Hunter makes some sense.

Linebacker

1. Azeez Al-Shaair
2. Henry To’oTo’o
3. E.J. Speed
4. Jake Hansen
5. Marte Mapu
6. Jake Hummel
7. Jamal Hill

With E.J. Speed returning, the Texans have their primary snap takers at linebacker returning for 2026.

Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o were the primary starters last year, with Speed filling that No. 3 role.

Al-Shaair was not as impactful against the run as he has been in the past, but he was still a quality starter who excelled in coverage (5.2 yards per target allowed).

The only real concern in this group is that Al-Shaair is headed into a contract season.

The Texans likely want to work out an extension with their primary starter, but they could also look to add a rookie just in case the price gets out of hand.

Cornerback

1. Derek Stingley Jr.
2. Kamari Lassiter
3. Jalen Pitre
4. Jaylin Smith
5. Tremon Smith
6. Ja’Marcus Ingram
7. Ajani Carter
8. Alijah Huzzie

Houston also excelled against the pass in 2025, allowing 6.5 yards per attempt (7th) and finishing second in EPA allowed per pass attempt.

Like at linebacker, all of their primary snap takers are back.

Derek Stingley has earned first-team All-Pro honors the last two seasons.

He has allowed just a 55.1 quarterback rating in his coverage through four seasons.

Kamari Lassiter made the Pro Bowl in his second season, finishing 34th among qualified corners in yards allowed per coverage snap.

He was also a playmaker against the run, finishing second among all defensive backs in run stuffs.

Jalen Pitre is nominally a safety, but he has been the primary slot corner for the last two seasons and has absolutely shone in that role

The question here is depth.

Houston did spend a third-round pick on Jaylin Smith last year, but he obviously did not get much of a chance with the talent ahead of him on the depth chart.

Adding more experienced depth could make sense, but Houston obviously is not going to find that in the draft.

A veteran addition over the summer makes a lot more sense.

Safety

1. Calen Bullock
2. Reed Blankenship
3. Jaylen Reed
4. M.J. Stewart
5. Kaevon Merriweather

Calen Bullock is another massive draft hit for the Texans in the secondary, and like Lassiter, also made his first Pro Bowl in his second season.

The Texans did need someone to play next to Bullock, and they got that by adding Reed Blankenship in free agency.

Blankenship has been a key player for the Eagles’ excellent defense, but he did give up some plays in coverage last year, allowing a 100.5 quarterback rating.

Jaylen Reed struggled with injuries as a rookie, and he did not fare great in coverage, but he did start in the playoffs.

M.J. Stewart is experienced depth despite being more of a special teams contributor.

Houston has likely made their move here by signing Blankenship, and Jalen Pitre is also a safety by name who can help out as needed.

It never hurts to have a little more depth, but the Texans look fine at safety.

2026 Depth Chart Analysis & Team Needs for All 32 NFL Teams

Subscribe to the Sharp Football Email Newsletter to receive all our 2026 NFL content:

No matter how well they did in free agency, all 32 NFL teams head into the 2026 NFL Draft with holes to fill on the roster.

Leading into the draft, we will identify the top needs for every team and break down the depth chart position by position.

What are the 49ers' top positions of need heading into the 2026 NFL draft?

San Francisco 49ers Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2026

1. Defensive Front
2. Safety
3. Offensive Line

Explore all of our 2026 NFL Draft content:

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San Francisco 49ers 2026 Draft Capital

The 49ers have the 23rd-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.

Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.

San Francisco 49ers Mock Draft Predictions

Find out who our top-rated experts expect the 49ers to draft:

• Brendan Donahue's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
• Ryan McCrystal's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #20 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.

San Francisco 49ers Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the San Francisco 49ers, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Quarterback

1. Brock Purdy
2. Mac Jones
3. Kurtis Rourke
4. Adrian Martinez

After winning only six games in 2024, San Francisco bounced back with a 12-5 record last season.

That was an achievement considering it was another injury-filled campaign for the 49ers.

Brock Purdy only played in nine games.

George Kittle (6 missed games), Ricky Pearsall (8), and Jauan Jennings (2) all missed multiple games, while Brandon Aiyuk never showed up.

Despite that, San Francisco was third in success rate on offense (46.3%) and sixth in points per drive (2.53).

This was despite the 49ers ranking 24th in rushing offense, the worst mark for a Kyle Shanahan team since 2011 when he was in Washington.

31.4% of San Francisco’s passing plays gained 10 or more yards, third in the league behind New England (32.9%) and Seattle (32.5%).

After returning to the lineup in Week 11, Purdy completed 70.6% of his passes (2nd) for 7.5 yards per pass attempt (8th) and a 7.6% touchdown rate (2nd).

A league-high 46.4% of his passes resulted in a first down or touchdown over that stretch, while the league rate over that period was 34.2%.

Purdy was once again at the top of the league in completion rate when pushing the ball downfield.

He completed a league-high 61.1% of his throws 10 or more yards downfield.

He led the league in that department in 2024, as well, and finished second in 2023.

As a result of so much vertical passing, a league-low 39.2% of Purdy’s passing yardage came after the catch.

It was the lowest YAC rate Purdy has received in his early career, and that rate has declined yearly since he entered the league.

Even though Purdy missed time with a turf toe injury, he still ran 3.7 times for 16.3 yards per game.

The 49ers have Purdy under contract through 2030, with two more seasons remaining at a reasonable cap number.

Purdy is set to count for $23.7 million against the cap in 2026 (7.9%) and $30.1 million in 2027 (9.3%) before carrying cap hits of $56.9 million, $71.8 million, and $64.6 million afterward.

San Francisco made a shrewd move last offseason in signing Mac Jones to a two-year contract.

Jones played in 11 games and made eight starts for San Francisco last season.

The 49ers went 5-3 in his starts.

Jones completed 69.6% of his passes for 7.4 yards per pass attempt with 13 touchdowns and 6 interceptions.

Running Back

1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Jordan James
3. Isaac Guerendo
4. Patrick Taylor
5. Kyle Juszczyk (FB)

Christian McCaffrey carried this offense through all of the injuries.

McCaffrey led the NFL with 413 touches, producing 2,126 yards from scrimmage and 17 touchdowns.

He was not a hyper-efficient runner but accumulated 1,202 yards and 10 scores on the ground while catching 102 passes for 924 yards and 7 touchdowns through the air.

With that, McCaffrey became the first player to ever have 2,000 yards and 100-plus receptions in multiple seasons.

LaDainian Tomlinson is the only other player to do it once.

It was McCaffrey’s third season with at least 100 receptions.

All other NFL running backs in history have done it a total of four times.

McCaffrey will turn 30 this June.

He has two years remaining on his current contract, with a $10.9 million cap hit this season and a $26.4 million cap hit in 2027.

McCaffrey is coming off handling 76.6% of the backfield touches in 2025, which ranked third among running backs.

Kyle Shanahan is once again saying that he will alleviate McCaffrey’s workload this offseason.

We have heard that before, and McCaffrey continues to rack up late-game touches in already decided games.

McCaffrey had 40 touches in the fourth quarter with San Francisco ahead by 8 or more points last season, which was second in the NFL behind Zach Charbonnet (43).

With Brian Robinson leaving in free agency, the 49ers are light in the backfield behind CMC.

The team has said positive things about Jordan James this offseason, but we did not see James play as a fifth-round rookie.

James played 3 offensive snaps last season.

That was three more than Isaac Guerendo.

After logging 227 snaps as a rookie in 2024, Guerendo did not play a single snap on offense last year.

Patrick Taylor missed all of 2025 with a fractured shoulder.

The 49ers under Shanahan have rarely left a draft without throwing a dart at a running back.

They have selected a running back in four of the past five drafts.

Wide Receiver

1. Mike Evans
2. Rickey Pearsall
3. Christian Kirk
4. Demarcus Robinson
5. Jacob Cowing
6. Jordan Watkins
7. Malik Turner
8. Junior Bergen
9. Colton Dowell
10. Brandon Aiyuk

2025 was another injury-plagued season for San Francisco pass catchers.

Jauan Jennings led the wide receivers with a route run on 73.1% of the dropbacks, followed by Kendrick Bourne at 60.9%.

No other wide receiver was on the field for 50% of the dropbacks.

Neither Jennings (still on the market) nor Bourne (signed with Arizona in free agency) is on the roster.

San Francisco instead played the veteran market by signing Mike Evans right as free agency opened.

Evans signed a team-friendly deal, carrying cap hits of $4.25 million this season, $7.3 million in 2027, and $9.7 million in 2028 should he make it all the way through.

One of the league’s most consistent producers is coming off his worst season in the pros, catching 30 of 62 targets (a career-low 48.4% catch rate) for 368 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Evans only appeared in eight games last season.

He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 3 that sidelined him until Week 7.

It was the fifth season in a row that Evans has been on the injury report with a hamstring issue.

When Evans returned in Week 7 against Detroit, he suffered a broken clavicle after 14 plays, forcing him out of the lineup for the next two months.

Returning in Week 15, Evans reminded everyone that he still can produce, catching 6 of 12 targets for 132 yards against Atlanta.

He produced only 31, 31, and 34 yards in the final three weeks of the season, but found the end zone twice over that span.

The largest question here is whether San Francisco is attempting to catch a falling knife.

Evans will be 33 and is coming off an efficiency dip across the board.

His yards per route run average (1.62) was the lowest of his career.

Evans was the worst he has been after the catch, producing a career-low 1.2 yards after the catch per reception.

He also produced the lowest rate of targets to produce a first down or touchdown of his career (37.1%).

Baker Mayfield’s efficiency fell off as he dealt with injuries, so there is somewhat of a hall pass to give to Evans here.

Despite playing through multiple ailments, Evans still commanded target opportunities.

His target rate per route (27.3%) was his highest since 2016 and good for WR8 on the season among wideouts with 200-plus routes run.

Like Davante Adams with the Rams a year ago, I expect Evans to at minimum be a major factor near the end zone.

When Evans was on the field last season, he commanded 58.3% of the Tampa Bay end-zone targets.

Adams had 57.1% end-zone targets in his games played last season with the Rams.

In 2024, Evans was second in the league in end-zone targets (18).

Brock Purdy has been the most efficient passer on throws to the end zone.

Since entering the league, Purdy has completed 45.1% of his throws into the end zone.

That is fourth in the league.

In 2025, that rate was 46.2% (QB9) while Mac Jones was first (58.3%).

Joining a San Francisco offense that has a wide-open target tree, I would bet on Evans being a target earner once again, while we already laid out how successful Purdy has been throwing downfield.

George Kittle is returning from an Achilles injury he suffered in the postseason, raising questions about his availability to open the year.

Ricky Pearsall has played 20 games through two seasons.

Pearsall appeared in only nine games due to a PCL injury that cost him most of the season and a late-season ankle injury.

He was on the field for only 45% of dropbacks last season.

He opened the season strong, producing 108, 56, and 117 yards over his first three full games before the injury in Week 4.

Pearsall then closed the year with games of 6 catches for 96 yards in Week 14 and then 5 catches for 85 yards in Week 16.

Pearsall was in the X role a year ago when he was available.

He averaged a team-high 14.1 air yards per target with a team-high 32.1% of his targets on throws 20 or more yards downfield.

Paired with a role near the end zone, I expect Evans to take on a lot of those routes while Pearsall moves into more of the role he had during his rookie season.

He can also take on more assignments that have been given to Jennings, which was the plan in 2024.

Pearsall played 34.4% of his snaps in the slot as a rookie compared to 19% last season.

Only 15.2% of his targets as a rookie were deep targets, and he averaged 3.7 yards after the catch compared to 2.6 yards after the catch last season.

With Jennings likely gone after signing Evans and Kittle’s return to be determined, Pearsall has a solid setup again to kick off 2026.

When the 49ers do go into 11 personnel, they also added Christian Kirk on a one-year deal (just under $3 million) to compete for a slot role.

Kirk only caught 28 passes for 239 yards and 1 touchdown with Houston last year after catching 27 passes for 379 yards and 1 touchdown with Jacksonville in 2024.

Kirk has missed four or more games in three straight seasons.

With two older signings on wide receivers with sketchy injury histories, the 49ers are surely not done here.

They have hit the wide receiver hard in pre-draft visits.

So far, San Francisco has had visits with Denzel Boston, Omar Cooper, K.C. Concepcion, Chris Brazzell, and Caleb Douglas.

Brandon Aiyuk is not expected to be on the roster at the start of the season, but the 49ers have not let him go for nothing at this stage, as the soap opera relationship has yet to reach its conclusion.

Tight End

1. George Kittle
2. Jake Tonges
3. Luke Farrell
4. Brayden Willis
5. Hayden Rucci

George Kittle was productive again last year when he was available, averaging 5.2 receptions for 57.1 yards per game with 7 touchdowns.

He posted 2.18 yards per route run, which ranked third among tight ends to run 200-plus routes last year.

But Kittle only played in 11 games, missing time with a hamstring injury.

Kittle has only been on the field for 68.1% and 46.2% of the dropbacks the past two seasons.

He will turn 33 this October, missing time in every season since 2018.

That is expected to continue this season.

Playing with torn ligaments in his foot in the playoffs, Kittle suffered an Achilles injury in the playoff win against the Eagles.

He had surgery in January, placing the start of his season in jeopardy.

The 49ers have not visited with a tight end yet this offseason.

Kittle is under contract through 2029, but all of the missed time, another major injury, and his age could have San Francisco considering his potential replacement if they like someone in a deep class.

The team retained Jake Tonges on a two-year deal this offseason to help wait things out with Kittle.

Tonges was solid when filling in for Kittle last season, catching 34 passes for 293 yards (8.6 yards per catch) and 5 touchdowns.

Not nearly as dynamic in the passing game, however, Tonges was targeted on 19.8% of his routes with 1.28 yards per route run with Kittle sidelined in 2025.

Offensive Line

LT: Trent Williams, Austen Pleasants, Isaac Alarcon
LG: Connor Colby, Robert Jones, Nick Zakelj
C: Jake Brendel, Drake Nugent
RG: Dominick Puni, Brett Toth, Zach Thomas
RT: Colton McKivitz, Vederian Lowe, Brandon Parker

The 49ers are rolling back four quality starters from last season.

Both Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz are coming off strong seasons as outside protectors.

McKivitz has only allowed 6 total sacks over the past two seasons.

McKivitz is locked up through 2028, but San Francisco is close to needing to find an inevitable replacement for Williams.

At age 37, Williams was still the third-highest graded offensive tackle per Pro Football Focus last season.

He allowed only 4 sacks with 4 penalties while ranking second at the position in run blocking grade.

After it appeared that the two sides might be at a potential contract hangup for 2026, Williams is still on the roster at a $46.3 million cap hit.

It is possible that the 49ers just let things ride and try to bring back Williams for as long as he wants to play, but he is not playing cheaply and will need a new deal if he keeps going.

Center Jake Brendel is also getting up there (he will turn 34 in September) and is set to be an unrestricted free agent after 2026.

Right guard is taken care of with Dominick Puni having two more years remaining on his rookie contract.

Puni started slowly last year while playing through a PCL injury, but he ended the year playing closer to the form he showed as a rookie.

Through eight weeks, Puni was 46th among guards in overall grade per Pro Football Focus, but then was ninth for the remainder of the season.

Left guard is still a potential soft spot on the current roster.

The 49ers started three different players at left guard last season, ending the year with seventh-round rookie Connor Colby in the lineup.

Colby allowed a 7.1% pressure rate (84th among guards) while allowing the second-most sacks on the team on only 281 snaps in protection.

San Francisco signed veterans Robert Jones and Brett Toth to compete for snaps and shore up the inside this season, but both were low-leverage one-year deals.

With only Puni and McKivitz as starters signed beyond this season, San Francisco should be targeting more contractual depth with upside to start in the future across the offensive line.

San Francisco 49ers Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the San Francisco 49ers, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Line

1. Osa Odighizuwa
2. Alfred Collins
3. C.J. West
4. Sebastian Valdez
5. Evan Anderson

The 49ers allowed 4.5 yards per carry to running backs (22nd) last season and finished 30th in success rate allowed on those carries.

While new DC Raheem Morris has been more of a 3-4 coach, Kyle Shanahan has talked a lot about Morris’ adaptability in the months after the hiring, suggesting we will see something similar to what the 49ers have run in recent years.

San Francisco also traded for Osa Odighizuwa, who was no longer needed in Dallas because of their transition into a 3-4 base.

Odighizuwa finished 34th among all qualified pass rushers, not just defensive tackles, in pressure rate last year.

The 49ers do need to find some options next to him after Kalia Davis and Jordan Elliott left in free agency.

A second-round pick last year, Alfred Collins earned a rotational role as a rookie, but he did not have a great first season.

A fourth-round pick last year, C.J. West did not fare much better.

Both are young players who can take a step forward in their second season, but adding some help in the middle of the defensive line makes sense.

Edge Defenders

1. Nick Bosa
2. Mykel Williams
3. Keion White
4. Sam Okuayinonu
5. Cam Sample
6. William Bradley-King
7. Andrew Farmer II

The 49ers struggled to get pressure in 2025, finishing 30th in pressure rate (30.4%) and dead last with 20 sacks.

San Francisco suffered big injuries to their pass rusher group, with Nick Bosa playing just three games and first-round rookie Mykel Williams lasting just nine.

Bosa is obviously one of the best in the league.

Williams did not have a ton of pass rush production (8.4% pressure rate), but the 49ers will hope for more once he returns to full health.

Keion White and Sam Okuayinonu are back after playing meaningful roles last year, though both had a sub 10% pressure rate.

The 49ers also added Cam Sample in free agency, but he has a sub-10% career pressure rate.

Bosa will anchor this unit when healthy, and the 49ers could bet on some progression from Williams.

Still, edge rusher looks like a primary need heading into the draft.

Linebacker

1. Fred Warner
2. Dee Winters
3. Dre Greenlaw
4. Tatum Bethune
5. Luke Gifford
6. Nick Martin
7. Jalen Graham
8. Garret Wallow
9. Milo Eifler

Arguably the most impactful injury for the 49ers defense last year, Fred Warner played just six games because of a broken ankle.

He should return healthy for 2026, and the team reunited with Dre Greenlaw this offseason.

Of course, Greenlaw has played just 10 games over the last two years, but he and Warner formed the best linebacker partnership in the league as recently as 2023.

If Greenlaw cannot get back to form, Dee Winters is waiting in the wings after being a basically every-snap player for the defense last season.

Tatum Bethune also got some experience last year, and Luke Gifford is back to help out on special teams.

Greenlaw’s recent injury history means there are some questions in this linebacker group, and both Greenlaw and Winters are scheduled to be free agents after this season.

Still, linebacker does not stand out as a pressing need.

Cornerback

1. Deommodore Lenoir
2. Renardo Green
3. Upton Stout
4. Nate Hobbs
5. Jack Jones
6. Darrell Luter Jr.
7. Eli Apple
8. Jakob Robinson
9. Tre Tomlinson

Not helped by their pass rush, the 49ers allowed 7.0 yards per attempt (16th) last season but ranked 26th in EPA allowed per pass attempt.

All of their primary snap takers from last season are back, and last year’s lack of success does not truly reflect the quality of corners on the roster.

Deommodore Lenoir has lived up to the billing since signing his big extension, finishing 24th among qualified corners in yards allowed per coverage snap last year.

A 2024 second-round pick, Renardo Green has allowed just 6.6 yards per target and an 84.1 quarterback rating in his coverage through two seasons.

A third-round pick last year, Upton Stout established himself as the primary option in the slot as a rookie.

The 49ers also added Nate Hobbs and Jack Jones in free agency.

Hobbs never found his feet with the Packers and has struggled to stay on the field through five seasons, but he got $16 million guaranteed from Green Bay last offseason for a reason.

Jones has not been great recently, but he does have starting experience.

The 49ers could look to add at cornerback since they struggled so much against the pass last year, but upgrading the pass rush and perhaps safety is probably the better route.

Safety

1. Malik Mustapha
2. Ji’Ayir Brown
3. Marques Sigle
4. Siran Neal
5. Darrick Forrest
6. Derrick Canteen

Malik Mustapha missed the start of his second season because of a 2024 knee injury, but he established himself as an every-down player by the end of the year.

He struggled in coverage, but Mustapha ranked fifth among defensive backs in tackle rate on running plays.

Ji’Ayir Brown played the second-most snaps in the safety group, and he did not fare any better in coverage.

A fifth-round pick last year, Marques Sigle was forced into a meaningful role as a rookie, and he continued the theme of giving up playing the passing game.

Sigel allowed a 149.6 quarterback rating in coverage last year.

Siran Neal was added in free agency, but he has been more of a special teams player throughout his career.

The 49ers could use an upgrade at the top of the safety room.

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Buffalo Bills Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Buffalo Bills, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Quarterback

1. Josh Allen
2. Kyle Allen
3. Shane Buechele

Although Josh Allen's counting stats declined in 2025, he had another excellent season.

Allen posted career lows in touchdown passes (25) and passing yards per game (215.8), but career highs in completion rate (69.3%) and yards per pass attempt (8.0).

Those rates ranked fourth and fifth in the league last season.

Although his passing touchdowns dropped from the year prior for the fifth consecutive season, Allen still posted a 5.4% touchdown rate, his sixth consecutive season over 5%.

No other quarterback over that span can say the same.

On top of the passing efficiency, Allen added 579 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, his third season in a row with double-digit rushing scores.

If there is one nit to pick with Buffalo, it is that they do not throw it more.

Skeptics will point to Buffalo’s strengths being the offensive line, James Cook, Allen’s own rushing ability, and the subpar group of pass catchers they have as the primary components for leaning into the run, but any time Buffalo was pressed to throw the football last season, they were successful.

Buffalo may not have had a great group of pass catchers, but Allen raised that tide.

Buffalo had a 46.7% success rate on passing plays, seventh in the league.

The addition of D.J. Moore, paired with Joe Brady being elevated to head coach (and a worse defense on paper), could lead Buffalo to push the ball more through the air.

Since taking over as the play caller in Buffalo, Brady has called conservative game plans.

Ken Dorsey was presumably fired in 2023 for throwing the ball too often.

Over the final nine games in 2023, Buffalo was 31st in the NFL dropback rate (52.4%) and 27th in the rate of yardage gained via passing (60.7%).

Before that, they were seventh in the NFL in dropback rate (63.2%), and 68.5% of their yardage came through the air (13th).

In 2024, Buffalo had a 56.3% dropback rate (25th) with 63.5% of their yardage through the air (22nd).

This past season, the Bills posted a 54.3% dropback rate (30th) with 57.6% of their yardage via passing (30th).

What will be interesting to see is how much that was by Brady’s own design or top-down influence from Sean McDermott.

Allen turns 30 this May.

His current contract runs through 2030, but it will surely be reworked over the next few years.

Allen has cap hits of $44.3 million in 2026 (14.7% of the cap), $56.1 million in 2027 (17.4%), and $62.3 million in 2028 (17.6%) before spiking to $89.2 million in 2029 (23.8%) and $82.8 million (20.8%) in 2030.

Running Back

1. James Cook
2. Ty Johnson
3. Ray Davis
4. Frank Gore Jr.

James Cook got a new contract last offseason, which was earned.

Cook is coming off the best season of his early career, setting career highs in rushing attempts (309), rushing yards (1,621), touches (342), and yards from scrimmage (1,912) to go along with 14 touchdowns.

The league leader in rushing yards, here is where Cook ranked among the 49 running backs this season with 100 or more attempts:

• 5.2 yards per rush (2nd)
• 45% success rate (9th)
• 12.6% rate of runs for 10-plus yards (8th)
• 10.7% rate of runs failed to gain yards (2nd)

That came while facing eight or more defenders in the box on 56% of his attempts, the second-highest rate in the league.

Cook faced a light box (6 or fewer defenders) on only 11.3% of his runs, the third-lowest rate in the league.

The Buffalo offensive line is excellent, but Cook was not given many free squares.

If there is one nit to pick here, it is that Cook is arguably underused in the passing game.

He has averaged 9.0 yards per catch over his career, but only 2.0 receptions per game.

Cook was on the field for 43.9% of Buffalo's dropbacks in 2025, which ranked 15th at the position.

Ty Johnson has chipped in for the Buffalo passing game.

He caught 24 passes for 263 yards and 2 touchdowns last year, rushing 50 times for 200 yards and 3 more scores.

Johnson is an unrestricted free agent after the season.

The Bills did not use Ray Davis as much last year as they did in his first season.

After 130 touches for 631 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2024, Davis handled 68 touches for 361 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2025.

He played 15% of the offensive snaps after 24% as a rookie.

Davis still averaged 5.3 yards per touch.

The offense just ran through Cook.

Wide Receiver

1. D.J. Moore
2. Khalil Shakir
3. Josh Palmer
4. Keon Coleman
5. Tyrell Shavers
6. Mecole Hardman
7. Trent Sherfield
8. Jalen Virgil
9. Stephen Gosnell

In 2025, Buffalo's wide receivers averaged 10.6 receptions (18th) for 125.8 yards per game (22nd) and 11 touchdowns (23rd) in the regular season.

Collectively, Buffalo wideouts were targeted on 21.4% of their routes, which was 27th in the league.

Allen averaged 7.9 yards per pass attempt when targeting his wide receivers last season, which was 15th in the league.

Allen averaged a league-high 10.0 yards per pass attempt when throwing to his tight ends and 6.8 yards per attempt when throwing to his backfield (7th).

Buffalo may not be done adding here, but given what they used to acquire D.J. Moore, paired with his remaining salary over the next two seasons, Moore immediately steps in as the leading candidate for targets.

Moore is coming off a down season with the Bears, and his mercurial behavior has come up in each of the past two seasons.

In 2025, Moore posted career lows in receptions (50) and receiving yards (682).

Moore was targeted on a career-low 15.3% of his routes.

His previous career low was 19.1% as a rookie in 2018.

Moore only had one game last season with more than 73 yards receiving, to go along with 11 games below 50 yards.

If lighting a candle for Moore, he did play better to close the year.

Moore scored 5 touchdowns over the final six games last season.

2025 saw Moore set career lows in just about every category you can find, but if you are looking at his career production, his overlap playing under Joe Brady in 2020-2021 with Carolina was a strong campaign.

The hope is that a reunion with Brady, while playing alongside Josh Allen, keeps Moore engaged.

Moore is at the crossroads of his career, and this change of scenery is a boost for his opportunity to lead a passing game again.

Buffalo is one of the neediest teams for a wide receiver, while Allen is the best quarterback that Moore has played with over his career to this point.

Allen has not had a feature WR1 since Buffalo moved on from Stefon Diggs.

Khalil Shakir led the Bills in targets (95), catches (72), and receiving yards (719) in 2025, but he is coming off a down year compared to his career output.

He averaged a career low 10.0 yards per reception last year.

Shakir was playing through an ankle issue, which led to offseason surgery.

The addition of Moore allows Shakir to serve in more of an ancillary function, since he is not an alpha lead WR1.

Through four NFL seasons, Shakir has run 73 total pass routes in one or two WR sets,

Last year, with a limited roster, he was on the field for 25 routes in one or two WR sets, accounting for 18.8% of those play calls.

Shakir also has a limited presence near the end zone, totaling just 6 targets in the end zone through four seasons.

Moore had 15 of those last season with the Bears.

Josh Palmer made a minimal impact in his first season with Buffalo, catching 22 passes for 303 yards and 0 touchdowns over 12 games.

The Bills have been supportive of Keon Coleman through the media, but their actions say otherwise.

Coleman caught 38 passes for 404 yards and 4 touchdowns in his second season.

He caught 8 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, but then completely fell off the table.

He did not top 49 yards in a game the rest of the season.

Coleman was a healthy scratch in three games and only played on 53% of Buffalo's dropbacks.

Both Palmer and Coleman have multiple years remaining on their current contracts, but Buffalo should not be done adding to this receiver room.

Tight End

1. Dalton Kincaid
2. Dawson Knox
3. Jackson Hawes
4. Keleki Latu

This was the best part of the Buffalo passing game in 2025.

Buffalo tight ends combined for 95 receptions (13th) for 1,210 yards (2nd) and 12 touchdowns (3rd) last season.

Dalton Kincaid was hyper-efficient with 2.73 yards per route run, but limitations with injuries, as an in-line player, and his role in the run game on a run-heavy team have limited his opportunities.

Kincaid only played 33.4% of his snaps in-line last season.

The Bills ran the ball only 28.5% of the time when he was on the field, compared to 57.1% when he was off the field.

That has capped Kincaid’s overall participation in the offense and limited the routes he runs.

Over his three seasons in the league, Kincaid has been on the field for 64.1% of the team's dropbacks.

He dealt with a hamstring injury and a PCL injury on top of his limited role in the run game.

He did not have surgery, but offseason reports indicate that Kincaid will still need to be managed in 2026 due to his knee injury.

That led the Bills to work out a new contract with Dawson Knox.

With Kincaid missing time and being an active run blocker, Knox played 653 snaps last season, his most since 2022.

He caught 36 passes for 417 yards and 4 touchdowns, all highs since 2022 as well.

Jackson Hawes played 43% of the snaps as a rookie.

Buffalo ran the ball 70.6% of the time with Hawes on the field, but he did grab 16 passes for 187 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Offensive Line

LT: Dion Dawkins, Tylan Grable
LG: Alec Anderson, Austin Corbett
C: Connor McGovern, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Lloyd Cushenberry
RG: O’Cyrus Torrence, Nick Broeker
RT: Spencer Brown, Chase Lundt, Travis Clayton

This was still one of the better units in the league last season.

Buffalo ranked fourth in ESPN’s pass block win rate (71%) and first in run block win rate (75%).

At Pro Football Focus, they were sixth in pass blocking grade and sixth in run blocking grade.

They remained one of the healthier units in the league.

Their starters played together on 71.4% of the offensive snaps, which was fourth in the league.

Buffalo is bringing back four of those starters this season.

Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown is one of the best tackle duos in the league, and both are under contract for multiple seasons.

Center Connor McGovern received a four-year extension this offseason.

David Edwards went to New Orleans in free agency, pushing Alec Anderson up the depth chart.

Anderson has made six starts over the past two seasons with Buffalo and is an unrestricted free agent after the season, so competition and depth can be added here.

Buffalo added Austin Corbett and Lloyd Cushenberry to push for that job as well.

Both Corbett and Cushenberry have dealt with significant injuries in recent seasons.

Cushenberry played for Joe Brady at LSU.

The rest of the starters are locked up, but O’Cyrus Torrence is also set to be an unrestricted free agent after the season, meaning that the interior offensive line could have more moving parts sooner than later.

Buffalo Bills Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Buffalo Bills, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Line

1. Ed Oliver
2. Deone Walker
3. T.J. Sanders
4. DeWayne Carter
5. Phidarian Mathis
6. Landon Jackson
7. Zion Logue
8. Tommy Akingbesote

The Bills struggled across the board against running backs in 2026, allowing 5.0 yards per carry to the position (30th).

They gave up an explosive run on 12.5% of the RB carries they faced (30th).

Buffalo’s coaching change will be felt the most on the defensive side of the ball, with Jim Leonhard taking over what had been Sean McDermott’s defense.

That will likely mean a shift to a 3-4 base, though the new coordinator is certain to live the “multiple” credo that dominates NFL defenses in 2026.

With DaQuan Jones gone, Ed Oliver should lead this room, but he appeared in just three games last year before returning for the playoffs.

Oliver did record 9.5 sacks back in 2023, and he had a massive 20.8% pressure rate on a very limited sample last year.

Both 2025 draft picks, T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker got some experience last year.

Sanders had something of a rough go, but Walker made plays in the running game, leading the team with 15 run stuffs.

That ranked fifth among all qualified defensive linemen.

DeWayne Carter missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, and he did not show great as a rookie.

Buffalo has youth up front, but they could use an addition to the defensive line.

Edge Defenders

1. Greg Rousseau
2. Bradley Chubb
3. Michael Hoecht
4. Javon Solomon
5. Andre Jones Jr.

Buffalo ranked 14th in pressure rate (37.3%) last season, finishing with 36 sacks (20th).

This unit will look different in 2026 with Joey Bosa and A.J. Epenesa leaving in free agency.

Buffalo made a big addition to the edge group, as well, signing Bradley Chubb to a three-year, $43.5 million contract.

He will play opposite Greg Rousseau, who had another good season in 2026, logging 7 sacks with a 15.4% pressure rate (14th).

After he opened the season suspended, Michael Hoecht appeared in just two games before landing on injured reserve with a torn Achilles.

Hoecht should play a versatile role in the new defense, and he perhaps should be listed with the defensive line group instead of along the edge.

Buffalo has no established options behind those three, and Hoecht is returning from an injury.

They have to add at least a rotational option to this group.

Linebacker

1. Terrel Bernard
2. Dorian Williams
3. Joe Andreessen
4. Keonta Jenkins
5. Jimmy Ciarlo

Linebacker lags behind some of Buffalo’s other needs in positional value, but they are in a rough spot here heading into the draft.

Terrel Bernard can hold down one of the starting spots, but he has not been great while missing time over the last two seasons.

Dorian Williams has played the run well, but he has allowed a 103.6 quarterback rating in coverage thus far in his career.

Matt Milano remains a free agent, and he could be a post-draft addition to solidify this unit.

But he will be 32 in July and has struggled to stay healthy for several seasons.

It is fair to argue the Bills need two starter-level additions to this linebacker group.

Cornerback

1. Christian Benford
2. Maxwell Hairston
3. Dee Alford
4. Dorian Strong
5. Te’Cory Couch
6. Daryl Porter Jr.
7. M.J. Devonshire Jr.

The Bills fared better against the pass than run, allowing 6.2 yards per attempt (4th) and finishing seventh in EPA allowed per pass attempt.

Despite that success, Christian Benford is the only primary snap taker returning from last year’s cornerback group.

Benford is coming off yet another good season and has allowed just 6.7 yards per target in his coverage thus far in his career.

That said, he has also never played a full season, appearing in 15, 15, and 14 games the last three seasons.

A first-round pick last year, Maxwell Hairston had a stop-and-start rookie season thanks to injuries, playing just 348 snaps.

The Bills need him to become a starter in year two.

Dee Alford was added in free agency to handle the slot snaps, though he has had some issues the last two seasons.

There are no experienced options behind that top three, a big concern given Benford’s history of missing a few games and Hairston's lack of experience.

At the very least, the Bills need to add some depth to their cornerback room.

Safety

1. Cole Bishop
2. C.J. Gardner-Johnson
3. Geno Stone
4. Damar Hamlin
5. Jordan Hancock
6. Sam Franklin Jr.
7. Wande Owens

Cole Bishop took a step forward in his second season, providing a steady presence at safety, but the Bills had a tough time finding someone to play opposite him.

They tried to fix that in free agency by signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone.

Gardner-Johnson had a falling out with the Texans early last season before joining the Bears in Week 9.

Stone was nearly an every-snap player for the Bengals over the last two seasons, but he struggled in their secondary.

Buffalo also brought back Damar Hamlin, who suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in October.

Buffalo has likely made their big moves at safety, but there are question marks up and down this depth chart, especially with Gardner-Johnson on a one-year deal.

2026 Depth Chart Analysis & Team Needs for All 32 NFL Teams

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No matter how well they did in free agency, all 32 NFL teams head into the 2026 NFL Draft with holes to fill on the roster.

Leading into the draft, we will identify the top needs for every team and break down the depth chart position by position.

What are the Bears' top positions of need heading into the 2026 NFL draft?

Chicago Bears Needs: Top Positions of Need in 2026

1. Edge Rusher
2. Defensive Back
3. Defensive Line

Explore all of our 2026 NFL Draft content:

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Chicago Bears 2026 Draft Capital

The Bears have the 21st-most draft capital according to our Sharp Football Draft Value.

Our Sharp Football Draft Value is a valuation of draft capital based on a combination of average performance delivered and average dollars earned on second contracts.

Chicago Bears Mock Draft Predictions

Find out who our top-rated experts expect the Bears to draft:

• Brendan Donahue's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #2 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.
• Ryan McCrystal's 2026 NFL Mock Draft – Complete first round breakdown from the #20 most accurate mock drafter over the last five seasons.

Chicago Bears Offense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Rich Hribar breaks down the offensive depth chart by position for the Chicago Bears, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Quarterback

1. Caleb Williams
2. Tyson Bagent
3. Case Keenum

Off a strong finish to 2025, Caleb Williams and the Bears are looking to take another step forward in his third season.

Williams made wholesale improvements in his second season with Ben Johnson.

He went from a 39.8% success rate in 2024 (30th) to a 42.5% success rate (22nd) last season.

24.6% of his dropbacks resulted in a gain of 1.0 EPA or more (14th) after a 20.4% rate as a rookie (30th).

Only 14.2% of his dropbacks lost 1.0 EPA or worse (6th), down from 18.6% in 2024 (29th).

After taking a sack on 10.8% of his dropbacks in 2024 (33rd), that rate was 4.1% last season (fourth).

Johnson had Williams playing more under center in his second season.

After a 28.8% under center rate as a rookie, Williams was at 48.4% last year.

That increased his play-action rate from 16.9% as a rookie to 33.3% last year.

The last hurdle Williams needs to clear is accuracy as a passer.

He still only completed 58.1% of his throws last year, ahead of only J.J. McCarthy (57.6%).

He had a 14.6% inaccurate throw rate, which was the worst among 33 passers who qualified for the league’s passer rating.

Williams was still sensitive to pressure.

He had a shaky completion rate regardless of pressure, but he averaged 7.6 Y/A (13th) when unpressured compared to 5.4 Y/A when pressured (26th).

Running Back

1. D’Andre Swift
2. Kyle Monangai
3. Roschon Johnson
4. Brittain Brown
5. Deion Hankins

Ben Johnson’s impact was immediately felt with the Chicago run game.

Chicago running backs combined for:

• 4.8 yards per rush (6th)
• 40.8% success rate (2nd)
• 26.3% of runs resulted in a first down or touchdown (2nd)
• 11.8% rate of runs that gained 10 or more yards (7th)

If there was any shade to throw here, the Chicago backs averaged 1.79 yards before contact per rush (3rd) while ranking 21st in yards after contact per rush (3.01), but it was an excellent season for this running game.

This was primarily a split backfield over the back half of the season.

Over the final nine games, D’Andre Swift had 139 touches (55.6%) compared to 110 touches (44%) for Kyle Monangai.

Swift was more effective over that period with 730 yards and 5 touchdowns, compared to 502 yards and 4 touchdowns for the rookie.

Swift ended the season handling 257 touches for 1,386 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

The yards and touchdowns were career highs.

His 5.4 yards per touch were his best rate since 2022.

Swift produced a run of 10 or more yards on 13.5% of his runs, which ranked sixth in the league.

Swift is in the final year of his current contract.

Monangai was a hit as a seventh-round pick in year one.

He turned 187 touches into 947 yards and 5 scores as a rookie.

That was the most touches for a seventh-round rookie running back since 2019.

Monangai got to play one game without Swift active, and although it was against the Bengals, he throttled them for 198 total yards.

Monangai and Deion Hankins are the only backs here currently signed for 2027.

I am not labeling this a “need,” but with Swift’s contract in the final season and Johnson utilizing multiple backs so far in every offense he has helmed, I believe the Bears are live to add another rookie this spring.

Wide Receiver

1. Rome Odunze
2. Luther Burden
3. Kalif Raymond
4. Jahdae Walker
5. Maurice Alexander
6. JP Richardson

This is another one I am not labeling as an outright need, but I do expect the Bears to add a receiver to this room following the trade of D.J. Moore and Olamide Zaccheaus leaving in free agency.

Moore was on the field for a team-high 87% of the dropbacks last season, while Zaccheaus was on the field for 52%.

Chicago added Kalif Raymond as a direct replacement for Zaccheaus, while Rome Odunze and Luther Burden are expected to see a significant spike in playing time with Moore no longer on the roster.

The next-closest player to Moore on the team (Odunze) was on the field for 65.6% of dropbacks, while Burden was at 41.1%.

We only have a small sample of Moore missing time last year, but Odunze was targeted on 28.3% of his routes with Moore absent (46 routes).

Colston Loveland was at 24.2% (62 routes), and Burden was at 20.3% (64 routes).

Those are all reasonable proxies heading into this season.

Burden (3.20 yards per route run on those plays) will have an efficiency dip on a larger sample size, but he will get much more top-down opportunity.

Burden closed the season quietly (6 catches for 66 yards in the postseason), but he flashed on his limited opportunities, drawing a target on a team-high 24.3% of his routes with a team-high 2.36 yards per route run.

Those totals are influenced by a sample size impacted by entering games for designed play calls when the team was at full strength.

Still, when Odunze missed the final five games of the regular season, Burden led the team with 324 receiving yards despite missing a game himself over that span.

In the four games that Burden played without Odunze over that stretch, he had 21.1% of the team's targets and posted 3.52 yards per route run.

Going back to his rookie profile, I always considered Burden to be misrepresented as a slot-only player, which played out as a rookie.

He played 57.4% of his snaps out wide and 40.7% from the slot.

The one area where Burden can be much more involved is that he only had 2 targets in the end zone as a rookie.

Moore also leaves a team-high 15 end zone targets (28.8%) behind.

Those will definitely go up since Moore is leaving some on the table, but Odunze is a thorn in that area.

Odunze opened last season hot, scoring 5 touchdowns over the opening four games.

He had over 60 yards receiving in three of those four games.

Then the wheels came off.

He scored 1 touchdown the rest of the season and missed the final five games with a foot injury.

Before his injury, Odunze led the team with 23.7% of the targets and 38.2% of the air yards.

While Caleb Williams still had accuracy issues despite growth in 2025, Odunze again took the brunt of it because his route tree offered higher-variance target opportunities.

Over those final eight games, 27.3% of Odunze’s targets were inaccurate.

No player with as many targets had a higher rate of off-target opportunities.

As a rookie in 2024, 26.7% of Odunze’s targets were inaccurate.

No player had a higher rate with as many targets.

What we are left with is nearly a two-year sample of Williams and Odunze being disconnected, which spans two different schemes.

Where Odunze still has upside is the types of targets he gets and his continued profiling as a vertical and red zone option.

Despite missing time, Odunze had 13 targets in the end zone, which was only 2 fewer than Moore.

Odunze had 39.3% of the end-zone targets before his injury, which was WR9 at the time.

Raymond has familiarity with Johnson during his time in Detroit, but the depth behind Odunze and Burden leaves a lot to be desired in terms of big-picture upside, while the team has little contractual depth at wide receiver.

Outside of Odunze and Burden, only Jahdae Walker is signed for 2027.

Tight End

1. Colston Loveland
2. Cole Kmet
3. Nikola Kalinic
4. Stephen Carlson
5. Qadir Ismail

It took a bit for Colston Loveland to get going as a rookie as he worked his way into the lineup and recovered from an offseason shoulder injury, but the wait was worth it.

Loveland ended the season with at least 15% of the team’s targets in each of the final nine games, drawing a target on 24.7% of his routes for 1.97 yards per route run over that span.

Over the final five games of the season, Loveland was on the field for 80.9% of the team's dropbacks, receiving a target on 30.5% of his routes with 2.34 yards per route run.

He caught 31 passes for 408 yards and 2 touchdowns over that span.

As Loveland came on to close the season, the Bears and Ben Johnson took a page from Sean McVay’s 2025 game plan.

From Week 10 on, the Bears played 12 personnel on 35.4% of their snaps (6th) and 13 personnel on 13.4% (2nd).

They averaged 5.8 yards per play on offense with two or more tight ends on the field over that stretch compared to 5.1 yards per play with one or fewer on the field.

Cole Kmet did not stuff the stat sheet with the arrival of Loveland, but he was a contributor in the base offense when Chicago was at their best, catching 30 passes for 347 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Kmet is still under contract for two more seasons.

Offensive Line

LT: Theo Benedet, Jedrick Wills, Ozzy Trapilo
LG: Joe Thuney, Jordan McFadden
C: Garrett Bradbury, Kyle Hergel
RG: Jonah Jackson, Luke Newman
RT: Darnell Wright, Braxton Jones, Kiran Amegadjie

Chicago made wholesale changes to their offensive line in 2025, paired with the arrival of Ben Johnson, and the impact was felt.

Chicago ranked first in ESPN’s pass block win rate (74%) and fifth in run block win rate (74%).

At Pro Football Focus, they ranked fifth in pass blocking as a team and fifth in run block grade.

There are a few moving parts up front heading into 2026.

The first is at left tackle.

The Bears started three different players at left tackle last season.

Ozzy Trapilo was a second-round pick who eventually took over the job, but he suffered a torn patellar tendon in the playoffs last year and is expected to miss most (if not all) of 2026.

Trapilo took over the job from Theo Benedet, who made eight starts last season.

Benedet allowed a 7.8% pressure rate, which was the second-highest rate on the team, ahead of only Braxton Jones (11%).

Chicago retained Jones on a one-year contract to potentially compete again at left tackle while taking a flyer on Jedrick Wills.

Wills is a former first-round pick who sat out all of 2025 with a knee injury.

Drew Dalman made a surprising retirement this offseason at age 27 after starting all 19 games last season.

In an effort to quickly pivot, the Bears traded for Garrett Bradbury.

Bradbury has not been the same player since early in his career, but he started all 17 games for the Patriots last season.

Bradbury is only signed for 2026, so the door is open for Chicago to add competition and contractual depth here.

The rest of the starting spots are locked up with quality starters between Joe Thuney, Jonah Jackson, and Darnell Wright.

Thuney and Jackson are under contract for multiple seasons.

Wright is in the final season of his rookie contract, with the Bears expected to pick up his fifth-year option for 2027 before the May 1 deadline ($19.1 million).

Chicago Bears Defense: Depth Chart, Analysis & Draft Needs

Raymond Summerlin breaks down the defensive depth chart by position for the Chicago Bears, identifying areas where the team could improve in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Defensive Line

1. Gervon Dexter Sr.
2. Grady Jarrett
3. Shemar Turner
4. Kentavius Street
5. Neville Gallimore
6. James Lynch

The Bears struggled to slow down running backs in 2026, giving up 4.8 yards per carry to the position and ranking 30th in yards before contact allowed per carry.

Signed last offseason, Grady Jarrett continued his career decline that began in Atlanta, getting pressure on just 5.6% of his pass rush snaps.

Gervon Dexter was better as a pass rusher, recording 6 sacks with a 10.3% pressure rate, but he did not make many plays in the running game.

2025 second-round pick Shemar Turner did not do much before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in October.

The Bears might also view him more as an edge defender when looking at his limited usage as a rookie.

Kentavius Street and Neville Gallimore were added in free agency.

Both can help out in a rotation, but neither player has been a difference maker.

Dexter is headed into a contract year, and the team can get out of Jarrett’s contract after this season.

Depending on how they view Turner and what they want to do with Dexter’s contract, they could be in the market for two long-term starters.

Edge Defenders

1. Montez Sweat
2. Dayo Odeyingbo
3. Austin Booker
4. Daniel Hardy
5. Jamree Kromah
6. Jonathan Garvin
7. Jeremiah Martin

The Bears ranked 29th in pressure rate (31.5%) last season, finishing 22nd with 35 sacks.

Montez Sweat is coming off a good season, recording 10 sacks with a 12.5% pressure rate, but the rest of the group added next to nothing.

Dayo Odeyingbo only played eight games in his first season with the team, recording 1 sack with a dreadful 5.3% pressure rate before suffering a torn Achilles in November.

Austin Booker was third on the team with 4.5 sacks, but his 9.4% pressure rate was less than ideal.

Odeyingbo’s return will give the Bears an experienced enough top three, but they need a real impact addition to their edge group.

Linebacker

1. Devin Bush
2. T.J. Edwards
3. D’Marco Jackson
4. Noah Sewell
5. Ruben Hyppolite II
6. Jack Sanborn
7. Dominique Hampton
8. Nephi Sewell

The Bears made a splash in free agency, signing Devin Bush to a three-year, $30 million contract.

He will replace Tremaine Edmunds, who the team released ahead of free agency.

Bush was outstanding last season, putting up good stats against the run while allowing just 5.4 yards per target and a 64.2 quarterback rating in coverage.

The rest of the linebacker group is in flux.

T.J. Edwards is recovering from a broken leg suffered in the playoffs, and he has been the subject of trade rumors.

The Bears brought back D’Marco Jackson, who started four games last year and looked good in his first real playing time in the league.

Noah Sewell is recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in late December.

A fourth-round pick last year, Ruben Hyppolite struggled through a few injuries and was not a factor as a rookie.

Chicago has a quality starter up top and enough options behind him to be fine at linebacker for 2026, but there are questions in this group.

Cornerback

1. Jaylon Johnson
2. Kyler Gordon
3. Tyrique Stevenson
4. Zah Frazier
5. Jaylon Jones
6. Josh Blackwell
7. Terell Smith
8. Dallis Flowers
9. Dontae Manning

Not helped by a non-existent pass rush, Chicago’s secondary allowed 7.6 yards per attempt (28th) last season and finished 19th in EPA allowed per pass attempt.

The Bears also did not field the corner group they expected for most of last season, with Jaylon Johnson playing just seven games, Tyrique Stevenson playing 13, and Kyler Gordon appearing in just three.

On top of that, 2025 fifth-round pick Zah Frazier missed his entire rookie season with a “personal issue.”

Jaylon Jones was re-signed in free agency, but it was a small one-year deal.

Stevenson is also scheduled to be a free agent after this season, and while he played the most snaps among the returning corners last year, his role was greatly diminished once Johnson returned from injury.

All of those moving parts make this cornerback room difficult to judge.

Even when on the field, Johnson has not lived up to his contract the last two seasons, but he obviously earned that deal with some great play.

Gordon struggled when on the field last year, but that was a very small sample.

How do the Bears feel about Stevenson?

Will they get anything out of Frazier?

There are bigger defensive needs on this roster, but a case could be made for cornerback being a primary target in the draft.

Safety

1. Coby Bryant
2. Elijah Hicks
3. Cam Lewis
4. Gervarrius Owens

The Bears lost a lot at safety in free agency, with Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Jonathan Owens all set to play for new teams in 2026.

They also made a splash, signing Coby Bryant to a three-year, $40 million contract.

A nearly every-snap player for the Super Bowl Champions, Bryant will hold down one of the starting safety spots.

The other job is up in the air.

The Bears did bring back Elijah Hicks, who has some starting experience, but it feels like the Week 1 starter next to Bryant is not on the roster heading into the draft.

2026 Depth Chart Analysis & Team Needs for All 32 NFL Teams

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Building a 2026 NFL draft board is a work in progress throughout the offseason.

The NFL Combine was a significant step towards completing the process, and the final touches will be put on the board as players work through their Pro Days.

Here are my current top 50 prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft, along with a scouting report for each prospect.

Top 50 Prospects: 2026 NFL Draft

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Top Overall Prospects: Scouting Reports

1. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Downs is the prototype for a modern safety. He’s at his best in the box, and his ability to quickly diagnose plays and get into position makes him an asset against the run. But he can also read the quarterback from the deep secondary and has plenty of range to make plays in coverage.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Although he’s a clear fit at strong safety, he’s on the smaller side for the position, and it shows when he’s matched up with tight ends in coverage.  

Good team fits: Everyone

2. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Styles is a former safety who still runs like one, but he’s built like an edge defender. He’s a three-down linebacker who can drop in coverage, blitz, and has elite range against the run. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

He was recruited as a 215-pound safety and only has two years of experience at linebacker, so he’s still developing his take-on skills. He can get washed out of plays when linemen get their hands on him. 

Good team fits: Commanders, Bengals, Cardinals, Titans, Dolphins, Cowboys

3. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Bailey is explosive off the snap and quickly converts that speed to power. His ability to win with speed, leverage, and an array of pass-rush moves sets a high floor and should allow for immediate production. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Most top-tier edge defenders have elite length, and Bailey is lacking in terms of size compared to the players who usually come off the board at his position inside the top 10. If he lacks the length and strength combination to be an asset against the run, his value drops. 

Good team fits: Titans, Jets, Commanders, Browns, Bengals

4. Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Reese is a unique athlete who played linebacker at Ohio State but is likely to shift to an edge-defender role in the NFL. He’ll fit best in a scheme where he can continue lining up in a two-point stance. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Drafting a one-year starter and asking him to change positions is the perfect recipe for a bust. Though Reese’s talent is undeniable, it would be foolish to assume he makes the transition look as easy as Micah Parsons. Reese is one of the biggest high-risk, high-reward prospects in recent memory. 

Good team fits: Jets, Cardinals, Giants, Browns, Commanders, Saints, Bengals

5. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Like most Ohio State receivers to enter the league in recent years, Tate wins with precise route technique and reliable hands. He’s an outside receiver who can stretch the field or contribute as a possession weapon to move the sticks. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Tate has limited experience in the slot and lacks the agility to be an elite weapon after the catch, which might limit him to a role on the outside. Despite his production as a downfield weapon, he doesn’t have rare physical traits, potentially making him vulnerable against top-tier cover corners. 

Good team fits: Browns, Giants, Saints, Commanders, Dolphins, Cowboys, Ravens

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6. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Thieneman is at his best in the deep secondary, where his ability to read the quarterback and disrupt the passing game stands out. However, he also has extensive experience lining up in the box and has the tackling skills for the strong safety role. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Can he handle coverage assignments in the slot? He might lack the agility to stick with quicker slot receivers, and he lacks the size and strength to match up well with tight ends. This is mostly a non-issue if he’s playing free safety, but it limits his versatility. 

Good team fits: Vikings, Bears, Browns, Eagles, Steelers, Jets, Chargers, Raiders, Bengals 

7. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Delane thrives as a ball-hawk in zone coverage, but he’s also aggressive in press and has the strength to handle that role against most receivers. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Speed is a bit of a concern, especially if he’s going to play press coverage at a high rate. Many NFL receivers will have the ability to pull away from him downfield if they’re able to beat him at the line of scrimmage.  

Good team fits: Dolphins, Cowboys, Seahawks, Saints, Eagles, Panthers, Falcons, Ravens

8. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Terrell plays with an aggressive style and excels at locating and playing the ball. He’s shown production on the outside, in the slot, and can handle any coverage scheme. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Although he’s pesky in press coverage, he might not have the size and strength to handle that style in certain matchups. He also needs to clean up some tackling issues. 

Good team fits: Ravens, Dolphins, Cowboys, Saints, Buccaneers, Panthers, Falcons, Seahawks

9. Rueben Bain Jr, EDGE, Miami

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Bain will make his money as a pass rusher, where he uses his lack of size to his advantage to create a small target for linemen as he bends around the edge. He also converts speed to power well, which keeps linemen on their toes as he can vary his plan of attack. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

You’ve probably heard about Bain’s short arms. It doesn’t have to be a fatal flaw, especially as a pass rusher. However, it does limit his ability to shed blocks and might prevent him from contributing at a high level against the run. 

Good team fits: Commanders, Bengals, Cowboys, Buccaneers, Titans, Lions, Cardinals, Jets

10. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Mauigoa was a three-year starter at right tackle and deserves a shot at that spot in the pros. He wins with strength. Few edge rushers will be able to beat him with power. There’s a chance he’ll need to move inside in the pros, but his ceiling will be elite at guard, where his average quickness at tackle suddenly becomes a strength on the interior. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

He might not be quick enough to stick at right tackle. He’s also surprisingly inconsistent in the run game. He has the power to dominate, but he also has a bad habit of leaning out and losing the leverage to finish.  

Good team fits: Browns, Cardinals, Giants, Dolphins, Chiefs, Rams

11. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Love is a well-rounded ball carrier who has the speed to produce big plays, the power to fight through contact, and the skills to contribute in the passing game. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Does he have the vision to run between the tackles? Love has a tendency to hesitate on inside runs and creates too many negative plays. According to Sports Info Solutions, 20% of his carries between the tackles generated zero or negative yards, ranked 118th out of 131 qualified ball carriers. 

Good team fits: Eagles, Browns, Lions, Rams, Dolphins, Jets, Steelers, Patriots

12. Makai Lemon, WR, USC

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Lemon fits best in the slot where his smooth route technique allows him to create quick separation. When he’s on the outside, his smooth acceleration allows him to get behind the defense. He’s also among the most reliable pass catchers to enter the draft in recent years, snagging nearly everything within reach. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

If he’s lined up on the outside, Lemon is undersized and lacks the strength to consistently fight through press coverage. He lacks elite speed, so while he can pull away from cornerbacks with his acceleration, some corners can close the gap. 

Good team fits: Jets, Commanders, Dolphins, Browns, Steelers, 49ers, Bills

13. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Faulk played a versatile role for Auburn, lining up on the edge in multiple fronts, and has starter potential in any defensive scheme as a result. As a pass rusher, he primarily wins with strength, displaying the ability to swat away linemen from his chest and also win with a strong bull rush. He might turn into a lineman who plays on the edge on early downs and shifts inside on passing downs. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

The 20-year-old Faulk is underdeveloped as an edge rusher, likely due to his role in Auburn’s defense. According to Sports Info Solutions, he lined up from the seven-tech spot or wider just 60% of the time, by far the lowest rate of the highly-rated edge rushers in this class. 

Good team fits: Panthers, Vikings, Ravens, Cowboys, Seahawks, Chargers, Eagles, Bears, 49ers, Broncos, Jets

14. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Mendoza is a pocket passer who makes quick decisions and delivers an accurate ball. He thrived in Indiana’s RPO-heavy offense and should do well in an NFL scheme that similarly relies on him to make quick decisions and deliver the ball efficiently. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Modest arm strength and mobility will limit Mendoza’s ceiling. Although he’s not a complete statue, Mendoza doesn’t have the agility to make many defenders miss, and he doesn’t have the arm to make difficult throws on the move. So he’ll need to be supported by a strong offensive line and effective weapons on the outside to reach his ceiling. 

Good team fits: Raiders

15. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Fano is a tall, athletic tackle who can play on the right or left side, though he has stated he’s most comfortable at right tackle. He wins with his quick footwork, which gives him the ability to stay in front of most speed rushers on the edge. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

A lack of power limited Fano’s ability to dominate in college and might hold him back early in his career. He won’t turn 22 until November, so there’s good reason to believe he’ll continue to improve his functional strength, but it’s a minor concern until he proves it.  

Good team fits: Cardinals, Dolphins, Rams, Browns

16. Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Ioane has the physical strength to excel at guard in an offense leaning on the power run game, and he should be an immediate asset in that area.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Athletic interior pass rushers can cause problems for Ioane as he lacks the footwork to stay in front of them when they get a quick jump off the snap. His movement skills are average at best, so he won’t have as much value to teams that like to pull their guards at a high rate. He’ll also need to keep his weight in check. He was around 20 pounds lighter in 2025, which likely contributed to his improved play. 

Good team fits: Rams, Jets, Texans, Packers, Steelers, Lions

17. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Boston is an outside receiver with the size and hands to win in contested situations, but he also has the route technique to create separation. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Given his size and lack of experience in the slot, Boston might be limited to playing on the outside. Although he created plenty of separation at the college level, his modest speed likely means he’ll need to compete for the ball more frequently in the pros. 

Good team fits: Browns, Patriots, Seahawks, Dolphins, Ravens, Jets, Steelers, Cowboys 

18. Anthony Hill Jr, LB, Texas

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Hill is a rangy middle linebacker who wore the green dot for Texas’ defense. He’s at his best playing downhill and is one of the best wrap-up tacklers in this class. He should be an immediate asset against the run. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Mediocre change-of-direction skills limit his upside in coverage. He’ll likely struggle to stick to the most athletic tight ends and running backs in man coverage.  

Good team fits: Colts, Cowboys, Packers, Bengals, Saints, Vikings, Commanders, Eagles, Bills

19. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Sadiq’s athletic traits set a high ceiling for his potential. He can be moved around to create difficult matchups for the defense.  

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Expectations for Sadiq are mostly based on potential, as he was stuck behind Terrance Ferguson until the 2025 season. He also played a simplistic role in the passing game, with 36% of his targets coming on screens. He still needs to prove he can develop his routes and get open against NFL defenders. 

Good team fits: Eagles, Ravens, Buccaneers, Chiefs, 49ers, Panthers, Dolphins, Patriots 

20. Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Young is a productive pass rusher who typically wins with power. He probably fits best on the edge in four-man fronts, but he has some versatility to play defensive end or standing up on the edge in three-man fronts. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Although he was consistently productive against high-end competition, he relies heavily on his power, which might limit his upside. To remain a serious pass-rush threat, he’ll need to develop a more well-rounded arsenal of moves so he’s less predictable and better prepared with counter moves when his power stalls. 

Good team fits: Cowboys, Jets, Panthers, Chargers, 49ers, Seahawks, Raiders, Titans

21. Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Freeling has the athletic traits and length to develop into a strong pass protector at left tackle. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

The one-year starter is understandably underdeveloped at this stage of his career. He’ll need to prove he can play with better leverage and balance as a run blocker. 

Good team fits: Browns, Lions, Eagles, Rams, Cardinals, Panthers, 49ers, Patriots 

22. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Miller’s combination of athleticism and length gives him the tools to handle speed rushers on the edge. He played right tackle in college, but has the traits to play on either side. He’ll fit best in a pass-heavy offense. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Even after starting for four years at a major program, Miller still lacks the power to perform at a high level. He struggles to sustain blocks and is inconsistent at moving defenders off their spot in the run game. If it doesn’t improve, he might max out as a steady swing tackle. 

Good team fits: Cardinals, Browns, Raiders, Chiefs, Dolphins, Packers

23. Lee Hunter, DL, Texas Tech

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Hunter is a strong, physical interior lineman who will likely play a versatile role on the defensive line. He’s strong enough to take on double teams as a nose tackle, but also has the power to be an effective pass rusher. He should be able to stay on the field on passing downs. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

He’s not going to win with athleticism, so his pass-rush impact is limited to power, which can be neutralized by double teams. 

Good team fits: 49ers, Panthers, Cardinals, Buccaneers, Browns, Saints, Eagles, Vikings

24. Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Proctor is a massive left tackle prospect who might be viewed as a right tackle by some teams. He will fit best in an offense leaning on the power run game, as his physical strength as a run blocker should immediately transition to the league. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

A passive approach to pass protection limited his effectiveness in college. As a three-year starter, his lack of development in that area is concerning, and it might necessitate an eventual shift to guard. 

Good team fits: Eagles, Browns, Lions, Rams, Dolphins, Jets, Steelers, Patriots

25. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

McCoy is a tall,  long outside corner who has the traits to develop into a well-rounded corner who can hold up on an island. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

McCoy missed the entire 2025 season due to an ACL injury. He entered the year with high expectations, but mostly due to his traits rather than proven production. He had 4 interceptions in 2024, but based on route-adjusted data, his ball-hawk rate was just 2.5% above expected. He is one of the riskiest boom-or-bust prospects in this class. 

Good team fits: Seahawks, Dolphins, Raiders, Falcons, Saints, Ravens, Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders 

26. Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Cisse is a physical corner who played a high rate of press in college and has the traits to maintain that role in the NFL. Despite just 2 interceptions, he consistently finds the ball and disrupts the catch point. Expect more interceptions to come in time. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

His route recognition is still a work in progress. He was able to get away with mistakes in college due to his athleticism. He plays with an aggressive mentality against the run, but frequently fails to wrap up. 

Good team fits: Eagles, Panthers, Saints, Seahawks, Dolphins, Cowboys, Ravens, Browns

27. T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Parker typically wins as a pass rusher with power, though he has impressive athletic traits, indicating a potential higher ceiling for production. Due to his physical strength, he also holds up well against the run and should be a three-down defender.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Despite his athletic testing numbers, Parker rarely bends around the edge and wins with speed. He prefers to go through offensive linemen rather than around them, which won’t work at the same rate in the NFL. His production also dropped off considerably in 2025. Did he get complacent after a breakout sophomore year?  

Good team fits: Jets, Cowboys, Eagles, Patriots, Bears, Browns, Raiders, Titans, Bengals

28. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Rodriguez is a high-energy, aggressive off-ball linebacker who should fit in any scheme. He probably fits best on the weak side and will make his greatest impact dropping into zone coverage. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

The former quarterback is built more like a strong safety and has struggled to develop his take-on skills. Though he’s a hard-hitter and playmaker in pursuit, he gets lost in the box sometimes and is easily taken out when linemen get their hands on him. 

Good team fits: Cardinals, Buccaneers, Bengals, Saints, Raiders, Commanders, Cowboys, Falcons, Colts, Lions, Vikings, Packers

29. Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Lomu has prototypical athletic traits to stay at left tackle in the pros. He demonstrated an ability to block on the move last year during his first year in Jason Beck’s unique offensive scheme. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Due to Utah’s shift in offensive scheme last season, Lomu has limited experience in traditional pass protection reps. He hasn’t been asked to consistently sustain blocks, and he struggled in a more traditional offense during his first year as a starter in 2024. The traits are there, but expect some growing pains.

Good team fits: Browns, Eagles, Rams, Patriots, Cardinals, Giants, Texans

30. Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Lawrence has the traits to develop into a three-down lineman. He typically wins with speed off the edge, but he has enough power to his game to threaten linemen in a variety of ways.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Can he hold up at the point of attack against the run? He shows flashes of power in his game, but it is inconsistent. He’ll benefit from adding some strength to be able to stay on the field against the run.

Good team fits: Jets, Ravens, Vikings, Eagles, Bears, Titans, Packers, Chargers

31. Keionte Scott, CB, Miami

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Scott is an aggressive nickel corner who plays the game like a tiny linebacker. He closes quickly against the run and makes plays in the backfield at an impressive rate. In zone coverage, he reads the quarterback well and consistently makes plays on the ball despite his size.  

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

His aggressive approach leads to mistakes in coverage and missed tackles against the run. You’ll have to live with some of that, but finding the right balance so that his negative plays don’t outweigh the positives will be key. There are also some concerns about his agility 一 he might struggle in man coverage against quick slot receivers. 

Good team fits: Cowboys, Steelers, Giants, Jets, Ravens, Titans, Bears, Browns

32. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Johnson played outside, but he is slightly undersized and probably has the right athletic traits to shift to a nickel role, if needed. He has the speed to stick with receivers downfield and put up impressive ball-hawk numbers in 2025. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

One-year wonders are always risky, but especially at volatile positions like cornerback. Johnson was dominant in 2025, but a massive spike in ball-hawk production is a red flag. Based on route-adjusted data from Sports Info Solutions, his ball-hawk rate jumped from 33% below expected in 2024 to 89% above expected in 2025. For a cornerback who isn’t overly physical in coverage, that leap probably isn’t sustainable. 

Good team fits: Seahawks, Falcons, Dolphins, Saints, Cowboys, Bills, Raiders

33. Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Moore is a polished pass rusher who wins with a variety of moves. His raw traits aren’t as dangerous as some others in this draft class, but he keeps linemen guessing with his ability to win with speed or power. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

The run game is still a work in progress for Moore, who appears late to diagnose plays and struggles to easily disengage and pursue the ball carrier. He will likely struggle to get on the field against the run early in his career. 

Good team fits: Bills, Texans, Lions, Patriots, Browns, Bears, Panthers, Falcons, Commanders, Vikings, Cowboys, Eagles

34. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Tyson probably fits best as a big slot receiver, but he has experience on the outside as well. He’s a tough runner after the catch, giving him potential for big plays from the slot. He also has the size to compete for contested targets downfield. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Can he stay healthy? Can he catch the ball? Tyson missed significant time due to an ACL tear, collarbone injury, and hamstring issue. He never played a full season during his four years in college. He also struggled with consistency, dropping too many easy passes and also displaying awkward body control when tracking the ball downfield. 

Good team fits: Seahawks, Patriots, Steelers, Jets, Saints, Broncos, 49ers

35. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

McNeil-Warren has a versatile skill set and can be a ball hawk in the deep secondary, or he can step up into the box to play the run. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Does he have the change-of-direction skill for coverage assignments? Most strong safeties take on a good amount of coverage responsibilities in the slot, and Toledo tried to avoid putting McNeil-Warren in that position. If he couldn’t handle slot receivers in the MAC, he’s probably not taking on that role in the NFL.

Good team fits: Vikings, Bears, Texans, Bills, Chiefs, Steelers 

36. Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Iheanachor grew up playing soccer and basketball, and his footwork and movement skills reflect that background. His athletic traits are impressive for his size and set a high ceiling. He’ll most likely stick at right tackle, where he played in college. Ideally, he will join an offense that gets the ball out quickly.  

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

How quickly can he refine his technique and get on the field? Iheanachor is severely underdeveloped for a redshirt-senior. It’s understandable, given his inexperience 一 he didn’t start playing football until 2021 in JUCO 一 but it’s still a concern considering how early in the draft teams might want to gamble on his upside. He struggles to sustain blocks, and his power doesn’t quite match expectations for his size. 

Good team fits: Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, Lions, Eagles, Packers, Texans, Raiders, Steelers

37. Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Howell is likely to begin his career as a pass-rush specialist who wins with pure speed off the edge. He has an impressive closing burst to finish plays in the backfield. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

A lack of length and strength severely limits Howell’s ability to hold up at the point of attack against the run and likely limits his ability to be a three-down defender. 

Good team fits: Jets, Titans, Packers, Cowboys, Cardinals, Bears, Panthers, Bengals, Eagles 

38. Emmanuel Pregnon, OG, Oregon

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Pregnon is a powerful run blocker who fits best at left guard in a power-run-oriented offense. He moves relatively well for his size, though, and should be viewed as a scheme-versatile lineman.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

He has primarily played left guard throughout his career and has no experience at center, so there are questions about his versatility. Oregon asked him to block on the move at a high rate, but his movement skills are ordinary, and teams that rely on pulling guards at a high rate might have questions about his athleticism. 

Good team fits: Ravens, Bills, Jets, Texans, Rams, Steelers, Lions, Chargers

39. Peter Woods, DL, Clemson

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Woods is a developmental prospect with flashes of an impressive blend of strength and athleticism. He’s played both nose tackle and three-tech, and he could thrive in either role with more development once his ideal weight is sorted out. He likely fits best playing in a four-man front. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

After a breakout 2024 campaign, Woods disappeared during his junior year. Before the season, he chose to lose “about 20 pounds,” which appeared to impact his power without adding any meaningful speed to his game. 

Good team fits: 49ers, Texans, Lions, Bears, Panthers, Chargers, Saints, Broncos 

40. R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Thomas is an undersized speed rusher who is likely to begin his career as a pass-rush specialist. His ability to fly into the backfield forces opponents to account for him and can attract extra attention if opponents are concerned about the matchup with their offensive tackles. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

It’s hard to imagine Thomas, who entered the Oklahoma program as just 212 pounds, ever developing the strength to stay on the field as a three-down defender. He struggles to shed blocks against the run and misses too many tackles when he does get to the ball carrier. Given his size, his history of missing time with a variety of injuries is concerning. 

Good team fits: Cowboys, Titans, Chargers, Eagles, Buccaneers, Panthers, Bears, Patriots, Jaguars, Vikings

41. Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Banks is built like a nose tackle but moves well enough to line up as a three-tech and make an impact as an interior pass rusher. Ideally, he develops into a pass-rush threat, but his versatility elevates his floor. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

After five years in college (three at Louisville, two at Florida), Banks still hasn’t played to the level you would expect given his traits. Injuries are a factor in that, but it’s difficult to fully explain away his lack of development.

Good team fits: 49ers, Steelers, Saints, Bears, Texans, Lions, Chargers, Vikings, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

42. Bud Clark, S, TCU

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Clark is a three-time team captain and a versatile defensive back who primarily played the strong safety role at TCU, but has impressive range in the deep secondary as well. He excels at reading the quarterback and getting into position to make a play on the ball. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Though he has plenty of experience in coverage in the slot, he might not have the agility to stick with some of the NFL’s quicker slot receivers. As he aggressively hunts big plays, he’s susceptible to misdirection and can give up some big plays. 

Good team fits: Colts, Vikings, Seahawks, Chargers, Bills, Bears, Bengals

43. Jalon Kilgore, CB, South Carolina

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Kilgore fits perfectly into the slot as the hybrid cornerback/safety in big nickel packages. He’ll be a matchup weapon against big slot receivers and tight ends. He may also have the traits to thrive in the deep secondary or even at outside cornerback.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Assuming he sticks in the big nickelback role, Kilgore needs to improve his production against the run. He tends to get lost in traffic and should be more effective at slipping blocks given his strength and athletic traits. 

Good team fits: Ravens, Cowboys, Steelers, Falcons, Packers, Bears, Jets, Giants, Titans

44. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Dennis-Sutton has the ideal combination of length, strength, and athleticism to be a three-down edge defender in any scheme. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Impressive Combine numbers don’t always show up on the field. He needs to improve his burst off the snap and his ability to bend around the edge to be more of an explosive force as a pass rusher. 

Good team fits: Packers, Cowboys, Bears, Panthers, Bengals, Titans, Jets, Eagles

45. Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Hood has the speed, size, and length of a traditional outside corner. He has all the tools necessary to be developed into a corner who can handle playing on an island. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Hood played for three programs in three years and spent just one season as a starter. That alone will earn someone a boom-or-bust label. Given his traits, his lack of ball-hawk production is concerning. He just doesn’t have the awareness to find the ball yet. He also seems disinterested in fully participating as a tackler. 

Good team fits: Seahawks, Dolphins, Raiders, Falcons, Saints, Ravens, Eagles, Cowboys, Commanders 

46. Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Bernard is a balanced receiver who ran the full route tree in Kalen DeBoer's offense with experience in the slot and the outside.  He's a downfield weapon who tracks the ball well and has reliable hands.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

A lack of elite athletic traits limited Bernard's ability to create separation downfield. He'll need to continue perfecting his route technique and would benefit from getting stronger in contested situations.   

Good team fits: Commanders, Seahawks, Browns, Saints, Colts, Ravens, Dolphins, Bills, Vikings 

47. Keylan Rutledge, OG, Georgia Tech

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Rutledge has the athleticism and strength to be a standout guard and should be a solid rookie starter. He blocks well on the move but also has power to his game and should be valued by coaches in any scheme. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Although Rutledge has balanced traits, he doesn't stand out as elite in any one area, which might limit his ceiling. He’ll need to be cleared by team doctors due to multiple surgeries on his foot after a car accident. 

Good team fits: Texans, Bills, Browns, Eagles, Chargers

48. Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Golday is a traditional strong-side linebacker who wins with his physical play and excels on blitzes. He’s a reliable wrap-up tackler and should see action on early downs and blitz whenever he’s on the field on passing downs. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

Cincinnati sometimes pulled him off the field on passing downs. His agility and acceleration are limited, and he’ll get exposed in coverage by more athletic tight ends and running backs. 

Good team fits: Lions, Raiders, Jaguars, Chiefs, Texans, Cowboys, Bills, Packers, Steelers

49. Treydan Stukes, CB, Arizona

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Stukes is a prototypical big nickel corner. He thrives in zone coverage, reading the quarterback well and using his length to disrupt the catch point. Against the run, he navigates traffic well near the line of scrimmage and is a reliable tackler. 

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

The former outside corner lacked the agility for that role, and he’ll struggle in coverage when matched up with smaller slot receivers who can create quick separation with their change-of-direction skills. 

Good team fits: Cowboys, Titans, Steelers, Commanders, Packers, Jets, Bears, Giants, Ravens

50. De’Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss

Where he’ll make an impact in the NFL

Stribling is a balanced receiver who wins with route technique, tracking ability, and reliable hands. He’s a weapon after the catch due to a mix of speed and power as a runner. Although he lacks elite traits, his ability to impact the game in multiple ways sets him up to find a role immediately and potentially develop into a second option as a Z receiver.

What are his weaknesses? What concerns do teams have?

A lack of elite traits in any one area of the game might limit his ability to develop into a number-one option. Despite his size, he doesn't consistently box out defenders in contested situations. 

Good team fits: Jets, Steelers, Saints, Browns, Chargers, Cowboys, Ravens, Titans, Chiefs, 49ers, Raiders

51. Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh

Louis played a hybrid role at Pitt, lining up as an off-ball linebacker in the box most of the time but also in coverage in the slot. He fits best in the Will role, potentially as a coverage specialist in sub-packages. If teams view him as a safety, his lack of experience in the deep secondary is a concern.

52. Romello Height, EDGE, Texas Tech

Height wins with pure speed and will likely be a pass-rush specialist in sub-packages. He’ll fit best in a scheme where he can line up in a two-point stance. There’s very little power to Height’s game, and he’ll need to add some weight and strength if he’s ever going to get on the field consistently on early downs. 

53. Keyron Crawford, EDGE, Auburn

Crawford is an athletic pass-rusher who wins by bending around the edge and making it tough on linemen to get into his pads. Against the run, he’s a playmaker in pursuit but needs to get stronger in order to effectively set the edge.

54. A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU

Haulcy primarily played the free safety role in college, but he has the physical build of a strong safety. In the deep secondary, he reads the quarterback well but lacks acceleration/speed to consistently get there in time to impact the catch point. He has the potential to play in the box more, but needs to work on his anticipation skills against the run. He likely is not an option in the nickel corner role due to speed/agility limitations. He’ll fit best in a scheme using a lot of two-high coverages, where he can play deep or in the box.

55. Akheem Mesidor, EDGE, Miami

Mesidor wins as a pass rusher with sound technique and active hands. However, average traits across the board limit Mesidor’s upside, especially against the run, where he lacks the length and strength to consistently disengage once a lineman gets hands on him. He might struggle to stay on the field on early downs.

56. Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois

Jacas is a potential three-down lineman who plays with a physical style and wins with his strong, active hands. He makes it hard for linemen to get into his pads, always staying alive to make plays in pursuit. However, he struggles to generate pass-rush wins with pure speed off the edge, which limits his ceiling in that area.

57. Christen Miller, DT, Georgia

Miller is an early-down run defender at nose tackle who probably fits best in a four-man front. He has experience along the interior defensive line and could play some three-tech as part of a rotation. Although he’s a decent athlete relative to most nose tackles, don’t bet on Miller making a consistent impact as a pass-rusher.

58. Chris Bell, WR, Louisville

Bell is a potential starting X receiver who can win with his size in contested catch situations. However, he struggled to create separation and has inconsistent hands, which might lead to less contested-catch success against more physical defensive backs in the pros.

59. KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M

Concepcion is a dynamic weapon after the catch who is most effective in the slot. However, he's had issues with drops throughout his career, and his route technique needs work, which likely limits his immediate value. He can also contribute as a return specialist.

60. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

Allen is a rangy linebacker who wore the green dot in the middle of Georgia’s defense. He has the traits to play the Mike or Will role. He needs to improve his ability to quickly diagnose plays. Given his athletic traits and the talent playing in front of him, you would expect him to make more plays in the backfield. He lacks take-on skills, which limited his production on blitzes.

61. Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU

Nussmeier is an aggressive quarterback who hunts for big plays, but often gets into trouble with his decisions to attack downfield. When he stays in the pocket and plays within the offense, he’s an accurate distributor of the football and has potential to start in the league if he strikes the right balance between his aggressive mindset and ability to play smart football from the pocket.

62. Jack Endries, TE, Texas

Endries was used primarily as an in-line tight end at Texas and developed his run-blocking technique in that role. Prior to 2025, he was more of a move tight end at Cal and was a dynamic weapon in the slot. He has the athletic traits to stretch the field down the seam and will do some damage after the catch. His pass-catching ability should immediately provide value, but he’ll need to add some power to his blocking to stay on the field as a true three-down tight end.

63. Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

Price is an early-down back who has the vision to take what's given to him and the long speed to hit home runs. However, he lacks the agility to consistently make defenders miss and create for himself. His lack of production and experience on passing downs raises questions about his ability to be a three-down back. He might also contribute as a return specialist.

64. Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern

Tiernan lacks ideal length and has average athletic traits, but made steady progress throughout his career and is among the most technically sound pass protectors in this class in terms of hand placement and footwork. If his traits prevent him from earning a starting job, he should be a valuable swing tackle who also offers depth at guard.

65. Kamari Ramsey, S, USC

Ramsey is a highly intelligent safety who wore the green dot at USC. He fits best in the free safety role, where his ability to read the quarterback and anticipate the throw allows him to be a ball-hawk in the deep secondary. He also saw action in coverage in the slot and in the box, though he lacks the aggressive approach and physical play style to be a difference maker against the run.

66. Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt

Stowers, a converted quarterback, is a unique athlete at the tight end position and can be used to create mismatches in coverage. He should find an immediate role in certain packages, but his underdeveloped blocking likely keeps him from a full-time role initially.

67. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

Hurst is built like a prototypical X receiver who has the speed to stretch the field. He has high-end starter potential but is still developing his route technique and needs to eliminate drops in his game before he can be trusted. His inability to create consistent separation at a high rate of contested targets in college 一 which he consistently won 一 but that success will likely be diminished with the jump in competition.

68. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Simpson is a developmental pocket passer who has the tools to be a starter. Although he’s not a serious threat to run, he’s mobile enough to evade pressure and buy time. That skill set bodes well for his ability to survive early in his career while he’s developing the processing skills needed to succeed at a higher level. A few of Simpson’s primary issues are quick decision-making skills, a tendency to get rattled by consistent pressure, and an inability to manipulate defensive backs with his eyes. 

69. Davison Igbinosun, CB, Ohio State

Igbinosun is an aggressive outside corner who showed steady improvement in his ball-hawk skills throughout his career and has the impressive length to maintain that production. He fits best in a zone-heavy scheme where he can keep eyes on the quarterback. Severe penalties issues and mental lapses made Igbinosun a liability at times, but he made major strides during his final season in Columbus. If those mistakes return, it will prevent him from seeing the field.

70. Max Klare, TE, Ohio State

Klare has the potential to be a three-down tight end. He didn’t get to shine as a pass-catcher at Ohio State due to all their weapons at receiver, but he made his mark in previous seasons at Purdue. He’s athletic enough to create some separation, and he’ll produce after the catch. He improved as a blocker at Ohio State, which runs the ball from heavy formations at a high rate, and has the size to continue developing.

71. Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas

Washington has a special blend of size and speed. Behind a good offensive line, he can be a starting running back and a legitimate home run threat. However, he struggles to create for himself due to mediocre vision and change-of-direction skills, which leads to far too many negative plays when he isn’t provided a clean running lane.

72. D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana

Ponds lined up on the outside at James Madison and Indiana, but he probably needs to shift to a nickel role due to his size. He plays an aggressive style and is a surprisingly efficient tackler for size. Any 5-foot-9 cornerback is going to lose certain matchups based on size alone. There were a few reps against Jeremiah Smith where Ponds looked like the little brother just trying to keep up, and he’ll find himself in that situation occasionally in the NFL.

73. Daylen Everette, CB, Georgia

Everette is a toolsy outside cornerback who is coming off a breakout year after spending three seasons as a starter at Georgia. He has length and athleticism to match up with downfield threats on the outside. It wasn’t until 2025 that Everett made a noticeable impact. He’s often late to react and will give up some easy catches. It’s always risky to invest in one-year wonders at a position of volatile production like cornerback. 

74. Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson

Williams is an undersized possession slot receiver who has the speed to make some plays after the catch but lacks the agility to make defenders miss. He was primarily used on underneath routes, though he lined up on the outside more in 2024 and was productive as a downfield weapon. He fits best in the slot, but his experience on the outside adds to his value. Expect him to see action immediately, and he could grow into a high-volume weapon in the slot.

75. Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas

Neal is a long, physical outside corner with impressive ball-hawk skills. He’ll fit best in a defense that wants to utilize his physicality in press coverage. A lack of acceleration and agility limits how he can be used in coverage. Neal probably isn’t quick enough to handle smaller receivers in the slot, and he’ll consistently need protection over the top against speedy downfield weapons on the outside. 

76. Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas

Muhammad is a lanky outside corner who made steady progress each of his three years at Texas. He probably fits best into a zone-heavy scheme. A lack of strength and long speed makes him susceptible to getting beaten downfield by all types of receivers, and he did give up some big plays in college. In man coverage, he might need consistent protection over the top. 

77. Kayden McDonald, DL, Ohio State

McDonald is a prototypical nose tackle who has the size and strength to take on double teams. He’s quick enough off the snap to create some disruption in the backfield against the run. Like almost all nose tackles, McDonald doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher. He is strong enough to collapse the pocket with his bull rush occasionally, but he lacks a plan of attack with his hands and doesn’t easily disengage to pursue the quarterback. 

78. Jadon Canady, CB, Oregon

Canady is a feisty nickel corner who uses his ability to read the quarterback and anticipate throws to be more disruptive than you would expect given his size and athletic traits. He has the aggressive mindset against the run to contribute. A lack of size is a concern, especially without elite athletic traits. Although he’s played outside corner and in the deep secondary, he might be limited to a role in the slot.

79. Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee

Brazzell is a tall, outside receiver who wins with speed downfield. He's a one-dimensional weapon who is still developing his technique, but can be a quality WR2 and a big-play threat if supported by a more versatile, high-volume WR1. He'll need time to develop his route tree coming out of a scheme at Tennessee that asks very little of its receivers in terms of route variety.

80. Joshua Josephs, EDGE, Tennessee

Josephs is a speed rusher who can fly into the backfield off the edge. He has ideal length for the position and often wins with a strong rip move. To remain a serious pass-rush threat, he’ll need to develop a more well-rounded arsenal of pass-rush moves so he’s less predictable and better prepared to counter when his power stalls.

81. Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU

Elarms-Orr is an explosive athlete who has elite range and the closing burst to make plays in the backfield. He thrived as the primary blitzing linebacker in TCU’s 3-3-5 scheme. At this stage, he’s a developmental linebacker with the skills to immediately make an impact on special teams. 

82. Chase Bisontis, IOL, Texas A&M

Bisontis is an athletic guard who blocks well on the move. He has also played some right tackle, and he has traits that should play well at center if he’s willing to move. However, he has short arms that show up in his game at times when he’s caught lunging and falling off balance. He’s better in the run game at this stage of his career, due to sloppy footwork and hand placement in pass protection.

83. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska 

Johnson has the vision and confident approach to hit holes hard and avoid negative plays. His quick feet allow him to avoid contact at the line of scrimmage. However, he lacks ideal acceleration and long speed, which limits his ability to get to the outside and create explosive plays. 

84. Brian Parker II, OL, Duke

Parker was a tackle in college who is likely shifting to center in the pros. He lacked ideal length for tackle, but might lack ideal power for the interior. However, he's a technician, and if he builds up his strength, he's a potential starter. His versatility elevates his floor considerably.

85. Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas

Moore played a hybrid linebacker/edge role at Texas, lining up as an off-ball linebacker on early downs and on the edge as a pass-rusher. He might lack the tools to stay on the field at either position against the run, but his explosive pass-rush skills will be useful in sub-packages.

86. Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana

Cooper fits best in the slot where he could develop into a Doug Baldwin-like weapon, though he does have enough speed to be used as a downfield weapon on the outside. The on-field production never matched the athletic traits he showed off at the combine. Based on route-adjusted data from Sports Info Solutions, Cooper’s catch rate was 0.4% below expected last year. He’ll need to improve his consistency in all phases of the game.

87. Tacario Davis, CB, Washington

Davis is a tall outside corner who uses his length to consistently disrupt the catch point. He fits best in a zone-heavy scheme on the outside, but might also be able to play free safety or a big nickelback role. Like most tall defensive backs, Davis’ change-of-direction quickness is lacking. He’ll struggle in man coverage against small, shifty receivers.

88. Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma

Halton was used as an interior pass-rush specialist at Oklahoma, only starting 10 games during his four years with the Sooners. He wins with athleticism and can make plays in the backfield as a pass-rusher and against the run by shooting gaps and quickly blowing up the play. A lack of length and strength might prevent him from being a three-down player, but he’ll have value as a sub-package weapon for teams leaning on four-man defensive fronts.

89. Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State

Lance, the younger brother of Trey Lance, has the prototypical size and speed to play the X receiver role. He primarily won due to superior size and speed in college, but his route technique and body control are lacking. He ran a limited route tree at North Dakota State and has no meaningful experience in the slot. Expect to see him used as a deep threat early in his career while he tries to develop into a more well-rounded weapon.

90. Elijah Sarratt, WR, Indiana

Sarratt is a strong outside receiver who makes his living in contested situations. He lacks the athletic traits or elite size to set a high ceiling, but savvy route-runners with reliable hands are typically able to find ways to contribute in a complementary role.

91. Gennings Dunker, OL, Iowa

Dunker primarily played tackle in college, but probably lacks the athletic traits to stick in that role in the pros. He’s a powerful run blocker, which bodes well for a switch to guard, where his athleticism could become an asset.

92. Jaishawn Barham, EDGE, Michigan

Barham is a former linebacker who converted to defensive end in 2025. Michigan exclusively lined him up wide so he could win with speed and bend around the edge. His counter moves are underdeveloped, and his short arms and modest upper body strength might limit him in that area. He will likely be used as a sub-package pass-rusher.

93. Jake Slaughter, C, Florida

Slaughter is technically sound and rarely caught out of position. He plays with good power. He did not look overly impressive on the move on the field, but he tested well at the combine. Because he’s a technician with solid all-around physical traits, he looks like a scheme-versatile player who can start immediately at center.

94. VJ Payne, S, Kansas State

Payne primarily lined up as a box safety at Kansas State, but has some experience in the nickel and at free safety. In the deep secondary, he has range but doesn’t consistently read the quarterback to get an early jump on the ball. Although he has limited reps in the slot, he has the traits to be a big nickel and should be strongly considered for that role.

95. Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke

Rivers was a starter on the outside for most of his four years with the Blue Devils and has the refined technique and field awareness you’d expect given his experience. However, given his experience and the impressive testing numbers, where’s the production? Based on route-adjusted data, he generated a career ball-hawk rate 16% below expected. At his size, he might need to switch to a nickel role, where he has limited reps.

96. Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Roush was misused as a pure in-line tight end at Stanford and has the potential to blossom in the pros. He's big enough to be a reliable possession receiver but also has the speed to stretch the field down the seam and could develop into a well-rounded starter.

97. Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State

Abney is a developmental prospect who plays with a physical approach, which is how he finds success, but also how he costs his team with far too many penalties. He has starter potential on the outside in a zone-heavy scheme, but penalties and a lack of size/speed might limit his upside.

98. Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia

Delp is an athletic pass-catcher who can create quick separation and will do some damage after the catch. He should be considered more of a big-play threat than a reliable possession guy due to a limited catch radius and issues adjusting to the ball. He’s a passable blocker and gives enough effort to potentially continue growing in that area.

99. Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri

Trotter is a physical, downhill defender who is NFL-ready against the run. He wore the green dot at Missouri. In coverage, he's underdeveloped and needs to improve his ability to read the quarterback. He might lack the athletic traits to ever be a three-down defender.

100. Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia

Branch is an undersized slot receiver who has elite straight-line speed but isn’t as elusive as you’d expect. His YAC production is more all-or-nothing than consistent production. And although he has the speed to stretch the field, he wasn’t frequently used in that role, and his route tree is underdeveloped. Expect him to compete for snaps as a gadget weapon in the passing game.

2026 NFL Draft: Top 10 Offensive Prospects

1. Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
2. Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
3. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
4. Makai Lemon, WR, USC
5. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
6. Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
7. Olaivavega Ioane, OG, Penn State
8. Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
9. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
10. Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

2026 NFL Draft: Top 10 Defensive Prospects

1. Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
2. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
3. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
4. Arvell Reese, EDGE, Ohio State
5. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
6. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
7. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
8. Rueben Bain Jr, EDGE, Miami
9. Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
10. Anthony Hill Jr, LB, Texas

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The 2026 NFL Draft is almost here, and Sharp Football has everything you need to follow along

This 2026 NFL Draft guide pulls together all of our analyst content in one place: full mock drafts, prospect rankings, fantasy implications, and betting angles.

Whether you want to know who your team is targeting, are looking for prospect rankings, or are interested in Dynasty fantasy football, we have you covered.

Our analysts Ryan McCrystal and Brendan Donahue have both released full mock drafts, Ryan has released his 2026 Big Board prospect rankings, and Rich Hribar's fantasy prospect profiles will be out soon.

We will be updating it as new content drops through draft weekend, so bookmark this page.

Explore all of our 2026 NFL Draft content:

Pre-Order The Best Analytical 2026 Football Preview

Don't miss out on Warren Sharp's 500+ page preview of the 2026 NFL season.

The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.

This preview shares insights into players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal in mind: to get you prepared for the 2026 NFL season by delivering the smartest information in the fastest, most direct way possible.

Pre-order the 2026 Football Preview now!

Expert Mock Drafts

We have two of the most accurate mock drafters of the last five years here at Sharp Football Analysis, and they will be updating their mocks throughout the draft process.

In addition to those mocks, we are keeping track of the biggest rumors as the NFL Draft approaches.

• First-Round Mock Draft from Ryan McCrystal
• First-Round Mock Draft from Brendan Donahue
• NFL Draft Rumor Mill 2026: Latest Trade Buzz, Target Leaks, and Draft Intel

Brendan Donahue's 2026 Mock Draft: Updated March 16

Ryan McCrystal's 2026 Mock Draft: Updated March 23

2026 NFL Draft Big Board & Prospect Rankings

Ryan McCrystal also has one of the most accurate big boards of the last five years.

Find his top 50 prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft here:

• Ryan McCrystal's 2026 NFL Draft Big Board: Top Prospects Ranked

Ryan McCrystal's 2026 Big Board

Dynasty Fantasy Football

One of the best fantasy football writers in the business, Rich Hribar has every aspect of the 2026 NFL Draft covered from a fantasy perspective.

• Rich Hribar's 2026 NFL Draft Rookie Fantasy Previews: Quarterback
• Rich Hribar's 2026 NFL Draft Rookie Fantasy Previews: Running Back
• Rich Hribar's 2026 NFL Draft Rookie Fantasy Previews: Wide Receiver
• Rich Hribar's 2026 NFL Draft Rookie Fantasy Previews: Tight End
• Rich Hribar's 2026 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings (Coming Soon)

Draft Order & Draft Capital

It is not enough to know how many picks your team has. You need to know how valuable those picks are.

We have that covered with our Draft Capital Rankings as well as the full NFL Draft Order.

• 2026 NFL Draft Capital Rankings: All 32 Teams
• NFL Draft Order 2026: Every Team's Pick + Trade Tracker

2026 NFL Draft Capital Rankings

Team Needs for All 32 NFL Teams

Rich Hribar and Raymond Summerlin detail the most pressing needs for all 32 NFL teams heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.

Post-Draft Coverage

The analysis does not end when the 2026 NFL Draft is over.

We will have you covered after the draft, too, looking at which teams won, which teams are in trouble, and what the 2027 NFL Draft could hold.

• NFL Draft Grades 2026: Grading All 32 Teams After the Draft (Coming Soon)
• 2026 NFL Draft Steals and Reaches: Every Pick Graded Against Pre-Draft Expectations (Coming Soon)
• Too Early 2027 NFL Mock Draft: First Projections After the 2026 Draft (Coming Soon)

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The 2026 NFL free agent class features elite talent, with several big names still on the board.

This tracker is updated daily with the latest signings and contract details.

Last Updated: April 17

Explore more 2026 NFL Free Agency content:

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The preview is unlike anything you have ever seen, featuring stunning visualizations built with the reader in mind.

This preview shares insights into players, coaches, teams, and philosophies with one goal in mind: to get you prepared for the 2026 NFL season by delivering the smartest information in the fastest, most direct way possible.

Pre-order the 2026 Football Preview now!

Top Remaining NFL Free Agents

• Jauan Jennings, WR
• Tyreek Hill, WR
• Stefon Diggs, WR
• David Njoku, TE
• Taylor Decker, OT
• Joey Bosa, EDGE

Looking to bet on an NFL game? Check out our full list of NFL betting sites for bonus codes & promos.

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Quarterbacks

• Derek Carr
• Aaron Rodgers
• Russell Wilson
• Tyrod Taylor
• Jimmy Garoppolo
• Josh Dobbs
• Cooper Rush
• Jeff Driskel
• Skylar Thompson
• John Wolford
• Easton Stick
• Brett Rypien
• Nate Sudfeld
• Taylor Heinicke
• Clayton Tune
• Dorian Thompson-Robinson
• Tim Boyle
• Bryce Perkins
• Will Grier

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Running Backs

• Najee Harris
• Antonio Gibson
• Joe Mixon
• Austin Ekeler
• Ameer Abdullah
• Kareem Hunt
• Miles Sanders
• Trayveon Williams
• Hassan Haskins
• Khalil Herbert
• Nick Chubb
• Raheem Mostert
• Dare Ogunbowale
• Zamir White
• Chase Edmonds
• Salvon Ahmed
• Alexander Mattison
• Gus Edwards
• Jamaal Williams
• Mike Boone
• Tyrion Davis-Price
• Craig Reynolds
• D'Ernest Johnson

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Wide Receivers

• Jauan Jennings
• Tyreek Hill
• Stefon Diggs
• Brandon Aiyuk
• Deebo Samuel
• Keenan Allen
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Brandin Cooks
• Curtis Samuel
• Cedrick Wilson
• Sterling Shepard
• Tim Patrick
• Tyler Johnson
• JuJu Smith-Schuster
• Noah Brown
• Tyler Lockett
• KhaDarel Hodge
• Scotty Miller
• Bryce Ford-Wheaton
• Josh Reynolds
• Deandre Carter
• Dante Pettis
• Marquez Valdes-Scantling
• Zay Jones
• James Proche
• Chris Moore
• Alex Bachman
• D'Wayne Eskridge
• Braxton Berrios
• Hunter Renfrow
• Allen Lazard
• Diontae Johnson
• Michael Gallup
• Gabe Davis
• Malik Heath

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Tight Ends

• David Njoku
• Jonnu Smith
• Will Dissly
• Zach Ertz
• Darren Waller
• James Mitchell
• Taysom Hill
• Marcedes Lewis
• Nick Vannett
• Harrison Bryant
• Josiah Deguara
• Shane Zylstra
• John FitzPatrick
• Anthony Firkser
• Pharaoh Brown
• Donald Parham
• Jordan Akins
• C.J. Uzomah

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Offensive Tackles

• Taylor Decker
• Jonah Williams
• Jack Conklin
• Cam Robinson
• Kendall Lamm
• Landon Young
• Andrus Peat
• Kelvin Beachum
• Hakeem Adeniji
• Joseph Noteboom
• Jake Curhan
• Thayer Munford Jr.
• Yodny Cajuste
• Yasir Durant
• Lucas Niang
• Jamarco Jones
• Matt Nelson
• George Fant
• D.J. Humphries
• La'el Collins
• Jackson Barton
• Conor McDermott
• Jackson Carman
• Isaiah Wynn
• Andre Dillard
• Justin Herron
• Leroy Watson
• Calvin Anderson
• Cornelius Lucas

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Interior Offensive Linemen

• Mekhi Becton
• Joel Bitonio
• Kevin Zeitler
• Graham Glasgow
• Greg Van Roten
• Andre James
• Brady Christensen
• Ethan Pocic
• Liam Eichenberg
• James Daniels
• Daniel Brunskill
• Will Hernandez
• Liam Eichenberg
• Sam Mustipher
• Trystan Colon-Castillo
• Aaron Stinnie
• Michael Jordan
• Blake Hance
• Max Scharping
• Germain Ifedi
• Shaq Mason
• Mark Glowinski
• Cody Whitehair
• Nick Harris
• Jake Hanson
• Trey Hill
• Tremayne Anchrum
• Arlington Hambright
• Kyle Hinton
• Nate Davis
• Nick Gates
• Justin Osborne
• Alex Cappa

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent EDGE Rushers

• Joey Bosa
• Kyle Van Noy
• Jadeveon Clowney
• Haason Reddick
• Cameron Jordan
• Von Miller
• Mike Danna
• Dante Fowler Jr.
• Derek Barnett
• Anfernee Jennings
• Preston Smith
• Leonard Floyd
• Brandon Graham
• Tyquan Lewis
• Quinton Bell
• Victor Dimukeje
• Clelin Ferrell
• Yetur Gross-Matos
• Denico Autry
• Emmanuel Ogbah
• Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
• Marcus Davenport
• Janarius Robinson
• Josh Paschal
• Jalyn Holmes
• Dawuane Smoot
• Markees Watts
• Jeremiah Moon
• Khalid Kareem
• Shaquil Barrett
• Yannick Ngakoue
• Jerry Hughes
• Casey Toohill
• James Smith-Williams
• Tyus Bowser
• Oshane Ximines
• Khalid Duke
• Demone Harris
• Tanoh Kpassagnon

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Defensive Linemen

• Christian Wilkins
• Calais Campbell
• DaQuan Jones
• D.J. Reader
• Levi Onwuzurike
• Larry Ogunjobi
• Jihad Ward
• Bilal Nichols
• Austin Johnson
• Sheldon Day
• Greg Gaines
• Foley Fatukasi
• Daniel Ekuale
• Mike Pennel
• Brent Urban
• Kevin Givens
• Jay Tufele
• Khalen Saunders
• Eddie Goldman
• Dean Lowry
• Chris Wormley
• Benito Jones
• Kurt Hinish
• Taven Bryan
• Jordan Phillips
• Eric Johnson
• Jaquelin Roy
• Isaiahh Loudermilk
• Justin Jones
• DeShawn Williams
• Linval Joseph
• Jeremiah Ledbetter
• Eric Banks
• Carl Davis
• Khalil Davis
• William Gholston
• Armon Watts
• Angelo Blackson
• Montravius Adams
• Cameron Young
• Keondre Coburn
• Quinton Jefferson
• Byron Cowart
• Johnathan Hankins
• Perrion Winfrey
• Mario Edwards

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Linebackers

• Bobby Okereke
• Josey Jewell
• Bobby Wagner
• Germaine Pratt
• Matt Milano
• Eric Kendricks
• Jahlani Tavai
• Kenneth Murray
• Elandon Roberts
• Devin White
• Shaq Thompson
• Amen Ogbongbemiga
• Denzel Perryman
• Krys Barnes
• Mykal Walker
• Ezekiel Turner
• Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
• Jerome Baker
• Curtis Robinson
• Troy Andersen
• Joe Bachie
• Troy Reeder
• Neville Hewitt
• Jalen Reeves-Maybin
• Buddy Johnson
• Segun Olubi
• Jon Rhattigan
• Brian Asamoah
• J.J. Russell
• Tarron Jackson
• Jacob Phillips
• Caleb Johnson
• Josh Woods
• Zach Cunningham
• Deion Jones
• Duke Riley
• Tony Fields
• Cam Gill
• Raekwon McMillan
• Kamu Grugier-Hill
• Chandler Wooten
• Nick Vigil
• Luke Masterson
• Sam Eguavoen
• Matthew Adams
• Tyler Matakevich
• Shaquille Quarterman
• Carter Coughlin
• Nicholas Morrow

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Cornerbacks

• L'Jarius Sneed
• Trevon Diggs
• Marshon Lattimore
• Rasul Douglas
• Mike Hilton
• Tre'Davious White
• Shaq Griffin
• Fabian Moreau
• Martin Emerson
• Dane Jackson
• Adoree' Jackson
• Jalyn Armour-Davis
• Nick McCloud
• Chris Lammons
• Jalen Mills
• Nazeeh Johnson
• Darren Hall
• Jeff Okudah
• Dicaprio Bootle
• Sam Webb
• Damarri Mathis
• Antonio Hamilton
• Arthur Maulet
• Michael Davis
• C.J. Goodwin
• Artie Burns
• Kris Boyd
• Emmanuel Moseley
• Tony Brown
• Tre Herndon
• Troy Hill
• Cameron Sutton
• Michael Ojemudia
• Duke Shelley
• Cameron Dantzler
• Bobby Price
• Greg Stroman
• Ka'dar Hollman
• Caleb Farley
• Justin Hardee
• Kevin King
• Stantley Thomas-Oliver
• Andrew Booth
• Cam Smith
• Cornell Armstrong
• Keion Crossen
• Kendall Fuller

Best 2026 NFL Free Agent Safeties

• Jabrill Peppers
• Xavier Woods
• Donovan Wilson
• Justin Simmons
• Quandre Diggs
• Taylor Rapp
• Ifeatu Melifonwu
• Isaiah Oliver
• Ashtyn Davis
• Jordan Poyer
• Mike Edwards
• Jamal Adams
• Rayshawn Jenkins
• Terrell Edmunds
• George Odum
• Deon Bush
• Ugo Amadi
• Lewis Cine
• Jordan Whitehead
• Vonn Bell
• John Johnson
• Tashaun Gipson
• Adrian Amos
• Tarvarius Moore
• Grayland Arnold
• Israel Mukuamu
• K'Von Wallace

The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23 to April 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Below is a complete, up-to-date record of every team's draft picks across all seven rounds, including compensatory selections and any picks that have changed hands via trade.

This page is updated as transactions occur.

Last Updated: April 18

2026 NFL Draft Order & Results Tracker: All 7 Rounds