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Olympics curling results: Canada wins gold medal over Great Britain in thriller

Olympics curling results: Canada wins gold medal over Great Britain in thriller

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The Canadian men’s curling team started its Olympic Games in 2026 with controversy, but ended it with Gold.

The greatest prize in men’s curling has returned to the country that has largely dominated the sport over the last few decades. For the first time since 2014, Canada won the Gold Medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy, defeating Great Britain 9-6 in a thrilling match between two of the best teams on the planet.

Canadian skip Brad Jacobs and Bruce Mouat of Scotland were at their best throughout the match on Saturday in Cortina. The two teams traded points with the hammer throughout with no team ever leading by more than one point until after the 9th end, when a series of half-misses from the Scots helped Canada take control with a three-point end. That gave Canada an 8-6 lead, but in the tenth with Great Britain holding the hammer, Jacobs had his team throw rock after rock into the house, giving Mouat little chance to score multiple points. Eventually, Mouat’s final shot, an attempted double takeout, could not remove both Canadian rocks, leaving Canada scoring one point for the win.

The win was a return to glory for Jacobs’ squad, three of whom won Gold for Canada at Sochi in 2014. It came on the heels of the team being the frequent target of criticism from opponents and fans alike, as vice Marc Kennedy got into a dustup with his Swedish counterpart early in the round-robin portion of the tournament. The Swedes accused Kennedy of double-touching a rock after he had reached the hog line, and a still photo appeared to show Kennedy doing just that — and even grazing the granite, which is never allowed under any circumstance. That led to a heated argument on the ice and later to the implementation of officials at the hog lines for a brief period, though their presence was short-lived.

Ultimately, Canada did its job in plenty of tense game situations as well, returning a Gold medal to Canada mere hours after the country’s women’s team delivered a Bronze in a win over the United States.

The men’s Bronze went to Switzerland, whose team went undefeated at 9-0 through the round-robin. However, they fell to Great Britain in the semifinals 8-5 on Thursday evening, handing the Swiss their first loss all tournament long and forcing them to play for the Bronze. Mouat was on the other end of that experience in the mixed doubles tournament, as he and Jennifer Dodds earned the top seed but lost to Italy in the semis. This time, Mouat and the Scots escaped a potentially disastrous end in the 7th when he hit a raise-triple takeout, then jumped ahead 6-5 in the 8th and stole two in the tenth to hold on for their victory to clinch a medal.

Switzerland then dominated Norway in the Bronze Medal game, controlling the match early and cruising to a 9-1 victory. Norway had fallen to Canada in the other semifinal game in one of the tightest matches of the week. That game went to an extra end after Norway scored a pair in the tenth end to tie the score at 4-4, and the Norwegians had a difficult shot to try to find a steal. Skip Magnus Ramsfjell could not convert the in-off, leaving a Canadian rock on the button and sending Brad Jacobs’ team into the final with a 5-4 victory.

Brad Jacobs (skip/4th), Marc Kennedy (vice/3rd), Brett Gallant (2nd), Ben Hebert (lead), Tyler Tardi (alternate)

Bruce Mouat (skip/4th), Grant Hardie (vice/3rd), Bobby Lammie (2nd), Hammy McMillan Jr. (lead), Kyle Waddell (alternate)

Benoit Schwatz-van Berkel (skip/4th), Yannick Schwaller (vice/3rd), Sven Michel (2nd), Pablo Lachat-Couchepin (lead), Kim Schwaller (alternate)

How the Medal Round Took Shape

It was a largely stress-free week of curling for the Swiss team, who cruised through the round-robin with few challenges. Seven of their nine matches were separated by 4 points or more, with only China (9-7) and Great Britain (6-5 in an extra end) even keeping the games close.

The center of controversy during this Olympic tournament was the Canadian team, particularly vice Marc Kennedy. Early on in the tournament he got into a shouting match with Sweden vice Oskar Eriksson, who accused Kennedy of illegally touching a rock across the hog line late in the match. The incident spawned videos and memes galore and drew opinions from all over the curling community. It also raised questions within the sport about whether independent officials should be on hand to monitor for rule violations rather than relying on the competitors themselves to police the game.

Regardless, Canada was unphased, cruising through the round-robin to earn the second seed in the semis. Their second loss came in the final match, when Norway beat them to lock in their own semifinal spot and set up a rematch in the medal round.

It took until the last day of the round-robin for Norway to clinch a spot, with their big 8-6 win over Canada sending them through. Norway’s skip, Magnus Ramsfjell, made a perfect double takeout with his last rock, leaving Canada with no path to score two points with the hammer and sending Norway through.

It was a choppy path there, however. They started out well, going 3-1 over the first few days, but those three wins came over a few of the teams that ended in the bottom half of the standings. They finished out 2-3 with wins over Great Britain and then Canada to earn the 3rd seed. If Norway had lost to Canada instead, that would have set up a 4-way tie for 4th at 4-5 and Team USA would have earned the final semifinal spot thanks to tiebreaker procedures.

The top-ranked team in the world coming into the Olympics, Bruce Mouat’s squad also took their medal round qualification down to the wire. It went well enough early for the Scot, as Team GB started 4-1 before losing three straight to the other three semifinalists before bouncing back to earn their playoff spot with a 9-2 victory over Team USA in the final match.

That game saw American skip Daniel Casper struggling, giving up a steal of 4 points in the 3rd end when he sent a draw deep and through the house. Combined with Italy losing to Switzerland at the same time, GB got the final spot and a semifinal match against Switzerland, who had previously beaten GB 6-5 in an extra end on Sunday afternoon.

Final Round-Robin Standings

  1. Switzerland (9-0)
  2. Canada (7-2)
  3. Norway (5-4)
  4. Great Britain (5-4)
  5. USA (4-5)
  6. Italy (4-5)
  7. Germany (4-5)
  8. Czechia (3-6)
  9. Sweden (2-7)
  10. China (2-7)

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Deadspin | D.C. United scores 2 late goals to rally past Orlando City Apr 25, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Orlando City SC midfielder Tiago Souza (11) controls the ball defended by D.C. United midfielder Jackson Hopkins (25) during the first half at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images Kye Rowles scored on a header in the 90th minute as D.C. United overcame its home-field jinx, rallying for a 3-2 win over injury-riddled Orlando City SC Saturday on a chilly night in Washington, D.C. Jackson Hopkins and Louis Munteanu also scored for D.C. (3-4-3, 12 points), which snapped a six-game winless run in all competitions and won for just the second time in its last 15 MLS matches at home. Sean Johnson added five saves as D.C. United won without their top scorer Tai Baribo, who was out with a thigh injury after scoring a hat trick in a 4-4 draw Wednesday at the New York Red Bulls. After entering the week with an MLS-low four goals, D.C. put up seven in a four-day span. The winning goal came off a corner kick to the opposite post by Keisuke Kurokawa. Jacob Murrell headed the ball to the middle of the box to a cutting Rowles, who scored for the first time in his two seasons as a starting defender for D.C. Justin Ellis and Tyrese Spicer scored second-half goals to provide a 2-1 lead for Orlando City (2-7-1, 7 points), which is winless and has been outscored 20-3 in five road games. Maxime Crepeau had five saves as the Lions were without three injured starters including dangerous threat Marco Pasalic, who missed his third straight MLS match, also with a thigh injury. Hopkins scored the only goal of the first half when he took a pass from Kurokawa just outside the penalty arc, turned and fired a left-footed laser into the bottom right corner in the 10th minute. In the 57th minute, the 18-year-old Ellis scored the first goal of his professional career, notching the equalizer on a right-footed shot from the middle of the box. Ellis’ goal came as he cleaned up a rebound from close range after Johnson stopped a header by Griffin Dorsey. Ten minutes later, Spicer put Orlando in front when he ran down a long pass from Adrian Marin. Spicer’s shot from a tough angle deep on the left wing caromed off the inside of the top left post and into the net. In the 84th minute, Munteanu tied it back up, 2-2, scoring his first-ever goal for D.C. when his right-footed shot from outside the box was deflected by a defender and bounced just inside the left post. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #D.C #United #scores #late #goals #rally #Orlando #CityApr 25, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Orlando City SC midfielder Tiago Souza (11) controls the ball defended by D.C. United midfielder Jackson Hopkins (25) during the first half at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images

Kye Rowles scored on a header in the 90th minute as D.C. United overcame its home-field jinx, rallying for a 3-2 win over injury-riddled Orlando City SC Saturday on a chilly night in Washington, D.C.

Jackson Hopkins and Louis Munteanu also scored for D.C. (3-4-3, 12 points), which snapped a six-game winless run in all competitions and won for just the second time in its last 15 MLS matches at home.

Sean Johnson added five saves as D.C. United won without their top scorer Tai Baribo, who was out with a thigh injury after scoring a hat trick in a 4-4 draw Wednesday at the New York Red Bulls.

After entering the week with an MLS-low four goals, D.C. put up seven in a four-day span.

The winning goal came off a corner kick to the opposite post by Keisuke Kurokawa. Jacob Murrell headed the ball to the middle of the box to a cutting Rowles, who scored for the first time in his two seasons as a starting defender for D.C.


Justin Ellis and Tyrese Spicer scored second-half goals to provide a 2-1 lead for Orlando City (2-7-1, 7 points), which is winless and has been outscored 20-3 in five road games.

Maxime Crepeau had five saves as the Lions were without three injured starters including dangerous threat Marco Pasalic, who missed his third straight MLS match, also with a thigh injury.

Hopkins scored the only goal of the first half when he took a pass from Kurokawa just outside the penalty arc, turned and fired a left-footed laser into the bottom right corner in the 10th minute.

In the 57th minute, the 18-year-old Ellis scored the first goal of his professional career, notching the equalizer on a right-footed shot from the middle of the box. Ellis’ goal came as he cleaned up a rebound from close range after Johnson stopped a header by Griffin Dorsey.

Ten minutes later, Spicer put Orlando in front when he ran down a long pass from Adrian Marin. Spicer’s shot from a tough angle deep on the left wing caromed off the inside of the top left post and into the net.

In the 84th minute, Munteanu tied it back up, 2-2, scoring his first-ever goal for D.C. when his right-footed shot from outside the box was deflected by a defender and bounced just inside the left post.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #D.C #United #scores #late #goals #rally #Orlando #City">Deadspin | D.C. United scores 2 late goals to rally past Orlando City Apr 25, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Orlando City SC midfielder Tiago Souza (11) controls the ball defended by D.C. United midfielder Jackson Hopkins (25) during the first half at Audi Field. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien-Imagn Images Kye Rowles scored on a header in the 90th minute as D.C. United overcame its home-field jinx, rallying for a 3-2 win over injury-riddled Orlando City SC Saturday on a chilly night in Washington, D.C. Jackson Hopkins and Louis Munteanu also scored for D.C. (3-4-3, 12 points), which snapped a six-game winless run in all competitions and won for just the second time in its last 15 MLS matches at home. Sean Johnson added five saves as D.C. United won without their top scorer Tai Baribo, who was out with a thigh injury after scoring a hat trick in a 4-4 draw Wednesday at the New York Red Bulls. After entering the week with an MLS-low four goals, D.C. put up seven in a four-day span. The winning goal came off a corner kick to the opposite post by Keisuke Kurokawa. Jacob Murrell headed the ball to the middle of the box to a cutting Rowles, who scored for the first time in his two seasons as a starting defender for D.C. Justin Ellis and Tyrese Spicer scored second-half goals to provide a 2-1 lead for Orlando City (2-7-1, 7 points), which is winless and has been outscored 20-3 in five road games. Maxime Crepeau had five saves as the Lions were without three injured starters including dangerous threat Marco Pasalic, who missed his third straight MLS match, also with a thigh injury. Hopkins scored the only goal of the first half when he took a pass from Kurokawa just outside the penalty arc, turned and fired a left-footed laser into the bottom right corner in the 10th minute. In the 57th minute, the 18-year-old Ellis scored the first goal of his professional career, notching the equalizer on a right-footed shot from the middle of the box. Ellis’ goal came as he cleaned up a rebound from close range after Johnson stopped a header by Griffin Dorsey. Ten minutes later, Spicer put Orlando in front when he ran down a long pass from Adrian Marin. Spicer’s shot from a tough angle deep on the left wing caromed off the inside of the top left post and into the net. In the 84th minute, Munteanu tied it back up, 2-2, scoring his first-ever goal for D.C. when his right-footed shot from outside the box was deflected by a defender and bounced just inside the left post. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #D.C #United #scores #late #goals #rally #Orlando #City

Two Republican members of Congress are calling on the Trump ​administration to empower the National Guard to address potential ‌drone-related threats and ensure a “unified federal security posture” ​at the upcoming World Cup games.

The ⁠letter by U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul and Elijah Crane, who both sit on the House of Representatives’ Committee ‌on Homeland Security, was sent to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, acting U.S. ‌Attorney General Todd Blanche and Pentagon chief ‌Pete ⁠Hegseth on Friday.

McCaul and Crane called for ⁠immediate interagency action to secure the airspace over the 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches this summer.

Potential personnel ​shortages and complex jurisdictional ‌divides between event organizers and host cities risk creating a fragmented environment, they said, adding that the situation requires a unified federal security ‌posture.

“With its rapid deployability, nationwide scalability, and extensive ​experience responding to domestic emergencies, the National Guard is uniquely positioned to assist ⁠federal and state authorities with C-UAS mitigation and unified coordination for World Cup security,” they wrote.

The Department ‌of Homeland Security, Justice Department and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The call to deputize troops to respond to drone threats came a day before a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner ‌in Washington, sparking new security concerns about this summer’s World ​Cup games.

The White House said on Monday that the matches will be safe ⁠following Saturday’s shooting.

“President Trump is focused on ensuring that ⁠this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also ‌the safest and most secure in history,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a ​statement.

Published on Apr 28, 2026

#FIFA #World #Cup #Congressmen #call #National #Guard #address #drone #threats">FIFA World Cup 2026: Congressmen call for National Guard to address drone threats Two Republican members of Congress are calling on the Trump ​administration to empower the National Guard to address potential ‌drone-related threats and ensure a “unified federal security posture” ​at the upcoming World Cup games.The ⁠letter by U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul and Elijah Crane, who both sit on the House of Representatives’ Committee ‌on Homeland Security, was sent to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, acting U.S. ‌Attorney General Todd Blanche and Pentagon chief ‌Pete ⁠Hegseth on Friday.McCaul and Crane called for ⁠immediate interagency action to secure the airspace over the 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches this summer.Potential personnel ​shortages and complex jurisdictional ‌divides between event organizers and host cities risk creating a fragmented environment, they said, adding that the situation requires a unified federal security ‌posture.“With its rapid deployability, nationwide scalability, and extensive ​experience responding to domestic emergencies, the National Guard is uniquely positioned to assist ⁠federal and state authorities with C-UAS mitigation and unified coordination for World Cup security,” they wrote.The Department ‌of Homeland Security, Justice Department and Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The call to deputize troops to respond to drone threats came a day before a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner ‌in Washington, sparking new security concerns about this summer’s World ​Cup games.The White House said on Monday that the matches will be safe ⁠following Saturday’s shooting.“President Trump is focused on ensuring that ⁠this is not only an incredible experience for all fans and visitors, but also ‌the safest and most secure in history,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in a ​statement.Published on Apr 28, 2026 #FIFA #World #Cup #Congressmen #call #National #Guard #address #drone #threats

Deadspin | 2026 NFL Draft Grades: Raiders, Browns score near perfect Apr 24, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (center) poses with jersey with general manager John Spytek (left) and head coach Klint Kubiak at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images With the 2026 NFL Draft in the books, we’re ready to check the work of all 32 teams. The good news for the teams who paid the price to pick early in this year’s draft is many of them made of the most of the opportunity. Our analysts break down the work of every team’s front office and assign a letter grade with rapid reaction to the draft class of every club. As always with assessments based on projections of evolving talent and schemes, the curve can be steep. It typically takes at least two full seasons to grasp the why behind these selections, and not all planted seeds bear fruit. Arizona Cardinals Grade: B- The selection of RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) at No. 3 inspires hand-wringing given the history of teams finding backs later in the draft. Our top need for Arizona was a quarterback, but none were worth the No. 3 pick with Fernando Mendoza gone. The No. 2 need was pass rusher. The only proven high-end edge in this draft was Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who went off the board one spot ahead of Love. We don’t argue the talent as a big-play running back but the wisdom of making the pick with offers to move back and fill multiple needs. Atlanta Falcons Grade: B+ With no first-round pick due to the 2025 draft-day trade to acquire pass rusher James Pearce Jr., the Falcons were able to find value with cornerback Avieon Terrell (Clemson) at No. 48 overall and electric Georgia WR Zachariah Branch (4.36 40) in the third round. Baltimore Ravens Grade: A- There wasn’t an easier assignment to make pre-draft than the O-line hungry Ravens and Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane with the 14th overall pick. Second-rounder Zion Young (Missouri) is a player we thought Dallas might reach for earlier in the draft. He has all the tools to make an instant impact opposite Trey Hendrickson. Buffalo Bills Grade: B Trading back served the Bills well. The picks that stand out today as stellar values are fifth-rounders — safety Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina) and DT Zane Durant (Penn State) — but the first two are likely to have the most immediate impact in No. 35 pick T.J. Parker, an edge rusher from Clemson, and 62nd pick Davison Igbinosun, a cornerback from Ohio State). Carolina Panthers Grade: B- There would have been a serious shot at top-10 grades if OT Monroe Freeling had gone back to Georgia for his senior season. He’s a great pick at No. 19 and No. 49 pick Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) could be the ideal prospect at nose tackle because of his enormous frame and light feet. There is not a wide receiver around with more enticing size, ability and speed in combination than Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, the 83rd overall pick. Chicago Bears Grade: B- Kudos to the Bears for the fortune of being in position to draft safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall. The Oregon product can do a lot to stabilize a shaky secondary. Iowa C Logan Jones (57th) helps recalibrate the front five behind Garrett Bradbury, but if he’s not a starter, why not swing for a bigger need such as pass rusher? Cincinnati Bengals Grade: B+ If not for his decline in production last season with the Giants, we’d feel better about sacrificing the No. 10 pick to New York for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence. If he comes in motivated and one of the Bengals’ top picks learns to fly — No. 41 overall pick Cashius Howell is all energy but lacks perfect size — this looks a lot better. Cleveland Browns Grade: A- Based on Field Level Media analysis of the prospects Andrew Berry called to welcome to Cleveland, the Browns’ draft is another home run. The first-round selection of offensive tackle Spencer Fano (Utah) and wide receiver KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) was only the start of a gold-star weekend for the Browns. No. 39 pick Denzel Boston (Washington) is a borderline No. 1 receiver most expected to be in the top 30 picks, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) went 58th, about 40 spots lower than we projected based on his value and versatility. Dallas Cowboys Grade: A Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was one of the six “undisputed” blue-chip prospects by our count and Dallas was wise to sacrifice a couple mid-round picks to draft the versatile playmaker. We can’t argue with the traits of edge Malachi Lawrence (UCF). He’s not a ready-made pass rusher. We do expect him to win consistently. Acquiring LB Dee Winters (49ers) for a fifth-round pick and selecting Michigan edge Jaishawn Barham gives the Cowboys the makings of a seriously strong defense. Denver Broncos Grade: C+ A proven commodity in Jaylen Waddle is better than the Broncos would have been able to do with the 30th overall pick traded to the Dolphins. Detroit Lions Grade: B Offensive tackle Blake Miller (Clemson) is a turnkey starter to replace Taylor Decker, and edge Derrick Moore (Michigan) was an on-brand selection in the second round. Green Bay Packers Grade: B This year’s top pick — and the 2027 selection in the first round — went to Dallas in the Micah Parsons deal. Parsons flashed Defensive Player of the Year production before a season-ending injury at Denver. As he works his way back, the Packers should be a legitimate contender. South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse (52nd overall) was worthy of first-round attention. Houston Texans Grade: C Question that pick of OG Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech) in the first round? We do, too. Not because Rutledge was an unreasonable pick. But there was no queue forming to take him — or any interior offensive lineman — at this point in the draft and trading up to get him was an overpay. GM Nick Caserio did acquit himself nicely in the second round, adding Ohio State NT Kayden McDonald. Indianapolis Colts Grade: C Sauce Gardner said himself, he’s the first-rounder for the Colts in 2026. Acquired at the trade deadline last season, Gardner’s season imploded due to a calf injury. Will he be back in 2026 to the All-Pro cover corner he was in 2022 and 2023? Jacksonville Jaguars Grade: C- There wasn’t a lot of wow in the Jaguars’ draft, especially after the move up to take Travis Hunter second overall in 2025. When you weigh the cost of the 2026 first-rounder against Hunter’s value to the franchise so far, this is a dud. Kansas City Chiefs Grade: A Doubt Andy Reid at your own peril. We’re flag-waving fans of the move up to snag LSU CB Mansoor Delane at No. 6, and 29th pick DT Peter Woods (Clemson) has top-15 talent and tools. Edge R Mason Thomas has the chance to be a huge hit in this defense. Las Vegas Raiders Grade: A QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) was the no-brainer No. 1 pick but less-heralded picks could be the difference in the franchise’s turnaround. Multi-positional OL Trey Zuhn III and CB Jermod McCoy — a first-round talent who missed last season because of a January 2025 ACL injury — at pick No 101 are the type of selections that build a foundation for a turnaround if they click. Los Angeles Chargers Grade: B- Edge Akheem Mesidor (Miami) can breathe new life into the Chargers’ pass rush. Odafe Oweh is gone and Khalil Mack is closing in on retirement. The best work was done later in the draft, particularly with their four picks invested in the offensive line. Los Angeles Rams Grade: D+ We don’t like to fail anyone around here. The Rams went with QB Ty Simpson from Alabama at a point where at least three consensus first-round level players were still on the board. Simpson’s grade was closer to No. 44 overall, and our reaction was pretty similar to Sean McVay’s. But if you look at this as a “bonus pick” and view offseason trade acquisition Trent McDuffie as the first-round score, we can understand those who are applauding GM Les Snead for the overreach. Miami Dolphins Grade: C This draft was always going to be about volume for the Dolphins, who exited the first round with two likely starters who could just as easily be first-year projects: 12th pick OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and 27th overall pick CB Chris Johnson (San Diego State). LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) has the makings of a second-round gem. Nobody had WR Caleb Douglas anywhere near the top 100 when the Red Raiders’ wideout was selected 75th overall. Minnesota Vikings Grade: C- We stand to be corrected on the investment of the 18th pick in the draft on massive Florida DL Caleb Banks, but the Vikings could’ve moved back or found a reasonable facsimile in the second or third round. We’re fully on board with second-round LB Jake Golday (Cincinnati) and big fans of fourth-round pick Jakobe Thomas (Miami). New England Patriots Grade: C+ The 28th pick in the draft was Utah OT Caleb Lomu, who is flexible and has guard experience. GM Eliot Wolf moved up in the draft for Lomu and then traded to get Gabe Jacas (Illinois) in the second round. New Orleans Saints Grade: B Maybe Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson proves us wrong and he’s the perfect fit. But at No. 8 overall, Tyson still feels like a risk considering his durability concerns and the similar knock on current Saints No. 1 WR Chris Olave. Georgia TE Oscar Delp stands out of a potential steal in the third round. New York Giants Grade: A- Most believed Arvell Reese of Ohio State would be long gone before the No. 5 pick, where the Giants landed him, five picks before selecting Francis Mauigoa, a powerful tackle at Miami. Based solely on upside and fit, the Giants aced the first round. As the draft chugged along, we kept waiting for anything close to a replacement for DT Dexter Lawrence — traded to the Bengals for the No. 10 pick last week — to be on the radar. New York Jets Grade: A Jets GM Darren Mougey came away with three potential Pro Bowl players in the first round. It’s a haul the franchise can celebrate knowing there are more premium picks coming next season. Edge David Bailey of Texas Tech was the best pure pass rusher in the draft; TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) is the only elite player at his position in the draft and we liked Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), the 30th pick overall, as much or more than a few of the receivers drafted in the first half of the round. Cooper’s Hoosiers teammate D’Angelo Ponds is a speed merchant with a nose for the ball and represents a serious value as the 50th overall pick. Philadelphia Eagles Grade: B We’re not in position to sling arrows at Howie Roseman’s roster-building technique, but moving up for a slot receiver — Makai Lemon — in the first round was more difficult to understand with multiple talented receivers still available late in the first round. Pittsburgh Steelers Grade: C- Round of applause for landing one of the best finishers in the draft class, Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. Since we don’t have anything nice to say about the QB pick, we’re not going to say anything at all on the Drew Allar selection. Fine, we will. Tools are there. Upside is really difficult to see unless the plan is to park him for two years and hope it all comes together. San Francisco 49ers Grade: B- After multiple trades back, the 49ers stood pat with the first pick in the second round and selected Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling. He’s a big-bodied receiver to pair with Mike Evans, signed in free agency, and 2025 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall. Seattle Seahawks B Leave it to GM John Schneider to pump his tried and true approach of trading out of the first round in the buildup to the draft only to confiscate our No. 2-ranked ballcarrier, Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price with the final pick in the first round. Price can be the Kenneth Walker III replacement immediately if necessary. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Grade: A All the Warren Sapp feels around the selection of falling edge Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) at No. 15 sparked a run of winning selections. Missouri LB Josiah Trotter (46th) and Bain’s college teammates, CB Keionte Scott (116th), enter the NFL with starter-plus ability. Tennessee Titans Grade: A- Suddenly QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, has an arsenal of weapons. Round 1 picks WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State (No. 4) and 31st overall pick, edge Keldric Faulk of Auburn, are tempo-setters and check boxes at need positions. Washington Commanders Grade: B Most felt Ohio State LB Sonny Styles (No. 7) was a top-five talent after his NFL Scouting Combine showcase. In the heart of every great Dan Quinn defense there is a linebacker with coach-on-the-field tendencies. Clemson slot WR Antonio Williams (No. 71) is better than advertised. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #NFL #Draft #Grades #Raiders #Browns #score #perfectApr 24, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (center) poses with jersey with general manager John Spytek (left) and head coach Klint Kubiak at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the 2026 NFL Draft in the books, we’re ready to check the work of all 32 teams.

The good news for the teams who paid the price to pick early in this year’s draft is many of them made of the most of the opportunity.

Our analysts break down the work of every team’s front office and assign a letter grade with rapid reaction to the draft class of every club.

As always with assessments based on projections of evolving talent and schemes, the curve can be steep. It typically takes at least two full seasons to grasp the why behind these selections, and not all planted seeds bear fruit.

Arizona Cardinals

Grade: B-

The selection of RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) at No. 3 inspires hand-wringing given the history of teams finding backs later in the draft. Our top need for Arizona was a quarterback, but none were worth the No. 3 pick with Fernando Mendoza gone. The No. 2 need was pass rusher. The only proven high-end edge in this draft was Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who went off the board one spot ahead of Love. We don’t argue the talent as a big-play running back but the wisdom of making the pick with offers to move back and fill multiple needs.

Atlanta Falcons

Grade: B+

With no first-round pick due to the 2025 draft-day trade to acquire pass rusher James Pearce Jr., the Falcons were able to find value with cornerback Avieon Terrell (Clemson) at No. 48 overall and electric Georgia WR Zachariah Branch (4.36 40) in the third round.

Baltimore Ravens

Grade: A-

There wasn’t an easier assignment to make pre-draft than the O-line hungry Ravens and Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane with the 14th overall pick. Second-rounder Zion Young (Missouri) is a player we thought Dallas might reach for earlier in the draft. He has all the tools to make an instant impact opposite Trey Hendrickson.

Buffalo Bills

Grade: B

Trading back served the Bills well. The picks that stand out today as stellar values are fifth-rounders — safety Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina) and DT Zane Durant (Penn State) — but the first two are likely to have the most immediate impact in No. 35 pick T.J. Parker, an edge rusher from Clemson, and 62nd pick Davison Igbinosun, a cornerback from Ohio State).

Carolina Panthers

Grade: B-

There would have been a serious shot at top-10 grades if OT Monroe Freeling had gone back to Georgia for his senior season. He’s a great pick at No. 19 and No. 49 pick Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) could be the ideal prospect at nose tackle because of his enormous frame and light feet. There is not a wide receiver around with more enticing size, ability and speed in combination than Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, the 83rd overall pick.

Chicago Bears

Grade: B-

Kudos to the Bears for the fortune of being in position to draft safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall. The Oregon product can do a lot to stabilize a shaky secondary. Iowa C Logan Jones (57th) helps recalibrate the front five behind Garrett Bradbury, but if he’s not a starter, why not swing for a bigger need such as pass rusher?

Cincinnati Bengals

Grade: B+

If not for his decline in production last season with the Giants, we’d feel better about sacrificing the No. 10 pick to New York for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence. If he comes in motivated and one of the Bengals’ top picks learns to fly — No. 41 overall pick Cashius Howell is all energy but lacks perfect size — this looks a lot better.

Cleveland Browns

Grade: A-

Based on Field Level Media analysis of the prospects Andrew Berry called to welcome to Cleveland, the Browns’ draft is another home run. The first-round selection of offensive tackle Spencer Fano (Utah) and wide receiver KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) was only the start of a gold-star weekend for the Browns. No. 39 pick Denzel Boston (Washington) is a borderline No. 1 receiver most expected to be in the top 30 picks, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) went 58th, about 40 spots lower than we projected based on his value and versatility.

Dallas Cowboys

Grade: A

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was one of the six “undisputed” blue-chip prospects by our count and Dallas was wise to sacrifice a couple mid-round picks to draft the versatile playmaker. We can’t argue with the traits of edge Malachi Lawrence (UCF). He’s not a ready-made pass rusher. We do expect him to win consistently. Acquiring LB Dee Winters (49ers) for a fifth-round pick and selecting Michigan edge Jaishawn Barham gives the Cowboys the makings of a seriously strong defense.

Denver Broncos

Grade: C+

A proven commodity in Jaylen Waddle is better than the Broncos would have been able to do with the 30th overall pick traded to the Dolphins.

Detroit Lions

Grade: B

Offensive tackle Blake Miller (Clemson) is a turnkey starter to replace Taylor Decker, and edge Derrick Moore (Michigan) was an on-brand selection in the second round.

Green Bay Packers

Grade: B

This year’s top pick — and the 2027 selection in the first round — went to Dallas in the Micah Parsons deal. Parsons flashed Defensive Player of the Year production before a season-ending injury at Denver. As he works his way back, the Packers should be a legitimate contender. South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse (52nd overall) was worthy of first-round attention.

Houston Texans

Grade: C

Question that pick of OG Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech) in the first round? We do, too. Not because Rutledge was an unreasonable pick. But there was no queue forming to take him — or any interior offensive lineman — at this point in the draft and trading up to get him was an overpay. GM Nick Caserio did acquit himself nicely in the second round, adding Ohio State NT Kayden McDonald.

Indianapolis Colts

Grade: C

Sauce Gardner said himself, he’s the first-rounder for the Colts in 2026. Acquired at the trade deadline last season, Gardner’s season imploded due to a calf injury. Will he be back in 2026 to the All-Pro cover corner he was in 2022 and 2023?

Jacksonville Jaguars

Grade: C-

There wasn’t a lot of wow in the Jaguars’ draft, especially after the move up to take Travis Hunter second overall in 2025. When you weigh the cost of the 2026 first-rounder against Hunter’s value to the franchise so far, this is a dud.

Kansas City Chiefs


Grade: A

Doubt Andy Reid at your own peril. We’re flag-waving fans of the move up to snag LSU CB Mansoor Delane at No. 6, and 29th pick DT Peter Woods (Clemson) has top-15 talent and tools. Edge R Mason Thomas has the chance to be a huge hit in this defense.

Las Vegas Raiders

Grade: A

QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) was the no-brainer No. 1 pick but less-heralded picks could be the difference in the franchise’s turnaround. Multi-positional OL Trey Zuhn III and CB Jermod McCoy — a first-round talent who missed last season because of a January 2025 ACL injury — at pick No 101 are the type of selections that build a foundation for a turnaround if they click.

Los Angeles Chargers

Grade: B-

Edge Akheem Mesidor (Miami) can breathe new life into the Chargers’ pass rush. Odafe Oweh is gone and Khalil Mack is closing in on retirement. The best work was done later in the draft, particularly with their four picks invested in the offensive line.

Los Angeles Rams

Grade: D+

We don’t like to fail anyone around here. The Rams went with QB Ty Simpson from Alabama at a point where at least three consensus first-round level players were still on the board. Simpson’s grade was closer to No. 44 overall, and our reaction was pretty similar to Sean McVay’s. But if you look at this as a “bonus pick” and view offseason trade acquisition Trent McDuffie as the first-round score, we can understand those who are applauding GM Les Snead for the overreach.

Miami Dolphins

Grade: C

This draft was always going to be about volume for the Dolphins, who exited the first round with two likely starters who could just as easily be first-year projects: 12th pick OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and 27th overall pick CB Chris Johnson (San Diego State). LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) has the makings of a second-round gem. Nobody had WR Caleb Douglas anywhere near the top 100 when the Red Raiders’ wideout was selected 75th overall.

Minnesota Vikings

Grade: C-

We stand to be corrected on the investment of the 18th pick in the draft on massive Florida DL Caleb Banks, but the Vikings could’ve moved back or found a reasonable facsimile in the second or third round. We’re fully on board with second-round LB Jake Golday (Cincinnati) and big fans of fourth-round pick Jakobe Thomas (Miami).

New England Patriots

Grade: C+

The 28th pick in the draft was Utah OT Caleb Lomu, who is flexible and has guard experience. GM Eliot Wolf moved up in the draft for Lomu and then traded to get Gabe Jacas (Illinois) in the second round.

New Orleans Saints

Grade: B

Maybe Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson proves us wrong and he’s the perfect fit. But at No. 8 overall, Tyson still feels like a risk considering his durability concerns and the similar knock on current Saints No. 1 WR Chris Olave. Georgia TE Oscar Delp stands out of a potential steal in the third round.

New York Giants

Grade: A-

Most believed Arvell Reese of Ohio State would be long gone before the No. 5 pick, where the Giants landed him, five picks before selecting Francis Mauigoa, a powerful tackle at Miami. Based solely on upside and fit, the Giants aced the first round. As the draft chugged along, we kept waiting for anything close to a replacement for DT Dexter Lawrence — traded to the Bengals for the No. 10 pick last week — to be on the radar.

New York Jets

Grade: A

Jets GM Darren Mougey came away with three potential Pro Bowl players in the first round. It’s a haul the franchise can celebrate knowing there are more premium picks coming next season. Edge David Bailey of Texas Tech was the best pure pass rusher in the draft; TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) is the only elite player at his position in the draft and we liked Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), the 30th pick overall, as much or more than a few of the receivers drafted in the first half of the round. Cooper’s Hoosiers teammate D’Angelo Ponds is a speed merchant with a nose for the ball and represents a serious value as the 50th overall pick.

Philadelphia Eagles

Grade: B

We’re not in position to sling arrows at Howie Roseman’s roster-building technique, but moving up for a slot receiver — Makai Lemon — in the first round was more difficult to understand with multiple talented receivers still available late in the first round.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Grade: C-

Round of applause for landing one of the best finishers in the draft class, Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. Since we don’t have anything nice to say about the QB pick, we’re not going to say anything at all on the Drew Allar selection. Fine, we will. Tools are there. Upside is really difficult to see unless the plan is to park him for two years and hope it all comes together.

San Francisco 49ers

Grade: B-

After multiple trades back, the 49ers stood pat with the first pick in the second round and selected Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling. He’s a big-bodied receiver to pair with Mike Evans, signed in free agency, and 2025 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall.

Seattle Seahawks

B

Leave it to GM John Schneider to pump his tried and true approach of trading out of the first round in the buildup to the draft only to confiscate our No. 2-ranked ballcarrier, Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price with the final pick in the first round. Price can be the Kenneth Walker III replacement immediately if necessary.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Grade: A

All the Warren Sapp feels around the selection of falling edge Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) at No. 15 sparked a run of winning selections. Missouri LB Josiah Trotter (46th) and Bain’s college teammates, CB Keionte Scott (116th), enter the NFL with starter-plus ability.

Tennessee Titans

Grade: A-

Suddenly QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, has an arsenal of weapons. Round 1 picks WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State (No. 4) and 31st overall pick, edge Keldric Faulk of Auburn, are tempo-setters and check boxes at need positions.

Washington Commanders

Grade: B

Most felt Ohio State LB Sonny Styles (No. 7) was a top-five talent after his NFL Scouting Combine showcase. In the heart of every great Dan Quinn defense there is a linebacker with coach-on-the-field tendencies. Clemson slot WR Antonio Williams (No. 71) is better than advertised.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #NFL #Draft #Grades #Raiders #Browns #score #perfect">Deadspin | 2026 NFL Draft Grades: Raiders, Browns score near perfect Apr 24, 2026; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza (center) poses with jersey with general manager John Spytek (left) and head coach Klint Kubiak at introductory press conference at Intermountain Health Performance Center after being selected as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images With the 2026 NFL Draft in the books, we’re ready to check the work of all 32 teams. The good news for the teams who paid the price to pick early in this year’s draft is many of them made of the most of the opportunity. Our analysts break down the work of every team’s front office and assign a letter grade with rapid reaction to the draft class of every club. As always with assessments based on projections of evolving talent and schemes, the curve can be steep. It typically takes at least two full seasons to grasp the why behind these selections, and not all planted seeds bear fruit. Arizona Cardinals Grade: B- The selection of RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) at No. 3 inspires hand-wringing given the history of teams finding backs later in the draft. Our top need for Arizona was a quarterback, but none were worth the No. 3 pick with Fernando Mendoza gone. The No. 2 need was pass rusher. The only proven high-end edge in this draft was Texas Tech’s David Bailey, who went off the board one spot ahead of Love. We don’t argue the talent as a big-play running back but the wisdom of making the pick with offers to move back and fill multiple needs. Atlanta Falcons Grade: B+ With no first-round pick due to the 2025 draft-day trade to acquire pass rusher James Pearce Jr., the Falcons were able to find value with cornerback Avieon Terrell (Clemson) at No. 48 overall and electric Georgia WR Zachariah Branch (4.36 40) in the third round. Baltimore Ravens Grade: A- There wasn’t an easier assignment to make pre-draft than the O-line hungry Ravens and Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane with the 14th overall pick. Second-rounder Zion Young (Missouri) is a player we thought Dallas might reach for earlier in the draft. He has all the tools to make an instant impact opposite Trey Hendrickson. Buffalo Bills Grade: B Trading back served the Bills well. The picks that stand out today as stellar values are fifth-rounders — safety Jalon Kilgore (South Carolina) and DT Zane Durant (Penn State) — but the first two are likely to have the most immediate impact in No. 35 pick T.J. Parker, an edge rusher from Clemson, and 62nd pick Davison Igbinosun, a cornerback from Ohio State). Carolina Panthers Grade: B- There would have been a serious shot at top-10 grades if OT Monroe Freeling had gone back to Georgia for his senior season. He’s a great pick at No. 19 and No. 49 pick Lee Hunter (Texas Tech) could be the ideal prospect at nose tackle because of his enormous frame and light feet. There is not a wide receiver around with more enticing size, ability and speed in combination than Tennessee’s Chris Brazzell II, the 83rd overall pick. Chicago Bears Grade: B- Kudos to the Bears for the fortune of being in position to draft safety Dillon Thieneman 25th overall. The Oregon product can do a lot to stabilize a shaky secondary. Iowa C Logan Jones (57th) helps recalibrate the front five behind Garrett Bradbury, but if he’s not a starter, why not swing for a bigger need such as pass rusher? Cincinnati Bengals Grade: B+ If not for his decline in production last season with the Giants, we’d feel better about sacrificing the No. 10 pick to New York for nose tackle Dexter Lawrence. If he comes in motivated and one of the Bengals’ top picks learns to fly — No. 41 overall pick Cashius Howell is all energy but lacks perfect size — this looks a lot better. Cleveland Browns Grade: A- Based on Field Level Media analysis of the prospects Andrew Berry called to welcome to Cleveland, the Browns’ draft is another home run. The first-round selection of offensive tackle Spencer Fano (Utah) and wide receiver KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) was only the start of a gold-star weekend for the Browns. No. 39 pick Denzel Boston (Washington) is a borderline No. 1 receiver most expected to be in the top 30 picks, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Toledo) went 58th, about 40 spots lower than we projected based on his value and versatility. Dallas Cowboys Grade: A Ohio State safety Caleb Downs was one of the six “undisputed” blue-chip prospects by our count and Dallas was wise to sacrifice a couple mid-round picks to draft the versatile playmaker. We can’t argue with the traits of edge Malachi Lawrence (UCF). He’s not a ready-made pass rusher. We do expect him to win consistently. Acquiring LB Dee Winters (49ers) for a fifth-round pick and selecting Michigan edge Jaishawn Barham gives the Cowboys the makings of a seriously strong defense. Denver Broncos Grade: C+ A proven commodity in Jaylen Waddle is better than the Broncos would have been able to do with the 30th overall pick traded to the Dolphins. Detroit Lions Grade: B Offensive tackle Blake Miller (Clemson) is a turnkey starter to replace Taylor Decker, and edge Derrick Moore (Michigan) was an on-brand selection in the second round. Green Bay Packers Grade: B This year’s top pick — and the 2027 selection in the first round — went to Dallas in the Micah Parsons deal. Parsons flashed Defensive Player of the Year production before a season-ending injury at Denver. As he works his way back, the Packers should be a legitimate contender. South Carolina CB Brandon Cisse (52nd overall) was worthy of first-round attention. Houston Texans Grade: C Question that pick of OG Keylan Rutledge (Georgia Tech) in the first round? We do, too. Not because Rutledge was an unreasonable pick. But there was no queue forming to take him — or any interior offensive lineman — at this point in the draft and trading up to get him was an overpay. GM Nick Caserio did acquit himself nicely in the second round, adding Ohio State NT Kayden McDonald. Indianapolis Colts Grade: C Sauce Gardner said himself, he’s the first-rounder for the Colts in 2026. Acquired at the trade deadline last season, Gardner’s season imploded due to a calf injury. Will he be back in 2026 to the All-Pro cover corner he was in 2022 and 2023? Jacksonville Jaguars Grade: C- There wasn’t a lot of wow in the Jaguars’ draft, especially after the move up to take Travis Hunter second overall in 2025. When you weigh the cost of the 2026 first-rounder against Hunter’s value to the franchise so far, this is a dud. Kansas City Chiefs Grade: A Doubt Andy Reid at your own peril. We’re flag-waving fans of the move up to snag LSU CB Mansoor Delane at No. 6, and 29th pick DT Peter Woods (Clemson) has top-15 talent and tools. Edge R Mason Thomas has the chance to be a huge hit in this defense. Las Vegas Raiders Grade: A QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) was the no-brainer No. 1 pick but less-heralded picks could be the difference in the franchise’s turnaround. Multi-positional OL Trey Zuhn III and CB Jermod McCoy — a first-round talent who missed last season because of a January 2025 ACL injury — at pick No 101 are the type of selections that build a foundation for a turnaround if they click. Los Angeles Chargers Grade: B- Edge Akheem Mesidor (Miami) can breathe new life into the Chargers’ pass rush. Odafe Oweh is gone and Khalil Mack is closing in on retirement. The best work was done later in the draft, particularly with their four picks invested in the offensive line. Los Angeles Rams Grade: D+ We don’t like to fail anyone around here. The Rams went with QB Ty Simpson from Alabama at a point where at least three consensus first-round level players were still on the board. Simpson’s grade was closer to No. 44 overall, and our reaction was pretty similar to Sean McVay’s. But if you look at this as a “bonus pick” and view offseason trade acquisition Trent McDuffie as the first-round score, we can understand those who are applauding GM Les Snead for the overreach. Miami Dolphins Grade: C This draft was always going to be about volume for the Dolphins, who exited the first round with two likely starters who could just as easily be first-year projects: 12th pick OT Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) and 27th overall pick CB Chris Johnson (San Diego State). LB Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech) has the makings of a second-round gem. Nobody had WR Caleb Douglas anywhere near the top 100 when the Red Raiders’ wideout was selected 75th overall. Minnesota Vikings Grade: C- We stand to be corrected on the investment of the 18th pick in the draft on massive Florida DL Caleb Banks, but the Vikings could’ve moved back or found a reasonable facsimile in the second or third round. We’re fully on board with second-round LB Jake Golday (Cincinnati) and big fans of fourth-round pick Jakobe Thomas (Miami). New England Patriots Grade: C+ The 28th pick in the draft was Utah OT Caleb Lomu, who is flexible and has guard experience. GM Eliot Wolf moved up in the draft for Lomu and then traded to get Gabe Jacas (Illinois) in the second round. New Orleans Saints Grade: B Maybe Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson proves us wrong and he’s the perfect fit. But at No. 8 overall, Tyson still feels like a risk considering his durability concerns and the similar knock on current Saints No. 1 WR Chris Olave. Georgia TE Oscar Delp stands out of a potential steal in the third round. New York Giants Grade: A- Most believed Arvell Reese of Ohio State would be long gone before the No. 5 pick, where the Giants landed him, five picks before selecting Francis Mauigoa, a powerful tackle at Miami. Based solely on upside and fit, the Giants aced the first round. As the draft chugged along, we kept waiting for anything close to a replacement for DT Dexter Lawrence — traded to the Bengals for the No. 10 pick last week — to be on the radar. New York Jets Grade: A Jets GM Darren Mougey came away with three potential Pro Bowl players in the first round. It’s a haul the franchise can celebrate knowing there are more premium picks coming next season. Edge David Bailey of Texas Tech was the best pure pass rusher in the draft; TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) is the only elite player at his position in the draft and we liked Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), the 30th pick overall, as much or more than a few of the receivers drafted in the first half of the round. Cooper’s Hoosiers teammate D’Angelo Ponds is a speed merchant with a nose for the ball and represents a serious value as the 50th overall pick. Philadelphia Eagles Grade: B We’re not in position to sling arrows at Howie Roseman’s roster-building technique, but moving up for a slot receiver — Makai Lemon — in the first round was more difficult to understand with multiple talented receivers still available late in the first round. Pittsburgh Steelers Grade: C- Round of applause for landing one of the best finishers in the draft class, Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor. Since we don’t have anything nice to say about the QB pick, we’re not going to say anything at all on the Drew Allar selection. Fine, we will. Tools are there. Upside is really difficult to see unless the plan is to park him for two years and hope it all comes together. San Francisco 49ers Grade: B- After multiple trades back, the 49ers stood pat with the first pick in the second round and selected Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling. He’s a big-bodied receiver to pair with Mike Evans, signed in free agency, and 2025 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall. Seattle Seahawks B Leave it to GM John Schneider to pump his tried and true approach of trading out of the first round in the buildup to the draft only to confiscate our No. 2-ranked ballcarrier, Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price with the final pick in the first round. Price can be the Kenneth Walker III replacement immediately if necessary. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Grade: A All the Warren Sapp feels around the selection of falling edge Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) at No. 15 sparked a run of winning selections. Missouri LB Josiah Trotter (46th) and Bain’s college teammates, CB Keionte Scott (116th), enter the NFL with starter-plus ability. Tennessee Titans Grade: A- Suddenly QB Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, has an arsenal of weapons. Round 1 picks WR Carnell Tate from Ohio State (No. 4) and 31st overall pick, edge Keldric Faulk of Auburn, are tempo-setters and check boxes at need positions. Washington Commanders Grade: B Most felt Ohio State LB Sonny Styles (No. 7) was a top-five talent after his NFL Scouting Combine showcase. In the heart of every great Dan Quinn defense there is a linebacker with coach-on-the-field tendencies. Clemson slot WR Antonio Williams (No. 71) is better than advertised. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #NFL #Draft #Grades #Raiders #Browns #score #perfect

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