Springtime is for grading.

Not only in the real world, as students across the country are dreaming about final exams — and a long-awaited summer break — but also in the NFL. Now that the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, analysts are handing out grades, fans are weighing in, and everyone seems to be debating consensus big boards.

While snap grades often examine the process employed by each team when making their selections, ultimately the real grades will come from the teams and the players themselves. While we can sit here and forecast how teams will use their new players, it is up to each coaching staff to put their incoming draft picks in a position to succeed through scheme, coaching, and development. As for the players themselves? They’re facing the adjustment from life in college, to life as a professional. How they adapt will go a long way towards the ultimate grade, if you will.

In handing out our final 2026 NFL Draft grades, we gave nine different teams an A grade:

But let’s look forward a bit. Which of these drafts could spin the other way once the players hit the field?

How the Jets’ 2026 Draft class could ultimately be an F

Opinions on the Jets’ 2026 Draft class are mixed.

Which is why they make sense in this category.

New York unofficially kicked off the 2026 NFL Draft when the organization was on the clock with the second-overall selection. With the Las Vegas Raiders locked into drafting Fernando Mendoza, the Jets faced the first true decision of the draft: Texas Tech pass rusher David Bailey, or Ohio State hybrid defender Arvell Reese?

While many viewed Reese as the better prospect, the Jets opted for Bailey, the more experienced pass rusher off the edge. It was looked at as a “safer” pick, with Reese still needing time to adjust to life on the edge after playing in an off-ball role for most of his time at Ohio State.

Where the Jets’ true plans for 2026 and beyond came into focus was through their next two selections. Many believed the Jets would add another receiver with their second pick in the first round, at No. 16, with Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. a popular selection for the team in mock drafts. General manager Darren Mougey indeed added a pass catcher for free agent quarterback Geno Smith, drafting Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

That selection left some scratching their heads, after the team added LSU’s Mason Taylor in the second round a year ago.

But the plan came into clear focus when the Jets moved back into the first round, executing a trade with the Miami Dolphins to pick up the selection at No. 30. The pick in that spot? None other than Cooper.

That plan? An offense that leans into 12 personnel — two tight ends on the field in Taylor and Sadiq — with Garrett Wilson and Cooper as their main wide receivers in that package.

It could work, and here is why: We know that football is a cyclical game, and after years of the passing game driving offenses (and defenses responding by getting lighter and faster with their personnel packages) the worm may be turning. The Los Angeles Rams leaned heavily into bigger personnel packages last year, using 13 personnel (three tight ends) on more than 30% of their offensive snaps during 2025. When the Rams threw out of that package, they recorded an Expected Points Added per Pass of 0.50, which was higher than the 0.17 EPA/Pass they notched when throwing out of 11 personnel.

The Seattle Seahawks, who won Super Bowl LX, used 12 personnel on just under 30% of their offensive snaps, and when Seattle threw out of that package, they produced an EPA/Pass of 0.37, the best in the league out of 12 personnel and well above the EPA/Pass of 0.04 recorded when Seattle threw out of 11 personnel.

So the bet from the Jets is this: This trend of getting bigger on offense will continue, and with this draft class they will be ahead of the curve.

There are two potential problems.

One, that trend might not continue. Defenses around the league are not going to stop innovating, and if defensive coordinators figure out ways to slow down offenses that are trying to throw out of bigger personnel packages, this bet from the Jets might not pan out.

Two? Geno Smith might be an upgrade over New York’s quarterback room of 2025, but the Smith we saw a season ago was not the QB we saw during his run in Seattle. While the Jets added Cade Klubnik on Day 3, he might not be the team’s long-term answer at quarterback. Meaning New York might be back to the quarterback drawing board next year, and while that class looks good right now … there is a long way to go until the next draft class sees the field.

On paper, you can see the plan from New York.

But ultimately, plans sometimes fail.

The 2026 NFL Draft is complete and after a day to digest all the picks we’re prepared to hand out grades for all 32 teams. It generally takes a few years to know exactly how well a team did in an NFL Draft, but there’s still instant grades and immediate winners and losers that set a baseline of expectations for how we think a team’s draft went. We already published a 2027 NFL mock draft to set up next year’s board, which will surely change a ton over the next 11 months. If your team didn’t land its QB of the future this season, don’t worry, there are a bunch of quarterbacks coming next year.

One pitfall many teams seemed to fall into was at tight end. This was not a good tight end class, with only Kenyon Sadiq and Eli Stowers standing out, but both are pure pass catchers. Teams continued to over-pick the position out of necessity, and it led to some wild names coming off the board. This seemed to have a trickle down effect where lots of players fell lower than we expected.

Without further ado, here are our grades for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Best pick: Olaivavega Ioane, IOL, Penn State — 1st round, 14th overall

Leading off with Olaivavega Ioane was a tremendous pick for the Ravens, as he was the top interior offensive lineman on the board and one of our favorite players in the class. Zion Young in the second round was another solid selection, as the Missouri pass rusher did generate some first-round buzz late in the process. Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt are a pair of ball-winners who should help replace what the Ravens lost in Isaiah Likely.

Best pick: T.J. Parker, EDGE, Clemson — 2nd round, 35th overall

The Bills deserve some credit for the way they worked the board, trading back three times and yet drafting T.J. Parker at 35, a player that would have been a reasonable pick for them with their original pick at No. 26. Those picks also helped Buffalo bridge a gap from No. 26 to No. 91, which is when they would have been on the clock next. Davison Igbinosun brings a lot of experience and should play a role immediately for Buffalo at corner, and WR Skyler Bill (Round 4) and S Jalon Kilgore (Round 5) should also be contributors. Solid work from Brandon Beane.

Best pick: Tacario Davis, CB, Washington — 3rd round, 72nd overall

I was tempted to list Dexter Lawrence as their best pick, as the trade with the New York Giants is some important context. But looking at just the draft class, this was an interesting group. Cashius Howell in the second round will give the pass rush a boost, and Tacario Davis addresses a big need in the secondary and should slot in at CB2. Cincinnati also added a pair of centers in Connor Lew and Brian Parker II, giving them options behind Ted Karras. If you consider Lawrence a “draft pick,” the overall grade might be better, but we’re grading the picks alone.

Best pick: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M — 1st round, 24th overall

This was a fantastic draft for Andrew Berry and company. Everyone knew the Browns needed to come out of Round 1 with a WR and an offensive tackle, so they slide back a few spots and still draft Spencer Fano at No. 9, a tackle many thought they would get at No. 6. They added the rising KC Concepcion, but then paired him with Denzel Boston as a second-round pick. That is a tremendous duo for their WR room. And to then grab safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the third, when many thought he might be the first safety taken? Great work.

And yes, we are excited about QB Taylen Green on Day 3. The upside and potential are certainly there.

Best pick: Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington — 4th round, 108th overall

Due in large part to the Jaylen Waddle trade, the Broncos only had seven picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. When arguably their best pick is a running back out of this year’s class, you know how their draft went. Dallen Bentley was one of the sleepers we identified ahead of the draft, so he was a nice find in the seventh round.

Best pick: Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State — 2nd round, 36th overall

Getting Kayden McDonald in the second round is a fantastic pick for the Texans, as their defensive front gets a bit more imposing. Lewis Bond in the sixth round is a nice selection, he was one of our sleepers heading into the draft. Keyland Rutledge brings a ton of experience and might have been a bit early, but fills a need. Marlin Klein in the second round was an absolute stunner, however.

Best pick: A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU — 3rd round, 78th overall

The Colts did not have a pick in the first round, thanks to the Sauce Gardner trade, but they addressed a massive need in the second with linebacker CJ Allen, a player that might have been a first-round pick were it not for positional value. A.J. Haulcy is a fun safety, who probably plays more of a box role but showed some chops in deep coverage. The double-dip on the EDGE during Day 3 with George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry should help a pass rush that could use an assist.

Best pick: Emmanuel Pregnon, IOL, Oregon — 3rd round, 88th overall

Getting interior offensive lineman Emmanuel Pregnon where they did, at pick No. 88, certainly stands out. The Oregon lineman was a fringe first-round player, so getting him in the third round is a good bit of work, and absolutely helps their grade here.

Because almost everything else has us scratching our heads. Nate Boerkircher might be the best blocking tight end in the class, but is that the best pick at No. 56, with your first pick of the night? Albert Regis will help in the run game, but is likely a two-down tackle in the NFL. And while the Jaguars added two of my favorite sleepers in this class – EDGE Wesley Williams and TE Tanner Koziol – it does not change the overall needle.

Best pick: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU — 1st round, 6th overall

Opinions on the Chiefs’ draft class are mixed, but I for one love what they did. Following the Trent McDuffie trade they had a glaring need in the secondary, and they moved up a few spots to draft Mansoor Delane, the top CB on the board (when you factor in Jermod McCoy’s injury situation). I’m fine with that move, as it not only addresses a big need but he is an NFL-ready cornerback. Add in Peter Woods and R Mason Thomas with the next two picks, and you have three players in the first three picks, all of whom were mentioned as potential first-round selections during the process.

Delane might be their “best” pick, but my favorite might be Nebraska running back Emmitt Johnson. It might be my Cornhuskers homerism showing, but he is a good football player and will contribute in this offense, even with the addition of Kenneth Walker III.

Best pick: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana — 1st round, 1st overall

Getting the top quarterback in this class makes this draft a win for the Raiders, but they were not done. Treydan Stukes and Keyron Crawford are huge additions for their defense, and Trey Zuhn III could play almost anywhere along their offensive line. And then the Raiders opened Day 3 by moving up to stop Jermod McCoy’s slide, grabbing a top-15 talent to open the fourth round. Tremendous value, even with the medical concerns. Later in the fourth round the Raiders added Mike Washington Jr., the running back largely considered RB3, which was a great value pick.

Best pick: Brenen Thompson, WR, Mississippi State — 4th round, 105th overall

Akheem Mesidor is an interesting way to start the draft, while the Miami pass rusher is on the older side as a prospect, he should help the Chargers’ pass rush. While Los Angeles did make some additions to the offensive line in free agency, they needed to add more help and Florida’s Jake Slaughter can boost that unit, and the Chargers added some guard help late with Logan Taylor and Alex Harkey in Round 6. Whether those two guards are enough to solidify the interior is a big question.

Thompson can absolutely fly, and could be a big weapon for Justin Herbert out of the slot.

Best pick: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State — 1st round, 27th overall

I really like what the Dolphins did in this draft, starting out with Kadyn Proctor and Chris Johnson in the first round, and then adding Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez early in the second. If you want to tell me their best pick is Chris Bell in the third round – a WR who drew comparisons to both Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown but slid due to a knee injury – I would not push back on that at all.

Miami added a pair of safeties in Kyle Louis and Michael Taaffe on Day 3, and it would not surprise me to see both have big roles next year on both defense and special teams.

Best pick: Gabe Jacas, EDGE, Illinois — 2nd round, 55th overall

New England moved up a bit in the first round to take tackle Caleb Lomu, with the hope he and Will Campbell will be the bookends on this offensive line for the next few years. Gabe Jacas can do a lot on the edge, from rushing the passer – he had 11 sacks last year at Illinois – to setting the edge and dropping into coverage, but if he is tasked with just getting after the QB this could be a huge pick for the Patriots. Many will talk about drafting a QB in round 7, but I’m always appreciative of a team looking to upgrade their entire QB room, even behind a young franchise QB like Drake Maye.

Best pick: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana — 1st round, 30th overall

Opinions on the Jets are all over the place, but I might be in the minority as someone who loves what they did. While I might have preferred Arvell Reese over David Bailey, the Texas Tech product will give them some juice off the edge.

But where this truly stands out is with their next few picks. The selection of Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16 had some scratching their heads, given how many believed a WR – perhaps Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. – was the move at that spot. But then the Jets moved back into the first to add … none other than Cooper. Now you can see the vision, as they’ll lean into a 12 personnel package with Garrett Wilson and Cooper at WR, and Mason Taylor and Sadiq at TE. That could work. Add in a feisty CB in D’Angelo Ponds, who plays a lot like his new head coach, and you have a draft class that Jets fans will learn to love.

Best pick: Eli Heidenreich, RB, Navy — 7th round, 230th overall

This was an … interesting draft from the Steelers. It looks as if they wanted Makai Lemon in the first round, but were forced to pivot in the blink of an eye when the Eagles came up for the USC WR. Max Iheanachor is a decent consolation prize, but is still a bit of a project. Germie Bernard is a solid option, but a step below what Lemon offers. Drew Allar is going to get the headlines, but he until he cleans up his pocket presence, that is also going to be a question. Eli Heidenreich at the end of their class is obviously a great story, but Mike McCarthy should find a way to get him on the field.

Best pick: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas — 2nd round, 60th overall

Carnell Tate will certainly help Cam Ward, and an offense that badly needed some explosive plays. Getting the most out of Keldric Faulk will be job one for Robert Saleh, as the traits are there even if the production was lacking at Auburn. Anthony Hill Jr. was a great pick for them in the second round, and gives Saleh an athletic, three-down linebacker.

Best Pick: Chase Bistontis, OL, Texas A&M — 2nd round, 34th overall

Jeremiyah Love is going to be a stud, but taking a running back at No. 3 was a luxury when this team had so many other core needs. Carson Beck in the third round borders on an illogical, wasted pick when Arizona will likely be drafting a 1st round QB next year. They found some value on day three, but that doesn’t make up failing to set the table for success in 2027 and beyond.

Best Pick: Aveion Terrell, CB, Clemson — 2nd round, 48th overall

The Falcons did some really solid work despite not having a first round pick from the James Pearce trade a year ago. The team found tremendous value on day two by landing Aveion Terrell to pair with his older brother AJ Terrell in the secondary, and Zachariah Branch is going to be so fun if the team can use him creatively with Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

Best Pick: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State — 5th round, 144th overall

This was a monster class from the Panthers that addressed needs while also finding great value up and down the board. Monroe Freeling solidifies the tackle spot immediately with room for growth. DT Lee Hunter will free up space for Derrick Brown to be even more effective — but it was their 5th round pick that turned heads. Sam Hecht is a starting-caliber center, which was a huge need, and they got him two rounds later than I thought he’d go.

Best Pick: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon — 1st round, 25th overall

It’s clear the Bears worked their board with an eye on the best players as they saw the class, but Chicago entered this draft with questions, and didn’t necessarily leave with answers. There remains a major need at EDGE and along the defensive line, and while I really like Thieneman and fourth round pick Malik Muhammas, the Bears still have major issues when it comes to rushing the passer and stopping the run.

Best Pick: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State — 1st round, 11th overall

You really have to nitpick to find a lot wrong with this draft class. It took incredible discipline to wait for Downs to fall out of the Top 10 to pull the trigger, and Dallas got one of the best defensive players in this entire draft class. All the way down the board the Cowboys found value, and topping it off with a trade for veteran linebacker Dee Winters helps solidify a need the team couldn’t address on Day 1.

Best Pick: Keith Abney, CB, Arizona State — 5th round, 157th overall

There was a lot of needs-based drafting out of Detroit, which is largely okay because they didn’t have a lot of major holes — but we could look back in 3-4 years and feel a little like this team missed out on some higher-end talent. Finding Abney in the fifth round was a steal, and he can be a plus-level Nickel in the NFL. All-in-all this was a solid, but unremarkable class.

Best Pick: Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State — 4th round, 120th overall

The Packers didn’t have a lot of picks in the draft due to trades, but still managed to come away with some really solid players at need positions. Taking CB Brandon Cisse with their first pick in the draft was a little too cute for my liking, as Cisse is a project who needs 2-3 years before he can be an impact player. Still, they made up for this was Dennis-Sutton, one of the best steals in this draft to solidify their pass rush.

Best Pick: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin — 5th round, 163rd overall

The Vikings went into this draft without having an established GM, and they operated like a team drafting without an established GM. Taking Caleb Banks in the first filled a need, but not sure a defensive tackle with motor and injury issues is a good use of resources. Jake Golday will help against the run, but he’s a below-average athlete. Picking Charles Demmings in the 5th round was a steal, but not enough to make up for this mess of a class that whiffed on dozens of good players to fill needs.

Best Pick: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State — 1st round, 8th overall

This was a solid draft from the Saints. They addressed several core needs while adding more threats to the offense, which the team desperately needed. It’s going to be fascinating to see Jordyn Tyson in this offense, because he complements Chris Olave really well, and gives Tyler Shough a much-needed catch radius receiver who can high point the ball well on contested throws.

Best Pick: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State — 1st round, 5th overall

This was a masterclass from the Giants with an eye towards one thing: Reforming this team in John Harbaugh’s image. That means revamping the defense, getting much tougher in the trenches, and finding impact defensive players who can support and strengthen the team’s stellar pass rush. I love almost every one of the Giants picks, but Arvell Reese is the standout. He was the best player in this draft class, and his scheme flexibility is going to be a lot of fun to watch.

Best Pick: Makai Lemon, WR, USC — 1st round, 20th overall

Unlike past drafts the Eagles did enter this draft with some questions. They had a core need at pass rusher and wide receiver, especially if the team is going to be trading A.J. Brown after June 1. Landing Makai Lemon was a gift courtesy of the Cowboys, who facilitated the trade to make it happen. The other big part of this class was making the trade for Jonathan Greenard with the Vikings, giving the team the veteran pass rusher they needed. This was a great draft top to bottom.

Best Pick: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma — 4th round, 107th overall

The 49ers operated in this draft like a team that had no issues or areas for improvement, and that didn’t make me a huge fan of this class top-to-bottom. There are definitely some nice pieces — but a lot of questions about the process with the Niners board having few lineups with consensus on value. This could be some trait-based drafting, but the fact San Francisco was using A.I. to hone this process is especially worrisome. Gracen Halton was really good value in the 4th, and where he can collapse the middle and help in run support.

Best pick: Bud Clark, S, TCU — 2nd round, 64th overall

The Hawks definitely got the secondary help they were looking for, but the corners they selected were reached for a little too far. I really like the Bud Clark pick in the 2nd round. He was one of my favorite safeties in this class, and think he can be an impact players. Still, the core issue is that the Seahawks didn’t really maximize their value with the majority of their selections. There were some rumors that Seattle was trying to make a massive trade into the Top 10 in the hopes of landing Jeremiyah Price, and when that didn’t materialize they scrambled a little too much.

Best Pick: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami — 1st round, 15th overall

The board broke in the best possible way for the Bucs in the first round as Bain slid to them at No. 15. The belief pre-draft was that Tampa Bay would have to settle for a tier two EDGE rusher, and they ended up not just getting a tier one guy — but the best pass rusher in this class for their system. From there they got another steal in round four with Keionte Scott, which made this class even better. Love what this team did top to bottom

Best Pick: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson — 3rd round, 71st overall

The Commanders had two home run picks in this draft in their first two. Sonny Styles is going to be so, so good in the NFL with range and athleticism that will make him the anchor of the Washington defense for years to come. The sizzle came in the third with one of my favorite picks in this class in Antonio Williams. All of the Clemson players were hit with a draft knock because of the Tigers’ underperformance last year, but I think the talent and skill is absolutely there. Williams compares favorably to Terry McLaurin and I love that for this team. The later rounds were more of a wash, with some picks I didn’t love — but still a solid overall haul.