Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rumors & News

2026 NFL Draft Results By Round

By Sam Robinson | at April 23, 2026 10:50 pm

From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant (No. 257), here are the results from the 2026 NFL Draft:

Round 1

1) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
2) New York Jets: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
3) Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
4) Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
5) New York Giants: Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State)
6) Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns): Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
7) Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
8) New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
9) Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
10) New York Giants (from Bengals): Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami)
11) Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs, (S, Ohio State)
12) Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys): Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama)
13) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
14) Baltimore Ravens: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
16) New York Jets (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
17) Detroit Lions: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
18) Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
19) Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
20) Philadelphia Eagles (from Packers via Cowboys): Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
23) Dallas Cowboys (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
24) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
25) Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
26) Houston Texans (from Bills): Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
27) Miami Dolphins (from 49ers): Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
28) New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills): Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
29) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams): Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
30) New York Jets (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana)
31) Tennessee Titans (from Patriots via Bills): Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
32) Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)

Round 2

33) San Francisco 49ers (from Jets):
34) Arizona Cardinals:
35) Buffalo Bills (from Titans):
36) Las Vegas Raiders:
37) New York Giants:
38) Houston Texans (from Commanders):
39) Cleveland Browns:
40) Kansas City Chiefs:
41) Cincinnati Bengals:
42) New Orleans Saints:
43) Miami Dolphins:
44) New York Jets (from Cowboys):
45) Baltimore Ravens:
46) Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
47) Indianapolis Colts:
48) Atlanta Falcons:
49) Minnesota Vikings:
50) Detroit Lions:
51) Carolina Panthers:
52) Green Bay Packers:
53) Pittsburgh Steelers:
54) Philadelphia Eagles:
55) Los Angeles Chargers:
56) Jacksonville Jaguars:
57) Chicago Bears:
58) San Francisco 49ers:
59) Houston Texans:
60) Chicago Bears (from Bills):
61) Los Angeles Rams:
62) Denver Broncos:
63) New England Patriots:
64) Seattle Seahawks:

Round 3

65) Arizona Cardinals:
66) Buffalo Bills (from Titans):
67) Las Vegas Raiders:
68) Philadelphia Eagles (from Jets):
69) Tennessee Titans (from Giants via Texans and Bills):
70) Cleveland Browns:
71) Washington Commanders:
72) Cincinnati Bengals:
73) New Orleans Saints:
74) Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs):
75) Miami Dolphins:
76) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Cowboys):
77) Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
78) Indianapolis Colts:
79) Atlanta Falcons:
80) Baltimore Ravens:
81) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Lions):
82) Minnesota Vikings:
83) Carolina Panthers:
84) Green Bay Packers:
85) Pittsburgh Steelers:
86) Los Angeles Chargers:
87) Miami Dolphins (from Eagles):
88) Jacksonville Jaguars:
89) Chicago Bears:
90) Miami Dolphins (from Texans):
91) Houston Texans (from Bills):
92) Dallas Cowboys (from 49ers):
93) Los Angeles Rams:
94) Miami Dolphins (from Broncos):
95) New England Patriots:
96) Seattle Seahawks:
97) Minnesota Vikings*:
98) Philadelphia Eagles*:
99) Pittsburgh Steelers*:
100) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Lions)**:

Round 4

101) Buffalo Bills (from Titans):
102) Las Vegas Raiders:
103) New York Jets:
104) Arizona Cardinals:
105) New York Giants:
106) Houston Texans (from Commanders):
107) Cleveland Browns:
108) Denver Broncos (from Saints):
109) Kansas City Chiefs:
110) Cincinnati Bengals:
111) Denver Broncos (from Dolphins):
112) Dallas Cowboys:
113) Indianapolis Colts:
114) Dallas Cowboys (from Falcons via Eagles):
115) Baltimore Ravens:
116) Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
117) Las Vegas Raiders (from Vikings via Jaguars):
118) Detroit Lions:
119) Carolina Panthers:
120) Green Bay Packers:
121) Pittsburgh Steelers:
122) Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles):
123) Los Angeles Chargers:
124) Jacksonville Jaguars:
125) Buffalo Bills (from Bears via Chiefs and Patriots):
126) Buffalo Bills:
127) San Francisco 49ers:
128) Detroit Lions (from Texans):
129) Chicago Bears (from Rams):
130) Miami Dolphins (from Broncos):
131) New England Patriots:
132) New Orleans Saints (from Seahawks):
133) San Francisco 49ers*:
134) Las Vegas Raiders*:
135) Pittsburgh Steelers*:
136) New Orleans Saints*:
137) Dallas Cowboys (from Eagles)*:
138) San Francisco 49ers*:
139) San Francisco 49ers*:
140) New York Jets*:

Round 5

141) Houston Texans (from Raiders via Browns):
142) Tennessee Titans (from Jets via Ravens):
143) Arizona Cardinals:
144) Tennessee Titans (reacquired via Rams):
145) New York Giants:
146) Cleveland Browns:
147) Washington Commanders:
148) Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs):
149) Cleveland Browns (from Bengals):
150) New Orleans Saints:
151) Miami Dolphins:
152) Dallas Cowboys:
153) Green Bay Packers (from Falcons via Eagles):
154) Baltimore Ravens:
155) Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
156) Indianapolis Colts:
157) Detroit Lions:
158) Carolina Panthers (from Vikings):
159) Carolina Panthers:
160) Green Bay Packers:
161) Pittsburgh Steelers:
162) Baltimore Ravens (from Chargers):
163) Minnesota Vikings (from Eagles):
164) Jacksonville Jaguars:
165) Tennessee Titans (from Bears via Bills):
166) Jacksonville Jaguars (from 49ers via Eagles):
167) Buffalo Bills (from Eagles via Texans, Eagles and Texans):
168) Buffalo Bills:
169) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams):
170) Denver Broncos:
171) New England Patriots:
172) New Orleans Saints (from Seahawks):
173) Baltimore Ravens*:
174) Baltimore Ravens*:
175) Las Vegas Raiders*:
176) Kansas City Chiefs*:
177) Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys)*:
178) Philadelphia Eagles*:
179) San Francisco 49ers (from Jets)*:
180) Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys)*:
181) Detroit Lions*:

Round 6

182) Buffalo Bills (from Jets via Browns, Jaguars and Raiders):
183) Arizona Cardinals:
184) Tennessee Titans:
185) Las Vegas Raiders:
186) New York Giants:
187) Washington Commanders:
188) Seattle Seahawks (from Browns):
189) Cincinnati Bengals:
190) New Orleans Saints:
191) New England Patriots (from Chiefs):
192) New York Giants (from Dolphins):
193) New York Giants (from Cowboys):
194) Tennessee Titans (from Ravens via Jets):
195) Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
196) Minnesota Vikings (from Colts):
197) Philadelphia Eagles (from Falcons):
198) New England Patriots (from Vikings via Texans, Vikings and 49ers):
199) Cincinnati Bengals (from Lions via Browns):
200) Carolina Panthers:
201) Green Bay Packers:
202) New England Patriots (from Steelers):
203) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Eagles via Texans and Eagles):
204) Los Angeles Chargers:
205) Detroit Lions (from Jaguars):
206) Cleveland Browns (from Bears):
207) Los Angeles Rams (from Texans via Rams and Titans):
208) Las Vegas Raiders (from Bills via Jets):
209) Washington Commanders (from 49ers):
210) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams):
211) Baltimore Ravens (from Broncos via Jets, Vikings and Eagles):
212) New England Patriots:
213) Detroit Lions (from Seahawks via Jaguars):
214) Indianapolis Colts (from Steelers)*:
215) Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles)*:
216) Pittsburgh Steelers*:

Round 7

217) Arizona Cardinals:
218) Dallas Cowboys (from Titans):
219) Las Vegas Raiders:
220) Buffalo Bills (from Jets):
221) Cincinnati Bengals (from Giants via Cowboys):
222) Detroit Lions (from Browns):
223) Washington Commanders:
224) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Saints via Patriots):
225) Tennessee Titans (from Chiefs via Cowboys):
226) Cincinnati Bengals:
227) Miami Dolphins:
228) New York Jets (from Cowboys via Bills and Raiders):
229) Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
230) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Colts):
231) Atlanta Falcons:
232) Los Angeles Rams (from Ravens):
233) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Lions):
234) Minnesota Vikings:
235) Minnesota Vikings (from Panthers):
236) Green Bay Packers:
237) Pittsburgh Steelers:
238) Miami Dolphins (from Chargers via Titans and Jets):
239) Chicago Bears (from Eagles via Jaguars and Browns):
240) Jacksonville Jaguars:
241) Chicago Bears:
242) New York Jets (from Bills via Browns):
243) Houston Texans (from 49ers):
244) Minnesota Vikings (from Texans):
245) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Rams via Texans):
246) Denver Broncos:
247) New England Patriots:
248) Cleveland Browns (from Seahawks):
249) Indianapolis Colts*:
250) Baltimore Ravens*:
251) Los Angeles Rams*:
252) Los Angeles Rams*:
253) Baltimore Ravens*:
254) Indianapolis Colts*:
255) Green Bay Packers*:
256) Denver Broncos*:
257) Denver Broncos*:

* = Compensatory pick
** = Special compensatory selection (awarded for Lions losing Aaron Glenn to Jets)

6 comments 2026 NFL Draft Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

2026 NFL Draft Results: Team By Team

By Sam Robinson | at April 23, 2026 10:09 pm

Here is every team’s haul from the 2026 NFL Draft:

Arizona Cardinals

Round 1, No. 3: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
Round 2, No. 34:
Round 3, No. 65:
Round 4, No. 104:
Round 5, No. 143:
Round 6, No. 183:
Round 7, No. 217:

Atlanta Falcons

Round 2, No. 48:
Round 3, No. 79:
Round 4, No. 122 (from Eagles):
Round 6, No. 215) (from Eagles)*
Round 7, No. 231:

Baltimore Ravens

Round 1, No. 14: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
Round 2, No. 45:
Round 3, No. 80:
Round 4, No. 115:
Round 5, No. 154:
Round 5, No. 162 (from Chargers):
Round 5, No. 173*:
Round 5, No. 174*:
Round 6, No. 211 (from Broncos via Jets, Vikings and Eagles):
Round 7, No. 250:
Round 7, No. 253:

Buffalo Bills

Round 2, No. 35 (from Titans):
Round 3, No. 66 (from Titans):
Round 3, No. 91:
Round 4, No. 101 (from Titans):
Round 4, No. 125 (from Bears via Chiefs and Patriots):
Round 4, No. 126:
Round 5, No. 167 (from Texans):
Round 5, No. 168:
Round 6, No. 182 (from Jets via Browns, Jaguars and Raiders):
Round 7, No. 220 (from Jets):

Carolina Panthers

Round 1, No. 19: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
Round 2, No. 51:
Round 3, No. 83:
Round 4, No. 119:
Round 5, No. 158 (from Vikings):
Round 5, No. 159:
Round 6, No. 200:

Chicago Bears

Round 1, No. 25: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
Round 2, No. 57:
Round 2, No. 60 (from Bills):
Round 3, No. 89:
Round 4, No. 129:
Round 7, No. 239 (from Eagles via Jaguars and Browns):
Round 7, No. 241:

Cincinnati Bengals

Round 2, No. 41:
Round 3, No. 72:
Round 4, No. 110:
Round 6, No. 189:
Round 6, No. 199 (from Lions via Browns):
Round 7, No. 221 (from Giants via Cowboys):
Round 7, No. 226:

Cleveland Browns

Round 1, No. 9 (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
Round 1, No. 24 (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
Round 2, No. 39:
Round 3, No. 70:
Round 3, No. 74 (from Chiefs):
Round 4, No. 107:
Round 5, No. 146:
Round 5, No. 148 (from Chiefs):
Round 5, No. 149 (from Bengals):
Round 6, No. 206 (from Bears):
Round 7, No. 248 (from Seahawks):

Dallas Cowboys

Round 1, No. 11 (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
Round 1, No. 23 (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
Round 3, No. 92 (from 49ers):
Round 4, No. 112:
Round 4, No. 114 (from Falcons via Eagles):
Round 5, No. 137 (from Eagles)*:
Round 5, No. 152:
Round 7, No. 218 (from Titans):

Round 2, No. 62:
Round 4, No. 108 (from Saints):
Round 4, No. 111 (from Dolphins):
Round 5, No. 170:
Round 7, No. 246:
Round 7, No. 256*:
Round 7, No. 257*:

Detroit Lions

Round 1, No. 17: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
Round 2, No. 50:
Round 4, No. 118:
Round 4, No. 128 (from Texans):
Round 5, No. 157:
Round 5, No. 181*:
Round 6, No. 205 (from Jaguars):
Round 6, No. 213 (from Seahawks via Jaguars):
Round 7, No. 222 (from Browns):

Green Bay Packers

Round 2, No. 52:
Round 3, No. 84:
Round 4, No. 120:
Round 5, No. 153 (from Falcons via Eagles):
Round 5, No. 160:
Round 6, No. 201:
Round 7, No. 236:
Round 7, No. 255*:

Houston Texans

Round 1, No. 26 (from Bills): Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
Round 2, No. 38 (from Commanders):
Round 2, No. 59:
Round 4, No. 106 (from Commanders):
Round 5, No. 141 (from Raiders via Browns):
Round 7, No. 243 (from 49ers):

Indianapolis Colts

Round 2, No. 47:
Round 3, No. 78:
Round 4, No. 113:
Round 5, No. 156:
Round 6, No. 214 (from Steelers)*:
Round 7, No. 249*:
Round 7, No. 254*:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Round 2, No. 56:
Round 3, No. 81 (from Lions):
Round 3, No. 88:
Round 3, No. 100 (from Lions)*:
Round 4, No. 124:
Round 5, No. 164:
Round 5, No. 166 (from 49ers via Eagles):
Round 6, No. 203 (from Eagles via Texans and Eagles):
Round 7, No. 233 (from Lions):
Round 7, No. 240:
Round 7, No. 245 (from Rams via Texans):

Kansas City Chiefs

Round 1, No. 6 (from Browns): Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
Round 1, No. 29 (from Rams): Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
Round 2, No. 40:
Round 4, No. 109:
Round 5, No. 169 (from Rams):
Round 5, No. 176*:
Round 210 (from Rams):

Las Vegas Raiders

Round 1, No. 1: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
Round 2, No. 36:
Round 3, No. 67:
Round 4, No. 102:
Round 4, No. 117 (from Vikings via Jaguars):
Round 4, No. 134*:
Round 5, No. 175*:
Round 6, No. 185:
Round 6, No. 208 (from Bills via Jets):
Round 7, No. 219):

Los Angeles Chargers

Round 1, No. 22: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
Round 2, No. 55:
Round 3, No. 86:
Round 4, No. 123:
Round 6, No. 204:

Los Angeles Rams

Round 1, No. 13 (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
Round 2, No. 61:
Round 3, No. 93:
Round 6, No. 207 (from Texans via Rams and Titans):
Round 7, No. 232 (from Ravens):
Round 7, No. 251*:
Round 7, No. 252*:

Miami Dolphins

Round 1, No. 12 (from Cowboys): Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama)
Round 1, No. 27 (from 49ers): Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
Round 2, No. 43:
Round 3, No. 75:
Round 3, No. 87 (from Eagles):
Round 3, No. 94 (from Broncos):
Round 4, No. 130 (from Broncos):
Round 5, No. 151:
Round 5, No. 177 (from Cowboys)*:
Round 5, No. 180 (from Cowboys)*:
Round 7, No. 227:
Round 7, No. 238 (from Chargers via Titans and Jets):

Minnesota Vikings

Round 1, No. 18: Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
Round 2, No. 49:
Round 3, No. 82:
Round 3, No. 97*:
Round 5, No. 163 (from Eagles):
Round 6, No. 196 (from Colts):
Round 7, No. 234:
Round 7, No. 235 (from Panthers):
Round 7, No. 244 (from Texans):

New England Patriots

Round 1, No. 28 (from Texans via Bills): Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
Round 2, No. 63:
Round 3, No. 95:
Round 5, No. 171:
Round 6, No. 191 (from Chiefs):
Round 6, No. 198 (from Vikings via Texans, Vikings and 49ers):
Round 6, No. 202 (from Steelers):
Round 6, No. 212:
Round 7, No. 247:

New Orleans Saints

Round 1, No. 8: Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
Round 2, No. 42:
Round 3, No. 73:
Round 4, No. 132 (from Seahawks):
Round 4, No. 136*:
Round 5, No. 150:
Round 5, No. 172 (from Seahawks):
Round 6, No. 190:

New York Giants

Round 1, No. 5: Arvell Reese (EDGE/LB, Ohio State)
Round 1, No. 10 (from Bengals): Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami)
Round 2, No. 37:
Round 4, No. 105:
Round 5, No. 145:
Round 6, No. 186:
Round 6, No. 192 (from Dolphins):
Round 6, No. 193 (from Cowboys):

New York Jets

Round 1, No. 2: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
Round 1, No. 16 (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
Round 1, No. 30 (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana)
Round 2, No. 44 (from Cowboys):
Round 4, No. 103:
Round 4, No. 140*:
Round 7, No. 228 (from Cowboys via Bills and Raiders):
Round 7, No. 242 (from Bills via Browns):

Philadelphia Eagles

Round 1, No. 20 (from Packers via Cowboys): Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
Round 2, No. 54:
Round 3, No. 68 (from Jets):
Round 3, No. 98*:
Round 5, No. 178*:
Round 6, No. 197 (from Falcons):

Pittsburgh Steelers

Round 1, No. 21: Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
Round 2, No. 53:
Round 3, No. 76 (from Cowboys):
Round 3, No. 85:
Round 3, No. 99*:
Round 4, No. 121:
Round 4, No. 135*:
Round 5, No. 161:
Round 6, No. 216*:
Round 7, No. 224 (from Saints via Patriots):
Round 7, No. 230 (from Colts):
Round 7, No. 237:

San Francisco 49ers

Round 2, No. 33 (from Jets)
Round 2, No. 58:
Round 3, No. 90 (from Texans via Dolphins)
Round 4, No. 127:
Round 4, No. 133*:
Round 4, No. 138*:
Round 4, No. 139*:
Round 5, No. 179 (from Jets)*:

Seattle Seahawks

Round 1, No. 32: Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
Round 2, No. 64:
Round 3, No. 96:
Round 6, No. 188 (from Browns):

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Round 1, No. 15: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
Round 2, No. 46:
Round 3, No. 77:
Round 4, No. 116:
Round 5, No. 155:
Round 6, No. 195:
Round 7, No. 229:

Tennessee Titans

Round 1, No. 4: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
Round 1, No. 31 (from Patriots via Bills): Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
Round 3, No. 69 (from Giants via Texans and Bills)
Round 4, No. 105 (from Bills):
Round 5, No. 142 (from Jets via Ravens):
Round 5, No. 144:
Round 5, No. 165 (from Bears via Bills):
Round 6, No. 184:
Round 6, No. 194 (from Ravens via Jets):
Round 7, No. 225 (from Chiefs via Cowboys):

Washington Commanders

Round 1, No. 7: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
Round 2, No. 71:
Round 5, No. 147:
Round 6, No. 187:
Round 6, No. 209 (from 49ers):
Round 7, No. 223:

* = Compensatory selection

0 comments 2026 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Bucs Choose DE Rueben Bain Jr. At 15

By Ely Allen | at April 23, 2026 8:40 pm

Rueben Bain Jr. will fill a key need without needing to relocate especially far. The Buccaneers are adding the Miami defensive end whose minor slide stops at No. 15.

Tampa Bay will pair the former Hurricane standout with YaYa Diaby, who is heading into a contract year. Diaby has had moderate pass rush success, totaling 19.0 sacks over his first three years of NFL play. He’s been part of a team-wide effort to get after the quarterback after the past few years, splitting the responsibility with Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea along the defensive line.

To that point, the Buccaneers couldn’t have asked for a better player to fall to them at this point in the draft to contribute to this team-wide pass rush effort. Bain is the epitome of such play, as evidenced during his three years in Coral Gables. As a true freshman, when teammate and fellow first-round pick Akheem Mesidor went down with injury, Bain stepped in as a starter and filled a giant role on the Hurricanes defense. Without lining up directly over center, Bain played all over the defensive line for Miami, leading the team with 7.5 sacks and finishing second with 12.5 tackles for loss.

Miami dedicated Bain more consistently to the outside after that. After an injury-limited sophomore campaign, Bain got to pair with Mesidor when both were healthy for the first time last year, and the two terrorized teams all through the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff run to the national title game. Bain’s addition to the Tampa Bay pass rush should excite Buccaneers fans, as Bain tends to bring success to the pass rushers around him as they benefit from the attention opposing offensive lines will pay to Bain.

A pair of controversies threatened Bain’s draft status and future NFL career as a short arm-length measurement as the NFL Scouting Combine and an unfortunate driving accident from two years ago made frequent headlines over the last month of the pre-draft process. By most accounts, NFL teams took much less stock into Bain’s arm measurements than draft pundits, and they had reportedly been made aware of the driving accident story months before it broke.

Whether these issues contributed to Bain falling out of the top 10 to No. 15 or if it was simply a run of tackles and series of trades that delayed his name getting called no longer matters Bain will head up Alligator Alley to continue his pro ball in-state. The Buccaneers will now have to figure out how to use Bain in their base 3-4 front, as an outside linebacker opposite Diaby or a versatile in-line defensive end next to Vea, Kancey, A’Shawn Robinson, and former Hurricane Elijah Roberts.

2 comments 2026 NFL Draft Tampa Bay Buccaneers Transactions Rueben Bain Jr.

Buccaneers Interested In Trading Down

By Connor Byrne | at April 22, 2026 3:42 pm

After sputtering to an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019 last season, the Buccaneers are entering this year’s draft with just seven picks. Looking to add more selections, general manager Jason Licht wants to move down from 15th overall in the first round, Albert Breer of SI.com reports.

There is likely to be a first-round run on offensive linemen beginning in the 10 to 14 range, according to insider Jordan Schultz. As Breer notes, the Lions (17), Panthers (19), Steelers (21), Eagles (23), Browns (24) and Bears (25) are all candidates to draft an O-lineman in the first round. That could put the Buccaneers in prime position to find a trade partner. As the Bucs’ GM since 2014, Licht has never been shy about moving his first-rounder. He went from nine to 11 in 2016, seven to 12 in 2018, 14 to 13 in 2020 and 27 to 33 in 2022 (h/t: Scott Smith of the team’s website).

The trades in 2018 and ’20 led to the Buccaneers using first-rounders on defensive tackle Vita Vea and left tackle Tristan Wirfs, two cornerstones. The 355-pound Vea and the 320-pound Wirfs are among Tampa Bay’s biggest players. Overall, though, head coach Todd Bowles believes the team needs more size.

“We need to get bigger from a team standpoint,” Bowles said (via Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times). “I think we need to get bigger. We’re smaller at some positions from a size standpoint. I’d like to get bigger regardless of what position it is, and I think that will be a little more emphasis this year.”

Regardless of whether the Buccaneers trade down, edge defender, linebacker and guard are among the positions they could target early in the draft. Based on Bowles’ comments, anyone dinged with the “undersized” label may be off the table for Tampa Bay.

6 comments Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/20/26

By Nikhil Mehta | at April 20, 2026 10:31 pm

Last Friday was the deadline for restricted free agents to sign offer sheets with other teams. Now, they can only sign with their original club, and a number of players completed those deals on Monday. Several exclusive rights free agents also put pen to paper, giving them at least a roster spot heading into the draft. Here are the latest updates:

Baltimore Ravens

Signed: WR Xavier Guillory

Carolina Panthers

Signed ERFA tender: WR Jalen Coker, WR Brycen Tremayne

Denver Broncos

Signed ERFA tender: LB Dondrea Tillman

Green Bay Packers

Signed ERFA tender: G Donovan Jennings, WR Bo Melton

Kansas City Chiefs

Signed ERFA tender: WR Nikko Remigio

Los Angeles Rams

Signed ERFA tender: G Justin Dedich, WR Xavier Smith

Minnesota Vikings

Signed RFA tender: LB Ivan Pace

San Francisco 49ers

Signed ERFA tender: OT Austen Pleasants

Seattle Seahawks

Signed ERFA tender: S Ty Okada

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Signed RFA tender: RB Sean Tucker

Coker signed with the Panthers as an undrafted rookie in 2024. He has quietly been a consistent presence in Carolina’s offense with 39.6 yards per game and 9.8 yards per target in 22 appearances across his first two seasons. That is better production than 2024 first-rounder Xavier Legette, indicating Coker could be in line for a bigger role in 2026.

The Packers turned heads when they attempted to convert Melton to cornerback last year, but he instead served as their primary kick returner with just 96 snaps on offense. The departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks could open up more targets this year.

Remigio was a reliable returner for the Chiefs in his first two years in the NFL. He is now set to retain that role for another season.

Dedich started nine games at both guard spots for the Rams in the last two years. He can also line up at center and will continue to serve as valuable depth on the interior.

Pace saw his defensive snap share drop precipitously in 2025 with former Packer Eric Wilson stepping up next to Blake Cashman. He will likely remain in a tertiary role in 2026 while serving as a core special teams contributor.

The Seahawks dealt with several injuries in their safety room in 2025, pressing Okada into 11 starts on one of the league’s best defenses. He largely held up, though he returned to the bench in the postseason with Julian Love back on the field.

Tucker showed promise in 2024 with 308 yards on 50 carries (6.2 yards per attempt). However, he did not step up in 2025 despite Bucky Irving‘s extended absence, managing 320 yards on 86 carries (3.7 yards per attempt). He did find the end zone seven times on the ground, and his return abilities should keep him in the mix for a 2026 roster spot.

LB Alex Anzalone Turned Down Better Offers To Sign With Bucs

By Nikhil Mehta | at April 19, 2026 11:14 pm

After five years in Detroit, linebacker Alex Anzalone left the Lions this offseason and took a two-year, $17MM deal with the Buccaneers. He could have earned more elsewhere, but his existing connection to Tampa Bay made it an easy decision.

“It actually means something to play in Tampa.” Anzalone told NFL insider Jordan Schultz this month. He and his wife already have a house in the area where they are raising their children, so signing with the Buccaneers was a homecoming of sorts.

Anzalone also expressed excitement about playing in Todd Bowles‘ defense, calling it a “perfect fit.” He has spent most of his career playing under coaches who served with or under Bowles at some point in his career. That list that includes both Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn.

The 31-year-old linebacker’s experience will be crucial. He has big shoes to fill following franchise legend Lavonte David‘s retirement this offseason after 14 years in Tampa Bay. Anzalone will start next to SirVocea Dennis, though the Buccaneers could stand to add a young linebacker to develop next to Anzalone in the draft.

While money was not the primary motivator behind Anzalone’s arrival in Tampa Bay, it was the driving force of his exit from Detroit. He sought a raise heading into 2025, a contract year but did not receive one, an indicator that the Lions were not planning to sign him to another deal.

“It literally just came down to finances and what [the Lions] could and couldn’t afford,” Anzalone said. “It’s the nature of the beast. It’s the business. Their front office made decisions of where they wanted to invest money, and it wasn’t in me, and it is what it is.”

Anzalone earned just over $24MM during his five seasons in Detroit. That is a relatively small sum for a veteran starter on a defense that ranked among the best in the league multiple times. In Tampa Bay, he will make about two-thirds of that amount in just two years.

2 comments Detroit Lions Tampa Bay Buccaneers Alex Anzalone

Pro Football Rumors 2026 NFL Mock Draft

By Ely Allen | at April 18, 2026 10:05 pm

Making a mock draft a year ago was so much simpler. When the Titans were put on the clock at No. 1 overall, all 32 NFL teams held their own first-round picks. This year, four teams have two first-round picks, and five do not pick until Day 2. In addition, draft pundits believe teams will be aggressive with trades in the first round this year. As a result, there has been speculation an early run of offensive tackle prospects could be coming in this draft, delaying any similar run for wide receivers.

Unfortunately, in the current draft order, an early run of offensive tackles makes very little sense, and attempting to predict which teams will outbid which teams to trade up with whichever other third teams is a challenge that would ultimately lead to option paralysis — or, really, more option paralysis than a mock draft usually induces. Therefore, we will continue last year’s tradition, ignoring any trade possibilities after this date and identifying optimal prospects for each team in its current draft slot with its current position needs. And, because no one should have to miss out on the fun, the five teams not participating on Day 1 will still get mocks for their first picks in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Editor’s note: Bengals have since traded No. 10 overall to Giants for DT Dexter Lawrence

1) Las Vegas Raiders — QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

Do we really have to explain much here? Mendoza established himself as the No. 1 overall pick weeks before ultimately securing the Heisman Trophy and a national title. The only question remaining at that point was which team would find their way to the top slot in the draft. Thanks to some late-season wins from the Giants, who had already seemingly found their quarterback of the future, Las Vegas became the clear destination for the Hoosiers’ champion.

Mendoza isn’t quite the top overall pick we’re used to. The Cal transfer benefitted greatly from the offense around him in Bloomington, running frequent run-pass options and quickly getting the ball out to his first, designed read. A good amount of Mendoza’s success last season stemmed from the system and a talented group of receivers around him, and he probably wouldn’t disagree with that. That’s not to say that he can’t do the things he didn’t need to in Indiana. He will just need to work at the next level on deep ball consistency and progressing to his third or even fourth reads, instead of bailing too quickly from the pocket.

Lucky for him, mentor Tom Brady & Co. are setting things up nicely for him. The Raiders have invested heavily in the offensive line lately, and Ashton Jeanty in the backfield should serve as a solid half of any RPOs Vegas opts to adopt from Mendoza’s former team. Mendoza is a smart leader with viral positivity, and he does a lot of the small things right, excelling with anticipation, velocity, and placement at the short and intermediate levels. The Hoosiers haven’t produced a first-round pick since 1994, and Mendoza should become the school’s second-ever top overall pick, following in the footsteps of fullback Corbett Davis (a 1938 Cleveland Rams draftee).

2) New York Jets — DE David Bailey, Texas Tech

The Jets have sold a lot of pieces in recent years, and it’s time to use the loot they’ve stored to restock. Pass rusher has long been the expected position here. Yes, New York has needs at quarterback, but it appears the team is saving up for next year. The Jets are reportedly interested in Ohio State off-ball linebacker Sonny Styles here, but at No. 2 overall, the designated salary in that draft slot would make Styles the ninth-highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL. That draft slot would bring more guaranteed money than Fred Warner and Roquan Smith secured on their extensions, and the Jets would have approximately $68.81MM going to the inside linebacker position — with the team signing Demario Davis a year after authorizing a pricey Jamien Sherwood re-signing — over the next two years.

More realistically, that kind of dough will be going to a pass rusher. Styles’ teammate Arvell Reese was presumed to be the pick here as a multifaceted defender with untapped pass-rushing potential in the mold of Micah Parsons or Abdul Carter, but lately Bailey has become a more popular pick. There’s more to the argument than just this, but it’s a classic debate between production and potential. Having just led Division I-FBS with 14.5 sacks as a Red Raider, Bailey could fit in beautifully across from Will McDonald to form an imposing pass-rushing duo.

3) Arizona Cardinals — DE/LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State

Man, it really feels like the Cardinals want Bailey here. Reese is also a talented pass rusher and may have a higher ceiling, but Bailey’s game could be a strong fit in Arizona. On offense, the team’s right tackle spot is wide open; Elijah Wilkinson is currently slotted into the starting role opposite Paris Johnson Jr. The Cardinals could go with college RTs Francis Mauigoa (Miami) or Spencer Fano (Utah) here, but ignoring the value of Reese at No. 3 feels wrong. Some early-drafting NFL teams have been looking to trade down, and the Cardinals could certainly offer to move back a few spots to let someone else have Reese while they get a tackle and some draft compensation, but we’re not doing trades.

Instead, the Cardinals take the best player available while still landing a player at a position of need. Reese could easily slot in as a starter across from Josh Sweat as a rookie and inject some life into a pass rush that boasted the third-lowest sack total in the NFL last year. Hell, if needed, Reese could even continue to split time as an off-ball linebacker, like he did as a Buckeye, supplementing a group currently headlined by Mack Wilson, Zaven Collins, and Cody Simon. Reese would have a clear path to becoming the best player at either position if he develops as expected. The Cards making this pick would continue a trend of selecting hybrid players in Round 1, which the team did with Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Haason Reddick (at the time) and Deone Bucannon.

4) Tennessee Titans — RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame

The Titans still have so many positions of need they could go almost anywhere with this pick and not be wrong. If Reese or Bailey are still available, the leftover pass rusher could easily be the right call here. Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. would take to the NFL easily with Jeffery Simmons as a mentor (though, the team has strayed from this idea after early thoughts of reuniting him with Cam Ward). Styles would be an instant upgrade to the linebacking corps, or the team could explore any of the options at tackle. Tennessee could also go with yet another Buckeye and provide Ward with a high-caliber weapon in wide receiver Carnell Tate.

Ultimately, though, a different kind of weapon for Ward may prevail here. After initially being challenged on his rightful place in the top 10 picks of the draft, Love has been creeping higher and higher up projection boards. As we mentioned with Styles, taking Love here instantly makes him the eighth-highest-paid running back in the league. Love going here would also move him past Saquon Barkley for most fully guaranteed money allocated to a running back. The Raiders entered that neighborhood last year by drafting Jeanty at No. 6.

Love would instantly take an immense amount of pressure off Ward, who led the league in sacks taken last year. Love has the type of game-changing talent that could open up the offense. With a remarkable blend of strength, speed, aggression, and balance, this high-jumping rusher will bring Offensive Rookie of the Year potential.

5) New York Giants — T Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)

One of the teams leading the charge for trading back from the early first round has been John Harbaugh’s Giants, and that could be the most likely outcome for this pick where talent exists but maybe not at positions New York is trying to bolster. At some point, adding another starting-caliber receiver or cornerback or investing in a top defensive tackle prospect could be really impactful for the Giants, but this early, anyone aside from Tate feels like a significant reach here, and Tate still feels like a bit of a reach at No. 5 (though, his stock has continued to grow lately). It feels like the team did enough work at linebacker and tight end in free agency to rule those out, too.

If the Giants are staying put here, Mauigoa makes sense for a few reasons. While the Giants have their starting tackles in place on multiyear deals, Andrew Thomas has struggled with his health in recent years. Now, a fifth overall pick may seem a bit rich for a swing tackle, but draft pundits have been pretty vocal about their belief that Mauigoa’s best position may be on the interior offensive line, where the Giants have questionable starters on expiring deals.

Though he only played right tackle in college, Mauigoa has expressed willingness to move around the line. There are areas he could improve on as he develops as an NFL tackle, but if Big Blue needs to stick him at guard right now, he’s got a strong skillset to start there and kick out to cover a tackle spot if needed, solving multiple issues along the team’s offensive line.

6) Cleveland Browns — T Spencer Fano, Utah

Let’s cheat a bit here. Even though the potential run of offensive tackles is not to come in this mock, we can put Cleveland in that mindset and still have this make sense. The Browns’ biggest needs are at wide receiver and offensive line. If there’s going to be a run of tackles delaying the selection of top receivers, it makes sense for the team to lock up a strong bookend at the start of the run and hope the depth of the top-tier receivers will leave some strong options remaining when their second Day 1 pick rolls around.

Cleveland was recently linked to Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor, but it’s hard to picture him jumping up a few spots over Fano. Proctor may make sense if the Browns trade back a bit, though, and that’s something that’s been rumored for both their picks. Instead, Cleveland follows New York’s example and lands a top right tackle with potential versatility — honestly, these two picks could be swapped and it wouldn’t shock. Neither team could really go wrong with either player. As the Browns completely rebuild their offensive line from last year with a few new and familiar pieces, Fano could be an indispensable option with the ability to solve multiple issues, much like Mauigoa.

7) Washington Commanders — LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State

This was a tough one. The Commanders lost a good number of pieces in free agency but did a good overall job of restocking. Bringing in Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson should help the pass rush, and Chig Okonkwo should be able to effectively replace Zach Ertz. The return of Dyami Brown and addition of Van Jefferson were barely convincing enough to not go Tate here, and it doesn’t feel like cornerback is the move here either after the team used high picks on Mike Sainristil and Trey Amos in recent years.

Ultimately, Styles feels like the obvious solution. After watching veteran Bobby Wagner‘s contract expire, the Commanders’ addition of Leo Chenal next to Frankie Luvu looked like a decent attempt to fill the hole. But Chenal played limited snaps in Kansas City and both players have split their time between the edge and the box.

Adding Styles to the linebacking corps would give the team an immediate presence on the inside, making up for the loss of Wagner and establishing the new defensive centerpiece Washington can build around. With an ideal size-speed makeup to roam over the middle, Styles would allow Luvu and Chenal to continue in the supplemental roles that they thrive in.

8) New Orleans Saints — WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State

Pass rusher, cornerback, and safety all felt like possibilities for New Orleans at No. 8, and there are great options at every position here. The Saints could make Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. the third pass rusher to come off the board and replace Cameron Jordan or crack the seal on the secondary to take local cornerback Mansoor Delane out of LSU or safety Caleb Downs, yet another Ohio State prospect. With a young quarterback hoping to establish himself after a promising end to his 2025 campaign, though, the Saints take a look at his cupboard and realize some additions may need to be made to the wide receiving corps.

Tyler Shough has a reliable target in Chris Olave (when he’s healthy), but behind the former Ohio State talent, Devaughn Vele, Kevin Austin and Mason Tipton return from last year to compete for secondary targets. What’s worse, all of those pass catchers’ contracts expire this year or the next. While Bain, Delane or Downs could certainly make an impact on a defense moving on from a few veteran leaders, Tate feels like he could have the biggest impact on New Orleans’ future.

An Olave-Tate duo would be formidable for Shough to target, all while providing the Saints with a bit of long-term security at the position. Tate is a proven deep threat, a strong route runner, and a winner of contested targets. In addition to his producing on his own, Tate could really open things up for the other players in the Saints’ offense.

9) Kansas City Chiefs — DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)

Edge and receiver feel like the two biggest needs for Kansas City, a team not used to drafting this early. Defensive tackle is also a huge need as Chris Jones continues to age, but the draft’s best interior defender prospect would be a better value with the Chiefs’ second pick in the first round. With the Chiefs just missing out on Tate here, the next two receivers on the board — USC’s Makai Lemon and Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson — don’t feel like slam-dunk additions to a group of weapons we know Patrick Mahomes can make work if necessary.

With Bailey and Reese off the board, Bain is the top option for Kansas City, and he actually feels like a perfect fit regardless of who’s available. While Bain operates most often on the edge, the strong, stout pass rusher saw work across the defensive line during his time at Miami. Putting Bain next to Jones would be pairing him with an ideal mentor. Already adept at utilizing an elite get-off and sudden power, Bain could put the finishing touches on his game by taking after the disruptive veteran.

In college, Bain and teammate Akheem Mesidor elevated each other’s production by ensuring that neither side of the line ever felt secure. Adding Bain to a pass rush with Jones and George Karlaftis could pay huge dividends on a Kansas City defense that finished the season with the seventh-lowest sack total.

10) Cincinnati Bengals — S Caleb Downs, Ohio State

Look, until things improve here, Cincinnati needs to continue using these top picks on defense or its offensive line. While the draft’s top guard prospect — Penn State’s Olaivavega Ioane — could be a really strong addition here, defense does feel like the bigger priority at this point in time. Any picks at defensive tackle or linebacker would be too much of a reach at No. 10, now that Styles is gone, and it would feel strange for Cincy to go for a mid-first-round pass rusher for the second year in a row. Cornerback would honestly make a ton of sense for the Bengals, and Delane would slot in nicely, but there’s a more talented prospect who has already fallen much too far and would bring tremendous value here.

The Bengals let the draft come to them and land Downs, this year’s top safety prospect, as a result. Some have Downs as a potential top-five pick, and he very well could be. Cincinnati’s safety trio struggled through much of last year, and only Jordan Battle returns. The team made a strong pickup in free agency with Bryan Cook, and though Kyle Dugger has struggled in recent years, he adds depth and starting experience. Battle is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and while he put up big numbers this past year, he gave up some big plays and has not been able to effectively stop the bleeding in Cincinnati. Downs has potential to do just that. With intelligence and the ability to impact the game from anywhere on the field, Downs is too talented to fall out of the top 10.

11) Miami Dolphins — WR Makai Lemon, USC

Miami has too many needs to address at the moment and not enough first-round picks to cover them all. On the edge, the Dolphins bid farewell to Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips and didn’t do a good enough job replacing them in free agency. Replacements Josh Uche, David Ojabo and Robert Beal combined last year for all of 1.5 sacks. The same can be said at cornerback, where free agents Kader Kohou, Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas have been replaced by Darrell Baker, Marco Wilson and Alex Austin. Mesidor or Delane would make a ton of sense for these reasons, but another pick feels better here.

Just like at EDGE and cornerback, Miami lost significant contributors at wide receiver last year, saying goodbye to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The free agents signed in their place? Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, joining a group led by returners Malik Washington and Theo Wease. The Dolphins aren’t doing new quarterback Malik Willis any favors; to that point, adding Lemon here feels like a must.

Lemon has the potential to be a carbon-copy replacement of Waddle, just with fresher legs and a cheaper contract. Lacking elite size, Lemon is a crafty route runner with excellent hands and elusiveness. In a bad place at several positions, the Dolphins still have a chance to make lemonade.

12) Dallas Cowboys — CB Mansoor Delane, LSU

The Cowboys’ roster does not really feature too many holes. Dallas certainly has room for improvement, but the team employs workable players at every position. The Cowboys’ issues really tend to come as a result of poor health. Linebacker may be their biggest actual need, but at this point in the first round, that’s not a viable option. Dallas would also stand to benefit from additions on the offensive line, but after last year, defense has to be the priority. Adding a third edge rusher to rotate in amongst Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku could be beneficial, but the value may not be great here.

Instead, the Cowboys have a chance to add the top prospect at the cornerback position. Dallas has one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks in pick-six machine DaRon Bland, but the talent level drops off a bit behind him. Shavon Revel showed first-round talent before injury forced him into the third round last year, and the free agent signings of former Rams cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick certainly help Dallas, but top-end talent remains an issue.

Delane would be an instant plug and play in Dallas. He doesn’t have ideal size or speed, and he could certainly get stronger, but he does the things a cornerback needs to do and makes it look easy. Elite hips, quick feet, and controlled transitions will allow Delane to cover guys bigger or faster than him at the next level.

13) Los Angeles Rams — WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State

The Rams are such a well-stocked team that their lack of a Super Bowl in the past couple years is honestly surprising. Adding offensive line depth is always a possibility, especially when a team is rich in talent and especially when that talent is young and could soon earn big contracts elsewhere in free agency. Los Angeles did an outstanding job of reloading its cornerbacks room after losing four players to free agency. Bringing in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson from the Chiefs represents a huge improvement, but there is plenty of room on the roster for depth.

We’ll go in a slightly different direction here. The Rams obviously have very talented players leading their receiving corps in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. We’ll only mention in quick passing Nacua’s offseason activities and the hint of volatility they add to his job security. Even if Nacua stays squeaky clean and never misses a day again, Los Angeles could still certainly benefit from the addition of a third wideout to contribute alongside he and Adams or step up in either player’s absence.

Though Tyson has an injury history of his own that warrants consideration, he has an expert feel for getting open and finding the holes in coverages when he is on the field. Defenses will already be keying in on the proven weapons at Matthew Stafford‘s disposal; throwing in a man open more often than a 7-Eleven feels like a cheat code.

14) Baltimore Ravens — OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State

Before getting to the obvious points, let’s pretend they don’t exist for a second. With the declining performance of tight end Mark Andrews — though, he’s still a regular-season touchdown machine — and presumed heir apparent Isaiah Likely following Harbaugh to New York, Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is such a tempting pick here. The continued questions surrounding Nnamdi Madubuike‘s future make interior defensive line an option to consider later on in the draft, and adding some edge depth behind new star Trey Hendrickson and last year’s draft addition Mike Green could be beneficial. Don’t rule out cornerback either, as the team’s future at the position holds a bit of intrigue at the moment.

Let’s not overthink this one, though. Passing up on interior offensive line here would be insane. Lamar Jackson can work miracles, but it just seems cruel to force him to do so as often as he needed to last year when poor play at the guard positions put him in constant danger. Throw in the loss of star center Tyler Linderbaum, and the Ravens have almost no choice but to start rebuilding in front of Jackson. With Ronnie Stanley‘s contract situation a bit tenuous over the next two years, even offensive tackle would be a decent move here.

Even though Baltimore is known for drafting the best player available, one has to believe Ioane is near the top of that list. If guards were generally valued as highly as tackles, Ioane may even be the top lineman in the class. An elite run grader and damn near elite in pass pro, Ioane is a true, powerful people mover reminiscent of the days of Marshal Yanda. It would be bold of the Ravens to pass up an opportunity to fully solve a multiyear problem by drafting Ioane.

15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Tampa Bay did a good job addressing its losses in free agency by bringing in contributors at defensive tackle and linebacker, and drafting Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan over the past few years made Mike Evans‘ departure a bit easier to stomach. Adding an edge rusher here is tempting with YaYa Diaby and Al-Quadin Muhammad looking like the top two players at that position at the moment, but the Buccaneers have a more glaring need to fill.

Jamel Dean‘s departure in free agency deals a major blow to the Bucs’ secondary. Sure, the team utilized a high pick on a cornerback last year (Benjamin Morrison) and watched him struggle through his rookie season, so it may be scary to take a chance on a cornerback coming back from a major injury. But McCoy is definitely worth the risk.

The Tennessee product showed so many good traits as an underclassman that he’s still considered a first-round talent after missing his entire third year of collegiate play due to an ACL tear. He’ll have to quickly grow out of some youthful tendencies to commit penalties when in trouble, but if McCoy is fully recovered in time for his rookie year, he has a lot of strong tools that will translate well to the next level, including elite on-ball production.

16) New York Jets — WR Denzel Boston, Washington

We swing back around to the Jets, who took care of their edge rush with their first pick in the first round and can now move on to their next biggest need, keeping in mind that quarterback seems to be a focus for the 2027 offseason. Interior offensive line, linebacker, or cornerback could all be serious considerations here if there were any that felt like a mid-first-round value, but the best available players at those positions are seen more as late-first-round prospects.

We can still attack a position of need here in the receiving corps, though, where Garrett Wilson remains WR1, but competition with Adonai Mitchell for the WR2 job is wide open for any takers. Personally, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. feels like the top option available here, but the Jets put more value on Boston, who is one of three wideouts on whom they are believed to have a first-round grade.

The biggest knock on Boston is his speed, but Wilson and Mitchell already have that in spades. Boston provides them with a big-bodied, sure-handed pass catcher who is also a physical, willing blocker. As rare as it is to say, New York seems to really like Boston here, and Boston could be part of Gang Green’s long-term plan for next year’s quarterback addition.

17) Detroit Lions — T Monroe Freeling, Georgia

Like the Rams, the Lions have very few holes on their depth chart. Some potential health issues at safety, cornerback, defensive tackle and tight end could pose some trouble, but Detroit has already built impressive depth at those positions. There is no depth at the linebacker spots behind strong starters, but that’s a concern for the later rounds of the draft. The one real consideration to make here is at edge rusher, where the expired contracts of Marcus Davenport and Josh Paschal and the departure of Al-Quadin Muhammad have left Aidan Hutchinson to rush opposite D.J. Wonnum for the 2026 season. Adding someone with a bit more production potential would be a really good move here.

But it’s time we finally get to the rumored run of offensive tackles as we start to run into teams they finally make sense for. With Taylor Decker‘s contract expired, free agent addition Larry Borom — traditionally known more as a swing tackle — is currently the team’s best option to start opposite Penei Sewell. Freeling has shot up draft boards in the past few weeks with an impressive frame, advanced athleticism, and a quick get-off. The 21-year-old has some developing to do once he enters the NFL, but he has enough tools to potentially start right away. The Lions are set up well to have him sit behind Borom, if necessary, until he’s ready to take on a starting job on the offensive line.

18) Minnesota Vikings — S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon

Minnesota definitely has some areas to address in the draft, but positions of need like center and defensive tackle should wait until prospects better fit the value of the pick. Cornerback is an interesting position to look at here for the Vikings, who could use some more top-end talent and depth in their current group. Wide receiver is also an obvious secondary need with the sheer drop-off that occurs after Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the depth chart, and a smaller slot guy like Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion could be an attractive third option in Minnesota.

The biggest hole on the depth chart, though, is at safety, where the expired contract of veteran Harrison Smith has left the team thin. Determining this draft class’ No. 2 safety is a real challenge and probably a toss-up for outsiders, but the Vikings are likely going to have some preference in the options between Thieneman and Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren. Both players could slip into any scheme. McNeil-Warren’s strength comes from his physical attributes and abilities, while Thieneman’s comes from versatility and play recognition. Both players have the ability to start and make plays all over the field as rookies, but Thieneman slips into the that old Smith mold a bit too well to pass up.

19) Carolina Panthers — TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

After seeing Thieneman go off the board following the onset of the long-rumored tackle run before that, Carolina could be tempted to go after either position. The Panthers return four safeties from last year, but McNeil-Warren could certainly work his way onto the field in three-safety looks for Carolina. Ikem Ekwonu and Rasheed Walker‘s contracts expire after this season, and Taylor Moton‘s deal expires the year after that; the team could get a head start on restocking in case the long-term solution at the position isn’t currently in the building. Adding more edge depth is a thought for the draft, as well, but after shelling out for Jaelan Phillips and using a high draft pick on Nic Scourton last year, the Panthers have likely invested enough at the position.

The Panthers have commented on potentially taking a pass catcher with their first-round pick for the third year in a row, but we’re going to mess with that a bit to reward Carolina with a pass catcher that more effectively improves the outlook of the depth chart.

Instead of encouraging the team to add a third Day 1 receiver, after Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette, to a room that also includes Jalen Coker, John Metchie, and others, we’re bringing Sadiq in to lead a tight end group that currently houses Ja’Tavion Sanders, Tommy Tremble, Mitchell Evans, and Feleipe Franks. Sadiq is far and away the top tight end prospect in this class. To reach elite status, he’ll have to cut down on drops and work to make sure his blocking skills translate at the NFL level, but Sadiq has all the tools to be an impact player in the Panthers’ offense.

20) Dallas Cowboys — OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)

The Cowboys are considering kicking All-Pro guard Tyler Smith out to the tackle position he manned as a rookie, but if they were tempted to leave him in at guard, partaking in the tackle run could be a beneficial move here. Dallas found huge success in the early days of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott thanks to outstanding offensive line play and would do well to return to such an approach with the addition of someone like Alabama tackle Kadyn Proctor.

But even after taking a cornerback earlier in the first round, it still would behoove the Cowboys to continue improving their defense. And since they didn’t add a third pass rusher up at No. 12, we’ll make sure they get one here.

There have been late rumors that Dallas could be looking to trade up from its first pick for Bain, but since trades aren’t allowed here, Mesidor heads to the Cowboys as a hell of a consolation prize. The only reasons Mesidor isn’t up closer to Bain are his advanced age and injury history, but the 25-year-old is a menace with a nonstop motor and ridiculous production. He’s a plug-and-play defender who, like Bain, has versatile experience playing throughout the defensive line.

21) Pittsburgh Steelers — T Kadyn Proctor, Alabama

Until we hear anything definitive about the plans of ole Discount Double Check, quarterback remains a massive need for Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, it seems Alabama passer Ty Simpson’s single year of starting experience is too much of a concern for the Steelers to add him to the crew. The team could also take a close look at safety, where the oft-injured DeShon Elliott is set to return next to some combination of Jalen Ramsey and free agent addition Jaquan Brisker. If Ramsey and Elliott can return to their top levels of play, they should be fine, but adding McNeil-Warren this late in the draft would certainly annoy the rest of the AFC North.

Instead, we’re going to attempt to shore up Pittsburgh’s offensive line, which is solid at three points at the moment. The departure of Isaac Seumalo in free agency makes that guard spot a question mark, and Broderick Jones‘ struggles have continued into his third season. An injury coming during the 2025 campaign further derailed his year. Proctor is another tackle prospect that will need some development at the next level, but he has so many good tools already.

Like many of the other tackles in the draft class, Proctor has strong tackle potential, but many teams will be interested seeing how he fits in at guard. This makes Proctor a strong fit for a Steelers team that could slip him into Seumalo’s old spot or bump him out to replace Jones in case of emergency.

22) Los Angeles Chargers — CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

Because of a disastrous 2025 campaign up front, adding anywhere along the offensive line would make sense for Los Angeles. The team is currently thin in terms of tackle depth after watching both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt go down with season-ending injuries last year. Using a third first-round pick on a tackle in just five years, though, feels limiting to the rest of the roster. Another area the Chargers could look at here is defensive tackle, and even though we’re getting much closer to an appropriate value slot for Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, another defensive position probably needs more help in Los Angeles here.

While the Chargers return three starters at cornerback, the depth behind them is suspect. The Southern California-based prospect would immediately improve the depth and quality of the room. Johnson could even push for a starting spot with a good chance of earning it. In college, Johnson had a tendency to lose out to bigger, more physical receivers, and his only experience playing Power 4 competition came in two games against Cal. As long as the next stages of the game aren’t too big for him, the 21-year-old cover man’ instincts, ball skills and big-play ability give him every opportunity to make an impact as a rookie.

23) Philadelphia Eagles — S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo

Much like their NFC foes in Detroit and L.A., the Eagles have a solid first-team build. If we’re nit-picking, Philadelphia could use a bit of depth at guard, especially with Tyler Steen entering a contract year. An option like Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis might not be too much of a reach here. The team could also stand to add a bit more talent to its receiving corps. With A.J. Brown‘s departure seeming like a foregone conclusion at this point, Cooper could be a strong replacement fit.

But the Eagles actually have a decent hole on the depth chart at safety. With Reed Blankenship departing for Houston in free agency, the Eagles need a new starter next to last year’s high draft pick, Andrew Mukuba. Marcus Epps is still around after serving as a backup last year, but McNeil-Warren could be an immediate difference-maker for Philadelphia here.

A physical specimen, McNeil-Warren’s tall, long-legged frame isn’t the typical build of a safety, but he doesn’t look a bit out of place in the defensive backfield. He’s disciplined but aggressive with great hands for catching balls or punching them loose. He’s got potential to elevate the Eagles’ safety room if the team can land him here.

24) Cleveland Browns — WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M

We were very clear when discussing Cleveland’s first pick of the first round; offensive tackle and wide receiver are the Browns’ biggest needs. We mocked them to land a top tackle option in Fano, and they can now turn focus to their receiving corps. A few receivers have come off the board by now, and of the remaining options, two feel like the best fits at this point. Cooper offers decent size and run-after-catch ability that could supplement some of the weapons Cleveland already has, but there could be a better fit still.

Concepcion provides that same RAC ability and a bit more. Concepcion and Cooper are a tad undersized, but the former more than makes up for it with elite agility that helps him navigate traffic and evade tacklers after the catch. The quarterback situation in Cleveland is still in flux, but regardless of whether Deshaun Watson or Shedeur Sanders is behind center, a diverse array of receiving targets will be an essential factor in how successful the eventual starting passer will be. If Concepcion plays up to his potential, he could be an upgrade at WR3 over Isaiah Bond and a return-game improvement over Tylan Wallace.

25) Chicago Bears — DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn

The Bears are in tough spot here. Safety would have been an easy need to fill just a couple picks ago, but with Thieneman and McNeil-Warren off the board, there are no longer any safeties worth drafting in this range. The Bears also need a center, but it doesn’t look like anybody is drafting a center in this year’s first round, so Chicago can probably land a top center prospect on Day 2. Offensive tackle feels like a decent need because of the injury to Ozzy Trapilo, though the 2025 second-rounder looked like a real long-term solution for the Bears before going down with injury. Spending a first-round pick to fill his role will feel like a waste if he’s able to return with ease by 2027.

There is a hole on the depth chart that the Bears can reasonably address here, however. After Montez Sweat, a big talent drop-off exists within the team’s edge-rushing group. Faulk isn’t your typical potential-without-production prospect. It’s not that he looks the part and has the physical tools but just can’t put it together on the field; he is just, seemingly, always right around the play, disrupting it, but hardly ever the one finishing it. The 21-year-old has plenty of room to grow, and learning under Sweat could do wonders for his game and a Bears defense that produced the fifth-lowest sack total in the NFL last year.

26) Buffalo Bills — DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State

Buffalo lost a lot in free agency, but for the most part, the Bills were able to restock at a lot of key positions. The team did some shuffling at safety, moving on from Darnell Savage, Taylor Rapp and Jordan Poyer but re-signing Damar Hamlin and adding C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Geno Stone. Still, the Bills may not feel quite comfortable with the depth chart there just yet. Either way, there aren’t any first-round-worthy prospects left at safety, so they could trade back or just wait for later picks to address that area. The Bills could also benefit from another addition to their receiving corps, but they’ve swung and missed there before, and Josh Allen can certainly do more than most quarterbacks with less.

With DaQuan Jones, Larry Ogunjobi and Jordan Phillips all hitting free agency, the Bills could really use some promising young talent on the defensive line. Fortunately for McDonald, a team with a need at his position is finally within a reasonable range to draft him.

McDonald is a perfect piece to slot into this Bills defensive line. He’s an elite run stopper in the middle who doesn’t have a super formidable pass rush at the moment. Give him time to develop one as he grows accustomed to the speed and physicality of the NFL game. He should be fine playing early and often, competing for snaps with 2025 draft additions T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker.

27) San Francisco 49ers — T Caleb Lomu, Utah

There was a decent chance we were about to see a run of defensive tackles, or at least three in a row. The free agency departures of Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis and Kevin Givens certainly limited the 49ers’ depth on the interior defensive line, and they will have to address that — even after trading for Osa Odighizuwa. After dedicating two high picks to the D-line by drafting Mykel Williams and Alfred Collins last year, though, San Francisco may want to spread its high draft picks to other position groups.

Trent Williams is entering an age-38 season. The future Hall of Famer is still playing at a high level, but he and the 49ers — despite the team making a recent offer — have not agreed on an extension that locks him down beyond 2026. Even if the sides do work something out, it may be time to start planning for the future.

The 49ers signed former Patriots tackle Vederian Lowe in free agency, but he seems like a swing tackle option to replace Spencer Burford. San Francisco could bring Lomu in here to sap every liquid ounce of knowledge Williams has to offer. Lomu is not quite ready to start just yet, needing to further develop his technique and get stronger. Letting him do so behind Williams is a no-brainer.

28) Houston Texans — DT Peter Woods, Clemson

On defense, the Texans are so good, the only thing that seems to be hurting them is the existence of contract expiration dates. Houston is in a good spot to add a top-tier linebacker prospect, but there’s better value picks to choose from. The team has sustained too many wide receiver injuries over the years not to consider looking at that position group. The Texans may think to add there or even at tight end. It is probably still just too early for any of the available tight ends, but receivers like Cooper, Alabama’s Germie Bernard or Louisville’s Chris Bell are all thoughts here.

On the topic of expiring contracts, Woods is a great value pick here to set up the future of the Texans’ defensive line. Tommy Togiai is on the final year of his contract, and Sheldon Rankins (re-signed on a two-year, $17MM deal) turned 32 this month. Woods has big-play ability and should be able to contribute on defense right away as he develops on the go. He’s quick for his size and has a decent pass-rush arsenal for an interior defender. If picked here, Woods could be a solid rotational lineman gaining experience until he is ready to take over in a full-time starting role.

29) Kansas City Chiefs — WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana

Like the Browns, the Chiefs’ needs were pretty clearly laid out with defensive end and wide receiver the top priorities. They passed up the likes of Lemon and Tyson to secure an elite, game-wrecking pass rusher earlier in the night. After taking care of its pass rush with the ninth overall pick, Kansas City can now shop for a new weapon for Mahomes. Boston felt like a great fit for what the Chiefs were missing on offense, but the Jets fell in love with him and ruined that plan. If the Chiefs do still want that kind of big-bodied receiver, Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields could be an option in the second or third round.

Whether or not he adds the new element Boston could have, Cooper is too talented to still be on the board here; the Chiefs luck out in landing him. The Chiefs have plenty of speed from the likes of Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton. Cooper actually looks to be around the same size as Rashee Rice, and both players’ biggest asset to the game is their elite yards-after-catch production.

A few final points: Rice is set to play on a contract year in 2026, the former second-rounder has — for some reason or another — only played in 12 of a possible 34 games over the past two seasons, and his frequent off-field issues may warrant drafting an eventual replacement.

30) Miami Dolphins — DE T.J. Parker, Clemson

Having taken care of the wide receiver position at No. 11, the Dolphins can go for one of the other two positions that clearly need addressing. As mentioned above, Miami has some obvious holes at a couple positions on the depth chart. It is tempting to address the cornerbacks group here; the departures of Kohou, Jones and Douglas necessitate it at some point. With needs at another positions, though, the depth of the CB prospect pool could suggest that that spot can be addressed in Round 2 or later.

With Chubb and Phillips gone, Parker has a chance to establish a role opposite Chop Robinson on the edge. Over the course of his three years at Clemson, Parker lived in his opponents’ backfields. After an All-American sophomore season included 11 sacks, 19.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles, Parker’s junior campaign saw career lows in all three stats. Parker plays with a high motor, doesn’t miss games and has a decent NFL pass rush arsenal at only 21 years old. If he can return to the production he put out before this year, a starting role would be well within reach with the Dolphins.

31) New England Patriots — OLB Cashius Howell, Texas A&M

Now, we’ve got a mini-run at edge rusher. The Patriots will be looking to add a guard in the draft as well, but with so few going in the first round, New England can easily wait things out and address the interior offensive line in future rounds. Bisontis, Emmanuel Pregnon out of Oregon and Keylan Rutledge out of Georgia Tech will be the most coveted at their position in the long wait after Ioane comes off the board much earlier in the night. UCF’s Malachi Lawrence may be a higher-ranked prospect because he’s more well-rounded with strong pass-rush and run-defending abilities, but he may not be the best fit for New England here.

Howell is a bit more of a pure pass rusher; he rarely had his hand in the dirt in College Station. His success relies on a quick burst off the snap. A relentless pass rusher, Howell has a lot of room to improve in run defense and may end up a role player early on in his career. After watching rookie first-round left tackle Will Campbell endure embarrassment throughout the playoffs en route to this year’s Super Bowl loss, New England may be hesitant to take a risk on another short-armed player in the first round. After finishing the 2025 season with the fifth-lowest sack total in the league, though, the Patriots may be eager to get Howell in the mix with Harold Landry and UFA addition Dre’Mont Jones.

32) Seattle Seahawks — OLB Malachi Lawrence, UCF

The Seahawks didn’t lose many pieces after winning the Super Bowl, but the ones that did depart were impactful. The defending champs have done well to build at positions they know may see attrition in the near future. They will miss Riq Woolen and Coby Bryant, but a deep secondary remains. There’s a chance Seattle takes a running back here. With Kenneth Walker departed in free agency and Zach Charbonnet likely to miss some time this season, the Seahawks could select the second running back of the draft, adding Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price to their depth chart. They may feel comfortable enough with Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh covering until Charbonnet is back, however.

Instead, Seattle may start working to replace departed free agent Boye Mafe. That edge spot appears to be the only position where the Seahawks lost someone in free agency and didn’t effectively restock with another player. As mentioned in Howell’s pick summary, Lawrence is a well-rounded end who can work with his hand in the dirt or standing up. He’s likely too stiff to be an elite pass rusher, but the goal here would be for him to fill the versatile defensive end role left vacant by Mafe. His pass-rush skills should improve naturally as he works alongside veteran DeMarcus Lawrence.

47) Indianapolis Colts — G Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M

One of the areas where Indianapolis is thinnest entering the draft is middle linebacker, and this is a perfect spot to need an off-ball LB. The Colts could have their pick here of Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez or Georgia’s CJ Allen, and either player could be an instant plug-and-play starter. Indianapolis also needs a new starting safety next to Camryn Bynum in 2026, but after Downs, Thieneman, and McNeil-Warren, there aren’t any clear first- or second-round talents.

Instead, the Colts could be looking toward the future. Indianapolis has developed a reputation for quality offensive line play. In order to continue that example, the Colts need to keep investing in the position group. Indy lost Braden Smith to Houston in free agency. The Colts have the tackle spots locked down, but star guard Quenton Nelson is entering the final year of his contract, and recent starters Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini both with see their contracts expire after the 2027 season.

With some contracts to address on the interior offensive line between now and March 2028, Indianapolis could bring Bisontis in to get a head start on their future at this position. Bisontis needs a bit of work before he’s ready to start in the NFL. He was penalty prone in College Station and showed some bad habits. The 21-year-old is a thick-bodied bully, though, who claims Nelson was his idol growing up.

48) Atlanta Falcons — LB CJ Allen, Georgia

Atlanta has a need on the interior defensive line, and after ignoring teams’ needs at the position for most of the first round, we’re finally at a great range for the current prospect pool at the position. The Falcons could land Georgia interior defender Christen Miller or Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks here and start the run on interior defenders. Unfortunately, we’re going to, once again, ignore the interior line. Atlanta could also bring in some young talent at wide receiver. Bernard or Bell could easily have a chance to crack the starting lineup, with nomadic cogs Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus penciled in at the Nos. 2 and 3 WR spots.

The Falcons have a much bigger need to fill with this pick. With recent tackling machine Kaden Elliss returning to New Orleans in free agency, Atlanta could use a new starting off-ball linebacker. It may be ambitious to assume either are still available halfway through the second round, but the top two remaining linebacker prospects — Allen and Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez — are both quite comfortable in red and black.

Not only is Allen local like Miller, but he’s also been rising up draft boards quite a bit lately. Allen’s speed, play recognition and discipline have pushed him up near the first round. Allen is not great in coverage, but honestly, that just makes him that more akin to Elliss. If selected here, Allen would likely end up starting as a rookie next to Divine Deablo.

52) Green Bay Packers — G Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech

The Packers could use some new, young talent at cornerback to push Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine and Benjamin St-Juste to be their best. This late in the second round, Clemson’s Avieon Terrell likely won’t still be here, but Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds or South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse may be options. After losing Romeo Doubs to free agency and not seeing first-round production out of Matthew Golden in his rookie year, Green Bay may look to increase its talent pool at wide receiver.

After cutting Elgton Jenkins, Green Bay isn’t totally without answers at center. Sean Rhyan filled in some last year due to injury and re-signed on a three-year contract last month. Rutledge isn’t necessarily a top center prospect — Kansas State’s Sam Hecht, Auburn’s Connor Lew and Florida’s Jake Slaughter would be in the running for that honor — but he’s one of the top guard prospects and has been projected as potential future NFL center. Rutledge has even worked snapping the ball for teams throughout the pre-draft process. The Packers experienced struggles all over the interior offensive line in 2025, and Rutledge could be a strong asset where he’s asked to line up.

56) Jacksonville Jaguars — LB Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

The Jaguars have plenty of options they could address with their first pick near the end of the second round. We haven’t heard much about tight ends since Sadiq came off the board in the first round, but the second-tier players at the position could be options in Duval. With Brenton Strange entering the final year of his rookie deal, Jacksonville could do its homework on Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Ohio State’s Max Klare and Georgia’s Oscar Delp — on the off chance a second contract for Strange comes from another team. The Jaguars could also stand to look for improvements at the safety spot next to Antonio Johnson or on the interior offensive line.

For now, the obvious hole to fill is at inside linebacker following the free agent departure of Devin Lloyd. The Falcons took it out of Jacksonville’s hands when they mocked Allen. That’s nothing to be disappointed about, though, as it presents Duval with Rodriguez on a silver platter.

A bit undersized, Rodriguez will be one of the hardest workers wherever he goes. Instinctual, smart, and decisively aggressive, Rodriguez is a spotlight-grabbing playmaker for his defense, logging 254 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, 10 forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed, and five interceptions over the past two years. The unanimous All-American would likely slot right into a starting role right next to Foye Oluokun.

62) Denver Broncos — TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Man, the Broncos were virtually untouched this year in free agency. They lost defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety P.J. Locke to the free agent market. Veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis, fullback Michael Burton and backup center Sam Mustipher are the only remaining unsigned free agents from their roster last year. The Broncos re-signed their other free agents, signed former Bengals safety Tycen Anderson and traded for wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Reminder: this was a team that went 14-3 and lost the AFC championship game by only three points despite not having its starting quarterback.

If we’re really going to nit-pick, this team could maybe look for more pass-rushing depth or D-line aid. Denver is so set to run it back with nearly the same team as last year that, to determine this pick, we evaluated expiring contracts on the roster and differentiated between younger expiring contracts with potential for extensions or one-year re-signings and expiring contracts that look more likely to go the way of Lewis, Burton and Mustipher.

At tight end, Evan Engram is only three years removed over 100 receptions and nearly 1,000 yards receiving, but injury and opportunities have killed the 31-year-old pass catcher’s production over the past two years. Stowers is the TE2 of this year’s draft class, and it’s likely wishful thinking that he’ll be around here near the end of the second round (honestly, most of these second-round picks have been wishful). He’s a pure explosive receiving tight end who has not shown he can effectively block in the NFL, but the presences of Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins all but guarantee he won’t be asked to do that at a high level on Day 1.

Best remaining available: QB Ty Simpson (Alabama), RB Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), WR Chris Bell (Louisville), WR Germie Bernard (Alabama), T Blake Miller (Clemson), T Max Iheanachor (Arizona State), G Emmanuel Pregnon (Oregon), C Sam Hecht (Kansas State), C Connor Lew (Auburn), C Jake Slaughter (Florida), DT Caleb Banks (Florida), DT Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), DT Christen Miller (Georgia), EDGE Zion Young (Missouri), EDGE R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), LB Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas), LB Josiah Trotter (Missouri), CB Avieon Terrell (Clemson), CB D’Angelo Ponds (Indiana), CB Colton Hood (Tennessee), CB Keionte Scott (Miami), S Bud Clark (TCU)

31 comments 2026 NFL Draft Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Houston Texans Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New Orleans Saints New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

CB Chris Johnson Met With Jets, Packers, Bucs, Cowboys, Jags, Chiefs

By Nikhil Mehta | at April 18, 2026 5:30 pm

San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson has flown up draft boards throughout the pre-draft process. He is now considered a borderline first-round pick after visits and/or meetings with several teams.

Among them are the Jets, Packers, Buccaneers, Cowboys, Jaguars and Chiefs, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. They all have various needs at cornerback, save for the Buccaneers

After trading Sauce Gardner last year, the Jets now have Brandon Stephens, Nahshon Wright, and Jarvis Brownlee leading their cornerback room. 2025 third-rounder Azareye’h Thomas is expected to take on a bigger role this season, but the team still lacks high-upside talent in the long term. Thomas is also the only corner in that group that is signed through 2027.

The Packers have Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine entering the final years of their contract, creating a major need at the cornerback position. Benjamin St-Juste is signed through 2027, but none of the team’s other cornerbacks profile as starting options.

In Jacksonville, the Jaguars have Montaric Brown, Jarrian Jones, and Jourdan Lewis. Brown and Jones are both younger and could be long-term starters, but Lewis is 31 years old with two years left on his deal. The team also lacks quality depth behind their top three.

Like the Jets, the Chiefs traded away their star CB1 recently, leaving a gaping hole in their defense. Kansas City took fliers on Kaiir Elam and Kader Kohou to fill the cornerback room, but neither is a surefire starter in 2026. Kristian Fulton is also entering the final year of his contract. 2025 third-rounder Nohl Williams impressed as a rookie and should be able to lock down a starting job, but the rest of the Chiefs’ cornerback rotation remains murky.

The Bucs, by contrast, are set at cornerback with Zyon McCollum and Benjamin Morrison penciled in on the boundary and Jacob Parrish manning the slot. Morrison, though, is an injury risk, and Tampa Bay has little proven depth behind its top young trio. That seems like a spot to make an inexpensive veteran addition rather than a high draft pick, though, seemingly making Johnson a luxury pick with other long-term needs to fill.

1 comment 2026 NFL Draft Dallas Cowboys Green Bay Packers Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs New York Jets Tampa Bay Buccaneers Chris Johnson (CB)

LB CJ Allen Seen As First-Round Pick?

By Nikhil Mehta | at April 18, 2026 10:35 am

Georgia linebacker CJ Allen has been a late riser as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. Less than a week out, he has put himself in first-round consideration, according to EssentiallySports’ Tony Pauline.

Allen, 21, did not participate in athletic testing at the Combine or Georgia’s pro day. But this week, he worked out for scouts and rank a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, Pauline adds, despite being just “months removed from knee surgery.” That gave scouts more confidence in his recovery and athleticism, which firmed up his spot as the third-ranked linebacker on most big boards.

Pauline previously mocked Allen to the Bills and adds the Buccaneers and Cowboys as other options. Those teams would trade back from their No. 15 and No. 20 picks, respectively, to select him.

The Bills need to find a long-term replacement for veteran inside linebacker Matt Milano, who hit free agency this offseason after nine season in Buffalo. The current starters would be Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams, but Williams is entering the final year of his contract. Allen would be a long-term running mate for Bernard who would likely succeed him as the Bills’ primary inside linebacker.

The Buccaneers are in a very similar situation. They saw Lavonte David announce his retirement this offseason. Alex Anzalone and Christian Rozeboom were signed as immediate veteran replacements, but SirVocea Dennis is on an expiring deal. Again, Allen would come in and push Anzalone or Dennis for playing time with a long-term projection as a high-level starter.

The Cowboy do not have a clear starter next to DeMarvion Overshown, who is entering the last year of his contract, too. He is a candidate to be extended, but, as in Buffalo and Tampa Bay, Allen could be an instant No. 2 who takes over as the top spot in the future.

The one significant drawback of selecting Allen in the first round is the loss of value on his fifth-year option. Currently, off-ball/inside linebackers are grouped with outside linebackers for the NFL’s positional designations relating to contracts. As a result, inside linebacker fifth-year option values are based on the salaries of the league’s top edge rushers, who are significantly more expensive. That means the fifth-year option for linebackers is inflated and therefore not worth picking up.

Allen also met virtually with the Texans, Eagles, and Seahawks, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

10 comments 2026 NFL Draft Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys Houston Texans Philadelphia Eagles Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers CJ Allen

Dolphins Rumors: Aikman, Draft, OL

By Sam Robinson | at April 17, 2026 4:12 pm

Joining Tom Brady on the top tier of NFL announcer salaries, Troy Aikman also followed the fellow Hall of Famer by double-dipping with regards to assisting a team with big-picture decisions. The Dolphins brought in the former Cowboys great-turned-ESPN mainstay during their GM and HC hiring processes, and in March, we learned he would stay involved with the team in “some capacity.” GM Jon-Eric Sullivan has since said (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson) Aikman will be welcome in Miami’s draft room next week. Should Aikman be part of the Dolphins’ draft process, it would be more observational. The longtime broadcaster will not be consulted on selections, Jackson adds. It is still interesting the Dolphins will involve Aikman moving forward. The NFL established a precedent with Brady by allowing him to move forward with an obvious conflict of interest as a part-Raiders owner and FOX’s lead analyst. More broadcasters could be interested in double-dipping soon.

Here is the latest from the draft:

Going through with a rebuild for the second time in seven years, the Dolphins are drowning in dead money thanks to recent moves — most notably the Tua Tagovailoa release. Miami has already reached $179MM in 2026 dead cap, representing a record-smashing number for any point on an NFL calendar. As the team moves forward, Sullivan said (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe) his first draft is more likely to feature trade-down moves than climbs up the board. This aligns with an early-April report on Miami’s plans. As they look to add long-term roster pieces, the Dolphins have 11 picks in this draft. This includes seven top-100 selections, but they appear interested in gathering plenty of rookie-deal pieces. That would certainly be wise given the dead money reality; Tagovailoa will also count $43.8MM in dead cap in 2027.
The Dolphins are also planning to target offensive linemen that can play multiple positions, per Sullivan (via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques). Miami has met with Caleb Lomu and is believed to be high on Lomu ex-Utah teammate Spencer Fano, who has been tied to potentially kicking inside to guard. The team also hosted Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis. Competition is also set for both Dolphins guard spots along with right tackle this offseason.
Miami added Malik Willis in free agency, signing off on a three-year, $67.5MM deal that came with $45MM guaranteed at signing. That would not preclude the team from drafting another quarterback, but the team does not appear likely to take Ty Simpson. A move on Day 3 may be in play still, and the Dolphins met with former Kansas passer Jalon Daniels this week (per ESPN.com’s Jordan Reid). Daniels saw time in six seasons for the Jayhawks, playing in 49 games. The Big 12 program’s primary starter for this lengthy period — one interrupted by injuries — Daniels impressed at points and struggled with accuracy at others. He also rushed for more than 400 yards in three seasons. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranks Daniels 16th among QBs, putting him on the fringe of the draft/UDFA line. Quinn Ewers and fellow second-year player Cam Miller join Willis as rostered Dolphins passers. Daniels also visited the Buccaneers and Patriots, per Reid.
Although we heard during the coaching carousel the Miami HC job was not viewed favorably — due largely to the Tagovailoa contract’s impact — Louis-Jacques notes ownership’s patience with GMs made that job more appealing. Technically, Chris Grier was GM for 10 years; though, Mike Tannenbaum hovered above him from 2016-18. Grier did last nearly seven full seasons as the top front office decisionmaker following Tannenbaum’s exit. Though, it is worth noting Dennis Hickey only received one season with control (2014) before the Tannenbaum addition. Grier’s GM predecessor parted with the Dolphins after two seasons.
The Dolphins recently sold a 1% ownership stake to Bin Lin, cofounder and vice chairman of Xiaomi (a tech company headquartered in China). Lin’s stake also covers part of Stephen Ross‘ full portfolio, which includes Hard Rock Stadium, tennis’ Miami Open and Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. The overall stake is worth $12.5 billion.

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