NFL Player News

The Browns selected Concepcion in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 24th overall.

Concepcion began his career at North Carolina State, where he posted one of the most productive true freshman seasons of all time (71 receptions for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns on 106 targets, 41 carries for 320 yards), putting himself on the national map as a big-play open-field menace. His sophomore season was less successful, but Concepcion bounced back as a junior after transferring to Texas A&M in 2025. At 6-feet, 196 pounds Concepcion is just big enough to project for two-wide sets and thus avoid the dreaded 'Slot Specialist' label, but his game will still probably center mostly on the underneath and intermediate portion of the field due to questions with his hands and downfield route-running ability. Concepcion's ability to stop, start and change direction is memorable and should make him a dangerous YAC threat if nothing else. A March knee scope is believed to be a non-issue.

The Cowboys selected Lawrence in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 23rd overall.

After landing safety Caleb Downs with the 11th overall pick, the Cowboys continue to bolster their defense by adding Lawrence. The 6-foot-4, 253-pound edge rusher was one of the big winners at the combine, posting a 4.52-second 40-yard dash to go with a 40-inch vertical and 130-inch broad jump. Lawrence's explosive athleticism showed up in his UCF box score as well, producing 7.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss as a senior in 2025, though the hope is that Lawrence's rare burst will allow him to make even more of a pass-rushing impact at the NFL level.

The Chargers selected Mesidor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 22nd overall.

Mesidor (6-foot-3, 259 pounds) turned 25 earlier this April and didn't log any pre-draft athletic testing, but his production at Miami (FL) and West Virginia was strong enough to still project him as an NFL starter. Mesidor logged 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in 15 games last year, and he was a starter immediately upon arriving at West Virginia in 2020. The Chargers likely view Mesidor as their long-term replacement for Khalil Mack.

The Steelers selected Iheanachor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 21st overall.

Iheanachor (6-foot-6, 321 pounds) is light on experience but extremely athletic, boasting a 4.91-second 40 (96th percentile among offensive tackles, according to Mockdraftable) even at a dense build. It's not clear how concerning the medical reports have been on incumbent left tackle Broderick Jones (neck), but it's possible that the Steelers will consider Iheanachor at left guard if he doesn't claim the starting left tackle role.

The Eagles selected Lemon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 20th overall.

The expectation for some time has been that the Eagles will eventually trade A.J. Brown, and the selection of Lemon in the first round only reinforces that expectation. Lemon (5-foot-11, 193 pounds) is a very different receiver from Brown -- Brown is a prototypical boundary receiver whereas Lemon ideally fits in the slot -- but Lemon's play at USC gives reason to suspect he will draw targets and convert targets efficiently as soon as he gets on the field. If the Eagles subtract Brown for Lemon then they might need to allocate more of their passing game toward the underneath and slot than they have otherwise during Jalen Hurts' time as starter.

The Panthers selected Freeling in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 19th overall.

Freeling (6-foot-7, 315 pounds) might be more potential than polish after starting just one year at Georgia, but that one year was promising to the point that this selection looks like a steal for the Panthers. Carolina might be unsure of what to expect in the recovery process for Ikem Ekwonu (patellar tendon), and the otherwise excellent Taylor Moton at right tackle will turn 32 in August. As much as Freeling played left tackle at Georgia and can easily project there in the NFL, Freeling could just as easily play on the right side.

The Vikings selected Banks (foot) in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 18th overall.

Banks (6-foot-6, 327 pounds) is more theory than practice to this point, but it's easy enough to see why the theoretical versions of Banks are so tempting to NFL coaches. Banks' 5.04-second 40 and 114-inch broad jump aren't numbers you see for guys as big as Banks or with Banks' 35-inch arms, so it's easy to envision the Vikings' new defensive tackle establishing a wide lateral reach at the line of scrimmage to trap ball carriers and collapse the pocket. The fractured foot that Banks incurred at the February Combine is believed to be a non-issue -- the recovery is expected to complete itself some time in June.

The Lions selected Miller in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 17th overall.

Miller (6-foot-7, 317 pounds) was a standout four-year starter at Clemson, where he developed his reputation as a rugged right tackle. Miller was a better athlete than expected at the combine, logging excellent marks across the board and making clear that his NFL transition should be about as easy as it gets. Expect Miller to start at right tackle while Penei Sewell moves over to the left.

The Jets selected Sadiq in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 16th overall.

No one doubts that Sadiq (6-foot-3, 241 pounds) is a good player, and the former Oregon star clearly has compelling long-term upside due to his rare athleticism (4.39-second 40, 43.5-inch vertical jump). This pick is still somewhat puzzling, if only because the Jets just spent a second-round pick on Mason Taylor in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Taylor will be only 22 years old in May. As much as there have been NFL offenses with two tight ends providing standout fantasy utility, there haven't been very many of those and the Jets are maybe the last offense you'd accuse of such competence. With all that said, Sadiq's talent might be so loud that this is more of a problem for Taylor than Sadiq.

The Buccaneers selected Bain in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 15th overall.

Bain (6-foot-2, 263 pounds) is likely an example of a player whose skill set grade is stronger than his athleticism grade. Bain was utterly dominant at Miami (FL), yet there is concern that his light frame and extremely short arms (30 and 7/8 inches) could make the jump in competition hard on his game. If Bain's arms don't hold him back, though, then he should be one of the better defensive ends in the league, and his addition addressees an area of need (edge rusher) for the Buccaneers. Bain was a dominant starter for each of his three years at Miami, including a 2025 junior season where he posted 9.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.