2026 NFL Draft grades, tracker: Live Round 1 analysis for every selection made in order
Mike Renner grades the first 32 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft
After a year that featured no trades heading into night one of the NFL draft, 2026 has been at the opposite end of the trade spectrum. Six first-round picks have already been moved for veteran players, with a good chance to have even more on the move throughout the weekend. That means the Jets, Giants, Browns, Chiefs, Dolphins, and Cowboys will all be doubling up Thursday night, while the Colts, Bengals, Jaguars, Falcons, Broncos, and Packers all have to wait until Friday.
The only pick that feels known at this point is No. 1 overall, where Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is pegged to become the Raiders' franchise quarterback under new head coach Klint Kubiak. He'll be the first Hoosier drafted in the first round since 1994 (WR Thomas Lewis to the Giants), but he won't be the first Hoosier to ever go No. 1 overall. That honor, as everyone knows, belongs to the great Corbett Davis, who was taken first overall by the Cleveland Rams in 1938 (I swear that sentence wasn't an AI hallucination).
While there isn't much intrigue in this quarterback class after Mendoza, where Ty Simpson lands is still a mystery. The takes on his lone season as a starter have been all over the map. Some see him as worthy of a top-10 pick, while others wouldn't take him on night one at all. One thing is for certain: there are not enough quarterbacks to go around, as the Cardinals, Browns, and Steelers all enter this weekend relatively empty-handed at the most valuable position.
The story of this draft that I'll be watching for is how the NFL handles positional value. From a pure grade perspective, the top-3 players in the class are Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. A running back hasn't gone top-5 since 2018, a safety hasn't gone top-5 since 2010 or top-10 since 2016, and a linebacker hasn't gone top-5 since 2019. Those streaks could all fall on Thursday night.
Be sure to refresh this page throughout the weekend to get all the latest grades. If you want to do all that plus track the best available prospects and get access to every pick in the draft on one page, you can with our interactive draft tracker. And follow along with each pick, rumor and every trade in our live blog.
Grades: Round 1 • Round 2 • Round 3 • Round 4 • Round 5 • Round 6 • Round 7
1. Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Grade: A
This was a no-brainer. Mendoza was the best quarterback in college football last season. That was especially the case under pressure and in clutch situations. He's a perfect fit for Klint Kubiak's offense.
2. Jets: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
Grade: C-
Bailey is a solid pass-rusher who will give less athletic offensive tackles fits at the next level. He's a hot-and-cold run defender, though, who struggles to set the edge. The Jets, unfortunately, already have one of those in Will McDonald
3. Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Grade: C+
Love is a special talent at the running back position and will immediately transform the Cardinals rushing attack. This grade isn't an indictment of the caliber of player the Cardinals got, but the value for a team not built to contend without a quarterback. They'll burn the most productive and cheap years for a player at a position with an already short career length.
4. Titans: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
Grade: B
Tate is exactly what the Titans don't have on their roster: a rangy outside receiver with elite hands and crisp route-running chops. He'll be a Cam Ward favorite from Day 1. While he doesn't fit the physical profile of a usual top-5 pick at receiver, beggars can't be choosers.
