2026 NFL Draft analysis: Jermod McCoy, Arvell Reese among best picks by team

Nearly a full year is spent watching prospects, gathering information and building a board from which to pick players in the NFL Draft. Several variables ultimately determine whether or not a player will be successful, and I am not narcissistic enough to think I have all the answers on April 29. However, over the past few days, the facts have become clearer in order to determine who was the best selection (with a focus on value) for each franchise. 

Without further ado, here are the candidates and my thought process for each:

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals: IOL Connor Lew, Auburn (Round 4, No. 128 overall)

Day 3 selections often have a long shot to make much of an impact in the league, but Cincinnati did a really nice job finding value. Duke interior offensive lineman Brian Parker II, Texas tight end Jack Endries and Lew were all good value relative at that stage of the draft. Lew will play center, which means Parker will almost certainly compete at guard. 

Cleveland Browns: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo (Round 2, No. 58 overall)

The Browns did an excellent job over the first two days, not only taking value when it was available, but moving around the board. They took four of the top-25 on my final big board, but the biggest outlier was McNeil-Warren. He is a long safety with great range and physicality playing downhill. Cleveland now has the personnel to dip into more three-safety sets with Grant Delpit, Ronnie Hickman and McNeil-Warren. 

Baltimore Ravens: CB Chandler Rivers, Duke (Round 5, No. 162 overall)

Baltimore’s first two selections were Penn State offensive guard Vega Ioane and Missouri edge rusher Zion Young. The vision for how to use those two players is clear. They also found nice value with a few Day 3 selections, including Rivers. Rivers is a diminutive cornerback but also a great football player who does not allow that lack of ideal size to be a crutch. 

Pittsburgh Steelers: WR Germie Bernard, Alabama (Round 2, No. 47 overall)

Bernard has been a personal favorite throughout this process because his floor is so high. He is willing to do the dirty work in the run game and the athletic testing was better than anticipated. The receiver room is pretty well stocked with D.K. Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr. and now Bernard. 

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts: WR Deion Burks, Oklahoma (Round 7, No. 254 overall)

Burks was a top-100 type prospect in this class. The size and durability have been called into question, but he has a really fluid gait and is elusive post-catch. Indianapolis should not need him in 2026, but this is quality depth in the seventh round. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: IOL Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon (Round 3, No. 88 overall)

Jacksonville strayed from the consensus big board more than any team, which was a hot topic among evaluators. There is value in the consensus boards in my opinion, but it also should not be some North Star for teams. If teams have convictions about player(s), they should follow those beliefs rather than worrying about the consensus board, because it is their job on the line at the end of the day. However, straying from the consensus board is often not a wise business decision. 

Pregnon is an example of the positive value Jacksonville found. He is a stout interior player who will lean on defenders in the run game. The ex-Duck was a second-round caliber prospect. 

Houston Texans: LB Aiden Fisher, Indiana (Round 7 No. 243 overall)

Houston’s draft was among my personal least favorites in terms of value, but the last two selections — Boston College wide receiver Lewis Bond and Fisher — are just good football players. Bond knows how to get open but the high-end speed is noticeably absent. Fisher plays the linebacker position in an honorable way. He also may lack high-end traits, but there is a reliability that he brings to the football field. 

Tennessee Titans: LB Anthony Hill Jr., Texas (Round 2, No. 60 overall)

Tennessee’s draft was a mixed bag. Hill is an athletic linebacker prospect with unreal production over the last three seasons. There are concerns about the down-to-down consistency, but Robert Saleh should put him in a position to succeed. 

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton and Baylor defensive lineman Jackie Marshall were a few other value picks on Day 3. 

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: S Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina

Kilgore brings versatility to the Buffalo defense and the thought was that he would be off the board much sooner. The Bills have been looking for stability in the safety room since Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer’s time ended. 

Texas A&M offensive guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams was the other selection that jumped out, because they need to replace David Edwards who departed in free agency. 

Miami Dolphins: WR Chris Bell, Louisville

Bell is a great pickup for Miami for a few reasons. First, he is a talented player who was only available that late because of the torn ACL. He is skilled enough to develop into a No. 1 receiver. Second, there is no pressure to put him on the field this season. They can bring him along at his own pace.

Iowa edge rusher Max Llewellyn was good value as well. 

New York Jets: CB D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana (Round 2, No. 50 overall)

Ponds was the only Jets selection of surplus value relative to personal rankings, so it was an easy choice. Although shorter in stature, Ponds’ play style was endearing to head coach Aaron Glenn. He will have an opportunity to play early. 

New England Patriots: OT Dametrious Crownover, Texas A&M (Round 6, No. 196 overall)

Crownover is a massive offensive tackle and the thought was that he would come off the board alongside some of the other bigger bodies, such as Miami’s Markel Bell. 

Utah offensive tackle Caleb Lomu, Illinois edge rusher Gabe Jacas and Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon are all good football players. Boston College’s Quintayvious Hutchins is a really fun player who could see time as a designated pass rusher. 

AFC West

Denver Broncos: IOL Kage Casey, Boise State (Round 4, No. 111 overall)

Casey played offensive tackle for the Broncos but is projected to play inside at the next level, a transition previously paved by Boise State’s own Ezra Cleveland. Casey was higher in personal rankings. There was not an immediate need on Denver’s offensive line, but Sean Payton has historically invested in that unit. 

Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock was also great value late in the draft. 

Los Angeles Chargers: DL Nick Barrett, South Carolina (Round 5, No. 145 overall)

Barrett was a top-100 type prospect in personal rankings. He will not be a high-volume sack producer, but he will immediately contribute to a stingy run defense. It would not be a surprise if he had a long caree,r and Jim Harbaugh is the perfect sherpa to lead him there. 

Boston College offensive lineman Logan Taylor is another pick that stood out as being good value. 

Kansas City Chiefs: QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (Round 7, No. 249 overall)

Kansas City did a good job adding to its defensive line with Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods and Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas, but the choice has to be Nussmeier. Nussmeier was a Day 2 talent whose injury situation curbed his season. He enters a situation where he can sit and learn behind Patrick Mahomes. 

Las Vegas Raiders: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee (Round 4, No. 101 overall)

McCoy was a top-10 overall caliber prospect, but the long-term prognosis of his knee was obviously uncomfortable for teams. If he can stay healthy, the bet should pay immediate dividends at a position Las Vegas has inadequately addressed for years. 

Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. and California cornerback Hezekiah Masses were a few of ‘my guys’ throughout this process as well. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was the easy choice at No. 1 overall. 

NFC North

Chicago Bears: CB Malik Muhammad, Texas (Round 4, No. 124 overall)

Muhammad’s final season in Austin may not have been as good as 2024, but this is a prospect with a higher ceiling than the No. 124 overall pick would suggest. Chicago was smart not to overpay for Nahshon Wright’s retention in free agency, but the Muhammad selection allows them to maintain depth at that position. 

Detroit Lions: CB Keith Abney II, Arizona State (Round 5, No. 157 overall)

Detroit and slot cornerback Amik Robertson parted ways, and the team responded by adding a top-100 caliber prospect in that role. Abney is smaller, but has some inside-outside exposure. He plays bigger than his size. 

Kentucky wide receiver Kendrick Law and Tennessee defensive tackle Tyre West are a few others who have more potential into which Detroit can tap. 

Green Bay Packers: CB Domani Jackson, Alabama (Round 6, No. 201 overall)

Jackson has the size and athletic ability to be a starter in this league. Although Green Bay’s vision for last year’s secondary did not come to fruition, they have some intriguing young cornerbacks. Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth round was great value as well. 

Minnesota Vikings: OT Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern (Round 3, No. 97 overall)

Tiernan was at the top of that second tier of offensive tackles in the personal rankings. He is a smart, technically refined lineman who should bring value as a swing tackle early in his career. 

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OG Billy Schrauth, Notre Dame (Round 5, No. 160 overall)

One may think Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. is the pick. That was a consideration, but Bain finished the process No. 11 overall in personal rankings. Schrauth was a bigger steal relative to his position on my board. Projecting Notre Dame offensive linemen to the NFL has been a pretty safe practice through the years and Tampa Bay has a need at the position. 

Atlanta Falcons: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson (Round 2, No. 48 overall)

Atlanta oscillated between perceived good-value picks and reaches. Terrell was the biggest steal. He finished the process No. 16 overall on the final big board and now has the luxury of playing with his older brother, A.J. Terrell, one of the cooler moments from those three days last week. 

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. stands out as a worthwhile late gamble.

Carolina Panthers: C Sam Hecht, Kansas State (Round 5, No. 144 overall)

Hecht was in contention for the top-rated center in this draft class. He has good movement skills and a high technical floor. He could absolutely win the starting center job over Luke Fortner in training camp. 

Miami University linebacker Jackson Kuwatch was a fun addition because he can be a special teams ace.

New Orleans Saints: CB TJ Hall, Iowa (Round 7, No. 219 overall)

Most of New Orleans’ class was in line with where I thought the value would be in this class, but the Jordyn Tyson, Bryce Lance selections were wisely made in support of Tyler Shough. 

The best value, however, was Hall. He has good size for the position and has an intuitive approach to the game. The problem is the lack of high-end athletic traits. 

NFC East

Washington Commanders: EDGE Joshua Josephs, Tennessee (Round 5, No. 147 overall)

With the exception of Athan Kaliakmanis in the seventh-round, Washington achieved surplus value with each of its selections. The Josephs selection, in particular, gives them a bit of a different skill set at the position to pair with Odafe Oweh, Dorance Armstrong and K’Lavon Chaisson. 

Dallas Cowboys: CB Devin Moore, Florida (Round 4, No. 114 overall)

It is ironic that Alabama edge rusher LT Overton and Moore ended up in the same class, considering they were Nos. 82 and 81 on my final rankings, respectively. Moore is a tall cornerback prospect with high-end athletic traits. Cornerback was a position of need and Dallas took the best off the board in that range. 

Overall, it was a really good class from the Cowboys. 

Philadelphia Eagles: DL Uar Bernard, Nigeria

A roster wrinkle is why Bernard gets the nod over USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. As a part of the International Player Pathway program (IPP), Bernard will not count against the roster limit until the 53-man roster deadline. At that point, he becomes a practice squad exemption. Philadelphia essentially drafted a free look at one of the world’s most explosive athletes, pound-for-pound. 

New York Giants: EDGE Arvell Reese, Ohio State (Round 1, No. 5 overall)

Reese was my top-rated prospect. He was remarkable in one year of extended playing time with the Buckeyes and whether he plays off-ball linebacker or edge rusher is inconsequential to me. Reese’s selection was evidence of a good process. 

Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood was another good pick. 

NFC West

San Francisco 49ers: OT Enrique Cruz Jr., Kansas (Round 5, No. 179 overall)

San Francisco did not get surplus value with any of their selections relative to my board, which head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have made clear is of no consequence to them. There has been a lot of criticism for the team’s drafting, but that line of thinking should only be applied to early-round selections. The 49ers have actually done well finding secondary players and offensive linemen on Days 2 and 3 of the draft. 

Cruz is a lineman with developmental traits. 

Arizona Cardinals: OG Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M (Round 2, No. 34 overall)

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love was a luxury pick for a team not yet in a position to draft for luxury. They should have taken Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese or attempted to trade back for a lineman; just my philosophical belief. However, the selection of Bisontis at the top of the second round was a good rebound. Bisontis is a fantastic pass-blocking offensive guard, and Arizona needed to get better along the front for there to be any shot of Love or quarterback Carson Beck to work. 

Los Angeles Rams: DL Tim Keenan III, Alabama

Keenan was the only Rams selection of surplus value. He is a classic Alabama defensive interior player with the strength to throw blockers around. There is not a lot of pass-rush potential coiled up in that frame, but Keenan is a complement to Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske. 

Seattle Seahawks: CB Julian Neal, Arkansas

None of Seattle’s eight picks had surplus value according to my rankings. I like the fit of Neal in the Pacific Northwest. He is a bigger, physical cornerback who can help set the tone on the back end for the defending Super Bowl champions.