2026 NFL Draft: Winners, Losers from Round 1 including the Cowboys, NY Giants and Seahawks

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2026 NFL Draft: Winners, Losers from Round 1 including the Cowboys, NY Giants and Seahawks

Matt Johnson · Sportsnaut

Fri, Apr 24, 2026 ·

9 min read

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The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft has drawn to a close, with the top 32 picks delivering a few surprises and a handful of trades. While the true outcomes for these teams and players won't come for years, it's always fun to have some rapid reactions.

Let's dive into our winners and losers from the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Winner: New York Giants

There's very little chance the New York Giants saw the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft unfolding like this. Many seemed to view All-American linebacker Arvel Reese as the second-best player in the class. If he didn't get taken second overall, then he would not make it outside the top four. When they were on the clock with the fifth overall pick, New York wasted little time in turning the card in. What they've landed is an edge rusher with an even higher ceiling than Abdul Carter , and he's far more well-rounded. New York has built a pass-rushing trio of Carter, Reese, and Brian Burns that can absolutely wreak havoc in Dennard Wilson's system.

Once that addition was made, the Giants' focus turned to helping out Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo . There's slight medical risk with Francis Mauigoa, but he's arguably the best offensive lineman in the 2026 NFL Draft. New York has the option of kicking him inside to guard, where he could be a phenomenal starter. That's also just the backup plan if he doesn't excel at right tackle. Great teams invest in the trenches, and New York did that tonight while also getting great value.

Loser: Arizona Cardinals

We viewed Jeremiyah Love as the best player in the 2026 NFL Draft. He walks in and immediately becomes one of the best NFL running backs right now; he is just a tier below Bijan Robinson as a prospect. The problem is that the right side of the Arizona Cardinals offensive line is abysmal, and they don't even have a viable quarterback who defenses will really have to respect, let alone fear. This is even putting aside the fact that Arizona signed Tyler Allgeier this offseason and even worked out a deal to keep James Conner . This pick feels reminiscent of the Las Vegas Raiders drafting Ashton Jeanty and effectively wasting the first year of his rookie contract. Oh, let's also factor in contract value with the fact that the contract for the third overall pick will make Love the seventh-highest-paid running back in the NFL. We didn't like the idea of the Tennessee Titans taking Love; this is worse.

Winner: Dallas Cowboys

A dream scenario for the Dallas Cowboys. There's a legitimate chance that All-American safety Caleb Downs was rated as a top-three prospect on the Cowboys' draft board. He is the do-it-all defensive back this franchise has needed for more than a decade. The instincts he brings to the table are exceptional, and his football IQ—there's no better way to highlight that than the fact he was a standout starter as a true freshman in Nick Saban's defense. Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker needed a star who could be the centerpiece of his secondary; this pick accomplishes that. In three years, we're probably talking about Downs as one of the best safeties in the NFL and one of the biggest reasons for the remarkable defensive turnaround in Dallas.

Loser: Matthew Stafford and the 2026 Los Angeles Rams

The thinking this offseason was that the Los Angeles Rams were all-in on making a run at the Super Bowl next season. Weeks after Matthew Stafford committed to returning in 2026, Les Snead traded a first-round pick for Trent McDuffie and then signed Jaylen Watson to play at boundary corner. All of that suggested the Rams would use the 13th overall pick on a wide receiver, right tackle, or another defender. Instead, Snead and head coach Sean McVay took quarterback Ty Simpson .

Obviously, Simpson won't be seeing the field in 2026 unless disaster has struck for Los Angeles. That in itself, without any added context, is a good thing because he's only made 15 career starts and is nowhere close to being NFL-ready. In fact, that's one of the reasons many didn't view him as a legitimate first-round talent, even in a draft class that is relatively weak. The Rams took him 13th overall. Stafford should be frustrated; Los Angeles made a move that doesn't get him any closer to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. As for the Rams' future, there's still a very good chance that Simpson winds up being just a league-average starter.

Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers presumably dreamed of a night like this throughout the pre-draft process. Ahead of the NFL Combine, Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. was viewed as a consensus top-10 prospect who could even wind up being a top-five pick. Then his stock took a bit of a slide because of his short arms, and that's fair given that there's no modern example of an edge rusher with sub-31 inch arms who has recorded double-digit sacks in a season in the NFL. With that said, what Bain showed in some of Miami's biggest games, paired with the ways he wins, lead us to believe he can be an outlier. The Buccaneers have been in dire need of a true No. 1 edge rusher for years now, and they finally have it.

Loser: Jermod McCoy

One injury can change everything for a young player, which makes the NIL era that much. Jermod McCoy was an All-American cornerback in 2024 and tore his ACL a month later during a workout. He sat out the 2025 season and that seemed to position him to be healthy for the pre-draft process, reclaiming his status as a top-10 prospect. Unfortunately, reports have since indicated that McCoy may need a second knee surgery and how much he can play in 2026 is now a real question. Because of that, he fell out of Round 1. This was an incredibly tough night for McCoy and there clearly seems to be a much longer road ahead for him.

Winner: Cleveland Browns

A great night for the Cleveland Browns . Seeing an opportunity to trade down from the sixth overall selection while still getting their guy, Andrew Berry picked up the 74th and 178th overall picks. He still got the guy he wanted, offensive tackle Spencer Fano, 10th overall. That's a plug-and-play starter, even if we don't know what spot he'll take on the Browns offensive line. Cleveland desperately needed to shore up its pass protection, and adding Fano does that, all the while adding a third-round selection to go with it.

Later in Round 1, Cleveland helped out Shedeur Sanders even more. While KC Concepcion might never be a No. 1 wide receiver, his playmaking with the ball in his hands is reminiscent of Jaylen Waddle . He's also a weapon as a returner. Cleveland remade its offensive line this offseason and now has an offensive core of Concepcion, Quinshon Judkins , Isaiah Bond , and Harold Fannin Jr. This franchise is truly building a better long-term infrastructure for its franchise quarterback, whoever that winds up being long-term.

Loser: Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers spent the 22nd overall pick on a 25-year-old edge rusher with durability concerns. It's caused by how desperate this team is for pass-rushing help, especially with defensive wizard Jesse Minter out of the building. Akheem Mesidor is a solid player, but prospects with his yellow flags (age and medical) typically get selected with a top-50 pick. Desperation to fill a need and a relatively weak 2026 NFL Draft forced this move. It could work out fine, but that's really the best-case scenario, and there isn't a ton of long-term upside given Mesidor will be nearing 30 when his rookie contract ends.

Winner: Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs remade their defense tonight. If you wanted to know how much confidence Steve Spagnuolo has in Mansoor Delane, trading up to get him with the ninth overall pick captures it. This is an organization with a glowing track record in drafting and developing cornerbacks; Delane lands in the perfect situation to become a No. 1 cornerback. Plus, unlike Trent McDuffie, Delane is a much better fit on the perimeter. Making all of this better, they landed Peter Woods to close out Round 1. Before a down season at Clemson, he was viewed as a potential top-five pick. There were still flashes of that ability this past season, and now he has the opportunity to learn from Chris Jones . Kansas City might've hit two home runs with its first-round picks tonight, and a remade defense is a massive step toward returning to Super Bowl contention.

Loser: Seattle Seahawks

This feels like Rashaad Penny all over again. The Seattle Seahawks made it clear to just about anyone who would listen that they would love to trade down from the 32nd overall pick. Why? Because they desperately needed more draft capital. With all the trades made ahead of them, it seems that choice was taken off the board for the team. So, clearly in dire need of a running back, they reached for Jadarian Price. He's the clear-cut RB2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he probably would be the starter on a lot of programs had he not been on the same team as Jeremiyah Love. Still, his skill set makes him best suited to be a committee back, and the Seahawks just used a first-round pick on him. It's a baffling selection, and there's an alarmingly high probability that this pick looks even more foolish two years from now.

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