Top 10 Biggest Losers of the First Round of the 2026 NFL Draft

1. Arizona Cardinals

   

   Jeremiyah Love is a very good player, don't get me wrong, but I fail to understand the Cardinals' logic here. You have huge needs at EDGE and offensive tackle. That's not even mentioning the fact that they don't have a long-term quarterback right now.

   There's also a stigma about taking a running back so high in the draft. It's usually a bad idea because it's a high-risk investment, and the narrative has only recently started to change. This was a terrible use of resources, especially when you have two running backs, James Conner and Tyler Allgeier, already on the team.

2. Matthew Stafford

   

   I really don't like picks like the Rams made. Matthew Stafford is the reigning league MVP, playing incredibly well, and was literally a few plays away from getting to the Super Bowl. The Rams have a high pick and a chance to draft a high-impact player to help win them a Super Bowl, and instead, they go with Ty Simpson.

   I thought they were in win-now mode. I get trying to prepare for Matthew Stafford's retirement, but two things: 1.) You had much bigger needs like wideout and offensive line, and 2.) if Ty Simpson was the plan, you could've traded back and gotten him late in round 1 or early in round 2, where he was projected to land. I'm sorry, but that was absolutely not the move.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

   

   The Steelers reportedly wanted Makai Lemon, and he would've been a good pick for them, especially with the hometown crowd. Instead, they got jumped by their in-state neighbors in Philadelphia, who traded up to get him. The Eagles really snatched the Steelers' chain, literally while Pittsburgh had called Makai.

   They were forced to pivot to Max Iheanachor instead. I mean, he's okay and has upside, but some consider him a project player too. I don't love or hate that pick, but they really got hosed in front of their own fans.

4. Minnesota Vikings

   

   The Vikings made a huge gamble with their first-round pick, taking defensive tackle Caleb Banks from Florida. The problem is that he is inconsistent and can't stay healthy. He's currently recovering from a foot injury he suffered at the NFL Combine. You're banking on this guy being able to stay healthy.

   On top of that, he was a reach. Most people considered him a mid-second-round talent at best. Almost everyone had Dillon Thieneman going here, which would've been a good fit, although as a Bears fan, I'm glad we drafted him instead.

5. Miami Dolphins

   

   The Dolphins, I feel like, had a weird draft. They selected Kadyn Proctor at 12, which was a huge gamble as he had struggled with weight issues before. They could have taken a generational talent in Caleb Downs at 11, but instead, they also passed on local talent Rueben Bain.

   With their next pick, they traded up from 30 to 27 and drafted cornerback Chris Johnson from San Diego State, which fills a need but was a massive reach on a guy most analysts had going in the mid-second round at best. It's also a rough look considering Colton Hood and Avieon Terrell were both available at that point.

6. Jermod McCoy

   Jermod McCoy, at one point, was considered a top-10 player in this draft class. However, he had a history of injuries, including a torn ACL in 2025 that caused him to miss the entire season. While this was concerning, there was still belief he'd go in the first round based on his talent from the 2024 season.

   However, he fell outside of the first round and even the top 100 picks after it was revealed he may need additional knee surgery.

7. Seattle Seahawks

   

   Not huge losers per se, because they didn't have many holes to fill, but they drafted Jadarian Price, who was the backup running back to Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame. I get that they lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III in free agency and needed a replacement, but they could've gotten a higher-impact player at 32, like a new cornerback, over a backup without any proven production. It's a gamble and a significant reach on a guy most analysts had ranked as a mid-second-round talent.

8. San Francisco 49ers

   

   I don't really like what the Niners did in this draft. They traded down twice and out of round 1 for no real reason when they could've gotten an offensive lineman or EDGE rusher, and they just didn't.

   Instead, they massively reached for WR De'Zhaun Stribling at 33 and RB Kaelon Black at 90. Feels like a Raiders type of move. Like I said, they didn't address bigger needs when they had the opportunity to do so.

9. A.J. Brown

   

   The Eagles drafting Makai Lemon essentially seals the fate of A.J. Brown. He's as good as gone at this point. Rumors have been circulating that he is getting traded to New England, and that seems to be all but set in stone at this point. The Eagles clearly have no problem moving in a different direction.

10. Rueben Bain Jr.

    

    He was supposed to be a top-10 pick in the draft, but a combination of historically short arms and a car accident coming to light in the final weeks before the draft really damaged his stock. I mean, he ended up falling to 15, which isn't bad by any means, but it still cost him in guaranteed salary. Plus, you could just tell how disappointed he was that he fell that far.