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1. Tennessee Titans - Cam Ward, QB, Miami
Not much to say about this pick. The Titans desperately needed a quarterback so they drafted the best one in the class. It might sting just a bit to miss out on Hunter because of this glaring need, but getting a franchise quarterback should always be priority number one. Ward isn’t the cleanest prospect we’ve ever seen, but he’s worthy of being selected at the top of the draft.
Grade: A-
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (From Cleveland) - Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
It didn’t take long to get our first stunner of the night. Jacksonville trades picks 36 and 126 along with their 2026 first round pick to move up and select Travis Hunter. On the surface it seems like a ridiculous price to pay, but if you believe Hunter is a transcendent prospect, it’s a no brainer.
Grade: A+
3. New York Giants - Abdul Carter, ED, Penn State
It might not be New York’s biggest need, but they make the smart pick by taking the best player available. The Giants already have a great defensive line, and this pick puts it in contention for the best in the league.
Grade: A
4. New England Patriots - Will Campbell, OT, LSU
The general consensus is that Will Campbell is the best offensive tackle in this class, and if that’s what the Patriots believe, this is an easy pick. However, I still believe Campbell should not play tackle in the NFL and there were better offensive linemen on the board. I’m happy to be proven wrong, but for now, this pick looks like a missed opportunity to me.
Grade: C+
5. Cleveland Browns (From Jacksonville) - Mason Graham, DT, Michigan
It’s easy to understand why the Browns opted to trade out of the second overall pick for such a great haul, but being the general manager who passed on a generational prospect is not a distinction anyone would like to own. If Graham is everything Cleveland expects him to be, this move still might work out, but it’s a huge risk.
Grade: C-
6. Las Vegas Raiders - Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State
I’m very much a believer in drafting for positional value, but I will never complain about selecting the best player on the board. Jeanty is a phenomenal talent and will make a fantastic focal point of Chip Kelly’s offense. There’s an argument to be made for taking Membou or McMillan with this pick, but there will be other opportunities to bolster the rest of the roster.
Grade: A-
7. New York Jets - Armand Membou, OT, Missouri
The Jets have struggled for years to build an offensive ecosystem capable of facilitating a young quarterback's development. This pick is a fantastic step in the right direction, as they now should have their offensive tackle duo of the future with Membou and Olu Fashanu.
Grade: A
8. Carolina Panthers - Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona
It was very surprising to see Carolina take an offensive player considering the dearth of defensive talent on the roster. Still, this pick fills a massive need at X-receiver and giving your young quarterback a dynamic weapon on the outside is never a bad thing.
Grade: B+
9. New Orleans Saints - Kelvin Banks Jr, OT, Texas
It’s not the sexiest pick, but the Saints have struggled to protect the quarterback for years. Their patience for Trevor Penning has finally run out, and now they have a promising young tackle duo with Banks and Fuaga. Banks doesn’t have the same upside that some other players in this draft might, but he should be able to start right away.
Grade: B
10. Chicago Bears - Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan
Most fans were probably expecting Warren to be the first tight end off the board, but the Bears opt for a more traditional inline option. This pick signals that Ben Johnson wants to have two tight ends on the field quite a bit, run the ball, and use plenty of play action. Caleb Williams should be excited about this one.
Grade: B+
11. San Francisco 49ers - Mykel Williams, ED, Georgia
This was the first pick that really left me shaking my head. Williams fits the archetype the 49ers look for in their four-down-and-go defensive system, but they need defensive ends who can get after the quarterback. Williams has a nice floor as a run stopping edge, but those kinds of players can be found anywhere, and I have serious doubts about the pass rush upside.
Grade: C-
12. Dallas Cowboys - Tyler Booker, IOL, Alabama
This pick fills a big need for Dallas, who’s been trying to get their offensive line back to their glory days a handful of years ago. Booker should be a really solid starter for a long time, but he has athletic limitations that limit his ceiling. My biggest question with this pick is the value. Could they have trade back and still gotten on the three best guards in the class? Maybe not, but that would’ve been much more ideal
Grade: C+.
13. Miami Dolphins - Kenneth Grant, DL, Michigan
This was one of the weirdest picks of the night. Most analysts were dead set on the Dolphins going offensive line with this pick, and for good reason. They’ve struggled mightily to protect Tua in recent years, and it looks like that’s going to continue. Grant is still a really good player though. He’ll be a huge help in the run game and might have some untapped pass rush upside.
Grade: B-
14. Indianapolis Colts - Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
This was a popular pick all off-season and it finally comes to fruition on draft night. I’m of the opinion that the Colts didn’t need another offensive weapon who they struggle to get the ball to, but the fit is great, and Steichen will draw up some really fun stuff with Warren. My biggest question is how valuable he’ll actually be due to not being a great route runner or inline blocker.
Grade: B
15. Atlanta Falcons - Jalon Walker, ED, Georgia
The Falcons must have been surprised when Walker fell into their laps, but they won’t be complaining. Walker is a perfect scheme fit in Raheem Morris’s defense and Atlanta hasn’t had an impact pass rusher in years. Walker has a ton of upside to be just that.
Grade: A
16. Arizona Cardinals - Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss
This is a big swing at a high upside prospect in a draft class without many high end players. There are reports about work ethic concerns for Nolen, but the talent is very evident. When he’s in the mood, he can absolutely wreck a game from the inside. If this pick hits, Arizona’s defense will be unrecognizable from last year.
Grade: A-
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: NFL Draft grades for each Round 1, picks 1-16
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