2026 NFL Draft Grades: Cowboys Aced It, Steelers and 49ers Left Fans Asking Questions
The 2026 NFL Draft is done and the grades are in. Not everyone passed.
The Dallas Cowboys came out as one of the clear winners according to most analysts. Dallas took Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at pick 11, a high-ceiling player who can cover ground and close on the ball with elite athleticism. They followed that with UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence and Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham late in the third round. Three defensive picks that addressed real needs and filled them with legitimate talent. Mel Kiper gave the Cowboys one of his highest marks across the entire draft.
The New York Jets also drew attention by trading up in Round 4 to grab Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik. It’s a developmental pickup that signals the Jets haven’t given up on finding their long-term answer at the position. The Jets took a chance and the analytics crowd loved the value.
The Kansas City Chiefs took quarterback Nussmeier with pick 249, which effectively ended his draft slide and kept him from going undrafted. Having Patrick Mahomes on your roster doesn’t make a late quarterback pick a priority, but the Chiefs are always thinking ahead.
The Steelers drew the most skepticism. Their class addressed depth but didn’t obviously move the needle at premium positions, and with Aaron Rodgers now officially back on a one-year deal, the pressure to maximize this window is real. Analysts questioned whether Pittsburgh got enough help for the short and long term in the same draft.
The 49ers raised similar questions about whether they filled their most pressing needs or reached on players who fit the scheme over players who were the best available. Those debates will get resolved or proven out over the next three seasons.
Draft grades are a starting point, not a verdict. But the Cowboys left that room looking like they had a plan and executed it cleanly.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
