Samwise NFL Newsletter
Sunday, April 26, 2026
2026 NFL Draft Concludes With Fernando Mendoza as No. 1 Pick, 257 Selections Made
The 2026 NFL Draft wrapped Saturday in Pittsburgh after three days and 257 total picks. Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick, making Mendoza the highest-drafted Hoosier in program history. The New York Jets took Texas Tech edge David Bailey at No. 2, and Arizona picked Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3. Ohio State put four players in the top 11, including defensive lineman Arvell Reese to the Giants at No. 5, linebacker Sonny Styles to Washington at No. 7, and safety Caleb Downs to Dallas at No. 11.
Sources: Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports
Rams Stun NFL With Ty Simpson at No. 13 in Quarterback-Heavy Draft Surprise
The Los Angeles Rams shocked the league Thursday night by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick, one of the most polarizing choices of the first round. Simpson started just one full season for the Crimson Tide, completing 305-of-473 passes for 3,567 yards with 28 touchdowns and five interceptions in Ryan Grubb’s spread system. With 15 career college starts, Simpson projects as a future starter behind veteran Matthew Stafford. Head coach Sean McVay said the organization had been targeting Simpson for months, viewing him as a high-ceiling developmental piece for the franchise’s next chapter.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Eagles Acquire Pro Bowl Edge Jonathan Greenard in Draft Night Trade, Sign $100M Deal
The Philadelphia Eagles bolstered their pass rush Friday night by acquiring Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for their third-round pick at No. 98 and a 2027 third-round selection, plus a seventh-round pick back. Immediately following the trade, Greenard signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Greenard joins a defensive line that already ranked among the league’s best. The Eagles also selected tight end Eli Stowers of Vanderbilt at pick No. 54 on Night 2 and offensive tackle Markel Bell in Round 3.
Sources: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Browns Expand Quarterback Room to Four, Adding Pressure on Shedeur Sanders
The Cleveland Browns completed their 2026 draft with a quarterback room that now lists four signal-callers: Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, Dillon Gabriel, and newly added sixth-round pick Taylen Green of Arkansas. Sanders went 3-4 as a rookie starter last season, but struggled with pressure, generating the second-highest self-caused pressure rate in the league at 29.1 percent, per Pro Football Focus. The Browns drafted Spencer Fano at offensive tackle in Round 1 to support whoever wins the starting job. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sanders remains the frontrunner heading into training camp, but the roster construction signals urgency.
Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN
Day 3 Notebook: McCoy Slides to Raiders in Round 4, Nussmeier Drafted by Chiefs in Round 7
Saturday’s final day of the 2026 NFL Draft opened with Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy sliding all the way to the first pick of Round 4 at No. 101, where the Las Vegas Raiders snapped him up despite his recovery from a January 2025 ACL tear. McCoy was widely projected as a top-50 talent. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, a projected Day 2 selection, kept falling and was not taken until the Kansas City Chiefs chose him 249th overall in Round 7. The Denver Broncos closed the draft by selecting Buffalo linebacker Red Murdock 257th overall, making Murdock the 2026 Mr. Irrelevant.
Sources: CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports
UDFA Signing Frenzy Opens as Teams Scramble to Add Depth After Draft Concludes
Within minutes of the 2026 NFL Draft concluding Saturday, teams launched a competitive sprint to sign the best undrafted rookie free agents available. Among notable signings, linebacker Deontae Lawson of Alabama, a second-team All-SEC selection who led the Tide with 89 tackles in 2025, signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Joey Aguilar agreed to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and quarterback Haynes King signed with the Carolina Panthers. The New England Patriots signed wide receivers Cameron Dorner and Nick DeGennaro, running back Myles Montgomery, and cornerback Channing Canada to fill roster needs, according to the team’s official UDFA tracker.
Sources: CBS Sports, NFL.com
Raiders and Browns Earn Near-Perfect Draft Grades; Jaguars Among Biggest Losers
Final 2026 NFL Draft grades are in, and the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns headline the class. Per Pro Football Focus, both teams earned A-plus marks, with Cleveland earning particular praise for selecting offensive tackle Spencer Fano, widely considered the cleanest prospect in the draft, and adding interior linemen Austin Barber and Parker Brailsford in later rounds. The Raiders received consecutive A grades across six picks, including the value selection of Jermod McCoy in Round 4. The Jacksonville Jaguars drew the sharpest criticism from analysts at NBC Sports, graded among the worst classes after multiple perceived reaches with limited picks.
Sources: NFL.com, NBC Sports
Steelers Add 10 Draft Picks in Front of Record Pittsburgh Crowds Over Three Days
The Pittsburgh Steelers added 10 players across all seven rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft, held this year in Pittsburgh for the first time in the city’s history. First-round selections included offensive tackle Max Iheanachor and wide receiver Germie Bernard in Round 2. Later picks addressed both sides of the ball, including quarterback Drew Allar and cornerback Daylen Everette. The three-day event drew record-setting attendance along the North Shore, Downtown, and Point State Park, with local officials and the NFL reporting the largest crowds in draft history for a non-Las Vegas venue. The Steelers formally wrapped their draft Saturday afternoon.
Sources: WESA (Pittsburgh)
American Football Conference
AFC East
1. New England Patriots — 14–3–0
2. Buffalo Bills — 12–5–0
3. Miami Dolphins — 7–10–0
4. New York Jets — 3–14–0
AFC North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers — 10–7–0
2. Baltimore Ravens — 8–9–0
3. Cincinnati Bengals — 6–11–0
4. Cleveland Browns — 5–12–0
AFC South
1. Jacksonville Jaguars — 13–4–0
2. Houston Texans — 12–5–0
3. Indianapolis Colts — 8–9–0
4. Tennessee Titans — 3–14–0
AFC West
1. Denver Broncos — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Chargers — 11–6–0
3. Kansas City Chiefs — 6–11–0
4. Las Vegas Raiders — 3–14–0
National Football Conference
NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles — 11–6–0
2. Dallas Cowboys — 7–9–1
3. Washington Commanders — 5–12–0
4. New York Giants — 4–13–0
NFC North
1. Chicago Bears — 11–6–0
2. Green Bay Packers — 9–7–1
3. Minnesota Vikings — 9–8–0
4. Detroit Lions — 9–8–0
NFC South
1. Carolina Panthers — 8–9–0
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8–9–0
3. Atlanta Falcons — 8–9–0
4. New Orleans Saints — 6–11–0
NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks — 14–3–0
2. Los Angeles Rams — 12–5–0
3. San Francisco 49ers — 12–5–0
4. Arizona Cardinals — 3–14–0
2025 season final standings | 2026 season begins September 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency