Rams Draft QB Ty Simpson At No. 13
The Rams regularly see their own draft pick fall late in the first round, but armed with the Falcons’ selection (via a first-round trade last year), Los Angeles will use the mid-first-round real estate to make a long-term investment.
Rumored to be high on Ty Simpson — but seen as iffy to select him this high — the Rams are taking a Matthew Stafford heir apparent at No. 13. The Falcons traded up 20 spots to add James Pearce last year. The Rams will use that to bet on Simpson, a one-year Alabama starter.
Stafford has not yet signed an extension, but that is widely rumored to be in the offing. This will create an interesting dynamic, as the Rams have followed the 2020 Packers’ lead by taking a quarterback in the first round as a Super Bowl contender. Jordan Love turned out to be a smart move; will the Rams be thankful they took Simpson in a draft-and-develop scenario?
A recent Trade Rumors Front Office piece listed the Rams’ lack of prime draft real estate as a factor in the Simpson derby. While rumors circulated the team was preparing to add strength to this year’s roster — as rumblings Simpson could fall out of Round 1 altogether emerged — the team will take the chance on adding a passer who will not be expected (barring a Stafford injury) to contribute this season. It is quite possible Simpson will be sitting for at least two years, representing a rare (pretty much Green Bay-only) developmental route among modern QBs.
Such an approach may be the best case scenario for Simpson. The same developmental route benefited him in Tuscaloosa. Sitting as a true freshman behind future No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, then sitting two more years behind Jalen Milroe before finally being named the starter for the Crimson Tide. In his single season leading the first-team offense, Simpson was able to look past an initial faltering out the gate in a brutal loss to a below average Florida State team to become one of the hottest names in college football over the first half of the season.
In nine starts, Simpson looked like the early frontrunner for QB1 in this draft class, completing 66.9 percent of his passes for 21 touchdowns and only one interception while averaging 273.4 passing yards per game. Despite the disappearance the Tide’s WR1 from 2024 Ryan Williams and the surprising lack of a run game in Bryant-Denny Stadium, it looked like Simpson had put his squad back on track for an easy run to the College Football Playoff. Over the next six weeks, though, Simpson saw a stark decline in quality of play, completing only 60.5 percent of his passes for seven touchdowns and four interceptions while only averaging 184.3 passing yards per game.
Speculation over what caused this deterioration offered theories that a home loss to Oklahoma had revealed his kryptonite, that teams had finally gotten enough film to figure him out, or that his health had limited his performance. It was believed that a lower back injury and elbow bursitis began hurting him in October, while other reports cited gastritis that caused him to lose nearly 20 pounds. Adding injury to insult, his season ended when he suffered a fractured rib in a blowout loss to the eventual champion Hoosiers.
Sitting behind Stafford, Simpson should have plenty of time to get fully healthy, if he isn’t already. He’ll also have ample time to clean up the minor parts of his game that scouts nitpicked from his lone year as a starter. Evaluators wanted to see a greater variety of touch on his passes along with improved consistency on deep passes. Any lack of starting experience isn’t going to go anywhere as he sits for a a couple more years, but as a prospect praised for his mental acuity, getting to study film and NFL defenses while backing up an MVP for a year or two should do miracles for his NFL development.
If all goes as planned, it may be some time before we hear Simpson’s name again with any significance. If all goes as planned, Simpson should be taking over an a talented offense as a seasoned NFL player with a couple years of preparation under his belt. The Rams are hoping things will go according to plan.
Dolphins Draft T Kadyn Proctor At No. 12
This draft promised to be filled with first-round offensive linemen. That prophecy is proving accurate. Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa and now Kadyn Proctor have gone off the board.
The Dolphins selected Proctor at No. 12 overall, doing so after picking up two extra draft choices (Nos. 177 and 180) from the Cowboys. This is the first pick of the Dolphins’ new regime of general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, who are looking to protect free agent quarterback addition Malik Willis.
As a 40-game starter at left tackle in college, Proctor earned no shortage of accolades during his three-year run at Alabama. He was a freshman All-American in 2023, a second-team All-SEC performer in 2024, and a consensus All-American and first-team all-conference player last season. Standing 6-foot-6, the mammoth Proctor has hung around the 400-pound mark in the past. While that is a concern, he weighed in at 352 pounds at the Combine. Proctor went on to steal the show at Alabama’s pro day in late March, further boosting his chances to go early in the first round.
Still just 20 years old, it is unclear where Proctor will line up at the outset of his career. The Dolphins have another massive left tackle in the 6-7, 326-pound Patrick Paul, a 2024 second-rounder who posted his first 17-start season last year. They lost right tackle Larry Borom to the Lions in free agency, but injury-prone veteran Austin Jackson is still under contract for another season. Proctor could eventually take over for Jackson or begin as a guard if he beats out either Jamaree Salyer or Jonah Savilnaea, per C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald.
The Proctor pick will not be the last of the night for the Dolphins, who are scheduled to select 30th. Wide receiver, cornerback and edge defender are among the areas they could address with that selection.
Cowboys Acquire No. 11 From Dolphins, Select S Caleb Downs
The Cowboys have moved up one spot, acquiring No. 11 from the Dolphins. Miami will slide back a pick, and this will allow the Cowboys to block other teams from trading up to outflank them.
The Dolphins will add Nos. 12, 177 and 180 in this swap, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. This will boost Miami’s pick count to 13. Considering where the Dolphins are on their latest rebuild timeline, it makes sense for new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan to add two Day 3 picks to drop one spot. The Cowboys drafted Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the pick.
It is no surprise the Cowboys spent their top choice on a defensive player after the unit struggled to stop anyone last season. Despite boasting one of the NFL’s premier offenses, the Cowboys finished 7-9-1 in 2025. A defense that ranked dead last in scoring and 30th in passing ‘D’, yards and turnovers was the main culprit. Dallas has since added a pair of veteran safeties, Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, to join the returning Malik Hooker, but Downs is now the most talented member of the group. The Cowboys are hoping he quickly emerges as a standout under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. As the Eagles’ defensive backs coach from 2024-25, Parker helped develop Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean into stars.
The 5-foot-11, 206-pound Downs began a decorated college career in 2023 at Alabama, where he notched 107 tackles, four passes defensed, 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. After earning second-team All-America honors, Downs transferred to Ohio State. He was a unanimous All-American during a 2024 showing in which he totaled 81 tackles, six passes defensed and two picks. Downs helped the Buckeyes to a national title in his first year with the team. They were unable to repeat in 2025, but Downs closed his Buckeyes tenure with another tremendous season. He put up 68 tackles, including five TFL, and a pair of INTs. Downs was a unanimous All-American again. He also earned the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the top defensive back in the nation.
Downs may not end up as the only high-profile defensive prospect to join the Cowboys on Thursday. They are also scheduled to pick 20th, where they could address another need on that side of the ball.
Giants Draft T Francis Mauigoa At No. 10
The Giants added on defense with their top selection. They have brought in offensive line help at No. 10 by selecting Miami tackle Francis Mauigoa. New head coach John Harbaugh had referred to the team’s offensive line a work in progress, so Mauigoa’s addition should, in theory, bring them closer to a finished product.
In 2025, the Giants only had one offensive lineman start every game of the season, and that lineman, right guard Greg Van Roten, is the only starter not expected to return after the expiration of his contract with the team. Elsewhere on the line, Andrew Thomas returned to form after a pair of injury-riddled seasons, showing elite play in 13 games this year, while Jermaine Eluemunor continued his steady play opposite Thomas. Eluemunor also missed a few games in 2025 and rookie fifth-round pick Marcus Mbow filled in adequately as the team’s swing tackle.
The left guard role was manned almost entirely by Jon Runyan whlie a carousel at center saw starts from Austin Schlottmann and John Michael Schmitz Jr. Outside of Van Roten, though, the play on the interior line was uninspired. The Giants signed a pair of former starters in Lucas Patrick and Daniel Faalele in an attempt to bring in competition for the guards spots, but the quality of play for both in recent years fails to inspire much confidence.
With both tackle spots manned, it’s believed Mauigoa will be coming in to take the starting right guard position opposite Runyan. The pending rookie only played right tackle in Coral Gables starting every game there from his freshman year to Miami’s national championship game loss in the College Football Playoff. Although he didn’t show much versatility for the Hurricanes, when reporters asked if he’d be willing to switch to guard at the next level, he told reporters that the line has five positions, and all he wanted was to land a starting job at one of them.
More to come…
Browns Select T Spencer Fano At No. 9
The Browns accomplished a well-known goal of moving down the board on Day 1. They have also managed to add to their offensive line. Utah tackle Spencer Fano has come off the board at No. 9.
More to come…
Saints Draft WR Jordyn Tyson At No. 8
Jordyn Tyson was not the first wideout taken on Thursday, but he has still turned out to be a top-10 selection. The Arizona State product has been taken eighth overall by the Saints.
The Saints were reportedly candidates to move up in the draft for an edge defender, but general manager Mickey Loomis stayed put and addressed another obvious weakness. New Orleans struck gold on receiver Chris Olave, the No. 11 pick in 2022, but had no other real threats at the position before drafting Tyson. Devaughn Vele performed well at the end of last year, but he finished with just 25 catches and 393 yards in 13 games. Other than Olave and Vele, no returning Saints wideout even hit the 20-catch mark last season.
Despite last season’s struggles, the Saints did not pick up any noteworthy receivers in the first couple of months of the offseason. That left the draft as their best bet to upgrade and bring in another weapon for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. Carnell Tate became the first receiver off the board when the Titans chose him fourth overall, but Tyson may have the most upside of any wideout in this class. Durability is the main concern regarding Tyson, who had immense difficulty staying healthy during his four years in college.
The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Tyson began his college career in 2022 at Colorado. He averaged a superb 21.4 yards per catch on 22 receptions and scored four touchdowns in nine games, but his freshman year ended with a torn ACL, MCL and PCL. Tyson transferred to Arizona State the next year, though he played just three games and went without a catch. His production exploded over 12 games in 2024, when he piled up 75 receptions for 1,101 yards and 10 scores. However, another injury – a broken collarbone – ended his season.
Tyson concluded his time at ASU with a second straight first-team All-Big 12 effort in 2025, during which he caught 61 balls for 711 yards and eight TDs. His drop rate fell from 8.5% to a microscopic 1.6% in a one-year span. While Tyson’s production was outstanding, hamstring issues limited him to nine games.
Tyson’s hamstring remained problematic during the pre-draft process. The 21-year-old did not work out at the Combine or participate in ASU’s pro day, but he recovered in time to hold a workout for interested teams on April 17. It went well for Tyson, who impressed in front of 20-plus clubs, including the Saints.
Commanders Add LB Sonny Styles At No. 7
Another Ohio State prospect has come off the board early. Linebacker Sonny Styles has been selected seventh overall by the Commanders. Just two picks after seeing his teammate Arvell Reese get drafted to New York, Styles comes off the board as the first true off-ball linebacker drafted. Styles becomes the highest drafted off-ball linebacker since Devin White went fifth overall in 2019.
Styles had to wait a bit longer than his fellow member of the Buckeye’s linebacking corps and new division-rival Reese. Styles played very sparingly as a true freshman and found himself in a rotational role in Year 2. Unlike Reese, Styles played a major role as a starter alongside Cody Simon en route to Ohio State’s run to a national championship. That year, he recorded collegiate career highs in total tackles (100), tackles for loss (10.5), sacks (6.0), and passes defensed (5), benefiting by getting to make plays of Simon’s steady coverage in the middle.
Styles heads to Washington, where he should immediately take on a starting role, receiving the torch from future Hall of Famer Bobby Wagner. While it would’ve been beneficial for Styles to get to learn under Wagner, the Commanders get the benefit of drafting an immediate plug-and-play replacement for the stellar veteran. Washington had signed Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal to fill in next to Frankie Luvu in the linebacking corps, but both players have filled similar versatile roles to what Reese did next to Styles in Columbus.
With draft pick salaries slotted automatically, Styles is locked into a four-year, $37.21MM rookie deal. The contract is fully guaranteed, giving him the third-most guaranteed money at his position in the league, behind only Roquan Smith and Fred Warner.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Chiefs Acquire No. 6 From Browns, Select CB Mansoor Delane
It has not taken long for the first trade of this year’s draft to take place. The Chiefs have moved up the board to acquire the sixth overall pick from the Browns.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes the swap includes Kansas City acquiring No. 6 for picks 9, 74 and 148. With the newly-acquired selection, the Chiefs have drafted LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane.
This is a bit earlier than Delane was projected to go off the board. For a bit, it looked as though the Chiefs — linked to edge rushers for weeks — could somehow see Arvell Reese fall to No. 6, but the Giants did not let their EDGE surplus impede such a pick at No. 5. The Chiefs, then, nabbed the first CB prospect in this draft. Delane will take over a corner corps that lost Trent McDuffie (via trade) and Jaylen Watson (via free agency). Both are now Rams.
It might be wise for Delane to rent in Kansas City considering the extensive trend that has formed at this position. McDuffie and Watson are the latest one-contract Chiefs corners. They follow L’Jarius Sneed, Charvarius Ward, Kendall Fuller, Steven Nelson and Marcus Peters as CB starters the Chiefs did not pay. Even spot starter Joshua Williams defected (to the Titans) this offseason. New blood will arrive in the form of Delane, who will be expected to anchor this high-turnover position group.
As the Browns moved down and drafted Utah tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9, the Chiefs will land a hopeful impact corner. The team has now gone to the first-round CB well thrice during Andy Reid’s tenure, drafting Peters (2015), McDuffie (2022) and now Delane. who ended up being this year’s only first-round corner chosen.
The three-year Virginia Tech product flashed considerable potential during his time in the ACC. A transfer to LSU produced the desired results and elevated his draft stock even further, though. Delane notched a pair of interceptions and 11 pass deflections in 2025. That production helped him earn first-team All-American honors and cement his status as one of the top prospects for this year’s draft. He will join a Chiefs CB cadre housing Chamarri Conner, Nohl Williams and (for now, at least) Kristian Fulton.
Giants Draft LB Arvell Reese At No. 5
Arvell Reese remained on the board through the first four picks, but he has now come off the board. The hybrid linebacker/edge rusher has been selected fifth overall by the Giants. New head coach John Harbaugh came over from a team known for drafting the best player available, and with his expanded role in New York, Harbaugh has done just that with this selection of Reese.
Reese will become a Giant after one phenomenal year on the Buckeye’s defense. Not appearing on defense as a true freshman, Reese was used sparingly as a rotation off-ball linebacker in Year 2 en route to a College Football Playoff Championship Game victory. Once Cody Simon moved on to the NFL as a fourth-round pick, Reese took over next to teammate and fellow top 10 pick Sonny Styles. While Styles spent a majority of his snaps in the box, Reese split his time as an off-ball linebacker and an edge rusher.
In part-time pass rushing duty, Reese produced 6.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Most evaluators see him producing more as a pass rusher at the NFL level, but some believe he could maintain some sort of versatility as a hybrid sort of player similar to the early years of Micah Parsons. New York drafted a similarly transitioned defender at No. 3 overall last year in Abdul Carter. In fact, Reese joins an extremely crowded room of highly drafted pass rushers that includes Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
There have been plenty of rumors that Thibodeaux could be on the trading block even before this pick. Despite the Giants bringing on yet another first-round edge rusher, ESPN’s Adam Schefter claims New York has no intentions of shipping out Thibodeaux. The four-year veteran out of Oregon may end up walking in free agency after this next season, but the litany of talented pass rushers ahead of Reese on the depth chart should allow him to be used with more versatility while still learning how to fit into his likely new position.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Titans Select WR Carnell Tate At No. 4
The first receiver has come off the board early. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate has been selected fourth overall by the Titans, a team long seen as a candidate to make a defensive investment at this spot.
Some teams reportedly considered Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson the top receiver in the draft, but Tate has won out and will become a key weapon for second-year quarterback Cam Ward. The Titans spent the first overall pick in last year’s draft on Ward, but a poor supporting cast contributed to a difficult rookie season for the Miami product.
Hoping to make life easier for Ward, Tennessee has added Tate and free agent pickup Wan’Dale Robinson to its receiving corps this offseason. They will also bring back veteran Calvin Ridley and second-year wideouts Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor. The Titans’ Tate-led receiving corps will work with an established offensive coordinator in Brian Daboll, one of new head coach Robert Saleh‘s most important hires. As the Giants’ head coach in 2024, Daboll helped then-rookie receiver Malik Nabers to a 109-catch, 1,204-yard year after they chose him sixth in the draft. The Titans will hope for a similar impact from Tate.
The 6-foot, 192-pound Tate earned a reputation as an excellent route runner in his three years at Ohio State, where he caught 121 passes and 14 touchdowns in 39 games. Stuck behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka as a freshman, Tate only managed 18 receptions and a score. His production took off after those two left for the NFL. Although Tate played second fiddle to future pro Jeremiah Smith from 2024-25, he averaged 52 catches, 804 yards and seven touchdowns per year. The sure-handed Tate did not drop a pass in 2025, per Pro Football Focus.
Tate is now the latest Buckeyes wideout to exit the board in the first round in recent years, joining Egbuka, Harrison, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. All of those players have enjoyed successful careers in the pros.
The Titans were expected to use their top pick on either a receiver or an edge defender. Having landed a pass catcher, they could turn their attention to the other side of the ball with their next selection (No. 35).
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.