2026 NFL Draft Results By Round
From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant (No. 257), here are the results from the 2026 NFL Draft:
Round 1
1) Las Vegas Raiders: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
2) New York Jets: David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
3) Arizona Cardinals: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
4) Tennessee Titans: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
5) New York Giants: Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State)
6) Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns): Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
7) Washington Commanders: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
8) New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
9) Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs): Spencer Fano (T, Utah)
10) New York Giants (from Bengals): Francis Mauigoa (T, Miami)
11) Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins): Caleb Downs, (S, Ohio State)
12) Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys): Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama)
13) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
14) Baltimore Ravens: Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Rueben Bain Jr. (EDGE, Miami)
16) New York Jets (from Colts): Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
17) Detroit Lions: Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
18) Minnesota Vikings: Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
19) Carolina Panthers: Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
20) Philadelphia Eagles (from Packers via Cowboys): Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor (EDGE, Miami)
23) Dallas Cowboys (from Eagles): Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, Central Florida)
24) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
25) Chicago Bears: Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
26) Houston Texans (from Bills): Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
27) Miami Dolphins (from 49ers): Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
28) New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills): Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
29) Kansas City Chiefs (from Rams): Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
30) New York Jets (from Broncos via Dolphins and 49ers): Omar Cooper Jr. (WR, Indiana)
31) Tennessee Titans (from Patriots via Bills): Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
32) Seattle Seahawks: Jadarian Price (RB, Notre Dame)
Round 2
33) San Francisco 49ers (from Jets): De’Zhaun Stribling (WR, Ole Miss)
34) Arizona Cardinals: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M)
35) Buffalo Bills (from Titans): T.J. Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
36) Houston Texans (from Raiders): Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
37) New York Giants: Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
38) Las Vegas Raiders (from Commanders via Texans): Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
39) Cleveland Browns: Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
40) Kansas City Chiefs: R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
41) Cincinnati Bengals: Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
42) New Orleans Saints: Christen Miller (DT, Georgia)
43) Miami Dolphins: Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech)
44) Detroit Lions (from Cowboys via Jets): Derrick Moore (EDGE, Michigan)
45) Baltimore Ravens: Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
46) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
47) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Colts): Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama)
48) Atlanta Falcons: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
49) Carolina Panthers (from Vikings): Lee Hunter (DT, Texas Tech)
50) New York Jets (from Lions): D’Angelo Ponds (CB, Indiana)
51) Minnesota Vikings (from Panthers): Jake Golday (LB, Cincinnati)
52) Green Bay Packers: Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
53) Indianapolis Colts (from Steelers): C.J. Allen (LB, Georgia)
54) Philadelphia Eagles: Eli Stowers (TE, Vanderbilt)
55) New England Patriots (from Chargers): Gabe Jacas (EDGE, Illinois)
56) Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Boerkircher (TE, Texas A&M)
57) Chicago Bears: Logan Jones (C, Iowa)
58) Cleveland Browns (from 49ers): Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
59) Houston Texans: Marlin Klein (TE, Michigan)
60) Tennessee Titans (from Bills via Bears): Anthony Hill Jr. (LB, Texas)
61) Los Angeles Rams: Max Klare (TE, Ohio State)
62) Buffalo Bills (from Broncos): Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State)
63) Los Angeles Chargers (from Patriots): Jake Slaughter, C (Florida)
64) Seattle Seahawks: Bud Clark (S, TCU)
Ty Simpson Fallout: Rams, McVay, Snead, Stafford, Lemon, Sadiq, Garoppolo, Ioane
While loosely connected to Ty Simpson entering the draft, the Rams were viewed as more likely to add a player that helped their strong 2026 roster compete for a Super Bowl title. In a move eerily similar to the Packers’ Jordan Love pick six years ago, the Rams came out of Round 1 with Simpson — who may well sit behind Matthew Stafford for multiple seasons.
Discussions about this pick pivoted from whether Simpson was a reach at No. 13 to whether Sean McVay was enthused about the selection. McVay’s post-draft presser left plenty to be desired on the latter front. For instance, McVay made this comment shortly after the choice:
“There were a lot of players that we liked, but when you do look at it, I think the thing you liked about the body of work is … let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team,” McVay said. “You get a chance to be able to address the backup quarterback.”
[RELATED: Rams Considered Joe Flacco In Free Agency]
This situation technically makes Simpson the backup quarterback — McVay went as far as to say Simpson will compete with disappointing holdover Stetson Bennett for the gig — but the Rams paid Jimmy Garoppolo barely $3MM to handle that role over the past two years. Dynamics in play here certainly separate this from merely staffing the QB2 job. With the exception of the Packers’ three-year Love developmental plan, QBs chosen in Round 1 play as rookies or, at the latest, by Year 2. Stafford is going into an age-38 season and is expected to sign an extension soon.
The Packers did add Love ahead of a Rodgers MVP season, but Stafford coming off an MVP campaign and seeing his team draft his successor is uncovered ground. No team rostering a reigning MVP quarterback has chosen another passer in the first or second round since the 1970 merger. But that is Stafford’s reality now. While this situation differs from the clunky Kirk Cousins–Michael Penix Jr. setup, as Stafford is unlikely to be benched anytime soon, a clock is almost certainly in place on his Rams tenure — rather than a Super Bowl frontrunner augmenting his current roster.
Makai Lemon was “definitely” in the mix to go to L.A. at 13, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but this does not appear to have been a McVay-Les Snead power struggle. A personnel source informed Fowler that Simpson being there at 13 meant the Rams were taking him, going so far as to say the Alabama prospect compared favorably to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza by some in the team’s building.
McVay “absolutely” was onboard with the pick, another source told Fowler, with a separate team source indicating the duo was in lockstep by “all indications.”
“I think Sean had a chat with Matthew before last night. And that’s one thing that Matthew’s definitely earned,” Snead said, via The Sedano and Cap Morning Show (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons) “It’s one of the things that we’re working together to go through it. Matthew is on his way to, I would say this, a Hall of Fame career, right? And he still has gas left in the tank. And big picture, our vision’s always been, ‘Hey, let’s make the most of this time with Matthew and his teammates — let’s chase special together, however long that may [last].’ There’s no timeline on this. The longer, the better. Matthew just came off an MVP season, so if he continues playing, it’s like, this is better for everyone involved.
“And I think at the end of the day, Sean and I are going to always work together in these types of decisions. … But there was a lot that was going on into maneuvering that draft. So, we’re in lockstep. We work together. We’re collaborative. It’s him and I partnering to try to do the best for the Rams.”
Snead played in the SEC (at Auburn) around the same time Simpson’s father (Jason) was at Mississippi State. Jason Simpson, the longtime HC at Tennessee-Martin, consulted with Snead on whether Ty should declare for the draft or stay in college. Snead said Ty was a first-round-level talent, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. Simpson received $5MM and then $6.5MM offers from Miami to transfer there for the ’26 season, according to Pelissero. Snead had his eye on Simpson dating back to the fall, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.
These discussions commenced before Alabama’s Rose Bowl game. Miami’s second offer would have compared to a second-round guarantee, but Simpson’s No. 13 overall pact will be worth $25.77MM fully guaranteed (per OverTheCap). When Ty’s parents discussed the QB’s future with Snead before his draft declaration, Pelissero indicates the longtime Rams GM conveyed a real possibility the Rams would draft him in the first round. (While the Rams’ draft slot was not known at that point, L.A. knew where its Atlanta-obtained pick would land since the Falcons’ season had ended.)
Simpson declared for the draft Jan. 7 — three days after the Falcons’ season wrapped — and the Rams carried a rare opportunity to find a Stafford heir apparent. The team’s draft slot regularly comes outside the top 20; it landed at No. 29 this year. The Rams traded their own pick to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie, and the draft community had viewed that swap as a decision that would likely send Simpson elsewhere. The Rams were viewed as high on Simpson but were considered more likely to draft him at 29 than at 13 (or via a trade-down from 13).
Even if this was a Snead-based pick, McVay has held tremendous input since arriving in L.A. nine years ago. A source familiar with the organization’s inner workings told FanSided’s Jason La Canfora that McVay “pulls all the triggers, and especially on a quarterback.” It would be highly unlikely a coach with McVay’s track record would be overruled by his GM, leading some in the league to view McVay’s lack of post-draft enthrallment for the pick as performative for Stafford’s benefit.
McVay indeed called Stafford on Thursday, per Jones. This differed from the Falcons’ approach, as they famously did not call Cousins before the Penix pick. Stafford is on a different QB tier than Cousins, and while it will be interesting to hear the veteran passer’s thoughts on the move, Simpson will be expected to sit for a while. The move also came partially due to Garoppolo uncertainty, per Fowler, though that assuredly played a small part in this. Garoppolo, whom the Rams had wanted back, is considering retirement.
McVay said (via Jones) he does not believe this pick will affect Stafford extension talks. The Rams have reached revised deals with their five-year starter in each of the past two offseasons, but with the QB unsigned for 2027, a true extension is on the docket this year.
Stafford pursued a $50MM-plus-AAV deal last year, being allowed to explore a trade, but backed down — after aggressive Raiders and Giants pushes — and signed a reworked Rams pact that brought a $40MM early guarantee. Simpson’s status aside, Stafford will still carry considerable leverage in Rams talks. Though, it is worth wondering if Simpson’s arrival will affect how much in future guarantees the Rams will want to offer.
Tied closely to the Rams coming into the draft, Lemon fell to 20th (via an Eagles trade-up in front of the Steelers). The Rams also considered tight end Kenyon Sadiq, per Fowler, who adds Caleb Downs — had he fallen to 13 — was on the team’s radar. Dallas traded up one spot to ensure it landed Downs at No. 11. The Rams have pursued a young weapon in each of the previous two first rounds. They sought Brock Bowers in 2024 and made an offer for No. 8 overall — believed to be a Tetairoa McMillan aim — in 2025. They also were linked to Emeka Egbuka in last year’s first round.
That makes the Simpson-over-Lemon call interesting, but if the Rams are right on the passer (and they certainly have an optimal setup to develop one given McVay’s success), that will end up being the right play long term.
The Rams also received calls from teams eager to move ahead of the Ravens (at No. 14) for guard Vega Ioane, and while it would have made sense to explore sliding down and picking up assets, the team stood pat. That certainly furthers the belief McVay was firmly in Camp Simpson, despite the Crimson Tide signal-caller being a one-year college starter. Simpson, who was linked to the Cardinals and Jets (among other teams) in this draft, preferred to end up in L.A., Fowler adds.
Green Bay has seen its Love investment pay dividends, though its 2020 squad — despite a Rodgers MVP effort — fell just short of Super Bowl LV. The Packers have not been that close since, with a non-QB first-round pick potentially enough to make the difference in that Buccaneers matchup five Januarys ago. But the Packers have since extended Love, who has become an upper-crust QB. The Rams had not brought in a starter-level draft prospect under McVay, though the HC developed Snead draftee Jared Goff upon arrival.
The Simpson project will be scrutinized, but this will remain Stafford’s show for a while. The extension talks will be the next chapter to follow here, and it will be fascinating how long the Rams truly commit to their likely Hall of Fame-bound starter — and, perhaps, how long he now wants to commit to the team — now that they have his likely replacement rostered.
Browns Add No. 86 From Chargers, Add T Austin Barber
Holding nine more picks in this draft, the Browns will send some to the Chargers to move up to No. 86. Cleveland added Florida tackle Austin Barber.
Cleveland will send Nos. 105, 145 and 206 to Los Angeles, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. The Browns had just obtained No. 105 from the Giants.
The Browns came into this draft widely viewed as wanting to leave Round 1 with a wide receiver and a tackle. They will now leave Day 2 with two more reinforcements at each position. Cleveland traded down (via Kansas City) and took Utah’s Spencer Fano — this draft’s first O-lineman selected — at No. 9. The team then added KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston at Nos. 24 and 39. Barber will provide more help for a Browns team that lost nearly all of its 2025 O-line nucleus.
The 6-foot-7, 317-pound Barber garnered experience at both tackle spots at Florida, where he started 38 games. He was a full-time starter on the left side in his last two years with the Gators. Pro Football Focus awarded Barber the second-highest run-blocking grade among all tackles last season, a year in which he earned third-team All-SEC honors. Barber is likely to begin his NFL career as a swing tackle in Cleveland, which has made sizable offseason investments in Fano and Tytus Howard. After acquiring Howard from the Texans in early March, the Browns gave him a three-year, $63MM extension.
Packers Obtain No. 77 From Buccaneers, Add DT Chris McClellan
Green Bay will move up seven spots in Round 3, doing so courtesy of Tampa Bay. The Packers acquired No. 77 overall.
The Buccaneers will add Nos. 84 and 160 in this swap, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets. Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan is ticketed for Wisconsin.
McClellan is the third Mizzou defender to be taken tonight, following linebacker Josiah Trotter and edge rusher Zion Young. He joins a Packers team that traded Kenny Clark last August and saw Devonte Wyatt suffer a fractured ankle in December.
No. 82 overall on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board, McClellan started for most of his time in Columbia. He was a disruptive presence as an interior pass rusher last season, racking up six sacks and eight tackles for loss. He batted down two passes in each of the past two seasons and combined for 13.5 TFLs in two Mizzou years.
Initially a Florida transfer, McClellan nearly broke the five-second barrier in the 40-yard dash despite weighing 313 pounds. The Packers also lost multiyear nose tackle starter Tedarrell Slaton during the 2025 free agency period. McClellan figures to factor prominently into the equation there as Jonathan Gannon takes over as DC. Gannon reunited with ex-Eagles charge Javon Hargrave in free agency as well.
Titans Obtain No. 60 From Bears, Draft LB Anthony Hill Jr.
The Bears are moving out of No. 60 overall, giving the Titans that selection. Tennessee is sending Chicago Nos. 69 and 144, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
Tennessee is adding Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. with the late second-rounder. Daniel Jeremiah’s No. 37 overall prospect, Hill lasts to 60 and will head to a Titans team that was closely linked to Sonny Styles in Round 1. Tennessee instead chose one of Styles’ teammates, wideout Carnell Tate, and addressed its LB room tonight.
Hill joins holdovers Cody Barton and Cedric Gray. The Titans signed Barton last year, with GM Mike Borgonzi in place but Chad Brinker controlling the roster. They added Gray in the 2024 fourth round, when Ran Carthon was GM and Brian Callahan HC. Saleh and Borgonzi are now runnign the show in Nashville, and it would stand to reason Hill will be viewed as an early-career starter — if now a Week 1 first-stringer.
Hill is the first off-ball linebacker to be a Titans draftee in the first or second rounds since Rashaan Evans‘ Round 1 arrival eight years ago. Saleh also did not draft a linebacker on Days 1 or 2 during his Jets run, though he has extensive experience developing standouts at the position — as the careers of Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw and Quincy Williams show.
The 6-3, 238-pounder filled the stat sheet during Texas’ run to the CFP semifinals in 2024. Hill totaled a team-leading 113 stops, along with an SEC-most 16.5 tackles for loss. He added eight sacks and four forced fumbles. That production led to a number of accolades, including first-team All-SEC and All-American honors. Hill remained highly impactful against both the run and pass in 2025, although a broken hand left him sidelined for the final two games of the season.
This came after Hill earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 2023. The Titans are certainly acquiring an experienced college LB, who finished his Longhorns career with 17 sacks despite playing just three seasons. Despite this experience, Hill is just 21. The Titans will gauge his readiness beginning in rookie minicamp.
Giants Engaged In Kayvon Thibodeaux Trade Talks; Saints Showing Interest
6:57pm: While Thibodeaux could be on the move soon — he dropped a Paul Walker Furious 7 image on his Instagram after this latest rumor circulated — GM Joe Schoen said (via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan) no trade is being discussed now.
5:13pm: Similar to their Mathias Kiwanuka and Jason Pierre-Paul first-round picks earlier this century, the Giants have stacked their edge-rushing corps by drafting Arvell Reese. That came after Abdul Carter arrived in New York despite the presences of Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux.
While the Giants are preparing to start Reese as an off-ball linebacker — presumably with pass-down rush responsibilities a la an early-career Von Miller — a logjam has formed here. The Giants may be prepared to resolve the issue tonight. They are engaged in trade talks on Thibodeaux, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The Saints are among the teams showing “strong interest.”
If the Giants do not move Thibodeaux, he might not have a starting role. A fascinating NASCAR package-style setup in which all four edge rushers share the field would generate intrigue — like the Giants’ JPP-Kiwanuka-Justin Tuck-Osi Umenyiora line did during the 2011 Super Bowl XLVI-winning season — but Thibodeaux’s name has come up in trade talks for several weeks. With one year left on his contract, the former No. 5 overall pick may soon need to relocate.
The Saints have been in on Thibodeaux since February, according to NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill. In late February, a report indicated the Giants were listening on the Oregon product. Days later, they were viewed as preferring to trade him. This was well before it was viewed likely that Reese — who was closely tied to the Jets at No. 2 overall — could fall to 5.
Although a potential early-Day 3 pick has been floated as satisfactory compensation, a recent report indicated the Giants were not prepared to accept anything south of a Day 2 choice for Thibodeaux. While Chase Young, Jaelan Phillips, Yannick Ngakoue and Dante Fowler generated third-rounders (or thirds and then something else) in contract years, Thibodeaux has been inconsistent as a pass rusher. He has one six-sack season on his resume, and that 11.5-sack 2023 season looks like an outlier. The Giants look to have vacillated on whether to keep or trade Thibodeaux this offseason, the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy adds. The Reese pick certainly stands to increase internal trade interest.
The Saints were connected to potentially trading up for Reese in Round 1. The Chiefs then viewed them as a threat for cornerback Mansoor Delane. But New Orleans did not move up the board and then left Rueben Bain Jr. there, choosing wideout Jordyn Tyson at No. 8. New Orleans returns Young and Carl Granderson but has not re-signed franchise sack kingpin Cameron Jordan, who is entering an age-37 season.
Thibodeaux, 25, is due fully guaranteed $14.75MM salary this season — his fifth-year option campaign — but is coming off a second straight injury-shortened year. After missing five games in 2024, he missed seven in ’25. It would be surprising if anyone offered more than a third-rounder for the former top prospect, and it is worth wondering if the Giants would accept a fourth-rounder and another Day 3 pick to finalize this deal. By engaging in talks now, the team appears to be hoping an EDGE-needy team will offer that elusive third to finish this process.
Latest On Day 2 QB Outlook
Although the falls of Shedeur Sanders and Malik Willis defined days of past drafts this decade, earlier-than-expected quarterback picks (and rapid pre-draft rises) are a draft tradition. The Rams continued this with their Ty Simpson pick at No. 13, and considerable fallout emerged from the choice.
Simpson coming off the board before the first round’s midpoint surprised, and with the Rams choosing him, a few QB-needy teams that lacked Fernando Mendoza access are still without one as Day 2 nears. The destinations of Carson Beck, Drew Allar and Garrett Nussmeier may be known tonight.
The Cardinals are still a team to watch for on a quarterback. Several teams view Arizona as a potential fit for Beck, according to veteran insider Jordan Schultz. Arizona holds the Nos. 34 and 65 picks tonight, but Schultz adds the team is looking to move down. A slide down from 34 could put the Cards in better range for Beck, even if the recent CFP title game starter may have completed a late rise during the pre-draft process.
No team was more closely connected to Simpson than the Cardinals, but it turned out a trade-up from No. 34 was not going to be enough to land him. Beck came up late as a possible second-round option, though SI.com’s Albert Breer cautions it is still possible none of this trio goes off the board tonight. Breer does place Beck atop the QB queue, listing Allar and then Nussmeier next. Most teams view the LSU product third among this group, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, who cautions that is not a universal view.
The topic of this draft’s QB3 has come up frequently, and now that we have seen Mendoza and Simpson go off the board, it will be one of tonight’s centerpiece storylines. The Browns did a lot of QB work in this draft, Rapoport adds, though a Thursday report indicated Cleveland — after drafting Sanders and Dillon Gabriel last year — is not expected to select one.
The Rams and Jets worked out Nussmeier; the Colts did as well. Recent medical clearance on a spine injury also figures to matter significantly for the former first-round prospect. The Cardinals, Jets and Steelers used “30” visits on Allar. The Cardinals, Dolphins and Jets met with Beck.
The Dolphins, Jets and Steelers should be considered in the mix for these passers, though. And the Browns should not be ruled out just yet. That said, the prospect of a tantalizing 2027 QB crop could cause some of these teams to wait (this has come up as a Jets likely path). Then again, choosing a third-round passer this year would not exactly eliminate the prospect of a first-round choice next year.
Patriots’ Mike Vrabel To Begin Counseling, Miss Day 3 Of Draft
While head coaches’ influence in draft rooms varies from team to team, they are regularly present throughout draft weekend. Mike Vrabel will only be available for part of the Patriots’ draft this year, however.
The second-year New England HC will miss Day 3 of the draft this year. Not long after making a statement after the New York Post published photos showing he and former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini at a resort in Arizona this year, Vrabel told ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss he will be with his family on Saturday.
“As I said the other day, I promised my family, this organization and this team that I was going to give them the best version of me that I can possibly give them. In order to do so, I have committed to seeking counseling, starting this weekend,” Vrabel said. “This is something that I have given a lot of thought to and is something I would advise a player to do if I was counseling them.
“I have always wanted to lead by example, and I believe this is what I have to do to be the best husband, father and coach that I possibly can be. This is not an easy thing for me to admit, but it is one that I know will make me a better person. I appreciate the support that everyone has given me and promise a stronger resolve as a result.”
The photographs released by the Post showed Vrabel and Russini hugging and holding hands. The Post has since released another batch of photos, these showing Vrabel and Russini kissing at a New York bar in March 2020. Vrabel and his wife, Jen, have two sons. Vrabel, 50, was the Titans’ HC in March 2020; Russini was an ESPN reporter at that time.
Vrabel told media this week the report showing he and Russini together at the Arizona resort this year is a “personal and private matter,” and indicated he “had some difficult conversations with people I care about — with my family, the organization, the coaches, the players.” His statement to Reiss emerged before the second round of photos surfaced. Russini resigned from The Athletic days after the Post published the first batch of photos.
Although Vrabel will be with his family Saturday, he told Reiss he will remain in contact with team decisionmakers. De facto GM Eliot Wolf and VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden are set to lead the draft room. This will be Wolf’s second draft with an official title atop the Patriots’ front office, though the veteran exec — initially brought in during Bill Belichick‘s HC/GM run — ran the 2024 draft before being named executive VP of player personnel. Vrabel brought in Cowden, his longtime Titans coworker whom he ultimately preferred be named GM during the team’s 2023 search process, shortly after his Pats hire in 2025. Although a report following Vrabel’s hire indicated he effectively overtook Wolf as the top Patriots decisionmaker, both he and Wolf report to ownership in New England.
The Pats have 11 draft picks this year. Eight of those picks come on the final day. The defending AFC champions hold two fourth-round choices, one fifth-round selection, four in Round 6 and one in Round 7. Vrabel not being present on an eight-pick day, with an absence allowing the successful coach to avoid media questions in a post-draft Saturday setting, will certainly come up as this wave of later-round prospects begin their careers.
“The New England Patriots fully support Mike Vrabel’s decision to prioritize his family first, as well as his own well-being,” the Patriots said Thursday in a statement (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi). “Mike has been open with us about his commitment to being the best version of himself for his family, this team and our fans, and we respect the steps he is taking to follow through on that commitment.
“We are confident in the leadership and communication Mike has established with our personnel staff throughout this pre-draft process. While he will not be present at the facility on Saturday, we know the draft evaluations are complete and Eliot Wolf and his personnel staff are prepared to execute our draft as planned this weekend.”
Seahawks Wrap Round 1 With RB Jadarian Price
Two Notre Dame running backs will indeed come off the board in Round 1. Twenty-nine picks after Jeremiyah Love went to the Cardinals, his college backup will head elsewhere in the NFC West.
The Seahawks are taking Jadarian Price at No. 32 overall. Linked to the defending champions previously, Price is the second RB off the board in this class.
John Schneider, who has traded down in six separate first rounds over his first 15 drafts, expressed interest in doing so again. But Seattle was tied to Price late in the pre-draft process. With Kenneth Walker departing for Kansas City in free agency and Zach Charbonnet suffering an ACL tear in the divisional round, Seattle opted to ensure a high-end RB talent would arrive.
This marks the third time in five drafts the Seahawks have chosen a first- or second-round back, with Walker coming in 2022 and Charbonnet in ’23. Schneider also drafted Rashaad Penny in the 2018 first round. One season remains on Charbonnet’s rookie deal, but given the timing of his injury, a stay on the PUP list to start next season seems likely.
Playing second fiddle to Love all three years of his time in college, Price still made a name for himself by rushing for 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns over his three years in South Bend. He averaged six yards per carry over the course of his career. Scouts saw Price maintain that maximum efficiency while operating on only 6.8 carries per game, keeping his legs much fresher than those of Love. Although Price did not offer much in the passing game compared to his dynamic RB mate, he enters the NFL on just 280 career carries. That will stand to help his NFL longevity, provided this pick pans out.
Seattle added ex-Green Bay RB Emanuel Wilson on a low-cost deal in free agency, but the runway appears clear for Price to team with Charbonnet. It is quite possible Price and Wilson will be the defending champs’ top RB tandem during the first half of the season. Charbonnet will need to display good form upon returning to fetch a notable free agency deal. While that injury represents poor timing for Charbonnet, Price stands to provide premium insurance while having a path toward a long-term Pacific Northwest stay (as this contract includes a fifth-year option for 2030).
Titans Obtain No. 31 From Bills, Select DE Keldric Faulk
Make that three first-round trade-downs from the Bills. This time, Buffalo has traded out of Round 1. The Titans are moving up to No. 31.
The Titans will send Nos. 35, 66 and 101 to the Bills in exchange for Nos. 31, 69 and 165, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. Tennessee drafted edge rusher Keldric Faulk out of Auburn. The Bills moved from No. 26 to 28 to 31 to 35, accumulating some picks following their D.J. Moore trade (which cost a second-round pick).
Faulk will join a gaggle of ex-Jets defensive lineman in Tennessee. Robert Saleh has acquired Jermaine Johnson and Solomon Thomas via trade while signing John Franklin-Myers and Jacob Martin in free agency. The Faulk plan certainly appears to be a starting role alongside Johnson, Franklin-Myers and Pro Bowl D-tackle Jeffery Simmons.
This draft slot is in line with where NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah placed him on his big board, which slotted the Auburn pass rusher 29th. Faulk is much bigger than Johnson, who is barely 250 pounds. The SEC product weighed in at 276 pounds at the Combine, where he measured 6-foot-5. He will be an interesting complementary piece to the former Saleh first-round Jets draftee (Saleh and then-Jets GM Joe Douglas traded back into Round 1 to draft Johnson in 2022).
As our Ely Allen noted in his PFR mock draft, Faulk “isn’t your typical potential-without-production prospect. It’s not that he looks the part and has the physical tools but just can’t put it together on the field; he is just, seemingly, always right around the play, disrupting it, but hardly ever the one finishing it. The 21-year-old has plenty of room to grow.” Saleh also may find use for Faulk as an inside rusher from time to time, as the Tigers deployed him as such at points.
Faulk did tally seven sacks as a sophomore in 2024, but he only totaled two last season. After 11 tackles for loss in 2024, Faulk produced only five in ’25. Tennessee is changing schemes, moving to a 4-3 defense after years in a 3-4 alignment. The team let Arden Key walk in free agency and will count on Johnson and now Faulk picking up the slack alongside Simmons and Franklin-Myers, who signed a three-year deal worth $63MM to come over from Denver.