The biggest surprises in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft:
Titans select Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at No. 4
If you had a bet out on Tate being the first Ohio State player taken, you probably made some money. The Titans had many needs and committed heavily to taking wide receivers in the mid-rounds last year, so the position wasn’t really on the radar for Tennessee.
Tate fits extremely well into the wide receiver room, providing a true alpha complement to Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who showed promise, but not quite enough to elevate quarterback Cam Ward early. Pairing their franchise quarterback with a high-level wideout early could spell promise for this offense.
Chiefs select LSU CB Mansoor Delane at No. 6
It’s not surprising that there was some jockeying to get higher in the draft in a class with a limited number of blue-chip players, but most assumed that if the Chiefs were going to move up, it would be for an edge rusher. Kansas City lost a chunk of cornerbacks this offseason, but moving up for Delane was unexpected.
However, coach Andy Reid should welcome Delane to the team, given the limited outside talent on the team. The group should feel a little more solid with Delane’s well-rounded coverage ability.
Rams select Alabama QB Ty Simpson at No. 13
The one-year Alabama starting signal-caller has been gifted the perfect chance to develop. With Rams coach Sean McVay on his sideline and a solid starter in Matthew Stafford to learn from for at least the next season or two, Simpson looks as if he will be able to be in prime form as we saw in the first half of the 2025 college season.
The Rams are giving him a long leash to develop, a good plan for a player whom many doubted could start early. Still, this selection was a shocker for a team many believe is ready to compete for a Super Bowl this season.
Vikings select Florida DL Caleb Banks at No. 18
Without the foot injury that sidelined Banks for most of the 2025 season, this would not be much of a shock. However, Banks sustained another foot injury at the NFL Scouting Combine, and many believed his stock had dropped as a result.
The Vikings, though, clearly saw the impressive movement skills Banks showed off at the combine and jumped at the chance to draft him. Time will tell if this is a major upside play or an unforced blunder, that’s between Minnesota and the doctor’s office.
Texans select Georgia Tech G Keylan Rutledge at No. 26
While most analysts did not have Rutledge sneaking his way into the first round, not everyone agreed with that assessment. Similar to the New England Patriots choosing lesser-regarded guard Cole Strange in the first round in 2022, the Texans traded up to snag Rutledge due to his hard-nosed play and testing that went way above expectations.
Will Rutledge have similar struggles as Strange, who didn’t make it to a second contract with the Patriots? It’s relatively unlikely, as Rutledge is much more battle tested than his Chattanooga counterpart and holds much more power in his hands and legs.
–Field Level Media
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