Biggest Winners and Losers From NFL Draft

The three-day football extravaganza that is the NFL draft concluded on April 25 in Pittsburgh, and many teams enhanced their rosters with promising young talent.

Other squads left fans scratching their heads on draft decisions. That included everything from a team’s trade strategies to who was picked versus who was still available. Here’s a look at who won and lost the NFL draft.​

Biggest Winners​

Kansas City Chiefs​

For missing the playoffs, the Chiefs did well at restocking the cupboard during the Patrick Mahomes era.

The Chiefs picked up key players on the defensive end in edge Mason Thomas, defensive tackle Peter Woods, and cornerbacks Mansoor Delane and Jadon Canady. Kansas City also added depth to the offense with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, running back Emmett Johnson, and wide receiver Cyrus Allen. The Chiefs may need Nussmeier to compete with Justin Fields for the starting quarterback job until Mahomes returns healthy, and Johnson could add running back depth behind Kenneth Walker III.​

New York Giants​

The Giants overhauled the team in the trenches with former Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese and former Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa during the early rounds. Cornerback Colton Hood helps the defense, and wide receiver Malachi Fields gives quarterback Jaxson Dart another quality target. New York also added depth with Bobby Jamison-Travis, J.C. Davis, and Jack Kelly for head coach John Harbaugh’s crew.​

Tennessee Titans​

Titans quarterback Cam Target has a top-tier target in former Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate, who went No. 4 overall. The Giants also improved their defense with former Auburn edge Keldric Faulk and former Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. in the early rounds. Fernando Carmona Jr., Nick Singleton, Jackie Marshall, Pat Coogan and Jaren Kanak could all bring added depth, as new head coach Robert Saleh seeks to rebuild in Nashville.​

Las Vegas Raiders​

The Raiders likely can’t go wrong with quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick, and Las Vegas built around him the rest of the way in the draft. Las Vegas found a big safety in Treydan Stukes during round two, and a quality defensive end in Keyron Crawford during round three. The Raiders also picked up a tall blocker in 6-foot-6 Trey Zuhn in the third round.

Cornerback Jermod McCoy and running back Mike Washington Jr. could add depth as fourth-round picks. Similarly, the Raiders found more depth in the late rounds with Dalton Johnson, Hezekiah Masses, Malik Benson, and Brandon Cleveland. The results might not show on the field in 2026 because of a loaded AFC West, but the Raiders made strides to build for the future during the draft.​

Biggest Losers​

Arizona Cardinals

​The Cardinals took a big risk in selecting running back Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame at No. 3. Arizona had the second-worst running attack last season, and part of that was due to offensive line issues.

While the Cardinals addressed the issues a little with guard Chase Bisontis at No. 34, Arizona didn’t pick another offensive lineman again until tackle Jayden Williams at No. 217. Arizona’s selection of quarterback Carson Beck adds some depth and a prospect with future upside, but he’s not likely to fill the void left by Kyler Murray.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals may find defensive depth with Kaleb Proctor and Karson Sharar, and Arizona could help the receiver room with the addition of Reggi Virgil.​

Los Angeles Rams

For a team in contention, the Rams took a big risk for the future at No. 13 with quarterback Ty Simpson. The Rams could have a few more years with star quarterback Matthew Stafford, and Los Angeles has a Super Bowl-ready roster following the team’s recent appearance in the NFC Championship Game.

Los Angeles notably passed on former Miami linebacker Rueben Bain Jr., who was considered one of the best talents in the draft. That said, the Rams at least added some players who could contribute right away.

Tight end Max Klare could help the passing game and blocking, and offensive tackle Keagan Trost could help protect Stafford. Former Miami wide receiver C.J. Daniels could be a big late-round find, and defensive tackle Tim Keenan III could add depth.​

Cleveland Browns

​While drafting wide receiver K.C. Concepcion could be a good move in the long run, trading down with the Chiefs led to the four-time champions taking Delane. That won’t look good in the long run if Delane boosts the Chiefs’ defense in a return to Super Bowl glory.

Cleveland otherwise had a solid draft, starting with the No. 9 pick and offensive tackle Spencer Fano. The Browns added more receiver depth in Denzel Boston during the second round, and safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could be a factor right away.

The rest of Cleveland’s draft class could benefit the offense in blocking depth with linemen Austin Barber and Parker Brailsford, plus tight ends Carsen Ryan and Joe Royer. Linebacker Justin Jefferson could be a good depth addition besides the name recognition, and quarterback Taylen Green was one of the most athletic signal callers in the draft.