NFL draft 2026 takeaways: Rams reach, Cowboys retool and Jets add juice

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson poses after being chosen by the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday with the 13th overall pick during the first round of the NFL draft. Photograph: Gene J Puskar/AP The Rams reach for Stafford’s successor The Rams delivered the biggest shock of the night, sticking at pick No 13 and selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. It was a stunner that seemed to take even their head coach by surprise.

Sean McVay seemed less than enthusiastic at the Rams’ post-pick press conference, and Simpson said in an interview that he’s never met McVay. Maybe it shouldn’t have been a shock. Simpson, who started just 15 games in college, hemmed and hawed about whether to enter the draft at all.

But a key reason he entered the class was Rams general manager Les Snead telling him he was a first-round pick. On Thursday, Snead stuck to his word, reaching for a quarterback tabbed as a fringe first-round prospect. First round 1 Las Vegas, Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana 2 New York Jets, David Bailey, LB, Texas Tech 3 Arizona, Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame 4 Tennessee, Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State 5 New York Giants, Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State 6 Kansas City (from Cleveland), Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU 7 Washington, Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State 8 New Orleans, Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State 9 Cleveland (from Kansas City), Spencer Fano, OT, Utah 10 New York Giants (from Cincinnati), Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami 11 Dallas (from Miami), Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State 12 Miami (from Dallas), Kadyn Proctor, OT, Alabama 13 LA Rams (from Atlanta), Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama 14 Baltimore, Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State 15 Tampa Bay, Rueben Bain Jr, LB, Miami 16 New York Jets (from Indianapolis), Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon 17 Detroit, Blake Miller, OT, Clemson 18 Minnesota, Caleb Banks, DT, Florida 19 Carolina, Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia 20 Philadelphia (from Green Bay through Dallas), Makai Lemon, WR, USC 21 Pittsburgh, Max Iheanachor, OT, Arizona State 22 LA Chargers, Akheem Mesidor, LB, Miami 23 Dallas (from Philadelphia), Malachi Lawrence, LB, UCF 24 Cleveland (from Jacksonville), KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M 25 Chicago, Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon 26 Houston (from Buffalo), Keylan Rutledge, G, Georgia Tech 27 Miami (from San Francisco), Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State 28 New England (from Houston through Buffalo), Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah 29 Kansas City (from LA Rams), Peter Woods, DT, Clemson 30 New York Jets (from Denver through Miami and San Francisco), Omar Cooper Jr, WR, Indiana 31 Tennessee (from New England through Buffalo), Keldric Faulk, DE, Clemson 32 Seattle, Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame Second round 33 San Francisco (from New York Jets) 34 Arizona 35 Buffalo (from Tennessee) 36 Las Vegas 37 New York Giants 38 Houston (from Washington) 39 Cleveland 40 Kansas City 41 Cincinnati 42 New Orleans 43 Miami 44 New York Jets (from Dallas) 45 Baltimore 46 Tampa Bay 47 Indianapolis 48 Atlanta 49 Minnesota 50 Detroit 51 Carolina 52 Green Bay 53 Pittsburgh 54 Philadelphia 55 LA Chargers 56 Jacksonville 57 Chicago 58 San Francisco 59 Houston 60 Chicago (from Buffalo) 61 LA Rams 62 Denver 63 New England 64 Seattle Third round 65 Arizona 66 Tennessee 67 Las Vegas 68 Philadelphia (from New York Jets) 69 Tennessee (from New York Giants via Houston and Buffalo) 70 Cleveland 71 Washington 72 Cincinnati 73 New Orleans 74 Cleveland (from Kansas City) 75 Miami 76 Pittsburgh (from Dallas) 77 Tampa Bay 78 Indianapolis 79 Atlanta 80 Baltimore 81 Jacksonville (from Detroit) 82 Minnesota 83 Carolina 84 Green Bay 85 Pittsburgh 86 LA Chargers 87 Miami (from Philadelphia) 88 Jacksonville 89 Chicago 90 San Francisco (from Houston via Miami) 91 Houston (from Buffalo) 92 Dallas (from San Francisco) 93 LA Rams 94 Miami (from Denver) 95 New England 96 Seattle 97 Minnesota 98 Philadelphia 99 Pittsburgh 100 Jacksonville Fourth round 101 Buffalo (from Tennessee) 102 Las Vegas 103 New York Jets 104 Arizona 105 New York Giants 106 Houston (from Washington) 107 Cleveland 108 Denver (from New Orleans) 109 Kansas City 110 Cincinnati 111 Denver (from Miami) 112 Dallas 113 Indianapolis 114 Dallas (from Atlanta via Philadelphia) 115 Baltimore 116 Tampa Bay 117 Las Vegas (from Minnesota via Jacksonville) 118 Detroit 119 Carolina 120 Green Bay 121 Pittsburgh 122 Atlanta (from Philadelphia) 123 LA Chargers 124...