The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone, getting us even closer to the beginning of the 2026 season. The NFL Draft always has its twists and turns, but the board shook out oddly in Pittsburgh. A handful of teams had a great prospect dropped in their lap, at a pick that they shouldn’t have made it to. These teams made out like bandits this year.
5. Dillon Thieneman To Chicago At 25
Leading up to the NFL Draft, everyone had Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman near the top or middle of the first round. The Chicago Bears snatched him up at 25, and he will give a much-needed boost to their secondary. They lost Kevin Byard, Nahshon Wright, and Jaquan Brisker this offseason. Thieneman was an All-American last season, grabbing two interceptions and 44 solo tackles for the Ducks. The kid who grew up a Bears fan gets to live out his dream.
4. Olaivavega Ioane To Baltimore At 14
The Baltimore Ravens got a good one to fall to them at 14. Olaivavega Ioane has a chance to be the most can’t-miss prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft class. He was an All-American last year at Penn State, and he will anchor the Ravens offensive line for the next decade. Ioane played in 43 games at Penn State, logging 2.304 offensive snaps and dominating in the run game for the Nittany Lions.
3. Sonny Styles To Washington At 7
The Washington Commanders nailed their draft, and it wasn’t hard to write Sonny Styles on their first-round draft card. Styles is a crazy athlete and could translate well to the NFL. The Commanders’ defense needs all the help it can get these days, and Styles will be a huge piece of the puzzle. They have added Odafe Oweh, Leo Chenal, and K’Lavon Chaisson this offseason, but Styles is their most exciting addition by far. Styles had 6.5 tackles for loss last season at Ohio State.
2. Reuben Bain Jr. to Tampa Bay At 15
There were likely a few things that contributed to Rueben Bain Jr’s slide at the draft, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to be through the roof to get him in the building. He could have been a top-five pick, and nobody would’ve batted an eye. Last season at Miami, Bain Jr registered 15 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in an All-American campaign for the Hurricanes. The Buccaneers needed to bolster their defense, and Bain Jr is a great start.
1. Caleb Downs To Dallas At 11
It sucks to give Jerry Jones any credit, but Caleb Downs is going to be a star for the Dallas Cowboys. Their defense has been sad since the departure of Micah Parsons, but Downs will give that unit a bump. He played 44 games at Ohio State, racking up 164 solo tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and six interceptions for the Buckeyes while being an All-American in 2024 and 2025. The star safety finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting last year, impressive for his position.
End Of My NFL Draft Rant
The best part of the NFL Draft is that sometimes it feels like nobody knows what they are talking about. For all we know, all of these players could be busts, but as of right now, it feels like these teams brought in some legitimate playmakers. The NFL Draft is a make-or-break event for franchises, and all of these players have an opportunity to improve the quality of their franchise. Drafting well is key to success in the NFL.
