The Eight Best & Three Worst Draft Classes Of 2026

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The 2026 NFL Draft has come and gone. Over a year of scouting prep, roster evaluation and more went into the players these teams added, and now we’re left to evaluate how each team did. Analyzing draft classes is more than just looking down my big board and seeing which teams got the best value. That’s part of it, but how each team navigated the draft, how they attacked needs while still getting value, avoiding reaches and drafting scheme fits all matter, too. We’ll know more in a few years about how these classes turned out, but there are some immediate takeaways already. For the most part, teams are getting better and better at drafting. There were only three classes I truly disliked this year. I also ranked my top eight best classes. Best 1 — New Orleans Saints Round 1, Pick 8: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson Round 2, Pick 42: Georgia DT Christen Miller Round 3, Pick 73: Georgia TE Oscar Delp Round 4, Pick 132: Auburn G Jeremiah Wright Round 4, Pick 136: North Dakota State WR Bryce Lance Round 5, Pick 172: Ohio State S Lorenzo Styles Jr. Round 6, Pick 190: LSU WR Barion Brown Round 7, Pick 219: Iowa CB TJ Hall I’m a big fan of what the Saints did in this draft. Getting Tyson at No. 8 — my top receiver in this class — is good value despite the injury concerns he had going into the draft. He’s a flawless fit next to Chris Olave and suddenly the Saints offense looks quite dangerous if Tyler Shough takes another step in his second year. Miller was my top defensive tackle in this class and was the fourth off the board. He’s a plus run defender with untapped pass-rushing upside and should be a big upgrade in the middle of that defensive line. Delp is a high-floor blocking tight end with plus athleticism and at least theoretical receiving upside. While Wright was a bit over-drafted, he provides some depth on the interior of the offensive line. Coming back in the fourth with Lance is just great business, and he might be the WR3 in New Orleans immediately. He can take the top off a defense with an unreal size/speed combination. Styles is a freak athlete who should be able to provide early value on special teams, while Hall can be a solid depth corner if he makes the roster. 2 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers Round 1, Pick 15: Miami ED Rueben Bain Jr. Round 2, Pick 46: Missouri LB Josiah Trotter Round 3, Pick 84: Georgia State WR Ted Hurst Round 4, Pick 116: Miami CB Keionte Scott Round 5, Pick 155: Clemson DT DeMonte Capehart Round 5, Pick 160: Notre Dame G Billy Schrauth Round 6, Pick 185: LSU TE Bauer Sharp The Bucs got the steal of the first round in Bain. There were reports leading up to the draft that he was expected to fall outside the top 10 due to length concerns, but after the Cowboys, Rams and Ravens all picked, it was still a surprise to see Bain sitting there for Tampa Bay at No. 15. They didn’t waste any time, though, jumping on the chance to add the draft’s best edge defender to a defensive line that sorely needed him. Bain was my No. 1 overall player in the class — getting him midway through the first is a coup. The Trotter pick, on the other hand, I didn’t like at all. There were better linebackers on the board (I would have preferred Allen, Jake Golday , or Anthony Hill Jr.) and he was a reach on my board by about 80 spots. Still, he’s a young player and a plus athlete, and he’s already a good run defender and an extremely cerebral player. He could develop into a solid starter. The middle rounds were an absolute clinic for the Bucs, tho…