One Division Dominates Our NFC Draft Class Ranking From 16 to 1

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Now that the dust has settled, it's time to evaluate the 2026 NFL draft classes from the NFC.

And, yeah, it might seem a little silly to see whether our initial draft grades were off or just right. Maybe 49ers GM John Lynch is reevaluating his draft class after being asked about the criticism he's gotten for again selecting players who weren't expected to go as early as they did, igniting a fierce social media debate about whether teams should put more stock into consensus draft boards from notable experts in the industry.

It never hurts to reassess, and there are multiple ways to judge a draft class. Initially, the focus was on talent, value and team fit. Today, let's focus on potential immediate-impact players and future stars.

With a different perspective a week later, I'll rank the NFC draft classes from 16 to 1 below. My colleague Matt Verderame ranked the AFC draft classes.

Let's get to the list.

16. Green Bay Packers

Grade:D

• Round 2: No. 52: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
• Round 3: No. 77: Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri
• Round 4: No. 120: Dani Dennis-Sutton, edge, Penn State
• Round 5: No. 153: Jager Burton, C, Kentucky
• Round 6: No. 201: Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama
• Round 6: No. 216: Trey Smack, K, Florida

Packers fans weren't happy with this grade in large part because the team addressed its roster needs. While that is true, I'm still having a hard time seeing where the immediate impact is going to come from, outside of the selection of Smack, who could very well take the kicking job from Brandon McManus.

Cisse has upside, but he might need time to develop into a reliable corner, and this team can't afford to be patient after going all-in with the Micah Parsons trade last year. This draft class probably won't be the key to catapulting the Packers from wild-card status to a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

15. Carolina Panthers

Grade:C-

• Round 1: No. 19: Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia
• Round 2: No. 49: Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
• Round 3: No. 83: Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee
• Round 4: No. 129: Will Lee III, CB, Texas A&M
• Round 5: No. 144: Sam Hecht, C, Kansas State
• Round 5: No. 151: Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
• Round 7: No. 227: Jackson Kuwatch, LB, Miami (Ohio)

The Panthers face an enviable problem after adding Freeling to a deep tackle group. Still, this team is far from being a finished product, to be so focused on one area. Carolina did gain Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd in free agency, but let's not forget where this unit was two years ago with a historically bad run defense.

The Panthers should have added another edge rusher or selected a pass catcher in the early rounds-Bryce Young desperately needs better tight end options. However, this assessment will look foolish if Freeling beats out Rasheed Walker or Taylor Moton for a starting position and Ikem Ekwonu misses most of the year due to his knee injury.

14. San Francisco 49ers

Grade:C

• Round 2: No. 33: De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, Ole Miss
• Round 3: No. 70: Romello Height, edge, Texas Tech
• Round 3: No. 90: Kaelon Black, RB, Indiana
• Round 4: No. 107: Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
• Round 4: No. 127: Carver Willis, OT, Washington
• Round 4: No. 139: Ephesians Prysock, CB, Washington
• Round 5: No. 154: Jaden Dugger, LB, Louisiana
• Round 5: No. 179: Enrique Cruz Jr., OT, Kansas

49ers fans have had heated debates on social media about whether the front office has a problem with reaching for picks and steering too far from consensus draft boards. It's understandable if GM John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan were worried about Stribling possibly not being available in the third round.

Still, it's worth noting that the team passed on multiple wide receivers with better upside, in my opinion, and was too focused on scheme fit because of Stribling's prowess as a blocker. Omar Cooper Jr. was available before San Francisco traded out of the first round, and Denzel Boston was on the board until pick No. 39. But the team may have found a gem in Height, who flashed playing next to David Bailey at Texas Tech.

13. Los Angeles Rams

Grade:C+

• Round 1: No. 13: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
• Round 2: No. 61: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
• Round 3: No. 93: Keagen Trost, OT, Missouri
• Round 6: No. 197: CJ Daniels, WR, Miami
• Round 7: No. 232: Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama

There has been all kinds of speculation about whether Sean McVay was pretending to be upset after the Simpson pick out of respect for Matthew Stafford. But McVay doesn't exactly have the best poker face. He was definitely annoyed about something. Who knows whether it was about the selection of Simpson, and if it was, it sure did look like GM Les Snead did his best to make it up to his coach.

McVay added two more weapons, Klare and Daniels, to his talented group of skill players. With this team's track record, it wouldn't be a surprise if one of the later picks makes an immediate impact. But this draft class will be defined by how Simpson performs whenever that time comes.

12. Minnesota Vikings

Grade:C+

• Round 1: No. 18: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
• Round 2: No. 51: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
• Round 3: No. 82: Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State
• Round 3: No. 97: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
• Round 3: No. 98: Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami
• Round 5: No. 159: Max Bredeson, TE, Michigan
• Round 5: No. 163: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
• Round 6: No. 198: Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
• Round 7: No. 235: Gavin Gerhardt, C, Cincinnati

Let's start with the positive here. The Vikings filled several needs with the extra picks they gained from the Eagles in the Jonathan Greenard trade. And that move likely wouldn't have been a feasible option if the team hadn't used its 2024 first-round pick on Dallas Turner when edge rusher wasn't a need at the time. That's a perfect example of how beneficial it can be by going the best player available route to create long-term flexibility and solve current problems-Greenard wanted a new deal.

Now, for the bad. The Vikings may have been playing with fire when they selected Banks, who has broken his left foot twice in the past year. It's never easy for a defensive tackle to quickly overcome foot injuries. Minnesota probably should have gone with Peter Woods or Kayden McDonald to be on the safer side.

11. Arizona Cardinals

Grade:B-

• Round 1: No. 3: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
• Round 2: No. 34: Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M
• Round 3: No. 65: Carson Beck, QB, Miami
• Round 4: No. 104: Kaleb Proctor, DT, Southeastern Louisiana
• Round 5: No. 143: Reggie Virgil, WR, Texas Tech
• Round 6: No. 183: Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa
• Round 7: No. 217: Jayden Williams, OT, Ole Miss

The Cardinals may have prioritized the running game too much this offseason. There was no need to sign Tyler Allgeier, knowing that they had intentions of using the No. 3 pick on Love. Maybe the team assumed it could trade down to draft a tackle and fill the need on the right side, and when that didn't materialize, it opted for the best offensive weapon in the draft.

Love will likely be a star, and he'll benefit from playing behind Bisontis. Still, it's hard to overlook the holes throughout the roster, especially opposite edge rusher Josh Sweat. Arizona also didn't need another quarterback if the plan is to find a franchise-caliber signal-caller in 2027. But, hey, we'll at least get an intriguing camp battle between Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II and Beck.

10. Atlanta Falcons

Grade:B-

• Round 2: No. 48: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
• Round 3: No. 79: Zachariah Branch, WR, Georgia
• Round 4: No. 134: Kendal Daniels, LB, Oklahoma
• Round 6: No. 208: Anterio Thompson, DT, Washington
• Round 6: No. 215: Harold Perkins Jr., LB, LSU
• Round 7: No. 231: Ethan Onianwa, OT, Ohio State

For not having a first-round pick, the Falcons found pretty good value with their first two selections. Terrell is more than just a feel-good story-he'll get to play in the same secondary as his older brother, A.J. The younger Terrell will provide versatility as a feisty corner who can play on the inside and on the perimeter.

Atlanta finally added depth to help Drake London. Branch can play from the slot and stretch the field with his speed, having run a 4.35 40-yard dash at the combine. But it's tough to get excited about the Falcons because who knows what they're getting at quarterback between Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa.

9. Chicago Bears

Grade:B-

• Round 1: No. 25: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
• Round 2: No. 57: Logan Jones, C, Iowa
• Round 3: No. 69: Sam Roush, TE, Stanford
• Round 3: No. 89: Zavion Thomas, WR, LSU
• Round 4: No. 124: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas
• Round 5: No. 166: Keyshaun Elliott, LB, Arizona State
• Round 6: No. 213: Jordan van den Berg, DT, Georgia Tech

Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen now has the pieces to produce one of the best secondaries in the NFL after the additions of Thieneman and Coby Bryant, the free-agent safety from Seattle.

But this unit could still use another reliable edge rusher to put less pressure on the back end. It's a bit surprising that Chicago didn't use a single pick on an edge rusher, knowing that Montez Sweat, who will turn 30 in September, needs more help. Maybe van den Berg becomes a gem pick to give the interior more push.

8. Seattle Seahawks

Grade:B

• Round 1: No. 32: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
• Round 2: No. 64: Bud Clark, S, TCU
• Round 3: No. 99: Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas
• Round 5: No. 148: Beau Stephens, G, Iowa
• Round 6: No. 199: Emmanuel Henderson Jr., WR, Kansas
• Round 7: No. 236: Andre Fuller, CB, Toledo
• Round 7: No. 242: Deven Eastern, DT, Minnesota
• Round 7: No. 255: Michael Dansby, CB, Arizona

The Seahawks quickly reloaded after losing a handful of starters from their Super Bowl-winning roster. Free-agent departures Kenneth Walker III, Bryant and Riq Woolen were quickly replaced by Price, Clark and Neal, respectively.

If Price offered more as a pass catcher, going in the first round wouldn't have come as a surprise to some. He's a rugged runner who can break tackles at a frequent rate. He'll likely be a Day 1 starter. And Clark and Neal have size and versatility to fit well into coach Mike Macdonald's defensive scheme. There won't be a drop off in Seattle.

7.Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Grade:B

• Round 1: No. 15: Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Miami
• Round 2: No. 46: Josiah Trotter, LB, Missouri
• Round 3: No. 84: Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State
• Round 4: No. 116: Keionte Scott, CB, Miami
• Round 5: No. 155: DeMonte Capehart, DT, Clemson
• Round 5: No. 160: Billy Schrauth, G, Notre Dame
• Round 6: No. 185: Bauer Sharp, TE, LSU

My mixed feelings about the Bain selection led me to back off on my initial grade for the Buccaneers, a B+. It's probably a red flag that Bain went from being discussed as a top-five prospect to being there for the Buccaneers in the middle of the first round. Bain's lack of arm length (30⅞ inches) was clearly an issue for teams, and it's now on coach Todd Bowles to scheme around his limitations.

But Bain's ferocious play style will likely help him find a way to make an immediate impact. Trotter and Scott could also find starting roles as rookies. Tampa Bay's defense could be vastly improved after a down year in 2025.

6.Washington Commanders

Grade:B+

• Round 1: No. 7: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
• Round 3: No. 71: Antonio Williams, WR, Clemson
• Round 5: No. 147: Joshua Josephs, edge, Tennessee
• Round 6: No. 187: Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
• Round 6: No. 209: Matt Gulbin, C, Michigan State
• Round 7: No. 223: Athan Kaliakmanis, QB, Rutgers

I might like this draft class more than others because I believe Styles found the perfect landing spot for his unique skill set. Coach Dan Quinn will likely put Styles in ideal situations to succeed, as he did with Micah Parsons during their time together in Dallas. Styles has drawn comparisons to Fred Warner, and his versatility could bring out the best in newcomer edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K'Lavon Chaisson.

But this draft class isn't just about Styles. Jayden Daniels gained two new weapons with Williams, who can contribute from the slot, and Allen, who can block and make plays with his excellent vision.

5. Detroit Lions

Grade:B+

• Round 1: No. 17: Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
• Round 2: No. 44: Derrick Moore, edge, Michigan
• Round 4: No. 118: Jimmy Rolder, LB, Michigan
• Round 5: No. 157: Keith Abney II, CB, Arizona State
• Round 5: No. 168: Kendrick Law, WR, Kentucky
• Round 6: No. 205: Skyler Gill-Howard, DT, Texas Tech
• Round 7: No. 222: Tyre West, DT, Tennessee

The Lions rarely waver from their identity as a team that builds through the trenches. It didn't exactly work out for them last year with the offensive line not playing up to expectations, but they quickly made impressive renovations with the selection of Miller and the signing of center Cade Mays. This group now looks complete, especially if the plan is to move Penei Sewell to left tackle and place Miller on the right side.

This could be a memorable draft class if Moore turns out to be a dependable No. 2 edge rusher. Detroit has had trouble finding help for Aidan Hutchinson.

4. New Orleans Saints

Grade:B+

• Round 1: No. 8: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State
• Round 2: No. 42: Christen Miller, DT, Georgia
• Round 3: No. 73: Oscar Delp, TE, Georgia
• Round 4: No. 132: Jeremiah Wright, G, Auburn
• Round 4: No. 136: Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
• Round 5: No. 172: Lorenzo Styles Jr., S, Ohio State
• Round 6: No. 190: Barion Brown, WR, LSU
• Round 7: No. 219: TJ Hall, CB, Iowa

The Saints could be a fun offense to watch with Tyson joining Tyler Shough and Chris Olave. But I did have reservations about ranking this class this high, given Tyson's extensive injury history in college.

But it was wise for New Orleans not to pass on Tyson's superstar potential-he drew comparisons to Justin Jefferson. And the Saints did end up addressing a defensive need with Miller, a rugged run-stopper who can play nose tackle.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Grade: A-

• Round 1: No. 20: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
• Round 2: No. 54: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
• Round 3: No. 68: Markel Bell, OT, Miami
• Round 5: No 178: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
• Round 6: No. 207: Micah Morris, G, Georgia
• Round 7: No. 244: Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
• Round 7: No. 251: Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria
• Round 7: No. 252: Keyshawn James-Newby, edge, New Mexico

It's going to be difficult to replace A.J. Brown's production if he is traded after June 1, but the Eagles are in a good spot with the trio of Lemon, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Philadelphia also added Stowers to give Jalen Hurts another playmaker. But it was strange that GM Howie Roseman didn't look to address some looming concerns on the offensive line with one of his first two picks, especially after filling the need at edge rusher with the Greenard trade.

If Bell can develop into a starter, perhaps even be the successor to Lane Johnson, this could be another productive draft class for Roseman.

2. Dallas Cowboys

Grade:A

• Round 1: No. 11: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
• Round 1: No. 23: Malachi Lawrence, edge, UCF
• Round 3: No. 92: Jaishawn Barham, edge Michigan
• Round 4: No. 112: Drew Shelton, OT, Penn State
• Round 4: No. 114: Devin Moore, CB, Florida
• Round 4: No. 137: LT Overton, edge, Alabama
• Round 7: No. 218: Anthony Smith, WR, East Carolina

With all the chaos in Dallas on a yearly basis, it's easy to forget that Jerry Jones and his staff tend to do their best work during the draft. They have a track record of producing quality edge rushers, and they increased their odds of finding their next star player by taking three at the position.

Some referred to Lawrence as a reach in the first round, but he has an enticing ceiling given his 6' 4" frame and 253 pounds. And Downs's do-it-all skill set is exactly what this secondary needed after a disastrous season.

1. New York Giants

Grade:A+

• Round 1: No. 5: Arvell Reese, edge, Ohio State
• Round 1: No. 10: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
• Round 2: No. 37: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
• Round 3: No. 74: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame
• Round 6: No. 186: Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, Auburn
• Round 6: No. 192: J.C. Davis, OT, Illinois
• Round 6: No. 193: Jack Kelly, LB, BYU

The Giants nailed their first four picks, all of which could become reliable starters by the end of 2026. It was also wise of coach John Harbaugh and his coaching staff not to view Reese as an edge rusher and Mauigoa as a tackle. Instead, they focused on their unique skill sets, and now it appears Reese will start his career as an off-ball linebacker, while Mauigoa will start as a guard.

With that mindset, New York could have a stout offensive line and a versatile defensive front. Hybrid players are all the rage these days, and now the Giants have two on their front with Reese and Abdul Carter, last year's No. 3 pick.

More NFL Draft from Sports Illustrated

• Why the Rams Passed on Makai Lemon, Kenyon Sadiq in Order to Draft Ty Simpson
• The 10 Most Impactful Rookies Selected in Rounds 2 and 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft
• The Five Most Likely 2026 NFL Draft Busts in the AFC
• The Five Most Likely 2026 NFL Draft Busts in the NFC

This article was originally published on www.si.com as One Division Dominates Our NFC Draft Class Ranking From 16 to 1 .

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This story was originally published May 1, 2026 at 3:00 AM.