Sound Smart: 5 Observations from the 2026 NFL Draft

You didn’t have to watch the draft to know that Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 overall. Everyone knew that the Las Vegas Raiders planned to select the Indiana quarterback since he declared for the draft. You porbably saw that the Arizona Cardinals took Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love third overall, the highest draft slot for a running back since Saquon Barkley went second overall in 2018. And maybe you heard that at 13th overall, the Los Angeles Rams picked Alabama QB Ty Simpson, now the heir apparent to NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. That’s what we’re seeing and hearing at the surface level. But this is “Sound Smart,” where I try to spin forward, dive deeper and think outside the box. If I do my job, you’ll have a better understanding of what really happened in the 2026 NFL Draft. 1. IF THERE’S ONE THING YOU SHOULD KNOW Ty Simpson was one of the only people not surprised by where he landed. When Simpson got the life-changing phone call from the Rams, the young quarterback was in the arms of his former offensive lineman, Kadyn Proctor. And it was because of that hug that Simpson nearly missed the call from the Rams. The NFL put Proctor and Simpson, both Alabama prospects, next to each other in the green room during the draft in Pittsburgh on Thursday night. When the Miami Dolphins picked Proctor at 12th overall, he and Simpson locked in a massive hug. Like … literally, this hug was serious. At 6-foot-7, 360 pounds, Proctor doesn’t mess around. “They about tore down the little divider in between them,” said Jason Simpson, Ty’s father, told me by phone on Sunday. “It was so emotional — like they’d just won a game.” Speaking to everyone who knows Simpson, you hear all the time about how much he cares about his teammates. But it’s hard to quantify that dedication to his peers. Well, this was one example, with Simpson — knowing he could go to L.A. at No. 13 — making sure to celebrate with his teammate and without his phone. That’s when Tyler Booker, Ty’s best friend and current Cowboys guard, started trying to get Simpson’s attention. Simpson’s agent, Ryan Tollner, called for the QB even louder. “Your phone!” they said. “Pick up your phone!” Rams GM Les Snead was waiting. He wanted a word with Simpson. “That was about as cool a thing as I’ve probably ever seen and been a part of,” Jason said. For most, it was the surprise of the draft. But not for the Simpsons. Prior to entering the NFL Draft, Simpson made one thing clear to his father. He only wanted to enter the draft if he was going to be a first-round pick. So Jason, head football coach at the University of Tennessee at Martin, began to connect with NFL GMs — roughly 10 in total. Snead was one of many executives who told Jason they anticipated Simpson going in Round 1. And so the Alabama product declared for the draft with confidence, bypassing millions in NIL money to return to college. That confidence only grew throughout the process, which led the family to attend the draft in Pittsburgh. “We had multiple conversations with multiple teams for him to go potentially even earlier [than 13th],” Jason told me. “And then there were multiple opportunities behind the Rams. Matter of fact, as we were sitting there in the draft room, I was getting texts: ‘Is he going to the Rams at 13? If not, this is what’s about to happen.'” Jason wouldn’t divulge which teams were contacting him. And that’s fair, because all that matters now is that Ty is a Ram. In one way, Simpson is like every football player you’ve ever known. He grew up writing essays in school about how he was going to grow up and play in the NFL. Even his mother, Julie Simpson, admitted she read his third-grade essay about playing pro football and was … cautiously optimistic. “Just like all kids, you kind of say, ‘OK, that’s great.’ You encourage them, but you know that’s probably not going to happen,” she told me. But Ty realized that dream on Thursday night — with that phone call. “To see that actually come through and come to fruition, it has been unbelievable,” Julie said. “It’s something that you want every parent to experience.” And perhaps this is only the beginning, with many more special moments to come. For a guy like Simpson, who would benefit from a year or two of development as a backup, the Rams are the absolute perfect spot. It’s where any QB would hope to land. Simpson won’t play right away, with Matthew Stafford there. But McVay, among the brightest offensive minds in the history of the game, will have a firm hand in guiding Simpson’s development. “He is very excited to be there with Coach McVay and a part of the culture and offensive system there in L.A.,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer texted me Sunday. “It’s a great fit for Ty and will bring out his best as a player and someday as a leader.” Much was made of how McVay conducted his press conference after Round 1, with the normally enthusiastic coach appearing subdued. But the bottom line is that McVay wanted Simpson. It’s just that McVay had to be careful about managing expectations — and honoring the team’s current QB1, 38-year-old Stafford. Stafford was one of the many people who spoke with Simpson when he toured the Rams’ facility this weekend. Simpson also heard from receiver Puka Nacua. And Jason told me he was a fly on the wall for some of McVay’s conversations with Simpson. “Sean — he was just incredible. To see him talking Ty through their different schemes, I’m just elated for Ty to work with him,” Jason told me. Simpson will compete for the backup job with Stetson Bennett, per McVay. But probably not for long. Simpson battled his way to the top of the Alabama depth chart, and when Stafford decides to retire from football, Simpson will be ready. Development is in his DNA. “That’s a learned skill,” Jason said. “Some guys can pout [if they’re not playing]. They’re not gathering information. They’re not playing the game in their head until they get the opportunity. And that’s one thing I think Ty did very well until he was named a starter.” On Sunday, the Simpson family went to church together and then hosted a party to thank those in the community who helped the young QB get where he is today. And where is he today? Throwing. Just hours before his big party began, he told his dad: “Hey, we need to go throw in the morning.” 2. PEELING BACK THE CURTAIN Makai Lemon was on the phone with the Steelers when the Eagles traded up to steal him away. The NFL is like reality TV. But the NFL Draft actually is reality TV. What happened to USC All-American receiver Makai Lemon was stranger than fiction. Roughly halfway through the first round on Thursday, Lemon was on the phone with the Steelers. “Makai, it’s Omar from the Steelers,” GM Omar Khan said, via NFL Network. “How are ya?” Spoiler: Lemon will not be wearing the Steelers’ logo in 2026. The Eagles were not going to let that happen. They traded with the Cowboys, a divisional rival, to get into position to take Lemon before Pittsburgh could. So in the middle of the conversation with Khan, Lemon saw he had another incoming call. “Wait, why is Philly calling me?” Lemon said — to Khan. Then Lemon’s agent, Ian Grutman, came running over. “This is Philly. They just traded for you,” Grutman said. “Philly’s taking you right now.” At the end of the first round, the Eagles’ leadership spoke to the media about the selection — and GM Howie Roseman fielded a question about jumping past the Steelers. “We just felt like this was a player we wanted to go up and get,” Roseman told reporters. “When you have a player that you like — that’s ranked higher on your board than where you’re picking — you think in every pick that he’s going to be selected. That’s just how the draft is. You think that everyone’s thinking how you are.” Khan also answered a question about Lemon — and dealing with the surprise of losing his player while the Steelers thought they were on the clock. “The draft throws curveballs at you in every round,” Khan said. “Trust me, it happens throughout the draft, some public, some not. Things just sort of take care of themselves.” Pittsburgh instead took Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor at 21st overall. 3. THE FIVE LUCKIEST PLAYERS IN THE 2026 DRAFT Every draft, there are players who land in spots where they will have to overcome an unnecessary number of obstacles to achieve success. And every draft, some guys are instantly set up for success. Let’s talk about that list of prospects for whom things fell into place this year. Rams QB Ty Simpson — See the No. 1 observation. Chiefs CB Mansoor Delane The Chiefs traded up from eighth to sixth overall to land this year’s top corner. It was a move that, initially, some pundits didn’t like. I loved it. Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy had first-round potential, but his knee injury made him a difficult player to commit to that high. That meant only one CB had a first-round grade: Delane. So in a draft that lacked premium players at premium positions, the Chiefs moved up to get who they wanted, knowing full well that Delane was the only player of his caliber at his position. Kansas City was so set on taking Delane that the Chiefs intentionally ignored him during the pre-draft process, admitting to him on draft night that they had neglected him because they wanted him. They really wanted him on Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. Delane is ready to start. And the Chiefs will slot him into a spot where he’s going to do well from day one. Seahawks RB Jadarian Price The Seahawks let Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III leave in free agency. So they pulled the trigger on Price, who backed up Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame, at 32nd overall to pair with Zach Charbonnet in the backfield. But it feels possible, given Charbonnet’s inefficiencies last year, that Price gets to 65% (or more) of the touches by the end of the year. It was a draft class devoid of running back talent, which was why the Seahawks took him in Round 1, apparently concerned at the drop-off past Price. So not only is he lucky to land in Round 1, but he’s lucky to land with a run-first offense and Super Bowl champion. He’ll be popular in fantasy football circles when everyone sits down to draft in August. That’s because Price has a unique opportunity, given his draft position, his landing spot and — of course — his talent. Texans DT Kayden McDonald He was the only prospect who attended the draft but did not get selected in Round 1. I’m sure that hurt. And so it’s probably weird for me to list him here. But the wait must have been worth it, because the draft weekend pain could spring him onto a tremendous career. McDonald will find himself on the same defensive line with Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. Even better, the Ohio State product will work under coach DeMeco Ryans, who must love McDonald’s fit in the team’s front. It’s a really good match, one where McDonald can thrive. Chiefs QB Garrett Nussmeier At this time last year, analysts wondered if LSU’s QB could land in Round 1. But Nussmeier fell all the way to the seventh round, where he will compete for the Chiefs’ QB3 spot. His fall was largely due to a cyst in his spine, per NFL Network. It’ll be a long path for Nussmeier. But at the very least, he could build a career as a longstanding backup. And if he wants more — to be a QB1 someday — the Chiefs are one of the best teams to help him get there. 4. EVERYONE’S AFRAID TO SAY The 2026 Jets’ draft class is reminiscent of the Browns’ 2017 draft class. Back in 2017, Cleveland took three players in Round 1: edge Myles Garrett (first overall), safety Jabrill Peppers (25th), tight end David Njoku (29th). Guess how many games they won in 2017? Zero. Zilch. None whatsoever. The next year, the Browns took quarterback Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick. And for a time, there was some real optimism in the building. If they’d stuck with Mayfield, maybe there would still be some optimism in the building. But they didn’t. So this 2026 class is fascinating for the Jets, because I think it’s setting up New York in a similar way. The Jets picked edge David Bailey (second overall), tight end Kenyon Sadiq (16th) and receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (30th). Because they only made four total selections, we might as well lump in cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, the Jets’ second-rounder who was a beloved member of the national championship-winning Indiana defense. [2026 NFL Draft Winners and Losers: Jets Get to Work Changing Their Culture] I don’t think the Jets will win many games next year. They’ll win more than zero, of course. But I suspect they’re going to land in the top 10 picks again next year. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Colts land in the top 10 picks — and Indy traded its 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to New York for cornerback Sauce Gardner. And that should give the Jets all the draft capital they need to get one of the best quarterbacks in the 2027 class. The Jets will get their version of Mayfield in 2027. At that point, it’ll be on the Jets to do what the Browns couldn’t: sustain success and … avoid self-destruction. 5. MONDAY MORNING CONTROVERSY 49ers GM John Lynch was asked about reaching in the NFL draft year after year. The data is beginning to show that GM John Lynch has a habit of reaching on players — taking prospects at a draft position that exceeds the consensus ranking among media members. What is a “consensus ranking”? Well, there’s no one single recipe. It is an aggregation of the top big boards from draft analysts across print and digital media. But how many boards should you include? Which analysts should be included or excluded? Which analysts are using league sources to guide them and which analysts are simply using scouting experience? Because of all those questions, there is no one singular consensus ranking. There are many, which is ironic — honestly — because there is no consensus on how to make a consensus ranking. The idea is to create something more objective in a very subjective process. But it’s still far from objective. Statistically, Lynch has reached on 76% of his picks over the past four years, taking players higher than consensus, per Warren Sharp. Lynch’s past four drafts have also been particularly weak. In this year’s class, the 49ers picked Ole Miss WR De’Zhaun Stribling at 33rd overall — despite fielding trade calls. Stribling’s consensus ranking was 85th, per MockDraftDatabase.com, a site that includes 184 big boards, 1,457 mock drafts and 1,442 team mocks. Lynch fielded a question about why he feels confident deviating from the consensus. “I appreciate that you think that,” he told reporters. “Depends on whose consensus. We’ve got consensus in this building. That’s the consensus that I care about.” Later in the press conference, while answering a different question, coach Kyle Shanahan returned to the discussion of reaching. “That was one of the coolest things in this draft — just so that you don’t reach on somebody,” Shanahan said. “If there’s somebody you know you’re going to take in that spot and your consensus from all your homework around the league — not necessarily Twitter or media stuff — just investigating when people are going to go.” It’s a debate of dogma. There is a contingent in the draft community that will take the players they rate highest, regardless of where other teams rank that same player. (Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick was notorious for this, particularly at the end of his tenure when he took, for example, guard Cole Strange in Round 1 in 2022.) There is a continent that feels that the league-wide (and media) rankings are an important piece of the puzzle. But as teams make their boards, there are reasons why those boards would look different than what the media has. The sheer budget of a front office allows a GM and his staff to run counterintelligence around what the rest of the NFL is going to do in a given draft. That could get factored into their draft board. There is also the matter of speaking to the prospects — meeting them, interviewing them and taking them out to dinner. Of course, some teams don’t value that intel, with the Jaguars and Rams basically avoiding that part of the process altogether. And finally, there’s the matter of schematic fit, with a player plugging into a scheme for specific reasons — that might make him a misfit elsewhere. Those are outlier situations. It seems like Lynch is making it the rule. Honestly, I do take issue with the idea of consensus. Because there isn’t one. But whether he’s “reaching” or not, Lynch’s draft picks haven’t produced like they should. And that’s worth further inspection.