Photo by steelerswire.usatoday.com.
The NFL draft is one of the few things NFL fans look forward to during the league’s long off-season; it is arguably the biggest event of the off-season. Fans are either licking their wounds after a heartbreaking playoff loss or excited for their team to bring in some new faces after missing the playoffs entirely.
This year’s draft class was considered a weaker class than usual, which meant that it would be unpredictable – the thought amongst teams was that if you liked a player, you had to find a way to get him, because there wasn’t a ton of talent to pick from. These thoughts were proven right, as we witnessed the second-highest number of trades (41) in a draft since 1990.
Here is a review of this year’s draft surprises and successes.
SURPRISE – Round 1 Pick 13: LA Rams select QB Ty Simpson (Alabama)
Photo: msn.com.
The LA Rams come off a 2025 season where they were top dogs for most of the year, though ultimately bowing out in the NFC championship game. And after a strong off-season in which they completely revamped their secondary (which was the only positional hole on their roster), they went into the first round with the luxury of drafting the best player available. Instead of adding a Tier 1 caliber pass catcher and giving future Hall of Fame QB Matt Stafford another weapon, they opted for his future replacement instead. That was problem #1 with this selection. Problem #2 was that they took a guy whose jury is still out on whether he can succeed in the NFL; in his one season as a starter, Simpson started great but was dreadful for the entire second half of the year. Whether or not Simpson turns out to be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, this pick was terrible in the eyes of many, including head coach Sean McVay, who was visibly upset with GM Les Snead’s decision.
The bottom line: You don’t draft for the future when you have a roster strong enough to win a Super Bowl now.
Winners – New York’s draft classes (The Giants + the Jets)
Illustration: jchscaldron.com.
In the NFL, New York isn’t a city associated with winning in recent history. Since 2011, the Jets and Giants have 1 playoff win between them. Though the two franchises haven’t been good at much of anything in over a decade, they both deserve credit for their successful draft classes.
The Jets
The Jets took advantage of their plethora of top 100 picks by plugging several holes on their roster. With the second overall pick, they selected pass rush specialist David Bailey, who will provide them with immediate impact at defensive edge. With their remaining two first-round picks, they selected dynamic pass-catching tight end Kenyon Sadiq (pick 16) and wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr, who offers flexibility in terms of his role on offense (pick 30). With their last two premium picks, the Jets filled a need at cornerback by selecting a feisty defender in DeAngelo Ponds. If not for his lack of size, Ponds would no doubt have been the second-best Corner in the draft. At pick 103, the Jets plugged another need at Defensive tackle, selecting imposing, run-stuffing lineman Darrell Jackson Jr.
The Giants
The Giants ran to the podium with their first pick of the draft, as Linebacker/Edge Arvell Reese fell into their lap at #5. Reese is seen as a top 3 talent in this year’s draft, while also playing a premium position. At pick #10, the Giants opted to protect their rising-star QB, Jaxson Dart, selecting offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. At the top of the second round, they selected cornerback Colton Hood out of Tennessee, who is good value at that spot, thereby strengthening the weak point of their defense. With their last premium draft pick, head coach John Harbaugh decided to get his quarterback a 50/50 jump-ball specialist, selecting Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields; Fields is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds.
SURPRISE – CB Jermod McCoy falling to the 4th round
Photo: totalapexsports.com.
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy’s 2024 tape was exceptional. If he were being evaluated based on his 2024 season, he would have been a top 10 pick in the draft. Unfortunately, a torn ACL in January of 2025, along with new injury concerns, caused him to slide all the way to the 4th round. We witnessed a similar ordeal last year, when Cornerback Will Johnson – a 1st round talent – slid to the second round. While the situations were similar, McCoy is undoubtedly much more talented than Johnson. The new injury concerns that came out after the draft sounded pretty serious, and explained the long slide to the 4th round; McCoy has a “bone plug” in the ACL he tore last year, and though he doesn’t need to have surgery immediately, there is a fear that the surgery to remove the piece of bone would knock McCoy out for at least a year.
A “bone plug” is used to repair ACL injuries. A surgeon takes a piece of bone and cartilage from a non-weight-bearing part of the knee and uses it to create a smooth joint surface.
Winners – Shedeur Sanders (Browns)
Photo: bolavip.com.
Whether by choice or by a lack of draftable quarterbacks, the Cleveland Browns look to be sticking with Shedeur Sanders as their quarterback for the 2027 NFL season. Sanders was not dazzling at all in his rookie year, though he did show progression throughout the season, giving the front office and fanbase something to chew on. As the likely starter for the upcoming season, Sanders is a draft-day winner. With their first 3 picks, the Browns went all offense; drafting offensive tackle Spencer Fano at pick 9, before selecting receivers with back-to-back picks by taking KC Concepion (pick 24) and Denzel Boston (pick 39). These three selections have given Sanders two things: more time to throw, and more reliable players to throw to.
