The opening night of the 2026 NFL Draft delivered exactly what fans expect every year: surprises, bold moves, and plenty of deliberation.
On Thursday evening, PFSN’s “Football Debate Club” crew of Cam Mellor, Jacob Infante, and Ian Cummings broke down every selection from Round 1 on PFSN’s Live NFL Draft Show.
Their discussion focused on value, projection, and team fit, ultimately producing a clear divide between franchises that maximized their picks and those that may have reached. Based on their analysis and grading, here’s a detailed look at the top-five and bottom-five graded selections from the first round.
Best-Graded NFL Teams on Day 1
Dallas Cowboys | Caleb Downs, A+
Dallas earned one of the highest marks of the night by selecting a player widely viewed as one of the most complete defensive prospects in the class.
According to PFSN’s scouting report, “Downs’ raw production underwhelms in comparison to his prestige, but don’t let that fool you: On film, he’s one of the best safety prospects in recent memory, and is a blue-chip player in the 2026 NFL Draft class.”
This evaluation highlights how Downs’ impact goes beyond traditional statistics, with his tape revealing elite-level influence on the game.
“Downs is an uber-instinctive cover man who can swiftly process route combinations, manage route relationships, transition with ease, and clamp down on stems from different alignments.”
That level of football intelligence makes him a plug-and-play difference-maker. Infante reinforced this viewpoint during the discussion.
“He’s No. 1 on my draft board. To me, excluding value, I just think he’s the best pure football player,” said Infante. “I think he’s someone who’s just going to be a disruptor in the NFL… This guy’s getting five, six interceptions every single year.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Rueben Bain Jr., A+
Tampa Bay’s selection of Rueben Bain Jr. drew praise for its blend of upside and immediate impact potential. PFSN described his physical profile by noting, “Bain has a rare body type for the position, with elite compact mass and natural leverage, and he’s an explosive long-track accelerator with awesome raw hand power.”
These traits make him a nightmare matchup for offensive linemen. The report also emphasized his versatility.
“With his power and raw strength, Bain can sledge through tackles and overwhelm 1-on-1 as a pass-rusher, but he also has the hyper-elite sturdiness to absorb combo and duo blocks in the run game, and sets an edge with unflinching consistency.”
Tampa Bay appears to have landed a player capable of contributing in multiple defensive phases from Day 1. Cummings predicted that he will record 12 sacks as a rookie, which is music to Todd Bowles’ ears.
Las Vegas Raiders | Fernando Mendoza, A+
Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship last season at Indiana, was taken No. 1 by the Las Vegas Raiders, as expected when the 2026 NFL Draft opened in Pittsburgh.
The Raiders made the most important decision of the draft by selecting their franchise quarterback. PFSN’s evaluation highlighted Mendoza’s all-around skill set: “Mendoza has the ideal prototypical frame, along with quick feet, nimble pocket mobility, and understated creation capacity and off-script feel.”
Pairing him with a veteran like Kirk Cousins provides a stable development path, and his passing ability was also praised in detail in the report, while noting his aggressive tendencies, evaluators view them as a byproduct of confidence rather than a flaw.
“Beyond that, he has the rifle arm strength, pre-snap and post-snap recognition, and keen anticipation to make NFL-level throws both up the seams and outside the hashes.”
Philadelphia Eagles | Makai Lemon, A+
Philadelphia added a dynamic offensive weapon in Makai Lemon, whose route-running ability stood out throughout the evaluation process.
According to PFSN’s scouting report on him, “Lemon is an excellent route runner with electric play speed, sharp footwork, and impressive body control that allow him to create consistent separation.”
The report further emphasized his versatility after the catch, noting his ability to exploit space and generate yardage. In an offense built on playmakers, Lemon’s skill set fits seamlessly.
Chicago Bears | Dillon Thieneman – A+
The Chicago Bears rounded out the top group with a high-value defensive selection. PFSN noted, “Dillon Thieneman presents optimal value in the mid-to-late Round 1 range as a two-high safety and box rover, who also has the ability to take on single-high responsibilities at a high level.”
The report added, “Thieneman doesn’t quite have elite top-end fluidity, but he’s an extremely rangy and explosive athlete, and that athletic floor, paired with his elite mental game and translatable physicality, insulates his value as a future impact starter with schematic versatility.”
Infante, a Bears fan, loved this move and praised GM Ryan Poles.
Worst-Graded NFL Teams on Day 1
Los Angeles Rams | Ty Simpson, D-
The Los Angeles Rams’ decision to select Ty Simpson drew sharp criticism, particularly from Cummings.
“He’s only a one-year starter, so it is a small sample size, but I don’t see an elite physical skill set,” Cummings said. Concerns about consistency were also highlighted, with Cummings referencing “mechanical and mental freneticism” that can lead to mistakes.
“To me, it’s a reach for a player who still had a little more improvement… I think it would have been better for the Rams to take Makai Lemon or someone similar at 13,” he said.
One of Simpson’s best traits is his mechanical profile; he has some of the cleanest throwing form in the class. However, the overall consensus suggests the Rams took a risk too early, with his less showing as a starter.
(Interestingly, Cummings’ player comp for Simpson is former Rams quarterback Marc Bulger.)
Seattle Seahawks | Jadarian Price, D-
Seattle’s selection of Jadarian Price drew mixed reviews due to questions about consistency.
PFSN scouting report on him noted, “Price is just as compelling as an NFL Draft prospect in his own range… but his utility as a creator and an explosive vertical threat should translate on Sundays.”
However, the report also noted limitations, stating, “Price never proved himself at a high volume as a receiving threat, but he has actionable value as a pass protector.”
The pick reflects potential, but also uncertainty. It’s always tough to justify taking running backs in the first round.
Pittsburgh Steelers | Max Iheanachor, D-
Max Iheanachor’s story is compelling, having started football later than most prospects. PFSN noted, “Max Iheanachor originally comes from Nigeria, and didn’t play football in high school. But just several years into his career, he’s already emerged as a potential early-round prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers are banking on long-term upside rather than immediate impact, and while his development is impressive, concerns remain about readiness.
“He’ll be a slightly older rookie, but Iheanachor has the tools and intangibles to be a quality starter as a natural right tackle,” his scouting report reads. Still, the Steelers had bigger needs and this felt like a bit of a reach.
Miami Dolphins | Kadyn Proctor, D
“His hand power and torque can be overwhelming for solo defenders, and his anchor can be suffocating against opposing power rushes. Naturally, Proctor doesn’t have elite range, mobility, or flexibility, and he could stand to trim down his weight at the professional level. In particular, his range and flexibility proved to be consistent issues against speed rushers on the outside in 2025,” PFSN’s scouting report on him noted.
Both Cummings and Infante had a second-round grade on Proctor, which is why they weren’t fans of this selection.
Minnesota Vikings | Caleb Banks – D
The Minnesota Vikings’ pick of Caleb Banks was viewed as risky due to durability concerns.
At 6’6″, 325 pounds, with arms over 35″, he has overwhelming size, length, and forklift power, to pair with inhuman burst and quickness at that size. His rare raw talent has grandfathered him into the “stack-and-shed nightmare” category, and he flashes excellence as a pass-rusher with swims, swipes, and long-arms. Banks needs more control and counter consistency, but his physical makeup is ready-made for instant impact at the NFL level.
The major questions come from his medical history and lack of availability in 2025. He’s had foot issues in the past and suffered another injury that required a procedure against LSU, and ultimately caused him to miss most of the 2025 season. Then, at the NFL Combine, he suffered yet another foot injury, this time a broken foot that will sideline him at least until June.
