Following the 2026 NFL Draft, franchises always stand out as winners or losers. Which teams added potential instant-impact rookies who could contribute to wins right off the bat? Which franchises overlooked needs or failed to find value over seven rounds of the draft?
Below, we’ll highlight the winners and losers of the 2026 NFL Draft, including three franchises for each side of the coin. Plus, we’ll circle a pair of 2026 projections for each team found on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Make your NFL futures picks on PrizePicks Team Picks, including the 2027 Super Bowl winner and playoff qualifiers for the 2026 season.
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Winners of the 2026 NFL Draft
Which three franchises stood out as the winners of the 2026 NFL Draft? Following roster improvements, let’s look at each team’s chance of winning the 2027 Super Bowl and making the playoffs next season, featuring payouts on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Payouts indicate real-money earnings if an NFL futures prediction is correct; for example, 2x on a $100 entry would pay out $200 on PrizePicks Team Picks. “Yes” payouts represent the team qualifying for the NFL playoffs; “No” payouts indicate the team not making the NFL playoffs.
All NFL payout data is from PrizePicks Team Picks. It's live as of writing but is subject to change.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns had instant-impact rookies in 2025, as RB Quinshon Judkins topped the team with 827 rushing yards, TE Harold Fannin Jr. led with 731 receiving yards, and LB Carson Schwesinger racked up 156 tackles last season.
Another strong rookie class could be ahead. Here’s a look at Cleveland’s 2026 draft picks:
- Round 1, Pick 9: Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
- Round 1, Pick 24: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
- Round 2, Pick 39: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
- Round 2, Pick 58: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo
- Round 3, Pick 86: Austin Barber, OT, Florida
- Round 5, Pick 146: Parker Brailsford, C, Alabama
- Round 5, Pick 149: Justin Jefferson, LB, Alabama
- Round 5, Pick 170: Joe Royer, TE, Cincinnati
- Round 6, Pick 182: Taylen Green, QB, Arkansas
- Round 7, Pick 248: Carsen Ryan, TE, BYU
According to ESPN, the Browns finished 20th and 24th in pass block and run block win rates last season. Plus, Cleveland ranks 25th in sack rate allowed. It addressed that weakness in a big way with Utah OT Spencer Fano, who can play left or right tackle and earned an elite 9.80 relative athleticism score.
Initially, I was skeptical of the move to draft Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion. He brings great versatility with yards after the catch and pure speed, but Cleveland’s receiving corps felt too weak to maximize Concepcion’s strengths. The Browns answered that worry by stealing a first-round talent in Washington WR Denzel Boston in Day 2 of the draft.
Furthermore, Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren finished 18th on our 2026 NFL Draft Big Board, and Cleveland snagged him 58th overall. McNeil-Warren excels in the box with a rangy 6’3 1/2” frame.
If the Browns can figure out the quarterback position, a tall ask for this franchise, they seem headed in the right direction.
2027 Super Bowl Winner: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
2026 NFL Playoffs Qualifier: Yes 4.76x | No 1.13x
Make your Cleveland Browns futures picks on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Kansas City Chiefs
For the first time since 2014, the Kansas City Chiefs did not make the playoffs in 2025. The defense carried the load last season by allowing only 19.3 points per game (fifth-fewest), yet the Chiefs allowed several key players to walk this offseason.
That included trading star CB Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams. But this armed Kansas City with a second first-round pick, and it paid off with a strong showing at the 2026 NFL Draft.
- Round 1, Pick 6: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
- Round 1, Pick 29: Peter Woods, DT, Clemson
- Round 2, Pick 40: R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
- Round 4, Pick 109: Jadon Canady, S, Oregon
- Round 5, Pick 161: Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska
- Round 5, Pick 176: Cyrus Allen, WR, Cincinnati
- Round 7, Pick 249: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
The Chiefs entered the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 9 overall pick and traded up for the No. 6 selection, drafting LSU CB Mansoor Delane. After losing two starting CBs in the offseason, Kansas City answered by selecting the top corner in the 2026 class.
Clemson DT Peter Woods is packed with talent, and now he gets to learn from one of the game’s best, DT Chris Jones. Oklahoma EDGE R Mason Thomas is another exciting addition to the defensive front seven, bringing an impressive speed rush.
Landing Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson is perhaps the most “sneaky” pick. He was fourth in our running back rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft, providing the Chiefs with strong depth behind newly acquired RB Kenneth Walker III.
2027 Super Bowl Winner: Yes 10x | No 1.03x
2026 NFL Playoffs Qualifier: Yes 1.4x | No 2.63x
Make your Kansas City Chiefs futures picks on PrizePicks Team Picks.
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New York Jets
Following a 3-14 season, the New York Jets have a long way to go. Making three first-round draft picks can aid a turnaround, especially when you draft well.
- Round 1, Pick 2: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
- Round 1, Pick 16: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
- Round 1, Pick 30: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
- Round 2, Pick 50: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
- Round 4, Pick 103: Darrell Jackson Jr., DT, Florida State
- Round 4, Pick 110: Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson
- Round 6, Pick 188: Anez Cooper, G, Miami (FL)
- Round 7, Pick 228: VJ Payne, S, Kansas State
Depending on who you ask, New York began the draft by taking the best defensive player in the class, EDGE David Bailey. He was the most productive edge rusher available, racking up 14.5 sacks in the 2025 season.
The Jets may have passed on some needs to draft Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq with the 16th pick, but he’s an extraordinary talent, breaking the tight end record with a 4.39 40-yard dash. Plus, New York may have silenced those “value” concerns by selecting versatile WR Omar Cooper Jr. with the 30th selection.
On Day 2, the Jets selected perhaps the best nickel talent of the draft in CB D’Angelo Ponds. Then, New York added size to the interior defensive line with DT Darrell Jackson Jr., who stands at 6’5 1/2” and 315 pounds.
2027 Super Bowl Winner: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
2026 NFL Playoffs Qualifier: Yes 5.88x | No 1.08x
Make your New York Jets futures picks on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Losers of the 2026 NFL Draft
Not everyone can be a winner, as three teams made several head-scratching picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. These franchises may have taken a step back for postseason aspirations in the upcoming NFL season.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals finished the 2025 season allowing 28.7 points per game (29th) and 5.6 yards per play (23rd). Surely they addressed defense in the 2026 NFL Draft, right?
- Round 1, Pick 3: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
- Round 2, Pick 34: Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M
- Round 3, Pick 65: Carson Beck, QB, Miami (FL)
- Round 4, Pick 104: Kaleb Proctor, DT, SE Louisiana
- Round 5, Pick 143: Reggie Virgil, WR, Texas Tech
- Round 6, Pick 183: Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa
- Round 7, Pick 217: Jayden Williams, OT, Ole Miss
We already hit our problem with this draft class. Arizona elected to spend all of its premium picks on offense. Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love is a terrific talent and is tied as the early favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
However, the Cardinals passed on Ohio State EDGE Arvell Reese with the No. 3 pick — an elite defensive talent that may have helped Arizona’s 5.0% sack rate from last season (28th). Ohio State LB Sonny Styles was another defensive boost with the first pick.
In the second round, the Cards doubled down on the run game by selecting Texas A&M G Chase Bisontis. Again, this was good value. Bisontis was one of the best guards of 2026 and should help Love’s chances of being effective right off the bat in Week 1.
This defense remains a glaring issue, and Arizona ignored it once again by taking Miami (FL) QB Carson Beck in the third round.
2027 Super Bowl Winner: Yes 33.33x | No N/A
2026 NFL Playoffs Qualifier: Yes 10x | No 1.03x
Make your Arizona Cardinals futures picks on PrizePicks Team Picks.
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are firmly in their Super Bowl window, and 38-year-old QB Matthew Stafford’s prime likely won’t last for long.
Instead of stacking up with win-now pieces, L.A. seemed to draft for the future.
- Round 1, Pick 13: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
- Round 2, Pick 61: Max Klare, TE, Ohio State
- Round 3, Pick 93: Keagen Trost, OT, Missouri
- Round 6, Pick 197: CJ Daniels, WR, Miami (FL)
- Round 7, Pick 232: Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama
Alabama QB Ty Simpson is a potential replacement for Stafford. Simpson was 38th on our Big Board, and while he was likely to be selected late in the first round, the 13th overall selection may have been far too early.
Furthermore, the Rams had only five draft picks to play with. Ohio State TE Max Klare and Missouri OT Keagen Trost felt like the only selections who could make immediate impacts. In fact, Trost may have been the sole early pick addressing a true need.
This simply didn’t feel like Los Angeles was prioritizing its current Super Bowl window.
2027 Super Bowl Winner: Yes 6.66x | No 1.08x
2026 NFL Playoffs Qualifier: Yes 1.29x | No 3.12x
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Seattle Seahawks
We have another Super Bowl contender among our losers of the 2026 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks had a healthy eight selections, but five of those were in the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds.
With that said, Seattle likely needed to find good value with its first three picks for instant-impact rookies.
- Round 1, Pick 32: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
- Round 2, Pick 64: Bud Clark, S, TCU
- Round 3, Pick 99: Julian Neal, CB, Arkansas
- Round 5, Pick 148: Beau Stephens, G, Iowa
- Round 6, Pick 199: Emmanuel Henderson Jr., WR, Kansas
- Round 7, Pick 236: Andre Fuller, CB, Toledo
- Round 7, Pick 242: Deven Eastern, DT, Minnesota
- Round 7, Pick 255: Michael Dansby, CB, Arizona
Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price may get plenty of work in the early going, but the pick earned a D+ grade in our 2026 NFL Draft tracker. After electing not to re-sign RB Kenneth Walker III, spending a premium first-round pick on Price turned some heads.
Similar to Walker’s 2025 role on the Seahawks, Price will likely get plenty of work on the ground, while RB Zach Charbonnet continues to take third-down work. Frankly, Seattle could have found a prospect fitting the same role on Day 2.
The fit of Price is ideal, but it may have been a reach in the first round.
2027 Super Bowl Winner: Yes 8.33x | No 1.05x
2026 NFL Playoffs Qualifier: Yes 1.31x | No 2.85x
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Make NFL Futures Predictions on PrizePicks
Following the 2026 NFL Draft, the Chiefs may have aided their chance to contend in the 2026 season, while the Rams turned in an underwhelming draft card despite firmly sitting among Super Bowl contenders.
The NFL tab is already open, where you can make predictions for the 2027 Super Bowl winner and playoff qualifiers for the 2026 season.
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