Only 4 Teams Got 'A' NFL Draft Grade From Mel Kiper Jr.
The 2026 NFL Draft is over and NFL Draft grades are officially coming in.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. released his 2026 NFL Draft grades on Sunday morning, April 26, hours after the conclusion of this year's draft.
"The 2026 NFL draft wasn't short on excitement. Quarterback Ty Simpson to the Rams midway through the first round? Big defensive additions for the Cowboys? A dynamic running back to the Cardinals? Two brothers going to the same secondary? Eight trades on Day 1 and 41 across all three days? That was fun," Kiper wrote.
"Now we take it all in and try to make sense of the picks. Which teams nailed their selections from start to finish, tackling needs, sticking to the board and actively getting better? Which teams found steals in some places but reached in others? And which teams made real head-scratching moves, missing big opportunities to get value or fill a hole on the roster?"
In total, only four NFL teams received official "A" grades for their 2026 NFL Draft performances this weekend:
- Browns
- Cowboys
- Raiders
- Eagles
The Browns had the best draft, according to Kiper Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. loved the Browns' draft
The Browns had the best draft, according to Kiper Jr.
He was a big-time fan.
"The Browns came into Thursday with two first-round picks (thanks to last year's trade with the Jaguars so Jacksonville could go up to No. 2 for Travis Hunter) and two big needs. Would they go receiver at No. 6 and offensive tackle at No. 24? OT at No. 6 and WR at No. 24? Or would they completely shake things up and entertain a trade? They ended up going OT-WR … and then hitting both positions again on Day 2. The Spencer Fano and Austin Barber picks could be the final touches on a complete offensive line rebuild this offseason," he wrote.
"The Browns had 14 different offensive line combinations play at least 10 snaps last season, third most in the NFL. Then … everyone was gone. Wyatt Teller signed with Houston, and Cam Robinson, Jack Conklin, Joel Bitonio and Ethan Pocic are all still unsigned. In their place, Cleveland traded for Tytus Howard, re-signed Teven Jenkins and brought in Elgton Jenkins and Zion Johnson, in addition to getting Dawand Jones back from a knee injury."
You can see his full NFL Draft grades here.
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This story was originally published April 26, 2026 at 10:17 AM.