Biggest Surprises of the 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL draft featured suspense, shocking moves and unexpected trades that shook up the first-round order. Some of those selections and transactions made fans cringe, generated excitement and left viewers bewildered.

Of course, the biggest surprises are on Day 1. Some general managers use roster assets to maneuver into spots for top prospects, while others prefer to move down and accumulate more picks.

This year, two defensive prospects slipped outside the top 10. A team made an unusually aggressive trade for a cornerback. A couple of clubs may have missed the mark on first-round picks. Division rivals made a trade that caused some chaos. 

Let's break down the most stunning developments from the 2026 draft.

Cardinals Disregard Position Value, Draft Jeremiyah Love at No. 3

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Weeks ahead of the draft, we highlighted the Arizona Cardinals as a landing spot where Jeremiyah Love could become a rookie star.

It's still a surprise to see a team that needs a couple of starters to solidify its offensive line and a difference-maker in the front seven pass on prospects who can fill those voids for a running back in the top three.

Many have compared this situation to the Las Vegas Raiders taking Ashton Jeanty at No. 6 last year. In 2025, Jeanty averaged 3.7 yards per carry behind a below-average offensive line on a three-win squad.

As noted in our landing spots for Love, he could run well behind tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and guard Isaac Seumalo on the left side. If that duo stays healthy, the rookie running back could have more success on the ground than Jeanty had last season.

All that said, bottom-tier teams usually look beyond the running back group while adding talent to a depleted roster. Also, the Cardinals restructured James Conner's contract, signed Tyler Allgeier and re-signed Bam Knight. They have a crowded running back room. 

Arizona threw out the premium position scale and took Love anyway.

Chiefs Move Up to No. 6 Spot for Mansoor Delane

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

When the Kansas City Chiefs moved up from No. 9 to No. 6, most expected them to take an offensive tackle—Spencer Fano or Francis Mauigoa—or edge-rusher Rueben Bain Jr. Instead, they drafted Mansoor Delane.

General manager Brett Veach told reporters that he wanted to keep his interest in Delane under wraps while prognosticators likely penciled the Chiefs in for an offensive lineman.

"I thought we did a good job. I think a lot of people thought we might go offensive line there," he said. "But this was our guy the whole time."

Yes, Kansas City's selection made sense given the club's need at cornerback after losing Jaylen Watson in free agency and trading All-Pro Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams.

However, NFL teams typically prioritize offensive tackle and edge-rusher over cornerback. Kansas City didn't make a questionable pick, just one that we don't often see at that position early in the first round following a trade. 

Yes, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up for Travis Hunter last year, but he came out of Colorado as a rare two-way prospect who played wide receiver and cornerback.

Caleb Downs Slips Outside Top 10 to the Cowboys at No. 11

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department listed Caleb Downs as the No. 1 overall prospect on its final big board. He slipped outside the top 10, and the Dallas Cowboys moved up to No. 11, ensuring no other team would leap over them for him.

At safety, Downs plays a low-premium position, which likely pushed him down the draft order. Over the last two years, he's been a standout All-American, recording 150 tackles, 12.5 for loss, eight pass breakups and four interceptions. 

When you consider Downs' intangibles and how he stood out as a vocal leader in Ohio State's stingy defense, the Cowboys added a true difference-maker.

Typically, a player of Downs' caliber is off the board within the first five selections. The Cowboys hit a home run on value with this pick, giving up two fifth-rounders to acquire a blue-chip prospect who can line up in different positions across the secondary.

Dolphins Take a Risk with Kadyn Proctor at No. 12

AP Photo/Jim Rassol

The Miami Dolphins' new regime made Kadyn Proctor its first pick. Logically, their selection made sense because of a glaring need at left tackle.

However, Proctor comes into the league with some question marks. 

While on The Pat McAfee Show, former Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Proctor is talented and takes to coaching, but questioned his motivation as a self-starter:

Proctor was 352 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine, which raises questions about how he'll keep his weight down during the offseason. 

No one in the draft is guaranteed to become a productive NFL player, but a rebuilding team with a top-12 pick usually targets a prospect with fewer concerning question marks. 

When you consider Saban's concerns about Proctor's motivation and his ability to manage his weight, he's a massive risk at No. 12. The Dolphins clearly believe he has the potential to become a cornerstone for their roster.

Dolphins Pass on Wide Receivers in First 2 Rounds

AP Photo/Marta Lavandier

Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan

The Miami Dolphins moved back one spot from No. 11 and selected Kadyn Proctor and moved up from No. 30 to No. 27 for cornerback Chris Johnson.

Both Proctor and Johnson have clear paths to starting positions if they stay healthy and flash during spring and summer workouts, but the Dolphins passed on Makai Lemon for Proctor and left Omar Cooper Jr. on the board to pick up Johnson.

While it's too early to say that the Dolphins whiffed on those decisions, it was surprising to see them pass on receivers in Round 1. As of now, Jalen Tolbert is their most established wideout. Coming off a down year with just 18 catches for 203 yards and a touchdown, he has yet to record 50 receptions in a single season.

Miami selected Caleb Douglas in the third round and added Chris Bell 19 picks later.

The Dolphins prioritized cornerback over wide receiver with quarterback Malik Willis set to be a first-time full-time starter—that isn't something you saw in mock drafts.

Rueben Bain Jr. Falls to the Buccaneers at No. 15

AP Photo/Chris O'Meara

Draft analysts expected Rueben Bain Jr. to slide out of the top 10 because of concerns about his arm length as an edge-rusher and the additional scrutiny that came after Oliver Connolly of The Read Optional reported on Bain's involvement in a 2024 Miami car crash.

However, many slotted him to the Miami Dolphins at No. 11 or predicted a team such as the Baltimore Ravens or Dallas Cowboys would move up for him. 

Bain fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the middle of the first round. Overcome with emotion, he walked to the stage with purpose and spoke with focus on his craft.

Throughout the draft process, Bain likely heard the criticism about his arm length while his draft stock took a hit. He dropped from a potential top-five selection to No. 15. 

The Cowboys' pick at No. 11 aside, the Buccaneers may have the biggest steal in the draft.

Eagles Create Confusion Jumping in Front of Steelers for Makai Lemon

AP Photo/Chris Szagola

Makai Lemon thought he would walk onto the draft stage in front of the home crowd as the newest addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but that changed in a matter of minutes. 

While Lemon was on the phone with Pittsburgh general manager Omar Khan, Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman called to say he had traded up for him. The Eagles jumped from No. 23 to No. 20, over the Steelers, who had the No. 21 overall pick.

On The Rich Eisen Show, Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy discussed the situation from his perspective (starts at 1:53 mark):

Even more surprising, Philadelphia pulled off the deal with the Dallas Cowboys. The NFC East rivals created real-time drama for viewers.

If Lemon plays up to first-round expectations, the Cowboys may regret allowing the Eagles to pull off that deal. 

Malachi Lawrence Sneaks into 1st Round, Goes to the Cowboys

AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

Most draft analysts expected the Dallas Cowboys to take a pass-rusher in the first round, but you didn't see much buzz around Malachi Lawrence going earlier than projected in mocks.

He didn't play at a collegiate powerhouse that routinely sends elite talent to the NFL. He posted decent numbers at UCF through four seasons, finishing his collegiate run with 72 tackles, 28 for loss and 20 sacks. 

Between 2023 and 2025, Lawrence's sack numbers plateaued in the five-to-seven range per season, though he registered double-digit tackles for loss in two of those years. 

On the depth chart behind 2024 Pro Bowler Rashan Gary and 2025 second-rounder Donovan Ezeiruaku, Lawrence may not play a full workload in his rookie season. 

Even so, the Cowboys have a rotation of edge-rushers who can compensate for the loss of Micah Parsons, whom the team traded to the Green Bay Packers last August. 

Browns Revamp WR Room with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston

AP Photo/Phil Long

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry

The Cleveland Browns made out like bandits in scooping wide receiver talent. Many draft analysts expected KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to be first-round picks. 

ESPN's Peter Schrager told The Pat McAfee Show that he expected a run on receivers in the top half of the order. He mentioned Concepcion and Boston in that group, yet only three went in the top 20. 

The Browns selected Concepcion at No. 24 and double-dipped at the position at No. 39, taking Boston. Both will have opportunities to get significant snaps within a group that lacks established playmakers behind Jerry Jeudy. 

Cleveland's back-to-back selections between the late first and early second rounds headline one of the best draft classes. General manager Andrew Berry turned one of the weakest receiver groups into a high-upside, intriguing unit.

Garrett Nussmeier Falls to 7th Round

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

In rare cases, there are Day 3 surprises, usually a prospect who falls out of the first three rounds. Last year, Shedeur Sanders' landing spot was the biggest story until the Cleveland Browns selected him in the fifth round.

This year, LSU product Garrett Nussmeier went a lot later than projections in mock drafts. While he didn't generate the headlines Sanders did, many were shocked that he fell to the seventh round as the last of 10 quarterbacks selected in the class.

B/R's final big board ranked Nussmeier as No. 107 among prospects. Analysts often slotted him somewhere between the third and fourth round, with a chance to be the third quarterback off the board after Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson.

Yet Nussmeier almost went undrafted. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him with the No. 249 pick. He shared candid thoughts about the long wait for a call from a team via ESPN's Nate Taylor.

"It was an unbelievable feeling. I felt like I was sitting there waiting forever. I couldn't have been more excited to see that [816] area code pop up. ... It was difficult for me sitting there and not understanding why. Obviously, I have belief in myself and where I believe I should have been valued."

At 6'2", 203 pounds, Nussmeier is smaller than the prototypical quarterback. He also missed a quarter of the previous season because of an abdominal injury caused by a cyst on his spine. Teams likely considered those factors in his evaluation, which knocked him down on draft boards.

College statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.