NIL Era's Impact on NFL Draft Consensus Big Boards After 'Really Funky Draft' Revealed by Insider

Years after NIL rules went into effect in college sports, NFL teams are still adjusting to the consequences.

NFL Media's Lance Zierlein reported that one team graded just 34 players as worthy of a first- or second-round pick in 2026. The two rounds have nearly twice that many players selected.

That gulf is due partially to players with NFL talent staying in college longer. As Zielein explained:

"I've seen a lot of talk about consensus boards in the draft this year.

"I can tell you that I had multiple conversations after day two and then again after the draft was over with teams who thought it was the Wild West this year.

"I think one of the things happening is that there are players going back to college now because of the money available that would have gone second through fourth round. With all of those players now out of the draft pool, there is extreme variance that is developing.

"I would expect this to continue on to some degree, but this was also a really funky draft in terms of the board available to teams."

The San Francisco 49ers are one example of this dynamic at play.

The Niners received a grade of C from ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. for their 2026 draft haul, which was tied for the worst grade Kiper handed out. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox was similarly critical and assessed San Francisco with a C-minus.

Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, edge-rusher Romello Height and running back Kaelon Black were all considered reaches to some degree. In the case of Black, he was No. 210 on B/R's final big board and went 90th overall.

Grading Kaelon Black Pick

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General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan clearly evaluated the 2026 class differently than the general consensus.

That could have an added advantage because San Francisco made multiple trades during the draft. It may have simultaneously landed some impact players, ones undervalued by rival franchises, while adding picks.

"All that stuff was really cool to get the guys that you want," Shanahan said. "But you also find a way to get eight players when you only had six bullets. And also gain a draft pick for next year."

Of course, the 49ers may have outsmarted themselves. They could wind up whiffing on some of their Day 2 and 3 decisions, thus missing the chance to bolster the roster with young cost-controlled talent.

Nobody ever truly knows whether players from a respective draft will succeed or fail in the NFL.

One would assume the dawn of the NIL was good for pro teams in a sense because players are arriving with an additional year or two of college experience and polish. That appears to be having some negative consequences, though.