2026 NFL Draft Grades: AFC North
By Jack Brentnall
With the 2026 NFL Draft complete, it’s time to assess how each team navigated the board. These grades weigh my own evaluations against the consensus, with a focus on value, decision-making, and how effectively teams maximised their draft capital.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ioane selection stands out as one of the most solid picks from the first round. He was widely regarded as the top interior offensive lineman in the class, and to land him at No. 14 without needing to trade up represents excellent value.
Day two, however, leans far more towards risk. Zion Young at No. 45 aligns with the consensus range, but notable off-field concerns add an extra layer of uncertainty to his profile. Ja’Kobi Lane is harder to justify, coming off the board earlier than expected relative to both my board and the consensus, with similar concerns around his overall profile. In both cases, there were stronger options available at their respective positions.
Day three provides a bit more balance. Elijah Sarratt stands out as a strong value addition and arguably should have come off the board earlier than Lane, while the trio of fifth-round selections add some interesting depth.
Taken as a whole, this is a solid class anchored by a potential difference-maker at the top, but one that lacks the same level of impact beyond that.
Grade: B
Draft in full
14 (R1) – Olaivavega Ioane (IOL, Penn State)
45 (R2) – Zion Young (EDGE, Missouri)
80 (R3) – Ja’Kobi Lane (WR, USC)
115 (R4) – Elijah Sarratt (WR, Indiana)
133 (R4) – Matthew Hibner (TE, SMU)
162 (R5) – Chandler Rivers (CB, Duke)
173 (R5) – Josh Cuevas (TE, Alabama)
174 (R5) – Adam Randall (RB, Clemson)
211 (R6) – Ryan Eckley (P, Michigan State)
250 (R7) – Rayshaun Benny (IDL, Michigan)
253 (R7) – Evan Beerntsen (IOL, Northwestern)
Cincinnati Bengals
Without a first-round pick following the Dexter Lawrence trade, Cincinnati had limited opportunities to make an impact early. Their only selections across the first two days came at No. 41 with Cashius Howell and No. 72 with Tacario Davis.
Howell is a solid addition and brings a different element to an edge room that is otherwise built around size and power. The Davis selection is more difficult to get behind, coming off the board significantly earlier than expected relative to both my board and the consensus.
There are positives later on. Connor Lew stands out as a strong value pick, benefiting from an injury discount but offering real starting potential. Landon Robinson in the seventh round is another appealing addition, bringing athleticism, effort, and leverage that give him a chance to outperform his draft position.
Taken as a whole, this is a fine class given the limited resources available. There are a couple of aggressive decisions, but enough solid additions elsewhere to keep it in a positive range.
Grade: B
Draft in full
41 (R2) – Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
72 (R3) – Tacario Davis (CB, Washington)
128 (R4) – Connor Lew (IOL, Auburn)
140 (R4) – Colbie Young (WR, Georgia)
189 (R6) – Brian Parker II (IOL, Duke)
221 (R7) – Jack Endries (TE, Texas)
226 (R7) – Landon Robinson (IDL, Navy)
Cleveland Browns
With significant capital early in the draft, Cleveland did a strong job of maximising its opportunities. Spencer Fano at No. 9 is a solid selection, and the decision to trade back from No. 6 to accumulate additional assets only strengthens the overall process.
KC Concepcion at No. 24 stands out as one of the better picks of the first round, both in terms of value and fit, while the additions of Denzel Boston and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren on day two continue that trend of finding players in favourable ranges.
The class loses a bit of momentum beyond that point. Austin Barber at No. 86 comes off the board much earlier than expected relative to my board, and there is less to get excited about with some of the later additions.
Even so, the strength of the early selections carries significant weight. With multiple high-quality picks inside the top 60, this is a class that does enough at the top to outweigh its later inconsistencies.
Grade: A-
Draft in full
9 (R1) – Spencer Fano (OT, Utah)
24 (R1) – KC Concepcion (WR, Texas A&M)
39 (R2) – Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
58 (R2) – Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
86 (R3) – Austin Barber (OT, Florida)
146 (R5) – Parker Brailsford (IOL, Alabama)
149 (R5) – Justin Jefferson (LB, Alabama)
182 (R6) – Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas)
248 (R7) – Carsen Ryan (TE, BYU)
Pittsburgh Steelers
This is a mixed class that leans negative overall, largely due to a stretch of aggressive selections in the middle of the draft. Max Iheanachor in the first round is a solid addition and Germie Bernard at No. 47 represents good value.
From there, the class becomes much harder to justify. Drew Allar and Gennings Dunker both come off the board significantly earlier than I think their tape warranted. The selection of Kaden Wetjen in the fourth round is another difficult one to reconcile, representing a heavy investment in a return specialist who offers limited value as an actual wide receiver.
There are elements to like at the top, but the run of selections from the third round onward introduces significant risk. It’s a class that struggles to consistently maximise value and ultimately falls short as a result.
Grade: C
Draft in full
21 (R1) – Max Iheanachor (OT, Arizona State)
47 (R2) – Germie Bernard (WR, Alabama)
76 (R3) – Drew Allar (QB, Penn State)
85 (R3) – Daylen Everette (CB, Georgia)
96 (R3) – Gennings Dunker (IOL, Iowa)
121 (R4) – Kaden Wetjen (WR, Iowa)
169 (R5) – Riley Nowakowski (TE, Indiana)
210 (R6) – Gabriel Rubio (IDL, Notre Dame)
224 (R7) – Robert Spears-Jennings (S, Oklahoma)
230 (R7) – Eli Heidenreich (WR, Navy)
JACK BRENTNALL
HEAD OF NFL DRAFT CONTENT
Previously the founder of The Jet Sweep, Jack joined The Touchdown as head of Draft Content in 2024. A Scouting Academy alumnus, Jack has been Covering the NFL Draft since 2020. Follow him on Twitter @Jack_Brentnall.