2026 NFL Draft: Five happiest -- and five unhappiest -- NFL players, coaches and GMs after first round

The Raiders have their quarterback, the Titans got their guy some help, and the Rams found their replacement

Zachary Pereles

Apr 24, 2026

12:26 am ET

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9 min read

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The NFL Draft is about the players who get drafted, first and foremost. But it has major impacts on the players, coaches and GMs already in place, too. Are their replacements -- whether eventual or immediate -- on the way?

The best recent example might be Kirk Cousins. Weeks after signing a four-year, $180 million deal with the Falcons, Cousins saw Atlanta draft Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 overall with nary even a heads-up that the shocking move was in the works. It proved to be a harbinger of a tough tenure in Atlanta.

That one was pretty straightforward. Others aren't. The Patriots traded up to select Caleb Lomu late in the first round. Given that Lomu's presence once pushed Spencer Fano -- the top lineman taken in this draft -- to right tackle at Utah and given Will Campbell's struggles protecting Drake Maye in the playoffs last year, one could say Campbell is in trouble. But that's not the case. The Patriots have unequivocally backed Campbell as their left tackle this offseason, and Lomu said Campbell was one of the first players to text him congratulations.

There are also the happy players, coaches and GMs. Let's get to both:

2026 NFL Draft essentials

- Live draft blog: Rumors, trades and picks in real time

- Interactive draft tracker: Filter every pick by round, team, position and more

- Live team grades: Instant analysis for every team's draft class

- Round 1 pick grades: Full breakdowns for every first-round selection

- Full draft order: All 257 picks by team

Happiest NFL players, coaches and GMs

1. Las Vegas Raiders

I've always disliked the idea that this draft begins with the second pick, or even that the intrigue of the draft begins with the second pick. No. Mendoza is a Heisman Trophy winner and a national champion. He has a laser arm, major competitiveness and good athleticism. He was on an upward trajectory his entire collegiate career. I think he could eventually be a top-10 quarterback. The Raiders needed a quarterback, and they had the good fortune of one very much worthy of the pick being available.

The Raiders desperately needs to get this right, and they've spent all offseason building the right environment to make it happen. They brought in Klint Kubiak, who runs a balanced, under-center offense that has brought out the best in many quarterbacks. They brought in Tyler Linderbaum to be the veteran center every young quarterback benefits from and Cousins to be the veteran mentor/(eventual) backup every young quarterback benefits from.

The Raiders tried a misguided, rushed rebuild last year with Pete Carroll and Geno Smith. One would hope owner Mark Davis, GM Jon Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady learned their lesson. The Raiders have lots of work to do on both sides. That's perfectly OK. They have a quarterback for the long haul.

2. Eagles GM Howie Roseman

After the Eagles landed wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20 overall, there was one general sentiment: Howie Roseman has done it again. Roseman's patented aggressiveness -- he traded up from No. 23 to No. 20, even though the deal involved the arch-rival Cowboys -- was on display, and the result was him landing a wide receiver whose floor was thought to be several picks earlier.

Lemon isn't for everyone given his smaller frame and his slot proclivity, but he is tough, quick, precise in his route running and dogged with the ball in his hands. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 12 games last year. Those numbers don't happen by accident. As the Eagles transition to a new offense under Sean Mannion, having Lemon as a smart, reliable target will be a big boost for Jalen Hurts.

Considering A.J. Brown is all but officially out the door, the Eagles needed to find someone who can handle significant volume right away. Lemon should fit the bill, and Roseman, who makes no bones getting the guys he wants, found with another gem.

3. Cowboys DC Christian Parker

All eyes will be on Christian Parker, brought in from the Eagles, this season. His task? Fixing the defense of "America's Team," a team that very much has a win-now offense, win-now expectations from Jerry Jones and the longest championship game drought in the NFC.

So what did the Cowboys do? They got studs. Caleb Downs has been among college football's best players since he arrived at Alabama as a freshman, and he helped run an NFL-like defense under Matt Patricia at Ohio State the last two years. He is versatile and extremely smart, and he'll patch up a leaky Cowboys secondary. Parker had great success with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell in Philadelphia; Downs should be next. Then add in Malachi Lawrence, an athletic, tireless pass rusher with