Six Teams That May Already Regret Their 2026 NFL Draft Decisions

Teams that missed the playoffs in 2025 were especially tasked with improving during the 2026 NFL Draft. That doesn't necessarily mean every organization took full advantage of their opportunity though. Some teams totally missed the mark.

Mandatory minicamp and OTAs have already exposed some issues. There are a handful of rebuilding teams that didn't generate enough improvement via the NFL Draft. Those teams have been identified and listed here.

We've singled out six franchises that endured lackluster drafts. The majority of them missed the postseason in 2025. The rebuilding period for those teams may be longer than initially feared following their shortcomings.

2026 NFL Draft: Six Teams Made Questionable Decisions

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals' decision to select Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall was heavily scrutinized. That's not a knock on Love, who arguably had the best individual skill set in the entire class. The rebuilding Cardinals weren't ready to spend a premium pick on a devalued position. It's shades of Ashton Jeanty to the Las Vegas Raiders.

Second-round guard Chase Bisontis is a stellar prospect, but offensive tackle was the bigger need. Quarterback Carson Beck felt like a forced selection, and the real answer probably won't arrive until 2027. Kaleb Proctor was our favorite selection the Cardinals made.

New Orleans Saints

This New Orleans Saints draft class is built solely on projection. Technically, you can claim that about every draft class, but it feels especially true about the Saints due to the risk they're taking on Jordyn Tyson. The No. 8 overall wide receiver possesses a lengthy injury history, so New Orleans is gambling on talent and availability.

Defensive tackle Christen Miller projects as a future starter. It was surprising to see Oscar Delp land as a top-75 selection, but the Saints are reportedly pleased with his offseason performances. This Saints class will ultimately be determined by Tyson's health, while the others might take a few years before becoming serious contributors.

Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings had an interesting draft experience to say the least. Conducted before hiring a traditional general manager this offseason, Nolan Teasley has since been appointed. First-round pick Caleb Banks is a boom-or-bust prospect. Banks is occasionally dominant when healthy, but injuries and inconsistent play often derailed his career at Florida.

Using a top-100 selection on Domonique Orange, a devalued nose tackle who was injured throughout the pre-draft process also qualified as head scratching. Linebacker Jake Golday was a smart selection in the second round, as he projects as an excellent fit in Brian Flores' scheme. Late-round picks Demond Claiborne and Charles Demmings also have some potential.

Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders made some quality selections throughout the draft, but their aggressive decisions to trade picks for veterans last offseason left Adam Peters with just six total selections. Getting Sonny Styles in the first round was huge, but the Commanders didn't make another pick until No. 71 overall. From there, they endured another sizable gap (No. 147).

Sixth-round running back Kaytron Allen may develop into a massive steal. There just wasn't enough overall substance to this Commanders draft. Hopefully Peters was efficient with his lack of capital.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars' draft class has been well documented. Taking tight end Nate Boerkircher with a top-60 pick (the team's first selection) felt heavily influenced by the expanded usage of 13 personnel around the NFL. Boerkircher played six seasons in college and never had a 200 receiving-yard campaign.

Boerkircher wasn't James Gladstone's lone reach. Picks like Albert Regis and Jalen Huskey also felt awfully premature. How this Jaguars class ultimately turns out will be proof of concept for the consensus board argument.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers were another franchise that strung together a rather peculiar draft. Second-round wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling was described as a reach by some scouts. Shanahan's history of making life difficult on rookie wideouts adds another layer to this evaluation.

Shanahan also possesses a history of overdrafting running backs, and he possibly did it again with Kaelon Black at No. 90 overall. Romello Height is an undersized pass rusher, but at least he'll have a defined role in this defense. The 49ers haven't drafted particularly well lately and this is another questionable class.

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