Six NFL Teams Under the Most Pressure to Hit on Their Draft Classes

Which teams have the most at stake in this year’s draft?

Andy Reid and the Chiefs have an important draft ahead. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Every year, each NFL team wants to hit on its draft class. Some franchises, however, are under more pressure than others to draft impact players and starters.

Nearly every team has room to improve this offseason. For some, that has already meant coaching changes while for others, particularly those without first-round picks, that primarily looks like making trades or quality free-agency signings. The teams under the most pressure this year to hit on their draft classes are squads coming off disappointing seasons, holding multiple first-round picks, and/or with coaches looking to retain their jobs beyond the 2026 season. 

As the 2026 NFL draft approaches, here are six teams that must hit on their draft classes this year. 

Miami Dolphins

New Dolphins GM Jon Eric-Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley are preparing for their first draft with Miami. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Dolphins might not be in win-now mode, but hitting on this class will determine a lot about the direction of this franchise under new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley. The Dolphins are in the stage of their rebuild where they’re avoiding signing high-priced free agents, but it’s also the time for them to draft and develop, setting the tone for both their style of play and culture moving forward. 

Bringing in a good draft class is also important because the Dolphins did not hit on a ton of prospects in the previous regime under former general manager Chris Grier. The Dolphins instead often relied on veteran stars such as Bradley Chubb, Tyreek Hill, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Jalen Ramsey. The formula got the Dolphins to the playoffs, but it didn’t help them win a playoff game under Mike McDaniel. With a general manager and head coach coming from Green Bay, the Dolphins will undoubtedly turn to a more draft-centered approach.

In particular, the Dolphins need to hit on a receiver to provide inexperienced quarterback Malik Willis with a reliable target. The Dolphins signed Willis to give him a shot at becoming their long-term quarterback, but he isn’t in a great position to succeed after they traded Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos.

More: Malik Willis Could Be Stuck With the Worst Roster in the NFL

Dallas Cowboys

Once again, the Cowboys were not super active in free agency, putting more pressure on them to hit on their draft class. The Cowboys did make a few moves—such as bringing in safety Jalen Thompson and trading for Rashan Gary—but still have significant upgrades to make on the defensive side of the ball. 

Owner Jerry Jones has emphasized that the Cowboys want to draft players who are ready to play right away, a key for a Dallas defense that ranked last in points allowed per game last season and needs to improve to capitalize on the potential of their offense. After trading Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa, the Cowboys have extra picks, including two first-rounders. The Cowboys have a good hit rate on their first-round selections, which they need this year as they build their defense. 

New York Jets

The Jets’ 2025 season was disastrous, between an offense that ranked 32nd in passing yards per game, and a defense that finished 31st in points allowed per game and did not intercept a single pass. Head coach Aaron Glenn enters 2026 on the hot seat, and picking the right players in the draft could be crucial in saving his job. 

The Jets got off to a good start on improving their roster in free agency, and must continue to build through the draft. They have two selections in the top 16, and if they can pick up premium players with both of those selections, that will go a long way toward making their roster more competitive. 

Kansas City Chiefs

Can the Chiefs improve Patrick Mahomes’s supporting cast this offseason? | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Chiefs might have the ultimate advantage—quarterback Patrick Mahomes—but they have quite a few holes on their roster. Outside of Mahomes, the Chiefs’ core is shaky, particularly with Chris Jones and Travis Kelce in the latter stages of their careers. They’ve split with several defensive pieces this offseason, including Leo Chenal and defensive backs Bryan Cook, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson. As such, they enter the draft with legitimate needs at receiver, corner and edge rusher. With two first-round picks and nine total selections, the Chiefs have the draft capital to address some of those needs, but must get those picks right to improve their roster. The Chiefs were too reliant on Mahomes in 2025, and he showed last year he can’t always carry the team on his own.

Detroit Lions

Similarly to the Chiefs, the Lions need to retool to keep up with an increasingly competitive division. Every team in the NFC North finished the 2025 season with a winning record, and it won’t be any easier for the Lions to get back to the top of the division in 2026. 

The Lions must improve in the trenches, in particular. They found a new center in free agency in Cade Mays, but still need help at tackle and along the interior offensive line. Jared Goff is at his best when he is well-protected, and his play slipped at times last season when teams were able to get pressure on him, especially up the middle. They also have room to improve a defense that ranked in the middle of the pack last season, particularly at edge opposite of Aidan Hutchinson.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Todd Bowles and the Buccaneers are looking to rebound in 2026. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Buccaneers lost two pillars of their franchise this offseason as Mike Evans departed for the 49ers and Lavonte David retired. 

Between those losses and the team’s collapse at the end of last season, they need to rebound in 2026. It will only get harder for them to do so. The Buccaneers ran the NFC South for five consecutive years, winning the division four times and making the playoffs in each season between 2020 and ’24. The Panthers emerged as a contender by overtaking Tampa for the division last year, and both the Saints and Falcons are ascending. 

Meanwhile, Todd Bowles’s seat is warm after the collapse, and his defense finished 23rd in opponent success rate and 27th in passing yards allowed per game. The Buccaneers’ pass rush notched just 36 sacks in 2025, and after they passed on adding one of the top edge rushers available in free agency, they must hit on the position in the draft.

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