Home AMERICAN FOOTBALL NFL 2026 NFL Draft: Biggest Surprises and Disappointments

2026 NFL Draft: Biggest Surprises and Disappointments

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Carnell Tate
Carnell Tate

From controversial QBs to freak athletes, the 2026 NFL Draft had it all. We rank the biggest surprises like Ty Simpson and disappointments like Diego Pavia.  

 
Ty Simpson to the Rams, Diego Pavia undrafted, and a 306-lb Nigerian who never played football...


Here are the biggest surprises and disappointments from the 2026 NFL Draft:


The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books. After three days of evaluations and picks, the draft order is set. Rising stars will soon step into the professional spotlight and try to make their mark. For some, the moment they dreamed of came with a life-changing phone call. The hard work and dedication paid off. There was joy and excitement. For others, the selection became a bittersweet waiting game.


Prospects spent years preparing for this chance. NFL scouts studied them for months, even years. Predictions were everywhere online. Still, there were surprises and unexpected moves. The Las Vegas Raiders opened the draft by taking quarterback Fernando Mendoza from Indiana. The first overall pick was no secret. But twists followed.

  

Surprises:

Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama: McVay’s Reaction Steals Spotlight From Shock Rams Pick

The Los Angeles Rams made waves with the 13th overall pick by taking Ty Simpson, but it wasn’t the pick that stole the show. It was head coach Sean McVay’s reaction. After hearing the selection, he looked disappointed. Desperate. Despondent. Like he was hoping it was just a bad dream.


The Rams shocked the football world by taking Simpson. With Matthew Stafford running the show, many expected the Super Bowl-caliber Rams to address another position. Instead, the choice proved controversial. McVay looked like he didn’t want Simpson. In fact, he didn’t speak to him. Not at the combine, during the pre-draft process, or over the phone. That’s partly why McVay was stunned by the front office’s decision.




Simpson going this early stunned almost everyone. He started only one season at Alabama. He’s also undersized, and there are questions about his ability to perform at the pro level. In his final collegiate game against Indiana, Simpson threw for just 67 yards. But if there’s a place for him to develop, it’s LA. McVay is known as a quarterback whisperer, and with Stafford not planning to retire soon, Simpson has time to sharpen his skills and learn from the best.


 


Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State: Titans Bet Big on Upside Over Need

Tate wasn’t the best wide receiver on the board. Yet the Tennessee Titans saw something in him - something so special they used their top pick on him. The front office heavily targeted receivers last year, so the position wasn’t a pressing need. But they went for Tate anyway, and pairing him with Cam Ward is an exciting thought.


The former Ohio State standout had 51 catches for 875 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior. He plays the position well and has a high ceiling. His straight-line speed raised questions at the combine, but that’s an area he can improve. In college, Tate showed he could get open against the country’s best defenders. Now he has to make the jump to the best league in the world.




Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria: Eagles Draft Freak Athlete Who’s Never Played Organized Football

One of the draft’s most fascinating picks came late. In the seventh round with the 251st overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Uar Bernard. If you tried to look up his college profile, you’d search in vain. Bernard didn’t play in the NCAA. Surprisingly, he hasn’t played a down of organized football. After shining at the 2024 NFL Nigeria camp and refining his game since, the defensive tackle earned a spot in the 2026 NFL’s International Player Pathway program.




The Nigerian prodigy wasted no time impressing scouts. He’s a physical beast. Bernard is 6-foot-4, 306 pounds with six percent body fat. He ran a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, had a 39-inch vertical, and a 10-foot-10 broad jump. Those are freak numbers for his size and position. “It’s like watching Victor Wembanyama,” said quarterback coach George Whitfield. “The numbers don’t even do him justice. NBA players don’t have 6 percent body fat on them.”


Now Bernard gets a chance to finally play real football. And earn a consistent role with the Eagles. “It's a dream come true for me because I've worked hard for this. I've not played football, but I've gone through some drills that made me believe that I'm going to get better every day. I thank God for everything. I thank God for life. I thank God for the opportunities given to me to be drafted by the Eagles,” said Bernard. He’ll have a strong mentor and role model in Jordan Mailata - the Australian offensive tackle the Eagles drafted in 2018 from the same international program.



Caleb Banks, DL, Florida: Vikings Bet on Injured Gator’s ‘Rare’ Upside at No. 18

Banks has great size and power for his position and handles his duties well. Him going No. 18 in the first round wouldn’t be a surprise if he were healthy in his final college season, but he wasn’t. A foot injury limited Banks to only three games this year. The Michigan native tried to make up ground at the NFL combine, but his effort ended in heartbreak when he suffered another foot injury.


Many thought his draft stock had dropped significantly. But the Minnesota Vikings saw enough before Banks got hurt and took a chance on him. If healthy, he can make an immediate impact in Minneapolis.


“When you see a guy with this type of, kind of rare size, rare athleticism, you take a real hard look at him,” said Vikings’ defensive coordinator Brian Flores. “I think he’s got very high upside and excited to have him join our team, our defense, our locker room. He’s smart. Football’s important to him; he wants to be a great teammate, so we felt very comfortable the whole way and really excited that we got him.”


Disappointments

Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt: Heisman Finalist Goes Undrafted as 32 Hats Sit Unused

Balloons in Vanderbilt’s school colors. A big, lit-up No. 2 on the floor, referencing Diego Pavia’s jersey number. A table full of hats - 32 to be exact, representing every team that could have picked the quarterback. On Saturday night, reality set in. The phone never rang. Nobody pointed at him.






The draft setup went unused as Pavia’s dream of hearing his name was shattered by silence. He became the first Heisman Trophy finalist to go undrafted since Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch in 2014. Pavia led Vanderbilt to a 10-3 record - the first double-digit win season in school history - after throwing for 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns, and rushing for 10 more. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. But even his decorated résumé wasn’t enough. So, what went wrong?




Most likely, it was his off-field demeanor that cost him a draft spot. Pavia is one of the most controversial and divisive prospects. After losing the Heisman Trophy to Fernando Mendoza and finishing second, he posted a photo on social media with a caption saying “F--- ALL THE VOTERS.” He later apologized. He has extreme confidence that sometimes comes across as cocky. According to reports, Pavia told NFL teams he wasn’t coming to the league to be a backup and wanted to start right away. Combine his behavior with his size - 5-foot-10 - and limited athleticism, and teams chose to bet on other playmakers.





Tyren Montgomery, WR, John Carroll: From NBA Dream to Undrafted Titans Signee

Tyren Montgomery’s path to the draft was remarkable. Growing up, he excelled on the hardwood and dreamed of the NBA. In 2020, bored at home during the pandemic, he started throwing a football in the backyard with his brother and realized his heart was on the gridiron.


Montgomery began learning terminology and the route tree while working on his speed. He recorded his workouts and sent them to nearly every school in the country, hoping for a scholarship offer. The receiver started his career at Nicholls State, then transferred to John Carroll, a Division III program with a strong group of NFL alumni.




His work ethic, dedication, and athleticism caught the eye of many scouts. Montgomery hoped to hear his name called late in the draft, but endured a disappointing outcome when no team selected him. However, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tennessee Titans, making his NFL dream come true.



Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami: Projected Top-10 Pick Slides to Buccaneers at 15 Over Arm Length
  
Bain might be the biggest slide of the draft. Expected to go top 10, he waited until the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took him with the 15th overall pick. When interviewed on stage, the disappointment in his voice was clear.


There are two possible reasons for his drop. First, Bain chose not to work out for teams before the draft to show off his skills. But the second reason likely mattered more - his arm length. At 30 7/8 inches, Bain has some of the shortest arms for his position in NFL history. Since 2003, no pass rusher with arms shorter than 31 inches has been drafted.






But Bain has been productive and pressures passers well. He played a key role in Miami’s run to the national championship game last season. Realistically, the slide probably hurt him most financially, as it could cost him up to $10 million in guaranteed salary.


Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee: ACL Recovery and Surgery Concerns Drop Top-15 Talent to Round 4

In 2024, McCoy was in his prime with the Tennessee Volunteers. The cornerback allowed only 31 catches on 62 targets, forcing rushed throws that led to a 53.6 passer rating against him. With those numbers, he would’ve been a top-20 pick. Sadly, McCoy tore his ACL and missed the entire 2025 season.


He recovered in time for Tennessee’s pro day and made the most of it, impressing most analysts. But right before the draft, multiple reports said he may need another surgery to fix a bone plug - a procedure that would cost him his rookie season. The Las Vegas Raiders took McCoy with the first pick of the fourth round, 101st overall.


“All my doctors that did my surgery, they told me I’m good,” McCoy said in his post-draft press conference. “I feel like I’m good, but if there’s something that they’re wanting me to do for the longevity of my career, I’m willing to do that. I’m going to listen to the team, because I feel like they have my best interest. So, honestly, whatever the team’s plan for me is, I’m going to do that.”


McCoy was a top-15 talent in this year’s draft, but his injury caused a major slide. If he stays healthy, he can easily earn a key role in the Raiders’ defense.






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