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The 2026 NFL draft concluded on Saturday. Despite the hundreds of mocks that took place before the draft, seemingly predicting every possible NFL outcome, the actual draft always throws some curveballs. Last year, it was Shedeur Sanders free-falling to the fifth round before the Browns swooped up to get him. This year, there were a number of surprises throughout the seven rounds from Thursday to Saturday.
With the draft now in the rearview mirror, here’s a look back at the top five surprises from this year’s draft.
Rams take Ty Simpson
There was no bigger shock than the Rams selecting quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick. Simpson was not expected to go before the end of the first round, but he easily beat that projection as he landed with the Rams in the top half of the draft.
The idea of the Rams finding a successor for Matthew Stafford was not far-fetched in itself, but Los Angeles using the No. 13 pick on Simpson—a player who might not see the field for years—as they try to capitalize on their Super Bowl window made little sense. Add on the drama that Sean McVay initially did not appear pleased with the pick—which he has since clarified—and the move only became more confounding.
The Rams have clarified they are still on the same page with their pick of Simpson, but they clearly did not use their highest pick in the McVay era as expected.
Titans go Carnell Tate with the No. 4 pick
Over the past two drafts, the first four to five picks off the board have been fairly predictable. That wasn’t the case this year. While David Bailey to the Jets at No. 2 and Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 to the Cardinals gained momentum over the final days before the draft, there were no certainties until they were finally selected.
The biggest surprise of the top five was easily the Titans selecting wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 4 pick. Many expected the Titans to go defense with defensive-minded coach Robert Saleh taking over the team and Arvell Reese falling. Instead, the Titans nabbed Tate, who was expected to go a few picks later.
The selection in Tate resulted in the Giants surprisingly landing Reese—an outcome not even they predicted.
Eagles snatch Makai Lemon from the Steelers
The Steelers thought they were drafting the receiver they coveted when they called Makai Lemon to inform him of their plans to select him with the No. 21 pick. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, the Eagles traded up with the Cowboys to land Lemon with the No. 20 pick.
In the now viral moment, Lemon was captured asking “Why is Philly calling me?” while on the phone with the Steelers. He soon found out he was heading to the Eagles, forcing Pittsburgh to pivot to offensive tackle Max Iheanachor.
From the NFL Draft: A wild story, as the #Eagles trade up for Makai Lemon... while he was on the phone with the #Steelers. pic.twitter.com/r1R6pQnFgi
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2026
Between Lemon falling further than expected, the Eagles beating out their in-state rivals as they hosted the draft and Howie Roseman earning another steal, the Lemon pick resulted in one of the most memorable moments of the draft.
More: Steal City? We Asked Steelers, Eagles Fans About the Makai Lemon Debacle
Vikings take big risk by picking Caleb Banks at No. 18
After months of many analysts and fans mocking safety Dillon Thieneman to the Vikings, Minnesota went in another direction when they first came on the clock in the first round. Though Thieneman was still on the board, the Vikings instead went with Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks with their first-round pick.
Banks is a high-ceiling player that has even earned comparisons to Chris Jones, but he was not expected to go in the top 20 due to injury concerns. The Vikings instead made him the first defensive tackle off the board, clearly believing in his upside over the risk.
CB Jermod McCoy falls to Day 3
In the days leading up to the draft, it became clear that Jermod McCoy, who many considered the most talented corner in this draft, could fall out of the first round due to concerns over his knee and his long-term health.
What was less clear was how far McCoy would fall. McCoy surprisingly was not taken in either the second or third rounds, eventually landing at the top of Day 3 when the Raiders took him to kick off the fourth round.
More NFL Draft from Sports Illustrated
- How Ty Simpson Plans to Bring a Nick Saban Mindset to Rams
- What New Steelers QB Drew Allar Said About His Previous Meeting With Mike McCarthy
- The City of Pittsburgh Was the True Star of the NFL Draft
- Conor Orr's Best and Worst From the 2026 NFL Draft
- 2026 NFL Draft by the Numbers: What Positions, Conferences and Schools Had Most Players Picked?
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Biggest Surprises From the 2026 NFL Draft.
