Grading all 32 first-rounders: 2026 NFL preseason Week 1

Ty Simpson could not have scripted a better debut: The No. 13 pick completed 21 of his 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover-worthy play, earning a 78.1 PFF grade.

Arvell Reese needed only 12 snaps to make his case: The Giants linebacker posted an 88.2 PFF grade — the highest of any 2026 first-rounder — behind an 82.4 PFF run-defense grade.

Positions appear set: Francis Mauigoa played right guard, Kadyn Proctor lined up at left guard and Keylan Rutledge took every snap at center.

The 2026 rookie class has officially taken the field. Preseason Week 1 is the first look at how this group is being deployed — where they line up, how much rope they've been given and which ones have already climbed the depth chart. As always, we'll track their progress, PFF grades and workloads all season long.

Two caveats worth stating up front. Sample sizes are tiny — several first-rounders played fewer than 15 snaps — so the snap counts and the alignment data often tell you more than the grades do. And seven first-round picks did not take a snap in Week 1. We've noted them below without reading anything into it.

One early theme: the offensive line reshuffling. Three first-round blockers are already playing somewhere other than where they were drafted, with Francis Mauigoa taking every snap at right guard, Kadyn Proctor kicking inside to left guard and Keylan Rutledge lining up at center.

1. QB Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders

Snaps: 31
PFF Grade: 66.7
Key Stat: 10-of-16, 97 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, zero turnover-worthy plays

Mendoza's first NFL action was a clean, unspectacular one. He earned a 67.2 PFF passing grade across 18 dropbacks against the Cardinals, producing five first downs and a touchdown without a single turnover-worthy play.

His 3.13-second average time to throw was on the slow side, and he took a sack on one of the six pressures he faced. He also attempted four passes of 10-plus air yards, producing two completions for 33 yards.

2. EDGE David Bailey, New York Jets

Snaps: 8
PFF Grade: 63.3
Key Stat: One pressure and one defensive stop on eight snaps

The Jets gave Bailey a cameo against the Buccaneers — eight snaps, all of them aligned outside the tackle. He made them count, generating a hurry on six pass-rush reps and recording a stop on one of his two run-defense snaps.

3. RB Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals

Snaps: 24
PFF Grade: 61.7
Key Stat: 48 of 58 rushing yards came after contact

Love handled a legitimate workload — 11 carries and 14 total touches — and immediately showed the contact balance that made him the highest-drafted running back in years. He averaged 4.36 yards after contact per attempt, forced three missed tackles and recorded two runs of at least 10 yards.

The production extended to the passing game, where Love ran 11 routes and caught all three of his targets.

4. WR Carnell Tate, Tennessee Titans

Snaps: 16
PFF Grade: 53.5
Key Stat: Zero receptions on three targets

Tate’s debut was a quiet one. He ran nine routes against the 49ers but failed to haul in any of his three targets — and that's because he wasn't given a chance to. One target was contested, and they were all charted as uncatchable.

His usage was perhaps more notable than the lack of production. Tate ran 90% of his routes from out wide and logged just one snap from the slot.

5. LB Arvell Reese, New York Giants

Snaps: 12
PFF Grade: 88.2
Key Stat: Highest PFF grade of any 2026 first-round pick

Reese was the story of Week 1 among this class. He played all 12 of his snaps off the ball against the Vikings and dominated the reps he got, earning an 82.4 PFF run-defense grade with two tackles and a stop while missing none.

6. CB Mansoor Delane, Kansas City Chiefs

Snaps: 0

Delane missed Kansas City’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams with a shoulder injury, but the rookie cornerback appears to be nearing a return. He recently shed the non-contact yellow jersey and returned as a full participant in 11-on-11 team drills, putting him on track to potentially make his preseason debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

7. LB Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders

Snaps: 14
PFF Grade: 71.1
Key Stat: 65.5 PFF coverage grade across seven coverage snaps

Styles turned in a tidy 14-snap debut against the Dolphins, earning a 65.6 PFF run-defense grade and a 65.5 PFF coverage grade without missing a tackle.

His playing time was split evenly between run defense and coverage, and the team even lined him up on the edge for two snaps.

8. WR Jordyn Tyson, New Orleans Saints

Snaps: 0

The New Orleans Saints have confirmed that rookie wide receiver Jordyn Tyson suffered a hamstring injury during their joint practice with the Jacksonville Jaguars and will miss around two months.

9. T Spencer Fano, Cleveland Browns

Snaps: 33
PFF Grade: 58.4
Key Stat: Two pressures allowed on 20 pass-blocking snaps

Fano logged all 33 of his snaps at left tackle against the Bears. He held up reasonably well in protection, earning a 70.8 PFF pass-blocking grade while surrendering a hit and a hurry.

His work in the running game let him down a touch, as his 47.1 PFF run-blocking grade across 13 reps dragged his overall mark down to 58.4.

10. T Francis Mauigoa, New York Giants

Snaps: 30
PFF Grade: 66.5
Key Stat: Zero pressures allowed on 15 pass-blocking snaps

Mauigoa, a college tackle, took all 30 of his snaps at right guard. He looked comfortable there, allowing zero pressures and earning a 73.5 PFF pass-blocking grade across 15 pass-blocking snaps.

He also graded out at a respectable 62.7 in the run game, giving him the second-best PFF overall grade among first-round offensive linemen in Week 1, a tick behind Detroit's Blake Miller.

11. S Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys

Snaps: 7
PFF Grade: 63.2
Key Stat: Zero targets in his direction across three coverage snaps

Dallas gave its top pick a seven-snap look against the Seahawks and got him off the field. Six of those seven came at free safety, with one in the slot.

There's essentially nothing to evaluate — no targets, no tackles, no plays made in either direction. The 63.2 PFF overall grade is a placeholder. What matters is that the Cowboys deployed him deep, which is where they'll need him.

12. G Kadyn Proctor, Miami Dolphins

Snaps: 22
PFF Grade: 49.7
Key Stat: 80.9 PFF pass-blocking grade with zero pressures allowed

Proctor took all 22 of his snaps at left guard against the Commanders. He allowed no pressures on 12 pass-blocking snaps and earned an 80.9 PFF pass-blocking grade, the best mark of any first-round blocker in Week 1.

The run blocking was a different story, as he managed a 44.9 PFF run-blocking grade across 10 reps, which pulled his overall grade down to 49.7.

13. QB Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams

Snaps: 39
PFF Grade: 78.1
Key Stat: 91.3% adjusted completion percentage

Simpson earned a 76.6 PFF passing grade against the Chiefs while completing 84% of his attempts for 190 yards and two scores, generating a further eight first downs and a 125.0 passer rating without a turnover-worthy play.

He was barely bothered, facing just three pressures on 25 dropbacks and taking zero sacks. The one caveat is the depth chart on his throws: a 5.3-yard average depth of target means much of that efficiency came underneath.

14. G Vega Ioane, Baltimore Ravens

Snaps: 15
PFF Grade: 49.1
Key Stat: Two pressures allowed on 10 pass-blocking snaps

It was a slightly rough first outing for Ioane, who played all 15 of his snaps at right guard against the Eagles. He gave up two hurries on 10 pass-blocking reps, and the resulting 24.6 PFF pass-blocking grade was the lowest of any first-round blocker in Week 1.

The run blocking held up better at 56.8, and 15 snaps is a small enough sample that one bad rep swings everything.

15. EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Snaps: 0

Bain did not play a snap in Tampa Bay’s 24-16 preseason-opening win over the New York Jets. Head coach Todd Bowles opted to sit the rookie first-round pick after seeing enough from him during training camp practices.

16. TE Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets

Snaps: 0

Sadiq did not play a snap in the Jets’ preseason opener against the Buccaneers as he continues to work his way back from hernia surgery and a subsequent setback during training camp. New York has taken a cautious approach with his recovery, with head coach Aaron Glenn targeting the regular-season opener for his return.

17. T Blake Miller, Detroit Lions

Snaps: 39
PFF Grade: 66.6
Key Stat: 24 pass-blocking snaps, two hurries allowed, no sacks

Miller played the second-most pass-blocking snaps of any first-round lineman in Week 1 and handled the volume well.

All 39 of his reps came at right tackle against the Bengals, where he posted a 68.6 PFF pass-blocking grade. Just as encouraging, he graded at 63.3 as a run blocker — the best mark of any first-round lineman — making him one of the few rookie linemen in this class to grade positively in both phases.

18. DI Caleb Banks, Minnesota Vikings

Snaps: 25
PFF Grade: 30.4
Key Stat: Zero pressures on 12 pass-rush snaps

Banks played 25 snaps, split almost evenly between pass rush and run defense against the Giants, but he struggled to make an impact. He failed to generate a single pressure on 12 pass-rush reps, and his 32.0 PFF run-defense grade left him with a 30.4 PFF overall grade, the lowest of any first-rounder in Week 1.

He did line up in a variety of spots, taking 16 snaps in a B-gap alignment plus seven over the tackle.

19. T Monroe Freeling, Carolina Panthers

Snaps: 10
PFF Grade: 53.1
Key Stat: Two pressures allowed on seven pass-blocking snaps

Freeling saw the lightest workload of any first-round offensive lineman, logging just 10 snaps at right tackle against the Bills. He allowed two hurries across seven pass-blocking reps, resulting in a 39.4 PFF pass-blocking grade.

There is little to take away from a 10-snap sample, particularly when only seven came in pass protection. Freeling did earn a 57.7 PFF run-blocking grade, one of the better marks among this rookie group, but the first-rounder simply needs more reps before any meaningful conclusions can be drawn.

20. WR Makai Lemon, Philadelphia Eagles

Snaps: 0

Lemon did not play a snap in Philadelphia’s 24-7 preseason-opening loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The rookie wide receiver was sidelined with a hamstring injury, delaying his preseason debut.

21. T Max Iheanachor, Pittsburgh Steelers

Snaps: 0

Iheanachor did not play in Pittsburgh’s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers after suffering neck and shoulder injuries during training camp practice in early August.

22. EDGE Akheem Mesidor, Los Angeles Chargers

Snaps: 9
PFF Grade: 80.9
Key Stat: 74.6 PFF pass-rush grade on five pass-rush snaps

Mesidor’s box score was empty — no pressures and no tackles — but his underlying performance told a different story. He earned the second-highest PFF grade among first-rounders in Week 1, including a 74.6 pass-rush grade and a 63.9 run-defense grade across nine snaps against the Texans.

The pass-rush reps were particularly encouraging. Mesidor won two of his five opportunities for a 40% pass-rush win rate, even though neither win resulted in pressure.

23. EDGE Malachi Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys

Snaps: 17
PFF Grade: 80.1
Key Stat: Two defensive stops and a pressure on 17 snaps

Lawrence was the most productive first-round edge defender in Week 1 relative to his workload. Against the Seahawks, he recorded two defensive stops, generated a hurry on nine pass-rush reps and missed no tackles, finishing with a 72.5 PFF run-defense grade and a 69.7 PFF pass-rush grade.

24. WR KC Concepcion, Cleveland Browns

Snaps: 25
PFF Grade: 77.6
Key Stat: 1.80 yards per route run

Concepcion caught three of four targets for 27 yards against the Bears — including his lone contested target — and added a 14-yard touchdown run on his only carry, forcing a missed tackle and picking up eight yards after contact on the play.

Fourteen of his 16 receiving snaps came from the slot, and he ran a route on 93.8% of Cleveland's pass plays while he was on the field.

25. S Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears

Snaps: 14
PFF Grade: 52.4
Key Stat: Targeted once, allowed zero receptions

Thieneman was thrown at once against the Browns and gave up nothing, holding opposing quarterbacks to a 39.6 rating in his direction. Chicago used him primarily as a deep defender, with nine snaps at free safety and five in the box. He added a tackle without a miss, which produced a 74.8 PFF tackling grade.

26. C Keylan Rutledge, Houston Texans

Snaps: 12
PFF Grade: 61.4
Key Stat: Zero pressures allowed on eight pass-blocking snaps

Rutledge played all 12 of his snaps at center against the Chargers. The early returns in protection were clean: no pressures allowed and a 77.6 PFF pass-blocking grade.

27. CB Chris Johnson, Miami Dolphins

Snaps: 18
PFF Grade: 56.7
Key Stat: Two targets, one reception allowed for 14 yards

Johnson saw the most work of any first-round defensive back in Week 1, playing 18 snaps against the Commanders with nine in the slot and eight on the boundary. He allowed one catch on two targets for 14 yards and a 72.9 passer rating in his direction.

28. T Caleb Lomu, New England Patriots

Snaps: 43
PFF Grade: 55.1
Key Stat: Zero pressures allowed on 27 pass-blocking snaps

No first-rounder played more snaps in Week 1 than Lomu, who logged all 43 of his at right tackle against the Colts and did not surrender a single pressure across 27 pass-blocking reps. However, he was beaten on two reps that didn't result in QB pressure, which explains his 60.5 pass-blocking grade.

29. DI Peter Woods, Kansas City Chiefs

Snaps: 25
PFF Grade: 35.5
Key Stat: Zero pressures on 15 pass-rush snaps

Woods drew the second-lowest PFF overall grade of any first-rounder in Week 1, ahead of only Minnesota‘s Caleb Banks. He played 25 snaps against the Rams — 15 of them rushing the passer — without generating a pressure or recording a tackle, finishing with a 37.4 PFF run-defense grade and a 53.6 PFF pass-rush grade.

30. WR Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets

Snaps: 21
PFF Grade: 61.0
Key Stat: 2.58 yards per route run, best among first-round receivers

Cooper was the most efficient rookie receiver in Week 1 on a per-route basis, turning 12 routes into two catches for 31 yards against the Buccaneers, including a 26-yard gain. He averaged 4.0 yards after the catch per reception and generated an average target depth of 14.3 yards.

31. EDGE Keldric Faulk, Tennessee Titans

Snaps: 30
PFF Grade: 72.5
Key Stat: Most defensive snaps of any 2026 first-round pick

Faulk was trusted with more work than any other first-round defender, playing 30 snaps against the 49ers with 22 of them rushing the passer. He converted that into a quarterback hit, two tackles and a stop, grading at 72.4 against the run and 62.7 as a pass-rusher.

32. RB Jadarian Price, Seattle Seahawks

Snaps: 0

Price did not play a snap in Seattle’s 17-7 preseason-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The rookie running back was held out due to upper-leg soreness.