Nobody likes hearing that their favorite NFL team's draft picks are just bad because an analyst didn't have a player high on their board. Arbitrary grades in the immediate aftermath of the draft are just like mock drafts themselves: They're projections.
But even the most optimistic view of a draft class or wait-and-see approach doesn't mean things will always work out for the best. The brutal reality of the NFL is that teams make mistakes, players don't turn out the way they thought, and things turn for the worse in a hurry.
The NFC West was the subject of a variety of controversial headlines throughout the course of the 2026 NFL Draft, and there were some potentially massive mistakes made by each team. We're going to explore one for each team in the division.
Rams' long-term move could cost them significantly in immediate Super Bowl window
Los Angeles Rams: Forsaking another weapon for QB Ty Simpson
We know for a fact that the Rams went into the 2026 NFL Draft wanting to prioritize the tight end position because they selected Max Klare with their 2nd-round pick (61st overall). We know they also had aims on making a potentially blockbuster-level move to acquire a receiver because they were named as an interested team in the AJ Brown rumors earlier this offseason.
It's clear that the Rams have discerned a need for another offensive weapon, and they decided to pass on the chance to take Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq or USC WR Makai Lemon in favor of Alabama QB Ty Simpson, who is not likely to see the field anytime soon.
This is a classic debate about going with your gut when it comes to a quarterback prospect and risking whatever drama that may create. Does anyone remember the last time it worked out where a team used a 1st-round pick on a quarterback they didn't need, and they were able to pass the torch after winning it all shortly thereafter?
The Rams should have taken a playmaker, and the only way to prove that is the incorrect take is to win the Super Bowl this year, Matthew Stafford rides into the sunset, and Ty Simpson becomes something.
San Francisco 49ers: Leaning too much on AI
Is this an actual thing we're talking about? Why, yes it is.
John Lynch told the media before the draft that if you're (other teams) not using AI, you're already behind.
After looking at the way the 49ers came away from this year's draft, it's hard to believe the 49ers' use of AI is really benefitting them. It's far to early to bury a draft class, and that has to be acknowledged, but the 49ers were so far off of the consensus that it just doesn't feel right.
I evaluated the last 4 years of John Lynch drafts
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 26, 2026
his performance:
2023: #31
2024: #28
2025: #31
2026: #32
after the draft, Lynch claimed he knows better than everyone else
the data shows he doesn’t
I went thru every single "reach" he made
it's grosshttps://t.co/lIiJ1aOWx9
There is a pattern of bad drafting happening in San Francisco, and the duo of John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have to take some significant blame for that. This is a team that has found its way to contention despite some massive NFL Draft whiffs, and it's possible -- seriously -- that they are leaning too much on artificial intelligence.
The most concerning thing he had to say about it was that you don't have to be an "expert" and that it can "spit out pretty good things."
Arizona Cardinals: The true cost of drafting Jeremiyah Love
Prior to the 2026 NFL Draft, the most guaranteed money in league history for a running back on a contract was Saquon Barkley's $36 million. The Las Vegas Raiders came dangerously close to that figure with the contract they gave to Ashton Jeanty as the 6th overall pick in last year's draft.
The Arizona Cardinals' decision to select Jeremiyah Love with the 3rd overall pick comes with a price tag that will blow those numbers out of the water.
Because of the way rookie contracts are based on pick slot, and also fully guaranteed, Love is set to destroy the record for guaranteed money on a running back contract with a whopping $50.5 million guaranteed at signing. The highest guaranteed money for a running back in the history of the NFL will be for a guy who has never taken a carry in the league.
As good as Jeremiyah Love is as a prospect, it's impossible to justify that for a running back. That's not resetting the market, that's putting a guy in a different stratosphere years ahead of where the current market is.
Seattle Seahawks: Backing themselves into the RB corner months before the draft
The Seattle Seahawks should have just franchise-tagged Kenneth Walker after he helped them win the Super Bowl and took home game MVP honors. Maybe Walker wasn't worth the contract he signed with Kansas City to them, but the alternative was Jadarian Price with the final pick of the 1st round of the NFL Draft.
There has never been a running back drafted before with less than 125 touches in any season of his collegiate career. We've seen two backs from the same school go in the 1st round multiple times (shoutout to Ronnie Brown/Cadillac Williams; Darren McFadden/Felix Jones). However, Jadarian Price has a combination of a limited sample size and poor ball security within that sample size.
He had four fumbles in his time at Notre Dame, just 15 receptions, and he didn't show well in pass protection.
The Seahawks backed themselves into this corner, in a poor running back class, when they didn't have to.
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