The 2026 NFL Draft is over, and a lot of what happened was rather expected. The Las Vegas Raiders took Fernando Mendoza, and we saw Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price as the first two running backs off the board, for example.
All in all, the draft wasn't filled with surprises, but there were definitely some shocking moments. Across the draft landscape, teams definitely, at least on the surface, brought in a better draft class than others. And unsurprisingly, some of the teams that had the highest-valued draft capital ended up with the biggest and perhaps most impactful classes.
Let's dive into the three teams that improved the most thanks to this year's draft.
These three teams obviously improved the most in the 2026 NFL Draft
Las Vegas Raiders
Let's just get the obvious out of the way - the Raiders seem to be the most improved team in the NFL thanks to the Mendoza selection. It really would not surprise me if the Raiders knew from the second they clinched the first overall pick that Mendoza was going to be their choice.
Simply put, there was not another quarterback close of being worthy of the top pick. And just because it was a weaker quarterback class, doesn't mean Mendoza wasn't a first overall-caliber pick.
He's got exceptional size, solid arm strength, and can not only win from the pocket, but shows up in big moments and is rather accurate. His ceiling might truly be Joe Burrow-adjacent, but landing somewhere between guys like Burrow, Jared Goff, Kirk Cousins, or even Matt Ryan would not be a shock.
With the Raiders having signed Cousins in the offseason, Mendoza likely isn't starting in Week 1, but there really isn't any debate here - the quarterback position is the most important in all of sports, and after years of dysfunction, the Raiders may have just landed a future franchise passer.
New York Jets
The New York Jets may have hit a home run in the draft this year, and it was going to be hard for them not to. Trading back up into the first round, the Jets ended up picking three times in Round 1, landing David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, and Omar Cooper Jr.
Specifically on the offensive side of the ball, the Jets suddenly have a wide receiver room with promise, two young tight ends who could both be starting-caliber, and a rock-solid offensive line spilling over with youth.
Not to mention, running back Breece Hall is still in the picture and could still ink a long-term extension. The elephant in the room, though, is that Geno Smith is the starting quarterback. It's obviously a temporary fix, but with three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft, the Jets are poised to insert a potential rookie quarterback into a surprisingly stable situation.
All three of New York's first-round picks have clear paths to not only start, but to contribute as well. The plan is quite clear now - though Jets fans may have to be patient, the foundation was just set, and I would not rule out sixth-round pick Anez Cooper from making some noise. The 6-6, 330lb guard prospect could end up as a sleeper as a future starter.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs were not messing around with their draft class this year, as their first four picks were cornerback Mansoor Delane, defensive tackle Peter Woods, pass-rusher R Mason Thomas, and slot cornerback Jadon Canady.
It's not a stretch to think that all four are starting by the time the 2026 season ends. Kansas City sent a loud and clear message as well - they believe that it was the defense, more than the offense, that needed better personnel. When a team invests this much capital into one side of the ball, it's almost impossible for that unit to not get better.
And when you couple that with some elite coaching by Steve Spagnuolo, one of the best in the game, the Chiefs may actually have finally fixed the defense after years of underperformance.