Now that you've slept on it...NFL Draft takeaways

Summary of Now that you've slept on it...NFL Draft takeaways

by The Athletic

1h 3m•April 29, 2026
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Overview of The Athletic Football Show: NFL Draft takeaways

Robert Mays and Fran Duffy revisit the 2026 NFL Draft after a couple days of distance, focusing on what looks different once the immediate reactions have cooled off. The conversation centers on evolving positional trends, especially at tight end and running back, while also re-evaluating several teams’ draft hauls in the context of roster construction, coaching fit, and how front offices actually operate in real life.

Main takeaways

1. The tight end position is changing fast

  • The biggest schematic shift discussed was the league’s move toward bigger, blocking-oriented tight ends in early rounds.
  • Day 2 of the draft featured a clear pivot:
    • Last year’s Day 2 tight ends were more pass-catching focused.
    • This year’s crop was mostly larger-bodied, more in-line blockers.
  • The hosts think this is being driven by:
    • The rise of 12/13 personnel.
    • Teams trying to mimic what successful offensive coaches are doing.
    • The scarcity of true difference-makers at the position.
  • They also caution that this may be another case of teams chasing a trend that only a few can actually execute well.

2. Pass-catching tight ends may now have a tougher path

  • In the new environment, a pass-first tight end may no longer just need to “survive” as a blocker.
  • Instead, teams now expect them to clear a higher blocking bar so defenses can’t just treat the formation like 11 personnel.
  • That makes players like Eli Stowers more interesting but also riskier, because if they’re too one-dimensional, the offense may not get the full benefit of drafting them early.

3. Running back value is still controversial — but context matters

  • The hosts revisited the idea of taking a running back early, especially in cases like the Cardinals taking Jeremiah Love at No. 3 and the Seahawks taking Jadarian Price.
  • While they agreed these aren’t “optimized” picks in a vacuum, they were more open to them after considering:
    • Team-specific roster needs.
    • Front-office pressure and job security.
    • The fact that some teams may prioritize a safer, more immediately productive player.
  • The core argument: opportunity cost matters most over multiple years, but many teams are thinking more about the current season than long-term optimization.

4. Some teams without first-round picks still had excellent drafts

The hosts were especially high on a few teams that lacked a first-round selection but still built strong classes:

Indianapolis Colts

  • They liked how the Colts played the board and fit their defensive needs.
  • C.J. Allen stood out as a smart, immediate fit as a green-dot linebacker.
  • A.J. Halsey and Jalen Farmer were also viewed as potential long-term contributors.

Buffalo Bills

  • Buffalo’s draft was more solid than spectacular.
  • The Bills traded down multiple times and added a bunch of useful pieces:
    • TJ Parker
    • Davis and Igbenosin
    • Jude Bowery
    • Jalen Kilgore
    • Zane Durant
  • The concern: they may not have added a true difference-maker on defense, and the roster still feels like it needs more juice.

Denver Broncos

  • The Broncos were also praised for getting good value and filling holes despite not picking until the third round.

5. The NFC East defenses are genuinely fun to watch

The hosts were unusually intrigued by the defensive talent and coaching across the division:

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Still viewed as one of the most complete defenses in the league.
  • The combination of Vic Fangio’s scheme and upgraded personnel keeps them in the top tier.

New York Giants

  • The Giants added a lot of talent and flexibility:
    • Abdul Carter
    • Arvel Reese
    • Improved cornerback depth
    • A deep safety group
  • The key question is how Reese is used, but the hosts expect a creative plan.

Dallas Cowboys

  • They feel the Cowboys have done an impressive job of rebuilding after major changes:
    • Brian Schottenheimer as head coach
    • The Micah Parsons trade
  • The draft and staff moves suggest a team that is trying to be more coherent and creative on both sides of the ball.
  • The biggest caveat is health, especially in the secondary and on offense.

Washington

  • The hosts liked the fit of Sonny Styles and the overall defensive depth.
  • They see potential for a more aggressive, flexible defense under a new coordinator.

6. Consensus boards are useful, but overreliance is a mistake

  • One of the strongest meta-takeaways was that consensus draft boards don’t capture how teams actually operate.
  • Important caveats:
    • Not all big boards are built for the same purpose.
    • Teams often have much smaller boards than public rankings suggest.
    • Different teams prioritize medicals, character, size, athletic thresholds, and scheme fit differently.
  • The hosts argued that criticizing teams solely for ignoring consensus is too simplistic.

7. The Browns’ biggest issue may have been lack of draft volume

  • The Browns’ draft history looked better once the hosts isolated how few premium picks they had over the last several years.
  • Their recent top-75 haul was much stronger than people often assume.
  • The larger point: the front office may not be broken in the way many have assumed — it may have simply been starved of capital.

8. The Titans may be more interesting than expected

  • Fran came around on Tennessee as a team to watch.
  • He liked the fit of Keldrick Falk in their scheme and thought the defensive additions made sense.
  • The overall vibe: not a guaranteed contender, but a team with a clearer identity and more intrigue than expected.

Notable themes and insights

Why the draft felt different after a few days

  • The hosts emphasized that live draft reactions are shaped by:
    • Surprise
    • Pre-draft assumptions
    • Immediate media narratives
  • With a little distance, the same picks can look smarter, stranger, or more coherent than they did on draft night.

Team-building is about more than the draft

  • Several times they pointed out that roster construction doesn’t stop when the draft ends.
  • Teams can still address lingering holes through:
    • Free agency
    • Trades
    • Veteran bargains
  • That perspective helped them understand some otherwise controversial draft choices.

Bottom line

This episode is less about grading every pick and more about how the draft changes once the first reaction fades. The main conclusions:

  • The league is clearly pivoting toward bigger tight ends and heavier personnel packages.
  • Some early running back picks make more sense when viewed through team context.
  • A few non-first-round teams quietly built strong, balanced classes.
  • Public consensus boards are useful, but they shouldn’t be treated like gospel.

The overall message: after sleeping on it, several drafts looked less chaotic and more understandable — even if they still weren’t always the most “optimal” decisions on paper.