2026 NFL Draft Round-Up: AFC North

Geoff Magliocchetti May 6, 2026 Fact checked by: Matt Moreno No Comments

The AFC North’s quartet spent the primary portions of the 2026 NFL Draft bolstering their trenches.

The picks are in and the last bit of draft Heinz has been squeezed out of Pittsburgh. In other words, the 2026 NFL Draft is officially in the books.

With its completion, 257 men (and more, if one counts undrafted free agents) will officially begin their professional gridiron dreams in preparation for an anticipated September kickoff. The transactional dust has settled, so TeamFB7 is ready to analyze each and every team’s rookie loot bag, doing so on a division-by-division basis in the coming day.

Part two shifts the focus to the AFC North …

A screen shows KC Concepcion of Texas A&M after being selected 24th overall by the Cleveland Browns during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images)

JUMP TO: Baltimore Ravens | Cleveland Browns | Cincinnati Bengals | Pittsburgh Steelers

Previous Round-Ups

Baltimore Ravens: B—

  • 1st Round (14th overall): OG Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
  • 2nd Round (45th overall): DE Zion Young, Missouri
  • 3rd Round (80th overall) WR Ja’Kobi Lane, USC
  • 4th Round (115th overall): WR Elijah Sarratt, Indiana
  • 4th Round (133rd overall): TE Matthew Hibner, SMU
  • 5th Round (162nd overall): CB Chandler Rivers, Duke
  • 5th Round (173rd overall): TE Josh Cuevas, Alabama
  • 5th Round (174th overall): RB Adam Randall, Clemson
  • 6th Round (211th overall): P Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
  • 7th Round (250th overall): DT Rayshuan Benny, Michigan
  • 7th Round (253rd overall): OG Evan Beerntsen, Northwestern

Following shocking struggles on offense, Baltimore spent most of the first pack of its 11 picks in the name of extending the Lamar Jackson/Derrick Henry collaboration. That was apparent with the selection of Ioane following a season rendered lost with both a Jackson injury and significant drop-offs in nearly every major Henry stat category. Ioane has gotten rave reviews for his physicality and build, both of which should help the Ravens re-establish their brand of smashmouth football.

Some were shocked when the Ravens passed on Buccaneer-to-be Rueben Bain Jr. with their opening pick. On paper, that problem was remedied when equally adept edge rusher Young fell into their realm in the second round. Young’s scouting report carries concerns about character issues exiled him to Friday but the begging Ravens were hardly in a position to be choosers: the pass rush ranked 28th in pressure percentage and 30th in hurry rate and Young’s arrival is perhaps viewed as the finishing touch after the failed Maxx Crosby endeavor and previously acquiring Trey Hendrickson.

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Baltimore was also in no position to ignore another glaring need, having mostly ignored the center spot after Tyler Linderbaum left for Las Vegas (Rimington Trophy winner Logan Jones went to Chicago a dozen picks after Young).

After that, the Ravens doubled down on receivers. Lane and Sarratt’s athleticism should make them prime targets for not only Jackson but for those scouring the fantasy waiver wire later this fall, especially considering their inflated stats in the red zone. The Ravens also might’ve landed one of day three’s secondary steals in Rivers, an undersized ballhawk who could flourish in the slot.

The Ravens also made one of the noisiest post-draft rookie additions with the signing of the undrafted quarterback Diego Pavia. He’s set to engage in one of the more interesting battles in the second half of this summer’s preseason games, working in an aerial bout with veteran Skylar Thompson and fellow high-profile freshman free agent Joe Fagnano.

They Said It: “I’m coming in with the mentality that I’m not trying to get beat. Nobody’s going to touch my quarterback, and it’s as simple as that. That’s exactly what I want. I don’t want to go anywhere else, where it’s soft football. Football is meant to be physical and all those types of things and that’s exactly where I think I can fit in.” — Ioane on his Baltimore fit (h/t Jamison Hensley, ESPN)

Best Case: Ioane creates new lanes for Henry and offers interior protection for Jackson’s mobile abilities. Hendrickson proves to be the stabilizing force for Young’s professional career and he quickly secures a regular spot on the edge to become the sweetest brand of consolation prize for the vetoed Crosby deal. Lane and Surratt prove to be consistently catch the big play balls and offer a sense of security no matter who’s under center. Rivers proves to be a secret antidote to the plethora of slot talent on the rosters of AFC contenders. Randall, a receiver-turned-rusher said to a personal pick of Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, offers an athletic change of pace behind the physically imposing attack of Henry and Justice Hill while putting some heat on Rasheen Ali in the return game.

Worst Case: Ioane becomes the latest blocking prospect that fails to generate any forward momentum on the Ravens’ line. The era of general manager Eric DeCosta has been known to spend early capital on interior blocking and Ioane joins previous selections like Ben Cleveland and Emery Jones on the second slot on depth charts. Becoming notorious for their relative desperation in the Crosby fallout, the Ravens fail to get any return on Young both on and off the field coming to regret passing on Jones in the wake of Linderbaum’s departure. Lane and Surratt get stuck behind the continued efforts to develop Zay Flowers’ next evolution and yet another attempt to turn Rashod Bateman into a top target. 

Cleveland Browns: B+

  • Round 1 (9th overall): OT Spencer Fano, Utah
  • Round 1 (24th overall): WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
  • Round 2 (39th overall): WR Denzel Boston, Washington
  • Round 2 (58th overall): S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo
  • Round 3 (86th overall): OT Austin Barber, Florida
  • Round 5 (146th overall): C Parker Brailsford, Alabama
  • Round 5 (149th overall): LB Justin Jefferson, Alabama
  • Round 5 (170th overall): TE Joe Royer, Cincinnati
  • Round 6 (182nd overall): QB Taylen Green, Arkansas
  • Round 7 (248th overall): TE Carsen Ryan

Unlike the circus atmosphere that surrounded last year’s selections, the Browns went about their business in relatively muted fashion this time around. A weekend in enemy territory nonetheless yielded more intriguing building blocks.

Like many beyond the passing certainty of Las Vegas, the Browns seemed — or more likely, in their case, had — to be content to wait for the quarterback prospects of 2027 and opted to make the situation better for their current crop. A trade back with Kansas City (playing on the Chiefs’ apparent desperation for Mansoor Delane) allowed them to land one of the more interesting blocking prospects in Fano after undergoing an almost complete makeover on the line. The Utah alum will likely move to the blind side at left this time around but his extensive collegiate experience allowed him to play on both sides. 

Dealing with Jacksonville during last year’s draft (again playing on eagerness to bring in a splashy name-brand talent, Travis Hunter in the Jags’ case) allowed the Browns to take on a relative risk in Concepcion, a well-paced playmaker who has had issues with drops. Cleveland’s patience was further rewarded when they also welcomed in Denzel Boston, mocked in many a first round, with their regularly-scheduled second-round choice and they found further value in in-state talent McNeil-Warren, whose heat-seeking tendencies should mesh well with those of Jefferson in the middle. 

With so much movement on the line (2027 free agent Teven Jenkins is the only incumbent projected starter), the Browns secured a pair of bulky projects for the future in Barber and Brailsford, the latter of whom joins his Alabama teammates Jefferson in Cleveland. The most intriguing day three pick has to be the freak athlete Green, whose fall to the sixth surprised many. 

They Said It: “His character was first, I mean, the way he’s wired,” Monken said. “I think the expectations that we will have for him won’t even match that he has for himself. His athleticism, his toughness, I mean, when you want to start off the first year of your regime, you talk about what you want: character, toughness, athleticism, he has it all.“—Browns head coach Jeff Monken on Fano (h/t Kelsey Russo, ClevelandBrowns.com)

Best Case: Fano, Concepcion, and Boston form a strong battery with Quinshon Judkins and start to stabilize an offensive in desperate need of some form of clarity. Jefferson’s hard-hitting skillset pairs well with that of reigning rookie sensation Carson Schwesinger while McNeil-Warren makes his passers pay for their apparent MAC prejudice. Barber contributes immediately in short yardage situations that could also open up an opportunity for Royer. Green doesn’t disrupt an already chaotic quarterback room and starts to develop as a faster version of Taysom Hill.

Worst Case: The Browns make no progress on offense and are forced into a relative lame duck year with their freshman surplus. They come to regret trading with the Chiefs and missing out on a surefire athlete like No. 8 choice Jordyn Tyson, who was selected by New Orleans in between Cleveland’s regularly scheduled pick at sixth and their adjusted selection at ninth. Fano seems like a relatively safety pick at No. 9, but his arrival will still require some adjustment as they prepare to move him back to the left. Concepcion fails to fix his drop problems while the struggle to create separation dooms Boston once more. Green is thrown in as a desperate solution to solve the quarterback kerfuffle and the Browns waste the talents of yet another athletic prospect.

Cincinnati Bengals: C

  • Round 2 (41st overall): DE Cashius Howell, Texas A&M
  • Round 3 (72nd overall): CB Tacario Davis, Washington
  • Round 4 (128th overall): C Connor Lew, Auburn
  • Round 4 (140th overall) WR Colbie Young, Georgia
  • Round 6 (189th overall): OT Brian Parker II, Duke
  • Round 7 (221st overall): TE Jack Endries, Texas
  • Round 7 (226th overall): DT Landon Robinson, Navy

The striped pressure that stems from the draft turns not to a rookie but rather a veteran: the Bengals trading the 10th overall pick to the New York Giants for the services of Dexter Lawrence went down as one of the more electrifying, if not polarizing, moves of the entire draft process. 

Recency bias makes it understandable to see why the Bengals went the veteran route in attempting to improve their much-maligned defense: recent first-rounders Myles Murphy and Dax Hill are starting to fulfill their potential but last year’s 17th pick, Shemar Stewart, did little to flip the front seven fortunes, especially after the trade of Logan Wilson. There are far worse consolation prizes than that of Howell, the newly-minted consensus All-American and SEC Player of the Year, but the Bengals missed out on several pro-ready prospects capable of four-down endeavors from the get-go.

It’s fair to say that the Bengals managed to salvage the day with some potential-packed projects, headlined by the selection of Lew. An October ACL injury will likely force him to endure a relative redshirt in his rookie year but the Bengals can afford to be patient with Ted Karras back for another year. Parker is another chess piece they can move around, especially with both Karras and Dalton Risner set to hit the 2027 free agency board.

They Said It: “You have to be able to adapt and be flexible and that’s what we were when the Dexter thing came upon us. The opportunity to do that, we had to be flexible because it was something that was meaningful for our football team and would elevate us all.”—De facto Bengals general manager Duke Tobin on the Lawrence trade (h/t Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic)

Best Case: Lawrence shores up the run game, absolving the Bengals of giving away a top 10 pick for a rollercoaster veteran on an expiring contract (not to mention passing on Georgia interior man Christen Miller, who went to New Orleans a pick after Howell). The Bengals also make peace with passing on the four-down defensive antics of Bain and Caleb Downs while also whisking outside blockers like Ioane, Kadyn Proctor, and Blake Miller, all of whom were selected in the vicinity of the top 10, out into the cornfield. Lew and Parker wind up forming a solid stockpile on the line while Davis (overcoming an injury in his final collegiate tour) lives up to his speedy reputation in the secondary. Young, his own endeavors frequently interrupted by injury or suspension, also has the ability to immediately contribute in an offensive or special teams role.

Worst Case: Lawrence never generates any sort of consistency, leading the Bengals to wonder what might’ve been at the cusp of the top 10. There’s also the distinct possibility that they invest too heavily in projects and didn’t focus enough on instant action talent, which could lead them to wasting yet another season with an elite playmaking core. By selecting Howell, it feels like they went with the best player available approach, which is a luxury that teams addicted to heartbreaking shootout losses can’t afford to indulge in. Cincinnati wasn’t much for blitzing last season (ranking dead-last in the category at just over 16 percent of snaps last year) and Lawrence can help a run stop that can’t get much worse, but it still feels like the Bengals’ draft money could’ve been better spent elsewhere.

A general view of the draft tent is seen during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Pittsburgh Steelers: B+

  • Round 1 (21st overall): OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
  • Round 2 (47th overall): WR Germie Bernard, Alabama
  • Round 3 (76th overall): QB Drew Allar, Penn State
  • Round 3 (85th overall): CB Daylen Everette, Georgia
  • Round 3 (96th overall): OG Gennings Dunker, Iowa
  • Round 4 (121st overall): WR Kaden Wetjen, Iowa
  • Round 5 (169th overall): TE Riley Nowakowski, Indiana
  • Round 6 (210th overall): DE Gabe Rubio, Notre Dame
  • Round 7 (224th overall): S Robert Spears-Jennings, Oklahoma
  • Round 7 (230th overall): RB Eli Heidenreich, Navy

Going by hosting duties alone, Pittsburgh might’ve posted a perfect mark after successfully hosting over 300,000 in their backyard. Its trips to the podium could’ve been far more chaotic than anticipated, but, all-in-all, the Steelers managed to make the best out of a relatively awkward situation.

Pittsburgh continues to deal with the dark side of association with Aaron Rodgers, forced to play his trademark waiting game even with organized team activities on the horizon. What transpired after that was somehow even more awkward: the Steelers’ failed attempt at drafting Makai Lemon went viral after the Eagles engaged in a divisional deal with the Cowboys. That forced a pivot to Iheanachor, a powerful but relatively inexperienced international import, but his bulky yet limber build skillset will be most welcome if Broderick Jones isn’t ready to go on the left side Week 1. 

Whether Rodgers returns or not, drafting Iheanachor started a theme of Pittsburgh being prepared for either scenario. It would further shore up the inside with the selection of Dunker in the closing stages of Friday while Germie Bernard could be a weapon in either the backfield or the slot. Everette figures to be a project in the secondary as does new passer Allar, whose raw if not intriguing potential struggled to translate in an injury-shortened senior tour. Even so, Allar could benefit from the meandering Rodgers situation, which could set up a cursed passing battle against Mason Rudolph and recent third-day pick Will Howard.

Dunker is the third rounder most likely to receive instant snaps, blessed with top power that could open holes for the new rushing tandem of Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle. Pittsburgh also secured help in the return game in the form of his fellow Hawkeye Wetjen: his proficiency in the return game is dangerous enough, and Pittsburgh placed ninth in average starting field position last year. If Wetjen is able to contribute offensive (another slot option behind Bernard, perhaps), the gridiron could be looking at its most potential-packed pro return specialist since Devin Hester. 

They Said It: “I’m very excited about Max. Our offensive line coaches are bouncing off the wall. He’s great for us, a stud of a young man. Throughout the process, you heard about him a little bit early, and he just kept growing and growing and growing through the evaluation. As we really wound down this week, he frankly just kept climbing up our board. We were just really excited that he was there. I think it’s an excellent pick for us. He’ll be a great addition to our offensive line.”—Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy on Iheanachor (h/t Teresa Varley, Steelers.com)

Best Case: Iheanachor becomes an outside man of the future, whether its via an injury replacement for Jones (a 2027 free agent) or usurping right tackle Troy Fautanu. Bernard and Wetjen ease the load with their offensive unpredictability. Rodgers returns, allowing Allar to be an adjunct professor of sorts. Everette gets a similar experience on defense as he works behind Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey, and the newly-acquired Jamel Dean. Bernard and Wetjen are able to provide for Rodgers (or whoever his successor is) in a plethora of ways. Either Nowakowski and/or Heidenreich benefits from the league’s continued fullback resurgence (the Giants paid a pretty penny to get Patrick Ricard out of the Steelers’ division while rival Cleveland invested in Denver’s Michael Burton) to give Pittsburgh a weapon it hasn’t had since Dan Kreider was blocking for Jerome Bettis and Willie Parker.

Worst Case: Iheanachor’s inexperience shows, forcing the Steelers to rely on Jones’ health in a contract year. His potential failure means Pittsburgh watches its first-round hopes waste away on yet another blocking washout. Allar and Everette (who could use some work on his pass defense), whether it’s through injuries or more permanent departures, are thrown into the fire immediately. Rookies certainly aren’t exclusive to the cause, but all that and more (such as waiting until seventh-rounder Spears-Jennings to address the safety situation) could spell trouble for Pittsburgh even in a relatively open division and immediately raise the heat on a new staff led by a redemption-seeking McCarthy.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags

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