Unveiling the Dynasty: Experts Pick 2026 NFL Draft Superteams

The most anticipated period of the year has arrived, as our NFL draft experts gather to assemble exceptional teams, drawing exclusively from the current year’s player pool. In a 10-round, 40-selection process, Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid, and Field Yates engaged in a draft competition, aiming to form the supreme fantasy squads from the pool of prospective players. For a comprehensive overview of the draft and some lively discussion, make sure to listen to the newest installment of the “First Draft” podcast.

The mechanics were as follows: Kiper, Miller, Reid, and Yates employed a snake-draft method to complete their initial lineups. Each team’s roster necessitated particular roles: a single quarterback, one running back, a pair of pass catchers, an offensive tackle, an interior offensive lineman, two front-seven defensive players, and two defensive backs. Our specialists were permitted to choose positions in any sequence and to somewhat shift the more adaptable prospects around. (You might observe certain offensive tackles converting to interior roles, even if this wouldn’t typically occur in the NFL.)

This superteam draft also presented a distinctive approach to evaluating the class, addressing topics like positional importance, how each analyst organizes their individual board, and which prospects might deliver the greatest impact at the subsequent level. Which squad ultimately secured the top offense and the most formidable defense? Let’s commence at the beginning with Miller and then proceed selection by selection.

View all 40 selections of the draft in sequence
Rosters: Miller | Kiper | Reid | Yates

Witness the complete roster unveiling on ‘First Draft’

The selections

The sequence of picks was randomized, with Miller securing the initial choice. However, due to the snake format, Yates made consecutive selections at numbers 4 and 5, and Miller did not choose again after his first pick until number 8. Trades were also prohibited.

1. Miller: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
2. Kiper: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
3. Reid: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
4. Yates: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

5. Yates: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State
6. Reid: Spencer Fano, OL, Utah
7. Kiper: Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
8. Miller: Makai Lemon, WR, USC

9. Miller: Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
10. Kiper: Jordyn Tyson, WR, ASU
11. Reid: KC Concepcion, WR, Texas A&M
12. Yates: Arvell Reese, Edge, Ohio State

13. Yates: Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
14. Reid: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
15. Kiper: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
16. Miller: David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech

17. Miller: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
18. Kiper: Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami
19. Reid: Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
20. Yates: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame

21. Yates: Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Indiana
22. Reid: Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
23. Kiper: Monroe Freeling, OL, Georgia
24. Miller: Kadyn Proctor, OL, Alabama

25. Miller: Blake Miller, OL, Clemson
26. Kiper: Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
27. Reid: Max Iheanachor, OL, Arizona State
28. Yates Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

29. Yates: Caleb Lomu, OL, Utah
30. Reid: Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU
31. Kiper: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
32. Miller: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

33. Miller: Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas
34. Kiper: Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
35. Reid: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
36. Yates: Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama

37. Yates: D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
38. Reid: Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
39. Kiper: Carson Beck, QB, Miami
40. Miller: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

Miller’s squad

QB: Fernando Mendoza
RB: Mike

QB: Washington Jr.
WR/TE: Makai Lemon
WR/TE: Carnell Tate
OT: Blake Miller
G/C: Kadyn Proctor
DL/LB: David Bailey
DL/LB: Akheem Mesidor
DB: Jermod McCoy
DB: Avieon Terrell

Miller on his team: Securing the No. 1 overall pick dictated a strategy of evaluating positions where top-tier skill and depth would likely be exhausted before my next turn. Given a draft class featuring only one starting-caliber quarterback, I felt obliged to select Mendoza, then assemble a formidable team around him. This singular advantage of possessing the undisputed best signal-caller immediately strengthens my roster compared to others.

To bolster Mendoza, I secured my two premier pass-catchers, followed by consecutive offensive linemen. Proctor, for instance, possesses the versatility to shift to an interior role, notwithstanding his collegiate tenure primarily as a left tackle. Defensively, my strategy focused on leveraging the class’s strongest areas, though I was genuinely surprised to still find Bailey and McCoy in the fourth round. Ultimately, my roster boasts the top-ranked quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, and cornerback from my board, complemented by other elite prospects spread across the entire lineup.

Kiper’s team

QB: Carson Beck
RB: Jeremiyah Love
WR/TE: Kenyon Sadiq
WR/TE: Jordyn Tyson
OT: Monroe Freeling
G/C: Francis Mauigoa
DL/LB: Zion Young
DL/LB: CJ Allen
DB: Dillon Thieneman
DB: Chris Johnson

Kiper on his team: I honestly believe this is the most satisfied I’ve ever been with my lineup across all the years we’ve conducted these superteam drafts. My colleagues, it seems, simply allowed me to secure every player I coveted! Game-changers are synonymous with triumph, and I have them abundant throughout this entire squad.

My offensive strategy will primarily center on Love, who should discover numerous avenues to exploit, shielded by the robust blocking of my two top-ranked tackles. I purposefully delayed choosing a quarterback until my very last pick, recognizing the substantial drop-off in talent after Mendoza; nonetheless, I am pleased to have secured Beck, my QB3. He will benefit from the comfort of playing behind former teammates, Mauigoa and Freeling, while Sadiq’s post-catch aptitude and Tyson’s contested-catch mastery are set to produce numerous impactful plays.

Furthermore, my defense is characterized by exceptional velocity, impressive reach, and opportunistic ball-hawking. My sole misgiving is that I perhaps should have opted for Bailey instead of Thieneman at pick No. 15, but the edge rusher cohort undeniably offers more depth than the safety class this year. Regardless, it’s irrelevant — I’m confident I will decisively outperform the other teams.

Reid’s team

QB: Garrett Nussmeier
RB: Jonah Coleman
WR/TE: KC Concepcion
WR/TE: Denzel Boston
OT: Max Iheanachor
G/C: Spencer Fano
DL/LB: Rueben Bain Jr.
DL/LB: Jacob Rodriguez
DB: Caleb Downs
DB: Mansoor Delane

Reid on his team: Holding the No. 3 overall pick, I regrettably missed out on Mendoza, yet my aim was to construct an elite defense coupled with a highly dependable offensive line. The defensive side of the ball seemed the most opportune area to prioritize, as I consider Downs to be the premier prospect on that entire unit. Subsequently, I brought in Fano as an inside lineman; he demonstrates the capability to man any interior position, even though his primary collegiate role was at right tackle.

Following that, I identified Concepcion and Boston, a pair of offensive talents poised to complement each other effectively. Despite any reservations concerning physical dimensions, Bain and Rodriguez finalized what I believe is an exceptional defensive unit, one that will prove exceedingly difficult to score against. My team selections were based purely on what I observed on film; I hold no particular concern for quantifiable physical attributes.

Yates’ team

QB: Ty Simpson
RB: Jadarian Price
WR/TE: Omar Cooper Jr.
WR/TE: Germie Bernard
OT: Caleb Lomu
G/C: Olaivavega Ioane
DL/LB: Sonny Styles
DL/LB: Arvell Reese
DB: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
DB: D’Angelo Ponds

Yates on his team: My approach for this draft was quite systematic: pinpointing the less robust positions within this class and identifying significant discrepancies in positional rankings to ensure I maintained an advantage at critical junctures on my draft board. My initial two selections clearly evinced this approach, as Ioane is unequivocally the finest pure guard available, and I have Styles rated a full round above any other off-ball linebacker.

Furthermore, I considered it vital to acquire one of the top two quarterbacks and running backs, recognizing a significant decline in talent for the third-ranked player at each of those positions. Lastly, rivals will find it incredibly challenging to bypass my team in the trenches, especially with Reese — Styles’ teammate, who possesses immense potential — rushing from the edge.