For anyone just catching up on the weekend, here’s a quick timeline. Round 1 went off on April 23. Rounds 2 and 3 followed on April 24. Then Saturday, April 25 brought the final act — Rounds 4 through 7 — kicking off at noon ET from Pittsburgh’s North Shore. ESPN, ABC, and the ESPN App had the broadcast covered.
The talent pool heading into Day 3 was deeper than usual. Recent history is a good reminder of what’s actually at stake in these later rounds — Amon-Ra St. Brown went in the fourth round back in 2021, Trey Smith in the sixth round that same year, Brock Purdy fell all the way to the seventh round in 2022, and Puka Nacua was a fifth-round pick in 2023. Every single one of them became a meaningful contributor. Every pick counts, even the ones most people forget about by Sunday morning.
The Biggest Story of Day 3: Jermod McCoy’s Long Wait Finally Ends
Before a single pick was made on Saturday, one question was already circling the room — when does Jermod McCoy finally hear his name?
A First-Round Talent Who Fell All the Way to Round 4
McCoy’s slide through the first two days of the draft was genuinely stunning. This was a cornerback ranked sixth overall by CBS Sports analyst Mike Renner — a player described as the best corner in college football in 2024, with lockdown tape against some of the most dangerous receivers in the SEC. Yet there he sat, still waiting when the fourth round arrived.
The reason for the fall wasn’t talent — everyone agreed on that part. It was his knee. McCoy had torn his ACL in January 2025 and missed the entire 2025 college season. The ACL itself was reportedly healing well, but a bone plug used to repair a cartilage defect in the same knee raised far more serious red flags. Some doctors believe McCoy may need a second surgery — one that could sideline him for his entire rookie year. According to Yahoo Sports, several teams concluded that if that procedure fails, his career could effectively be over before it begins.
That’s a heavy thing to sit with when you’re a 21-year-old talent waiting by the phone.
Las Vegas Raiders Make Their Move
With the very first pick of Round 4, the Las Vegas Raiders moved up one spot and took McCoy at No. 101 overall. CBS Sports analyst Josh Edwards didn’t hesitate — he handed the pick an “A+.”
And honestly? It’s hard to argue with it. The Raiders have spent years searching for a genuine shutdown cornerback at the top of their defense. If McCoy’s knee cooperates, Las Vegas may have landed the most valuable pick of the entire three-day weekend. Yes, the medical risk is very real. But No. 101 overall is a remarkable price for a player with first-round talent and All-Pro upside. It’s a calculated bet, and it was the right one to make.
Round 4 Key Picks: Beyond McCoy
McCoy was the headliner, but Round 4 had plenty more worth talking about before the sun went down on Pittsburgh.
Cade Klubnik, QB — New York Jets (No. 110 Overall)
The Jets used the 110th overall pick on Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, and it immediately sparked a conversation. Klubnik was once floated as a potential early first-round prospect heading into his senior year. Things deteriorated quickly — for him and for the Clemson program overall — and that early buzz faded just as fast as it arrived. Still, there’s real athletic ability underneath the inconsistency. His decision-making and ball placement need work, but when he’s in rhythm, the flashes are genuine.
What makes the pick interesting is its timing. Klubnik went off the board before Garrett Nussmeier, which surprised a lot of people who had Nussmeier rated significantly higher. Whether he ever sees meaningful snaps in New York likely hinges on what Geno Smith does — or doesn’t do — in 2026.
Kaleb Proctor, DL — Arizona Cardinals (No. 104 Overall)
Defensive lineman Kaleb Proctor from Southeastern Louisiana made NFL Draft history on Saturday, becoming the first FCS player taken in the entire 2026 draft when Arizona selected him 104th overall. Renner had Proctor ranked 71st on his overall board, so the Cardinals got genuine value here. Josh Edwards noted that Proctor has real potential as an interior pass rusher, and that Arizona could create serious problems for opposing offenses by pairing him with Walter Nolen on passing downs. Edwards gave the pick a “B” — a solid grade for a late Day 3 selection with upside.
Keionte Scott, CB — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 116 Overall)
Miami cornerback Keionte Scott went to Tampa Bay at No. 116, giving the Buccaneers a long, physical defensive back with intriguing upside to develop in their secondary. Scott was one of the more anticipated names heading into Saturday, and he didn’t have to wait too long before finding a home.
2026 NFL Draft Day 3 Team Grades: Who Came Out on Top?
Cleveland Browns — The Standard for the Weekend
By the time Saturday arrived, Cleveland had already established itself as one of the weekend’s biggest winners. Through the first three rounds, only two franchises held an “A+” grade from CBS Sports: the Browns and the Atlanta Falcons. Cleveland’s entire approach — treating every pick as an opportunity to prioritize talent value over positional urgency — held firm through Day 3. This front office knows how to draft, and it showed.
Atlanta Falcons — Quality Over Quantity
The Falcons didn’t have many picks to work with, but that didn’t stop them from walking away with one of the best-reviewed classes in the NFC. Cornerback Avieon Terrell at No. 48 and wide receiver Zachariah Branch at No. 79 earned glowing reviews from Renner, who considered Terrell one of the strongest individual picks of the entire draft. The story gets better — Avieon now plays alongside his older brother A.J. Terrell in the Atlanta secondary. It’s a feel-good narrative that also happens to make a lot of football sense.
Las Vegas Raiders — Saturday’s Biggest Winner
The Raiders walked away from Day 3 looking very, very good. Not only did they gamble wisely on McCoy at No. 101, but they also added Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. at No. 122 in Round 4, giving the backfield another capable option heading into the season. Between McCoy’s ceiling and Washington’s immediate utility, Las Vegas did more with its Day 3 picks than most teams do with their entire class.
2026 NFL Draft Sleeper Picks: Players to Watch When the Season Starts
Day 3 is where sleepers are born every single year. Here are the names from Rounds 4 through 7 who have the best shot at outperforming where they were drafted.
Jermod McCoy, CB — Las Vegas Raiders
This goes without saying at this point, but McCoy isn’t truly a sleeper in the traditional sense — he’s a risk. The talent is first-round caliber, full stop. If his knee allows him to play at the level he showed at Tennessee in 2024, the Raiders didn’t get a late-round pick. They got a starter. The entire conversation around McCoy comes down to one thing: health.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE — Green Bay Packers (No. 120 Overall)
Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton went to Green Bay at No. 120 and brings real pass-rushing ability to a Packers defense that is always looking to add pressure off the edge. Dennis-Sutton was ranked among the top available prospects entering Day 3, and Green Bay getting him at this point in the draft is the kind of quiet win that tends to age well.
Garrett Nussmeier — The Quarterback Who Kept Waiting
One of the strangest storylines of Day 3 was watching LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier sit there while quarterbacks he was rated above came off the board before him. Nussmeier was ranked 69th overall heading into the round — solidly inside the top 100 — yet teams kept passing. Wherever he ultimately landed, the expectation is a developmental role with room to grow into something more. A late-round passer with Nussmeier’s starting-caliber tape rarely stays buried for long.
The Trades That Quietly Shaped Day 3
You can learn a lot about a front office’s priorities by watching how it moves on Day 3. Saturday had no shortage of deal-making.
The very first move of the day set the tone: Buffalo traded the 101st pick to Las Vegas for the 102nd, giving the Raiders just enough room to move up and grab McCoy before anyone else could react. It was a small, precise trade that had an outsized impact on the narrative of the entire day.
From there, the Texans sent the 117th pick to Los Angeles in exchange for picks 123 and 204 — Houston banking flexibility, the Chargers adding a productive late-round option. Meanwhile, Carolina and Chicago swapped picks, with the Panthers dealing 124 and 166 to the Bears for 129 and 144. Carolina grabbed quantity; Chicago got value positioning.
Most fans won’t remember these trades by Monday. But six months from now, when a depth piece made with one of those picks wins a game in December, they’ll matter quite a bit.
What the Full Draft Weekend Reveals About the 2026 NFL Class
Zoom out past Saturday and a few clear storylines emerge from the 2026 draft as a whole.
Ohio State’s dominance was something to witness. Four Buckeyes went in the top 11 picks — Arvell Reese to the Giants at No. 5, Sonny Styles to Washington at No. 7, Caleb Downs to the Cowboys at No. 11, and Carnell Tate to Tennessee at No. 4. No program has ever fed the NFL quite the way Ohio State is doing it right now.
Tight end was the position story of the weekend, with multiple teams targeting the position far earlier than expected throughout Rounds 2 and 3. Day 3 added even more depth at the spot as teams continued stacking their rosters with versatile options in the passing game.
And then there’s the quarterback picture. Fernando Mendoza went first overall to Las Vegas, and the class closed on Saturday with developmental prospects finding homes across the league. Finding a franchise quarterback remains the hardest thing to do in the NFL, and this draft illustrated that reality in full.
Eight trades happened in Round 1 alone. A historic FCS selection happened in Round 4. Day 3 brought the whole draft to a close in exactly the way it needed to — with patience, value, and a few picks that could end up defining this class.
FAQ:
Q: What time did Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft begin?
Rounds 4 through 7 kicked off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25. The Raiders wasted no time, making their move for Jermod McCoy on the very first pick of the round after a quick trade with the Bills.
Q: Who was the best value pick on 2026 NFL Draft Day 3?
Jermod McCoy to Las Vegas at No. 101 overall is the clear answer. As the sixth-ranked prospect overall on CBS Sports’ board, McCoy fell entirely because of injury concerns, not talent. If his knee heals properly, the Raiders got a potential shutdown cornerback at a fraction of the first-round price. That’s about as good as it gets on Day 3.
Q: Which quarterbacks were selected on Day 3?
Cade Klubnik of Clemson came off the board first among Saturday’s passers, going to the New York Jets at No. 110 overall. Garrett Nussmeier of LSU — ranked significantly higher by most analysts — was also among the Day 3 selections. Klubnik landing before Nussmeier was one of the day’s more surprising developments.
Q: Which teams finished the 2026 NFL Draft with the best grades?
Cleveland and Atlanta were the only two franchises graded “A+” through three rounds by CBS Sports. Both teams showed a clear commitment to drafting on value rather than letting positional need dictate their decisions — and their classes reflected that discipline from top to bottom.
Q: Was the McCoy pick worth the medical risk for Las Vegas?
Most analysts would say yes. At No. 101 overall, the Raiders weren’t risking a premium pick on a player with injury concerns — they were making a calculated late-round bet on someone with first-round upside. If McCoy’s knee allows him to play, this could be remembered as the steal of the entire 2026 draft. If the injury does not cooperate, Las Vegas loses a Day 3 pick and moves on. The math works in the Raiders’ favor.
Day 3 Wrapped Up a Weekend Worth Remembering
The curtain came down on the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon, and it went out with a bang. Jermod McCoy’s long slide ended with a redemption story in Las Vegas. Cade Klubnik jumped ahead of Garrett Nussmeier in a quarterback sequence nobody predicted. Kaleb Proctor quietly made FCS history. And a handful of trades behind the scenes shaped rosters in ways that won’t fully register until October.
That’s the thing about Day 3 of the NFL Draft — the picks that get the least attention on the day they’re made sometimes end up being the most important ones six months later. The loud moments already happened. What Saturday gave us were the building blocks.
The real grades for every pick made in Pittsburgh this weekend won’t come from analysts on television. They’ll come from the field — from training camp practices nobody sees on television, from preseason games half the country ignores, and from regular season moments that nobody saw coming.
Want to follow every one of these picks from draft weekend to game day? Bookmark this page and check back as we continue tracking the 2026 NFL Draft class through camp, preseason, and into the season. The most important analysis isn’t written on draft night. It’s written when the games actually count.
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