Three NFL Teams That Can’t Afford To Screw up 2026 NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is finally almost here.

Which for some general managers could end up being their kiss of death. Every year, teams use the NFL Draft to improve their rosters. Both Super Bowl teams, the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots, proved how important it is to build through the draft in order to rebuild quickly.

But other organizations aren’t as fortunate, selecting the wrong players in the improper slots and butchering the NFL’s biggest event each spring.

That generally results in GMs getting fired and franchises navigating into completely different directions. With that amount of pressure in mind, these teams can’t afford to mess up this year’s draft.

New York Jets

The Jets absolutely have to take a step in the right direction.

Aaron Glenn’s first year was a disaster that led to the roster purge at the NFL trade deadline which traded away Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner for three total first-round draft picks.

Unfortunately for the Jets, there’s no clean path for Gang Green to find a quarterback in this year’s class. They’ll be bad enough to draft one in 2027, but they absolutely need to draft difference makers in key defensive positions and find playmakers to support whoever suits up at quarterback.

New York Giants

Both New York teams!

All eyes will be on general manager Joe Schoen for his first draft of the John Harbaugh era.

Harbaugh could’ve picked any NFL team and he picked the Giants. They already have some key pieces including Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers and Cam Skattebo. They also have two premium draft picks, No. 5 overall and No. 10 overall.

If Schoen somehow botches this situation, he’ll be gone, and Harbaugh will be hiring a replacement in just a few months.

Las Vegas Raiders

What? Aren’t the Raiders supposed to be the Belle of the ball?

They’re getting their golden boy at quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. But now comes the hard part – trying to win with him right away.

The Raiders thought they were going to have two bonus first-round picks before the Baltimore Ravens screwed them out of the Maxx Crosby trade. With Mendoza and Crosby, they might as well try to replicate their AFC West rival Denver Broncos by competing right away. By Denver’s standards, it would be a tad disappointing if the Raiders can’t bounce back quickly. After all, the Broncos got off the mat in just two seasons after eating Russell Wilson’s outrageous cap hit.