Forget the moms for one night — this ranking is about the men. When Unexpected first introduced these couples, the boyfriends were nervous teenagers in hospital hallways. Years later, some are husbands, homeowners and champions — others are still figuring out what showing up means. TLC has announced nothing new about the show, but fans keep debating it: which of these young men actually grew into the job of being a dad?
Lawrence Bishop: The Gold-Standard Dad
Lawrence Bishop is the bar every other dad here gets measured against. He has known Lilly Bennett since 7th grade and became a father to son LJ in November 2020. He married Lilly in 2023, according to reports, and the couple marked their third wedding anniversary in March 2026. Then he became a fighter: after losing his own father to cancer at age five, Lawrence won his first amateur MMA title in November 2025. Provider, husband, stepdad and champion — the full package.
Nate Alden: The Whirlwind Who Grew Up Fast
Nobody gave Nate Alden a chance. He was 16 when he met Emalee Lenhard online, and they had only been dating for two months when they learned she was pregnant, according to reports. But Nate did the unglamorous work: he finished school, went to work in construction, and married Emalee in May 2024. Now they are expecting a baby girl in February, and Nate calls son Westley his “best friend.” The show’s biggest question mark is now a working husband and dad of two.
Dee Ragland: The Quiet Provider
Dee Ragland never chased a storyline, and that is exactly why fans love him. He and Tiarra Boisseau were 16 when daughter Ella was born in October 2018, and unlike most couples on this show, they simply stayed together. Two more kids followed, and in October 2024 Dee announced the milestone fans celebrated most: he and Tiarra had bought their own home, making him a homeowner before turning 25, according to reports. No drama, no comeback tour — just a man who kept showing up until renting became owning.
Graham Grissom: The Comeback Dad
Graham Grissom’s story is the one fans argue about most. He met Kayleigh Weathers at a church youth group at 12, became a dad at 15 when son Easton arrived in March 2023, and then lost the relationship in a split after the Season 6 finale. But he came back: Graham reconciled with Kayleigh in September 2024, got a job to provide, graduated in the summer of 2025, and welcomed a second son in January 2026. Growing up without a father figure of his own, according to reports, he was determined to be a present one.
JJ Della & Juan Castillo: The Stepdads Who Stayed
Two men earned their place by choosing a family that was not only theirs. JJ Della was Jenna Ronan’s first kiss back in 7th grade, reconnected with her after her split, and stepped naturally into life with her son Luca before welcoming their own son, Jim, in November 2023. The couple are now building a two-story house in South Carolina, according to reports from October 2026. Juan Castillo did the same on a bigger scale: he married Myrka Cantu and is now raising four children with her, the youngest born in February 2026. Stepdads do not always get the credit — tonight, they do.
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Rank them however you like: Lawrence at the top for doing it all, Nate right behind him for the biggest transformation, Dee as the quiet proof that consistency wins, Graham as the comeback, and JJ and Juan as the men who chose fatherhood twice. These boys became dads before they could legally celebrate with a drink — and some became men faster than anyone expected.
Now settle it: TEAM LAWRENCE, TEAM NATE, TEAM DEE or TEAM GRAHAM — which Unexpected dad stepped up the most, and who still has something to prove? Drop your pick and defend it.
