The 2026 Draft Thread - 1st Round - 7th overall

[Gooseneck]

If 2 Qb's go before us, and we are at 7; We are looking at an excellent player. So the good news is; with Daniels back if we return to form we are looking good for next year. If we can't eke out on a rough schedule, we should get a playmaker or quite a few picks in a trade down.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Is that comparison really a compliment?

Not the later year Elliot but that's true for most later year RBs. Barkley and Henry are exceptions, freaks through their whole career.

Younger, he was a beast. Had seasons with around 1400 yards, 500 or so receiving. Over 1600 yards his rookie season, 15 TDs. And the dude can pass block, too.

If you look at Love though he physically looks like a freak -- Elliott did not.

 

[Riggo44]

The Cowboys also grounded Elliot into dust his first four years: he averaged almost 21 carries/game. Over a 17 game schedule, that's a 355-carries-per-year pace.

 

[SmiffySkins]

My initial hope for this draft was for a small trade back enabling us to still stay in the top 10 and to get some extra picks this year and possibly next. However it seems like the consensus out there in the media is that this draft has a lack of blue chip talent at the skill positions and therefore there may not be many teams willing to trade up. Even QB needy teams might be more willing to wait until next year before grabbing their guy. I think it was the Brugler podcast where they said “ It’s not a good year to be bad”

 

[burgold]

My initial hope for this draft was for a small trade back enabling us to still stay in the top 10 and to get some extra picks this year and possibly next. However it seems like the consensus out there in the media is that this draft has a lack of blue chip talent at the skill positions and therefore there may not be many teams willing to trade up. Even QB needy teams might be more willing to wait until next year before grabbing their guy. I think it was the Brugler podcast where they said “ It’s not a good year to be bad”

I guess the silver lining with that is that at least the draft picks we traded away probably won't be super stars. Then again, a good GM should be able to unearth gems even in a bad draft.

 

[SkinDeep]

SIP, with you on the wide receivers. I hear that I'm supposed to like Tyson and Lemon. I like Tyson, but the one who has really impressed me is Tate. Very, very smooth athlete and very natural hands catcher and body adjustments. I will withhold final judgement until we get some 40 times, but he is the most natural outside WR I have seen in this draft.

 

[skinsinparadise]

SIP, with you on the wide receivers. I hear that I'm supposed to like Tyson and Lemon. I like Tyson, but the one who has really impressed me is Tate. Very, very smooth athlete and very natural hands catcher and body adjustments. I will withhold final judgement until we get some 40 times, but he is the most natural outside WR I have seen in this draft.

He's my guy, too. If his 40 time is good enough, I've seen enough that he's my #1 fav WR.

Right now, it seems like an offbeat take with the drafniks aside from Jason Reid from ESPN who else has him #1.

So smooth. Doubles-homerun hitter, massive catch radius, zero drops, run blocks. A natural Z WR. Tailor made for this team. Love him.

 

[RWJ]

Early but...

1st Round: Arvell Reese, LB/EDGE Ohio State
3rd Round: Germie Bernard, WR Alabama
5th Round: Blake Miller, OT Clemson
6th Round: Davison Igbinosun, CB Ohio State
6th Round: Amare Campbell, LB Penn State
7th Round: Duce Robinson, WR Florida State

 

[philibusters]

My initial hope for this draft was for a small trade back enabling us to still stay in the top 10 and to get some extra picks this year and possibly next. However it seems like the consensus out there in the media is that this draft has a lack of blue chip talent at the skill positions and therefore there may not be many teams willing to trade up. Even QB needy teams might be more willing to wait until next year before grabbing their guy. I think it was the Brugler podcast where they said “ It’s not a good year to be bad”

I think there may be opportunities to trade down, but if you have to go into that process realizing you are not going to get a premium. You probably get only get whta the Fitzgerald-Speilberger trade charts lays out. So dropping from say the 8th pick to 16th may only net you like pick 3rd round pick and say a swap of our 6th rounder for their 5th rounder, which maybe moving up 24 spots or something like. Its easy to imagine trading down nets you a first next year or alternatively a second rounder both this year and next year, which are examples of teams paying premiums above what the trade charts indicate to move up and are unlikely in a draft class like this short on blue chip talent and where the only bluechip players are non-premium positions like safety (downs), offball linebacker (Reese) and RB (Love).

 

[philibusters]

I guess the silver lining with that is that at least the draft picks we traded away probably won't be super stars. Then again, a good GM should be able to unearth gems even in a bad draft.

Unfortunately, the depth of this class is pretty standard, its the top of the draft that is below average. For a team without a top 20 pick, this just seems like a pretty standard draft class.

 

[Boone]

'Perceived depth'. 2-3 years after most drafts, it becomes apparent that all of the experts and analysts were wrong as often as they were right about a) individual talents who will be boom or bust, and b) overall talent in a particular draft. But that doesn't stop all of us from embracing whatever the conventional wisdom is from 'experts' going into them.

Of course there are drafts where the pundits mostly get it right. But I think those are the exceptions not the rule.

Ultimately, the only draft assessment that matters is the one our Front Office and scouting staff make.

 

[Riggo44]

The 2021 QB class was supposed to be epic. They all blow.

The 1999 class was supposed to rival the Class of 83. McNabb was the only one who didn't crater.

We shall see. They can all suck, except for our pick, for all I care.

 

[skinsinparadise]

The 2021 QB class was supposed to be epic. They all blow.

The 1999 class was supposed to rival the Class of 83. McNabb was the only one who didn't crater.

We shall see. They can all suck, except for our pick, for all I care.

2022 and 2019 QB drafts supposed to be meh, and they aged exactly that way. 2024 draft supposed to be great for QBs, looking to be so right now.

Regardless, I don't really care a heck of a lot about consensus. I like to watch the players and make up my own mind. So for example when I watch Jordyn Tyson now and Malik Nabers back before that draft -- to my eyes they look like different level of prospects. And just because Kiper or whomever sees it the same way doesn't lessen my resolve on the point. Ditto watching a dude like Bain, he doesn't hit me like a Hutchinson did, etc.

Of course any prospect who doesn't look obviously elite could end up elite. But speaking for myself, I get the whole this top 10 doesn't appear to have as many elite prospects as some other drafts.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Drives me nuts to see him in so many mocks to Dallas. Obviously it doesn't matter but it bugs me anyway. IMO the dude is going to be a superstar.

Better prospect than Jeanty IMO. Played better competition. Better hands. Jeanty with better college numbers but Love IMO will be the better NFL player.

 

[DWinzit]

Drives me nuts to see him in so many mocks to Dallas. Obviously it doesn't matter but it bugs me anyway. IMO the dude is going to be a superstar.

Yeah makes a lot of sense. Especially since they have really beefed up their D over the past month or so signing Clowney then receiving Q Williams Kennyy Clark, Logan Wilson and getting Overshown and Hooker back from injury. Plus they still have those extra picks still. Jerry needs to do some meddling!
But you are right, at this point it doesn't matter

 

[philibusters]

I think Love will be gone by the time Dallas picks. I am guessing their pick is in the mid to high teens and the Green Bay pick is the 20's. Obviously they could also trade up. Love does play a non-premium position so there is a chance he lasts to the mid to high teens, but I think in this draft people where the only three bluechip quality prospects as of right now are Reese, Downs, and Love, some team will snap him up before then.

 

[0rder 0f 0ut]

If the Edge players are off the board I'm good with grabbing a blue chip at a non premium position. I'll probably flip-flop multiple times but I like Love over WR options and Caleb too. I wouldn't be opposed to Fano either if he is seen as run game savant that will be moving inside.

 

[SkinsOrlando]

Can we find a Zach Thomas or Kuechly in the draft PLEASE !!!!!! Wagner has played his ass off but age catches all of us, we haven't had a long term beast in the middle since Fletcher.

 

[Riggo44]

Regardless, I don't really care a heck of a lot about consensus.

This is why I like this thread so much--seeing all the different viewpoints, all the different analyses (professional and the work posters put in) to get a full sense of prospects.

 

[Gooseneck]

Drives me nuts to see him in so many mocks to Dallas. Obviously it doesn't matter but it bugs me anyway. IMO the dude is going to be a superstar.

Better prospect than Jeanty IMO. Played better competition. Better hands. Jeanty with better college numbers but Love IMO will be the better NFL player.

two good wins for us last night-Dallas out of range for Love- Cinni- moving toward drafting after us even if we win a few more games