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

Darrell Green Fan said:
After making this post, and reading it today, I'd like to talk about linebacker today. Other than noting Wagner entering the wash cycle and Luvu entering witness protection we rarely discuss just what a weakness this position is. Magee is obviously a maybe and that's just one spot. Imagine what a true stud LB against the run and the pass would do for this defense.
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This might be a better discussion in the defensive thread but something to take into consideration when speaking on LB's for next year is who would wear the green dot on the D.
It is normal for a LB to be wearing the green dot (see the chart below from August) and not to be a rookie.

I would be looking to the FA's for this important spot, Dean being one that has been mentioned. We would need to see who from that group would actually reach FA. Another FA LB discussed has been Devon Lloyd (who I have been a fan of since college) .

I do believe Luvu had some past experience with this but not sure he'd be the guy.

There is one non LB in this years draft who might be capable of taking over the green dot. Safety Caleb Downs who could take over this responsibility and help a great deal in our defensive backfield.

Green Dot Defenders​

Projected Green Dot Defenders

 
From Brugler's Mock this morning:

6. Washington Commanders: Rueben Bain Jr., edge, Miami
The Commanders need to get younger and more talented on defense, and Bain would help in both areas. With a unique body type and relatively short arms, he isn’t universally loved by NFL teams, but you know Dan Quinn will be intrigued by his get-off quickness, powerful hands and relentless motor.
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bowhunter said:
That would be fun! I remember when a stud LB was the core of a Defense, but now that position seems to get less attention. Your post triggered my mind back to draft buzz ILBs over the past few years and I couldn't think of many. Maybe Patrick Queen or Dean? Lloyd. Heck I even had to do a little googling. Baltimore drafted Queen in the 1st round but opted not to extend him, and it looks like his time in Pittsburgh is only so-so. So this begs the question of when and where we should make that investment. LB was my position as a youth, so I have a weakness for the spot, but I'm not sure I would spend a 1st round pick on one either.
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That's what I keep reading . But imagine a LB who excels at both pass and run defense, who has the speed to make up ground and can be an effective blitzer, Imagine how that would change this defense. Teams are now drafting RBs high again, and teams need to account for this on defense. There is no reason a stud LB would not be a key to the defense today, with so many short passes today LBs who can cover are valuable and of course they are the players who call the defense. So there is no reason IMO not to take one in the first round. The top 4 LBs earn $20/mil+ a year, the 16th makes $4 mil. So there is value in a top LB.

But it does not have to be a draft pick. Find another Braun, that's what I'd do.
 
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method man said:
Jennings and Bourne have not replaced him. They were the #1 offensive DVOA team by a wide margin in 2023 and that propelled them to the Super Bowl. They are still #7 this year but a shell of what they used to be. The guy finished a Second Team All Pro in 2023 - one of 7 guys
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agree to disagree on the #1 designation - CMC and kittle were the focal point of the office with Deebo providing gadget threats, imo. I'm not saying he's not a good receiver nor am I saying I wouldn't be interested in him during the off-season, if he's released. I'm just seeing talk from fans, across platforms, like this guy could supplant Terry and be the heir apparent (I don't think you are saying this). I don't think he's the answer, especially if he wants a 2+ year deal for at or over what Deebo is making this year, and we still need to draft or trade for an actual #1.
 
prodigy said:
agree to disagree on the #1 designation - CMC and kittle were the focal point of the office with Deebo providing gadget threats, imo. I'm not saying he's not a good receiver nor am I saying I wouldn't be interested in him during the off-season, if he's released. I'm just seeing talk from fans, across platforms, like this guy could supplant Terry and be the heir apparent (I don't think you are saying this). I don't think he's the answer, especially if he wants a 2+ year deal for at or over what Deebo is making this year, and we still need to draft or trade for an actual #1.
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I think signing him to a 1 year deal gives us a chance to see if he can be the #1 in 2027 and lessens the need to take WR with our pick.

If he sucks and Terry slows down next year, what I will say is that, based on the last few years, it is not hard to find a WR1/high end WR2 in the mid to late teens/early 20s. Obviously depends on the 2027 crop. Behind Jeremiah Smith, I will admit to not knowing much about the rest of the WRs
 
method man said:
I think signing him to a 1 year deal gives us a chance to see if he can be the #1 in 2027 and lessens the need to take WR with our pick.

If he sucks and Terry slows down next year, what I will say is that, based on the last few years, it is not hard to find a WR1/high end WR2 in the mid to late teens/early 20s. Obviously depends on the 2027 crop. Behind Jeremiah Smith, I will admit to not knowing much about the rest of the WRs
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I am almost willing to take an LSU or Buckeye WR, blindly, in the first few rounds and be confident in hitting based on the last 5 years lol.
 
DWinzit said:
This might be a better discussion in the defensive thread but something to take into consideration when speaking on LB's for next year is who would wear the green dot on the D.
It is normal for a LB to be wearing the green dot (see the chart below from August) and not to be a rookie.

I would be looking to the FA's for this important spot, Dean being one that has been mentioned. We would need to see who from that group would actually reach FA. Another FA LB discussed has been Devon Lloyd (who I have been a fan of since college) .

I do believe Luvu had some past experience with this but not sure he'd be the guy.

There is one non LB in this years draft who might be capable of taking over the green dot. Safety Caleb Downs who could take over this responsibility and help a great deal in our defensive backfield.

Green Dot Defenders​

Projected Green Dot Defenders

Click to expand...

I wouldn’t take a LB with the 1st. Several reasons why but one is LB is the position group with the deepest level of starting talent. It goes 10+ deep and that is before potential releases like DQ’s guy Oluokon
 
method man said:
I wouldn’t take a LB with the 1st. Several reasons why but one is LB is the position group with the deepest level of starting talent. It goes 10+ deep and that is before potential releases like DQ’s guy Oluokon
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I would not take one in the first either. I would look to FA quite frankly and maybe grab one in a later round since we have no real clue on Medrano or even Kaho's abilities. Oluokon is one of the possibilities for wearing the green dot for sure
 
Speaking of available LBs, yesterday Jamin Davis was released by Vegas. What a waste

Thanks again Ron :cuss:
 
I’d love to have a stud LB, and I think we need to add (at minimum) a quality one this offseason. But… I don’t think the position is quite the force multiplier compared to corner, DT and DE, in part because it’s a position that’s arguably more reliant on the players around them. I’m not inherently opposed to taking one in the 1st, but not this year (unless perhaps we trade back significantly?).
 
Always Commander Never Captain said:
I'm reading Bain is the 3rd Edge off the board at #6. Someone I haven't watched at all, Faulk, he has going #5.
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I've only watched perhaps 15 min total of the some higher rated Edge prospects and honestly I'm not very enamored with Bain. Now, I just watched some snaps against Florida but my cursory take is Bailey, Howell, Dennis-Sutton, Faulk and Parker seem to be better to my eyes. But, Cain is pretty widely considered #1 overall from the draft sites I visit so there's that :)
 
Well, at least one other person feels the same about Bain - just found this...

Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami​

What sources are saying: “Arguably the most overrated player in the draft. Arm length will shock the media at the combine. Guys with those measurables don’t traditionally go top 3.”
 
Commander Wraith said:
I’d love to have a stud LB, and I think we need to add (at minimum) a quality one this offseason. But… I don’t think the position is quite the force multiplier compared to corner, DT and DE, in part because it’s a position that’s arguably more reliant on the players around them. I’m not inherently opposed to taking one in the 1st, but not this year (unless perhaps we trade back significantly?).
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But LB has always been a position reliant on others, that doesn't mean they still can't be very important players on the defense. I get that teams don't run a back up the middle 25 times anymore and how the LB position is now out of favor. But it shouldn't be IMO. Again with so many short passes LBs need to be able to cover. A great LB with speed who stops the run, can cover the pass and can blitz holds enormous value today.
 
Gabe Jacas Illinois is another good looking Edge player. Thus far, it looks as though this could be a deep group and good for us.
 
Chris said:
An absolutely physical specimen. What a disappointment.
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I feel like linebackers can be a tough evaluation. So much of the position is having good instincts. A lot of these guys that have the athleticism to be great never are. And plenty of guys that aren’t workout warriors wind up being pretty good.
 
Darrell Green Fan said:
But LB has always been a position reliant on others, that doesn't mean they still can't be very important players on the defense. I get that teams don't run a back up the middle 25 times anymore and how the LB position is now out of favor. But it shouldn't be IMO. Again with so many short passes LBs need to be able to cover. A great LB with speed who stops the run, can cover the pass and can blitz holds enormous value today.
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Yep. Agree with all of this. And yet… there’s a reason they’re taken early far less often than the other positions I mentioned (and that’s not including wrs because I was focused on defense).

Edit: I realized I didn’t address your Baun comment from earlier - I’d be thrilled for them to land a good LB in FA, to the point that it’s not far behind our other top needs for me. So I think we’re really not far off from each other.
 
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It is intereresting though. People say linebackers are less important, but the best defenses seem always to have star linebackers so I think linebacker is sneaky essential. More, if the Rivera years proved anything it's that if you neglect linebackers TEs and throws to the flat will kill you over and over again.
 
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