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

[skinsinparadise]

I am still having a hard time with Lemon, the interview deal just left me with more question or caution.

If there were no injury concerns with Tyson he would be my #1 WR. I guess that will not be the case through this process. I'd love to run in the mid 4.4s but have my doubts that it occurs.

I still believe the sign one of the Jennings/Doubs/whoever group in FA to ease our WR needs even though it is not a cap value. They just can't risk the same dumb mistake as last year

Not me as for Tyson being #1. For me to be sold on Tyson being a great NFL WR, I'd want a really good 40 time. Why? If you major in first level catches and to some extent 2nd level, I care about what you do with the ball in your hands. Tate's weakness is YAC and heck his YAC numbers are better than Tysons. What makes Nabers so dangerous is he's not just a quick seperator but also he's a demon with the ball in his hands.

So some think Tyson has potential as a YAC player. Some think he has potential to develop as a deep threat. Maybe. But I am not buying either idea if he runs in the 4.5's considering to make that leap I'd be betting some on his athleticism helping evolve that side of him as a player.

So if he runs in the 4'5s, heck I am not sure if I'd take him over G. Bernard. Bernard like Tyson is a quick seperator on the first and 2nd level, yet a more physical player, better blocker, better YAC guy. Bernard is becoming one of my favorites if they trade down and get a 2nd round pick. Him and J. Rodriguez lol are definitely going to be in my guys list if we do that before the draft.

 

[philibusters]

Logan Paulsen I think finished me off Bain. I was already leaning against him. But he's done a deep dive into the player. In his latest podcast, he explains in detail as how as a blocker as a TE, long arms were a big deal to go against. In his mind watching him, Bain hands usage is just OK (also by the way he has small hands) and relies heavily on his forearms and shoulders to swat defenders arms down and he doesn't feel that translates well to the NFL.

I am a huge fan of Gabe Jacas and his game really reminds me of Bain. Realistically he is going to go in a range where we don't have a pick. Even if we trade back in teh first round it will probably be too early for him and he'll very likely be long gone by pick 71 (estimate might be late 30's or early 40's). But if you wanted a Bain type player without the cost of Bain, Jacas is your man. The reason he feels like a poor mans Bain is he isn't the athlete. Bain has elite explosiveness for his size, Gabe Jacas does not. On the other hand he has pretty standard arms 33 inches. But he feels like a Bain type player to me and he'll likely go around 40. Would love him as a 4i for us in odd fronts.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I am a huge fan of Gabe Jacas and his game really reminds me of Bain. Realistically he is going to go in a range where we don't have a pick. Even if we trade back in teh first round it will probably be too early for him and he'll very likely be long gone by pick 71 (estimate might be late 30's or early 40's). But if you wanted a Bain type player without the cost of Bain, Jacas is your man. The reason he feels like a poor mans Bain is he isn't the athlete. Bain has elite explosiveness for his size, Gabe Jacas does not. On the other hand he has pretty standard arms 33 inches. But he feels like a Bain type player to me and he'll likely go around 40. Would love him as a 4i for us in odd fronts.

Sounds good but wonder why he didn't do the combine exercises.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

I agree with you 100%.

I'm just saying, I'm not sure it's the majority opinion. I'm also not sure that it would be Peter's decision.

If we had any additional draft capital, I would actually be advocating for a small move UP to get one of the two best offensive players. That dumb win against the Eagles irks me. Not as much as it irks others, but it irks me. Also, they should have played to win and they didn't and that was stupid for them.

I want either Tate or Love in the draft. If we get Styles or Downs, that's fine. I want them to go out and spend money at DE and not have to pick one. Maybe it's just me, but I'm still scarred by the fact we tried 4 high-ish picks on DL, and only one really worked out well, and that was Jonathan Allen. Sweat was ok, but inconsistent, Payne, apart from one season is "meh" and Young was a disaster. So I'd be more inclined to get a proven commodity at edge by using money and then draft offense.

Frankly I don’t think they (the Eagles) saw any downside to what they did and even now may not. I think this outcome was in their calculations.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

In 2012 Adrian Peterson was good enough to drag the whole team to the playoffs. His QB in the playoffs was Joe Webb. His pass defense was bottom 3rd of the league.

Barkley single handedly carried the offense in a playoff game for the Eagles during the Super Bowl win.

Gibbs tried his hardest to beat us in 2024 playoffs. 175 yards, 2TD's, averaged 8.8yards when he touched the football. But Goff, Ben Johnson, and the injury depleted defense caved in.

McCaffrey had 160 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl OT loss to the Chiefs. Deebo, Aiyuk, and Kittle all sucked. They averaged 3 catches on 7 targets for 29 yards. McCaffrey is not why they lost. He was also making less money than each of them.

Derrick Henry has, on 2 separate playoff runs been potent enough to threaten John Riggins famous playoff rushing total. There's no way to blame Henry when he's putting up 140 rushing yards a game with touchdowns.

Biggest stages of their careers and the elite RB's show up while the rest of the team falls apart.

That's not a knock on the RB.

 

[Always Commander Never Captain]

Frankly I don’t think they (the Eagles) saw any downside to what they did and even now may not. I think this outcome was in their calculations.

You need to explain this further.

The Eagles intentionally bombed their season so a division opponent has a smidge worse draft spot? I'm not getting it.

 

[skinsinparadise]

In 2012 Adrian Peterson was good enough to drag the whole team to the playoffs. His QB in the playoffs was Joe Webb. His pass defense was bottom 3rd of the league.

Barkley single handedly carried the offense in a playoff game for the Eagles during the Super Bowl win.

Gibbs tried his hardest to beat us in 2024 playoffs. 175 yards, 2TD's, averaged 8.8yards when he touched the football. But Goff, Ben Johnson, and the injury depleted defense caved in.

McCaffrey had 160 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl OT loss to the Chiefs. Deebo, Aiyuk, and Kittle all sucked. They averaged 3 catches on 7 targets for 29 yards. McCaffrey is not why they lost. He was also making less money than each of them.

Derrick Henry has, on 2 separate playoff runs been potent enough to threaten John Riggins famous playoff rushing total. There's no way to blame Henry when he's putting up 140 rushing yards a game with touchdowns.

Biggest stages of their careers and the elite RB's show up while the rest of the team falls apart.

That's not a knock on the RB.

Add to that the running game becomes a bigger deal in the post season, colder weather, etc, and I am thinking-hoping this team battles regularly in the post season

 

[Anselmheifer]

If we had any additional draft capital, I would actually be advocating for a small move UP to get one of the two best offensive players. That dumb win against the Eagles irks me. Not as much as it irks others, but it irks me. Also, they should have played to win and they didn't and that was stupid for them.

Everyone always lauds trading down. In 2021, I wanted to move up for Micah Paraons. We stood pat and got Jamin Davis. The Eagles aren’t afraid to move up the board for guys they want. I wouldn’t be opposed to a move up to 4 or 5 if it wasn’t too expensive.

One thing that people must realize is that free agency effects other teams also. They will solve a lot of their problems there too so their draft needs will change just like ours. I could see KC going for Kenneth Walker or someone and won't even be looking at Love anymore. That goes for every team in front of us. We will know a lot more about the draft in 2 weeks

I heard on some podcast somewhere they could use him all over the field also, so they could, in theory, split him wide and use him as a WR. Your thoughts on that? I don't remember which podcast this was.

The last RB who I can remember who could do that REALLY well was Marshall Faulk. Those "greatest show on turf" Rams teams ran through Faulk. And they would move him everywhere. Sure, they had Bruce and Holt and Kurt Warner, but it was Faulk who was the engine of those offenses. Teams had to account for him first, and then everything played off of that. It was really cool to see. Also, Marshall Faulk is a HOF player.

Edgerin James was good at it too, but they didn't tend to line him up outside, they tended to more keep him in the backfield, and then have him release.

If he truly could be an "everywhere" weapon, then that increases his value tremendously.

I also have thought about Marshall Faulk a little when considering Love.

Go Terps! He is a beast. I know he hasn’t been that productive so far, but Tennessee has been a shit show, and he may well be ready to blossom now with a change of scenery. Good plan B if we can’t get Likely.

I didn’t realize how productive he’s been either. He’s had two 50 catch years! I’d be fine with him or Likely.

Digesting all the buzz for what its worth, and maybe its worth nothing but that's all we got.

QB, probably one O lineman, Bailey, Styles, Reese probably gone before 7.

So that leaves one spot for: Tate, Downs, J. Love. I think its a toss up whether its Love or Tate that goes. Love the better player. Tate the premium position that fits some needs.

Feels like the Titans and Giants are the biggest wildcards.

For me personally, if its between those three players, I'd go Love first. Probably Tate a hair over Downs. But I dig all three players.

I’m not sure these linemen are going top 6. Fano had great testing, but has 32.5” arms. Mauigoa did no testing, and I hear may be more of a guard.

clskinsfan the flag waving fan for K. Faulk. As I've mentioned before you got a friend in Logan Paulsen. He does like Bailey more, he loves Bailey. But he does like Faulk over Bain.

I have to watch Faulk more. I see the potential don't get me wrong. But among other things I've been burned on betting on projects and picking 7 doesn't feel like a spot to pick a project.

I don’t necessarily trust Logan Paulsen on edges. He is a really big traits and movement skills guy. Loved Shemar Stewart last year. Found him really exciting as a potential pick for us. That’s fine picking 25-32, maybe. Not at 7.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I’m not sure these linemen are going top 6. Fano had great testing, but has 32.5” arms. Mauigoa did no testing, and I hear may be more of a guard.



I don’t necessarily trust Logan Paulsen on edges. He is a really big traits and movement skills guy. Loved Shemar Stewart last year. Found him really exciting as a potential pick for us. That’s fine picking 25-32, maybe. Not at 7.

I am hoping that need and the dearth of good O lineman will prop one of them, maybe the Penn State guard.

I don't trust anyone implicitly as to draft takes. Its not as if I was into Bain previously and he talked me out of it. I had concerns and he added more logs to the fire. And specifically as to arm length he explained well how it affected him as a blocker -- and that's a unique perspective versus us making that call from our couch.


Edit: I am gathering you might be talking about Faulk. Yeah if so he didn't convince me.

 

[philibusters]

Sounds good but wonder why he didn't do the combine exercises.

Cause I think he would ahve put up mediocre numbers.

 

[skinsinparadise]

From McShay

The “HOF” Tier vs. the “Really Good” Tier​ ​

The most fascinating theme in Indy? How many decision-makers kept circling back to the same players at the top. One guy I learned is on that list is Penn State OG Vega Ioane, who might be the best offensive lineman in the class. That doesn’t guarantee he’ll be the first one drafted, but most teams I spoke with view him as one of the few players in this group with legitimate Hall of Fame potential.​

Outside of Ioane, that ultra-short list includes:​

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love Ohio State LB Sonny Styles Ohio State DS Caleb Downs (despite average measurements) And, for some teams, Ohio State LB Arvell Reese

Here’s the question teams are grappling with: Would you pass on a potential Hall of Fame running back, linebacker, safety, or guard … for a very good but slightly flawed edge, tackle, receiver, or corner?​

Players such as Texas Tech edge David Bailey, Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr., Miami OT Francis Mauigoa, Utah OT Spencer Fano, Georgia OT Monroe Freeling, Ohio State WR Carnell Tate, Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson, USC WR Makai Lemon, and LSU CB Mansoor Delane are legitimate Round 1 talents in most classes. But the grade gap between that tier and the top-end-ceiling guys is real.​

It’s going to create some uncomfortable draft-room debates. I’ll say this: After Fernando Mendoza goes no. 1 to the Raiders, I’ll be shocked if the next four positions drafted (in any order) are LB, RB, DS, and OG. If I were to project landing spots in the top five, here’s where each of those top talents could fit:​

Styles is most likely to go to the Jets at no. 2. Tennessee at no. 4 would be a good landing spot for Love. Downs could land with the Jets at no. 2 or the Giants at no. 5. Ioane is least likely to land in the top five, but he’s probably not escaping the top 10.

This is going to test conviction versus positional orthodoxy!​

 

[Dlts20]

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

You need to explain this further.

The Eagles intentionally bombed their season so a division opponent has a smidge worse draft spot? I'm not getting it.

"Intentionally bombed their season?"

I mean, I don't think they saw any significant downside to losing that game when everything was calculated. I don't think they think that way. All of this talk about "we can beat them without our starters" - yes I believe they thought that, such goes their hubris and disrespect of what we were fielding that day, but if they thought winning was so important, they'd have played it differently.

Did us getting a worse draft spot factor in? I would probably guess yes with how they view the draft. I'm not saying that was some big factor for them, but was it something they were aware of? That's all I'm saying.

Now with hindsight, I can guess they won’t play it next year that way if similar circumstances present. Do they think, even now, they made some big mistake? I am guessing no. I think it was all factored in at that time and they felt fine with winning and thought losing wouldn’t kill them and had benefits that outweighed what they saw as the main risks.

 

[HTTR]

You need to explain this further.

The Eagles intentionally bombed their season so a division opponent has a smidge worse draft spot? I'm not getting it.

And by knocking us down they moved the giants up so not a great plan if that was the case.

But I don’t think it was their intention at all. I think it was just their arrogance getting in the way of common sense.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

And by knocking us down they moved the giants up so not a great plan if that was the case.

But I don’t think it was their intention at all. I think it was just their arrogance getting in the way of common sense.

That's true, I forgot there were two divisional opponents there.

Maybe it was complete stupidity on their part then.

I never thought it was some big factor - I definitely thought they didn't see some big advantage to winning and it wasn't just arrogance though. As I recall, there was an "unlikely" other event that had to happen for them beating us to matter. That event occurred later, and so if they had beaten us it would have helped them (that is what I recall).

So, that is why I don't think they cared much about winning or losing our game, and eventually lost. The thing is, I did think, they probably had us winning with a small mostly inconsequential plus of us dropping in draft position - but you're right, NYG also benefits from us winning so it probably cancels.

 

[heisenberg]

And by knocking us down they moved the giants up so not a great plan if that was the case.

But I don’t think it was their intention at all. I think it was just their arrogance getting in the way of common sense.

I think it was a combination of this and the fact that they still needed the bears to lose so they figured why play our starters to win when it may not matter anyway.

But they still should have been scoreboard watching because throwing away the 2 seed was really dumb.

 

[heisenberg]

As I recall, there was an "unlikely" other event that had to happen for them beating us to matter. That event occurred later, and so if they had beaten us it would have helped them (that is what I recall).

The unlikely event was the bears losing to the lions, which was played at the same time.
Even though the lions were eliminated they were still a decent team and playing to win and were leading at the half.
There was actually discussion as to whether the eagles might put in their starters in the second half because of it.

 

[HTTR]

I suppose it was at least in the back of their mind that we really wanted to lose that game. But in the end they took a gamble based on ego, and it blew up in their face. They had a real good chance of making it back to the Super Bowl and unnecessarily made it harder on themselves. I was pissed at the time, but in hindsight, it’s worth it to me to fall back from 5 to 7 to see that happen to them. I can’t wait to watch the meltdown of their fans as they start to realize that their window is closing fast. We all know it doesn’t take much at all for them to turn on their team.

 

[Conn]

In 2012 Adrian Peterson was good enough to drag the whole team to the playoffs. His QB in the playoffs was Joe Webb. His pass defense was bottom 3rd of the league.

Barkley single handedly carried the offense in a playoff game for the Eagles during the Super Bowl win.

Gibbs tried his hardest to beat us in 2024 playoffs. 175 yards, 2TD's, averaged 8.8yards when he touched the football. But Goff, Ben Johnson, and the injury depleted defense caved in.

McCaffrey had 160 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl OT loss to the Chiefs. Deebo, Aiyuk, and Kittle all sucked. They averaged 3 catches on 7 targets for 29 yards. McCaffrey is not why they lost. He was also making less money than each of them.

Derrick Henry has, on 2 separate playoff runs been potent enough to threaten John Riggins famous playoff rushing total. There's no way to blame Henry when he's putting up 140 rushing yards a game with touchdowns.

Biggest stages of their careers and the elite RB's show up while the rest of the team falls apart.

That's not a knock on the RB.

Also worth keeping in mind that only one team wins the SB each year. Does that mean they are the only team that built an elite contending roster? Obviously not (although sometimes. This year kind of felt like that).

And over the last 25 years only like 4/5 franchises have won most of those SB’s, mostly due to HOF QB play (and we hope to have one of those guys developing if we support him enough).

So saying stud RB’s aren’t winning SB’s is just too simplistic.

 

[Discobob]

Ok, so we need to figure out who our guy is, and get Tunsil to mail him his gas mask, so he falls to us...