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

[Phantvm]

Aiyuk, Terry, and Tate basically become positionless all on the same offense. Any of them could line up anywhere on any down and distance. That’s very appealing.

 

[Phantvm]

Also top guys rarely hit FA anymore at that spot when they are young and in their prime. So its not an easy position to land. Terry is aging. We got a young QB. Not crazy to pair him to grow with young WRs. Tate just turned 21 years old.

Could go WR in the first round next two years. I wouldn’t bat an eye at it either

 

[skinsinparadise]

I would take Tate over Love. And I think Love is the better player, but WR is probably a bigger need and its a more valuable position.

I would take Love over Tate. But your point is why its close for me.

Besides the bigger need and more valuable position -- its the harder to get on the market by a mile and having a young QB build chemistry with a fellow young WR is invaluable. And Terry maybe has 1-2 years left with his contract.

 

[KDawg]

I don’t believe in a static strategy. Everything is dynamic. Your philosophy should be consistent but strategies change.

Sometimes taking the best player really is the best answer.

I think we’re in that situation. Who the best player is may vary from person to person. But we should take the best player. Positional “value” be damned. Give me the guy who is going to make the absolute largest impact on result.

And I don’t know why this is in italics. My phone likes to change stuff and not allow it to change back sometimes.

 

[Phantvm]

I’m still very in on Love but White does curve it to a degree for me. We can literally do anything now, including trade back, and it would be hard for me to be upset. UNLESS, Love was sitting there. I wouldn’t want to trade the pick away if we could draft him.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I’m still very in on Love but White does curve it to a degree for me. We can literally do anything now, including trade back, and it would be hard for me to be upset. UNLESS, Love was sitting there. I wouldn’t want to trade the pick away if we could draft him.

If its purely about winning this season.

Depends for me as to what's next in FA if they sign Aiyuk and Jennings, they are fairly loaded at WR, not sure how Tate would fit in season 1. I'd gather if they took him in that context, he'd interchange at Z and Y with Jennings and Aiyuk. And they'd let Terry go and move him or Aiyuk (assuming he played well) to X in 2027. The good aspect of that is they wouldn't be screwed at a key spot in 2027 or have to overpay an aging Terry.

If Jennings doesn't sign and they just get Aiyuk, their receiving corp would make me nervous still. Tate can kick in and I gather play as the big slot WR in year 1.

I love Styles but LBs tend to take time. Sometimes edge rushers, too.

Downs probably hits the ground running because of his smarts-work ethic.

I am not saying it should be all about year 1 but if the regime feels there are jobs on the line wonder if it colors things.

 

[burgold]

The draft should never be purely about winning this season. Far too many draft busts for that.

 

[KDawg]

The draft should never be purely about winning this season. Far too many draft busts for that.

Never is a strong word. But as a general statement I do agree.

 

[DWinzit]

I would take Tate over Love. And I think Love is the better player, but WR is probably a bigger need and its a more valuable position.

Logically this makes the most sense to me as well.

As good as Tate is one thing ever should remember is he was mostly facing the college teams second best CBs. He was the second best WR on his team because His teammate Jeremiah Smith is such a phenom and will be the first pick in the draft next year barring QB starved teams reach over him.

Leaves some wondering how accentuated his play is looks but his stats measurable, intangibles and workout numbers are undeniable

 

[skinsinparadise]

The draft should never be purely about winning this season. Far too many draft busts for that.

Agree but sometimes the now and the future can overlap. This draft arguably is that type of draft where you got so many prospects closely graded at least in some eyes.

 

[KDawg]

Logically this makes the most sense to me as well.

As good as Tate is one thing ever should remember is he was mostly facing the college teams second best CBs. He was the second best WR on his team because His teammate Jeremiah Smith is such a phenom and will be the first pick in the draft next year barring QB starved teams reach over him.

Leaves some wondering how accentuated his play is looks but his stats measurable, intangibles and workout numbers are undeniable

I think Love makes both the most immediate and most long term impact on our offense.

I think Tate fills a larger hole and will be productive but not on a scale that Love would.

If Love isn’t there and we go Tate I am 100% good. If we pass on Love for Tate I will not be mad at the player we got. At all.

But I’m going to have Gibbs flashbacks (I know we didn’t pass on him. But I wanted him BAD)

 

[Phantvm]

I don’t think this offseason is any indication about winning this season. They are clearly building a base for years to come. This signifies to me that these guys aren’t in as much trouble as we think, but realize the strategy, (or lack of), in 25 wasn’t gonna cut it. I don’t think Peters ever makes that mistake again.

I also think Daronte makes Quinn a better hc because it truly gets him out of the defense altogether. I’m more positive about where we are today than I was 2 months ago, and that gives this offseason an A for me.

Yes we still have work to do, and there are major unanswered questions, but the process so far looks sound. Biadasz isn’t quite the big deal to me as it is to some. It’s not nothing. But it isn’t crippling either. I think it’s clear we draft the long term solution this year.

 

[DogofWar1]

We are gonna get railroaded into Tate if we can't land Jennings. Unless there's some inside info that Aiyuk is perfectly fine, we're way too thin at WR to ignore it in the draft, and you can't wait around until 71 because you don't know who will be there. If a run happens in the 50's or 60's we're toast (*flashbacks to Ladd McConkey going 2 picks before we got Newton*).

Love might be a decent backup option tho, he's not a receiver but if he can be an "elite" weapon that will take some pressure off.

So what is everyone's problem with Tyson? Is it just the medicals?

 

[Discobob]

We are gonna get railroaded into Tate if we can't land Jennings. Unless there's some inside info that Aiyuk is perfectly fine, we're way too thin at WR to ignore it in the draft, and you can't wait around until 71 because you don't know who will be there. If a run happens in the 50's or 60's we're toast (*flashbacks to Ladd McConkey going 2 picks before we got Newton*).

Love might be a decent backup option tho, he's not a receiver but if he can be an "elite" weapon that will take some pressure off.

So what is everyone's problem with Tyson? Is it just the medicals?

Basically yes

There are a number of evaluators that would say Tyson is better, but injury risk is much higher

 

[Phantvm]

So what is everyone's problem with Tyson? Is it just the medicals?

I’m all in on Tyson over Taste personally. Idc about the medicals.

 

[DWinzit]

I like Tyson as well and Lemon and Boston just under them. There are others as well.

There is also a group of good WR's that will go between the bottom of the 1st round and the top of the 3rd. At 71 there is a chance of getting a WR that can contribute early and become a starter and be more NFL ready than Luke or Lane were when drafted and already ahead of Lane in that context if not Luck as well.

The RB class for all around RB's that are at least decent in pass pro is slim pickings through the whole draft

 

[Riggo44]

Darkhorse at 7 would be Bain

I'm hoping someone does something stupid in a trade up--a la Atlanta with Pearce last year. Speaking of which, holy hell, what a backfire:

Atlanta Falcons defensive end James Pearce Jr. was charged Thursday with three felonies and one misdemeanor by the Miami-Dade (Florida) State Attorney for an incident on Feb. 7 involving WNBA player Rikea Jackson, according to circuit court documents.

Pearce, 22, is charged with felony counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding the police and resisting an officer with violence, as well as a misdemeanor count of stalking.

 

[Riggo44]

I don’t believe in a static strategy. Everything is dynamic. Your philosophy should be consistent but strategies change.

Sometimes taking the best player really is the best answer.

I think we’re in that situation. Who the best player is may vary from person to person. But we should take the best player. Positional “value” be damned. Give me the guy who is going to make the absolute largest impact on result.

And I don’t know why this is in italics. My phone likes to change stuff and not allow it to change back sometimes.

I was going to argue, saw it was in italics, and thought you were super-duper serious, so I backed off. 🤣

 

[ES1974]

Based off the fact that WRs are the 2nd highest paid position in the NFL, having one on a rookie deal is very cost effective. Of course you still have to evaluation the options, but its a big factor IMO.

Agree, don’t need to reach for one at #7 was more my point.

 

[HTTR]

Interesting battle if its so between Washington perhaps and Tennessee for Jennings. McShay thought the Titans would be torn between Tate and Love at 4, Yates has the Titans taking Tate in his last mock. But if there is indeed some sort of wavering between Love and Tate, the Titans signing Jennings should tip it more to Love. So lol for someone who wants both Jennings and Love, hoping Washington gets it done for Jennings.

But for all angst about Tate. lol, it will be OK IMO if Washington takes Tate. He's a very good player. Hoping though Love or Styles falls to 7. But if not, I'd be jazzed if its Tate. My gut right now is it will be Tate or Downs at 7 because the other guys won't fall. Darkhorse at 7 would be Bain -- I wouldn't love that one but heck if they do it, I'll trust it for now.

Wow this really amps up the urgency to get Jennings, otherwise Tenn gets Love and Jennings and we are left hoping for Tate. And for Tate to be there relies on Cleve passing him over for one of the available OL which I don’t even see happening. They have beefed up their line through free agency/trade, leaving WR as their biggest need and there’s Tate playing right down the road at OSU