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

[Dah-Dee]

More I hear about Tate, the more I hope Commanders take him at 7, especially given the gap between McLaurin and the next guy in our WR room every year since we got JD5.

Amazing to hear anybody talk about Daniels putting the team on his back after watching that fail spectacularly and with injury to our QB in 2025.

They've made much better moves this offseason to address our problems at EDGE, LB, CB and S than at WR. I'm not sold on Dyami, Burks or anybody else to fill the #2 role and take heat off McLaurin and Daniels by actually posing a consistent threat on that side of the field. Tate can do that.

For folks saying he wasn't even a #1 on his own team... well, neither was Egbuka (also Smith), or Ja'Marr Chase (Jefferson), or Brian Thomas (Nabers) when they came out. I'd take the rookie seasons for those guys in a heartbeat, and Tate looks completely capable of doing the same thing - and becoming the #1 after McLaurin.

FWIW, I don't think Arizona will make Love the highest-paid RB in the league (per Glazer) by taking him at 3, but I do think he goes no later than 5 to either Titans or Giants, with Styles going to the other team. Seems like Bailey/Reese still going 2/3 in some order. Cleveland the wild card, will it be an OT or a trade down to somebody trying to jump ahead of Washington for .... Styles?

 

[skinsinparadise]

 

[DWinzit]

If we get Tate at 7, are we done with WR in the draft? In FA?

 

[RWJ]

Don't know if they would pick Love over Styles. Keim talked about it on Sheehan, he goes depends on the day but he can see it go either way.

McShayy doubled down that Love is not getting past 5.

Thanks, SIP. I would hope they would pick Love over Styles but as you are saying and many believe Love probably doesn't make it to us at #7. Better chance of Styles making it to us at #7.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Thanks, SIP. I would hope they would pick Love over Styles but as you are saying and many believe Love probably doesn't make it to us at #7. Better chance of Styles making it to us at #7.

Feels like Styles or Delane is the guy tomorrow unless somehow they trade down. I don't rule out Downs or Tate but I'd be surprised albiet not shocked.

 

[burgold]

Y'know, one of the ways to prevent Daniels from having to play hero ball every game is to get him receivers who can get open. This defense thing is beginning to get annoying. Yes, Daniels benefits from a good defense, but he needs tools, too.

 

[KDawg]

🔥but that's IF Love is gone and we pick Styles.

I don’t understand why you think there’s a chance Love falls given he’s listed in almost every one of those draft slots.

We need to let the dream go.

 

[skinsinparadise]

Y'know, one of the ways to prevent Daniels from having to play hero ball every game is to get him receivers who can get open. This defense thing is beginning to get annoying. Yes, Daniels benefits from a good defense, but he needs tools, too.

Agree. I get the give him a defense thought. Everything helps, of course.

But when you got the team defending Jayden when Kurt Warner said he regressed last season -- by saying its his receivers that are the cause because they aren't in the right spots, etc -- you'd figure lol, they would try to fix that.

To their credit they did try chasing Pierce and Doubs but feels like they mistimed the market because while they were holding out for them other potential targets got away.

I just don't want the logic to be, hey we tried but the ball didn't bounce our way at WR in the off season so it is what it is.

And like I mentioned Quinn explaining how this current WR room could work is a red flag to me -- feels like they convinced themselves that if they don't do much more at WR, it is what it is, and they will make due.

Seems like (if Keim is on the money) plan B for this draft is to take a WR at 71 -- but what are the odds one at that spot makes an instant impact? I guess though a WR at 71 could fit Quinn's vision of a WR by committee.

 

[KDawg]

Y'know, one of the ways to prevent Daniels from having to play hero ball every game is to get him receivers who can get open. This defense thing is beginning to get annoying. Yes, Daniels benefits from a good defense, but he needs tools, too.

It’s honestly extremely disappointing seeing all the people who would pass on a damned good wide receiver for a corner or linebacker.

And it’s nothing against them. I love Delane. Styles has high end potential. Downs might be the best box safety in football in a few years.

But, and I think we need to let this sink in…

Here are the receivers under contract for 2027…

Terry McLaurin
Jaylin Lane
Luke McCaffrey

That’s it. That’s all of them. There’s no one else. Terry may not be around with his cap hit although with the way we spend cap money we could keep him and still have 50M to spend.

But there is potential we go into next year with Lane and McCaffrey under contract.

If we sign Aiyuk to a one year prove it? Still the same. If we sign Keenan Allen? Still the same. If we sign Deebo? Still the same.

I can’t emphasize enough how awful our receiver situation is.

It’s dire.

I simply do not understand the resistance.

 

[Dlts20]

Now this one kinda sounds like a real insider scoop. Someone in that building told him that. It sounds like Love may be the exception, otherwise it's defense. I will say that there is no more defensive help in free agency but there is Aiyuk and some veteran receivers

 

[Kalu44]

Here are how the picks will go, barring no trades:

Jets - Bailey
Az - Reese
Titans - Love
Giants - Downs
Browns - Tate
Skins - Styles

 

[Discobob]

I don’t understand why you think there’s a chance Love falls given he’s listed in almost every one of those draft slots.

We need to let the dream go.

The biggest counter to that is the fact that high end QBs, WRs, and RBs get way more public attention than other positions, just due to their nature. So that can steam them up a bit beyond what the actual football evaluators in the building feel.

EVERYONE has a strong opinion about Love... fewer people have a strong opinion about a guy like Delane... almost solely due to headlines and exposure.

 

[KDawg]

The biggest counter to that is the fact that high end QBs, WRs, and RBs get way more public attention than other positions, just fur to their nature. So that can steam them up a bit beyond what the actual football evaluators in the building feel.

EVERYONE has a strong opinion about Love... fewer people have a strong opinion about a guy like Delane... almost solely due to headlines and expsure.

I’m confused - counter to what?

That the chances of him being on the board we pick are so low that I’d have a better shot of lightning striking my head and instead of killing me it re-grows my hair?

 

[Discobob]

I’m confused - counter to what?

That the chances of him being on the board we pick are so low that I’d have a better shot of lightning striking my head and instead of killing me it re-grows my hair?

I was just offering a potential reason why he would be mocked higher by the general public than he will be taken.

Also, nice analogy 👍

 

[KDawg]

I was just offering a potential reason why he's getting mocked higher by the general public than he will be taken.

He’s not being mocked higher by the general public. He’s being mocked higher by people that know things and I’ve seen him everywhere between 3-5 but never beyond.

Is that gospel? No.

Would it be great if he fell? Yes.

Is it healthy for us to continue to post about Love being there? Depends on how worked up you get about things.

The first step in dealing with things is to start to let them go.

I’d rather be shocked that he’s there than sad that he isn’t. But it is what it is.

 

[Dah-Dee]

lightning striking my head and instead of killing me it re-grows my hair?

Wait. So the hair thing....

 

[Discobob]

He’s not being mocked higher by the general public. He’s being mocked higher by people that know things and I’ve seen him everywhere between 3-5 but never beyond.

Is that gospel? No.

Would it be great if he fell? Yes.

Is it healthy for us to continue to post about Love being there? Depends on how worked up you get about things.

The first step in dealing with things is to start to let them go.

I’d rather be shocked that he’s there than sad that he isn’t. But it is what it is.

I'm not highly invested in us taking him... my preference would be Tate (unless Bailey falls)

I'm just making an observation that high end offensive players get disproportionate attention during mock draft season and seem to get steamed up more than other players. That's just my observation, I'm not collecting statistical data. Regarding what mock drafts are saying - some of those guys are more "inside"... but most still appear to be lightly informed opinions.

Based on those priors, I don't think it would be a monumental shock for him to fall to us 🤷

 

[Canuck]

If we get Tate at 7, are we done with WR in the draft? In FA?

I wouldn't think so, I could see another vet brought in and maybe a day 3 pick

 

[skinsinparadise]

Here are how the picks will go, barring no trades:

Jets - Bailey
Az - Reese
Titans - Love
Giants - Downs
Browns - Tate
Skins - Styles

Jets: Bailey
AZ or a trade partner Reese
Titans Love -- hopefully otherwise he's a Giant -- otherwise Styles
Giants -- rumors are all over the place with them. Maybe Downs. Maybe Mauigoa or some surprise pick
Browns -- Maigoa or Fano or a trade down
Washington -- Styles if he falls otherwise Delane

 

[RWJ]

Y'know, one of the ways to prevent Daniels from having to play hero ball every game is to get him receivers who can get open. This defense thing is beginning to get annoying. Yes, Daniels benefits from a good defense, but he needs tools, too.

We paid a fortune to get Tunsil at LT thus here we are. JD5 needs weapons and I agree with you but in the end, JMO defense wins the game for you.