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

Let's also not forget that we've spent the last 4 months fantasizing about these players and we may have lost focus on the fact that this is widely considered a weak draft for top talent.

I do believe the giants made a wise decision but there are no guarantees they're going to get a better player.
That said even if hes just decent in three years he'll be entering his prime while Lawrence will be just about washed so its definitely the smart move to get good assets for an aging player who wanted out but certainly no guarantee.

The giants could draft Mr jamin Forbes Dotson with the tenth pick.
 
skinsinparadise said:
OK if you want to believe that, nothing I can do about it.

It's not even close.
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Yeah.

Let me do a car comparison to emphasize the point:

Daron Payne: A fully loaded Lexus ES. Luxury car, certainly better than a lot of other cars. Comfortable, drives well. Anybody who would be disappointed with a fully loaded Lexus ES is a snob. You can get one new for ~$65,000.
Dexter Laurence: Mercedes Maybach S680 4-Matic. Retails for ~$220k, and it is a significant leap up from the Lexus. It's the next level of luxury and performance. For those that can afford this car, you would never want to go back to the Lexus.
(For comparison purposes) Aaron Donald: Rated by Car and Driver as a 10/10, best super luxury car for 2026, the Bentley Flying Spur Plug in Hybrid is basically the best you can get in the luxury car domain. And for the bargain price of $~$450k, it can be yours.

You would not confuse a Lexus ES with a Mercedes Maybach S680.

You should not confuse Daron Payne with Dexter Lawrence.
 
Primus Porcus said:
It's possible, anything is possible. I admit part of my gut reaction likely is fueled by my own expectation of us missing out on the good thing. Every year things happen unexpectedly, and Harbaugh has been supported by one of the better front offices in sports over the last 3 decades.. It's possible he prioritized the O-line to protect his young QB.
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He definitely got a good deal on the Lawrence trade but it does seem a lot riskier to let a guy like that go the way he did. It will be interesting to see how a FO run by Harbaugh ends up working up in NY. I haven't seen many (if at all) examples where a HC operating as a GM ends well.
 
A few general thoughts:

1. If Delane is in play at 7, he's probably in play higher up. The best (and a very good) CB on the board is going to be enticing. I could absolutely see a world where he's off the board before our pick. If that was the case, I think one of the DE's, not necessarily Styles or Love, would be dropping. That's just a hunch. It might not be extremely likely. But CB is a high value position, and the best CB on the board is a very valuable asset.
2. I've thought for a while that the DE's have been over-rated by media and draftniks. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. But there was a general consensus that the 3 DEs were the top 3 players in all the "high value" positions after quarterback. I'm not sure that's true. (I'm also not sure it's not true). I think you could see prospects at OT and CB valued higher than say the 3rd DE.
3. This draft is really interesting because a lot of the highest rated players in the draft play non-high value positions. I take a very different view on position value than most, in that the only position I really put on a different tier than others from a draft perspective is Quarterback. Ok, and specialists. Though I really don't know why Kicker is so de-valued. The number of games which come down to a 50+ yard FG at the buzzer, I dunno, seems really valuable to me. Tom brady has 2 less superbowls without Adam Vinatieri. And if Vinatieri doesn't make the kick in the snow in the tuck rule game, who knows what happens. But I digress.

There are all these analytics about second contracts, and cap value, and all that stuff. I care much less about it than others. If you pick a player at any position which is going to impact your team more than any other player you could take for 5 or 6 years (option year + Franchise Tag), I honestly don't care what position that is. I get that there are nuances, but I'd have absolutely no problem drafting a RB, LB, Safety or interior OL anywhere in the draft if they are going to be the top-end of their position and significantly improve the team.
4. What I don't want is for them to "settle" on a lower-graded player at a position of need. Take the best player you can, whatever the position is, who can have the most impact now and in the future. If you draft Tate and Delane becomes Deion Sanders and you passed on him because you needed WR, you look REALLY stupid.
5. I want Love to drop to them. I don't think that's going to happen. That said, you really don't know. Other teams have other needs, and the best DE, CB, OT or LB on the board might push RB down. We'll see.
6. I'm going to be in the extreme minority on this, but if Peters really loved Love, and thought he would be transformative to the team for the next 5 years, I wouldn't scream bloody murder if they went up to get him. How they would do that, I'm not sure. If they had their full complement of picks, it would be easier. But maybe a player + 2027 draft pick package? Payne + a 2027 3rd or something to move up? I wouldn't hate it. I don't think they will do it. (And I suggest Payne because he's basically the most valuable movable piece. As I've said a bunch, I can see why they are keeping him and want to keep him.)
7. When it gets to our pick in the 2nd round which we don't have, I'm going to say "With this pick, Washington selects Laremy Tunsil" and that's going to make me feel a lot better about not having a second round pick.
 
Dlts20 said:
Idk how you are reading this but why does it excite you
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Because of the way he worded it.

It looks like they’ll take him at 3 even though he suggests moving back up way higher to get him.

Oddly worded tweet. But ultimately the Cardinals have no intention of taking him at 3. They want to move back or move up from their second for him.
 
KDawg said:
Because of the way he worded it.

It looks like they’ll take him at 3 even though he suggests moving back up way higher to get him.

Oddly worded tweet. But ultimately the Cardinals have no intention of taking him at 3. They want to move back or move up from their second for him.
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I read it like moving up from the 2nd round but they need to move back from 3 to add more trade capital to move up from 34.. They can get Dallas 12 and 20 among other things in the package for 3 to draft Ty at 20 or combine it with another pick to move up closer if you think that he doesn't last to 20. They have to play it right, though. NY may take him at 16
 
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Voice_of_Reason said:
A few general thoughts:

1. If Delane is in play at 7, he's probably in play higher up. The best (and a very good) CB on the board is going to be enticing. I could absolutely see a world where he's off the board before our pick. If that was the case, I think one of the DE's, not necessarily Styles or Love, would be dropping. That's just a hunch. It might not be extremely likely. But CB is a high value position, and the best CB on the board is a very valuable asset.
2. I've thought for a while that the DE's have been over-rated by media and draftniks. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. But there was a general consensus that the 3 DEs were the top 3 players in all the "high value" positions after quarterback. I'm not sure that's true. (I'm also not sure it's not true). I think you could see prospects at OT and CB valued higher than say the 3rd DE.
3. This draft is really interesting because a lot of the highest rated players in the draft play non-high value positions. I take a very different view on position value than most, in that the only position I really put on a different tier than others from a draft perspective is Quarterback. Ok, and specialists. Though I really don't know why Kicker is so de-valued. The number of games which come down to a 50+ yard FG at the buzzer, I dunno, seems really valuable to me. Tom brady has 2 less superbowls without Adam Vinatieri. And if Vinatieri doesn't make the kick in the snow in the tuck rule game, who knows what happens. But I digress.

There are all these analytics about second contracts, and cap value, and all that stuff. I care much less about it than others. If you pick a player at any position which is going to impact your team more than any other player you could take for 5 or 6 years (option year + Franchise Tag), I honestly don't care what position that is. I get that there are nuances, but I'd have absolutely no problem drafting a RB, LB, Safety or interior OL anywhere in the draft if they are going to be the top-end of their position and significantly improve the team.
4. What I don't want is for them to "settle" on a lower-graded player at a position of need. Take the best player you can, whatever the position is, who can have the most impact now and in the future. If you draft Tate and Delane becomes Deion Sanders and you passed on him because you needed WR, you look REALLY stupid.
5. I want Love to drop to them. I don't think that's going to happen. That said, you really don't know. Other teams have other needs, and the best DE, CB, OT or LB on the board might push RB down. We'll see.
6. I'm going to be in the extreme minority on this, but if Peters really loved Love, and thought he would be transformative to the team for the next 5 years, I wouldn't scream bloody murder if they went up to get him. How they would do that, I'm not sure. If they had their full complement of picks, it would be easier. But maybe a player + 2027 draft pick package? Payne + a 2027 3rd or something to move up? I wouldn't hate it. I don't think they will do it. (And I suggest Payne because he's basically the most valuable movable piece. As I've said a bunch, I can see why they are keeping him and want to keep him.)
7. When it gets to our pick in the 2nd round which we don't have, I'm going to say "With this pick, Washington selects Laremy Tunsil" and that's going to make me feel a lot better about not having a second round pick.
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You’re welcome to just live in your extreme wrongness lol. No harm in that.
 
Payne in a contract year he will be focused this season. I would be carful on trading him.

He will be looking to have a huge year. If the gmen take love we probably get styles. CB may go higher then we think alot of teams need they gmen,kc,dalllas.
 
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Voice_of_Reason said:
A few general thoughts:

1. If Delane is in play at 7, he's probably in play higher up. The best (and a very good) CB on the board is going to be enticing. I could absolutely see a world where he's off the board before our pick. If that was the case, I think one of the DE's, not necessarily Styles or Love, would be dropping. That's just a hunch. It might not be extremely likely. But CB is a high value position, and the best CB on the board is a very valuable asset.
2. I've thought for a while that the DE's have been over-rated by media and draftniks. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong. But there was a general consensus that the 3 DEs were the top 3 players in all the "high value" positions after quarterback. I'm not sure that's true. (I'm also not sure it's not true). I think you could see prospects at OT and CB valued higher than say the 3rd DE.
3. This draft is really interesting because a lot of the highest rated players in the draft play non-high value positions. I take a very different view on position value than most, in that the only position I really put on a different tier than others from a draft perspective is Quarterback. Ok, and specialists. Though I really don't know why Kicker is so de-valued. The number of games which come down to a 50+ yard FG at the buzzer, I dunno, seems really valuable to me. Tom brady has 2 less superbowls without Adam Vinatieri. And if Vinatieri doesn't make the kick in the snow in the tuck rule game, who knows what happens. But I digress.

There are all these analytics about second contracts, and cap value, and all that stuff. I care much less about it than others. If you pick a player at any position which is going to impact your team more than any other player you could take for 5 or 6 years (option year + Franchise Tag), I honestly don't care what position that is. I get that there are nuances, but I'd have absolutely no problem drafting a RB, LB, Safety or interior OL anywhere in the draft if they are going to be the top-end of their position and significantly improve the team.
4. What I don't want is for them to "settle" on a lower-graded player at a position of need. Take the best player you can, whatever the position is, who can have the most impact now and in the future. If you draft Tate and Delane becomes Deion Sanders and you passed on him because you needed WR, you look REALLY stupid.
5. I want Love to drop to them. I don't think that's going to happen. That said, you really don't know. Other teams have other needs, and the best DE, CB, OT or LB on the board might push RB down. We'll see.
6. I'm going to be in the extreme minority on this, but if Peters really loved Love, and thought he would be transformative to the team for the next 5 years, I wouldn't scream bloody murder if they went up to get him. How they would do that, I'm not sure. If they had their full complement of picks, it would be easier. But maybe a player + 2027 draft pick package? Payne + a 2027 3rd or something to move up? I wouldn't hate it. I don't think they will do it. (And I suggest Payne because he's basically the most valuable movable piece. As I've said a bunch, I can see why they are keeping him and want to keep him.)
7. When it gets to our pick in the 2nd round which we don't have, I'm going to say "With this pick, Washington selects Laremy Tunsil" and that's going to make me feel a lot better about not having a second round pick.
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1- Delane is great but I am just as high if not higher on McCoy.. Delane is more of a sure thing with a higher floor.. McCoy has the higher ceiling which is usually what I shoot for.

4- I agree to take the BPA but if they are closely rated on your board then need or positional value is fine.

5- I have probably been the one the most saying that I think Love has a great chance of being there. Mainly I just see NY and Tenn with solid backs already, a lot of other needs, and coaches who value other positions more than RB

6- I'm not enamored enough with Love or dissatisfied enough with Bill to move up, especially for any 2027 picks. I think there are still some difference makers available at 7 and at more premium positions on top of it?

7- Tunsil was well worth the trade
 
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Dlts20 said:
I read it like moving up from the 2nd round but they need to move back from 3 to add more trade capital to move up from 34.. They can get Dallas 12 and 20 among other things in the package for 3 to draft Ty at 20 or combine it with another pick to move up closer if you think that he doesn't last to 20. They have to play it right, though. NY may take him at 16
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KDawg is correct, I miss read the posted tweet. Honestly if you had't asked, I would have just continued to think it was an outlandish tweet.
 
If no OL go before 7, what's the chances a team would look to trade with us to get their top pick? (assuming Love is gone). There are a lot of teams I need of OL and is often being ignored before 7 because we don't need one
 
DWinzit said:
If no OL go before 7, what's the chances a team would look to trade with us to get their top pick? (assuming Love is gone). There are a lot of teams I need of OL and is often being ignored before 7 because we don't need one
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Got to think someone would want to move up at that point. There may still be one impact player left at that point for us. It looks like these are the big players no particular order.
2.Reece
3.Bailey
4.Downs
5.Love
6.Tate
7.Styles
8.The LSU CB
Two would be left or a trade down for us.
 
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Could the gmen go CB at 5? They need one. I think they take love at 5. I remember the owner on hard knocks when they got rid of Barkley.

He wants a big player at RB. Harbaugh had Henery in baltmore he probably also want a top flight RB.
 
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RWJ said:
If Keim is right, I'm extremely happy with Styles at #7.
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I am thinking Styles goes 4 to the titans if they dont take love and there no DE on the board. One of the espn guys was saying he thinks Love goes top 5 but not to titans. Love goes 5 to the gmen. Dont know who we take then?
 
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