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

I think Downs is the best player in the darft and would be my pick at 7.

But I think the teams's realistic board is

Styles
Tate
Love
Delane
Downs

I think Lemon in a trade down makes sense
 
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lol, Taylor is so convinced that Schrager is gospel that his saying its Tate means it 100% so. I wish. Even with Keim I don't see his guesses as 100%, no one is that good.

 
I think Downs is the best player in the darft and would be my pick at 7.

But I think the teams's realistic board is

Styles
Tate
Love
Delane
Downs

I think Lemon in a trade down makes sense

Judging by rumors, mostly Keim but not only Keim. Their board is:

1. Love or Styles
2. Delane
3. Tate or Downs
4. Bain

Assuming Reese and Bailey are gone
 
That's a good question. I imagine the chat will have spoilers, the threads might? Honestly sometimes the official threads move too fast in the moment and then I pull back to a thread like this one to post/review takes.

Actually - giving away the pick early (before the tv broadcast announcement) is grounds for getting stoned to death in our chat. If folks want to participate in chat, they either need to stay off social media or keep it to themselves if someone posts the pick early.
 
Going back and reading some responses, I don’t get why more people aren’t more on board with the idea of Tate.

For those of you not even listing him (which is wild to me as I haven’t seen a single good reason yet… the only reason is: he’s not worth it)… why?

I honestly would love to have that conversation. What about his game do you think makes him not worth the pick? How do you see his pro career going?

I realize he’s not the typical dominant playmaker you’d take at receiver in the top 10 but he checks every box and he is the safest receiver, the most pro ready, and he tracks the ball better than anyone in this class.

I get maybe not wanting him over some of the defensive guys. But not on the list?

And if your answer is “I like him just not at 7” do you think he’ll be available beyond 10? If so, doesn’t that make him worth the selection at 7?

I don’t know. Been watching this game for a long time and I don’t pretend to know everything, but I can’t fathom the idea that he’s not even on some of your lists. It’s wild.
 
Going back and reading some responses, I don’t get why more people aren’t more on board with the idea of Tate.

For those of you not even listing him (which is wild to me as I haven’t seen a single good reason yet… the only reason is: he’s not worth it)… why?

I honestly would love to have that conversation. What about his game do you think makes him not worth the pick? How do you see his pro career going?

I realize he’s not the typical dominant playmaker you’d take at receiver in the top 10 but he checks every box and he is the safest receiver, the most pro ready, and he tracks the ball better than anyone in this class.

I get maybe not wanting him over some of the defensive guys. But not on the list?

And if your answer is “I like him just not at 7” do you think he’ll be available beyond 10? If so, doesn’t that make him worth the selection at 7?

I don’t know. Been watching this game for a long time and I don’t pretend to know everything, but I can’t fathom the idea that he’s not even on some of your lists. It’s wild.

I've taken more arrows here for pushing Tate than any other player.

 
Going back and reading some responses, I don’t get why more people aren’t more on board with the idea of Tate.

For those of you not even listing him (which is wild to me as I haven’t seen a single good reason yet… the only reason is: he’s not worth it)… why?

I honestly would love to have that conversation. What about his game do you think makes him not worth the pick? How do you see his pro career going?

I realize he’s not the typical dominant playmaker you’d take at receiver in the top 10 but he checks every box and he is the safest receiver, the most pro ready, and he tracks the ball better than anyone in this class.

I get maybe not wanting him over some of the defensive guys. But not on the list?

And if your answer is “I like him just not at 7” do you think he’ll be available beyond 10? If so, doesn’t that make him worth the selection at 7?

I don’t know. Been watching this game for a long time and I don’t pretend to know everything, but I can’t fathom the idea that he’s not even on some of your lists. It’s wild.

He seems to be one of the safer picks in the top half of the draft to me. After years of busts with the likes of Forbes, Davis, Dotson, we can use an infusion of good football players who will be likely solid level contributors for years to come. Tate seems to be that guy while also checking off the biggest position of need box for this franchise. Win-win in my books.
 
I think it's his rep or the narrative that built up around him. People say that there is no WOW about Tate. He's just really solid. He's just really good. The idea that he's not really good, but not amazing, and not a receiver who would be chosen in the top ten in a normal year has been developed this draft season. He's the best available versus the best.

I think there's also this rub about BPA vs. need and a lot of us have decided that a BPA philosophy especially this high in the draft is the way to go and Tate feels like almost a pure need pick.
 
I think it's his rep or the narrative that built up around him. People say that there is no WOW about Tate. He's just really solid. He's just really good. The idea that he's not really good, but not amazing, and not a receiver who would be chosen in the top ten in a normal year has been developed this draft season. He's the best available versus the best.

I think there's also this rub about BPA vs. need and a lot of us have decided that a BPA philosophy especially this high in the draft is the way to go and Tate feels like almost a pure need pick.
BPA is never just BPA. It’s always weighted. If it wasn’t, some of these QBs wouldn’t be the top pick in the draft.

Need always factors into BPA discussion.

So I don’t buy that from those folks, either.

I don’t get how you can even watch Tate highlight reels (hint, the magic isn’t in the highlight reels) and not come away with this guy being really, really good.

Would you take McLaurin at 7? I would.

I want to reiterate a stat Steve Smith gave us…

600 blocking attempts. Zero holding calls.

Why isn’t that a bigger deal to people? How many times does a receiver screw up a big play because they don’t know how to properly block?

Now if that was his only skill I’d get not wanting him. But this dude is legit.
 
BPA is never just BPA. It’s always weighted. If it wasn’t, some of these QBs wouldn’t be the top pick in the draft.

Need always factors into BPA discussion.

So I don’t buy that from those folks, either.

I don’t get how you can even watch Tate highlight reels (hint, the magic isn’t in the highlight reels) and not come away with this guy being really, really good.

Would you take McLaurin at 7? I would.

I want to reiterate a stat Steve Smith gave us…

600 blocking attempts. Zero holding calls.

Why isn’t that a bigger deal to people? How many times does a receiver screw up a big play because they don’t know how to properly block?

Now if that was his only skill I’d get not wanting him. But this dude is legit.

He dropped zero balls last year. ZERO. And this isn't like Tyson who is catching a ton of balls in the flat. With Tate he's catching them on the 2nd-third level. 86% contested catch rate which is insane. Good blocker as I've mentioned for many months -- better blocker than Tyson. Stems his routes well -- so smooth.

Is he a superstar? Don't know. He's not explosive. But I'd bet on him having a Devote Smith type career.

This isn't some 5 year rebuild project. You are trying to groom hopefully a top 5 QB who can take you to the promised land and soon -- just ignoring that dynamic and putting the world on Jayden's shoulders again would be criminal IMO.
 
He dropped zero balls last year. ZERO. And this isn't like Tyson who is catching a ton of balls in the flat. With Tate he's catching them on the 2nd-third level. 86% contested catch rate which is insane. Good blocker as I've mentioned for many months -- better blocker than Tyson. Stems his routes well -- so smooth.

Is he a superstar? Don't know. He's not explosive. But I'd bet on him having a Devote Smith type career.

This isn't some 5 year rebuild project. You are trying to groom hopefully a top 5 QB who can take you to the promised land and soon -- just ignoring that dynamic and putting the world on Jayden's shoulders again would be criminal IMO.

Agent Zero. Zero drops, Zero holds, Zero fucks to give.
 
BPA is never just BPA. It’s always weighted. If it wasn’t, some of these QBs wouldn’t be the top pick in the draft.
I agree wholeheartedly with this. It's why none of us are looking at OT or QB. But the really interesting thing you point out or imply is that Tate's WOW-factor may be the stuff the casual fan doesn't pay attention to enough. He doesn't drop the ball. He is very effective as a run blocker. Those are major qualities that don't really make the highlight tapes (except when it's one of those impossible, acrobatic, one-handed catches.) I remember people gushing over Clinton Portis' ability to pass protect. In fact, he may have gotten more love on ES as a blocker than a runner.

I will say that McLaurin's career has had quite a few WOW plays or at least a bunch of amazing 50/50 deep shots. So, I do think Terry does have a WOW factor that fans notice.

But I think that really, really good when we want top of the league best may be the answer you're looking for. Thing is, I'm not sure how many guys in this draft have the potential to become those guys. I think your original draft crash might be. Boy did you sway me into wanting Love. I think Styles has this superhuman measurables and on field production that make me think he can become a great. Do we think Tate will ever be mentioned among the top five receivers? I think that's the hang up.

That said, I'd be fine with him. Us picking him wouldn't make me leap off the couch and scream "Yes!" but I would nod and feel good about the pick.
 
I agree wholeheartedly with this. It's why none of us are looking at OT or QB. But the really interesting thing you point out or imply is that Tate's WOW-factor may be the stuff the casual fan doesn't pay attention to enough. He doesn't drop the ball. He is very effective as a run blocker. Those are major qualities that don't really make the highlight tapes (except when it's one of those impossible, acrobatic, one-handed catches.) I remember people gushing over Clinton Portis' ability to pass protect. In fact, he may have gotten more love on ES as a blocker than a runner.

I will say that McLaurin's career has had quite a few WOW plays or at least a bunch of amazing 50/50 deep shots. So, I do think Terry does have a WOW factor that fans notice.

But I think that really, really good when we want top of the league best may be the answer you're looking for. Thing is, I'm not sure how many guys in this draft have the potential to become those guys. I think your original draft crash might be. Boy did you sway me into wanting Love. I think Styles has this superhuman measurables and on field production that make me think he can become a great. Do we think Tate will ever be mentioned among the top five receivers? I think that's the hang up.

That said, I'd be fine with him. Us picking him wouldn't make me leap off the couch and scream "Yes!" but I would nod and feel good about the pick.
I suggest watching Carnell Tate against Wisconsin…



There is some wow factor…

I’m still all in on Love. I have just given up hope he’s there when we pick.
 
The other thing that comes to mind is something I said a few weeks ago.

It's so weird to me how in the national media and in the local media (and even on this board) when people talk about Cam Ward or Jaxom Dart or any of the young guns, the first thing everyone says is that you have to do everything you can to support your young QB. With Daniels, you almost never hear that or you hear some variation of "Well, a strong defense does support a young QB" which, while true, is not the point people are trying to make for Dart, Ward, Maye, etc. Maybe this is because in 2024, we all saw Daniels do it without getting the help/support? Maybe that leads to some forgetting that he needs help, too?

The fact is that in 2024, a number of players played out of their minds. OZ played like a really good receiver. Before he got hurt, Noah Brown probably got more targets than Terry and was really, really solid. Crowder found a way. Ertz revived his career and did played at a level no one expected. So, Daniels was supported that year. He just wasn't supported with star power.

In any case, Daniels deserves the kind of support that people are demanding for every other young QB. To his credit, Peters worked really hard to build him a line, but at wide receiver so far, he's getting a failing grade. He has spent draft resources: Sinnott, McCaffrey, and Lane were all fairly high selections, but none have panned out yet. Outside of them, Peters has been dumpster diving. It's not a hard argument to make that it is time that Peters started shopping for his QB.
 
McShay on latest pod:

With Washington there was some mention that they would go Tyson. But no. They, real early, said they are a Tate team.

Looking into Blough he wants a big, physical receiver and Tate fits.

“I want to give you the honest to God truth… the last conversation I had was very authoritative. And that was this pick will be defense. Quinn has got it… uhm… what’s the word… it is… priority is too light a word. It’s a demand. It’s a mandate that we get that defense fixed. It will be Downs if the board falls the way it is. If Styles is off the board it’s Downs.”

He then went on to take Tate because he thinks that is what they should do. “Can’t let my franchise QB be in a situation where he doesn’t have the tools he needs to be successful. I wouldn’t blink.”

And then he changed back and said he’s going to take Downs because he thinks that will be what they actually do.
 
Ugh. I'd be disappointed with Downs. I get that he's a potentially great safety and I could be wrong. I hope McShay has been suckered by lying season.
 

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