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

skinsinparadise said:
I used to look at off seasons where I'd go to fix every spot. But lol outside of Roseman, no one seems to try to load up everywhere.

For example to your point, in theory 2 corners sound great. But I'd think they'd be more than fine with adding one solid one. I don't think adding 2 is that imperative. I'd love to have two edges, but heck if its just one marquee one, IMO they should be fine.

WR, I could see 2 if Deebo leaves but if Deebo stays 1 marquee one is fine. I wouldn't mind another LB. But they might be fine with Magee and Luvu as the starters.

If they basically bring the gang back I do think if they add a marquee edge and marquee Wr and do only that. Replace Whitt permanetly. And have a normal season as to injuries -- they have a shot at the SB.

Don't get me wrong, I'd bet they do more than just that. But IMO adding a marquee edge and marquee WR would be game changers for this team. I don't mean a decent player but a real impact player. Sign a Hendrickson type. Sign a Pierce or Doubs. then add a marquee player from the draft, a Tate, Downs, Love, Bailey, etc -- and you got a serious contender.

I am not as worried about the secondary. I think Whitt was part of the problem. But more on point, a good pass rush helps the secondary.

And again i am more ambitious than I lay out this point. My main point is I don't think this team needs a zillion things to get back to 2024 form.
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I hear you. I’m kind of in two minds about this. The idea of potentially having weak corner depth (let alone a weak 3rd starting corner), possibly a below average LB group (with no quality depth), and no proven pass catching TE… it’s hard for me to see us as SB contenders. Even more so if 2 guys get injured from 1 position group.

But to your point, a quality pass rush and quality receivers (helping both Jayden and the ground game) probably goes a long way toward improving the team. And of course (as you say), it’s not like they’ll stand pat there and it’ll be UDFAs starting at the positions I mentioned above.

Now, can they find/land those quality guys? Can they bolster those other spots as well as depth? Here’s hoping!
 
Commander Wraith said:
I hear you. I’m kind of in two minds about this. The idea of potentially having weak corner depth (let alone a weak 3rd starting corner), possibly a below average LB group (with no quality depth), and no proven pass catching TE… it’s hard for me to see us as SB contenders. Even more so if 2 guys get injured from 1 position group.

But to your point, a quality pass rush and quality receivers (helping both Jayden and the ground game) probably goes a long way toward improving the team. And of course (as you say), it’s not like they’ll stand pat there and it’ll be UDFAs starting at the positions I mentioned above.

Now, can they find/land those quality guys? Can they bolster those other spots as well as depth? Here’s hoping!
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If they added a corner I don't think they'd have weak depth against assuming they brought back what they have.

LB maybe, but its cheap to add a LB for depth, its not a big deal to do that.

Though overall, I agree add depth.
 
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skinsinparadise said:
If they added a corner I don't think they'd have weak depth against assuming they brought back what they have.

LB maybe, but its cheap to add a LB for depth, its not a big deal to do that.

Though overall, I agree add depth.
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As in, bring back their FAs like Iggy and Jones? Or do you just mean a 3rd added to Amos and Sainristil?

Yeah, I’m not really worried about LB depth (beyond needing to add someone to compete w/ Medrano/Kaho), but… since MaGee has had some injuries, hasn’t proven himself as a starter (especially a green dot MLB), and they’ve been playing some 3 backer sets… I’d think a higher quality LB would be a good, maybe even necessary move.

I actually think it’s somewhat analogous to our TE situation with Luvu similar to Bates (good at one facet of their position) and MaGee somewhat similar to Sinnot (albeit the former has flashed but had injuries, the latter hasn’t flashed but - though he’s shown some run blocking ability, he’s been healthy).

Overall, I suppose my point is it feels like we need to add a decent or better LB (and TE). Going that route won’t break the bank, but those contracts can add up. And it feels like we need a similar level of talent added at TE, corner and DE/WR (behind whoever we bring in as DE/WR #1/2). Of course, this is where those 1 year type of deals can work… so we got that going for us.

Bringing it back to the draft, I’d hope we’ll make enough moves in FA to feel good about having options in the draft. Sucks to be lacking picks after a crap year :(
 
We do need to add another quality LB. Not only has Magee yet to prove he can hold up as a full time LB but none of our current backups done a lot other than on Teams.
I agree we are in need of a quality CB as well. It wouldn't hurt to add a quality S as well. Reality is our D alone could use a full complement of draft selections. Of course a few of those slots will bee filled in through FA especially on the DL.
 
Commander Wraith said:
As in, bring back their FAs like Iggy and Jones? Or do you just mean a 3rd added to Amos and Sainristil?

Yeah, I’m not really worried about LB depth (beyond needing to add someone to compete w/ Medrano/Kaho), but… since MaGee has had some injuries, hasn’t proven himself as a starter (especially a green dot MLB), and they’ve been playing some 3 backer sets… I’d think a higher quality LB would be a good, maybe even necessary move.

I actually think it’s somewhat analogous to our TE situation with Luvu similar to Bates (good at one facet of their position) and MaGee somewhat similar to Sinnot (albeit the former has flashed but had injuries, the latter hasn’t flashed but - though he’s shown some run blocking ability, he’s been healthy).

Overall, I suppose my point is it feels like we need to add a decent or better LB (and TE). Going that route won’t break the bank, but those contracts can add up. And it feels like we need a similar level of talent added at TE, corner and DE/WR (behind whoever we bring in as DE/WR #1/2). Of course, this is where those 1 year type of deals can work… so we got that going for us.

Bringing it back to the draft, I’d hope we’ll make enough moves in FA to feel good about having options in the draft. Sucks to be lacking picks after a crap year :(
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For CB. if they add an outside CB, then basically you got Sainristill, the new CB, Amos on the outside. J. Jones and Noah I for the inside. That's fine IMO without needing to add two. One might be fine depending on if they lose one or not.

I am ok with adding a LB starter which basically puts Magee on the bench or Luvu. But its not something am sweating,

The position where I think they need a marquee player is edge. If not a marquee player, add two good ones. Ironically I just watched an interview with Champ Bailey about this team and he goes beef up the front, that changes everything for the secondary.

I would like to upgrade over Ertz but if they added Doubs or Pierce or someone like Tate in the draft, I can live with Ertz.

In theory I'd love to upgrade everywhere. But over the years, I've become used to teams making improvements but not like 6 position or so in an off season. If they do it awesome. But I think they'd be really good for example if lets say as an example they signed Hendrickson, Pierce, Watson, drafted Downs. Drafted edge or CB or WR in the third. If so I believe they can compete for a SB.

I am not saying I am hoping they aren't ultra ambitious. But what I laid out is pretty ambitious. I just would be surpised if in the off season, they added two corners, two edges, a new starting LB, a TE, two new WRs, a new safety. That's a lot.
 
DWinzit said:
We do need to add another quality LB. Not only has Magee yet to prove he can hold up as a full time LB but none of our current backups done a lot other than on Teams.
I agree we are in need of a quality CB as well. It wouldn't hurt to add a quality S as well. Reality is our D alone could use a full complement of draft selections. Of course a few of those slots will bee filled in through FA especially on the DL.
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Your point about the draft reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about - the need to have young (hopefully up-and-coming) depth and how a team goes about getting to that point. Beyond the 1st and 2nd, it seems like your draft picks and UDFA often earn their stripes as STers while backing up the backups, and occasionally compete and earn the immediate backup spot at any given position. Owens at S, Medrano and Kaho at LB would be examples.

For us in particular, it feels like we’re in a strange spot. You have positions like corner where our youngsters are our best players, but we have no young depth, and DE where our only young guy is a 7th rounder. Wr has 2 young guys battling for (and not really earning, except after multiple injuries) the slot role, and TE has our 2nd rounder seemingly competing with an UDFA for the 3rd spot. And then you have Coleman and Bill both earning and then losing starting gigs. Just kind of strange all around.

Don’t really know what my point is here (lol), but I’d love to see us come out of the offseason with a young addition at corner, DE and maybe DT to eventually grow into a bigger role - whether as quality depth or even eventual starter. I suppose these types don’t often amount to much, but at least it gives that extra sliver of hope. Maybe that’s just the feeling of the Snyder days coming out when that’s almost all we had to hang our hats on…
 
skinsinparadise said:
For CB. if they add an outside CB, then basically you got Sainristill, the new CB, Amos on the outside. J. Jones and Noah I for the inside. That's fine IMO without needing to add two. One might be fine depending on if they lose one or not.

I am ok with adding a LB starter which basically puts Magee on the bench or Luvu. But its not something am sweating,

The position where I think they need a marquee player is edge. If not a marquee player, add two good ones. Ironically I just watched an interview with Champ Bailey about this team and he goes beef up the front, that changes everything for the secondary.

I would like to upgrade over Ertz but if they added Doubs or Pierce or someone like Tate in the draft, I can live with Ertz.

In theory I'd love to upgrade everywhere. But over the years, I've become used to teams making improvements but not like 6 position or so in an off season. If they do it awesome. But I think they'd be really good for example if lets say as an example they signed Hendrickson, Pierce, Watson, drafted Downs. Drafted edge or CB or WR in the third. If so I believe they can compete for a SB.

I am not saying I am hoping they aren't ultra ambitious. But what I laid out is pretty ambitious. I just would be surpised if in the off season, they added two corners, two edges, a new starting LB, a TE, two new WRs, a new safety. That's a lot.
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Wouldn’t be the worst thing to hold serve at LB and TE with Wagner and Ertz. Not ideal, but to your point, a couple big improvements elsewhere could make all the difference. Same deal at safety.

I’m with you now on corner and that’s how I see it too. Might have to be new bodies as Jones is a FA and Iggy was already on the trade block (so he might not wanna return), but that level of talent would work as a decent baseline.

What I think I was getting at was I didn’t want to go backwards at LB (not replacing Wagner), TE (not replacing Ertz), while also not improving S and maybe having corner depth issues with only Amos/Sainristil currently on the 2026 roster. And to do that, we’d have to spend a decent chunk on TE and LB (along with maybe a starting level corner as the third in a starting trio). Oh, and QB too. So that’s 8-10mil each for Wagner, Ertz and Mariota, which when paired with extending Tunsil, eats into our cap space pretty quickly. Should still leave enough though for a good WR and Edge, as you say.
 
Commander Wraith said:
Wouldn’t be the worst thing to hold serve at LB and TE with Wagner and Ertz. Not ideal, but to your point, a couple big improvements elsewhere could make all the difference. Same deal at safety.

I’m with you now on corner and that’s how I see it too. Might have to be new bodies as Jones is a FA and Iggy was already on the trade block (so he might not wanna return), but that level of talent would work as a decent baseline.

What I think I was getting at was I didn’t want to go backwards at LB (not replacing Wagner), TE (not replacing Ertz), while also not improving S and maybe having corner depth issues with only Amos/Sainristil currently on the 2026 roster. And to do that, we’d have to spend a decent chunk on TE and LB (along with maybe a starting level corner as the third in a starting trio). Oh, and QB too. So that’s 8-10mil each for Wagner, Ertz and Mariota, which when paired with extending Tunsil, eats into our cap space pretty quickly. Should still leave enough though for a good WR and Edge, as you say.
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I somewhat agree. My point is if they upgrade edge from meh to a strength it will have a ripple effect on the whole defense and by a mile its my top want.

And on offense, they can't have just one outside WR who threatens a defense let alone do so without any net (depth) behind them.

They had a marquee edge and a WR who threatens a defense -- and the rest from there is gravy -- spick your spot upgrade LB or safety, etc.

To me the third biggest need is corner. But how many you need depends on who they bring back but at a minimum they need one.
 
The Chump Bailey said:
Sometimes I'm good about the search feature - others not. Another guy I really like is Overton.
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lol, its cool you don't need to search, but yeah Mesidor is a dude I talked about mulltiple times in detail, so we are on the same page.

You seem to be every now and then throwing some of the common names listed at edge after the top 3 here and there in different posts saying you like them -- off the top of my head: Overton, Mesidor, Howell, Young. There are others, too I don't think you've mentioned yet: TJ Parker, Height, Uiagaleleli. And more.

To your point, I gather since you mention you like this edge, and then move on to another edge, you like the idea of trading down?
 
Commander Wraith said:
Your point about the draft reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about - the need to have young (hopefully up-and-coming) depth and how a team goes about getting to that point. Beyond the 1st and 2nd, it seems like your draft picks and UDFA often earn their stripes as STers while backing up the backups, and occasionally compete and earn the immediate backup spot at any given position. Owens at S, Medrano and Kaho at LB would be examples.

For us in particular, it feels like we’re in a strange spot. You have positions like corner where our youngsters are our best players, but we have no young depth, and DE where our only young guy is a 7th rounder. Wr has 2 young guys battling for (and not really earning, except after multiple injuries) the slot role, and TE has our 2nd rounder seemingly competing with an UDFA for the 3rd spot. And then you have Coleman and Bill both earning and then losing starting gigs. Just kind of strange all around.

Don’t really know what my point is here (lol), but I’d love to see us come out of the offseason with a young addition at corner, DE and maybe DT to eventually grow into a bigger role - whether as quality depth or even eventual starter. I suppose these types don’t often amount to much, but at least it gives that extra sliver of hope. Maybe that’s just the feeling of the Snyder days coming out when that’s almost all we had to hang our hats on…
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Indeed, yeah they can use good young depth. The Tim Settle types, etc.
 
I think the future of the defense coaching of the defense somewhat determines how big certain priorities are. I think having a strong D-Line is important regardless of future scheme. How important improving the secondary is depends somewhat on our future schemes. If we call games with heavy man, then we really have to find the corners for that scheme and they are to find in free agency. If we are going to run a defense like Quinn has called the last two games which is basically disguising zone defense and minimizing man coverage, we can probably get away with most of current personnel as long as we upgrade he pass rush and you can also find serviceable zone guys in free agency who don't require premium money.
 
philibusters said:
I think the future of the defense coaching of the defense somewhat determines how big certain priorities are. I think having a strong D-Line is important regardless of future scheme. How important improving the secondary is depends somewhat on our future schemes. If we call games with heavy man, then we really have to find the corners for that scheme and they are to find in free agency. If we are going to run a defense like Quinn has called the last two games which is basically disguising zone defense and minimizing man coverage, we can probably get away with most of current personnel as long as we upgrade he pass rush and you can also find serviceable zone guys in free agency who don't require premium money.
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Would love to get faster at LB in addition to grabbing an EDGE (to me, THE top priority in the draft followed by WR).

After that, just build depth at all three levels on D. I think Daron Payne is entering a contract year - probably why he's played so well this season. Based on his track record, we'd be smart to sell high and move him for draft picks. That would make DT another priority.
 
I think my want is simpler.

I want a few dominant players. I don't know that I really care about the position (Fine, I do.) but I want someone who strikes fear in the other side.

Right now, I think we have 2 potentially dominant players. Daniels (when healthy) and Tunsil.

McLaurin is a weapon, but not a dominant one. Even in his very good game against Denver we saw how often he was taken away be their dominant corner. I'd put both Bill and Rodriguez at least a level below that. For the sake of this argument, they are not weapons, but craftsman's tools that when used correctly they can get the job done, but just as a sculptor needs more than a fine chisel, they need the help of other tools to complete the work. Deebo is no longer dominant. Ertz is no longer a weapon. No one on defense is dominant. We have players who can be good. We have players who have the opportunity to step forward into a higher category. Amos and Sainristil seem to fit that in my opinion. I'm less confident about Luvu. Luvu has been a dull blade for much of the year.

Last year, I wanted weapons. I hoped Bill and Lane, speed merchants both, could fill that role and both have flashed. I expect both to get better. In 2026, I hope we find or develop players who can take over a game, someone who can impose their will and make an opposing coordinator fret. I'd love to get one more on offense and at least one on defense and frankly while I would prefer to get a dominant pass rusher to a world class safety, I'm almost convinced that this team needs a world class safety more than a very good pass rusher.
 
burgold said:
I think my want is simpler.

I want a few dominant players. I don't know that I really care about the position (Fine, I do.) but I want someone who strikes fear in the other side.

Right now, I think we have 2 potentially dominant players. Daniels (when healthy) and Tunsil.

McLaurin is a weapon, but not a dominant one. Even in his very good game against Denver we saw how often he was taken away be their dominant corner. I'd put both Bill and Rodriguez at least a level below that. For the sake of this argument, they are not weapons, but craftsman's tools that when used correctly they can get the job done, but just as a sculptor needs more than a fine chisel, they need the help of other tools to complete the work. Deebo is no longer dominant. Ertz is no longer a weapon. No one on defense is dominant. We have players who can be good. We have players who have the opportunity to step forward into a higher category. Amos and Sainristil seem to fit that in my opinion. I'm less confident about Luvu. Luvu has been a dull blade for much of the year.

Last year, I wanted weapons. I hoped Bill and Lane, speed merchants both, could fill that role and both have flashed. I expect both to get better. In 2026, I hope we find or develop players who can take over a game, someone who can impose their will and make an opposing coordinator fret. I'd love to get one more on offense and at least one on defense and frankly while I would prefer to get a dominant pass rusher to a world class safety, I'm almost convinced that this team needs a world class safety more than a very good pass rusher.
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Is there a world class safety in this upcoming class? Thinking our version of Hamilton (from the Ravens).
 
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