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

[McD5]

I’m not sure how Branch has slipped from my gaze… I mean I knew he was good. But he’s electric.

He just saved their season.

And very easy to overlook. It's like sensory overload when watching this team.

 

[DWinzit]

He just saved their season.

And very easy to overlook. It's like sensory overload when watching this team.

Which Branch? Zion just saved the game with that awesome hit!

 

[McD5]

Which Branch? Zion just saved the game with that awesome hit!

Zachariah Branch. Georgia's top WR. They're brothers.

Wow on Ole Miss!!!!!! I wonder what Lane Kiffin is thinking right now.

 

[DWinzit]

Quite the last two days3 out of 4 of the playoff games wo by the underdog.

Zachariah Branch. Georgia's top WR.

Wow on Ole Miss!!!!!! I wonder what Lane Kiffin is thinking right now.

Yeah I know, Thanks though. and he is pretty electric. He had a big night, little speedster runs in the mid 4.3s

His brother Zion is their Safety who had a good game as well with a giant hit dislodging the ball from the receiver.

 

[McD5]

Quite the last two days3 out of 4 of the playoff games wo by the underdog.

Yeah I know, Thanks though. and he is pretty electric. He had a big night, little speedster runs in the mid 4.3s

His brother Zion is their Safety who had a good game as well with a giant hit dislodging the ball from the receiver.

That hit looked a lot like the hits that an incredible safety in DC used to make.

 

[McD5]

Trinidad Chambliss will play on Sundays. He had some incredible plays tonight, and a huge season.

 

[NickyJ]

One of the important skills he will need to learn is how to hold onto the football when running down the clock.

 

[RWJ]

 

[philibusters]

View attachment 13779

Like that trade back two spots that nets you an extra pick 74. In this scenario you were still able to land David Bailey. Don't know if that will possible in real life to trade back and get Bailey, but I like the Bailey pick in this draft scenario. I don't know much about Ramsey, but we need safety help. I am not a fan of the Price pick in the third rounder. Price cooled off after a good start to he season. I think he will be a decent NFL player, but in the same way Brian Robinson was, or that Chris Rodriguez or Bill Croskey Merritt are--I don't see him a difference maker, so I don't see the need to spend a third round pick on him. I like the Singleton pick. On the one hand, he feels similar to Jaylin Lane an undersized and speedy WR (Lane ran a 4.34). But I feel Singleton is a slightly more polished route runner and therefore will be a better seperator early in his career (not sure if he is as fast as Lane, but even if he isn't he should be in that 4.38 to 4.42 range). They are both around 5'10 and lack size, but I feel they have different enough skill sets to not be redundant. I am a fan of the Delp pick where you got him. He reminds me a bit of Ben Sinnott and probably ideally projects as a TE 2 rather than TE 1. But you are getting Delp in the fifth or sixth round her whereas we took Sinnott in the 2nd round. Sinnot would be a goodish 5th round pick. I like Aiden Fisher pick. Don't know for sure that he has the physical tools to be a starting NFL LB, but he is a high floor player who will I think at miminum be a replacement level/high end backup at LB with some potential to be a starting level LB. But neither the size nor speed screams high ceiling. I am not huge on the Kyle Louis pick. He is too similar Kain Medrano (undersized athletic LB that needs development). I much prefer the Fisher pick as he different enough from Medrano in terms of skill sets.

 

[Riggo44]

In this scenario you were still able to land David Bailey.

I am not sure Bailey will be there at 7. If I was betting, he doesn't get past Arizona.

 

[The Chump Bailey]

I’m not sure how Branch has slipped from my gaze… I mean I knew he was good. But he’s electric.

And why I him have ranked one spot above Lemon.

 

[KDawg]

And why I him have ranked one spot above Lemon.

I’m not a big fan of Lemon. Something about him seems a bit off. He’ll be a good player, but I don’t see a game changer.

Branch, Sarratt, Boston, and Tyson could be absolute game changers.

 

[The Chump Bailey]

Ole Miss WR De'Zhaun Stribling almost made my list but do have his mate Trey Wallace higher rated. Stribling could be a nice surprise for some team.

 

[The Chump Bailey]

Adding Edge Eddie Walls III Houston to my rankings he could be a very good Day 3 pick for us. I initially had him as more of a pure OLB type by mistake.

 

[DogofWar1]

Buncha plays from Bailey. Love LOVE that he gets his hands up. Small thing that can really mess up a QB. And unlike some of the really big guys, he's got jumping skills, so he's able to get even higher. He's already 6'3" with allegedly long arms, so add another foot or two to however high he can reach and Kyler Murray is definitely never completing a pass against him, but even guys like Lamar (6'2") probably have to at least alter throw trajectory.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I got 5 guys hot on my radar in the top 10

Bailey: to me he's the guy if he is there at 7. Some here think its odd and quirky to have a 250 pound edge. The thing is its normal. If you want a speed rusher, that's the typical size: Parsons, Bottino, Crosby, Pearce, Will Anderson who is even lighter. It might feel odd as a fan of this team to see this because we don't do speed pass rushers. So these guys feel like weird aliens. But its not odd in the NFL. lol, maybe its a coincidence that we don't do speed pass rushers and the defenses have sucked?

Love: He's probably my #2. You see Bijan Robinson and how he can dominate a game? This guy has that kind of juice.

Tate: I am not a prisoner of the moment kind of guy. He had a great season. Yeah he didn't do much on Wednesday. So what? One game. to me this dude screams Devonte Adams. Big tall WR with a great catch radius, and drops nothing. But lol, it seems like he's one and done with some fans. Not me.

Downs: the safest pick IMO among these guys. Can play post safety, can play in the box. Instincts are unbelievable. Hight intangibles. Leader. But as much as I love him, no way I am taking a safety over an edge if I love that edge and it this point I am that smitten with Bailey.

Tyson: So well rounded. First level-2nd level play and can seperate well against man. Struggles to stay healthy and for a dude who catches so much on the first-2nd level I wish he was a YAC guy but he isn't. But has great hands, great seperator.

On the bubble

Reese: Not as sure he's slam dunk top 3 as it looked weeks ago, he's been quite multiple games in a row. But his tool set is very intriguing. I have to watch him more. In theory a dude who can play weakside LB very well with sideline to sideline speed and can stop the run, and is supposedly an amazing QB spy, and can rush the passer -- feels like one heck of a weapon. But I need to dive in.

Too risky

Reuben Bain: If I am taking him its in a trade down. I can't see top 10. He'd be the first really good pass rusher in NFL history with sub 31 inch arms. Can Bain break the mold? Sure, why not? But I don't want to be the team that rolls the dice to find out. Remember Parcells lecture about how teams get burned in the draft by making exceptions to the normal criteria for success? lol, in short, he wasn't a fan of taking those type of chances.

I remember like yesterday when they took Forbes all the reports about how he'd be the first 165 pound CB in history to be successful in the NFL. And all the shrugs of well who cares he's a football player. He just makes plays. If a 180 pounder can make it work why not 165 pounder?

 

[philibusters]

My top 12 for us at 7 (definitely not set in stone):

1. David Bailey: He has the most pass rush juice. I see Josh Hines-Allen as a realistic comp. Scheme fit will matte a little, but he can pass rush regardless of scheme.
2. Caleb Downs: Best overall player in the draft in my opinion.
3. Arvell Reese: Best traits in the draft in my opinion
4. Carnell Tate: Great player, think he can be a number 1 WR in the NFL
5. Jeremiah Love: I think he projects as a top 5ish RB in the NFL at his peak
6. Jordan Tyson: Best WR in the draft in my opinion. But for the injury concerns he would probably be 2 or 3.
7. Peter Woods: Great traits, slightly disappointing year
8. Reuben Bain: I think his arm length does limit his pass rusher ceiling, but he'll be a solid everydown edge.
9. Jermond McCoy: Talent wise he would probably be 4th ahead of Tate, but injury concerns
10. Caleb Banks: Another guy with some injury history that is a concern, but potentially a decent pass rusher and run defender in the interior
11. Kendrick Faulk: Not a lot of pass rush juice in year 1, maybe he can develop that, but should be a solid run defender early with some upside potential
12. Makai Lemon: Nifty WR who should be a solid starter, but may be slot only

Sonny Styles would probably be 13, I actually forgot him when putting the list together

 

[clskinsfan]

He'd be the first really good pass rusher in NFL history with sub 31 inch arms.

I want to see what he measures at the combine. He plays a lot longer than a guy with 31 inch arms imo.

Still love Faulk. In fact the more tape I watch of him the more I like him. I know a bunch of you guys dont like him though. If we are not going to fault Reese for playing his responsibilities in his system we shouldnt fault Faulk either.

 

[philibusters]

I want to see what he measures at the combine. He plays a lot longer than a guy with 31 inch arms imo.

Still love Faulk. In fact the more tape I watch of him the more I like him. I know a bunch of you guys dont like him though. If we are not going to fault Reese for playing his responsibilities in his system we shouldnt fault Faulk either.

Different measurements can get different results, but the 30.75 measurement does seem to be legit. It likely came from NFS or Blesto who are allowed to get verified measurements of prospects heading into their senior season (which Bailey was). They are not allowed to take verified measurements for non-seniors I think so for non seniors you cannot verified measurements, but that 30.75 is very likely a verified measurement. Now he could get 31 flat or 31.125 at the combine as their seems to be about a .25 to .375 inch variability between measurements, but he won't be much higher than 31 at the combine. I do think his arm length limits his ceiling as a pass rusher. I am not totally in agreement with Skinsinpardise that you cannot have an elite pass rusher with short arms. For example Micah Parsons has 31.5 inches which is likely in the single digits percentile for edges, yet he is arguably the second best pure pass rusher in the NFL behind Myles Garrett in my opinion. But the difference is arm length doesn't matter a lot for a pure speed rusher trying to get the edge or using counters like spin moves if the Tackle over sets trying to protect the edge. Neither pure speed or a spin move rely on arm length to any meaningful extent. Bain wins with speed to power to the outside shoulder and counter moves that include hand fighting. Arm length matters in regards to winning those ways--not as much as a full a pure bull rusher who is just going to straight into the chest of the Tackle push the tackle back into the QB, but it still matters.

I'd be fine with Faulk in a trade back scenario. He'll be a good player. I think he'll be a solid run defender as a rookie and a plus run defender by year 2. But as a rookie I don't see him having much pass rushing juice. Now he has some tools and that pass rush may or may not develop as he gets more experienced. If it does he could be a pro bowl level player. If it doesn't he could still have a 10 year as a plus run defender who collapses the pocket well and helps out the other guys pass rushing, but never really having much pass rush juice himself (doesn't mean he couldn't luck into a 10 sack year with a lot of clean up sacks, but most years he is going to be like a 3 to 5 sack guy).

I think Arvell Reese is a good combo of a traitsy guy with good college tape. If he and Caleb Downs were Edges of the caliber of the player they are, I am confident they would be the first non-QB taken, but they are not--they both play non premium positions.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I want to see what he measures at the combine. He plays a lot longer than a guy with 31 inch arms imo.

Still love Faulk. In fact the more tape I watch of him the more I like him. I know a bunch of you guys dont like him though. If we are not going to fault Reese for playing his responsibilities in his system we shouldnt fault Faulk either.

For me its the opposite. I love watching Bain. But the short arms are so glaring so easy to see. I've watched a ton of edges for years and its so obvious about Bains' arms that its difficult for me to ignore.

If anything I'd be slightly surprised if he has 30 3/4's arm as some say he was already measured at, it wouldn't surprised me if they are closer to 30 than 31. then you got the 9 inch hands too. wow. And this isn't a speed rusher, this is a power rusher, so he will major is using his hands-length.

He's a fun watch. Can he be the first short arm-small handed excellent edge. Sure. But am not sure i want to be the NFL team to roll the dice to find out.