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

philibusters said:
He had an amazing Senior Bowl week. I think our front office has to watch the tape and decide if he is worth pick 71. We already have a similar player in Kain Medrano who is a dime backer who they hope can develop into a Will. These smaller faster LB's are basically the Will insidebacker on neutral downs and a dime backer on passing downs. I think Louis can definitely be a dime backer. So the question is will he be physical enough on early downs to be the Will backer which is a stack linebacker than is going to have deal with physicality. Realistically year 1 you are going to have Luvu so you could try to adjust him to the physicality and give him most of his reps as a dime backer. But the question is whether he is worth pick 71 cause he very likely going in 3rd or 4th and will be gone by pick 145.
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To me Louis > Medrano who really has not done much to this point. You can see where Louis's abilities should overall thrive in what Jones is planning. I can also see him as a starter and I cannot see the same with Medrano but hey, maybe.

If I have early concern with Jones, it is that he is not bringing his own people to help implement his new plans. That does have some advantages with coach/player relationships already built but can also lead to preconceived thoughts on players that could be skewed. Thank goodness Jones comes across as such an educator which Hopefully will assist in allowing him to have his full own take on the players.
 
philibusters said:
Three draft scenarios

At pick 7 Downs and Styles are on the board

Sceneario 1: You give up picks 7 and 145 and get back 13 and 61 and 209

Scenario 2: You give up 7 and 145 and get back 16, 44, and 193

Scenario 3: You give up 7 but get back 24 and 39

how would you rank those and which would you accept
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I don't usually respond to these but I'd go #1 mainly because it keeps the first pick closest to the top. It also would allow us to move back up into the late first or early second by combining a couple picks while still giving us additional picks or options. I would rather we stay closer to 7 than 13 honestly though.
 
Yeah, I don't see how you watch Louis and Medrano and come to the conclusion they are at all similar as prospects.

Medrano is a speed/traits guy that you take hoping can develop.

Louis is a linebacker that you take hoping he continues to develop.
 
Medrano was also drafted in Round 6 which is developmental territory. You don't expect these guys that come in this late in the draft and are changing or modifying play to another position or hybrid to be Day 1 impact players, that's just not realistic for any of them.

My guess is these other candidates are going to go ahead of Round 6 and would stack up as traditional linebackers in the NFL not just as hybrid works in progress.
 
skinsinparadise said:
Some LB stats

View attachment 14110
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skinsinparadise said:
Rodriguez has some sick stats, I am curious to see how these guys run. I rewatched the Ohioo State-Indiana game -- if you judged the Ohio State defenders purely on that game, Styles was the one who stood out the most, stud in that game.

Anthony Hill, if you want sacks, double A blitzes, 17 career sacks in college

I've watched some Golday reminds me of Leo Chanel.

I got to watch CJ Allen.
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KDawg said:
I am not sure Rodriguez is a great fit. I want to see what he tests at. Intellectually he fits, but I’m not sure he does athletically.

Hill won’t be there.

Louis from Pitt, maybe?

Styles really is the best bet.
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I was watching the NFL stock exchange from the PFF guys do a comparison between their latest mock, and Daniel Jeremiah’s. Both mocks had us taking Styles.

I honestly had not watched Styles much yet because I am hesitant about an off ball linebacker at 7, but I came away super impressed.

He is just so long, and fast, and fluid, looks like a monster in coverage and also sideline to sideline. He took on blocks better than I expected. I still don’t love his tackling, but I understand it improved this year?

I mean, Styles honestly looks like the template for modern day off ball linebacker, in his ability to excel in the passing game as much as, or even more than in the running game. And the PFF coverage scores back my eyes up. If Arvelle Reese doesn’t because an impact pass rusher, I could easily see Styles being the better pro.


 
Phantvm said:
Yeah if we go Tate over Tyson I personally wouldnt be happy at all.
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I think there are definitely reasons to prefer Tyson (though I don’t). But Tate over Tyson is plenty supported as well. Lemon is better than both but mocks don’t seem to be on to that yet, or are over-valuing size in search of an outdated “prototype”.

I’ve seen Omar Cooper Jr. gaining steam as a late 1st round talent. I could see him overtaking one of Tyson/Tate for many people in the end (though not as a top-10 guy).
 
Anselmheifer said:
I was watching the NFL stock exchange from the PFF guys do a comparison between their latest mock, and Daniel Jeremiah’s. Both mocks had us taking Styles.

I honestly had not watched Styles much yet because I am hesitant about an off ball linebacker at 7, but I came away super impressed.

He is just so long, and fast, and fluid, looks like a monster in coverage and also sideline to sideline. He took on blocks better than I expected. I still don’t love his tackling, but I understand it improved this year?

I mean, Styles honestly looks like the template for modern day off ball linebacker, in his ability to excel in the passing game as much as, or even more than in the running game. And the PFF coverage scores back my eyes up. If Arvelle Reese doesn’t because an impact pass rusher, I could easily see Styles being the better pro.


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Yes, Styles is talked about in the way he is because he is a prototype linebacker that has a lot of the skills needed. He's a bit raw in some areas with technique and tackling, so he is a little bit of a project in that way... but his current skill set and athleticism make him NFL ready
 
Mansoor Delane. Obviously had a great year for LSU but his 2024 season at VT was very underwhelming. Some Twitter and Reddit heads are hyping him to better our #7 pick. Thoughts on him? Would like to see his measurables.
 
KDawg said:
Yeah, I don't see how you watch Louis and Medrano and come to the conclusion they are at all similar as prospects.

Medrano is a speed/traits guy that you take hoping can develop.

Louis is a linebacker that you take hoping he continues to develop.
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While I think Kyle Louis is a significantly better college player than Kain Medrano, they both share an identical developmental arc. At the college level, both functioned primarily as overhang safeties or linebackers rather than true box defenders. They operated in space, but the NFL is going to ask them to move into the phone booth. To become true three-down players at the next level, both must transition from space players to stack linebackers, specifically at the weakside inside linebacker position, on early downs. This represents a massive shift in run-fit responsibility.

As college overhangs, they were responsible for the C and D gaps where their primary job was to be the force player, setting the edge and taking on blocks from slot receivers or F tight ends. As stacked linebackers in the NFL, they will have to read the triangle of the guard, center, and puller/fullback. Instead of dealing with receivers in space, they will be taking on pulling guards and Y tight ends while defending the A and B gaps. Both players hover around the 225-pound mark, which is quite lean for the NFL interior, and that jump in physicality will be the make-or-break factor for their careers.

When I say they are similar, I am talking about their player profile and type rather than their specific caliber. Louis may be the more impactful prospect, but both are undersized overhangs who must prove they can navigate the trash of the interior box to become every-down starters. WhileLouis could likely contribute as dime linebackers in sub-package coverage as early as year one, it will likely take significant time and physical development for both of them to transition into reliable weakside inside linebackers on early downs.

Edit: For what is worth Louis by played 292 out of 622 snaps in the box, so he did play some stack LB, but he still played 53% of his snaps not in the box.
 
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We better not draft a WR in the first round. That’s what free agency is for. This team needs PLAYMAKERS on defense. Not trying to become the Bengals.
 
Deebs31 said:
Mansoor Delane. Obviously had a great year for LSU but his 2024 season at VT was very underwhelming. Some Twitter and Reddit heads are hyping him to better our #7 pick. Thoughts on him? Would like to see his measurables.
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Best CB at LSU since Stingley. Him and Haucy were elite this season and instrumental in helping return LSU to a top defense in the country. Hadn’t had one since 2019 but he will be a shutdown somewhere but we already have our shutdown guy in Amos. We need help at safety, linebacker, and defensive end. I really want Downs at 7 if we don’t get Bain. I think he’d be captain of our defense for the next decade.

Ideally we get Bain in the first and grab Haulcy in the 3rd. Bain, Downs, or trade our 7th for a later pick in the first and stack a few more on top of that.
 
Dane Brugler's Top 100 prospects are out. Here's the Top 10.
  1. Reese
  2. Mendoza
  3. Love
  4. Downs
  5. Styles
  6. Bailey
  7. Delane
  8. Fano
  9. Bain
  10. Tate
I disagree with some of this, to the point that I think this class just lacks top end talent. I still think we're in a good spot at #7, but that might mean just drafting a quality player at a non-premium position.
 
HTTR said:
Ugh. Can’t say I disagree. As someone who is hoping for Downs, this is my biggest fear. I just don’t buy them taking a receiver here when they already used a top 10 pick on Nabers.

If it happens this way I would pivot to Jeremiah Love
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Not Styles?
 
Conn said:
I think there are definitely reasons to prefer Tyson (though I don’t). But Tate over Tyson is plenty supported as well. Lemon is better than both but mocks don’t seem to be on to that yet, or are over-valuing size in search of an outdated “prototype”.

I’ve seen Omar Cooper Jr. gaining steam as a late 1st round talent. I could see him overtaking one of Tyson/Tate for many people in the end (though not as a top-10 guy).
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I noticed that about Cooper, I have to watch.

To me Tate, Tyson and Lemon are so completely different flavors that its hard for me to compare. Cake versus pie versus ice cream.

If I had to choose among them

A. Tate
B. Lemon
C. Tyson

But I got no issue with anyone who picks one over the other, my only disagreement with those who think its easily one over the other two, which on this thread it seems like a few think its Tyson by a mile, I don't see that myself.
 
Tate just has to not crap the bed on his 40 time.
 
Deebs31 said:
Mansoor Delane. Obviously had a great year for LSU but his 2024 season at VT was very underwhelming. Some Twitter and Reddit heads are hyping him to better our #7 pick. Thoughts on him? Would like to see his measurables.
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I was watching him a little yesterday and read some about him. Played better man than zone. Played more zone at Virginia Tech. 8 career picks. Sticky in coverage.

The big question with him is size-speed. He's not small but he's also not big and some think he's long speed isn't hot. Big combine for him.

I am intrigued enough.
 
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