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

[RWJ]

At this point, I think zero chance Love lands at 7, I already hate the Giants as is. So to see him in NY would drive me nuts. Giants already hyped by national media like they are SB contenders -- if they get Love, too? It will be the most obnoxious organization even more insufferable.

So rooting to see Love off the board at 3 or 4.

Judging by recent intel, Giants are higher on Downs than Styles. And would take Love in a heartbeat if he falls to them.

I am hoping that Arizona takes Love or someone not named NY Giants before they pick at #5. Let us be able to draft Styles and he still be there. Sure. it's not Love but it's the next best player that we need on this team to fill a huge hole. Go for the best WR at #71.

 

[ES1974]

Jeremiah in a recent podcast also said there would be a "biggish" trade involving a vet player during the draft.

I’d guess that’ll be something involving the Eagles.

 

[KDawg]

I am hoping that Arizona takes Love or someone not named NY Giants before they pick at #5. Let us be able to draft Styles and he still be there. Sure. it's not Love but it's the next best player that we need on this team to fill a huge hole. Go for the best WR at #71.

Pass on Styles if Tate is there. We have neglected offense too long. And there’s no guarantee that the receivers we like are there at 71.

 

[burgold]

So, here's a weird thought (what else am I known for.) The decision at seven might give us real insight into the power dynamics down at Ashburn.

Stick and pick defensive pick: Quinn's the lead dog (especially if Styles is gone or Love is there).
Stick and pick offensive pick: Peters is the lead dog (especially if Styles, Downs, and Delane are still there.)
Trade down: lead dog might be dependent on who is available at seven.

Then again, none of this might mean anything. The thought was spurred by the thought that Quinn wanted to fix the defense and the first pick would be D no matter what. First, the Commanders run a pretty tight ship so I don't know that I believe that bit of gossip, but even if it's true... if Peters is the GM and higher in the pecking order he can take who he wants. Now, you do want a good relationship between coach and GM, but the power relationship changes over the years.

At first, Beathard was more powerful than Gibbs. After a few Superbowls, Beathard left in part because he became the clear second banana. Many of us hated the Rivera and Shanahan front office structure, in part because we didn't believe in the coach centric GM. So, the question is who is the alpha at Redskins Park?

 

[burgold]

I think Arizona taking Love is part of lying season. I think they want to trade down. I just can't see them taking a running back that early. Mind you, I've been wrong a lot.

 

[skinsinparadise]

I think Arizona taking Love is part of lying season. I think they want to trade down. I just can't see them taking a running back that early. Mind you, I've been wrong a lot.

Probably, sadly the in vogue insider buzz is he will land with the Giants

 

[Kalu44]

I’d guess that’ll be something involving the Eagles.

Or Dallas.

 

[Kalu44]

Probably, sadly the in vogue insider buzz is he will land with the Giants

Giants have the “luxury” to draft RB at #5 with the 10th pick looming. I think it’s set in stone if he is there. Love + Downs would be great for them, brutal for us.

 

[washington football]

I think Arizona taking Love is part of lying season. I think they want to trade down. I just can't see them taking a running back that early. Mind you, I've been wrong a lot.

Yeah

Giants have the “luxury” to draft RB at #5 with the 10th pick looming. I think it’s set in stone if he is there. Love + Downs would be great for them, brutal for us.

The gmen can flip 3 for 5 and 37 for 65. If they want love. Owner is still mad they got rid of Barkley.

 

[Conn]

I’m on the fence about AP but still hoping he figures things out and his famed eye for talent starts showing.

But if Peters really isn’t into Tate at all with the lack of blue chips in this class, I really don’t know what he likes at WR and why I should trust it. His mid round WR picks have been developmental athletic guys, which is an extremely low hit rate category, instead of polished possession guys with less athleticism, which hit way more often as there is no correlation between WR production and athleticism, unlike many positions. He hasn’t found any real diamonds in the rough yet, although the talent floor is slowly increasing for this roster for sure.

But in our situation, Tate fits exactly the role we need filled, and at 21 and improving every year actually has an unknown ceiling he’s still jetting towards.

If Tate isn’t AP’s type of dude, to the point where in our situation he prefers a very good CB without length over him while Jayden twiddles his thumbs, I really won’t know what to think. We’ll see if we actually end up with the choice between the two on the board, I hope we’re actually obscuring our intentions in that case. Otherwise, I’ll lose even more enthusiasm for this current staff.

Would you prefer a Julio Jones or the like? Of course. But Tate is perfect for us and for Jayden, AND it’s a screaming desperate need. If we leave him on the board for Delane I’ll be very puzzled and disappointed.

 

[Conn]

Eh. Maybe it's me, but I think all these guys get some information from a variety of places, and then make what they think are as educated guesses as possible.

Sometimes they are right, sometimes they're not. I'm not saying they're not hearing things. I'm sure they are. Keim was really emphatic on his last pod that he didn't know, he had a guess based on what he has heard from within the organization, but he wouldn't be surprised if they went a different way because Peters doesn't tell anybody what he's thinking. So, it's far from spit-balling, but it also isn't reporting.

Nobody is right 100% of the time.

I personally don't care if they get it right or not. We're going to find out on Thursday what actually happened, and I guess maybe I'm significantly less invested in the prediction game because we know when we're going to know which team picked who, and trying to guess ahead of time might be a fun exercise, but it's entirely pointless in the end.

I know others try to read the tea lives and predict it, which is fine. I've just never cared that much about the prediction game.

I'm not going to think more or less of Keim or Schrager or anybody else based on whether their predictions come true or not.

The "Grind the Mocks" guy on Galdi (who, candidly, seemed like a bit of a pretentious know it all) had them taking Downs. Shrug.

We'll find out tomorrow night.

The guys I don't care for are the idiots like dumbass arrogant fool Thor Nystrom who says things like "I haven't been so sure the NFL has messed up since they passed on Lamar Jackson" when talking about Malik Willis. Those guys I don't care for. (Ironically, doing something like that MIGHT have put Kiper on the map because of his feud over the Colts not picking Dilfer. So maybe I should get over my hatred of Thor. However, I turned over a new leaf with PFF, and I think one new leaf ever few yeas is plenty.)

You typed a lot here and have spilled a lot of pixels on our screens in recent weeks about whether reporters can know anything or not, for a guy who doesn’t care if reporters know anything or not, because hey we’ll eventually find out anyways. Like thousands and thousands of words on it. And I’ve read them all 😔

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

And I’ve read them all 😔

That seems like a personal problem to me.

 

[actorguy1]

 

[actorguy1]

7. Washington Commanders
Miller's pick prediction: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

I've consistently heard that Styles will be the pick if he's on the board. The Commanders have also done work on the wide receiver class in the event that Styles is gone. But Commanders coach Dan Quinn has reportedly told contacts that Styles is his favorite player in the class, and without a second-round pick, Washington must determine which positions have depth. Wide receiver is one of them, as Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee) could be the team's Round 3 target.

Fowler's intel: Teams I've talked to believe Styles would be a dream Dan Quinn pick, but they also wonder whether the Commanders are leaning offense. Wide receiver Carnell Tate (Ohio State) is a popular name here, and Washington has spent a lot of time with him.

 

[HOF44]

I have much trepidation about the possibility of our WR group repeating last year if we don’t get Tate. Which I fear would then lead to JD injuries. I think Love would certainly change that too, but he’s gonna be gone.

 

[skinsinparadise]

7. Washington Commanders
Miller's pick prediction: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

I've consistently heard that Styles will be the pick if he's on the board. The Commanders have also done work on the wide receiver class in the event that Styles is gone. But Commanders coach Dan Quinn has reportedly told contacts that Styles is his favorite player in the class, and without a second-round pick, Washington must determine which positions have depth. Wide receiver is one of them, as Chris Brazzell II (Tennessee) could be the team's Round 3 target.

Fowler's intel: Teams I've talked to believe Styles would be a dream Dan Quinn pick, but they also wonder whether the Commanders are leaning offense. Wide receiver Carnell Tate (Ohio State) is a popular name here, and Washington has spent a lot of time with him.

This team loving Styles and Quinn being the lead cheerleader for him -- that seems to overlap just about everyone but Schrager

 

[skinsinparadise]

New McShay podcast

A. Jets Bailey at 2
B. Reese going at 3 whether to the Cards or trading out of the pick. Love possible but not everyone in that building wants him at 3
C. Titans -- Love has heated up again. Love or Styles
D. Giants -- Love is #1 on their board, they take him if he falls. Downs next one. Tyson maybe next but they'd rather at 10
E. Washington -- would take Styles in a heartbeat if he falls
F. Rams could be wildcard which trades up for Love or Tate -- seemed to be speculating on that

 

[RWJ]

New McShay podcast

A. Jets Bailey at 2
B. Reese going at 3 whether to the Cards or trading out of the pick. Love possible but not everyone in that building wants him at 3
C. Titans -- Love has heated up again. Love or Styles
D. Giants -- Love is #1 on their board, they take him if he falls. Downs next one. Tyson maybe next but they'd rather at 10
E. Washington -- would take Styles in a heartbeat if he falls
F. Rams could be wildcard which trades up for Love or Tate -- seemed to be speculating on that

🔥but that's IF Love is gone and we pick Styles.

 

[CuredFromBatteredFanSyndrome]

My stretch dream has us ending up with Love, but if the Giants really have him at the top of their board, I hope he goes to Arizona or Tenn.

With Love off the board, it 100% has to be Tate. One cannot speak about supporting Jayden’s development and go defense at 7.

 

[skinsinparadise]

🔥but that's IF Love is gone and we pick Styles.

Don't know if they would pick Love over Styles. Keim talked about it on Sheehan, he goes depends on the day but he can see it go either way.

McShayy doubled down that Love is not getting past 5.