2026 draft stuff

[Vanimal46]

On 4/19/2026 at 9:43 PM, TheLeviathan said:

There's one I did for the week of the draft.   I really hope this team trades back.

My fear is with an interim GM, we are going to stick and pick more often than not. I don't know if Rob B has the connections to negotiate trades throughout the league. I think the rub between KOC and Kwesi was the fact that Kwesi loved to trade draft picks. 

[Vanimal46]

Day before the draft, "My Guys" ...

RB Jeremiyah Love - I think he has Adrian Peterson type upside. My favorite player in the whole draft class

WR Omar Cooper Jr - He played a huge part in Indiana winning the national championship

IOL Emmanuel Pregnon - An easy 2nd contract type of player for an NFL team. Day 1 starter

DT Caleb Banks - That type of size and athleticism is hard to find

LB Jacob Rodriguez - Dude was all over the field for Texas Tech

LB Josiah Trotter - 20 years old with NFL pedigree

CB D'Angelo Ponds - I don't care if he's small he's a baller

CB Chris Johnson - Lock down outside CB 

S Dillion Thieneman - I believe it when the media says he's a seamless transition from Harry the Hitman

 

[nicksaviking]

Is there any chance the Raiders are secretly preparing to trade the #1 pick to the Jets when they get on the clock? 

Maybe it's just because this is such a low-key draft, but to me it's starting to feel TOO quiet. Like someone is waiting to drop the biggest off season talker at the right time just to get buzz going.

 

[Mike Sixel]

5 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

Is there any chance the Raiders are secretly preparing to trade the #1 pick to the Jets when they get on the clock? 

Maybe it's just because this is such a low-key draft, but to me it's starting to feel TOO quiet. Like someone is waiting to drop the biggest off season talker at the right time just to get buzz going.

 

I'd consider it! I'm not 100% convinced Mendoza is a franchise QB (but I think he could be?). 

But, no, they are taking him. 100% taking him.

[nicksaviking]

Going to a comedy show with the wife so I'll miss most of the draft. So I better get my predictions down now. 

I think the draft gurus are under-estimating the risk tolerance of a typical NFL GM. Because of this, I think Ruben Bain and his very concerning arm-length falls. Not out of the 1st round, but beyond the halfway point.  

Similarly, Jermod McCoy not only falls out of the 1st round, he falls to the 3rd. He didn't play at all last year and at best he misses half of 2026, but most likely all of 2026? I don't think many GMs are going to use a 2nd on a guy who you likely only get for three seasons. Not to mention, a guy who will not have played in two years by the time he likely steps back on the field.

And you know what, I've talked myself into believing what I posted in the Vikings thread. If the Vikings stay at  18, they're picking OT. It's crazy how little consensus there is about the top guy, but pretty much everyone has at least five of them as 1st round players. I think Mauigoa is gone as he's always ranked as either 1 or 2, but I've seen various 1st round grades and predictions on the two Utah players Fano and Lomu along with Proctor, Freeling, Miller, Iheanachor. 

[Vanimal46]

As much as I like watching the draft on TV, I can’t imagine a more boring event to see in person. 

[Danchat]

For those interested, I'm doing live pick predictions as they happen here. You can see my draft board and my final mock draft is also there.

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

As much as I like watching the draft on TV, I can’t imagine a more boring event to see in person. 

Yeah... I might attend Day 3 of a draft if it visits Minneapolis, but no way am I standing in a crowd for 7 hours like that.

[Vanimal46]

Love going #3 to Arizona and Tate #4 to TEN are slight surprises so far. 

[Vanimal46]

Great pick for Washington. I think Styles is gonna be better than Reese in the long term. 

[Vanimal46]

We're getting close to Downs watch here... Robby boy work those phones buddy.

[Vanimal46]

Damn. Dallas traded up to 11. Game over for Downs. 

[Vanimal46]

Bain Jr falling and the inevitable (?) trade of Greenard is becoming interesting...

[Vanimal46]

There's the first wow pick of the night. Ty Simpson goes 13 to the Rams. 

[Parfigliano]

JETS clock

[Vanimal46]

3 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

JETS clock

Took the Oregon TE 

[Parfigliano]

1 minute ago, Parfigliano said:

JETS clock

 NFL EAST is ours.

[Vanimal46]

Vikings should go full 1998 on the bit and take Mekai Lemon. 

[Vanimal46]

Take Lemon. Vikings on the clock

[TheLeviathan]

13 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

There's the first wow pick of the night. Ty Simpson goes 13 to the Rams. 

Welp....they basically got a free shot at a franchise QB thanks to the Falcons being dumb.

[Vanimal46]

Caleb Banks wow

[Parfigliano]

On 3/1/2026 at 4:47 PM, Vanimal46 said:

I’ve seen enough. He needs to be drafted by us 

Ever see Krieder jump out of a swimming pool.

[Vanimal46]

I think our pick is the biggest reach of the draft so far. 

[TheLeviathan]

2 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

I think our pick is the biggest reach of the draft so far. 

Simpson still holds that crown probably but ours is pretty bad.  

I'd have happily taken that Philly offer for 18.

[Vanimal46]

6 minutes ago, TheLeviathan said:

Simpson still holds that crown probably but ours is pretty bad.  

I'd have happily taken that Philly offer for 18.

Man I have a bad feeling the Eagles are going to be laughing at us like we did in 2020 when we laughed at them taking Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson. 

[Mike Sixel]

At first I liked the pick, but I'm not thrilled they took another injured player early. I'd have taken that trade with the eagles, if offered, and taken the safety....

[Mike Sixel]

Cbs gave the pick a D? Harsh. 

[Danchat]

Well, I was right about the Vikings going DL over Thieneman, but I didn't think Banks was an option. The foot injuries are scary and very repeatable... at least he has very high upside, but that's a lot of risk. Not to mention he probably wasn't going Round 1 so why reach when they could trade down?

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Danchat said:

Well, I was right about the Vikings going DL over Thieneman, but I didn't think Banks was an option. The foot injuries are scary and very repeatable... at least he has very high upside, but that's a lot of risk. Not to mention he probably wasn't going Round 1 so why reach when they could trade down?

No idea why they didn't trade down if he was the target. 

[Vanimal46]

Ironically the last time we took a DT in the 1st round were both Florida DT. Caleb Banks, and Sharrif Floyd 13 years ago. A botched surgery ruined Floyd's NFL career after 3 years. The bar is low for Banks to be the best former Florida Gator we've drafted ever. 

[DocBauer]

Either the best or worst choice in the entire 1st round. We won't know for 6-24 months for sure.

I wouldn't have taken the chance. I would have traded down.

I sure hope they are right about recent positive reports concerning his foot.