DRAFT DAY DISCUSSION 2026 NFL Draft: Day 2

[manxman2601]

I wonder if this has ever happened before. While researching day 3 picks, I realised that only 1 RB went on day 2 (Kaelon Black). Such a bad class.

 

[patfanken]

Henry sucks as a blocker. This isn't news. Certain people are touting Raridon as the next great WR since Gronkowski.. Which is f'in absurd.

The thing is, DB, no one knows what these kids are going to turn into over the next 3 years. Lumo and Raridon both need to add 10+ lbs of strength. They both need to learn to play in pro-offenses and like Brady, NO one knows who has that insatiable drive to keep getting better and doing whatever he has to do to make that happen. But if we want that to happen, we will just have to wait and see 3 years down the road.

I saw a list put up one of the draft coverage shows that tracked all the first-round picks over the last 20 years who got their 5th year options picked up. The average success rate was just over 40%. Something like 43% IIRC. Interior offensive linemen had the most success at around 60%, but they had the fewest players taken. QB's were just at 40% and there were a few positions that ranges in the high thirties to the rest at 50%. IIRC, IOL were the only group above 50%.

So a majority of yesterday's picks ARE likely to fail (if you are judging not picking up the 5th round pick a failure) Obviously as you go down in the draft each round the failure rate goes higher. So, each year we ***** and moan about the draft. even before we get to camp and are SHOCKED when so many fail (cue the casino scene in Casablanca)

 

[Joey007]

Considering where the Pats were drafting, and in a weak draft, you gotta love what the Pats have been able to do.

Looks like they got three contributors at positions of need.

Agreed. Off ball LB is probably the only other position I feel needed addressed for sure.

 

[mayoclinic]

The thing is, DB, no one knows what these kids are going to turn into over the next 3 years. Lumo and Raridon both need to add 10+ lbs of strength. They both need to learn to play in pro-offenses and like Brady, NO one knows who has that insatiable drive to keep getting better and doing whatever he has to do to make that happen. But if we want that to happen, we will just have to wait and see 3 years down the road.

I saw a list put up one of the draft coverage shows that tracked all the first-round picks over the last 20 years who got their 5th year options picked up. The average success rate was just over 40%. Something like 43% IIRC. Interior offensive linemen had the most success at around 60%, but they had the fewest players taken. QB's were just at 40% and there were a few positions that ranges in the high thirties to the rest at 50%. IIRC, IOL were the only group above 50%.

So a majority of yesterday's picks ARE likely to fail (if you are judging not picking up the 5th round pick a failure) Obviously as you go down in the draft each round the failure rate goes higher. So, each year we ***** and moan about the draft. even before we get to camp and are SHOCKED when so many fail (cue the casino scene in Casablanca)

Yet the mediots persist in hyping each pick up, trying to justify how good each player is and how smart the organization was for picking him. It's so nauseating.

 

[uknepatsfan]

If you want my ideal draft though... (realistically)

63 - Golday - LB - I'd love edge but i don't see it falling our way... and frankly i don't value Moore, Thomas, Young, Hollow, Jacas, Thomas and others at this pick. I know other boards do, but for me i just don't see them being 2nd round players). And i don't think Parker/Young fall. Who really are the only 2 guys i like at 63. And while I'd love a WR.... if we are not trading Boutte (Which i wouldn't do for anything less than a high 3rd which we would use on a WR). Then I am okay going Brown/Boutte/Doubs as our top 3 next year. If Boutte moves this changes.

Assuming we take Golday or Rodriguez.

95 - Ramsay/Kilgore - S (the value at safety in RD3 should be fairly good. Guys will fall who usually wouldn't be there. Special Edge like Height/Thomas/Hollow (some i think will be overdrafted... but overall guys like them make a lot of sense here if one falls). WR - I only mention it cause SOMEONE will fall. This is also why i am a little hesitant to pick any WR not named Bell/Stribling in RD 2. I feel like a lot of guys are really close together here. For instance. Branch/Brazzel/Sarratt/Barnard/Fields/Williams/Skylar Bell(the other one) could all fall to 96 among other guys. To me there is some value here from WR. Though maybe waiting to see if anything is still there are 131 is the better option... though that becomes very unlikely. Still with 12+ interesting guys between now and then... who knows.

As for guys i LOVE on day 3... quick preview.

Eli Raridon - TE - most seem to have him as round 4... I'd had him as a late round 2 prospect for months. I don't see what people or missing here. Many of what I call the 'braintrust' on this site see it the same way. If we 'reach' for him at 95 I would not be at all mad about it. He is 100% worth that pick. Ideally he falls to 131 or we trade up in the 4th to get him for max value

Eli Heidenreich - RB/WR (really RB) - Has been my #1 value player and first and biggest binkie since the process began. I have a mid rd 3 grade on him... most have him going in the 6th... if he goes at all. To me he is our change of pace RB and Joker weapon for the next 8-10 years. Just look at his tape and try to tell me this 6th rounder isn't a 3rd round value. I dare you.

If we leave day 3 with both of these guys this draft becomes a home run for me. And we don't even need to draft A WR at that point as i think having both improves our offense substantially.

Kudos for the Raridon pick at exactly where you placed him. Good work, Bob D!

 

[TommyD4207]

I wonder if this has ever happened before. While researching day 3 picks, I realised that only 1 RB went on day 2 (Kaelon Black). Such a bad class.

I don't even know if it's a bad class, necessarily.
Just a weird class. Very specialized, and everyone's pretty light on the pass blocking.

They're either tiny like Desmond Reid or Desmond Claiborne or weird freaks like Adam Randall who's huge, but he's a converted WR, so he doesn't really run with the power someone his size should.

Maybe you can get a short-yardage bruiser like CJ Donaldson down the board a bit.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Do we really need more picks this year?

Let’s trade some for 2027 picks.

Best you'll get is something like a 2027 5 for one of their 6s.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Yeah it is.....Most of the draft boards had Jacoby rated in the low 200's which I also felt was way too low. He's a good player. I was hoping to land him in the 6th round.

The draft boards and/or the teams were way off. A lot of low rated prospects drafted way higher than expected.

The drafters are not 32 completely rational** buyers (**in the economic sense, and also generally in some cases).

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Considering where the Pats were drafting, and in a weak draft, you gotta love what the Pats have been able to do.

Looks like they got three contributors at positions of need.

I agree.

But we need some starter backups too. RB, Slot, 3rd QB, DT (run stuffer), etc.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Bedard thinks none of the selected players will see the field much this season. And doesn’t seem bothered by it.

If he’s right, how do we feel about 3 redshirts?

 

[PlainOldEd]

The thing is, DB, no one knows what these kids are going to turn into over the next 3 years. Lumo and Raridon both need to add 10+ lbs of strength. They both need to learn to play in pro-offenses and like Brady, NO one knows who has that insatiable drive to keep getting better and doing whatever he has to do to make that happen. But if we want that to happen, we will just have to wait and see 3 years down the road.

I saw a list put up one of the draft coverage shows that tracked all the first-round picks over the last 20 years who got their 5th year options picked up. The average success rate was just over 40%. Something like 43% IIRC. Interior offensive linemen had the most success at around 60%, but they had the fewest players taken. QB's were just at 40% and there were a few positions that ranges in the high thirties to the rest at 50%. IIRC, IOL were the only group above 50%.

So a majority of yesterday's picks ARE likely to fail (if you are judging not picking up the 5th round pick a failure) Obviously as you go down in the draft each round the failure rate goes higher. So, each year we ***** and moan about the draft. even before we get to camp and are SHOCKED when so many fail (cue the casino scene in Casablanca)

Do you know if this includes players who are extended before year 5?

 

[PlainOldEd]

Bedard thinks none of the selected players will see the field much this season. And doesn’t seem bothered by it.

If he’s right, how do we feel about 3 redshirts?

Define "much".

 

[Triumph]

Bedard thinks none of the selected players will see the field much this season. And doesn’t seem bothered by it.

If he’s right, how do we feel about 3 redshirts?

Ridiculous

Super Bowl losing teams lost because they got exposed.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Ridiculous

Super Bowl losing teams lost because they got exposed.

I’m not tracking with you T.

I think his point was none of these players are good enough yet to challenge anyone for playing time. But…all of them are young .

 

[n1997y]

Bedard thinks none of the selected players will see the field much this season. And doesn’t seem bothered by it.

If he’s right, how do we feel about 3 redshirts?

I think he’s wrong. So your question is moot.

 

[patfanken]

Do you know if this includes players who are extended before year 5?

Obviously, a player who is extended would be considered a successful draft pick

 

[UGAPatsfan]

I think he’s wrong. So your question is moot.

I think he’s partially right, partially wrong.

Raridon I can see making some niche plays.

Jacas later in the year.

Lomu…probably does need a year to get stronger.

Really what I was getting at was “if none play much, are we patient enough to let them become starters year 2?”

I am …or will try to be lol.

 

[The Gr8est]

I think he’s partially right, partially wrong.

Raridon I can see making some niche plays.

Jacas later in the year.

Lomu…probably does need a year to get stronger.

Really what I was getting at was “if none play much, are we patient enough to let them become starters year 2?”

I am …or will try to be lol.

The GDT is calling you.

You KNOW you want to answer.

 

[n1997y]

I think he’s partially right, partially wrong.

Raridon I can see making some niche plays.

Jacas later in the year.

Lomu…probably does need a year to get stronger.

Really what I was getting at was “if none play much, are we patient enough to let them become starters year 2?”

I am …or will try to be lol.

I had to break the question down because he’s partly right and partly wrong.

TL;DR: I expect he is on pretty safe ground for our day 1 pick, because he’s not expected to be a first year starter. I think Jacas will emerge as a first year starter. I think Raridon will not see the field much, possibly excepting ST plays.

Lomu will shock everybody if he plays much, if he gets the kind of snaps expected of a top first round pick. We didn’t pick at the top of the first round so the team is not as desperate as teams picking as high as we did last year. But some posters on here are so impatient you’d think they shared that desperation. And Lomu may need the development time, although he would be thrown into the fire if we were as desperate this year as we were last year. But my sense on Thursday was that everybody on here was pretty chill and happy to have him as a redshirt candidate. So I think that answers your question about Lomu, it’s fine.

Jacas I think may be an immediate contributor. I think the opportunity is there for him right away, and what I saw written about him seems to me he’s got what it takes to make the most of it and is ready to to seize it. Moreover he seems to me close enough to what Vrabel was in his heyday to be not exactly a clone but at least a protege, so I don’t think he will be held back in any way. Rather I expect he’ll be groomed for success, unleashed, and put in positions to succeed. It would not surprise me if by mid season we are talking about him as this year’s version of Woodson, an unexpected draft hit. And I say that with full consideration of his second round status and trading up for him setting the bar much higher than Woodson’s fourth round pick. I’m talking about recognition around the league as a draft hit, an emerging star. With his comps being Hendrickson (remember talk about whether we should get him? Now we may have his equivalent, on a rookie deal!) and Judon I think that kind of upside is there. I’m optimistic, and I think Bedard is being pessimistic.

Raridon I think will be the lightening rod for impatient PatsFans posters, especially if Bedard is right about him as I expect he may be. Raridon will be the guy singled out for the “could’ve done better” and “we could’ve had X or Y or Z” when he’s not TE1 coming out of camp. I’m buying the evaluation I saw that he’s ready to compete for TE2, and I’m expecting that competition will be with Henry, and TE1 will be Hill. If it plays out that way it will fuel the criticism I predicted, because having Henry no longer top dog will make people think the job was available for Raridon to seize even if it’s really that Hill showed unexpected upside as a receiver. I think Henry will hang on to the TE2 role because of his trusted experience, so he will slot in to Hooper’s role while Hill is top dog, with Raridon as understudy this season. I’m fine with that, Raridon is not such a high pick and the need isn’t enough to make that outcome bad. In fact I’m expecting we will end up having good tight end play, but in typical PF fashion griping about it because Raridon is only TE3.

But PatsFans posters are not noted for patience and tolerance so I expect some griping. I’d even bet I can name some of the posters who will be first to chime in, lol.

 

[Triumph]

I’m not tracking with you T.

I think his point was none of these players are good enough yet to challenge anyone for playing time. But…all of them are young .

Which is crazy for a team that had a horseshoe in its axx last season.

This team needed to improve today.