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2026 Mock Draft Thread

I would be surprised if we took 2 IOL unless we plan to trade/cut Owenu. That said you did take Zuhn late, and there is nothing wrong with that. Wallace is probably gone, so that free's up one spot.

There are only 2 ways this makes sense:
The Pats move to carry 10 OL or the Pats jettison one of Brown or Onwenu.

Current OT Locks:
Campbell
Moses

Current IOL Locks:
AVT
Brown
Onwenu
Wilson


Current others:
OT:
Hudson
Bryant
Metz
Gutierrez

IOL:
Wallace
Rupcich
Mehki Butler

Zuhn is raw for IOL having played all of 1 game at Center as a senior. 49 out of 50 games were spent at Left Tackle. So, even projecting him to the Right side will make him a project. We also know that some Tackles can't make the switch. We saw it with Vederian Lowe.
 
We have an old RT, an injured-history LG, a RG with a Fat $ contract and weight issues, and 2 2nd year starters who missed time in their rookie campaigns. If that doesn't spell the need for some player diversity IDK what does.
Agreed, taking 2 IOL is not out of the realm of possibility.
It's not sexy, but there is logic behind it.
Bottom line is we have a lot of needs, LB, TE, WR (without an AJ trade), OT, Edge, DT may not be a need a huge need today but could definitely be upgraded and who knows what our plans are for Barmore and how short of a leash he is on, Safety, CB......
 
There are only 2 ways this makes sense:
The Pats move to carry 10 OL or the Pats jettison one of Brown or Onwenu.

Current OT Locks:
Campbell
Moses

Current IOL Locks:
AVT
Brown
Onwenu
Wilson


Current others:
OT:
Hudson
Bryant
Metz
Gutierrez

IOL:
Wallace
Rupcich
Mehki Butler

Zuhn is raw for IOL having played all of 1 game at Center as a senior. 49 out of 50 games were spent at Left Tackle. So, even projecting him to the Right side will make him a project. We also know that some Tackles can't make the switch. We saw it with Vederian Lowe.
I would have no problems with Zuhn in the 5th.
Some guys can't make the switch, some guys can (Mankins), but a 5th is a good spot to take that risk.
 
I've not seen anything to convince me that Michigan LBs are to be avoided at all costs.. *LOL*

I'd have taken Sobkowicz over Tomczak (amy relation to Mike?).

Not sure I see the wisdom in taking Zuhn after you took Rutledge unless you think that Zuhn will be your Swing Tackle in the future...
Zuhn can backup all five slots. Whether that's worth coaching or not is a decision for the coaches.
 
So close to getting honor roll!

 
So close to getting honor roll!


Sorry. But I give this a D.
Trading down twice and screwing yourself out of a 2nd round pick makes zero sense.. You compounded that by trading that pick out of the 3rd round completely.

Miller, Payne and Moore are the only decent picks.
I'm not sure that Lance is a good enough player to replace Mack Hollins.

Stowers is a Move TE who shies away from physicality.

Height isn't a fit for what Vrabel is trying to do. Height has almost no power to his pass rush. He doesn't have the explosiveness to rely on speed around the edge consistently. He also has issues tackling.. Preferring to hit and have people get knocked over.. Which won't fly at the NFL Level.

Logan Jones has too many injury red flags.. Also, What's the point of an undersized Center who can't handle bull rushes? I would have thought the experiment with Wilson at OG would have been an indicator that a move to OG wouldn't work well.

Hibner is a decent blocker but will have trouble getting open because he lacks any sort of twitch.

Why did you draft Aaron Anderson? He's a short guy who has S**T for agility. 4.7 Short Shuttle and a 7.3 3-cone????

As for Whittington, He did absolutely none of the Athletic testing. Big Red flag there. Also has serious Injury flags. Being a character guy doesn't mean much if your not on the field.

Honest question: What was your actual criteria for drafting players?
 
Sorry. But I give this a D.
Trading down twice and screwing yourself out of a 2nd round pick makes zero sense.. You compounded that by trading that pick out of the 3rd round completely.

Miller, Payne and Moore are the only decent picks.
I'm not sure that Lance is a good enough player to replace Mack Hollins.

Stowers is a Move TE who shies away from physicality.

Height isn't a fit for what Vrabel is trying to do. Height has almost no power to his pass rush. He doesn't have the explosiveness to rely on speed around the edge consistently. He also has issues tackling.. Preferring to hit and have people get knocked over.. Which won't fly at the NFL Level.

Logan Jones has too many injury red flags.. Also, What's the point of an undersized Center who can't handle bull rushes? I would have thought the experiment with Wilson at OG would have been an indicator that a move to OG wouldn't work well.

Hibner is a decent blocker but will have trouble getting open because he lacks any sort of twitch.

Why did you draft Aaron Anderson? He's a short guy who has S**T for agility. 4.7 Short Shuttle and a 7.3 3-cone????

As for Whittington, He did absolutely none of the Athletic testing. Big Red flag there. Also has serious Injury flags. Being a character guy doesn't mean much if your not on the field.

Honest question: What was your actual criteria for drafting players?
I was aiming for honor roll lmao

Tgif bruh chillax
 
31. Blake Miller OT Clemson
63.T.J. Parker EDGE Clemson
95.Domonique Orange DT Iowa State
125.Dallen Bentley TE Utah
131.Jeff Caldwell WR Cincinnati
171.Jack Kelly LB BYU
191.Devon Marshall CB NC State
198.Wydette Williams S Ole Miss
202.Micah Morris OG Georgia
212.Q Hutchins EDGE Boston College
247.Uar Bernard, DT Nigeria
 
31.Blake Miller OT Clemson
63.T.J. Parker EDGE Clemson
95.Domonique Orange DT Iowa State
125.Dallen Bentley TE Utah
131.Jeff Caldwell WR Cincinnati
171.Jack Kelly LB BYU
191.Devon Marshall CB NC State
198.Wydette Williams S Ole Miss
202.Micah Morris OG Georgia
212.Q Hutchins EDGE Boston College
247.Uar Bernard, DT Nigeria
It's good, but a pipe dream.
You aren't getting Parker and Orange where you got them.
 
Iheanachor got sniped ahead of us so settled for Blake Miller and he's probably the more NFL-ready prospect so that feels like a win.
Felt like the trade up for Jacas was worth it since there was a run on edge rushers and he felt like the last good one in the 2nd.
DDS was a double dip and it looks like we got punished by the grade engine for redundancy.

Fields felt like a good value in the 4th. In hindsight maybe we don't trade up for Roush because we could have still gotten Koziol later.
Felt good about the late picks in Capehart, Fuller, and Caldwell but would have liked one more late pick to get a linebacker. Overall I felt good about the double dips at Edge and WR.

Just 8 picks taken but I feel these guys can compete in camp and we should find a few winners out of this group. How'd I do?

 

OTs off the board in the first just ahead of us. They had Delp ranked 59 I believe. I could have had Burke over Bowery, he was way down on the board and I didn't see him.

I like the trade down scenario in the first if the RTs are gone.
 

OTs off the board in the first just ahead of us. They had Delp ranked 59 I believe. I could have had Burke over Bowery, he was way down on the board and I didn't see him.

I like the trade down scenario in the first if the RTs are gone.
Nice mock but I just want to focus on the Big Citrus pick. I'm only doing so because immediately before seeing this mock, I was watching Alex Barth and Taylor Kyles talking about DTs and focusing entirely on NT types. It's understandable as Tonga is the only DT that needs to be 'replaced'.

However, the pre-draft meetings have been almost entirely focused on 3 techs. Now pre-draft meetings aren't everything but they're the only real clue we have. I think it makes sense though. We have Barmore-Durden-Farmer who are more suited to the 1-tech but we don't really have someone who can rotate with Milton Williams and give us what he offers in terms of quick penetration. A Kaleb Proctor, Tyler Onyedim, Gracen Halton or Landon Robinson offer that. So I've been thinking that if we do go DT, I think it might be more of a 3 rather than 1-tech. That's just my hunch although I could be very wrong.
 
That honor roll will be my goal lol

 
Nice mock but I just want to focus on the Big Citrus pick. I'm only doing so because immediately before seeing this mock, I was watching Alex Barth and Taylor Kyles talking about DTs and focusing entirely on NT types. It's understandable as Tonga is the only DT that needs to be 'replaced'.

However, the pre-draft meetings have been almost entirely focused on 3 techs. Now pre-draft meetings aren't everything but they're the only real clue we have. I think it makes sense though. We have Barmore-Durden-Farmer who are more suited to the 1-tech but we don't really have someone who can rotate with Milton Williams and give us what he offers in terms of quick penetration. A Kaleb Proctor, Tyler Onyedim, Gracen Halton or Landon Robinson offer that. So I've been thinking that if we do go DT, I think it might be more of a 3 rather than 1-tech. That's just my hunch although I could be very wrong.

I hear you on the pre draft visits. That being said do we feel comfortable with the level of 1-tech play that Barmore, Burden and Farmer provide?
 
I hear you on the pre draft visits. That being said do we feel comfortable with the level of 1-tech play that Barmore, Burden and Farmer provide?
I was. You weren't?

I thought Barmore and Durden were terrific in the playoffs.
 
You have a more informed opinion than I do. I was under the impression that they were more 1 3 tweeners.
 
You have a more informed opinion than I do. I was under the impression that they were more 1 3 tweeners.
They are but I think that suits what Vrabel wants. He wants penetration (Dianna Russini joke not intended), not space eaters.
 
They are but I think that suits what Vrabel wants. He wants penetration (Dianna Russini joke not intended), not space eaters.
I think that is correct but their will be instances where a space eater is more important depending on opponent...something like 80% getting after the QB and 20% clogging the holes. JMO
 
I think that is correct but their will be instances where a space eater is more important depending on opponent...something like 80% getting after the QB and 20% clogging the holes. JMO
When Vrabel signed, I looked back at the Titans drafts and rosters. He did have space eaters, but they were almost always very late draft picks, UDFAs or cheap FAs. I don't think there was one highly drafted one. That speaks to the 20% role on the roster.

That doesn't mean I don't think he drafts someone like Kayden Mcdonald or Caleb Banks who are premier prospects, but it does make me question mid round picks.

Again, this is just my interpretation and I could be very wrong.
 
I think that is correct but their will be instances where a space eater is more important depending on opponent...something like 80% getting after the QB and 20% clogging the holes. JMO
I agree, but it seems like there are R1 guys, McDonald, Banks and Woods, and then R5/R6 guys, Corleone, Capehart, and Van den Berg, to clog the holes. Not sure we need a R1 guy when the R5/R6 guys seem quite good and we have four R6 selections. There seems to be so many DTs this year, we could possibly add a 2nd one as a UDFA? Did the Pats know this and that is why they let Tonga go?
 
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