2026 Watch List

[manxman2601]

Uh-oh on Scott. Still, some new names to study.

 

[mayoclinic]

This is awesome!

"New names to study" was my immediate thought.

 

[mayoclinic]

Dane Brugler’s Early 2026 NFL Draft Outlook – DanPatrick.com

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

Uh-oh on Scott. Still, some new names to study.

He asked scouts for 1 name and then provides a list of 21 names. I guess the scouts didn't agree on that 1 name.

 

[mayoclinic]

James Foster top 100:

 

[manxman2601]

James Foster top 100:

I like it. Has a ring of truth to it.

 

[mayoclinic]

1. Arvell Reese
13. David Bailey
14. Olaivavega Ioane
16. KC Concepcion
18. Blake Miller
21. Caleb Downs
25. Sonny Styles
28. Emmanuel Pregnon
34. Max Iheanachor
38.Chase Bisontis
47. Jake Golday
52. Brian Parker
58. Mateen Ibirogba
59. Zakee Wheatley
76. Niki Prongos
77. Trevor Goosby
95. Kade Pieper

Lot of guys missing - not sure if he doesn't rate them highly, or hasn't focused on them.

 

[mayoclinic]

I like it. Has a ring of truth to it.

It's truth according to 1 very good evaluator's set of eyes. I like that he isn't going by reputation (no TJ Parker in his top 100). I give a lot of weight to his opinions.

That said, I don't agree with everything. I think Caleb Tiernan is stiff as a board and will be a career backup, to give just one example. Tons of others.

But it's a great list.

 

[manxman2601]

2 reasons for this post.

1. To point out hoe remarkable the Texas Tech defense has been

2. I admit, it's a bit of a binky post.

The highest draftable defensive grades. This is the general overall defense grade.

1. Rueben Bain, Miami - 93.8
2. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech - 93.5
3. David Bailey - Texas Tech - 92.5
4. Romello Height, Texas Tech - 92.4
5. Red Murdock, Buffalo - 91.7
6. Clev Lubin, Louisville - 91.6
7. Chris Johnson, San Diego State - 91.4
8. Emmanuel McNeil - Warren, Toledo - 91.2
9. Michael Taaffe, Texas - 90.9
10. Keionte Scott, Miami - 90.5
11. Bishop Fitzgerald, USC - 90.3
12. Akheem Mesidor, Miami - 90.3
13. John Henry Daley, Utah - 90.2
14. Mansoor Delane, LSU - 89.9
15. Derrick Moore, Michigan - 89.1
16. Treydan Stukes, Arizona - 89.1
17. Skyler Gill-Howard, Texas Tech - 88.2
18. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State - 87.6
19. Caden Curry, Ohio State - 86.8
20. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M - 85.9
21. CJ Allen, Georgia - 85.7
22. Sonny Styles, Ohio State - 84.9


Arvell Reese actually doesn't score that high with PFF which is certainly a criticism of the metric.

 

[Clonamery]

College Football 2026 NFL Draft Stock Up Week 11: Ty Simpson, Jake Retzlaff, Deontae Lawson & More

Today we'll touch on a dozen college football players from Week 11

open.substack.com

 

[mayoclinic]

2 reasons for this post.

1. To point out hoe remarkable the Texas Tech defense has been

2. I admit, it's a bit of a binky post.

The highest draftable defensive grades. This is the general overall defense grade.

1. Rueben Bain, Miami - 93.8
2. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech - 93.5
3. David Bailey - Texas Tech - 92.5
4. Romello Height, Texas Tech - 92.4
5. Red Murdock, Buffalo - 91.7
6. Clev Lubin, Louisville - 91.6
7. Chris Johnson, San Diego State - 91.4
8. Emmanuel McNeil - Warren, Toledo - 91.2
9. Michael Taaffe, Texas - 90.9
10. Keionte Scott, Miami - 90.5
11. Bishop Fitzgerald, USC - 90.3
12. Akheem Mesidor, Miami - 90.3
13. John Henry Daley, Utah - 90.2
14. Mansoor Delane, LSU - 89.9
15. Derrick Moore, Michigan - 89.1
16. Treydan Stukes, Arizona - 89.1
17. Skyler Gill-Howard, Texas Tech - 88.2
18. Kayden McDonald, Ohio State - 87.6
19. Caden Curry, Ohio State - 86.8
20. Cashius Howell, Texas A&M - 85.9
21. CJ Allen, Georgia - 85.7
22. Sonny Styles, Ohio State - 84.9


Arvell Reese actually doesn't score that high with PFF which is certainly a criticism of the metric.

You put much more faith in PFF grades than I do. I largely agree with TommyD4207: " It's a fradulent, made-up grading system with zero oversight, and everyone just accepts it as fact."

 

[manxman2601]

You put much more faith in PFF grades than I do. I largely agree with TommyD4207: " It's a fradulent, made-up grading system with zero oversight, and everyone just accepts it as fact."

Name me a better source for grading players consistently and equally and I'll use it. And what is fraudulent about it? It may be fraudulent, made up and have zero oversight (it isn't and is usually an accusation made by those who don't like the results) but it still grades consistently and is a useful tool for making comparisons.

 

[mayoclinic]

That's why I assume you use it.

I glance at PFF grades, but don't give them much weight. Have seen a million cases of great play with a PFF grades that does not correlate.

This from your compatriot Rob Staton, for example:

Why it’s time we all stopped paying as much attention as we do to PFF grades – Seahawks Draft Blog

seahawksdraftblog.com

Many of their grades don't pass the sniff test. Enough to make me not willing to put much credence in them.

That is not to say that the people you've highlighted aren't great players having great seasons. But not because of their PFF grades.

 

[mayoclinic]

College Football 2026 NFL Draft Stock Up Week 11: Ty Simpson, Jake Retzlaff, Deontae Lawson & More

Today we'll touch on a dozen college football players from Week 11

sportstalk.substack.com

Emmanuel Pregnon, Keionte Scotte, Akheem Mesidoe (all roads lead to Akheem Mesidor), and more.

 

[manxman2601]

From that article.

I’m sure people will try to explain this away by saying perhaps PFF is accounting for penalties (he’s had three for the season) or missed tackles (also three). Yet I feel like I know what I’m watching

That simply doesn’t pass the smell test in the slightest.

The whole point of PFF is to go beyond "the smell test" or how one feels about what they're watching. It's about independent evaluation. Basically Rob is pissed that they don't like the players he likes as much as he does. That's hardly a surprise. One consistent theme amongst PFF truthers is that they don't like it because they're not as high on players they like as they are. You don't see complaints from people who think PFF are over-evaluating players they like.

Is PFF the be all and end all of player evaluation? Of course not. Is it a useful tool for getting an independent take on players, particularly when comparing more than one? Yes, and it's the only one we've got as far as I know, or can afford.

PFF should not be the only tool used to assess a player, but it's useful in targeting film watching. For example, when I start my film study it's useful to know which games a prospect played well in and which they didn't so I can target those games to see a prospect's strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Clonamery]

From that article.





The whole point of PFF is to go beyond "the smell test" or how one feels about what they're watching. It's about independent evaluation. Basically Rob is pissed that they don't like the players he likes as much as he does. That's hardly a surprise. One consistent theme amongst PFF truthers is that they don't like it because they're not as high on players they like as they are. You don't see complaints from people who think PFF are over-evaluating players they like.

Is PFF the be all and end all of player evaluation? Of course not. Is it a useful tool for getting an independent take on players, particularly when comparing more than one? Yes, and it's the only one we've got as far as I know, or can afford.

PFF should not be the only tool used to assess a player, but it's useful in targeting film watching. For example, when I start my film study it's useful to know which games a prospect played well in and which they didn't so I can target those games to see a prospect's strengths and weaknesses.

As an insurance underwriter this is as good a process as any when looking from the outside in at a risk without much in the way of onsite inspection. Data adds to film and any live or game play you watch.

 

[manxman2601]

Dane Brugler's new top 50 is out.

2026 NFL Draft rankings: Which prospects earned a spot on latest top-50 board?

For all its faults, the 2026 quarterback class has generated some positive momentum — just not as much as Ohio State's Arvell Reese.

www.nytimes.com

For those of you without an Athletic or NYT subscription, some highlights.

1. Arvell Reese
2. Ty Simpson
6. Rueben Bain
13. Peter Woods
14. David Bailey
20. Makai Lemon
25. Brandon Cisse, CB, S. Carolina (new one for me)
26. Sonny Styles
27. TJ Parker
28. Vega Ioane
29. KC Concepcion
31. Chris Bell
32. Zion Young

I really like all those 26-32 picks

33. Germie Bernard.
35. Cashius Howell
39. Jadarian Price (Boo!)
40. Quincy Rhodes
42. Jake Golday
47. Emmanuel Pregnon
50. Carter Smith

No Siereveld

 

[mayoclinic]

On that board, Sonny Styles (26) and Vega Ioane (28) would probably be best case scenario.

Styles and Blake Miller, or Ioane and Jake Golday would be dream scenarios. Golday at 42 breaks my heart, he might be a 1st round option.

No Blake Miller, Siereveld, And other OLs. None of my favorite DBs.

Cisse has showed up in a few mocks recently. Need to study him more.

 

[manxman2601]

On that board, Sonny Styles (26) and Vega Ioane (28) would probably be best case scenario.

Styles and Blake Miller, or Ioane and Jake Golday would be dream scenarios. Golday at 42 breaks my heart, he might be a 1st round option.

No Blake Miller, Siereveld, And other OLs. None of my favorite DBs.

Cisse has showed up in a few mocks recently. Need to study him more.

Yup. Ioane, Styles or TJ Parker (although he'll need a better 3-cone)

or trade back for Golday, Rhodes, Pregnon, Smith.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm really concerned about that 3-cone time of Parker. Suggests he is too stiff.