DRAFT Draft Rumours 2026

[DaBruinz]

1. I can see Iheanachor and EMW. They’re betting on upside.

2. I struggle to see how Brown, Doubs and Concepcion fit on the same offense. However, if no Brown, I can see Doubs continuing his role as X and Concepcion as Z and slot.

3. If one of the guards, I can only think they’re attracted to freeing up Onwenu’s contract for Brown.

4. If any of the above, I still think they’ve screwed up at EDGE this off-season.

I can't see Concepcion being on the Pats board being that he has issues with drops, body catches too much, and supposeldy freelances routes..

 

[DaBruinz]

New fangled tech. Will never catch on. Give me a desktop computer - they’ll never go the way of the dodo.

Actually I use a laptop but that works less well for comedic effect.

Edit: Even when I click on the down arrow I only get EDIT as an option. It seems I’ll never be able to delete my late night drunken rants in the cold sober light of day.

Not sure if it's still the case, but it used to be that People who were "Supporters" got the Delete button. @Ian would be able to confirm.

 

[bakes781]

Yeah I dont see a delete button either

 

[manxman2601]

Not sure if it's still the case, but it used to be that People who were "Supporters" got the Delete button. @Ian would be able to confirm.

Yes that's the case. I just signed up as a supporter and the delete button appeared. Case solved.

Now I just need a button to delete all posts with Mesidor hate.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

New fangled tech. Will never catch on. Give me a desktop computer - they’ll never go the way of the dodo.

Actually I use a laptop but that works less well for comedic effect.

Edit: Even when I click on the down arrow I only get EDIT as an option. It seems I’ll never be able to delete my late night drunken rants in the cold sober light of day.

I am on my laptop now with Windows 11 and the latest version of Chrome and I see both Edit and Delete buttons in the bottom left corner. The down arrow is only on my phone.

Update: I see that the case is solved. Some people don't support the website

 

[OldEngland]

I can't see Concepcion being on the Pats board being that he has issues with drops, body catches too much, and supposeldy freelances routes..

They brought him in for a top 30 visit.

 

[DaBruinz]

They brought him in for a top 30 visit.

That and $5 will get you a small coffee at Starbucks. It's next to meaningless in the scheme of things.

 

[Ian]

Not sure if it's still the case, but it used to be that People who were "Supporters" got the Delete button. @Ian would be able to confirm.

Obviously a little late on this one - but this is correct, being able to delete a post/thread without a mod is one of the added things for a supporting member here. I apologize - I do need to outline things like this better, and adding a tutorial and such are on my offseason "to-do" list. Life has just been a little challenging as of late, and I'm trying to catch back up, but I'll definitely be putting that together.

 

[OldEngland]

That and $5 will get you a small coffee at Starbucks. It's next to meaningless in the scheme of things.

The organisation used a valuable and limited resource to bring Concepcion in when it is quite possible he won't even be there when they are on the clock. A top 30 is many things, but meaningless is not one of them. So why bring him in?

Injury checks? He had a 'routine' knee scope last month, knee arthroscopies on 21 year olds are not routine, there is a reason, so seems sensible to check that out.

Interviews? He has no character concerns, but has had a journey with a childhood speech impediment. He did a few interviews at the combine that show it and are worth viewing, and he advocates for others with similar issues. I can 100% see why a team would want to bring him in to the team facilities and get to know him a bit better and see the fit.

Private work out? He did all the drills at the combine, but none of the testing, and only ran the 40 at his proday, and as you say drops, speed variances on routes etc, there are a few issue so quite possibly.

Film work? Can he fit into McDaniels offense. He is supposed to have a good football IQ, a chance to test it.

Setting the board? Definitely. If he drops and all the OTs and Mesidor etc are gone and you can't trade down where does he fit?

I think this top 30 is actually quite an interesting one for all the reasons above. Maye needs someone who can get instant separation. He may be on their board for 31, maybe lower, maybe off it as you say. I like the guy and would be happy if the Pats drafted him at 31, although there are other players I would prefer.

 

[manxman2601]

The organisation used a valuable and limited resource to bring Concepcion in when it is quite possible he won't even be there when they are on the clock. A top 30 is many things, but meaningless is not one of them. So why bring him in?

Injury checks? He had a 'routine' knee scope last month, knee arthroscopies on 21 year olds are not routine, there is a reason, so seems sensible to check that out.

Interviews? He has no character concerns, but has had a journey with a childhood speech impediment. He did a few interviews at the combine that show it and are worth viewing, and he advocates for others with similar issues. I can 100% see why a team would want to bring him in to the team facilities and get to know him a bit better and see the fit.

Private work out? He did all the drills at the combine, but none of the testing, and only ran the 40 at his proday, and as you say drops, speed variances on routes etc, there are a few issue so quite possibly.

Film work? Can he fit into McDaniels offense. He is supposed to have a good football IQ, a chance to test it.

Setting the board? Definitely. If he drops and all the OTs and Mesidor etc are gone and you can't trade down where does he fit?

I think this top 30 is actually quite an interesting one for all the reasons above. Maye needs someone who can get instant separation. He may be on their board for 31, maybe lower, maybe off it as you say. I like the guy and would be happy if the Pats drafted him at 31, although there are other players I would prefer.

Excellent post, but one nit-pick.

Private work out? He did all the drills at the combine, but none of the testing, and only ran the 40 at his proday, and as you say drops, speed variances on routes etc, there are a few issue so quite possibly.

Private work outs are not allowed on 30 visits.

Okay, two nit picks. This one's a minor one but the notion needs to be eradicated.

A top 30

They aren't top anything. They're just 30 visits, nothing more. They're not the top prospects, they're not the top of our want list. I told you it was minor, just a private bug-bear

 

[bakes781]

Bug-bear? Had to Google that one lol

 

[OldEngland]

Excellent post, but one nit-pick.



Private work outs are not allowed on 30 visits.

Okay, two nit picks. This one's a minor one but the notion needs to be eradicated.



They aren't top anything. They're just 30 visits, nothing more. They're not the top prospects, they're not the top of our want list. I told you it was minor, just a private bug-bear

Thanks, learn something on the draft board every day . So on 30 visits you can take them out for dinner but not do on-field workouts.

I seem to remember that rule doesn't apply to 'local players', a team can bring them in to the facility, meet and interview etc but still actually work them out. And those local visits aren't included in the 30 either.

In terms of 'top 30 visit', I'm aware its just a lazy term widespread in the media, and has nothing to do with top 30 players on a teams draft board etc. Could be prospects you are interested in, a medical check, interviews with a guy you like or not sure if you like, a potential priority UDFA, or just a bluff to try and fool other teams, I read somewhere one team picked prospects at random one year. Regardless of the reason and motivations its the top 30 prospects a team has decided its most important to bring into their facility to visit that year.

I defintely don't want to cause bugs on your bear, so what are we calling them, '30 visits'?

 

[manxman2601]

Thanks, learn something on the draft board every day . So on 30 visits you can take them out for dinner but not do on-field workouts.

I seem to remember that rule doesn't apply to 'local players', a team can bring them in to the facility, meet and interview etc but still actually work them out. And those local visits aren't included in the 30 either.

In terms of 'top 30 visit', I'm aware it has nothing to do with top 30 players on a teams draft board etc. Could be prospects you are interested in, a medical check, interviews with a guy you like or not sure if you like, a potential priority UDFA, or just a bluff to try and fool other teams, I read somewhere one team picked prospects at random one year. Regardless of the reason and motivations its the top 30 prospects a team has decided its most important to bring into their facility to visit that year.

I defintely don't want to cause bugs on your bear, so what are we calling them, '30 visits'?

Yup. Just 30 visits. I believe the Rams don't do any at all.

And you're right on local players.

 

[DaBruinz]

The organisation used a valuable and limited resource to bring Concepcion in when it is quite possible he won't even be there when they are on the clock. A top 30 is many things, but meaningless is not one of them. So why bring him in?

Yes. It's meaningless in the scheme of things when you consider the number of players brought in and how many of them actually get taken by the team.

Injury checks? He had a 'routine' knee scope last month, knee arthroscopies on 21 year olds are not routine, there is a reason, so seems sensible to check that out.

Actually, all knee athroscopies are considered routine if it doesn't involve replacing the ACL or surgically repairing the other ligaments. The fact that he was already back working out weeks after the procedure says how "routine" it was.

Interviews? He has no character concerns, but has had a journey with a childhood speech impediment. He did a few interviews at the combine that show it and are worth viewing, and he advocates for others with similar issues. I can 100% see why a team would want to bring him in to the team facilities and get to know him a bit better and see the fit.

No Character flaws? Really?? Going out and choosing to free-lance routes sure sounds like a character flaw to me. It says you think you know more than your coaches and that you don't buy into the game plan.

Private work out? He did all the drills at the combine, but none of the testing, and only ran the 40 at his proday, and as you say drops, speed variances on routes etc, there are a few issue so quite possibly.

Film work? Can he fit into McDaniels offense. He is supposed to have a good football IQ, a chance to test it.

What good does Film work do if you can't be bothered to stick to the game plan and think you know more than your coaches? If he's not going to the WR Coach or OC during the game to tell them what he's seeing so they can agree on the adjustment, he's not doing it properly.

Setting the board? Definitely. If he drops and all the OTs and Mesidor etc are gone and you can't trade down where does he fit?

I think this top 30 is actually quite an interesting one for all the reasons above. Maye needs someone who can get instant separation. He may be on their board for 31, maybe lower, maybe off it as you say. I like the guy and would be happy if the Pats drafted him at 31, although there are other players I would prefer.

I wouldn't be happy taking an over-rated guy like Concepcion who will likely lead the team in drops and may not be able to develop a connection with Maye because of it.

 

[OldEngland]

The discussion between 30 visits and drafting is interesting, and maybe worth analysing a little further, is there a correlation or not? I always thought there was but have been wrong many times before.

In 2024 they drafted 5 of the 30 visits Maye, Bell, Milton, Baker and Wallace. That's 5 of the 8 picks, or 63% of the picks had a 30 visit.

In 2025 they drafted 3 of the 30 visits. Campbell, Williams and Farmer. That's 3 of 11 picks, or 27% of the picks had a 30 visit.

In 2023 they drafted 6 of the 30 visits. Mapu, Bolden, Andrews, Ryland, Gonzalez, and Sow. Thats 6 of 12 picks, or 50% of the picks had a 30 visit.

If we take a sample size of the last 3 years, 14 of the 31 picks taken had a 30 visit. That's 45%. Not an insignificant number when you consider there are 31 other teams all picking from the same pool.

Other teams might use them differently, but across 3 different head coaches the Pats have consistently used them with players they later draft. Admittedly the lowest number on that list is 2025 with Vrabel, it will be useful to look at the trend again after the draft.

 

[DaBruinz]

The discussion between 30 visits and drafting is interesting, and maybe worth analysing a little further, is there a correlation or not? I always thought there was but have been wrong many times before.

In 2024 they drafted 5 of the 30 visits Maye, Bell, Milton, Baker and Wallace. That's 5 of the 8 picks, or 63% of the picks had a 30 visit.

In 2025 they drafted 3 of the 30 visits. Campbell, Williams and Farmer. That's 3 of 11 picks, or 27% of the picks had a 30 visit.

In 2023 they drafted 6 of the 30 visits. Mapu, Bolden, Andrews, Ryland, Gonzalez, and Sow. Thats 6 of 12 picks, or 50% of the picks had a 30 visit.

If we take a sample size of the last 3 years, 14 of the 31 picks taken had a 30 visit. That's 45%. Not an insignificant number when you consider there are 31 other teams all picking from the same pool.

Other teams might use them differently, but across 3 different head coaches the Pats have consistently used them with players they later draft. Admittedly the lowest number on that list is 2025 with Vrabel, it will be useful to look at the trend again after the draft.

That's not how sample sizing works. Especially when you have such diverse differences in drafting philosophy across the 3 years you mentioned.

Let's review:
May HC - No idea what he was doing - 2024 - Only Maye and Wallace still remain. So, a 60% failure rate on the "30" visitis.
BB HC - Picking guys "he would enjoy working with" - 2023 - Only Gonzalez remains. That's a 83.3% failure rate.

So, that's 8 of the 11 that have failed to make it through their first contract. That's a 72% failure rate on picks where "30" visits were used by the 2 previous regimes. That should tell you that using the 30 pick as a determining factor to pick that player is more likely to result in a failure.

Drawing the conclusions that you have is ridiculous. Especially when you consider the change in HC. The fact that only 3 of 11 picks had 30 visits AND the fact that the Pats had zero contact with Henderson prior to the draft should tell you that 30 visits have little to no bearing (aka meaningless) on who is going to be drafted.

 

[manxman2601]

In 2025 they drafted 3 of the 30 visits. Campbell, Williams and Farmer. That's 3 of 11 picks, or 27% of the picks had a 30 visit.

I think it was 4. Craig Woodson said he came on a visit although it wasn't known about before the draft.

 

[manxman2601]

That's not how sample sizing works. Especially when you have such diverse differences in drafting philosophy across the 3 years you mentioned.

Let's review:
May HC - No idea what he was doing - 2024 - Only Maye and Wallace still remain. So, a 60% failure rate on the "30" visitis.
BB HC - Picking guys "he would enjoy working with" - 2023 - Only Gonzalez remains. That's a 83.3% failure rate.

So, that's 8 of the 11 that have failed to make it through their first contract. That's a 72% failure rate on picks where "30" visits were used by the 2 previous regimes. That should tell you that using the 30 pick as a determining factor to pick that player is more likely to result in a failure.

Drawing the conclusions that you have is ridiculous. Especially when you consider the change in HC. The fact that only 3 of 11 picks had 30 visits AND the fact that the Pats had zero contact with Henderson prior to the draft should tell you that 30 visits have little to no bearing (aka meaningless) on who is going to be drafted.

If they were meaningless, why would they even do them?