James Foster Big Board and Profiles

[mayoclinic]

Thought this deserved its own thread:

2026 NFL Draft Guide

 

[manxman2601]

Thought this deserved its own thread:

2026 NFL Draft Guide

Sonny Styles over Arvell Reese. I sort of sgree but not entirely. Reese has the positional flexibilty upside but I do think Styles is the better pure linebacker.

Kayden McDonald over Peter Woods. That wouldn't surprise me.

Dillon Thieneman at 22. I've been coming around to him being an option for us in the 1st.

Lee Hunter at 48. We're at the start of the time of year where my perceived bargains start to evaporate.

In Foster's world, my 3 binkies, Mesidor, Keionte Scott and Stukes are gone by pick 96. That would be galling. I might need some new late round binkies.

Skyler Bell (117) and Zachariah Branch (118). round 4 would be a good place to pick up a WR.

Dani Dennis Sutton at 199. That would be quite the fall from pre-season first rounder if that came true.

I wonder why he hasn't got round to Carter Smith yet who is ungraded on his board.

 

[mayoclinic]

3. Sonny Styles
4. Arvell Reese
5. Jermod McCoy
6. Jordyn Tyson
7. Carnell Tate
8. Caleb Downs
9. Caleb Banks
10. Rieben Bain
11. Makai Lemon
12. David Bailey
13. Jeremiyah Love
15. Kayden McDonald
16. KC Concepcion
17. Peter Woods
18. Keldric Faulk
20. Mansoor Delane
22. Dillon Thieneman
23. Kenyon Sadiq
26. CJ Allen
27. Avieon Terrell
28. Chris Bell
46. Cashius Howell
48. Lee Hunter
68. Zakee Wheatley
Keionte Scott
85. Treydan Stukes
87. Akheem Mesidor
95. Yhonzae Pierre
107. R Mason Thomas

OLs:

14. Francis Mauigoa
19. Emmanuel Pregnon
21. Olaivavega Ioane
24. Caleb Lomu
25.Spencer Fanu
30. Trevor Goosby
32. Blake Miller
40. Austin Sievereld
42. Monroe Freeling
45. Chase Bisontis
49. Kadyn Prosper
55. Cayden Green
73. Max Iheanachor
79. Matt Gulbin
86. Kade Pieper
89. Isaiah World
94. Logan Jones
111. Caleb Tiernan
137. Keylon Rutledge
140. Conner Kew
144.Brian Parker
146. Niki Prongos
151. Kage Casey
195. Jake Slaughter
200.
285. Carter Smith

 

[mayoclinic]

Was still working through his list when Manx posted.

Some interesting rankings.

 

[mayoclinic]

He has Jake Golday at 59 and TJ Parker at 61.

 

[mayoclinic]

Some update Foster rankings:

2. Sonny Styles
8. Trevor Goosby
12. David Bailey
13. Caleb Banks
21. Emmanuel Pregnon
24. Olaivavega Ioane
26. Kenyon Sadiq
27. Kayden McDonald
31. Lee Hunter
33. Devin Moore
37. Max Iheanachor
41. TJ Parker
43. Austin Siereveld
45. Malachi Lawrence
46. Kenyatta Jackson
48. Monroe Freeling
55. Keionte Scott
59. Cayden Green
63. Jake Golday
66. Carter Smith
74. Akheem Mesidor
78. Treydan Stukes
84. Kade Pieper
96. Yhonzae Pierre
100. Zakee Wheatley

I don't agree with some of his rankings - for example, he has Bryce Lance at 71, and I do not have him in my top 200. But I certainly take them very seriously.

 

[manxman2601]

Some update Foster rankings:

2. Sonny Styles
8. Trevor Goosby
12. David Bailey
13. Caleb Banks
21. Emmanuel Pregnon
24. Olaivavega Ioane
26. Kenyon Sadiq
27. Kayden McDonald
31. Lee Hunter
33. Devin Moore
37. Max Iheanachor
41. TJ Parker
43. Austin Siereveld
45. Malachi Lawrence
46. Kenyatta Jackson
48. Monroe Freeling
55. Keionte Scott
59. Cayden Green
63. Jake Golday
66. Carter Smith
74. Akheem Mesidor
78. Treydan Stukes
84. Kade Pieper
96. Yhonzae Pierre
100. Zakee Wheatley

I don't agree with some of his rankings - for example, he has Bryce Lance at 71, and I do not have him in my top 200. But I certainly take them very seriously.

The one thing we know about James is that he watches the film.

 

[mayoclinic]

Foster's top-100 IOL rankings, including potential tackle conversions (*):

16. Francis Mauigoa, Miami (*)
20. Spencer Fano, Utah (*)
21. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
24. Olaivavega alone, Penn St.
43. Austin Siereveld, Ohio St. (*)
50. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
59. Cayden Green, Missouri (*)
66. Carter Smith, Indiana (*)
79. Matt Gulbin, Michigan St.
83. Logan Jones, Iowa
84. Kade Pieper, Iowa
92. Conner Lew, Auburn
99. Gennings Dunker, Iowa (*)

Beau Stephens is at 112, Keylan Rutledge 138, Brian Parker 145, and Trey Zuhn 150.

 

[manxman2601]

Foster's top-100 IOL rankings, including potential tackle conversions (*):

16. Francis Mauigoa, Miami (*)
20. Spencer Fano, Utah (*)
21. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon
24. Olaivavega alone, Penn St.
43. Austin Siereveld, Ohio St. (*)
50. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M
59. Cayden Green, Missouri (*)
66. Carter Smith, Indiana (*)
79. Matt Gulbin, Michigan St.
83. Logan Jones, Iowa
84. Kade Pieper, Iowa
92. Conner Lew, Auburn
99. Gennings Dunker, Iowa (*)

Beau Stephens is at 112, Keylan Rutledge 138, Brian Parker 145, and Trey Zuhn 150.

The Iowa guys in the 3rd and 4th rounds are very appealing to grab a center and RG while keeping Wilson at LG. It gives you more flexibility in rounds 1 & 2 to grab an edge rusher/safety/linebacker/RT.

how about:

FA - Edge rusher (Jaelan Phillips?) - also gives you time to develop Swinson and Ponder and see what they can be.
FA- Re-sign Hawkins. We can't fix everything in the draft

1st - Monroe Freeling - a backup LT is almost as important as a developmental RT right now. Lowe isn't it.
2nd - Jake Golday - 3 way LB backup with starter upside.
3rd - Logan Jones/Kade Pieper - Center
4th - Gennings Dunker/ Beau Stephens - RG

Day three - backup DBs.

It's not an exciting year one draft for potential starters but I think it's a strong long-term fix for the OL and I do like Golday's flexibility. A sensible draft rather than an exciting one.

 

[manxman2601]

The Iowa guys in the 3rd and 4th rounds are very appealing to grab a center and RG while keeping Wilson at LG. It gives you more flexibility in rounds 1 & 2 to grab an edge rusher/safety/linebacker/RT.

how about:

FA - Edge rusher (Jaelan Phillips?) - also gives you time to develop Swinson and Ponder and see what they can be.
FA- Re-sign Hawkins. We can't fix everything in the draft

1st - Monroe Freeling - a backup LT is almost as important as a developmental RT right now. Lowe isn't it.
2nd - Jake Golday - 3 way LB backup with starter upside.
3rd - Logan Jones/Kade Pieper - Center
4th - Gennings Dunker/ Beau Stephens - RG

Day three - backup DBs.

It's not an exciting year one draft for potential starters but I think it's a strong long-term fix for the OL and I do like Golday's flexibility. A sensible draft rather than an exciting one.

I've become more and more convinced that if we're going to maximise Henderson as a key offensive threat, which he clearly can be, we need to be running plenty of outside zone. The athleticism of the Iowa OL is ideal for that with the athleticism of the left side in Campbell/Wilson already in place.

 

[mayoclinic]

Kade Pieper is made for the outside zone:



Campbell-Wilson-Pieper would be ideal for wide zone.

 

[manxman2601]

Kade Pieper is made for the outside zone:



Campbell-Wilson-Pieper would be ideal for wide zone.

You and your RS sophomores. I agree, excellent quick feet in space. It's not as though Stephens- Jones-Dunker are unathletic though, particularly Jones.

 

[mayoclinic]

I would probably like Jones better if he were a RS sophomore.

 

[stelfans]

The problem with that is you won’t solve our biggest issue this year:running inside.
As much as I like Pieper, I want to belief we already have the center position covered with Wilson. I’d rather go for a a guard that IDEALLY, could do both things be athletic enough for those outside runs but sturdy enough to run inside.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think Wilson and Pieper will be both sturdy enough at LG and C, love their athleticism. No one complains about Tyler Linderbaum as a liability for the inside run.

Happy to stick a somewhat more physical type at RG (Austin Siereveld or Carter Smith my favorites), but I would max out athleticism if I could.

 

[stelfans]

I think Wilson and Pieper will be both sturdy enough at LG and C, love their athleticism. No one complains about Tyler Linderbaum as a liability for the inside run.

Happy to stick a somewhat more physical type at RG (Austin Siereveld or Carter Smith my favorites), but I would max out athleticism if I could.

No matter how much you or me want to believe in that, it’s not what Wilson has shown this year. Maybe he improves (hopefully), and that’s exactly what I’m counting on, an improvement at C. But at LG..I don’t know I have to see it to believe it.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

The problem with that is you won’t solve our biggest issue this year:running inside.
As much as I like Pieper, I want to belief we already have the center position covered with Wilson. I’d rather go for a a guard that IDEALLY, could do both things be athletic enough for those outside runs but sturdy enough to run inside.

Agree. Pieper does not look very sturdy. The athleticism is great, see Garrett Bradbury, but we need a bit more power inside.

 

[mayoclinic]

No matter how much you or me want to believe in that, it’s not what Wilson has shown this year. Maybe he improves (hopefully), and that’s exactly what I’m counting on, an improvement at C. But at LG..I don’t know I have to see it to believe it.

We'll have to disagree on this one. I think Wilson has done well and continued to improve at LG, love his athleticism there.

I'm fine moving him to C, but also fine keeping him at LG, depending on who is available.

 

[manxman2601]

The problem with that is you won’t solve our biggest issue this year:running inside.
As much as I like Pieper, I want to belief we already have the center position covered with Wilson. I’d rather go for a a guard that IDEALLY, could do both things be athletic enough for those outside runs but sturdy enough to run inside.

Using 'gap' grades as a surrogate for being able to move bodies inside, the OL who are good at both is a fairly short list:

I used a grade of 70 for both as a cutoff.

Emmanuel Pregnon (93.4 zone, 70.0 gap)
Keagen Trost (92.0, 70.7)
Kadyn Proctor (85.3, 70.7)
JC Davis (83.5, 74.5)
Austin Siereveld (83.5, 72.0)
PJ Williams (83.3, 70.7)
Austin Barber (81.5, 77.5)
Carter Smith (79.9, 79.9)
Matt Gulbin (77.7, 70.4)
Spencer Fano (76.3, 79.7)
Keylan Rutledge (76.0, 70.7)
Vega Ioane (74.5, 71.4)
Logan Taylor (74.3, 70.1)
Francis Mauigoa (73.4, 75.1)
Blake Miller (71.9, 72.4)

The four I highlighted are arguably the best all-rounders when it comes to run blocking, but all are fine. I was surprised by Austin Barber being so good.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Good year to need a RT. Seems regardless of where the Pats eventually seed in the playoffs
will be able to land a good one with precise scouting.