The 2026 Draft

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I do have Tate as a 1st round WR as are Jordyn Tyson and Omar Cooper. I have Makai Lemon as a top 20 pick, ahead of those 3. The NFL is primarily a zone coverage league these days. If selected in the 1st or 2nd round of the 2026 NFL Draft, both Denzel Boston & KC Concepcion would join a group of receivers since 2019 with >2.0 YPRR vs man but <2.0 YPRR vs zone that include:
  • Terrace Marshall Jr
  • N’Keal Harry
  • Denzel Mims
  • KJ Hamler
Efficiency against zone coverage is an absolute must for WRs these days in the NFL.
I've downgraded Boston and Concepcion to 3rd round prospects for the Patriots because of inefficiency against zone coverage.

edit to add Tyquan Thornton and Buffalo's Keion Coleman to this list above.
 
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chevss454 said:
'26 WRs by Contested Catch - % & absolute numbers.
As a general rule, high % rate and low absolute numbers are desired.
Low numbers indicate ability to separate. High % rate indicates ability and willingness to fight for the ball. Pretty obvious.
High numbers in college translate to smothered coverage in the NFL.

How I've been taught to grade:
% - Above 60 is great; >50 is good; >40 is acceptable; <40 is a red flag and mandates further tape study.
Absolute number - <1 per game is acceptable. >1.5/game demands further study as to why (slow, poor route running, poor release, rounded stem breaks, etc., double teamed, etc.)

There are some glaring outliers that are red flags to me in this table and require a deep dive to determine why.
Daniels (Miami), M. Fields (ND), Sarratt (IU), Brazell (Tenn-a Lazar fav), Bernard (Bama) are surprising. Kendrick Law (KY) is a late round/UDFA prospect.

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I've been wondering why Fields is so highly regarded in this draft. He never really popped, came up kinda small in big spots, and while he was a big target and could fight for the ball, he was rarely open unless he'd just beat his man clean. I think he could be okay, but where he's being projected... :huh:
 
The more I look into these '26 WR draft prospects the more I believe that the Pats will have to upgrade their WR room through FA or trade rather than the draft.
Lemon, Tyson, Tate and Cooper are the only guys I value with pick 31.
Not happy about it but it is what it is.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
Aren't you kinda worried about the recent success rate of Oohi WRs in the NFL? :coffee:
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- Smith-Njigba
  • Garret Wilson
  • Terry McLaurin
  • Emeka Egbuka
  • Chris Olave
  • Marvin H. Jr
  • Jameson Williams was a buckeye before transferring to Bama

Who are you concerned about?
 
chevss454 said:
- Smith-Njigba
  • Garret Wilson
  • Terry McLaurin
  • Emeka Egbuka
  • Chris Olave
  • Marvin H. Jr
  • Jameson Williams was a buckeye before transferring to Bama

Who are you concerned about?
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Wuz being sarcastic. They've been on quite a run recently. Catching up with LSU's recent run. Probably better depth, though LSU's top stars are probably brighter.
 
TipRoast said:
I feel so ancient - I'm a year older than Stanley Morgan.

Thank you for putting things in perspective for me. :biggrin:
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YOU feel ancient? I'm 8 years older than the Stanley Steamer.

My watershed moment was in the summer of '74, living in New Bedford and following the Pawtucket Red Sox and these two kids they had, Jim Rice and Fred Lynn, and realizing I was five years older than one and six years older than the other. It hit me while I was driving back from Rhode somewhere around Swansea or Somerset, and I've never forgotten that disheartening feeling of having done nothing with my life.
 
spacecrime said:
YOU feel ancient? I'm 8 years older than the Stanley Steamer.

My watershed moment was in the summer of '74, living in New Bedford and following the Pawtucket Red Sox and these two kids they had, Jim Rice and Fred Lynn, and realizing I was five years older than one and six years older than the other. It hit me while I was driving back from Rhode somewhere around Swansea or Somerset, and I've never forgotten that disheartening feeling of having done nothing with my life.
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I remember on my 30th birthday. I looked in the mirror and I thought my hair was receding and I was devastated for about four days. Then I moved on. When I turned 40, I still had my hair. Turning forty had no effect on me. I think age 20 to 30 are the best years of our lives because we’re the healthiest at that moment and we had the whole world in front of us and we feel indestructible. Turning 30 you know it’s all downhill after that.
:rofl:
 
imapig said:
I remember on my 30th birthday. I looked in the mirror and I thought my hair was receding and I was devastated for about four days. Then I moved on. When I turned 40, I still had my hair. Turning forty had no effect on me. I think age 20 to 30 are the best years of our lives because we’re the healthiest at that moment and we had the whole world in front of us and we feel indestructible. Turning 30 you know it’s all downhill after that.
:rofl:
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Twenty to thirty should be the best years of our lives.But it's probably the most wasted years of our lives. I personally have loved being forty and onward.
 
HSanders said:
Twenty to thirty should be the best years of our lives.But it's probably the most wasted years of our lives. I personally have loved being forty and onward.
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I agree. I would say between the ages of 21 and 26 was wasted by me. But I did have some good times though. But financially, I dropped the ball during that period of time because we always think we have plenty of time to make up for the dumb decisions we make. That is somewhat true, but man if I knew then what I know now. I think I would’ve had a different outlook in life.
 
Jack Brentnall on X:
"Interesting intel from Ollie Connolly on the Read Optional pod. Mentioned that several teams have Miami edge Akheem Mesidor as a medical cross-off on their board"

X https://share.google/i4vlv5lC0CCeAyx1J
 
75% of NFL coverage these days is zone coverage or match zone. Pick a zone specialist or a dual specialist. Lemon is strictly a slot receiver.

2026 WR class leaders in career YPRR vs....

Man Coverage:
1. Eric McAlister (4.2)
2. Makai Lemon (3.1)
3. Elijah Sarratt (3)
4. Jordyn Tyson (3)
5. KC Concepcion (2.5)

Zone Coverage:
1. Brenen Thompson (3.7)
2. Bryce Lance (3.4)
3. Makai Lemon (3.3)
4. Chris Hilton Jr. (3.2)
5. Chris Brazzell (3.0)
 
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