2026 NFL Draft General Discussion

[Dom McRaven]

I am in Houston and Texans fans legitimately complain weekly about how bad the Kenyon Green debacle was, trading out of Hamilton and then not selecting Lindy (although this is in hindsight). It's the first thing anyone points to when they argue the GM Caserio stinks

I don't recall if they had OL issues too that year, but the other purple team too wanted Hamilton and/or Lindy as well.

 

[Simba]

who is it that we think they missed out on that would cause this sentiment though?

with WR it was obvious that multiple talented WRs were being passed on for guys at other positions who were maybe not as talented because their benchmarks and prioritised characteristics were clearly wrong and players were being misevaluatated

we can see with the OL that they are picking that they are much more malleable in terms of value and characteristics

who have we passed on at OL that gives us reason to think they're not effectively valuing OL in the draft?

There have been a number of guys over the last few years that they thought they were going to get at their spot and they didn't make it. Shows that they have a decent read on value but probably need to adjust for the fact that teams are taking guys earlier and earlier because the talent at the position is becoming worse and worse.

They were hoping to double dip with another OL behind Roger in round 3 a couple of years back and those guys all went off the board and we got stuck with Adisa Isaac. Not saying we should be taking OL just to take OL, but they've been behind the curve on those runs a few times over the last few years.

 

[rossihunter2]

There have been a number of guys over the last few years that they thought they were going to get at their spot and they didn't make it. Shows that they have a decent read on value but probably need to adjust for the fact that teams are taking guys earlier and earlier because the talent at the position is becoming worse and worse.

They were hoping to double dip with another OL behind Roger in round 3 a couple of years back and those guys all went off the board and we got stuck with Adisa Isaac. Not saying we should be taking OL just to take OL, but they've been behind the curve on those runs a few times over the last few years.

surely the only way you fix that though is by trading up though, not by reaching on a lesser prospect?
my thinking would be the only realistic way to adjust (if they havent already) is by moving OL to the top of the sequence in each grade cluster - but you're still not going to fix getting sniped

wasnt it dominick puni that they wanted who went about 10 picks before the isaac pick?

 

[Simba]

surely the only way you fix that though is by trading up though, not by reaching on a lesser prospect?
my thinking would be the only realistic way to adjust (if they havent already) is by moving OL to the top of the sequence in each grade cluster - but you're still not going to fix getting sniped

wasnt it dominick puni that they wanted who went about 10 picks before the isaac pick?

I get the sentiment, but I do still think it's WR-esque (not near to the same extreme) in how we've evaluated those guys. When we were in that long WR lull, it was largely because they didn't value the position as high as the rest of the league, and it took a major change in their grading process to stack that position higher. I don't think OL has been too dissimilar in recent years. There have been a lot of guys they liked that didn't make it because other teams are seeing the value and drafting them earlier and earlier, and we've kind of sat back and taken whoever has been available.

Again, not necessarily suggesting that you reach on guys, but at some point if you keep swinging on OL and only getting the leftovers, it's not going to reap the benefits, and that's kind of where we are now at G in particular. The only way to fix that is (a) get more aggressive in going up to get guys you like or (b) reevaluating how you grade those guys so you can be in the run instead of after it.

Puni is definitely the guy they wanted there, but there have been other guys in recent years who they liked and thought would make it and didn't. And if you just took that guy 'early' and got the results some of these other teams have gotten instead of a 6th string CB who takes 3 years to get on the field, the team may look a little different.

TLDR; if they want to improve the OL through the draft, I think they need to reevaluate how they grade those guys because they've been behind the curve while other teams are taking the shots and hitting

 

[Deebo813]

But what is value? A player we can’t use because our qb doesn’t have time to throw? A defender who doesn’t even have a lead to protect because our OL tanks our whole offense?

Value is subjective, and from where the ravens stand a day one quality starter at guard at 14 is pretty damn valuable.

Think it’s time we adjust our perspective on the value chart, like I said, Eric decosta and the analytical draft approach has propagandized a lot of folks, football is still won in the trenches and it’s a still a physical full contact sport and it often comes down to who can push the other side harder. In all the nuance and explosives, that part seems to gets lost, but its still that sport.

Yea but if we picking 14, do we pick a guy who we think isnt even worth a 1st rounder just because we need players in the trenches? If thats the case id rather us trade that shit for a young proven vet. Also, idk if the guy from penn state good or not but from what it looks like, he isnt worth the 14 overall

 

[Deebo813]

if a guy like bain is there at 10-11… do we trade up and grab him? Thinking about it, id rather take love at 14 over a guy that dont seem to have great potential.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Yea but if we picking 14, do we pick a guy who we think isnt even worth a 1st rounder just because we need players in the trenches? If thats the case id rather us trade that shit for a young proven vet. Also, idk if the guy from penn state good or not but from what it looks like, he isnt worth the 14 overall

I mean if we’re talking Vega ioane I think he’s surely worth a first rounder. I don’t have any problems with someone saying he’s not worth the 14th pick, but that’s a preference thing and I’m very high on the idea of getting a safe day one starter on the OL.

I also don’t think the difference between an elite G and a very quality guard is that big a net result, so I don’t get hung up on “if I’m taking a G at 14 he better be a generational prospect”, on the flip side the difference between a quality starting guard and what we had last year is the difference between a wasted season and a potential championship run.

What I’m aiming for by reaching for a G at 14 is safety, a sure thing to shore up the OL, which is why I like the idea of it. I think ioane, though he’s not Quenton Nelson by any stretch, is a very safe bet to bring a huge boost to the iOL as a unit.

And if we address the G room with a true starter in FA, I would change my tune.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

There have been a number of guys over the last few years that they thought they were going to get at their spot and they didn't make it. Shows that they have a decent read on value but probably need to adjust for the fact that teams are taking guys earlier and earlier because the talent at the position is becoming worse and worse.

They were hoping to double dip with another OL behind Roger in round 3 a couple of years back and those guys all went off the board and we got stuck with Adisa Isaac. Not saying we should be taking OL just to take OL, but they've been behind the curve on those runs a few times over the last few years.

Exactly, which is why I feel the need to adjust the scale as to where we value a starting OL in the draft, it’s just a harsh reality that we aren’t typically gonna land one of those guys without trading up or “overdrafting”

 

[Grim]

I mean if we’re talking Vega ioane I think he’s surely worth a first rounder. I don’t have any problems with someone saying he’s not worth the 14th pick, but that’s a preference thing and I’m very high on the idea of getting a safe day one starter on the OL.

I also don’t think the difference between an elite G and a very quality guard is that big a net result, so I don’t get hung up on “if I’m taking a G at 14 he better be a generational prospect”, on the flip side the difference between a quality starting guard and what we had last year is the difference between a wasted season and a potential championship run.

What I’m aiming for by reaching for a G at 14 is safety, a sure thing to shore up the OL, which is why I like the idea of it. I think ioane, though he’s not Quenton Nelson by any stretch, is a very safe bet to bring a huge boost to the iOL as a unit.

And if we address the G room with a true starter in FA, I would change my tune.

I like Ioane and I could see him being a guy you’d feel OK taking at 14. I don’t love it but I do think we may get a better player there. He isn’t a “generational prospect” but that doesn’t mean he isn’t someone you take at 14. My comment on him earlier is that he isn’t this shiny prospect who is an immediate slam dunk selection. I do think he would be great addition next to Stanley and Linderbaum assuming he’s back and if we get Jones at RG and Rosengarten at RT that’s really nice and solid OL. It doesn’t do anything for our pass rush situation, however, and that’s also very important. The problem with pass rushers is you can get them later but it’s a lot harder than OL. I think that’s where my issue lies with Ioane. We can trade up from our 2nd to get a guy like Proctor to play LG and I feel almost as good about him as I would Ioane. I can’t say that about EDGE and some other positions.

 

[Deebo813]

I mean if we’re talking Vega ioane I think he’s surely worth a first rounder. I don’t have any problems with someone saying he’s not worth the 14th pick, but that’s a preference thing and I’m very high on the idea of getting a safe day one starter on the OL.

I also don’t think the difference between an elite G and a very quality guard is that big a net result, so I don’t get hung up on “if I’m taking a G at 14 he better be a generational prospect”, on the flip side the difference between a quality starting guard and what we had last year is the difference between a wasted season and a potential championship run.

What I’m aiming for by reaching for a G at 14 is safety, a sure thing to shore up the OL, which is why I like the idea of it. I think ioane, though he’s not Quenton Nelson by any stretch, is a very safe bet to bring a huge boost to the iOL as a unit.

And if we address the G room with a true starter in FA, I would change my tune.

How i see it is that we wont get the chance to pick at 14 again so we should shoot for the moon.. if ioane is shooting for the moon then im all for it

 

[Deebo813]

he wont be there when we pick but i really like bailey..

 

[rossihunter2]

We're still a long way out and this doesnt account for medical or off-field stuff (and we havent had any testing or official measurements) but for me:
at 14 - the magic number is 5 - 5 prospects outside the top tier who get taken before we pick at 14 to get a top-tier talent in the class
at 45 - the magic number is 12 - 12 prospects outside the top 3 tiers who get taken before we pick at 45 to get a late 1st/early 2nd type talent

 

[Jacquouille]

I've been watching film and I'm not even sure I prefer Ioane over Jalen Farmer straight up.

 

[Grim]

I've been watching film and I'm not even sure I prefer Ioane over Jalen Farmer straight up.

I like Ioane and not sure I’ll say I’d prefer Farmer right now over him; however, I do like quite a few OG prospects this year. I think there’s a lot of talent there—enough for me to say I’m OK waiting until or trading up from our 2nd round pick to get them. I can’t say the same for EDGE, WR, LB and some other positions.

I do agree with people who say we’re seeing OL go higher than before. I’m sure that’s due to teams reaching on OL as a trend increasing their value but also think it points to how variable OL grading and scheme fits are for some teams. I think OL is a position that can be graded very differently team to team

 

[Davesta]

I think it’s about value. I don’t see any G worthy of 14. If we trade back, sure. If we trade up from our 2nd round pick, sure.

this is how bad teams stay bad

Failing to build up your trenches is how good teams turn bad

Yall acting like pick 14 is a top 5 pick. No blue chip gonna be there at 14, especially in a weak QB class year.

Gimme a plug-n-play guard. If it’s a little reach, so be it.

We’re all Raven fans. We know when Lamar is comfortable in the pocket.. he’s a MVP. When he loses faith is his protection, that’s when he starts tilting, his mechanics goes away and his balls get ugly af.

We go as Lamar go. Protect that man.

 

[Jacquouille]

Yall acting like pick 14 is a top 5 pick. No blue chip gonna be there at 14, especially in a weak QB class year.

Gimme a plug-n-play guard. If it’s a little reach, so be it.

We’re all Raven fans. We know when Lamar is comfortable in the pocket.. he’s a MVP. When he loses faith is his protection, that’s when he starts tilting, his mechanics goes away and his balls get ugly af.

We go as Lamar go. Protect that man.

No blue chip is going to fall to 14 ? What ?

 

[JoeyFlex5]

No blue chip is going to fall to 14 ? What ?

Yeah unless it’s a fkn safety of off ball LB lol

 

[Grim]

Yall acting like pick 14 is a top 5 pick. No blue chip gonna be there at 14, especially in a weak QB class year.

Gimme a plug-n-play guard. If it’s a little reach, so be it.

We’re all Raven fans. We know when Lamar is comfortable in the pocket.. he’s a MVP. When he loses faith is his protection, that’s when he starts tilting, his mechanics goes away and his balls get ugly af.

We go as Lamar go. Protect that man.

I mean it’s hard to predict rn. If that happens on Draft day then yeah maybe we do go G.

No QB was taken in the top 14 the year we got Hamilton

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Yall acting like pick 14 is a top 5 pick. No blue chip gonna be there at 14, especially in a weak QB class year.

Gimme a plug-n-play guard. If it’s a little reach, so be it.

We’re all Raven fans. We know when Lamar is comfortable in the pocket.. he’s a MVP. When he loses faith is his protection, that’s when he starts tilting, his mechanics goes away and his balls get ugly af.

We go as Lamar go. Protect that man.

Exactly. We go looking for an all pro at a sexy position with mad traits as low as 14, that’s how you end up with a bust, hamiltons don’t happen often, the sure fire studs at a valued position just don’t fall to 14 without some crazy shit happening.

If you want to make the safest play and the biggest net improvement to your team at an awkward spot like 14(after the sure fire blue chips, before the fallers who turn out to be surprise studs) it’s a very sound strategy to take a very quality player at a lower value position that you NEED.

Don’t always gotta swing for the fences, the safe play is sometimes the best play.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

I mean it’s hard to predict rn. If that happens on Draft day then yeah maybe we do go G.

No QB was taken in the top 14 the year we got Hamilton

I understand the whole hoping to repeat history thing, I do it all the time in season comparing shit to our Super Bowl year holding out hope( and it’s pathetic I know) but I just can’t realistically expect another Kyle Hamilton scenario, that should have never happened in the first place and I still can’t believe it did, and everyone on these boards thought Hamilton was going top 5 and despite having safeties under contract we all wanted him anyway.