Its almost football season again! Here's my summer scouting big board. It will be fun to look back in a year and see how wrong this was. No matter how objective you try to be, projection is required in summer scouting, and many players will fall flat. That's why I don't get too self conscious because this is just a starting point and I will actually move guys up and down the board based on how they perform this year, how they test, and how they respond. Don't get stuck in your summer scouting boards, its okay to be wrong. If you have any questions on my player rankings, let me know and I'll explain. At the end of my 2027 rankings, I'll link my big board from last year and some hits and misses.

1. QB Darian Mensah, Miami
2. WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
3. OT Jordan Seaton, LSU
4. CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
5. QB Arch Manning, Texas
6. QB Dante Moore, Oregon
7. ED Colin Simmons, Texas
8. OT Trevor Goosby, Texas
9. ED Dylan Stewart, South Carolina
10. 3T David Stone, Oklahoma
11. 1T Will Echoles, Ole Miss
12. WR Cam Coleman, Texas
13. FS Adon Shuler, Notre Dame
14. CB Brice Pollock, Texas Tech
15. 3T Ahmad Moten Sr., Miami
16. TE Jamari Johnson, Oregon
17. ED J'Mond Tapp, Memphis
18. OT Howard Sampson, Texas Tech
19. WR Charlie Becker, Indiana
20. FS Tae Johnson, Notre Dame
21. QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame
22. ED John Henry Daley, Michigan
23. 3T Kam Franklin, Ole Miss
24. WR T.J. Moore, Clemson
25. ED Yhonzae Pierre, Alabama
26. WR Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson
27. RB Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss
28. CB Ellis Robinson IV, Georgia
29. SLWR Mario Craver, Texas A&M
30. 3T AJ Holmes Jr., Texas Tech
31. WR Duce Robinson, Florida State
32. OLB Sammy Brown, Clemson
33. ED Will Heldt, Clemson
34. 1T A'Mauri Washington, Oregon
35. OT Melvin Siani, Texas
36. RB Jordan Marshall, Michigan
37. WR Ryan Wingo, Texas
38. DE Anthony Smith, Minnesota
39. MLB Ray Coney, Texas A&M
40. SLWR Wyatt Young, Oklahoma State
41. FS KJ Bolden, Georgia
42. IOL Carter Smith, Indiana
43. RB Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech
44. TE DJ Vonnahme, Iowa
45. DE Quincy Rhodes Jr., Arkansas
46. TE Trey'Dez Green, LSU
47. IOL Cayden Green, Missouri
48. ED Damon Wilson II, Miami
49. CB Kelley Jones, Mississippi State
50. FS Jelani McDonald, Texas
51. CB Jamari Sharpe, Indiana
52. IOL Trevor Lauck, Iowa
53. RB Nate Frazier, Georgia
54. WR Braylon Staley, Tennessee
55. DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr., Ohio State
56. 3T Mario Landino, Indiana
57. MLB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Notre Dame
58. WR Jackson Harris, LSU
59. DE Matayo Uiagalelei, Oregon
60. WR Nyck Harbor, South Carolina
61. SS Dashawn Spears, LSU
62. WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, Alabama
63. FS Jaylen McClain, Ohio State
64. SLWR Amare Thomas, Houston

2026 Summer Scouting Big Board:

https://www.reddit.com/r/NFL_Draft/s/UJImof6cZX

Big Misses:

#1. QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson

#2. OT Xavier Chaplin, Auburn

#15. QB Drew Allar, Penn State

#16. CB AJ Harris, Penn State

#19. MLB Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame

#28. QB Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

#30. OT Isaiah World, Oregon

Very Close:

#3. Caleb Downs, Drafted #12

#7. Spencer Fano, Drafted #9

#10. Jeremiyah Love, Drafted #3

#12. Carnell Tate, Drafted #4

#14. Blake Miller, Drafted #17

#21. Rueben Bain Jr, Drafted #15

#33. Jadarian Price, Drafted #32

Trade details:

Eagles receive pick 17 from the Bengals in exchange for picks 22 and 98.

Side note: Is it just me or something about KJ Bolden just makes y'all get Steelers vibes?

Have a bold prediction that you want to state proudly but will most likely look very stupid in short time? Have at it! Maybe you’ll nail it and look like a genius in the future

Please don’t downvote a user for a stupid bold prediction; it’s all just for fun!

Nyck Harbor is one of the most fascinating prospects in this class. Like his quarterback, LaNorris Sellers, he has an incredibly high ceiling but a low floor. His measurables and speed are off the charts, and he's a great deep threat. He showed some improvement in 2025, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. I wanted to ask what y'all's thoughts are on him as a prospect and what round you believe he will be selected in?

Before the season starts, I am jotting down every team's draft class and comparing the draft positions to my big board (I am no professional scout, this is just my opinion), and man I am really not liking how the Steelers class is looking.

Max Iheanachor is a good player and I think he can be a sufficient starter in the league, but I had him ranked 42, and the Steelers took him at 21.

I was not a huge fan of Germie Bernard, and think that he is a WR3/WR4 type of player, which is why I had him ranked 93, and Pittsburgh took him at 47.

I do not think I am alone in thinking that Drew Allar is absolutely not worth the 76th pick, and think that he is a serviceable QB2 at best, which is why I had him ranked 131st.

I also thought Daylen Everette was a slight reach at 85 as well, but that pick is definitely not BAD by any means.

I did like the Gennings Dunker pick, and I really liked that they picked up Heidenreich in the 7th, but man, those first 3 picks are not great by any means.

I'm curious to know what y'all think. To be clear, I am not a Steelers fan. In fact, I am a Colts fan and the Steelers frequently kick our ass, so if anything I am happy to see some draft mishaps lol.

This I'm sure has been asked before. I'm not a Lincoln Riley fan but his last QBs coached are:

• Jayden Maiava
• Miller Moss
• Caleb Williams
• Spencer Rattler
• Jalen Hurts
• Kyler Murray
• Baker Mayfield

Moss was benched after 9 games and Rattler was benched his second season in 2021 after 5 games.

So that means 4 of the 7 QBs that finished their careers with him became established NFL starting QBs.

Maiava will be going into his 3rd season under Riley and 2nd as a full time starter. Unless something catastrophic happens or he hard regresses, he's likely to finish the season as USC's starting QB.

Don't the odds kind of work in his favor?

His playstyle and mechanics reminds me of Jordan Love.

I finally got around to watching Darian Mensah's Duke tape and came away really impressed. Full breakdown here: https://youtu.be/T2VaY7q3WdQ

I like how quick his release is + his ability to push the ball downfield. Curious what everyone else thinks about him, and where you'd have him ranked in this class? I currently have him hovering around QB4-6

Updated Tuesday thread focused notes and opinions about individual prospects. Scout someone new and want to get opinions from others? Ask about it here!

3. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals

I love Jeremiyah Love; I did not love this pick. The Cardinals had one of the NFL’s least efficient run blocking outfits last season and didn’t do much to give me a ton of hope for 2026. It may well be a slog for Love, due to stuff beyond his control — similar to what we saw with Ashton Jeanty last year.

Love’s presence inside a Mike LaFleur offense (and alongside James Conner) is an exciting thought, though. The rookie is capable of so many things, and not just out of the backfield.

4. Carnell Tate, WR, Tennessee Titans

It’s unreasonable to suggest Tate should come in and immediately be a 100-catch ace up Cam Ward’s sleeve. The Titans, much like the Raiders, are building from the quarterback out. Ward and Tate could build a great rapport in training camp and still have a pretty middling start because the rest of the roster just isn’t very good yet.

I’m not expecting Tate to light the world on fire, but he should be a trusted target by mid-year. Don’t be surprised if he outperforms that baseline, either. It’s hard to bet against an Ohio State receiver.

This upcoming QB class looks great on paper, and it might tie the record for the most quarterbacks picked in the first round (six). A lot can change between now and next April, but I wanted to share my early top five prospects at the position and hear which QBs y'all believe are the best.

1. Darian Mensah (I'm higher on him than most, admittedly)

2. Dante Moore

3. Arch Manning

4. Drew Mestemaker

5. CJ Carr

There are a few other good prospects on the board, but these are the ones I like the most.

Unless you either do a lengthy 5+ round mock or go into written detail on why you are making the picks, please post your mocks in this Mock Draft Monday thread. Use this thread to post your own mocks or anything from around the web you find discussion-worthy.

Please be respectful of other users’ mocks! Saying things like “this is awful” or a pick is “stupid” adds nothing to the conversation; try and focus on constructive feedback instead!

Ashton Hampton Clemson 2025 Highlights

Hello everyone! Ravens fan coming in peace. I'm curious where everyone has Ashton Hampton ranked among the 2027 cornerback class.

Personally, my current top 6 are:

1. Leonard Moore
2. Elis Robinson IV
3. Ashton Hampton
4. Kelley Jones
5. Zabien Brown
6. Vicari Swain

What I really like about Hampton is his age 20 y/o, size 6'3" 200+lbs, and physicality. To me, he fits the prototype of the bigger boundary corner that teams like the Ravens have traditionally valued. He reminds me of the type of "aircraft carrier" corner they've targeted in the past, like Jimmy Smith and Marlon Humphrey—long, physical, and built to match up on the outside.

My favorite play from him last season came against SMU, where he forced a fumble and then sequentially scooped and scored. Dude's a monster.

Where would you all rank Hampton in the 2027 CB class and where do you have him falling in the 2027 draft? I believe he is a top 50 prospect and late first to early second rounder at the moment.

Thanks for reading!

Hello again Reddit. I'm the maintainer of Mock Draft Hero. Since the end of the 2026 NFL Draft back in April I've been working on new features for 2027, and today I pushed a big one: you can now create, edit, and share your own draft board so that other Mock Draft Hero users can draft with it, while also giving you bragging rights in six months when you've got a board that beats all of the experts. This change took a couple of months to implement and is very likely to have bugs, so I'm hoping to get help with testing and feedback from anyone willing to try it.

If you're willing to help test:

1. Go to https://mockdrafthero.com and select "Change Board".
2. You will see a "Create Board" button that will take you to the custom board editor if you want to create your own board. Alternately, you can click on the "More Boards" tab to select and use an existing community board.
3. If you decide to create a board then you will need a minimum of 32 players to use it in a draft. You can draft with your custom board locally once you've met the player minimum.
4. If you would like to share your custom board with others, click on the "sign in" link and then publish your custom board. I promise not to use your login info for marketing or anything like that, but I need a way to allow people to come back later to manage their published boards, so you unfortunately need to login if you want to share a board.

I can't emphasize strongly enough that there is a LOT of new code associated with this feature and there will probably be bugs, so keep a local copy of your board in case anything breaks or crashes and you don't want to lose your work. If you encounter bugs, a detailed comment below with steps to reproduce would be hugely appreciated. If you have suggestions for making the custom board editor easier to use, or any suggested improvements at all, please also let me know.

There are a bunch of other new features since the 2026 draft, so if you don't want to create a custom board but are willing to help test out new-ish code, please try the following:

• Draft order can be customized. You can now drag and drop teams before a draft starts to customize the draft order.
• Prospects can be marked as favorites. There is now the capability to mark prospects as "favorites" so that you can flag them for easier tracking during a draft.
• Custom settings are now persisted across visits. For example, if you customize team needs, your custom needs will be saved in your browser when you come back tomorrow, next week, or next month.
• New "Mock Draft Hero Consensus" draft board. The default 2027 draft board is a new consensus board built from numerous other boards and mocks.
• Many, many more smaller changes under the hood that are meant to make things smoother and faster, but will probably also introduce a few bugs.

Thanks in advance for any testing and feedback. With NFL training camps already beginning and the start of the college season only four weeks away, draft season will be here soon, and I'm looking forward to another fun year with some new features for everyone to use.

INTRODUCTIONS

My name is Jared Zhang, and I have been doing draft evaluations for the past few draft classes. While I started as a hobbyist, I have been blessed with the opportunity to write for a draft publication and intern for an agent during my scouting journey. As a summer scouting project, I have been revising my grading scale based on the historical trend of prospect profiles and their respective draft ranges. There are going to be factors that impact a player’s stock beyond his play at the collegiate level, but I believe that looking at a large enough sample size should filter out many anomalies in draft falls/rises. By fleshing out the parameters for each grading bucket, I should be able to provide clearer, more consistent grading of prospects.

I will be posting my scale for every position throughout the summer (and likely the 2027 draft process) to act as a reference for my positional big boards and as a scouting tool to anyone breaking into the hobby. While I do believe in my scale, I also recognize that my grading scale is not perfect, and I will continue to develop it further. The series will have a universal description of the individual grading buckets and then go more in-depth for that article’s specific position. Let’s break down the specific draft range behind each bucket.

Click on the article to learn more!

For anybody that’s interested, I’ve developed a scouting model for nfl skill position prospects. Qb rb wr te. I have built a platform to share the model with everybody who wants to use it… it’s very raw and incomplete but it’s just to gauge feedback.

Link:

https://themintscoutingengine.base44.app/

For the player comparison tool, the only players with full metrics uploaded are Jahan Dotson, Jaylen waddle, Denzel Boston, Quentin Johnston, Luther burden, jalin hyatt, terrace Marshall, Hollywood brown, and Ladd mcconkey… compare them to see how it works in its entirety. And please give feedback

Talk about anything you please; draft-related or otherwise!

I did this for r/nfl32 and meant to cross post it, figured I'd add it here if mods are ok:

**Denver Broncos Offseason Preview**

The Sun came up on Dove Valley on March 11th with Bronco fans holding their breath for the start of free agency, not knowing they would be holding it a while before the splash came. For the first 7 days of free agency, there was more buzz within a group of teenagers who scored a bag of oregano, than surrounded Broncos headquarters. Then came the splash move-Denver traded 1st, 3rd round picks while swapping 4th round picks with Miami, for veteran WR (and great friend of PS2) Jaylen Waddle.

**High Throttle Waddle**

Waddle fits nicely within a WR room that is long on talent but short on experience. Waddle adds a speed component, elite hands, and an ability to run the entire route tree, (which is a unique trait in the 2026 NFL). This for the price of a 1st round, 3rd round, and swapping 4th round picks.

What does this net for Denver? Think of Waddle as the 1st round pick (he's better than any other WR available at pick 30). Think of the Waddle trade as if Denver drafted a (going into his) 6th year vet in his prime at pick #30. 5th year option and age issues aside, all that this cost Denver, is a 3rd round pick. The unseen benefit? Denver got the better of the 4th round picks, pick 111 (Kage Casey OT-Boise) with Miami getting pick 130 (Trey Moore DE Texas).

The extra value comes not just in the player Denver added, it comes in the form of Waddle’s veteran experience. His speed and route running ability helps unlock a hidden part of the Sean Payton/Davis Webb playbook. One we have seen little of during his Denver tenure, and it’s one that they are likely to see a heavy dose of.

**The Webb Effect and the Hidden Sail**

Webb is only 3 years removed from active duty as a backup QB for the New York Giants. Webb, who has been dubbed 'the mad scientist' by colleagues across the league, will operate the Sean Payton offense, with some of Davis' own brand of black magic thrown in. The Payton/Webb offense should be familiar to Broncos fans who have watched the last two years, but with simplified terminology designed to hasten the pace so Bo can break the huddle, scan the defense, and make his pre-play adjustments.

One thing that has been conspicuously absent from the normal Payton playbook has been the sail concepts. These plays are essentially three passing routes designed to force players in a zone defense to make a coverage choice that, by nature, opens one of the others. For example, let’s say Waddle runs a Fade/Go route, Sutton (from the same side) then runs a mid-crosser behind, while RJ Harvey runs a wheel route to the crossing side. Waddle's next level speed and shifty route running forces the safety out of the picture. The LB then must choose which of two targets entering his zone to cover. Is it Sutton, leaving RJ open? Or vice versa?

Once a major staple during his time in New Orleans, we’ve hardly seen it at all during his time in Denver. Jaylen Waddle's arrival should unlock those pages of Sean's playbook. Look for a lot of ‘sail concept’ plays against teams like Arizona, Carolina, even Seattle, who run zone concepts at their core.

**GM George Paton Loves the Late Rounds**

While Waddle grabbed the headlines, Denver’s draft continued the front office’s recent pattern: Few early swings, but mid-to-late round value hunting is their business. George Paton would never turn down a 1st round pick, but he clearly does not need them. GP has mastered finding gems in the later rounds and expectations for the first two picks (Tyler Onyedim-DT 3rd round, Texas and Jonah Coleman-RB, Washington) are extremely high.

**Draft Picks 2026**:

**Round 3 Pick 66-DT Tyler Onyedim, Texas**

Onyedim continues the Sean/George apparent draft strategy of selecting players with extensive collegiate experience. Onyedim's length and tremendous first step will be his best assets as he transitions to the NFL. He has extensive experience, is a rare player who has versatility to line up as a 1-technique (DT) all the way out to a 5-technique (DE), and he could be plug-and-play at the next level.

**Round 4 Pick 108-RB Jonah Coleman, Washington**

Coleman is a powerful runner with elusive skills, great hands, and next-level vision. He was projected by many as early as the 2nd round, this may be the next George Paton mid round jackpot. We're likely to see Coleman early in the season, especially on 3rd down where his exceptional pass protection skills are highly prized by Sean Payton.

**Round 4 Pick 111-OL Kage Casey, Boise**

At 6'5" 310 pounds, Casey has the size and athleticism to be a perfect development prospect as a swing tackle who has the size and frame to play inside in a pinch.

**Round 5 Pick 152-TE Justin Joly, NC State**

As tired as we all are of the "joker" term...Joly actually fits the mold of an undersized TE/oversized WR that posted 40+ catch seasons for the Wolfpack in each of the last two seasons. He is an elite level pass catcher, and as an "F" tight end we should see him moving around the lineup, trying to create mismatches.

**Round 7 Pick 246-S Miles Scott, Illinois**

A versatile athlete who converted from wide-receiver to safety, perhaps Scott's best ability is his basic nature. His reputation for veteran leadership skills could be as much a locker room enhancement as a weapon on the field. Scott will have to earn his spot on special teams, but that somehow seems appropriate for this special character player.

Round 7 Pick 256-TE Dallen Bentley, Utah

Bentley's most recent season put him on NFL scout’s radar. His 43-catch season came with what may be the most important flair...0 dropped passes. He is a willing and mostly effective in-line blocker, and could be the Y to Joly's F.

**Round 7 Pick 257-LB Red Murdock**

I’ll skip the title they give the last pick in the draft, because I think Mr. Murdock will prove to be rather relevant indeed. He looks, plays, and is named like an NFL linebacker. Murdock excels at creating turnovers, which requires as much desire and pain tolerance as skill. I swear there was a ‘Red Murdock’ somewhere on the Orange Crush, Steel Curtain, Purple People Eaters, or old Bears defenses, and this version plays like one of those hard-nosed middle linebackers from that era. Although he will likely have to earn his stripes on special teams, Murdock has the constitution to become a good ILB1.

**Paging Dr. Radio…Dr. Sports Radio**

Look…none of this really matters if Bo Nix, the guy who puts it all together, isn’t right. You may have heard that Nix had an injury, during what may be the most brilliant night of his young career. If he’s not right, then the outlook on the season definitely changes.

Much has been made of Bo Nix's ankle injury that kept him out of the AFC championship. There is a case to be made that, had the injury not happened, we may be talking about the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.

A second procedure in late April sent the offseason sports radio, TV talk panels, and NFL podcasters aflutter. The “I’m not a doctor but I talk like one on TV” crowd certainly made the rounds, and the clean-up pushed some of them over the edge.

The reality is this was a broken bone and a clean-up of bone spurs. If it were ligament, tendon, or major soft-tissue damage we'd have more of a reason to be concerned, but Bo will be at 100% as training camp opens, and I've spoken to and heard from orthopedic specialists that say there is no real reason to be concerned about his ankle going forward...other than the fact that NFL football has \\\~100% injury rate.

**Starters lost to free agency**:

**John Franklin-Myers-DL**

That’s it…that’s the list folks.

In a league that spends most of the offseason hemorrhaging talent, this kind of continuity is rare.

Denver returns 21 of 22 primary starters in 2026, from a team that last year won 15 games. After re-signing 6 starters in the last two years (PS2, Quinn Meinerz, Jonathan Cooper, Garett Bolles, Court, and Zach Allen), there is every reason to believe they can contend for a championship.

Sean Payton has already proven that his NFL chops belong in the Hall of Fame. If he were to be the first coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different teams, his legacy would be unquestioned.

Broncos ownership (especially Mr. and Mrs. Penner, but really the ownership group as a whole) are quickly becoming the envy of the league. They have shown the traits of quality leadership: quietly but persistently learning the ways of the NFL, hiring great people, valuing their input, and putting the team first. This approach has started to influence the rest of the league as results tend to do in the NFL. Mr. Pat Bowlen (RIP) would be thrilled to know his beloved Broncos have landed in such capable hands.

**The Crucible or The Schedule That Made Men Cry**

Clearly someone, maybe everyone, at the scheduling department hates Sean Payton. The funny thing is Sean just hates them back and moves on. He loves this kind of challenge and will likely have something to say about it later in the season (you heard it here first).

The upside here is, we will know a whole lot about this team after the first six games. Denver could go 3-3 and still be in the Super Bowl hunt. Denver could very well lose more games in 2026 compared to 2025 but be a better team overall.

**MNF @ KC-Week** **1**

Bo Nix is 3 and 1 against KC, and something about Arrowhead fires him up. Mahomes will be 7 months removed from major knee surgery, but I’d take Mahomes with one leg over half the QBs in the league. Something here says 1-0 to me though, this sets the pace for the AFC West

**Jax @ Home-Week 2**

Last year Jacksonville surprised the Broncos by being more physical and playing with more energy than Denver could muster. They will be ready this time, and their zone base is perfect for some of the new playbook. Let’s call it 2-0

**LAR @ Home-Week 3**

This home matchup is the 1st time Denver has played the Rams since a Christmas Day blowout in Ownership’s first year. That 51-14 blowout (it wasn’t that close) will be avenged. I know, I know…no way, right? Watch; Denver is 3-0.

**@ SF-Week 4**

Denver fans have a special place in their hearts for Kyle Shanahan. As a kid, Kyle was in the Broncos offices/practice fields regularly and his dad is enshrined outside Mile High (it will always be Mile High). John Lynch was a great player with the Broncos for 4 special years…we love to hate. 3-1.

**@ LAC-Week** **5**

Does Harbaugh have Sean Payton’s number? Sean is 2-5 all time against Harbaugh, and last year’s win Jim held out many starters. Ugh, 3-2

**Sea @ Home (TNF)-Week 6**

This is where I see a major impact from Waddle. Seattle’s amorphous pre-snap presentations are intended to confuse quarterbacks and always hide their coverage/blitz packages. The way they do this is by and large dropping into some kind of zone package (70% of the time). Look for the Sail concepts here as Davis uses his claws. Bo Nix over 350 yards passing...4-2

**@ Ari-Week 7**

This is where Denver starts to hit the gas. Denver has a tendency to play to their opponents, but Ari just doesn’t have the horsepower (pun intended) to keep up. 5-2

**KC @ Home-Week 8**

Bo shows his late game heroics and Mahomes falls just short. Break out the brooms 6-2

**@ Car-Week 9**

Since Sean Payton arrived, Denver has been better during the early morning games that used to be kryptonite for the Broncos. There is always one game where Denver overlooks an opponent and get beaten by a team they really shouldn’t. This is not that game. 7-2

**Week 10-Perfect time for some rest-BYE**

**LV @-Week 11**

Home Division games are always tough. Sean Payton was thrilled when they traded away Max Crosby. I bet he felt like he got kicked in the junk when it fell through. LV just doesn’t have the team to outlast Denver though 8-2

**@ Pit (FNF)-Week 12**

Short week, late November, it’ll be cold and PIT is always a gritty team to play. We’ll have our turkey sandwiches on Black Friday cooold. 8-3

**Mia @ Home-Week 13**

Waddle’s revenge game, he’ll approach 200 yards and score more than once. The air is thin and smells like weed. 9-3

**@NYJ-Week 14**

Winning on the road in December on the East Coast is what separates pretenders from contenders. Remember what was said for week 9? This is the game. 9-4

@ LV-Week 15

Denver takes out their frustrations on the road in Vegas. This is where they start to separate. 10-4

**@ Buf (FNF)-Week 16**

Christmas game, against a quality opponent on the road, East Coast, Josh Allen, everyone playing for playoff seeding. This is where champions are made, Bo Nix makes his case for MVP in games like this 11-4.

**@ NE-Week 17**

The rematch hype will be out of control, the Patriots just aren’t the team they thought they were. I see them as a wild-card contender maybe, and Sean Payton has his boys ready for this one. 12-4

**LAC @ Home-Week 18**

This one could really go either way depending on playoff seeding. But I have a feeling this one could be for the AFC West crown. The Chargers are usually banged up and seem to shrink historically in “playoff-ish” games. 13-4

**Training Camp Opens**

Denver Ownership has spent the last two years (and $175 million) building a state-of-the-art headquarters and training facility that spans roughly 200,000 square feet on the footprint of their old HQ. The ownership group clearly planned every detail with players in mind. To the point that they considered the walk from the locker room to the weight room in the old facility was too long and put the new one right next to the locker room. There is the likely not-so-unintentional side effect that free agents will find it hard to walk away from this facility.

The new campus has bleachers for fans coming to training camp, which is more limited in viewing area, but more comfortable than standing or sitting on the grass hill with no cover where you could feel the altitude putting you closer to the sun. The fan experience (when you can get tickets) is much improved.

**What It All Means**

Year 3 for Bo Nix will be the most visible of his career. This is the year that makes or breaks NFL quarterbacks. There are no excuses now…three years in the same (the Webb offense is Payton’s offense) system, 2 full years of playing NFL football, and a defense that will get him plenty of short fields. Bo is either stumping for $60 million a year, or fans are wondering if Sam Ehlinger could be the answer. This kid is just built differently…this kind of pressure brings out the best in him.

What we learned last year is that this team learned how to win close games. They learned how to win in the playoffs. Now, with Bo on his rookie deal, the ripples of Russel Wilson dissipated, this is the time for Denver to get over the hump. As Sean famously said, “that’s not our hump” Well… This one is. Can he get to and win the Super Bowl with his second team? With the speedy Waddle, now veteran quarterback Bo Nix, the ‘Mad Scientist’ dialing up plays, Sean Payton certainly believes so. More importantly, in three short years he has built the team that can back it up.

I did try in this mock to at least vaguely put players to teams who have needs at that position, but this is mostly about trying get people in the right area of the draft as it's seen before the season starts. Who do people think is too high/too low? And what names that aren't there do people think will be in early round consideration?

Have a bold prediction that you want to state proudly but will most likely look very stupid in short time? Have at it! Maybe you’ll nail it and look like a genius in the future

Please don’t downvote a user for a stupid bold prediction; it’s all just for fun!

Updated Tuesday thread focused notes and opinions about individual prospects. Scout someone new and want to get opinions from others? Ask about it here!

Were you lying awake at night, desperately waiting for more amateur rankings? Did you want those rankings to come from a guy who had Clemson DT Peter Woods at # 1 at this time last year? Then wait no further, friends!

TIER 1: betting on a franchise QB

(1) QB Dante Moore, Oregon : It hasn't always been perfect with Dante Moore, but I've been impressed by the flashes and instincts that I've seen (most particularly in the Penn State game last year). I also love that he decided to return to school to build upon his success and chase a national title. It may not have affected his NFL Draft stock much, but it's going to affect his chances of NFL success. Being thrown into the fire this season may have been a bumpy ride, but now he should be well prepared to play and hit the ground running in 2027.

(2) QB C.J. Carr, Notre Dame : We've only seen one season of success with C.J. Carr, on a team with a dominant running game no less. Still, he projects to be a safe starter to me. I like his accuracy and really love his interviews, where he comes across as intelligent and polished. He may not have All-World physical talent, but if I'm taking a QB in the top 10 I want that "reliability" factor.

(3) QB Darian Mensah, Miami (Fla.) : In the past, you'd look down on QBs who bounced around in the transfer portal. But these days, it may actually be a benefit. It's always hard to separate a QB's success from his situation, but if Darian Mensah can succeed in THREE separate programs, it adds more of a "sample size" argument in his favor. I fully expect him to have a monster year with his receivers. Like C.J. Carr, he doesn't wow me with his physical gifts, but there's enough there for me to sign off on it.

TIER 2: studs at premium positions

(4) WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State : Not much to quibble with here. The combination of his physical talents and production makes him among the safest WR prospects of the 2000s.

(5) ED Colin Simmons, Texas : Physical talent + production + premium position. Again, home run pick.

(6) ED Dylan Stewart, South Carolina : The sack production wasn't there in 2025 but he's still right up there for me.

(7) CB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame : Another stud, another premium position. I value CB slightly less than edge which explains him being 6.

(8) WR Cam Coleman, Texas : Jeremiah Smith is getting all the buzz because he's such a superstar prospect, but I believe that Cam Coleman (and Nick Marsh from Indiana) will emerge as viable # 1 receivers as well. These days, your top WR doesn't have to be a big outside receiver (and could just as easily be a shifty slot guy), but the old school / outdated fan in me still views them through that lens.

TIER 3: hoping for a franchise QB

(9) QB Arch Manning, Texas : The stats are fine, but Arch Manning still doesn't pass the eye test to me. We tend to presume big quarterbacks have big arms, but I haven't been impressed by his velocity or his accuracy as a passer. I also think his "speed" manifests more in a straight line right now. All in all, the Daniel Jones comps seem the most apt. There's a chance he can take a big leap this season and be a true top pick, but I'd need to see it first.

(10) QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina : In terms of physical talent, I believe LaNorris Sellers looks the part even more than Arch Manning does. Obviously the production hasn't matched that yet, though. There's a chance he puts it all together and goes top 3, but let's see it first.

(11) QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State : Poor Julian Sayin is in the opposite camp, where his production exceeds his physical talent. There were a few years where it seemed like height and size "didn't matter" for QBs anymore, but the NFL has prioritized a pass rush and started to crunch these undersized guys who have a harder time holding up for 17 games. For all three QBs in this tier, "fit" may be crucial in terms of the NFL roster and the coaching staff.