RustyBourneHorse
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I stated yesterday that I may try to do one more mock draft today. This is the last mock draft I will complete for 2026.
Firstly, I should state that I am NOT trading Pickens in this mock draft. I've done that ad nauseum throughout this mock draft cycle, and I don't think it's worth pursuing any further for this mock draft.
Secondly, I did trade down with the Bills. In exchange for the 12, I got multiple picks. These include:
2026: 26 (1) and 91 (3)
2027: 2nd, 3rd 3, and 4th
So, with this, we'd have an extra pick this year to work with, and extra picks for next year. So, while we are a bit thin on draft picks this year, next year, we'd have a lot of picks. Plus, I think you'll find the pick for 91 will be useful for us.
As such, here are the picks with analysis:
20.
Kayden McDonald
DT Ohio State
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/kayden-mcdonald/32004d43-4441-1150-8b23-7d300cdf4ff2
Massive DT/possible DE opposite Gary/Justin Houston). A starting dline of McDonald, Quinnen Williams, and Gary would be incredibly difficult for offenses to block. You can't double all 3, so, someone is going to get a favourable one v one matchup. Plus, they're all physical talent. So, we'd have an immensely physical dline. Teams would not be able to run on us at all, and their oline would really struggle just with our dline. That's before the rest of this draft hits (along with Overshown and Eze).
26.
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
I'm not going to reappear his video/profile as I did this yesterday. However, suffice to say we'd have probably our best MLB in a long time. Combined with our immense dline and Rodriguez being physical, and the middle of the field is practically closed.
91.
R Mason Thomas
EDGE Oklahoma
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/r-mason-thomas/32005448-4f33-6441-5d2e-1a238a40421a
At 6'2" and 241 and with his quickness, he looks to be an ideal OLB option. I think he'd naturally fit opposite Overshown. So, now, our starting front 7 would consist of the following: dline: Gary, Clark/Williams, and McDonald. Then LBs would be Overshown, Eze, Rodriguez, and Thomas/Justin Houston. All of a sudden, we'd have some quality depth and starters in our front 7, including at LB.
92.
Will Lee III
CB Texas A&M
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/will-lee-iii/32004c45-4575-2385-734b-f4eb40bfbbf4
Solid CB option to be added into the mix with Bland (who should be able to get back to his pick 6 form with the dline built up between FA and the draft) and Revel. All of a sudden, we'd have 3 solid CB options to start, along with Cobie Durant as a 4th option. That's a nice set of CBs to start with imo.
112.
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
I've shown his profile plenty of times, but here's a highlight video. He's a very good safety option with solid coverage skills and nice blitz skills. He, Locke, and Bell would be an improved trio of safeties for us. So, with these first picks, our defence should be drastically improved.
152.
Anthony Lucas
EDGE USC
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/anthony-lucas/32004c55-4304-1702-12c4-6eaf7b61121c
Why not a little more depth at DE/OLB for us? I think we need more depth in these spots, and I think Lucas would be excellent help for us here. Technically, he'd be extra LB depth for us imo since he's likely better suited for OLB. So, all of a sudden, LB depth would not be an issue any longer for us (especially if we end up signing the LB from Oregon UDFA I mentioned yesterday).
177.
Jake Slaughter
OC Florida
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jake-slaughter/3200534c-4166-3019-771c-b3f86f59022f
https://youtu.be/DUHNYXgbGSc?si=Olk_RqC81r2OLI9L
While he is primarily a C, he's also able to play Guard in a pinch, and quite well at that. So, he'd be good depth at guard or C. We always have use for depth here, especially since Tyler Smith can kick out to LT in a pinch. Or, if something goes wrong with Beebe, he could fill in.
180.
Daylen Everette
CB Georgia
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/daylen-everette/32004556-4550-2066-2817-d1196f085034
https://youtu.be/Bp0Hwy0PTuE?si=xuieOFSONWmPSHEW
Everette would give us more CB depth, which can't hurt. He's apparently especially good in nickel packages, so that is good news for us that we'd have a slot CB specialist, as well as the previous DB picks.
218.
Vinny Anthony II
WR Wisconsin
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/vinny-anthony-ii/3200414e-5432-2903-8264-c597dae07669
https://youtu.be/jlrGeV5bVfo?si=eEv-AuPYYa_97MZ0
One of the few bright spots on Wisconsin, you'll find that he's a very quick WR. I think he's a likely candidate to play slot for us and potentially replace Tolbert (who's now a Dolphin). He also turns out to be a good return option if something were to happen to Turpin.
As a result of this draft, our defence should be much improved. We'd have oline depth, and a possible replace for Tolbert. I think, in general, this should give us a much more dangerous team entering 2026. Plus, we'd have extra draft picks next year to work with too.
Firstly, I should state that I am NOT trading Pickens in this mock draft. I've done that ad nauseum throughout this mock draft cycle, and I don't think it's worth pursuing any further for this mock draft.
Secondly, I did trade down with the Bills. In exchange for the 12, I got multiple picks. These include:
2026: 26 (1) and 91 (3)
2027: 2nd, 3rd 3, and 4th
So, with this, we'd have an extra pick this year to work with, and extra picks for next year. So, while we are a bit thin on draft picks this year, next year, we'd have a lot of picks. Plus, I think you'll find the pick for 91 will be useful for us.
As such, here are the picks with analysis:
20.
Kayden McDonald
DT Ohio State
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/kayden-mcdonald/32004d43-4441-1150-8b23-7d300cdf4ff2
Massive DT/possible DE opposite Gary/Justin Houston). A starting dline of McDonald, Quinnen Williams, and Gary would be incredibly difficult for offenses to block. You can't double all 3, so, someone is going to get a favourable one v one matchup. Plus, they're all physical talent. So, we'd have an immensely physical dline. Teams would not be able to run on us at all, and their oline would really struggle just with our dline. That's before the rest of this draft hits (along with Overshown and Eze).
26.
Jacob Rodriguez
LB Texas Tech
I'm not going to reappear his video/profile as I did this yesterday. However, suffice to say we'd have probably our best MLB in a long time. Combined with our immense dline and Rodriguez being physical, and the middle of the field is practically closed.
91.
R Mason Thomas
EDGE Oklahoma
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/r-mason-thomas/32005448-4f33-6441-5d2e-1a238a40421a
At 6'2" and 241 and with his quickness, he looks to be an ideal OLB option. I think he'd naturally fit opposite Overshown. So, now, our starting front 7 would consist of the following: dline: Gary, Clark/Williams, and McDonald. Then LBs would be Overshown, Eze, Rodriguez, and Thomas/Justin Houston. All of a sudden, we'd have some quality depth and starters in our front 7, including at LB.
92.
Will Lee III
CB Texas A&M
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/will-lee-iii/32004c45-4575-2385-734b-f4eb40bfbbf4
Solid CB option to be added into the mix with Bland (who should be able to get back to his pick 6 form with the dline built up between FA and the draft) and Revel. All of a sudden, we'd have 3 solid CB options to start, along with Cobie Durant as a 4th option. That's a nice set of CBs to start with imo.
112.
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
I've shown his profile plenty of times, but here's a highlight video. He's a very good safety option with solid coverage skills and nice blitz skills. He, Locke, and Bell would be an improved trio of safeties for us. So, with these first picks, our defence should be drastically improved.
152.
Anthony Lucas
EDGE USC
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/anthony-lucas/32004c55-4304-1702-12c4-6eaf7b61121c
Why not a little more depth at DE/OLB for us? I think we need more depth in these spots, and I think Lucas would be excellent help for us here. Technically, he'd be extra LB depth for us imo since he's likely better suited for OLB. So, all of a sudden, LB depth would not be an issue any longer for us (especially if we end up signing the LB from Oregon UDFA I mentioned yesterday).
177.
Jake Slaughter
OC Florida
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/jake-slaughter/3200534c-4166-3019-771c-b3f86f59022f
https://youtu.be/DUHNYXgbGSc?si=Olk_RqC81r2OLI9L
While he is primarily a C, he's also able to play Guard in a pinch, and quite well at that. So, he'd be good depth at guard or C. We always have use for depth here, especially since Tyler Smith can kick out to LT in a pinch. Or, if something goes wrong with Beebe, he could fill in.
180.
Daylen Everette
CB Georgia
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/daylen-everette/32004556-4550-2066-2817-d1196f085034
https://youtu.be/Bp0Hwy0PTuE?si=xuieOFSONWmPSHEW
Everette would give us more CB depth, which can't hurt. He's apparently especially good in nickel packages, so that is good news for us that we'd have a slot CB specialist, as well as the previous DB picks.
218.
Vinny Anthony II
WR Wisconsin
https://www.nfl.com/prospects/vinny-anthony-ii/3200414e-5432-2903-8264-c597dae07669
https://youtu.be/jlrGeV5bVfo?si=eEv-AuPYYa_97MZ0
One of the few bright spots on Wisconsin, you'll find that he's a very quick WR. I think he's a likely candidate to play slot for us and potentially replace Tolbert (who's now a Dolphin). He also turns out to be a good return option if something were to happen to Turpin.
As a result of this draft, our defence should be much improved. We'd have oline depth, and a possible replace for Tolbert. I think, in general, this should give us a much more dangerous team entering 2026. Plus, we'd have extra draft picks next year to work with too.
