2026 draft grades and notes

Crow said:


Las Vegas Raiders
After Day 2 of the draft, I checked with eight teams about Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with a simple question: "Is he off your board?" Medical concerns with his surgically repaired knee caused the top-10-to-12 talent to slide dramatically. Five said yes to the question; three said no. Las Vegas did extensive homework on the injury, and, at least as of now, the team is optimistic about his chances to play in 2026 and avoid a redshirt season or immediate surgery. Perhaps he needs a procedure sometime in the future, but the team is hopeful he can avoid that in the short term, with the caveat that it must get him in the building for the offseason program and see how he's progressing.

One rival team exec on the Raiders: "This felt like John Spytek's draft." That's considered a good thing. Pete Carroll's influence was heavy this time last year.
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:chuckle:
 
Madturk said:
:chuckle:
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What did SpyGuy risk: a signing bonus and opportunity cost.

T5 players drafted in R4 at positions not yet drafted:
  • 1.103: DT D. Jackson
  • 1.104: DT K. Proctor
  • 1.105: WR B. Thompson
  • 1.107: DT G. Halton
  • 1.108: RB J. Coleman
We’ll get to see that super speedy (4.27 40) 5’9”/164 lb midget WR and back-up RB the Donks drafted before Washington. We’ll also get to see what could have been at DT.

Plainly worth the risk (IMO)
 
Sleet said:
What did SpyGuy risk: a signing bonus and opportunity cost.

T5 players drafted in R4 at positions not yet drafted:
  • 1.103: DT D. Jackson
  • 1.104: DT K. Proctor
  • 1.105: WR B. Thompson
  • 1.107: DT G. Halton
  • 1.108: RB J. Coleman
We’ll get to see that super speedy (4.27 40) 5’9”/164 lb midget WR and back-up RB the Donks drafted before Washington. We’ll also get to see what could have been at DT.

Plainly worth the risk (IMO)
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I love the pick. I was referring to Pete's heavy hand in last year's draft and FA.
 
Sleet said:
What did SpyGuy risk: a signing bonus and opportunity cost.

T5 players drafted in R4 at positions not yet drafted:
  • 1.103: DT D. Jackson
  • 1.104: DT K. Proctor
  • 1.105: WR B. Thompson
  • 1.107: DT G. Halton
  • 1.108: RB J. Coleman
We’ll get to see that super speedy (4.27 40) 5’9”/164 lb midget WR and back-up RB the Donks drafted before Washington. We’ll also get to see what could have been at DT.

Plainly worth the risk (IMO)
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Top of the 4th round has historically been the place where teams take the high medical risk - high reward type of guys. And in general the likelihood of getting a plus level starter in the fourth round is not high.

McCoy was widely considered to be a top cb prospect so clearly the upside/reward value is there. Unfortunately it seems that there is little experience / data on how this bone plug cartilage repair procedure will hold up under the significant and repeated stress it will be put under as a professional athlete. Clearly a significant risk, but I’m with Spy in that at this point in the draft it was a gamble worth taking.
 
Desert Rat said:
Looks like they are going to try and get creative, I expect a lot of blitzing.

I'm probably wrong.
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Watching on TV, non-football literate play-by-play guys will talk about blitzes from the Raiders a lot this season.

Happens with most 3-4 fronts where the fourth rusher is not obvious. If we rush 5 or more, that's a blitz.

By drafting McCoy and Massa, to a lesser degree Stukes, and having Porter on the roster means the players are there to play press man (please, let Stokes be on the bench) that would allow for cover zero (all-out) blitzes.

Pat Graham the two years before fucked-in-the-head-Carroll (at least Josh McShithead only fucked up the O) ran a lot of cover zero to get pressure. And it mostly worked.

Leonard saw that. Part of his bag now.
 
Sleet said:
And our draft. Some sobering words about what Washington and Benson need to do to get on the field.
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We may have jumped the gun with our enthusiasm for the Washington pick, but maybe it'll work out.
 
Crow said:
We may have jumped the gun with our enthusiasm for the Washington pick, but maybe it'll work out.
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Yah I think I would have rather drafted Chris Bell, even if he went in the 3rd. We had the ammo to move up and get him. There's a reason Washington dropped but still not unhappy with the pick. I wouldn't sleep on Hemby either. Those guys are going to get plenty of reps in pre-season.
 
If he takes on the hammer role and saves us from having to spit shine Mattison/Mostert/Abdullah types every offseason for 3-4 years we will be fine.

4th round picks I read recently that less half those don’t even get a second contract with their original teams

#Fargas
 
Madturk said:
Yah I think I would have rather drafted Chris Bell, even if he went in the 3rd. We had the ammo to move up and get him. There's a reason Washington dropped but still not unhappy with the pick. I wouldn't sleep on Hemby either. Those guys are going to get plenty of reps in pre-season.
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Skyler Bell and B. Lance were the two noted WR still on the board when SpyGuy picked Washington. Not sure how you get from 4.122 to 3.94 to get Chris Bell without forgoing McCoy. He was not in the cards.
 
007 said:
If he takes on the hammer role and saves us from having to spit shine Mattison/Mostert/Abdullah types every offseason for 3-4 years we will be fine.

4th round picks I read recently that less half those don’t even get a second contract with their original teams

#Fargas
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And Zamir "no wiggle" White
 
Sleet said:
Skyler Bell and B. Lance were the two noted WR still on the board when SpyGuy picked Washington. Not sure how you get from 4.122 to 2.94 to get Chris Bell without forgoing McCoy. He was not in the cards.
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He was picked in the 3rd homie.
 
Looking at Washington's cut ups, the dude seems feast or famine from one play to next. I don't think he's the guy who will get you tough 3-4 yards up middle. For a fast guy, he's not shifty- and it seems like he needs a bit of a runway to get going. But, on outside zone runs- if he gets past LOS, he's a threat- big time. He'll need to learn to pass protect as well, but as a number 2 back, he seems fine.
 
PDX Raider said:
Looking at Washington's cut ups, the dude seems feast or famine from one play to next. I don't think he's the guy who will get you tough 3-4 yards up middle. For a fast guy, he's not shifty- and it seems like he needs a bit of a runway to get going. But, on outside zone runs- if he gets past LOS, he's a threat- big time. He'll need to learn to pass protect as well, but as a number 2 back, he seems fine.
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Hemby seems more like the 3rd down short yardage hammer. He can also take it to the house if he gets a lane.
 
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