2026 draft grades and notes

raiderfreak7 said:
Meh Manny Santiago GIF by UFC
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To me he reminds me of a bigger Mcfoot. Upright running style and more of a north south guy. I even heard a couple of the draftniks compare him to DMac.
 
Darkenblot said:
Murray's career kind of proves that being good, not great, generates more dislike than being mediocre and quickly fading away.

Letting Murray walk for an aging Lynch was one of Reggie's siller moves.
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The "good" comes with context though. He was good as backup, spot starter type. He wasn't going to move the needle with the Raiders.
 
Madturk said:
To me he reminds me of a bigger Mcfoot. Upright running style and more of a north south guy. I even heard a couple of the draftniks compare him to DMac.
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They have the same style at least. I wouldn’t say Washington is even close to the same level as football talent as McFadden had though.
 
Darkenblot said:
Murray's career kind of proves that being good, not great, generates more dislike than being mediocre and quickly fading away.

Letting Murray walk for an aging Lynch was one of Reggie's siller moves.
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I think the Marshawn signing was more of a soften the blow move by the organization knowing they were going to be approved for relocation soon. Lynch gave the home fans something to cheer for. That hometown hero everyone loved. It had nothing to do with being a winner… it was a PR move to keep asses in the seats and maybe even from riots in the stands
 
PFF’s take on the Donks’ 3.66 (DT5T) pick:

Onyedim: Onyedim delivered steady production in 2025, earning a 71.9 PFF grade driven by his work against the run. He posted a 73.2 run-defense grade, recorded 22 defensive stops, including seven tackles for loss or no gain and consistently impacted early downs. His pass-rush contribution remains a secondary part of his profile, as he generated 17 pressures and earned a 65.0 pass-rush grade. At 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, he wins with first-step quickness and active hands to shed blocks and close space. The overall profile aligns with his No. 244 ranking on PFF’s Big Board as a rotational interior defender with upside in the right scheme.

Steelers Depot described Onyedim as a “pure back-up” with “Mid Day Three” value.

Grade: D

steelersdepot.com

2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Texas A&M DL Tyler Onyedim

From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free...
steelersdepot.com steelersdepot.com
 
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KC lost both its starting CB (McDuffie, Watson) to LAR—one via a trade, the other via FA. KC replaced McDuffie with 1.6 Delane. To help replace Watson, KC reached for a CB with its 4th pick (4.109)—selecting Canady. Masse with a comp 5th (5.175) grades as the better pick:
  • Canady: Arif 5.143 (MS 5.171; PFF 7.223); Zierlein 6.19; SD 7.4
  • Masse: Arif 5.166 (MS 5.173; PFF 5.178); Zierlein 5.97; SD 7.5
Both PFF (R7 grade) and Zierlein (R3-R4 grade) held outlier views of Canady.
 
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An average NFL, 32-team, 8-player draft (256 total picks) comprises 1 1st, 3 T100 picks, 6 picks by 6.192, and 2 late-round flyers.

Per Zierlein’s grades, Spytech’s draft comprises:
  • 2 1sts (Mendoza, McCoy)
  • 6 T100 picks (+Stukes, Crawford, Washington, Zuhn)
  • 9 picks by 6.192 (+Cleveland, Bensen, Masses), plus
  • 1 flyer (7.218 D. Johnson)
Per Steeler Depot’s T200 Big Board:
  • 2 1sts (Mendoza, McCoy)
  • 5 T100 picks (+Stukes, Washington, Zuhn)
  • 9 picks in T200 (+Crawford, Masses, Bensen, D. Johnson)
Per The Huddle Report’s T200 Big Board:
  • 2 1sts (Mendoza, McCoy)
  • 5 T100 picks (+Stukes, Crawford, Washington)
  • 8 picks in T180 (+Zuhn, Masses, Bensen)
Per Jeremiah’s T150 Big Board:
  • 2 1sts (Mendoza, McCoy)
  • 5 T100 picks (+Stukes, Crawford, Washington)
  • 6 picks in T150 (+Zuhn)
McShay’s (MS) Big Board was (oddly) closest to Spytech’s (ST):
  1. Mendoza: QB1 T4
  2. Stukes: S4 (MS-36) S3 (ST-38)
  3. Crawford: Edge12 (MS-69) Edge13 (ST-67)
  4. Zuhn: IOL15 (MS-156) IOL7 (ST-91)
  5. McCoy: CB4 (MS-33) CB10 (ST-101)
  6. Washington: RB3 (MS-85) RB5 (ST-122)
  7. D. Johnson: S14 (MS-162) S23 (ST-150)
  8. Masses: CB23 (MS-173) CB22 (ST-175)
  9. Benson: WR27 (MS-197) WR30 (ST-195)
  10. Cleveland: DT27 (MS-300) DT22 (ST-229)
Per Arif’s Consensus Big Board:
  • 2 1sts (Mendoza, McCoy)
  • 5 T100 picks (+Stukes, Crawford, Washington)
  • 7 picks by 6.192 (+Zuhn, Masses), plus
  • 3 flyers (D. Johnson, Bensen, Cleveland)
 
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DJ's using #SleatMath now. What has this world come to?


Daniel Jeremiah
@MoveTheSticks
Which Teams Made Most of Their Picks?
- 150 points for player ranked 1st overall, 149 for player ranked 2nd …

- Players outside Top 150 = 0 points

- 150 expected points for 1st overall pick, 149 for 2nd overall pick …

- Picks outside Top 150 = 0 expected points

HH0Qb_haUAAVn0I
 
Crow said:
DJ's using #SleatMath now. What has this world come to?


Daniel Jeremiah
@MoveTheSticks
Which Teams Made Most of Their Picks?
- 150 points for player ranked 1st overall, 149 for player ranked 2nd …

- Players outside Top 150 = 0 points

- 150 expected points for 1st overall pick, 149 for 2nd overall pick …

- Picks outside Top 150 = 0 expected points

HH0Qb_haUAAVn0I
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All for it. But that’s linear math. IDK where JJ came up with his numbers, but they’re more sophisticated. While, for example, 1.1 is only 95.5x more than 5.150 (not 150x), 1.1 also is 2.3x more than 1.10 (not just 1.06x). The number I like the most is Den’s 105—smallest by far.
 
Crow said:
DJ's using #SleatMath now. What has this world come to?


Daniel Jeremiah
@MoveTheSticks
Which Teams Made Most of Their Picks?
- 150 points for player ranked 1st overall, 149 for player ranked 2nd …

- Players outside Top 150 = 0 points

- 150 expected points for 1st overall pick, 149 for 2nd overall pick …

- Picks outside Top 150 = 0 expected points

HH0Qb_haUAAVn0I
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So us, cle, mia, and nyj. Perennial powerhouses right there.
 
Crow said:
HH0OgZLaYAAy_ug
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Hmmm. What is meant by “best value” pick?

Two questions: First, if you would not make a trade using this scoring method, why would you grade a draft using it?

Second, even using this scoring, Omar’s worth is, wut, 1.4 (17 - 13)? Wouldn’t you still prefer 1.1 in this draft?

Omar might be a “better value” pick than 1.2 (Bailey) or 1.3 (Love) and brings a higher return on draft capital at 1.30 than Mendoza at 1.1, and some drafts 1.1 is not worth 1.1, but ‘26 reportedly is not one of those drafts.

Best value pick: 1.1 Mendoza

p.s., I’d take JD’s 1.20 valued player at 4.101 (+81) over his 2.55 valued player at 4.138 (+83) too.

IDK why Louis fell (LB?). We know why McCoy fell, but JD opted not to drop McCoy out of the 1st even with his medicals.
 
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What Arif’s model, which is based on an even or standard distribution of players tracking a trade value chart, does not incorporate are adjustments GM’s should make to account for, not only their own team’s need (or, more importantly, lack thereof), but (a) the strength of a class overall and (b) supply and demand of prospects in particular position groups.

For example, in a strong but not deep draft, dropping from 2.36 to 2.48 might result in a huge drop in a prospect’s grade, i.e., more than what Arif’s board would project. However, in a deep class, that same drop might be far less significant in terms of grade.

Also, OL consistently go higher than their grades and consensus ranking because supply does not meet demand. However, given the depth this year at S, WR and NT, higher graded players at these positions were going off the board late in the draft. GM’s should have adjusted their boards accordingly.
 
The anatomy of the draft—listing BPA alternatives per Arif.

1.1: QB Mendoza

No brainer

2.36: WR (Boston), NT (McDonald), CB (Hood), S (Stukes)

Although all relatively deep positions and ones of needs, it does not follow that Stukes was StyGuy’s BPA. Raiders traded the rights to McDonald in a low risk (2 spot), high reward (+56 point value) move—leveraging Hou’s desire to jump over NYG for McDonald, who traded Sexy Dexy. NYG drafted Hood and Raiders passed over Boston again for Stukes, which suggests a higher grade on Stukes over Boston, DT C. Miller or CB Ponds, or the best fit for SpyGuy’s draft strategy of doubling down at safety.

3.67: CB (McCoy, Abney, Scott), WR (C. Bell, Brazzell, Branch, A. Williams, Fields), DT (Orange), Edge (Crawford)

With SpyGuy looking to trade Wilson and to invest in/develop a pass rusher over a NT (and willing to move on from Snowden), SpyGuy’s pick/plan reveals itself in hindsight, especially with few remaining Edge pieces and depth at both WR and CB still on the board.

3.91: CB (McCoy, Abney, Scott, Muhammed), WR (C. Bell), OL (Dunker), OL (Tiernan), OL (Zuhn)

Loved upgrading from 4.117 to 3.91 and keeping 4.102 near the top of Day 3. IDK why C. Bell fell. Zuhn, an OL for SpyGuy, seems like a standard call over CB, especially with McCoy falling. It appears that SpyGuy’s real choice was among OL, including Dunker and Tiernan. Dennison chose Zuhn.

4.101: CB McCoy

No brainer (for a ‘27 7th).

4.122: LB Louis, RB Washington

Loved that SpyGuy traded up for RB2 Washington, who fell to the 4th. WR S. Bell or B. Lance were the other skill position players worth trading up for, but RB2 was a bigger need and there was more depth at WR. Weird how Louis fell—he was the 7th LB taken in R4 (6 taken after Washington).

5.150: CB (Abney), S (Wheatley), DT (Durant, Capehart), S (D. Johnson)

For me, the head scratcher of SpyGuy’s draft. Doubling down at CB (Abney) or S (Wheatley), who fell into the 5th, seemed like the call, especially with Masses and Payne still on the board in addition to Johnson. Durant and Capehart were the BA DT3T. D. Johnson was plainly a targeted fit.

5.175: OT JC Davis, DT3T Durant, WR Cameron, CB Masses

Pretty clear that SpyGuy was not in the market for a Day 3 OT or DT3T, passing on Durant twice. While I was a WR Cameron fan, SpyGuy passed him over at 6.185 as well. Masses fit and was the last CB taken until after our R6 pick. In contrast, 4 WR were drafted after Masses and before Benson at 6.195.

6.185 OT Crownover, WR Cameron, WR Benson

SpyGuy again passed over a Day 3 OT, one who fell to the 6th, and parleyed 6.185 into two players at positions of need—WR and NT.

7.229 NT Cleveland

R7 flyer
 
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