2026 Draft Boards, Position Rankings and Mocks

Yeah, so the general idea I'm kinda forming is probably to target the 4-3 OLB / 3-4 ILB with the first pick, and then the 4-3 DE / 3-4 OLB with the second pick. That seems the value here if addressing the front 7 is the priority, which it should be.

Styles if you stay at 12, CJ Allen if you move down.

With the second pick, Howell or Parker.

DB with a second day pick you've acquired in trade down.
 
Smitty said:
Yeah, so the general idea I'm kinda forming is probably to target the 4-3 OLB / 3-4 ILB with the first pick, and then the 4-3 DE / 3-4 OLB with the second pick. That seems the value here if addressing the front 7 is the priority, which it should be.

Styles if you stay at 12, CJ Allen if you move down.

With the second pick, Howell or Parker.

DB with a second day pick you've acquired in trade down.
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2026 Draft Boards, Position Rankings and Mocks

For the first time in 30 years, the Dallas Cowboys are your 2026 NFL champions. You liked me stealing Cole Payton at the end of the 5th too, eh?
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Smitty said:
Yeah, so the general idea I'm kinda forming is probably to target the 4-3 OLB / 3-4 ILB with the first pick, and then the 4-3 DE / 3-4 OLB with the second pick. That seems the value here if addressing the front 7 is the priority, which it should be.

Styles if you stay at 12, CJ Allen if you move down.

With the second pick, Howell or Parker.

DB with a second day pick you've acquired in trade down.
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I'm just not that high on Allen. It's not that I dislike him. But I'd have him lumped closer to the second tier of LBers. I think you can get guys of similar quality later. I think he is closer to Anthony Hill, Golday, Trotter and Rodriguez than he is Sonny Styles. I'd be very disappointed if our first pick was CJ Allen. Not that I don't think he will be a good player for us. I just don't think he will be good value.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
I'm just not that high on Allen. It's not that I dislike him. But I'd have him lumped closer to the second tier of LBers. I think you can get guys of similar quality later. I think he is closer to Anthony Hill, Golday, Trotter and Rodriguez than he is Sonny Styles. I'd be very disappointed if our first pick was CJ Allen. Not that I don't think he will be a good player for us. I just don't think he will be good value.
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I think Allen is better than the second tier. Not quite on Styles level, but I'd easily put him next over that next group of guys. I'd have no problem taking him with our 2nd pick if Styles is not at our first and we go Edge/DB with our first pick. (barring trade downs)
 
NoDak said:
I think Allen is better than the second tier. Not quite on Styles level, but I'd easily put him next over that next group of guys. I'd have no problem taking him with our 2nd pick if Styles is not at our first and we go Edge/DB with our first pick. (barring trade downs)
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Agreed and especially after a trade down which I think is what smitty was saying.
 
Simpleton said:
Agreed and especially after a trade down which I think is what smitty was saying.
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This question goes Nodak too. What do you all love so much about him? He is average to below average in coverage. He is 6'1" 235 pounds. I don't think he is a killer athlete. I think his instincts are solid against the run but nothing special.

Sell me on what makes CJ Allen the next probowl NFL LBer? I just don't see the qualities that are special.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
This question goes Nodak too. What do you all love so much about him? He is average to below average in coverage. He is 6'1" 235 pounds. I don't think he is a killer athlete. I think his instincts are solid against the run but nothing special.

Sell me on what makes CJ Allen the next probowl NFL LBer? I just don't see the qualities that are special.
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I just think he is a very technically sound LBer. His coverage while not great is better than I think you’re giving him credit for. Highly intelligent guy that is a sound tackler.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
This question goes Nodak too. What do you all love so much about him? He is average to below average in coverage. He is 6'1" 235 pounds. I don't think he is a killer athlete. I think his instincts are solid against the run but nothing special.

Sell me on what makes CJ Allen the next probowl NFL LBer? I just don't see the qualities that are special.
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Really good ability to diagnose and fit vs. the run, very sound tackler, good blitzer, sideline to sideline range, and I think he's actually decent enough in coverage. I wouldn't call it a strength but I don't think it's a liability either.

He doesn't have the rare size that Styles has and isn't quite as good in coverage, but I think he's definitely worth picking in the late 1st.
 
Simpleton said:
Really good ability to diagnose and fit vs. the run, very sound tackler, good blitzer, sideline to sideline range, and I think he's actually decent enough in coverage. I wouldn't call it a strength but I don't think it's a liability either.

He doesn't have the rare size that Styles has and isn't quite as good in coverage, but I think he's definitely worth picking in the late 1st.
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I don't see sideline to sideline range. He almost looks a tad slow for a guy his size to me. I also don't like the way it seems to take him a second to process. I see a guy that is often times the second or third guy there to make a tackle. Will be interesting to see what he runs but I don't think you'll see a guy that times as a "sideline to sideline LBer"

Again, sounds like I'm ripping the guy apart. But I just see a lot of average traits. I do agree that I think he is a "green dot" leader type. I see a guy that can play more physical than his size would tell you. The blitzing I think gets a little overrated because anyone can blitz when they aren't blocked. I'm not seeing a guy really defeating blocks when he is blitzing.

Don't get me wrong, you don't need to have 4.4 speed to be a sideline to sideline great NFL LBer. I think he will be a good NFL starter. But I see a lot of potential good NFL starting LBers in this class. What I don't see with him is special. Which is why I put him closer to the pack than Sonny Styles. Who does look like he is very athletic. Who is really good in coverage. Who is probably the most sure tackler in this draft.
 
The appeal to moving down and giving up on Sonny Styles would be to get Allen instead but also a second with which you can get a CB or Safety.

And then Howell with the later first as your edge.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
I don't see sideline to sideline range. He almost looks a tad slow for a guy his size to me. I also don't like the way it seems to take him a second to process. I see a guy that is often times the second or third guy there to make a tackle. Will be interesting to see what he runs but I don't think you'll see a guy that times as a "sideline to sideline LBer"

Again, sounds like I'm ripping the guy apart. But I just see a lot of average traits. I do agree that I think he is a "green dot" leader type. I see a guy that can play more physical than his size would tell you. The blitzing I think gets a little overrated because anyone can blitz when they aren't blocked. I'm not seeing a guy really defeating blocks when he is blitzing.

Don't get me wrong, you don't need to have 4.4 speed to be a sideline to sideline great NFL LBer. I think he will be a good NFL starter. But I see a lot of potential good NFL starting LBers in this class. What I don't see with him is special. Which is why I put him closer to the pack than Sonny Styles. Who does look like he is very athletic. Who is really good in coverage. Who is probably the most sure tackler in this draft.
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We'll see how he runs but I'd be very surprised if it was worse than about 4.6, but in the games I watched when he opened up and ran he definitely was able to get to the sidelines on perimeter plays pretty comfortably.
 
Smitty said:
The appeal to moving down and giving up on Sonny Styles would be to get Allen instead but also a second with which you can get a CB or Safety.

And then Howell with the later first as your edge.
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I'd move down very happily. And I'd take a LBer with that second round pick I acquire. Heck wouldn't be shocked if that is still CJ Allen.
 
I've been thinking about Thieneman a lot lately with respect to Jerry lamenting losing Lewis and how Parker used DeJean.

Ignoring the fact that they're both white, I think Thieneman might be oddly similar to DeJean in that I don't think DeJean was really a traditional CB in Philly's scheme, not even a traditional slot CB. In their zone-heavy cover-4/6/8 variant scheme DeJean is almost like a slot CB/safety hybrid who often played underneath shell coverage in the flats and the middle of the field.

Very rarely was he asked to turn and run with guys 20+ yards downfield, he was often playing within about 10 yards of the LOS and with his eyes downhill in a zone.

Even though Thieneman is technically a safety I think he could more or less play that sort of role, he has experience playing in the slot and is an excellent downhill tackler.

I'm not sure I'd take him at 20 but he might be someone you have to think of as a creative solution to the need at slot CB, plus some added safety versatility.
 
NoDak said:
I like Thieneman. But I'm 100% positive I wouldn't take him at 20.
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Yea I meant to say a creative solution after a trade down.

I've been saying I think we should target CB down in the 25-40ish range if we can trade down and I think I'd include Thieneman there.
 
Simpleton said:
Yea I meant to say a creative solution after a trade down.

I've been saying I think we should target CB down in the 25-40ish range if we can trade down and I think I'd include Thieneman there.
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What about Will Lee? I'm a big fan of his play and size. What's his projected round? Third rd?
 
Here is my best one so far. Not only do I have a 3rd in 2027, I also picked up 2 2nds, not sure why they're not showing.

PFN_Draft_result_1769712704086.png
 
Cole Payton makes that a down by three, two out, 0-2 count, bottom of the ninth, game 7 of the world series, walk off grand slam draft.
 
NoDak said:
Cole Payton makes that a down by three, two out, 0-2 count, bottom of the ninth, game 7 of the world series, walk off grand slam draft.
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I'm surprised it took you this long. But I think he is the best QB at the Senior Bowl so I'm sure his stock is on the rise.
 
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