The 2026 NFL DRAFT QB derby watch!

[SdBacker80]

The NIL package offered from Miami was ONE year 6.5M.   Hes entered the draft moot point now. He should be drafted in the first round in all likelihood he will make what he could have made at Miami or less in the NFL in his first year.  
 

If he stayed in college won the Heisman and boosted his draft stock then He’s left some money on the table.  It is anyone’s guess where he gets drafted but if it is end of round 1 this year and next year he would have climbed higher than this is not a good decision for him. 
 

But You have Moore Sayin Manning Mensah and a slew of others in the 27 draft class.  He’s made the right move. 
 

But It is no longer a slam dunk decision for these guys 

[Unsympathetic]

I'm not sold on Mendoza in the NFL.. he looks like he'd have the biggest collection of Legos on the team to go along with a noodle arm.

2027 will have Sayin and Moore -- and at this point Sayin's inability / refusal to run makes him rd3 material.

[Flugel]

@unsympathetic said:

I'm not sold on Mendoza in the NFL.. he looks like he'd have the biggest collection of Legos on the team to go along with a noodle arm.

2027 will have Sayin and Moore -- and at this point Sayin's inability / refusal to run makes him rd3 material.

It doesn't matter if any of us in the white noise section think there's a better QB prospect than Mendoza - Mendoza will be the 1st QB drafted barring serious injury tomorrow night.  You sound like you haven't watched Moore play against the better defenses they faced.  If it wasn't for Texas Tech's offense handing Oregon short fields all day on offense (via 4 turnovers by TT) - Moore was getting sacked, fumbling snaps, messing up handoffs and pitches; and holding onto the ball too long not feeling the pass rush/pressure in the pocket. He played way too sloppy with the basics to sell me on how much better you think he is over Mendoza.  At Oregon, even Dillon Gabriel looked great sporting a 72.9 comp % with 30 TDs to only 6 INTs to go with the talented roster good enough for a 13-1 record.  When Moore isn't sloppy - he is accurate. The cut and paste below shows you his recent struggles.  If these bad habits that were most visible at the end of the year aren't resolved in 2026 - he's probably not gonna be the consensus #1 pick next year either. As always, I could be wrong about that...

[gumby73]

Senior Bowl bump.. 

Tuesday 2:30 pm & 5 pm... NFLN airs Day 1 practices... Game day Saturday 

The Senior Bowl has been the premier All-Star game for several decades and is considered the unofficial “Start of the Draft”.

Below, we will list every player’s measurements slated to play in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.

** THIS WILL BE UPDATED AS THE HAND, ARM, AND WINGSPAN NUMBERS COME IN ***

** THIS WILL ALSO BE UPDATED WITH ANY NEW PLAYERS WHOSE MEASUREMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO US **

2026 Senior Bowl Official Measurements

https://www.draftcountdown.com/all-star-game/2026-senior-bowl-official-measurements/

edit--- 1-28.. updates of hand size & arm length  ^ ^ 

[calfoxwc]

can't wait for the East-West Shrine Bowl

• 

  Sports Illustrated

  https://www.si.com › college › iowa › football › iowa-hawkeyes-qb-mark-gronowski-makes-case-start-east-west-shrine-bowl

  Iowa QB Makes Case To Start East-West Shrine Bowl

  1 day agoBobby Football, as the CFP publishing editor is known, added, "Iowa's Mark Gronowski has really flashed at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
•  
  

  bluewaterhealthyliving.com

  https://bluewaterhealthyliving.com › news › national-news › iowa › iowa-football-qb-mark-gronowski-turning-heads-at-east-west-shrine-bowl

  Iowa football QB Mark Gronowski turning heads at East-West Shrine Bowl

  1 day agoJoining him in turning heads at the East-West Shrine Bowl practices is Iowa's quarterback, Mark Gronowski. Known largely for his legs while with the Hawkeyes, Gronowski is a very seasoned passer, having thrown for 12,049 yards and 103 passing touchdowns during his collegiate career.

  *******************************************

  Quarterbacks (QB)

   

  • Cade Klubnik — Clemson (EAST)

  • Behren Morton — Texas Tech (EAST)

  • Miller Moss — Louisville (WEST)

  • Haynes King — Georgia Tech (WEST)

  • Mark Gronowski — Iowa (WEST)

  • Joe Fagnano — Connecticut (WEST)

  • Kyron Drones — Virginia Tech (EAST)

  • Jalon Daniels — Kansas (EAST)

     

   

  Running Backs (RB)

   

  • Chip Trayanum — Toledo (EAST)

  • Robert Henry Jr. — UTSA (EAST)

  • Roman Hemby — Indiana (WEST)

  • Eli Heidenreich — Navy (EAST)

  • CJ Donaldson — Ohio State (WEST)

  • Dean Connors — Houston (WEST)

  • Demond Claiborne — Wake Forest (WEST)

  • Kentrel Bullock — South Alabama (EAST)

     

   

  Wide Receivers (WR)

   

  • Colbie Young — Georgia (EAST)

  • Kaden Wetjen — Iowa (WEST)

  • Jalen Walthall — Incarnate Word (EAST)

  • Noah Thomas — Georgia (EAST)

  • Zavion Thomas — LSU (EAST)

  • J. Michael Sturdivant — Florida (WEST)

  • De’Zhaun Stribling — Ole Miss (EAST)

  • Chase Roberts — BYU (WEST)

  • Eric Rivers — Georgia Tech (WEST)

  • Kendrick Law — Kentucky (EAST)

  • Chris Hilton — LSU (EAST)

  • Emmanuel Henderson Jr. — Kansas (WEST)

  • Jeff Caldwell — Cincinnati (WEST)

  • Malik Benson — Oregon (WEST)

  • Skyler Bell — Connecticut (WEST)

  • Dillon Bell — Georgia (EAST)

     

   

  Tight Ends (TE)

   

  • Seydou Traore — Mississippi State (WEST)

  • Bauer Sharp — LSU (WEST)

  • Eli Raridon — Notre Dame (EAST)

  • Lake McRee — USC (EAST)

  • Jaren Kanak — Oklahoma (WEST)

  • Jack Endries — Texas (EAST)

  • Dallen Bentley — Utah (EAST)

     

   

  Offensive Tackles (OT)

   

  • Jayden Williams — Ole Miss (EAST)

  • Aamil Wagner — Notre Dame (EAST)

  • Keagen Trost — Missouri (EAST)

  • Diego Pounds — Ole Miss (EAST)

  • James Neal III — Iowa State (WEST)

  • Riley Mahlman — Wisconsin (WEST)

  • Fa’alili Fa’amoe — Wake Forest (WEST)

  • Garrett DiGiorgio — UCLA (WEST)

  • Travis Burke — Memphis (EAST)

  • Chris Adams — Memphis (EAST)

     

   

  Interior Offensive Line (IOL)

   

  • Dillon Wade — Auburn (EAST)

  • Jaeden Roberts — Alabama (WEST)

  • Ar’maj Reed-Adams — Texas A&M (WEST)

  • Brian Parker II — Duke (WEST)

  • Pete Nygra — Louisville (EAST)

  • Febechi Nwaiwu — Oklahoma (WEST)

  • Micah Morris — Georgia (EAST)

  • Giovanni El-Hadi — Michigan (EAST)

  • Anez Cooper — Miami (FL) (WEST)

  • Pat Coogan — Indiana (WEST)

  • DJ Campbell — Texas (EAST)

  • Jager Burton — Kentucky (EAST)

  • Josh Braun — Kentucky (EAST)

  • Evan Beerntsen — Northwestern (WEST)

     

   

  Defense: Depth, Versatility, and Translatable NFL Traits

   

  The defensive roster at the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl underscores why evaluators view this side of the ball as a strength of the event.

   

   

   

  The front seven is anchored by disruptive, role-diverse defenders such as Harold Perkins Jr., Albert Regis, and Malachi Lawrence, offering a mix of versatility, length, and power that translates cleanly to NFL schemes.

   

   

   

  In the secondary, defenders like Domani Jackson and Robert Spears-Jennings provide evaluators with press-man, zone, and sub-package options, while also projecting as early contributors on special teams.

   

   

   

  Interior Defensive Line (IDL)

   

  • James Thompson Jr — Illinois (WEST)

  • Gary Smith III — UCLA (EAST)

  • Landon Robinson — Navy (EAST)

  • Albert Regis — Texas A&M (WEST)

  • Kaleb Proctor — Southeastern Louisiana (WEST)

  • Tyler Onyedim — Texas A&M (WEST)

  • Jackie Marshall — Baylor (EAST)

  • Darrell Jackson Jr — Florida State (EAST)

  • David Gusta — Kentucky (WEST)

  • Dontay Corleone — Cincinnati (WEST)

  • Brandon Cleveland — NC State (EAST)

  • DeMonte Capehart — Clemson (EAST)

  • David Blay — Miami (FL) (WEST)

     

   

  EDGE Defenders

   

  • Wesley Williams — Duke (EAST)

  • Bryan Thomas Jr — South Carolina (EAST)

  • Tyreak Sapp — Florida (WEST)

  • Mason Reiger — Wisconsin (EAST)

  • Patrick Payton — LSU (EAST)

  • Anthony Lucas — USC (EAST)

  • Malachi Lawrence — UCF (WEST)

  • Nyjalik Kelly — UCF (WEST)

  • Marvin Jones Jr — Oklahoma (EAST)

  • Keyshawn James-Newby — New Mexico (WEST)

  • Aidan Hubbard — Northwestern (WEST)

  • George Gumbs Jr — Florida (WEST)

  • Ethan Burke — Texas (WEST)

     

   

  Linebackers (LB)

   

  • Taurean York — Texas A&M (EAST)

  • Declan Williams — Incarnate Word (EAST)

  • West Weeks — LSU (EAST)

  • Karson Sharar — Iowa (WEST)

  • Jimmy Rolder — Michigan (WEST)

  • Harold Perkins Jr — LSU (EAST)

  • Red Murdock — Buffalo (EAST)

  • Jackson Kuwatch — Miami (OH) (WEST)

  • Jake Golday — Cincinnati (WEST)

  • Eric Gentry — USC (WEST)

  • Jaden Dugger — Louisiana (EAST)

  • Wesley Bissainthe — Miami (FL) (WEST)

  • Lander Barton — Utah (EAST)

     

   

  Cornerbacks (CB)

   

  • Ceyair Wright — Nebraska (WEST)

  • Jarod Washington — South Carolina State (EAST)

  • DeVonta Smith — Notre Dame (EAST)

  • Avery Smith — Toledo (EAST)

  • Devon Marshall — NC State (EAST)

  • Domani Jackson — Alabama (WEST)

  • Ahmari Harvey — Georgia Tech (WEST)

  • Jaylon Guilbeau — Texas (WEST)

  • Andre Fuller — Toledo (EAST)

  • Tyreek Chappell — Texas A&M (WEST)

  • Brent Austin — California (EAST)

  • Marcus Allen — North Carolina (EAST)

     

   

  Safeties (SAF)

   

  • Cole Wisniewski — Texas Tech (EAST)

  • Robert Spears-Jennings — Oklahoma (WEST)

  • DQ Smith — South Carolina (EAST)

  • Miles Scott — Illinois (WEST)

  • Myles Rowser — Arizona State (EAST)

  • Ahmaad Moses — SMU (WEST)

  • Louis Moore — Indiana (WEST)

  • Dalton Johnson — Arizona (EAST)

  • Jalen Huskey — Maryland (WEST)

  • Bishop Fitzgerald — USC (EAST)

  • Austin Brown — Wisconsin (WEST)

[gumby73]

@gumby73 said:

The Senior Bowl has been the premier All-Star game for several decades and is considered the unofficial “Start of the Draft”.

      Starting American Team OL was the show ? that nobody is reporting

Max Iheanachor  RT/ Zona St.

Jeremiah Wright RG /Auburn ? 6’5 340 

Jake Slaughter C/Florida

Fernando Carmona LG/Arkansas

Austin Barber LT/Florida 

No where but stock up ️ on this unit 

https://nfldraftdiamonds.com/2026/01/2026-senior-bowl-preview-offensive-line/

[Flugel]

@gumby73 said:

Senior Bowl bump.. 

Tuesday 2:30 pm & 5 pm... NFLN airs Day 1 practices... Game day Saturday 

The Senior Bowl has been the premier All-Star game for several decades and is considered the unofficial “Start of the Draft”.

Below, we will list every player’s measurements slated to play in the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl.

** THIS WILL BE UPDATED AS THE HAND, ARM, AND WINGSPAN NUMBERS COME IN ***

** THIS WILL ALSO BE UPDATED WITH ANY NEW PLAYERS WHOSE MEASUREMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE TO US **

2026 Senior Bowl Official Measurements

https://www.draftcountdown.com/all-star-game/2026-senior-bowl-official-measurements/

edit--- 1-28.. updates of hand size & arm length  ^ ^ 

There's a lot of OTs with 33" arm lengths that will get sentenced to OG by people/young journalists that have never watched them play.   Some of them can still be very effective RTs.  I read elsewhere that Joe Pesci's 2 Utes - RT Spencer Fano and LT Caleb Lomu both had 34" arm lengths.  That said, the reason Lomu is positioned as highly as he is as a redshirt sophomore is because his base & footwork are as good as it gets for someone that young. Some-to-many are tempted to draft him quite a few slots ahead of his projection because of the base/footwork & the understanding his best work is NOT in the rear view mirror...

[Jax]

@flugel said:

There's a lot of OTs with 33" arm lengths that will get sentenced to OG by people/young journalists that have never watched them play.   Some of them can still be very effective RTs.  I read elsewhere that Joe Pesci's 2 Utes - RT Spencer Fano and LT Caleb Lomu both had 34" arm lengths.  That said, the reason Lomu is positioned as highly as he is as a redshirt sophomore is because his base & footwork are as good as it gets for someone that young. Some-to-many are tempted to draft him quite a few slots ahead of his projection because of the base/footwork & the understanding his best work is NOT in the rear view mirror...

I wouldn't be upset if Lomu was our 1st pick

[Flugel]

@jax said:

I wouldn't be upset if Lomu was our 1st pick

Me either Jax!   Here's a cut and paste of what's been accomplished with 2 years of eligibility he's declining to enter the 2026 draft.  In a world where you want best football ahead - this is a promising start from a guy with a great work ethic.

[gumby73]

@flugel said:

That said, the reason Lomu is positioned as highly as he is as a redshirt sophomore is because his base & footwork are as good as it gets for someone that young.

true.. and Berry likes young..

same reasons.. We may see a Georgia Tackle (Monroe Freeling) be taken ahead of another Bama (Wills) heavy footed tackle in ( Kadyn Proctor) 

stay tuned... will a lite footed dancing bear show out at the combine? ?

[Dutch Oven]

@flugel said:

Me either Jax!   Here's a cut and paste of what's been accomplished with 2 years of eligibility he's declining to enter the 2026 draft.  In a world where you want best football ahead - this is a promising start from a guy with a great work ethic.

Then the best WR available at 24, then the best available OLineman with the second round pick.

[Flugel]

@gumby73 said:

true.. and Berry likes young..

same reasons.. We may see a Georgia Tackle (Monroe Freeling) be taken ahead of another Bama (Wills) heavy footed tackle in ( Kadyn Proctor) 

stay tuned... will a lite footed dancing bear show out at the combine? ?

Tell you what - for shits and giggles I do a lot those draft simulators from that thread Dutch started during the mid-late 2025 season.  It's a fun exercise of the mind.  Anyway, I can usually get Lomu at #6 but not always Fano there.  Having said that UGA's Monroe Freeling is very impressive and I've selected him a few times at #24. 

I don't know if I'm right or wrong here - but my 1st impression of Proctor was in the opener when a very mediocre Florida State team owned the line of scrimmage.  That night - Proctor gave up 1 sack as well as 6 QB pressures where a couple of those included hits on his QB in his very 1st start.  I've had it with worrying if our LTs can get out of their stances in time to matter.  Been there - done that countless times with the same consequences/results since Joe Thomas retired. Playing with space your left that extends to the sideline at 370 lbs on the blind side of the QB is risky business.  All that said, I think he can be function very effectively as an OG (a la Nate Newton) where a tackle next to his outside shoulder and a Center next to his inside shoulder phone booths him to easier pass blocking ergonomics against bigger girths inside. I also think he can be a very good run blocker at OG in the NFL.  My guess is he could be a very good OG in the NFL but I'm not nearly as confident in him at LT.  It might be worth seeing if he can play RT before kicking him inside.  AND...  It's also possible I'm wrong so putting it in writing means I have no problem owning it when/if warranted.

I've also messed around drafting a WR 1st and/or Caleb Downs and the pecking order of LTs gets drained fast as soon as the run on top LTs begins.  AGAIN, some people think Fano & Mauigoa are LTs because Google/AI list them as such unless they've finally corrected that.  Also keep in mind how often Miami will throw a TE to Mauigoa's right and then put a RB/FB/TE 1 yard over and 1 yard back from the right hip of TE.  This formationally closes down outside space and/or commands defensive attention/assignment changes so Mauigoa can remain focused on not letting anyone get to his inside. If a defender lines up on his outside shoulder - keep in mind the TE is all over that like a dog on a fire hydrant.

I'm confident our piss poor OT situation will jump off the screen at Monken...