2026 NFL Draft Discussion

[CheezWizHed]

I'm pretty surprised that we didn't go after the usual T/G (tackle in college, G/T tweener in pros) player in the draft or UDFAs.  That doesn't really give us much for development at T.

Morgan/Tom - Starters

Kinnard - Backup - maxxed out as a player.

Belton - could be an RT if needed. 

Development players:

• Glover - Third year, so probably his last chance to show growth. 
• Cooper - 2025 UDFA - High RAS player who played LT in college. 
• Banks - 2025 UDFA - Tall, but light.  Probably not a candidate at LT (never played there in college).  RT/G.

I suppose they didn't find the right fit in the draft and perhaps no one in the UDFA market was better than Cooper/Banks? 

[LouisEly]

3 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

I suppose they didn't find the right fit in the draft and perhaps no one in the UDFA market was better than Cooper/Banks?

I think the latter.  There wasn't a lot of tackle depth this year.  

I watched 3 or 4 of Oregon's games last year and let's just say that I was not surprised that Isaiah World was not drafted. 

[patrickgpe]

i have seen a lot of reaction of I can't believe that the Packers moved up for a kicker, when they literally lost a playoff game because of said kicker. I think it had more to do of how weak the 7th round was this year. The Eagles literally drafted a EDGE with no football experience in the 7th. I would have liked Nussmeier in the 7th but won't loose sleep over that. 

[JosephC]

I completely disagree that this was a weak seventh round.

S-Robert Spears-Jennings/Oklahoma

S-VJ Payne/Kansas State

RB-Seth McGowan/Kentucky

OG-Ar'maj Reed-Adams/Texas A&M

QB-Garrett Nussmeier/LSU

TE-Dallen Bentley/Utah

I would have really liked any of those guys.  There weren't many late round projected QBs that I'd strongly prefer over Kyle McCord, but wouldn't have passed on Nussmeier that late in the draft.

I also really liked the following players, but wouldn't have addressed these positions (took 2 CB earlier, and I think the roster already had enough LBs).

CB-Toriano Pride Jr/Missouri

CB-Andre Fuller/Toledo

LB-Aiden Fisher/Indiana

LB-Red Murdock/Buffalo

And regarding Uar Bernard and the Eagles, the Eagles hit BIG on Jordan Mallata, maybe the least surprising thing in this draft was that they are the team that made the modest investment in Bernard.

[CheezWizHed]

9 hours ago, JosephC said:

I completely disagree that this was a weak seventh round.

S-Robert Spears-Jennings/Oklahoma

S-VJ Payne/Kansas State

RB-Seth McGowan/Kentucky

OG-Ar'maj Reed-Adams/Texas A&M

QB-Garrett Nussmeier/LSU

TE-Dallen Bentley/Utah

I would have really liked any of those guys.  There weren't many late round projected QBs that I'd strongly prefer over Kyle McCord, but wouldn't have passed on Nussmeier that late in the draft.

I also really liked the following players, but wouldn't have addressed these positions (took 2 CB earlier, and I think the roster already had enough LBs).

CB-Toriano Pride Jr/Missouri

CB-Andre Fuller/Toledo

LB-Aiden Fisher/Indiana

LB-Red Murdock/Buffalo

And regarding Uar Bernard and the Eagles, the Eagles hit BIG on Jordan Mallata, maybe the least surprising thing in this draft was that they are the team that made the modest investment in Bernard.

The Packers had several indicators that they didn't like the depth of this draft - trading up twice, not signing many UDFAs (and specifically lacking at a couple positions).  

Nussmeier was interesting to me simply because of his pedigree, but I don't recall any of those names being linked to the Packers. Plus, if they hadn't moved up, only a few of the names you listed would've been available at #236 and #255.  I'd guess that if they stayed at their spots, they would've picked a couple of the UDFAs they did sign. 

Also, it is more likely that a kicker provides an impact to the team than any other 7th round pick (not a lock, but likely). 

[patrickgpe]

11 hours ago, JosephC said:

I completely disagree that this was a weak seventh round.

 

Analysis of this draft as a whole is that its not as deep as normal and next years draft is projected to be much deeper. Yes, maybe there are some players that went in the 7th that you may have liked. I still like the idea of getting the top K in the draft rather than drafting 2 projects in the 7th. Now if Smack becomes the next Anders Carlson, than the conversation is 100% different. 

Either way its not like the Packers moved up in the 3rd round to draft a punter like they did 20 years ago.

[RedStickBrew]

4 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

 

Nussmeier was interesting to me simply because of his pedigree, but I don't recall any of those names being linked to the Packers. Plus, if they hadn't moved up, only a few of the names you listed would've been available at #236 and #255.  I'd guess that if they stayed at their spots, they would've picked a couple of the UDFAs they did sign. 

It was fairly well known that Nuss was playing through an undisclosed injury last season. It came out in our local news right before the draft that it was a spinal cyst. I guess that was what kept teams off him because he has NFL talent IMO.