General Draft Talk

Posted April 8th, 2026

As we get closer to the draft we will start to hear more and more inside info. Some of this will be BS. Teams like to float some stuff out there hoping that other teams will pick it up and buy it. But there will also be some good info that is worth keeping in mind.

You might wonder how info gets out there. Scouts love to talk football. Sometimes that is with each other, sometimes it is with members of the media that they’ve built good relationships with. They know this will get out, but don’t give away anything that they think will hurt their team. People love the draft. We’re all looking for good rumors or storylines. That includes scouts and even GMs. So let’s go over some of the stuff that is out there.

Daniel Jeremiah and Pete Schrager both say that OT Kaydn Proctor won’t get past the Lions at pick at pick 17. Proctor is a massive LT with good experience. The Lions could plug him in at LT or move Penei Sewell over there and put Proctor at RT. He is the kind of physical player they live. Detroit has also done well with guys from Alabama. The Eagles have real interest in Proctor. I doubt it is strong enough to move up that far for him. Proctor going there means that some other OT will slide down. The Eagles should have good options for an OT at 23.

Jeremiah has said that the GMs he’s talked to with picks in the teens are open to moving back. If Howie Roseman wants to go up, he should be able to at a fair price. I don’t think this is the draft to do that, but Howie is very aggressive and could find a player he covets at an affordable price.

*****

Jordyn Tyson is one of the best WR prospects in the draft. He had a good senior season, but hasn’t helped himself in the offseason. He didn’t work out at the Combine or his Pro Day. He is now saying he’ll work out for teams on April 17. All of this delay from a hamstring issue has teams questioning him.

Schrager did a mock with Tyson going to KC ninth overall. Jeremiah seems to think Tyson will fall, maybe into the 20’s. Tyson has NFL talent, but durability, toughness and desire are critical traits for NFL success. If teams have real doubts, he will fall.

*****

Faulk is big, athletic and disruptive. He had 7 sacks in 2024, but only 2 last year. Most of the sacks came with him rushing inside. So is he a DT or an edge rusher? And what is his value? He is Top 15 to some or could slide into the 20’s according to others. I like him and think somewhere in the middle of the first round makes sense. Big, versatile, athletic DL are valuable an dnot always easy to find.

Mesidor is already 25. That hurts his value. He was getting the best of guys who were several years younger. He’s closer to his ceiling and is physically developed.

I’m curious about the safeties. Caleb Downs, Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Dillon Thieneman are the three top guys. Downs absolutely goes in the first. I like McNeil-Warren more than Thieneman because I prefer his physicality. He did play lower level competition, coming from Toledo. Thieneman is highly athletic and excels in coverage. I don’t love him as a tackler. He is what I call a drag-down tackler. He’ll wrap-up, but then can struggle to get the guy on the ground.

Vega Ioane is the one guard we know will go in the first. The next two guys are considered to be Chase Bisontis and Emmanuel Pregnon. Seattle added a guard late in last year’s first round and that guy helped them win the Super Bowl. There is something to be said for making sure your OL is set.

*****

The next item isn’t a rumor, but rather something to keep in mind.

Vic Fangio values physical edge players. He has his guys take on blockers aggressively. You better to be able to set the edge if you want to play for him. You rush the passer after you stop the run.

*****

CB Avieon Terrell injured his hamstring and missed his Pro Day. He did work out for scouts about a week ago. He wasn’t 100 percent and that showed in his 40 time of 4.64. Teams know he’s faster than that. They just don’t know how fast. Is he 4.55? Is he 4.50? Faster? That matters at CB. He was projected to be a first round pick, but will almost certainly fall to the second. His tape is still really impressive.

Terrell can play in the slot or outside. He’s tough and will tackle. He can cover. He does have small hands. Terrell is a playmaker. Over the past three years he had 25 PDs, 4 sacks, 8 FFs and 3 INTs.

If he falls far enough you wonder if Howie would see him as a good value pick. The Eagles tend to prefer bigger, faster corners, but Terrell’s toughness and versatility could interest them. It will be interesting to see how far he falls. His speed certainly doesn’t seem to be an issue on tape.

*****

QB Ty Simpson could sneak into the first round. The Steelers could (and probably should) consider him at pick 21. The next possibility would be Cleveland at 24. If the Cardinals or Jets really like Simpson, they could be interested in pick 23 to make sure they can secure him. I don’t know if Howie would want to move back to pick 33 or 34, but he’ll certainly listen to any offers that come his way.

https://igglesblitz.com/2026/04/general-draft-talk/

I long ago gave up trying to work out how the draft may shake out and who might be in play for us whenever we get on the clock. I have positions I hope we prioritise but it’ll all depend on how things shake out ahead of us.