He knows the clusters of player Ryans wants and gets those players. He doesn't really care about a trade chart. He cares about getting players for Ryans. He also cares about getting future draft capital, which he's done very well in 2026.
Overall, through Day 1 and 2, I like our picks. Really wanted Jayden Higgins but thought where we were drafting, we wouldn’t be able to snag him. I like Aireontae Ersery but thought he’d be our second OL who I hoped we drafted in the 3rd, if we didn’t have someone already. Not sure why I thought he’d fall that far. Jaylin Noel was a surprise. Don’t hate it, I wanted Kaleb Johnson there. I skipped over his tape because I didn’t want us to draft a college WR2 but we’ll see how this goes. I didn’t know he was that fast and he’ll probably take over for Kirk when he’s gone. Jaylin Smith was NOT a surprise. I fell asleep before we traded the original pick and woke up asking myself what happened. Lance Z has been saying Caserio was doing a ton of work on DBs and this guy looks like he can be that 3rd corner we need. I think we did a really good job so far. Don’t care about the grades they give us. I trust Meco/Caserio. These guys still have to be developed. Hoping for a tall/large DT like Cam Jackson, Deone Walker or Yahya Black (mostly because of his first name), a fast/quick RB (preferably Jaydon Blue or Brashard Smith) and a LB like Smael Mondon Jr. or Danny Stutsman.
I just think we would have been better off keeping pick 102 and drafting a guy like Gunner Helm at TE, or Joshua Farmer at DT instead, and keeping our 147th pick if we didn't see any offensive lineman worth grabbing. Heck, even Cam Skattebo as a backup RB might have been a better pick at that point in the draft. I just don't think Jaylin Smith pick was worth trading up 5 spots for and dropping our 147th pick 40 spots. He might have still been available at 147 anyway.
I woke up thinking OK let’s assume this guy was the best player there. Did they have to give up a pic to move up five spaces? He wouldn’t have been there in five more pics when no one else had him ranked anywhere near that? Maybe we’re wrong and the next team was gonna get him, but I don’t know
I'm not saying he's not any good, I'm just saying I think he would have still been around at 147. It's not like guys like Gunner Helm, Farmer, and Skattebo weren't the better available players that we could have used in depth.
You love a guy, go get him! We have to understand, we don’t know what they see and hear or who they like or don’t like.
Draft targets for today. We are looking at 6th and 7th rounders NT Cam Jackson Florida, Yahya Black Iowa DT Jared Harrison-Hunte SMU, Rylie Mills Notre Dame Edge- David Walker Central Arkansas, Jah Joyner Minnesota RB Woody Marks USC, LeQuint Allen Syracuse, Jaydon Blue Texas MLB Easton Mascarenas-Arnold USC, Eugene Asante Auburn TE Jackson Hawes Georgia Tech OG- Garret Dellinger LSU, Luke Kandra Cincinnati, Jackson Slater Sacramento State
Boom! That right there is a big indicator of why fans shouldn’t draft. Not that I’m singling you out, Deb. Just because a pick is exciting doesn’t mean it’s good. I crossed out TE when we signed Irv Smith Jr.
I named 3 players, not just TE. Jaylin Smith wasn't even projected nearly as high as those 3 players. It has nothing to do with fandom. Look at their grades coming into the draft and tell me why we traded up for Smith and gave up the 147th pick when we probably could have gotten him there anyway plus picked up another good player like Farmer, Skattebo, or Gunner Helm.
That’s why I said I wasn’t attacking you. I was just stating just because you see a big name or a grade you see online doesn’t mean it’s a good pick. Jaylin Smith might have all the traits they are looking for. Grades you see aren’t the same as what the teams have. Could also be exact traits someone like the 49ers are looking for. See how they drafted a DB a few picks after us? If Meco wants a player, give it to him.
2026 Picks 1-1; 2-2, 2-3; 2-4; 0-5; 1-6; 1-7 = 9 I believe he uses the PLAYER'S value rather than the pick's sometimes. WAJ being a case in point.
I'll give Nick the benefit of the doubt. 3rd round is where a lot of the Nickelbacks start to come off the board. Tampa Bay picked Jacob Parrish from Kansas State about 10 picks in front of the Texans. And then San Francisco selected NB Upton Stout two picks after the Texans selected Jaylin. Jaylin was ranked a lot higher by coaches than evaluators. Jaylin Smith has got good speed and performed really well at the Senior Bowl.
I'm honestly surprised Cleveland didn't draft him in the third round. But, guys like Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Caleb Williams Jayden Daniels, and Cameron Ward weren't white and went really early. I'm wondering if his interviews or the Prime Time drama attached to him turned some folks off a bit. Who knows. Maybe Trump tweeting about how stupid NFL owners were for not drafting him added to it.
I understand that and to be fair, I initially criticized the trade for #25 to #34 because I thought he could've gotten a #1 or #2 in return. But in hindsight, he would've missed out on Higgins. But my problem with Nick is he OVERTHINKS or think he is OUT SMARTING the next person....the Daryl Morey syndrome! The first trade he made; two #5s for two #6s and a #7 before the draft started, WHY? At least wait to see how the board is falling. That trade could've been made at anytime. The last trade; #97 and #147 for #102 and #187. An obvious overpay. We still need a RB and DT. Let's see how today goes
We as fans see what the talking heads arrange as a top players board. They will have a consensus of a not so particular order in how a draft will shape out. Sure the media can talk to high ranking people on teams, they have access to people in the know; but they also get feed info to sway opinions. Then out of the blue the fans start thinking in that framework. I’ve been around long enough to know that the media is a hype machine mostly when it comes to the non franchise level talents. Nevertheless, each team builds their own draft board with each player in mind. And each team’s board is built with the confidence and expertise of what the team has hired as their expert analysts. They have access to all the tapes, they talk to the players coaches, they interview the players. If those experts get it wrong they get fired… When was the last time anyone heard the media draft experts get fired for getting it wrong? On the contrary they giggle about how they were so far off. As a fan the media helps introduce some of the vague players we may never have heard about, but could be quality fits for your favorite team. But the media rankings and ratings are definitely not gospel. I’m glad the Texans are showing conviction to their draft board, moving down when their players of choice got selected. Moving up to nab a player they value highly. This shows the Texans have a plan and they are adhering to it.
Possible they believed he was last player at his position that is a fot for us and they had intel another team was interested in him. NONE of it matters if the guy can play well. No one will remember or care...
I don’t think he’s that good but Prime definitely a reason why he’s fallen. There’s also the rumor of him taking over as HC in a year or two. What if he doesn’t play well? Prime will blame everyone but Shadeur. No one wants that. I was a big fan of them until this past season. Now, I’m out.
