2026 Draft Superthread And Draft Prospect Discussion

[beachcomber]

Not worth moving up. I could easily imagine us taking another quality tackle at #22 that somehow slops to us if still on the board. Otherwise I have my picks I would take at #22 or even move down for maore picks.

fess up zube.... who you got for us ?? !!

if you drafted Lomu, would you move Rashawn inside ??

[wu-dai clan]

Here we goooo !!!

[beachcomber]

We must get this dude...Woodaz ?? C'mon man.

UDFA

met w/him numerous times.... ??

could be an O'Leary guy.... rangy, can rush the QB.... some peoples were expecting big leap forward from him this last season.... could it happen in the '026 ??

can he elevate his game to another level.... in the NFL ??

doesn't miss many tackles, gets hands on the ball, sub pkg LB/core STer, and.... who does he unseat ??

[wu-dai clan]

Mike McDaniel didn't choose the Chargers for their guards...
Can anybody even name the guards @Texans, 49ers, Dolphins...?
I bet you guys could name their OT's, though...

I know you're just joking about the "guard-less offense"... but you're not far off...

I choose to frame our OL discussion in a different manner.

There were rings made for Saquon and the Eagles when Dickerson and Lane Johnson were healthy.

In that Omarion is our Saquon, a very good guard would make our offensive line dominating in a similar world class manner.

I am frankly surprised that more are not interested in doing what it takes to put Justin Herbert and our offense over the top.

There are great prospects we miss out on every year.

[Velo]

What do you think the chances are Hortiz drafts Trey Lance's brother in the 2nd rnd? 6-foot-3, 4.34 40.

What are the chances Hortiz drafts Kadyn Proctor at #22 with intention of plugging him at LG, but also having a legit OT talent (other than Pipkins) in case Alt or Slater have setbacks?

[Boltnut]

I choose to frame our OL discussion in a different manner.

There were rings made for Saquon and the Eagles when Dickerson and Lane Johnson were healthy.

In that Omarion is our Saquon, a very good guard would make our offensive line dominating in a similar world class manner.

I am frankly surprised that more are not interested in doing what it takes to put Justin Herbert and our offense over the top.

There are great prospects we miss out on every year.

You could be right... but the Eagles and McD run different schemes.
I'm looking at OL players differently now. I'm always looking for players to fit the coach's philosophy.

I'm not saying that Ioane, Proctor, or Pregnon couldn't run wide zone concepts. I'm saying that maybe dominant OG's aren't as important... and high-picks could be used on other PON's.

In the end, Hortiz's philosophy is to choose PBA. If that happens to be @OG... then great!

[wu-dai clan]

You could be right... but the Eagles and McD run different schemes.
I'm looking at OL players differently now. I'm always looking for players to fit the coach's philosophy.

I'm not saying that Ioane, Proctor, or Pregnon couldn't run wide zone concepts. I'm saying that maybe dominant OG's aren't as important... and high-picks could be used on other PON's.

In the end, Hortiz's philosophy is to choose PBA. If that happens to be @OG... then great!

OK. But I ask you and Bret Kollman, what exactly is Mike McDaniel's 2026 scheme ? Defenses have evolved. The Chargers personnel is quite different. Herbert is no Tua ?

Maybe a light will go on in the minds of Charger fans. Slater + Alt + a very good wide zone capable guard adds up to a lot more than just three elite offensive linemen.

Let's take Fano. He has been literally, the tip of the spear at Utah. Left tackle. Right tackle. He moved back over to the overloaded left side when they went heavy. There are several offensive linemen I would gleefully trade up for.

Crissakes. Draft Dame in round four and be done with defense. SMH. And everyone says guards are not important. It IS all about the OL unit. "Keep Herbert healthy", remember ?

(Good discussion, Nutty ! I gotta go to sleep.)

[wu-dai clan]

LOL.

What offense do the Eagles run ?
Is it the Steichen offense ?
The Frank Reich offense ?
How about the Kellen Moore offense ?

I say it's more like the personnel you to death offense...and with a scrub QB.

[DerwinBosa]

I choose to frame our OL discussion in a different manner.

There were rings made for Saquon and the Eagles when Dickerson and Lane Johnson were healthy.

In that Omarion is our Saquon, a very good guard would make our offensive line dominating in a similar world class manner.

I am frankly surprised that more are not interested in doing what it takes to put Justin Herbert and our offense over the top.

There are great prospects we miss out on every year.

That is a good point. I think Omarion Hampton just may become the superstar of this offense.

[dmac_bolt]

No trade-ups, period. Acquiring less than 5 draftees is not acceptable with all the needs we have. And Ioane is no Q Nelson or John Hannah, IMO.

I have come to understand the ballers you most covet, Wu. You wanted Kadyn Proctor and now are dialed in on Vega, with Hannah references. You love some power football!

A big fat no to big fat Proctor.

[dmac_bolt]

OK. But I ask you and Bret Kollman, what exactly is Mike McDaniel's 2026 scheme ? Defenses have evolved. The Chargers personnel is quite different. Herbert is no Tua ?

Maybe a light will go on in the minds of Charger fans. Slater + Alt + a very good wide zone capable guard adds up to a lot more than just three elite offensive linemen.

Let's take Fano. He has been literally, the tip of the spear at Utah. Left tackle. Right tackle. He moved back over to the overloaded left side when they went heavy. There are several offensive linemen I would gleefully trade up for.

Crissakes. Draft Dame in round four and be done with defense. SMH. And everyone says guards are not important. It IS all about the OL unit. "Keep Herbert healthy", remember ?

(Good discussion, Nutty ! I gotta go to sleep.)

I've seen Beau Stephens (Iowa) pop up on a couple Rd 3 Charger mocks. why does TPB hate this young man with such visceral disdain they won't even speak his name?

The 2025 season is where Stephens put it all together. He started all 13 games at left guard and was named a first-team AP All-American, first-team All-Big Ten by coaches, and helped Iowa's offensive line win the Joe Moore Award. He was the highest-graded guard in a power conference according to Pro Football Focus. The unit paved the way for five games with 200-plus rushing yards, including a 310-yard explosion against UAlbany and a 245-yard performance in a statement win over Penn State. Iowa was one of only two programs to place two offensive players on the AP first team, with Stephens joining center Logan Jones. In total, Stephens leaves Iowa City with 34 career starts, 1,764 offensive snaps, and a decorated final chapter that turned him from an under-the-radar interior lineman into a legitimate NFL draft prospect.

Scouting Report: Strengths

• Fires off the snap with violent intent on combination blocks, generating real pop on his second and third steps to uproot defenders at the point of attack.
• Owns a nasty snatch-trap counter that flips the leverage battle when rushers try to walk him back with a bull rush or long-arm technique.
• Rarely beaten through his chest in pass protection thanks to a sturdy natural anchor that lets him absorb and re-set against power.
• Timing and assignment consistency in the run game grade out among the best in this guard class, with very few missed fits or blown calls on tape.
• Plays with a chippy, physical edge that shows up in his finishing effort; he wants to put people on the ground and plays through the whistle.
• Core and upper body strength allow him to latch onto three-techniques, torque them sideways, and steer them completely out of run lanes.
• Comfortable climbing to the second level with enough speed for his size, and he takes smart angles to arrive at linebackers with force.
• Remarkably clean penalty sheet over his final two seasons, showing the kind of discipline and body control that coaches trust in critical situations.

Scouting Report: Weaknesses

• Below-average arm length for the position limits his ability to control defenders at range and forces him to win with body positioning instead.
• Bends at the waist rather than the knees in pass sets, which exposes him to swim moves and leaves his pads too high for leverage battles.
• Lateral agility and mirror ability are just okay; quicker interior rushers with counter moves can win the edge before he redirects his feet.
• Gets caught lunging and overextending into blocks in the run game, which lets defenders slip off his grasp at the worst possible moment.
• Injury history is a legitimate flag, with missed time in 2022, a lost 2023 season, two missed games in 2024, and dinged-up exits in 2025.

Scouting Report: Summary

What you see with Stephens is a guard whose 2025 tape is dramatically better than anything he put on film before it. That kind of jump, from a guy who was solidly average as a sophomore and missed most of his junior year, to a first-team All-American and the top-graded power conference guard in the country, is hard to ignore. The question every team will wrestle with is whether they're drafting the 2025 version or getting someone closer to the 2022-2024 model. Film says the growth is real, rooted in improved hand placement, better timing, and a meaner demeanor at the point of attack. But the athletic limitations that were there before haven't gone anywhere.

Stephens fits best in a scheme that leans on inside zone and gap concepts where he can use his size, power, and straight-line movement to dominate at the first level. He has enough foot speed to pull and enough awareness to climb, so he is not limited to a phone-booth role, but asking him to consistently mirror explosive pass rushers on an island is where you start seeing his ceiling. His anchor is legitimately good, and that snatch-trap counter gives him a real weapon against power, but twitchier rushers who can change direction will create problems. A team that runs a lot of duo, power, and inside zone will get the best out of him.

The floor here is a dependable backup guard who can step in without the offense falling apart, and the ceiling is a solid starter on a line that doesn't ask him to be the most athletic guy in the room. His pass protection efficiency numbers in 2025 were outstanding, and his ability to move people in the run game is the kind of trait that translates directly to the NFL. There is real value in a guard who knows his assignments, plays with toughness, and keeps the penalty flags in the official's pocket. The durability concerns and athletic profile temper the excitement, but Stephens has earned his shot to compete for a starting job at the next level.

[gzubeck]

What do you think the chances are Hortiz drafts Trey Lance's brother in the 2nd rnd? 6-foot-3, 4.34 40.

What are the chances Hortiz drafts Kadyn Proctor at #22 with intention of plugging him at LG, but also having a legit OT talent (other than Pipkins) in case Alt or Slater have setbacks?

I dislike Proctor. He is not athletics at all. I like Caleb Lomu from Utah a lot more if there are no Guards worthy of the #22 pick.