Sports Krunch w/DKROM

1. If you're Titans GM Mike Borgonzi, would you prioritize sheer talent over premium positions at 4 overall?

2. Unless they can strike gold with instant impact players from this draft, is this likely Chris Ballard’s final draft as Colts GM?

3. Do you see any other glaring needs for the Texans outside of OL, and do you see any other glaring needs for the Jaguars outside of boundary CB?

4. Titans three-round mock draft (no trades)

5. Colts three-round mock draft (no trades)

6. Texans three-round mock draft (no trades)

7. Jaguars three-round mock draft (no trades)

1. In November, Dane Brugler of The Athletic reported that while NFL scouts were in agreement about Fernando Mendoza's very high floor, they were split on his ceiling. Just how high do you think Mendoza's ceiling is?

2. Ted Nguyen of The Athletic wrote that he views Ty Simpson as “more of a third-round pick who will get pushed up to the second round because of a weak overall class.” Do you share that view?

3. Despite all the red flags about Ty Simpson, there is a lot of buzz that suggests he will hear his name called on Day 1. NFL insider Benjamin Allbright, who we both know well, has been reporting that we should not be surprised if he goes as high as 13 overall to the Rams. Do you like Ty Simpson's potential fit in Sean McVay’s offense?

4. When you factor the abdominal/core injury he played through in 2025 into the equation, do you think there just might be long-term starting potential in Garrett Nussmeier?

5. Did Dante Moore make the right decision to go back to school? What area of his game needs the most improvement in order for him to be worth a top-10 pick next year?

6. Did Arch Manning’s performance during the second half of last season make you bullish on his chances to be the first QB off the board in 2027? Aside from Dante Moore, which other QB would you consider a legit threat to Manning for QB1 in next year’s draft?

7. Buy or Sell

-Drew Allar (mid-to-late round 4)

-Cole Payton (mid-to-late round 4)

-Carson Beck (late round 4/early round 5)

-Taylen Green (late round 4/early round 5)

-Cade Klubnik (round 5)

-Sawyer Robertson (round 7)

-Joey Aguilar (round 7)

-Haynes King (round 7)

1. If you were a defensive coordinator, would you start Arvell Reese off at off-ball LB along with a small package of plays per game on the edge…or vice versa?

2. Aside from everything he did at the Combine, what makes Sonny Styles arguably the best pure LB prospect since Roquan Smith in 2018?

3. Given his so-so skills in coverage, his below average size and length and now his knee injury, do you have second thoughts as to whether C.J. Allen is worth a first round pick?

4. Is the athleticism that Jacob Rodriguez showed at the Combine evident on his tape and do you think he's worth a top-50 pick?

5. Did Jake Golday’s Combine performance meet, exceed, or fall short of your expectations? Based on what he's shown in just two years of playing the linebacker position, just how high is his ceiling?

6. Amidst this wide range of opinion in the draft industry about Anthony Hill, Jr., where do you land on him and why?

7. Buy or Sell

-Josiah Trotter (late round 2/early round 3)

-Kyle Louis (late round 2/early round 3)

-Keyshaun Elliott (mid-to-late round 3)

-Bryce Boettcher (late round 3/early round 4)

-Jimmy Rolder (rounds 4-5)

-Harold Perkins, Jr. (rounds 4-5)

-Deontae Lawson (rounds 4-5)

-Owen Heinecke (rounds 4-5)

-Justin Jefferson (late round 4/early round 5)

-Taurean York (late round 4/early round 5)

-Kaleb Elarms-Orr (round 5-6)

1. Are Francis Mauigoa and/or Spencer Fano NFL-caliber tackles? Which of them deserves to be the first OL off the board and why?

2. If we take this first round "tackle tax" out of the picture, would you say Monroe Freeling is worth the risk for say the Browns at 6 despite his shortcomings (lack of starting experience, raw areas in his game, etc.)?

3. How much optimism do you have (if any) that Kadyn Proctor will have a far more successful NFL career than D.J. Fluker had and that Evan Neal has had thus far?

4. Why should we be confident in Caleb Lomu's pass protection skills coming out of that Utah offense? Do you think he needs a "redshirt" rookie campaign in the weight room?

5. Do you think Max Iheanachor is capable of being a Week 1 starter for whatever team drafts him?

6. There were some rumblings at the Combine that several NFL decision makers believe Penn State G Vega Ioane is one of the few blue chip prospects in this draft. Dane Brugler of The Athletic shares a similar sentiment as he believes Ioane has a legit argument for being the best overall OL in the 2026 class given his combination of strong tape, high-level traits, and high-level football character. Just how strong do you think that argument is for Vega Ioane?

7. Buy or Sell

-Blake Miller (late round 1)

-Caleb Tiernan (late round 2)

-Austin Barber (mid-to-late round 3)

-Markel Bell (early round 4)

-Chase Bisontis (late round 1/early round 2)

-Emmanuel Pregnon (mid-to-late round 2)

-Keylan Rutledge (mid-to-late round 3)

-Gennings Dunker (mid-to-late round 3)

-Jalen Farmer (mid-to-late round 3)

-Billy Schrauth (late round 3/early round 4)

-Kage Casey (late round 3/early round 4)

-Jake Slaughter (mid-to-late round 3)

-Connor Lew (mid-to-late round 3)

-Trey Zuhn III (late round 3/early round 4)

-Sam Hecht (late round 3/early round 4)

-Logan Jones (late round 3/early round 4)

-Brian Parker II (late round 3/early round 4)

-Parker Brailsford (round 4)

-Jager Burton (round 5-6)

1. Do you think Arvell Reese would be better served playing edge or off-ball LB at the NFL level?

2. Do you share the concerns JP Acosta and others may have about David Bailey?

3. Are far too many NFL teams second guessing Rueben Bain, Jr. due to his short arms and build?

4. Is Keldric Faulk worth a top-15 pick like Mykel Williams was in 2025?

5. Based on the tape alone, just how high would you say is Caleb Banks’s ceiling, and just how low is his floor?

6. On which team(s) do you think a better version of 2024 Peter Woods can be unlocked?

7. Which of Kayden McDonald and Lee Hunter would you say has more potential in the pass rush department, and why?

8. Buy or Sell

-Akheem Mesidor (top-25)

-Cashius Howell (top-25)

-T.J. Parker (late round 1/early round 2)

-R. Mason Thomas (late round 1/early round 2)

-Zion Young (late round 1/early round 2)

-Derrick Moore (mid-to-late round 2)

-Gabe Jacas (mid-to-late round 2)

-Malachi Lawrence (late round 2/early round 3)

-Romello Height (mid-to-late round 3)

-Christen Miller (late round 1/early round 2)

-Gracen Halton (late round 2/early round 3)

-Darrell Jackson, Jr. (early-to-mid round 3)

-Domonique Orange (early-to-mid round 3)

-Chris McClellan (late round 3/early round 4)

-Rayshaun Benny (late round 3/early round 4)

1. Given the increasingly high demand for do-it-all safeties, is Caleb Downs worth a top-10 pick?

2. Why is Mansoor Delane your top-ranked corner, and do you have any worries about his lack of length and athleticism at the NFL level?

3. Should he underwhelm or be unable to work out at his Pro Day, how far can you see Jermod McCoy falling? Do you think some teams will have McCoy's fellow Tennessee CB Colton Hood ahead of him on their boards?

4. Would it surprise you if Avieon Terrell ends up with the best career out of any corner in this class?

5. Is D’Angelo Ponds a slot-only corner at the NFL level, or do you think he can also function on the boundary given his leaping ability?

6. Do you think the respective Combine performances of Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren all but decided that the former will be the second safety off the board?

7. Buy or Sell

-Chris Johnson (late round 1/early round 2)

-Brandon Cisse (late round 1/early round 2)

-Davison Igbinosun (mid round 2)

-Keith Abney II (late round 2)

-Devin Moore (early-to-mid round 3)

-Treydan Stukes (early-to-mid round 3)

-Chandler Rivers (late round 3/early round 4)

-Malik Muhammad (late round 3/early round 4)

-Zakee Wheatley (mid round 2)

-A.J. Haulcy (mid round 2)

-Keionte Scott (mid round 2 to early round 3)

-Genesis Smith (early-to-mid round 3)

-Jalon Kilgore (mid-to-late round 3)

-Bud Clark (late round 3/early round 4)

1. As of right now, the vast majority of industry draft boards have Ohio State's Carnell Tate, USC's Makai Lemon, and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson as the three best WR's in this class. In what specific order would you rank them and why?

2. What distinguishes Omar Cooper, Jr. from the rest of the WR's outside the consensus top 3, and just how high can you see him getting drafted?

3. If his medicals reveal that he's poised to return to play come September, do you think Chris Bell warrants consideration starting at the tail-end of the first round?

4. Do you see any similar strengths and/or weaknesses on Denzel Boston's college tape that you saw on Puka Nacua's college tape?

5. How much do you think suspect QB play at Texas A&M contributed to K.C. Concepcion's drops?

6. Outside of Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, who are the WR prospects we should be paying the most attention to during the 2027 NFL Draft cycle?

7. Buy or Sell

-Germie Bernard (late round 1/early round 2)

-Malachi Fields (early-to-mid round 2)

-Chris Brazzell II (early-to-mid round 2)

-Antonio Williams (mid-to-late round 2)

-Ted Hurst (mid-to-late round 2)

-Elijah Sarratt (late round 2/early round 3)

-Skyler Bell (early-to-mid round 3)

-Brenen Thompson (mid-to-late round 3)

-Zachariah Branch (mid-to-late round 3)

-Bryce Lance (late round 3/early round 4)

-Deion Burks (late round 3/early round 4)

1. Do you think the "very few stars, but lots of starters" vibe from 2025 applies even more to the 2026 draft class?

2. Just how far do you think Rueben Bain, Jr. can fall?

3. Which of those two WR prospects (Jordyn Tyson or Makai Lemon) do you think is in more danger of falling further than expected?

4. Which of those three prospects would you say has the most to gain (or lose) from their medical checks at the Combine: Jermod McCoy, Francis Mauigoa or Chris Bell?

5. Can you see Georgia OT Monroe Freeling getting increased top-10 buzz with a good all-around week in Indy?

6. Which prospects that we haven't discussed will you have your eyes on the most at the Combine?

7. Which prospect will shine the most in...

-The 40-yard Dash: Brenen Thompson

-The Broad Jump: Jalen Walthall

-The Vertical Jump: Zachariah Branch

-The 3-Cone Drill: Emmanuel McNeil-Warren & Dillon Thieneman

-Interviews: Lee Hunter & Rueben Bain, Jr.

8. 2026 Mock Draft 1.0 (no trades)

1. Super Bowl LX Takeaways

-DKrom: The last two Super Bowl winners are proof that there’s no such thing as too much DL depth

-Hal: Seahawks won the battle of attrition and peaked at the right time thanks to their strong depth

2. Super Bowl LX Honors

-GOAT of the Week (DKrom: John Schneider, Hal: Mike Macdonald)

-Dunce of the Week (DKrom: Rams D/ST, Hal: Josh McDaniels)

3. Coaching Carousel

-Grading the Steelers hire of Mike McCarthy as head coach (DKrom: D, Hal: C-)

-Grading the Bills hire of Joe Brady as head coach (DKrom: C, Hal: D)

-Grading the Browns hire of Todd Monken as head coach (DKrom: C, Hal: D)

-Grading the Cardinals hire of Mike LaFleur as head coach (DKrom: D, Hal: C)

-Grading the Raiders hire of Klint Kubiak as head coach (DKrom: A. Hal: A)

-Would you be surprised if 2 (or all) of Davis Webb, Grant Udinski and Nate Scheelhaase are NOT head coaches in 2027?

-Would you say Aaron Glenn is entering 2026 on the hottest seat of any head coach?

-Do you think a potential dumpster fire awaits the Eagles in 2026 (particularly on offense) with Jeff Stoutland no longer in the building?

4. Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026

-If the PFHOF doesn’t (at MINIMUM) change the selection process for seniors, coaches and contributors back to the pre-2025 system, do we riot (metaphorically speaking of course)?

-Outside the Belichick/Kraft snubs, do you think the Hall assembled one of the better classes it has in recent years?

-Which one of these three (Willie Anderson, Marshal Yanda, or Terrell Suggs) do you think is most deserving to be enshrined in 2027?

5. Tag or No Tag

-George Pickens

-Trey Hendrickson

-Kyle Pitts

-Rashid Shaheed

-Tyler Linderbaum

-Daniel Jones or Alec Pierce

6. Truth or Exaggeration

-We will see A LOT more trades than we're accustomed to from March through late August

-Either Jeff Bezos or Howard Schultz will end up buying the Seahawks as part of a larger group

-Ohio State LB Sonny Styles will hear his name called before fellow Buckeye Caleb Downs on draft night

-Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty will lead all NFL skill players in total touches in 2026

-Two (or all three) of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Puka Nucua, and Will Anderson, Jr. will receive a blockbuster contract extension averaging $50M per year or more this season

-The Patriots OL will have 2 or 3 new starters in 2026

-Unless the Raiders significantly move off their demands for a Micah Parsons-type haul in exchange for Maxx Crosby, the Bears should be content to rebuild their DL via the draft and value FA signings

-The Los Angeles Chargers will win the AFC West and a playoff game in 2026

7. Offseason Bold Predictions

-DKrom: Both Maxx Crosby and A.J. Brown well get traded about a week or so before Week 1. One will end up in Buffalo, and the other will end up in New England. Raiders will end up getting the same compensation the Cowboys got in the Micah Parsons trade and the Eagles will end up getting an extra first and second in 2027.

-Hal: Despite only one first-round talent, 3-4 QB's get selected in the first round (Mendoza, Simpson, Nussmeier, Chambliss)

8. Challenge Flags

-DKrom: Seahawks…only hand out big $$ contracts to in-house extension candidates (Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Devon Witherspoon) and in-house free agents (Kenneth Walker III and Rashid Shaheed). Address your likely FA losses at corner with low-cost, supplementary signings and find long-term answers in the draft

-Hal: Bears and Patriots...CONTINUE THE REBUILDING PROCESS

1. Divisional Weekend Takeaways

-DKrom: Turnovers are truly the great equalizer in football

-Hal: Hard-hitting, takeaway-producing defenses stole the show

2. Divisional Weekend Honors

-GOAT of the Week (DKrom: Bo Nix, Hal: Seahawks D)

-Dunce of the Week (DKrom: Nick Caserio, Hal: Terry Pegula)

3. Coaching Carousel

-Grading the Falcons hire of Kevin Stefanski as head coach (DKrom: B+, Hal: C-)

-Grading the Dolphins hire of Jeff Hafley as head coach (DKrom: B, Hal: B+)

-Grading the Titans hire of Robert Saleh as head coach (DKrom: A-, Hal: A)

-Grading the Ravens hire of Jesse Minter as head coach (DKrom: A, Hal: A)

-Is it pretty clear that: a) the Bills threw the wrong guy overboard and b) Josh Allen’s greatness has been almost single-handedly hiding organizational dysfunction in Buffalo in recent years?

-Who would make most sense as the next Bills HC: Joe Brady, Brian Daboll, Davis Webb, or someone else?

-Grading the Chiefs hire of Eric Bieniemy as OC (DKrom: A, Hal: A)

-Grading the Chargers hire of Mike McDaniel as OC (DKrom: A+, Hal: A+)

-Grading the Lions hire of Drew Petzing as OC (DKrom: B+, Hal: A)

-Grading the Cowboys hire of Christian Parker as DC (DKrom: A+. Hal: A+)

4. NFC Championship Preview & Game Picks

5. AFC Championship Game Picks

6. Conference Championship Weekend Bold Predictions

-DKrom: Rams have the ball just outside the Red Zone down 24-20 with 40 seconds left in the game. Matthew Stafford tries a fade to Davante Adams in the right corner of the end zone, but à la Richard Sherman in 2013, Nick Emmanwori deflects it and Devon Witherspoon comes up with the INT to send the Seahawks to the Super Bowl

-Hal: Rams and Seahawks tied at 20-apiece with 5:00 left after Matthew Stafford finds Davante Adams for game-tying TD. On the ensuing drive, Kenneth Walker III carries the ball 10 straight times, culminating in a TD (with almost no time left) and the 27-20 win for Seattle

7. Challenge Flags

-DKrom: Bears and Jaguars…don’t get complacent and convince yourselves you’re just one piece away from winning it all!

-Hal: All franchises in the process of hiring new coaches and coordinators, DO THE COACHING SEARCH RIGHT!!!