Sports Krunch w/DKROM

1. NFC West-How much confidence (if any) does the Cardinals selection of Chase Bisontis give you in Jeremiyah Love's chances of NOT having the same kind of rookie campaign that Ashton Jeanty had last season?-Would you be surprised if Carson Beck does NOT start five-plus games this year?-Do you see De'Zhaun Stribling as a long-term upgrade over Jauan Jennings?-Is it fair to expect a quantum leap forward for the 49ers pass rush this season?-Aside from the commonly used reasoning of Matthew Stafford is 38 and the Rams aren't likely to be picking in the top-15 any time soon, can you find another reason to justify L.A.'s selection of Ty Simpson more than a month after the fact?-Why do you think the NFL, and the Seahawks in particular, were far more bullish on Jadarian Price than any of the non-Jeremiyah Love RB's in this class? -Can you see Bud Clark and/or Julian Neal playing starter-level snaps this season?-Do you think Beau Stephens has a chance to give Anthony Bradford a serious challenge for that starting RG spot?2. NFC East-Why do you think the Giants preferred Arvell Reese over Sonny Styles? -Is Francis Mauigoa's best long-term NFL homer at tackle or guard?-Would you consider it a failure if the Commanders defense is not a top-half of the league unit or better in 2026?-Do you see Antonio Williams emerging as that second target behind Terry McLaurin in the passing game at some point this season?-Is Caleb Downs the exact kind of leader the Cowboys defense so desperately needed?-How much do Malachi Lawrence and Jaishawn Barham improve Dallas's pass rush from Day 1?-Would it be better for the Eagles if they start to envision Eli Stowers as a WR as opposed to a TE? -Even with Jeff Stoutland no longer in the building, do you think Markel Bell has an outside chance to emerge as the long-term successor to Lane Johnson at RT?3. NFC South-Just how good have the Saints set the table for Tyler Shough to have a breakout sophomore campaign?-Do you see Christen Miller developing into a three-down player?-In your view, does Avieon Terrell project as a slot-only corner at the NFL level, or can he play his fair share of snaps on the boundary as well?-Are you a fan of Rueben Bain, Jr.'s fit in Todd Bowles defense?-Why do you think Keionte Scott fell as far as he did and what role can you see him playing in the Bucs secondary outside of nickel corner?-Does the Panthers selection of Monroe Freeling suggest to you that they're not counting on Ickey Ekwonu to ever be the same again after his torn patellar tendon?-With Lee Hunter now joining Derrick Brown to man the interior of Carolina's DL, can you see the Panthers being a notoriously tough unit for opposing offenses to run the ball against this season and beyond?-Which of the Panthers two 5th-round picks do you think is more likely to turn out to be a massive bargain: Sam Hecht or Zakee Wheatley?4. NFC North-While you had some qualms about Blake Miller during the pre-draft process, do you think the Lions are a team that best fit his strengths?-Why do you think the Lions preferred Derrick Moore over similar prospects like Gabe Jacas and Zion Young to be the bookend to Aidan Hutchinson?-For reasons aside from his foot issues, just how low is Caleb Banks' downside? -Can you see Jake Golday eventually playing himself into that Andrew Van Ginkel role in Brian Flores' defense?-Which one of Brandon Cisse and Chris McClellan do you think is more likely to earn a second contract with the Packers?-Is it fair for Bears fans to expect Dillon Thieneman and Coby Bryant to solidify themselves as one of the NFL's top-10 safety duos this season?-Would you expect Logan Jones to overtake Garrett Bradbury as the Bears starting center by mid-October, if not earlier?-Which of Sam Roush or Malik Muhammad do you think makes the bigger impact for the Bears in Year 1?

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. 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. 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. 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. Divisional Weekend Takeaways-DKrom: Turnovers are truly the great equalizer in football-Hal: Hard-hitting, takeaway-producing defenses stole the show2. 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 Picks5. 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!!!

1. Week 18 Takeaways-DKrom: NFL parity continues its decades-long pattern when it comes to the playoffs-Hal: Tie-breakers factor in massively with two non-playoff teams (Falcons, Raiders) determining playoff seeds2. Week 18 Honors-GOAT of the Week (DKrom: Aaron Rodgers, Hal: Seahawks D)-Dunce of the Week (DKrom: Mike Brown, Hal: Owners of teams with fired HC's and retained GM's [except Baltimore])3. FINAL 2025 NFL Awards-MVP (DKrom: Drake Maye, Hal: Drake Maye)-Offensive POY (DKrom: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Hal: Puka Nacua)-Defensive POY (DKrom: Myles Garrett, Hal: Myles Garrett)-Offensive ROY (DKrom: Tetairoa McMillan, Hal: Tetairoa McMillan)-Defensive ROY (DKrom: Carson Schwesinger, Hal: James Pearce, Jr.)-Protector of the Year (DKrom: Trent Williams, Hal: Joe Thuney)-Comeback POY (DKrom: Aidan Hutchinson Hal: Chris Olave)-Coach of the Year (DKrom: Liam Coen, Hal: Kyle Shanahan)-Assistant COY (DKrom: Josh McDaniels, Hal: Anthony Campanile)4. Coaching Carousel-Rank the seven HC openings (Browns, Cardinals, Falcons, Giants, Ravens, Raiders, Titans) from least attractive to most attractive -Putting those rankings aside, if you were John Harbaugh, which one of the other six vacancies would be most appealing to you and why? -With Mike Borgonzi now fully in control of the football operation in Tennessee, would it be quite a surprise if the new head coach of the Titans isn't Matt Nagy or Mike Kafka?-As Pro Football Talk first reported, many around the league believe that when it comes to the Raiders, Tom Brady is eyeing a Patriots reunion with Brian Flores as head coach, Brian Daboll as OC, and Patrick Graham remaining as DC. Would that be the most ideal outcome for the Raiders this hiring cycle?-Are the Falcons making a mistake by giving Matt Ryan final say over all football decisions? -This year is described as a "down year" to be in the market for a new head coach. If you were the owner or GM of a team with a HC vacancy, which current HC candidate (aside from John Harbaugh) would be your top target and why?5. Bills/Jaguars Preview 6. Super Wild Card Weekend Game Picks-Rams at Panthers-Packers at Bears-49ers at Eagles-Chargers at Patriots-Texans at Steelers7. Super Wild Card Weekend Bold Predictions-DKrom: Drake Maye and the Patriots are in the Red Zone with less than a minute left in the game and they're down 27-24. But on 3rd-and-4 from the 18, Drake Maye tries to hit former Charger Hunter Henry down the seam for a TD, but Derwin James swoops in at the last second to deflect the pass and the grizzled vet Tony Jefferson picks it off, sealing the win for the Chargers-Hal: Christian McCaffrey totals 250 yards of offense (150 on the ground, 100 through the air) and 3 TD leading the Niners to the upset over the Eagles8. Challenge Flags-DKrom: Sean McDermott...coach as if your job could be on the line. It just might be-Hal: Panthers, Bears and Jaguars...EMBRACE THE DISRESPECT!!!

1. Week 16 Takeaways-DKrom: Week 16 delivered the extra layer of chaos to the playoff picture that the NFL wanted...and it couldn't have happened in more dramatic fashion-Hal: NFL officiating is making my head explode2. Week 16 Honors-GOAT of the Week (DKrom: Sam Darnold/Zach Charbonnet, Hal: Young QB's and their coaches)-Dunce of the Week (DKrom: Sean Payton, Hal: John Harbaugh/Todd Monken)3. Head Coach Hot Seat Meter (Warm, Hot, Inferno)-Pete Carroll -Kevin Stefanski -Todd Bowles-Raheem Morris-John Harbaugh 4. Rating the Playoff Teams (One-And-Done, Dancers, Championship Caliber)-Rams-Seahawks-49ers-Eagles-Bears-Jaguars-Bills-Broncos-Chargers-Patriots 5. Week 17 Game Picks-Lock of the Week (DKrom: Jaguars over Colts, Hal: Broncos over Chiefs)-Upset Special (DKrom: Chiefs over Broncos, Hal: Bears over 49ers)-Cowboys at Commanders -Lions at Vikings -Texans at Chargers-Ravens at Packers -Steelers at Browns -Patriots at Jets -Saints at Titans-Bucs at Dolphins -Seahawks at Panthers -Cardinals at Bengals -Giants at Raiders-Eagles at Bills -Rams at Falcons 6. Week 17 Bold Predictions-DKrom: Colts surrender a 40-burger for the second consecutive week and Trevor Lawrence scores 7 total TD (5 pass, 2 rush) along with 370 total yards (335 passing, 35 rushing)-Hal: Bears force the 49ers to punt late in the game down 24-20, and Devin Duvernay returns it all the way for the game-winning TD7. Challenge Flags-DKrom: Seahawks…beware a potential let-down in Carolina and DON’T GET CAUGHT LOOKING AHEAD! -Hal: Bills, Texans, Chargers, 49ers, Rams, Bucs, Packers...strange things always happen in the NFL so take care of business this week!