“Most teams have second round grades on TJ, but lots of guys with second round grades get taken since most teams typically have 14-18 guys slotted in the first round on their board,” said an AFC area scout. “I think he’s a solid power rusher who owns the c-gap in the run game and has youth on his side. I’m not a big Mesidor fan. Age and durability concern me, and think he’s a finished product. I think he’ll be a good role player, but not a guy I’m fired up to take in the top 40. So for me that’s back of 2/early 3, but other guys are higher on him than I am.”

Mesidor dealt with some injuries early in his college career, and he will be old for an NFL rookie. Parker had a dip in production from the 2024 season and did not produce as much pass rush in 2025. One AFC general manager said Mesidor no, but Parker maybe could be a first-rounder. Three other team sources said they did not think Parker would go in the first, but they thought Mesidor would be selected on the opening night of the draft.

In my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have one of these edge rushers going in the first and the other sliding to midway through the second round. Both players are on the bubble of being opening night picks as neither one is a consensus first-round pick with NFL teams.

In a survey of six teams, they thought those two prospects could go in the first. Three teams said they had Thieneman graded in the second round, but thought he could be one of the second-rounders that get selected on the opening night in the draft. One team thought that Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren could go in the first round, but the other five said they thought he would be a second-round pick.

Every draft is different, and multiple sources said that Thieneman and McNeil-Warren did not grade out as high as Emmanwori did with them last year, yet Thieneman and McNeil-Warren might end up getting selected higher than Emmanwori in 2025. In my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have two safeties going in the opening night of the draft, and a survey of team sources thinks that is very possible.

Many believe around the league that the Tennessee Titans are targeting Love with the fourth-overall pick. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is said to be very high on Love and envisions building a lot of the offense around him. If the Titans pass on Love, he should not wait long, as sources say the New York Giants would almost definitely take Love with the fifth-overall pick. Both teams have second-year starters at quarterback, and Love could be a big asset in helping those quarterbacks by fueling a consistent rushing attack.

Love does not look in play for a top-three pick, as the Raiders have Jeanty, the Jets have a franchise-tagged Hall, and the Cardinals have a stable of veteran backs. However, team sources across the league feel Love is definitely going in the top five and that is what I have happening in my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

Three team sources voted for Fano, and three of them voted for Mauigoa. Zero team sources voted for Freeling or other prospects like Alabama’s Kayden Proctor, Utah’s Caleb Lomu, Clemson’s Blake Miller, or Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor. Sources gave similar reasons for why they felt Fano or Mauigoa would be the first lineman drafted.

“I still think Fano,” texted an AFC director of college scouting. “He’s the cleanest, easiest [to project], the arm length debate is only a fascination between the combine and draft night in my opinion.”

“Mauigoa,” texted an NFC general manager. “Versatile, size, strength, tough as shit. He’s made for the league. He reminds me of [Brandon] Schreff. Safe, safe, safe. Played a lot of football and durable. Might be a better guard when said and done, but who cares if he’s all-pro.”

In my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have both Fano and Mauigoa going in the top dozen picks with the other prospects going in the back half of the first round. However, teams are split on whether Fano or Mauigoa will be the first off the board, with three voting for Fano and three voting for Mauigoa.

“Nice player, but day two guy,” said an NFC general manager. “We have him in the third round.” Other sources were higher on Cooper. “I think he goes in the 35-50 range,” said an AFC director of player personnel.

Cooper had a good performance at the NFL Scouting Combine to help himself, and there are a lot of teams that could use receiver help in the second round. While Cooper may not be a first-rounder according to teams, they see him going on day two, and that is where I have him in my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

2026 NFL Draft Stock Up

Monroe Freeling, OT, Georgia

Freeling was one of the top performers among the offensive linemen at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine. At 6-foot-7, 315 pounds, Freeling showed excellent speed with a 4.93 time in the 40-yard dash. He did well in other workouts and had adequate arm length (33.5). Freeling is only a one-year starter at Georgia, so he will need some development. However, he improved over the course of the season and has the skill set to be a good left tackle in the NFL. He put himself in contention to go in the back half of the first round and should not last long if he slips into the second round.

Gennings Dunker, G, Iowa

Dunker worked out well at the NFL Scouting Combine, and teams are excited about his potential to be a starting guard in the NFL. Dunker is big, physical, and nasty at the point of attack as a run blocker. He is strong to stop bull rushes, but Dunker has some limitations at right tackle that make him a better fit at guard. Still, he could be a second-round pick who challenges to be a plug-and-play starter at right guard.

Vega Ioane, G, Penn State

Ioane is the only interior offensive lineman who looks like a lock to be a first-round pick next month. Ioane is a beast at the point of attack with power and physicality as a run blocker. With his strength at the point of attack, Ioane should be an asset in short-yardage and the goal line. Ioane is also rock solid in pass protection. He could be a plug-and-play starter at guard with the potential to go in the top-20.

Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky

Team sources have said that McGowan has impressed them during the pre-draft process, and that has caused them to look closer at his tape. At the NFL Scouting Combine, the power back McGowan ran faster than expected with a 4.49 time in the 40-yard dash. That is a fast time for a back as large as McGowan (6-0, 223). He was a power back with the Wildcats last year, and he could be a good rotational back in the NFL. After his strong post-season, McGowan could be a third- or fourth-round pick next month.

Colton Hood, WR, Tennessee

Hood interviewed well at the NFL Scouting Combine, and that has continued the rising trend over the past few months. In speaking with some team sources, they think Hood could go late in the first round. Hood has a nice skill set, good tape, and plus character while playing a premium position. It sounds like he stands a very good chance of being selected on the opening night of the draft.

2025 NFL Draft Stock Down

Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

Fields looked like he was going to be a first-round pick after his impressive performance at the Senior Bowl, but Fields had a shockingly slow 40 time at the NFL Scouting Combine of 4.61 seconds. Fields (6-5, 218) is a huge receiver with mismatch size and is phenomenal at winning 50-50 passes, but this 40 time gives some warning that getting downfield and separating from pro defensive backs. Fields needs to bounce back with an improved 40 at his pro day.

Some sources say they view Simpson as a good fit for LaFleur’s offense. Simpson is a coach’s kid with a high football I.Q. and is an accurate quarterback with mobility. All of those traits are a fit for LaFleur, and sources say Simpson did very well in his combine interview with Arizona. The Cardinals are likely to sign a veteran who is capable of being a bridge starter, and that will give them the option to pass or take a quarterback in the early rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Arizona could also consider trading down and taking Simpson. That approach would carry risk because another team could snatch him up before he gets to their pick. Plus, trading down is always easier said than done when picking high in the first round. The Cardinals also could look to trade back into the first round from their high second-round pick to land Simpson if he slips low enough. In my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have the first approach being more applicable if they want to land Simpson. While there is still signficant part of the process still to come, some sources with the Cardinals really like Simpson and believe in his ability to be a good pro starter.

I have a number of these prospects in my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft.

To take a quarterback with the 11th overall-pick or even later in the first round and make him the franchise quarterback for the new regime under head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan would be a major commitment. Teams would not make that kind of commitment to a player they are lukewarm about or are not in love with. The Dolphins are going to do their due diligence on Simpson regardless of what happens in free agency. However, the impression from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine was that the Dolphins were not in love with Simpson. In my my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft, I have the Dolphins passing on Simpson but him coming off the board shortly thereafter.

]]> https://walterfootball.com/some-teams-think-both-tate-and-tyson-go-top-16.php Sun, 01 Mar 2026 17:43:31 +0000 https://walterfootball.com/?p=39233 There has been a lack of consensus in the media about who the top wide receiver prospects are for the 2026 NFL Draft and how high they come off the board. Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, and USC’s Makahi Lemon are the top consensus candidates. Some project Lemon to go first, while others have Tyson or Tate being the first one off the board. In speaking with some team sources, they think that Tate and Tyson will get selected first and go in the top 16.

“I think Tate and Tyson go top 16,” said an NFC assistant general manager. “They are definitely at least No. 2s, but I think they can be elite. Lemon will go in the 1st also. He’s definitely one of the top 32 players in this draft.”

Some sources had Tate as their highest graded receiver, while others had Tyson with a higher grade. It sounds like either could come off the board first and will just depend on team preference. In my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft I have Tate and Tyson going in the top 16 with Lemon shortly later.