Monday Morning Draft – Week 7 2026

Race for the No. 1 Pick of the 2027 NFL Draft:

Los Angeles Chargers:

The Chiefs cruised over the Chargers to drop Los Angeles to 0-6 on the season. All the preseason hype of Mike McDaniel taking over as the offensive coordinator has not led to a high-scoring attack. One would think that Los Angeles has too much talent to go winless or land the No. 1 overall pick, but something seems terribly wrong with the Chargers. If they land the No. 1 pick, they should look to trade down for a boatload of picks with a team that wants a quarterback. If they are forced to stick-and-pick at No. 1, they should draft Jeremiah Smith to give Justin Herbert an elite No. 1 receiver.

Miami Dolphins:

Miami got their first win of the season with a road win over the Jets. The 1-5 Dolphins are still a prime contender to land the No. 1 pick, but they need the Chargers to start getting some wins. Previously, they played the Vikings and Chiefs tough in back-to-back weeks. The Dolphins started their rebuild last offseason by moving on from veterans Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Miami has some young talent, and the new front office had an outstanding 2026 draft class. The young players need time to develop, and the Dolphins look likely to be picking in the top three next April.

Top General Manager Candidates:

• Notre Dame general manager Mike Martin
• Miami Dolphins assistant general manager Kyle Smith
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers senior personnel executive Byron Kiefer
• Detroit Lions senior personnel executive John Dorsey
• Detroit Lions director of college scouting Brian Hudspeth
• Wisconsin general manager Morocco Brown
• New England Patriots senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith
• Baltimore Ravens director of college scouting Joey Cleary

Top Head Coach Candidates:

• Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman
• Super Bowl-winning head coach Jon Gruden
• Former Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott
• Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike Tomlin
• Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
• Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase

Head Coach Hot-Seat Tracker:

• Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen
• New York Jets: Aaron Glenn
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Todd Bowles
• Dallas Cowboys: Brian Schottenheimer
• Washington Commanders: Dan Quinn
• Cincinnati Bengals: Zac Taylor

General Manager Hot-Seat Tracker:

• Tennessee Titans: Mike Borgonzi
• Cleveland Browns: Andrew Berry
• Washington Commanders: Adam Peters
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jason Licht
• Detroit Lions: Brad Holmes

Let's Play Matchmaker:

New York Giants: Ryan Coleman-Williams, WR, Alabama

The Giants running backs were challenged and stepped up with a big performance to help New York get a road win in Houston. Cam Skattebo (17-124-1) ran well, with Devin Singletary getting a walk-off touchdown run in overtime versus his former team. This offseason, New York could target a speedy slot receiver to pair with Malik Nabers and Malachi Fields to give Jaxson Dart a talented trio next season.

In 2026, Coleman-Williams has caught 23 passes for 415 yards and four touchdowns. He has also looked good as a punt returner. In 2025, Coleman-Williams had 49 catches for 689 yards and four scores. He has had some problems with dropped passes in 2025. Coleman-Williams (6-0, 175) was very impressive in his freshman season for the Crimson Tide, catching 48 passes for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He could stand to add some weight for the NFL, but he is a dynamic playmaker and capable of changing the game on any play. Coleman-Williams could be a nice addition for New York in the early rounds next April.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Cole, LB, Georgia

The Buccaneers dominated the Panthers in Carolina, winning by 30 points. Tampa Bay’s defense has played really well over the past month, and they destroyed Carolina at the point of attack. The game got away from the Panthers with turnovers, but Carolina did have a long touchdown pass to Darren Waller, and Chuba Hubbard was close to getting going before the turnovers killed the Panthers' ability to control the ball. Alex Anzalone is an aging and declining player, and Tampa Bay could use a linebacker to replace him.

In 2026, Cole has 40 tackles with 2.5 sacks and one pass batted. Under Kirby Smart, Georgia has produced a lot of solid linebacker prospects for the NFL, and Cole will maintain that tradition in 2027. The 6-foot-3, 235-pounder is strong at the point of attack and is a tough run defender. He is also a dangerous blitzer with upside to develop in pass coverage. In his first season as a starter, Cole had 60 tackles with 4.5 sacks and two passes broken up in 2025. Cole could be a good early-round pick for Tampa Bay to pair with Josiah Trotter.

Cleveland Browns: Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson

The Browns got a 27-24 road win over the woeful Titans, and it was surprising that Cleveland had problems with the Titans' offense. Cam Ward was not prolific, but Tony Pollard ripped off 129 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. Cleveland has a good young linebacker in Carson Schwesinger, but they could use a run stuffer next to him.

Thus far in 2026, Brown has 48 tackles with one sack and one pass broken up. In 2025, Brown had 106 tackles with five sacks, one forced fumble, an interception, and five passes broken up. Brown impressed in 2024 with 80 tackles, five sacks, and three passes broken up. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder has good instincts and is a tough run defender. Brown could be a nice second-round pick for Cleveland.

Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Carr, QB, Notre Dame

The Vikings improved to 6-0 with their defense carrying them again. Minnesota managed only 16 points, and Kyler Murray has not been a point producer during his starts with the Vikings. The former general manager and Kevin O’Connell have mismanaged the quarterback position. They allowed Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to leave in free agency, took a bust in J.J. McCarthy, and passed on Bo Nix in the first round. This offseason, new general manager Nolan Teasley needs to find a long-term starter for Minnesota.

In 2026, Carr has completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,639 yards with 16 touchdowns and one interception. He has three rushing touchdowns. Carr (6-3, 205) developed nicely in his first season as a starter, and by the end of the year, he was showing NFL starting ability. Carr completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,741 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. He was accurate, managed the game well, possesses developed field vision, and is a dangerous pocket passer with functional mobility. Carr is also known to have great leadership, character, and loves football. He also has great poise, composure, and an ability to handle high-stress environments. Having gone through a horrible family tragedy, Carr is able to keep perspective. Carr could be a good distributor of the ball for the Vikings.

Atlanta Falcons: Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State

The Falcons pulled off the biggest upset of Week 7 in the NFL with a home win over the previously unbeaten 49ers. Atlanta couldn’t get the run game going with Bijan Robinson, but Robinson caught five passes for 59 yards and was the team’s second-leading receiver. This offseason, Atlanta could use another wideout to go across from Drake London.

In 2026, Robinson has 22 catches for 407 yards with four touchdowns. He was very impressive against Alabama and was superb against Miami. Robinson has mismatch size, but runs really well for a big receiver, with some smoothness as a route-runner and straight-line speed. In 2025, Robinson hauled in 56 catches for 1,081 yards with six touchdowns. While being a mammoth receiver, Robinson showed serious quickness to get downfield with his 19.3 yards-per-catch average. Robinson played at USC in 2023 and 2024. Robinson is a sleeper who went under the radar in 2025 with Florida State struggling. He could be a nice second-round pick for Atlanta after adding to the defense or offensive line in the first round.

Chicago Bears: Yhonzae Pierre, DE, Indiana

The Bears got a big win on Thursday Night Football, taking care of business against the Patriots. Caleb Williams, Luther Burden, Rome Odunze, and Colston Loveland played well and led Chicago to the victory. New England stayed in the game with Drake Maye throwing for over 300 yards. The Bears defense got 1.5 sacks from their defensive backs with only .5 sacks from their defensive linemen. In the 2027 NFL Draft, it would make a lot of sense for the Bears to add some edge rush talent.

In 2026, Pierre has 23 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two passes batted, and an interception returned 27 yards for a touchdown.The 6-foot-3, 248-pound Pierre has been a tough defender for the Crimson Tide in 2025. He has been a dangerous edge rusher with speed and physicality to push through blocks. In 2025, Pierre had 52 tackles with eight sacks, three forced fumbles, and one pass batted. Pierre is versatile and lines up at a variety of spots. He could be an outside linebacker in base who rushes off the edge in the sub. He would be a great fit in Dennis Allen’s defense and could make a lot of sense for the Bears in the early rounds of the 2027 NFL Draft.

Miami Dolphins: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

The Dolphins got their first win of the season with Malik Willis (two passing, one rushing), Ollie Gordon II (25-103-1), and Caleb Douglas (2-70-2) all finding the end zone. Douglas and Chris Bell are promising young receivers for Miami, but landing Jeremiah Smith in the 2027 NFL Draft could be huge for the Dolphins rebuild. If the Chargers were to land the No. 1 pick and trade down with a quarterback-needy team, Miami could have the best player in the draft fall in their lap and bring Smith back home to South Florida.

In 2025, Smith caught 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. Smith (6-3, 215) took college football by storm as a freshman, and he dominated for the Buckeyes. In his debut season, Smith caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. He showed size, speed, athleticism, and natural feel in a tremendous freshman year, helping Ohio State win a National Championship. As I wrote in the preseason scouting report on Smith (link above), Smith reminds me of Julio Jones. Smith has shocking deep speed in a powerful frame with excellent size, outstanding route-running, twitch and explosion to get separation, and huge, strong hands. What really sets Smith apart for a big receiver is his outstanding explosion and twitch that lets him get quick separation on short routes. Smith is a true freak athlete and is among the best NFL Draft prospects over the past 20 years. Smith would be a great addition for Miami.

Team Draft Report:

In this section, we take a deeper look at specific teams and where they stand regarding the 2025 NFL Draft.

Los Angeles Chargers:

There was a lot of preseason hype for the Chargers after Mike McDaniel was brought in as offensive coordinator. Thus far, one of the biggest surprises of the season has been the struggles of Los Angeles. Nobody was predicting that the Chargers would be 0-6 in late October and in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Los Angeles has dug themselves a giant hole, and in a tough division and conference, the Chargers look poised to pick high and be unable to get back into playoff contention this season. However, in the long term, this season could yield some huge gains for Los Angeles in the form of the 2027 NFL Draft.

In the first round of my latest mock 2027 NFL Draft, I have the Chargers taking Ohio State phenom Jeremiah Smith, and he could be a great pick for Los Angeles. Smith would give Los Angeles a Julio Jones-type receiver and an elite No. 1 wideout for Justin Herbert. Herbert and Smith could become a legendary tandem as Smith looks like has Hall of Fame ability for the NFL. If Los Angeles lands the No. 1 pick and decides to stick-and-pick, Smith would be a great selection.

It could be tempting for the Chargers to trade down and get multiple first-round picks for years to come. A quarterback-needy team could trade up to land a new franchise quarterback, and that could load up Los Angeles with draft picks. If they move down, there are other good receivers they could consider in the first round. Texas’ Cam Coleman and Indiana’s Charlie Becker have top-10 skill sets. And there should be other good options late in the first round to consider, like Rutgers ’ K.J. Duff, Alabama’s Ryan Coleman-Williams, Indiana’s Nick Marsh, or Arizona State’s Reed Harris. Adding one of those receivers could give them a good weapon for Herbert.

If Los Angeles trades down, they could also consider some defensive upgrades. Notre Dame stud cornerback Leonard Moore would be a great addition as a true shutdown corner, but Moore will probably go in the top-five, so it would have to be a very short trade down to still land him. Another elite prospect they could consider in a trade down would be Tennessee stud defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam. The Chargers lack a difference maker on the defensive line on the interior, and Gilliam has been dominating this year with interior pass rush and disruptive run defense. Either Moore or Gilliam would be a huge upgrade for Los Angeles.

Even though they are 0-6, it feels like Los Angeles has too much talent to lose enough to land the No. 1 overall pick. This analyst thinks teams like the Dolphins and Titans will pass the Chargers for the first selection. However, picking high in the first round could land Los Angeles a No. 1 receiver for Herbert or an elite defender. Los Angeles might be down this year, but they could bounce right back next year and be playoff contenders again.