Our final questions before the 2026 NFL Draft

Summary of Our final questions before the 2026 NFL Draft

by The Athletic

1h 13m•April 23, 2026
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Overview of Our final questions before the 2026 NFL Draft

This Athletic Football Show episode (recorded the night before the 2026 NFL Draft) has four hosts — Robert Mays, Dane Brugler, Dave Hellman and Derek Klassen — running through the biggest unresolved questions heading into draft weekend. They cover top-10 uncertainty (especially the Jets at No. 2), positional run timing (tackles and guards), medical/makeup concerns, likely surprises/trades, and several specific prospects whose draft fates remain unclear. The show also reminds listeners of live coverage: Thursday night (Round 1) at 7:30 p.m. ET on the Athletic Football Show YouTube channel and a Friday show (Rounds 2–3) at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Who’s on the episode & live schedule

  • Hosts: Robert Mays (moderator), Dane Brugler, Dave Hellman, Derek Klassen.
  • Recorded: Wednesday night before the 2026 NFL Draft.
  • Live coverage:
    • Night 1 (Round 1): Athletic Football Show YouTube, Thu 7:30 p.m. ET — four hosts + Bruce Feldman.
    • Night 2 (Rounds 2–3): podcast + YouTube recap, Fri 6:30 p.m. ET — same four hosts.

Top unresolved draft questions (by topic)

Jets at No. 2 — Reese vs. Bailey

  • Core question: Will the Jets take Arvel Reese (high-upside, special mover, hybrid) or David Bailey (more "plug-and-play" edge)?
  • Hosts’ lean: strong support for Arvel Reese — viewed as the highest-upside, special-athlete pick worth the swing; not a “tweener” in their view, but multi-use.
  • Notable wrinkle: Bailey’s canceled 30-visit with the Jets added intrigue and prompted speculation (teams sometimes cancel for many reasons, including already having made up their minds or subterfuge).

Reuben Bain — draft floor and range

  • Concern: Bain is a top-caliber rusher on tape but a historical outlier (short arms), plus earlier off-field reports. Where is his floor — does he slip past top-10?
  • Range discussed: could go as early as top-10 (Chiefs at 9 discussed) but might fall into 11–20 range (Miami, Dallas, Lions, Chargers, Carolina among teams that could take him later).
  • Key takeaway: teams’ tolerance for Bain’s physical traits/medical/size will determine his ceiling/floor; he could still spur a trade.

Rams and offensive tackle market

  • Question: How do the Rams view their tackle room (Alaric Jackson, Warren McClendon) and will they target tackle at 13?
  • Related: When will the offensive-tackle run hit? Several teams mid/late first round may trade up to secure tackles since supply drops fast after the top group.
  • Expectation: multiple teams could make small jumps to secure specific tackles; tackles could be the trade-spurring position.

Late medical/injury news (Jermon McCoy, Maui Noah, others)

  • Jermon McCoy: knee concerns (not ACL) created real team-level uncertainty—some teams reportedly have him off their board; he could fall out of the first round.
  • Maui Noah: murkier situation — teams think he still could go top-16–20; less likely to sink out of the first.
  • The hosts emphasize: teams have detailed medical info the public doesn’t see; medicals can dramatically alter draft positions.

Ty Simpson (QB) — first round or not?

  • Odds: hosts split; better-than-50/50 that he could come off the board in Round 1 — often tied to a Cardinals trade-up scenario (or a surprise move by another team).
  • Strategic discussion: drafting a QB early vs. waiting (especially for teams like the Jets who have draft capital in 2027). The Jets’ hosts argue for waiting — avoiding emotional attachment/mediocrity risk — unless a team truly loves Simpson.
  • Second-round/late-first landing spots discussed (Jets at 44 as a preferred “sweet spot” if they want him without attaching themselves emotionally).

Pure guard value — Vanga Uone and positional valuation

  • Question: Will teams draft a pure guard high? Vanga Uone’s range is debated; some see him as top-10–15 material (Giants, Ravens, Chargers named as fits).
  • Macro point: guard/center movement in free agency and tag mechanics make teams treat interior linemen differently versus tackles.

Who will make the biggest jump / trades that matter

  • Candidates for moving up: Texans (have lots of draft capital), Eagles (historically active in trading up), and any team that fears missing a specific tackle or pass-catcher.
  • Pivot points: the hosts point to two key junctures — pick 5 (Giants) and the 7–9 cluster — as spots where boards and trades can change the top-10 quickly.

Other prospect-specific questions

  • Defensive tackle in Round 1? (Peter Woods, Caden McDonald) — will at least one DT go in the first?
  • Linebacker two: will a second ILB (C.J. Allen, Jacob Rodriguez) sneak into round one for a team that wants an immediate starter/green-dot guy?
  • Raiders post-No. 1 plan: after presumptive Mendoza pick, where will Las Vegas invest their other picks (OL, WR, CB, EDGE)? Could they trade back into the first for tackle help?

Broader themes and takeaways

  • This top-10 feels unusually volatile — many unanswered QB questions and positional cross-valuation.
  • Tackles and medicals will drive a lot of draft-day intrigue; injuries/medical reports can shift boards quickly.
  • Teams’ internal draft boards differ — expect surprises and picks that look wild to outsiders (the hosts expect at least one “what the hell” pick/trade).
  • Positional value is evolving: guards/centers have high free-agency availability and salary dynamics that make them less likely to always be priority first-round targets — but exceptional prospects (and team needs) change that calculus.

Notable host positions / short quotes

  • Consensus lean on Arvel Reese to the Jets over David Bailey because of upside and unique movement traits.
  • On medicals: “Teams have a wealth of information that we’ll never see,” meaning late drops for medical reasons are common and often opaque to the public.
  • On Ty Simpson: drafting a QB early attaches a team emotionally and financially; if a club (Jets example) plans to wait for 2027, passing on a QB now often makes sense.

What to watch during draft weekend (action items)

  • Jets at No. 2: Reese vs. Bailey decision and whether the canceled 30-visit points to a choice.
  • Reuben Bain’s landing spot — does he hold top-12 status or slip farther than expected?
  • Any late medical-related falls (McCoy, etc.) and how teams react.
  • When the offensive-tackle run begins — watch mid-to-late first for trades.
  • Whether Ty Simpson is taken in Round 1 (cardinals-trade-up scenarios).
  • Giants at No. 5 (pivot pick) — their choice will shape multiple teams’ plans.
  • Tune into: Athletic Football Show live — Thu 7:30 p.m. ET (Round 1 live stream) and Fri 6:30 p.m. ET (Rounds 2–3 recap and pick-by-pick podcast).

Final note

The hosts are excited for draft night and emphasize the unpredictability — teams’ private information and diverse board constructions guarantee surprises. If you want immediate reactions and in-depth pick-by-pick analysis, join the Athletic Football Show live streams and pick recaps.