Overview of The Athletic Football Show — "Why we're planting our flags for these day 2 & 3 prospects"
One week before the 2026 NFL Draft, hosts Dave Hellman and Dane Brugler (with guest Derek Klassen) pick favorites beyond the obvious top-10 prospects. Rather than debating the likely top picks, they “plant flags” on fringe day‑one, day‑two and day‑three players they love — pros they’d bet on, sleepers, high‑upside guys and useful role players. The conversation also includes a quick macro take on the class as a whole and how team needs and scheme fit will drive surprises late in Round 1 and on Day 2.
Big-picture takeaways about the 2026 class
- Not a generational “top 10” at premium positions (QB, elite WR, superstar edge), but strong depth across many spots.
- Plenty of solid Tier‑2/Tier‑3 prospects (LB, safety, DT, OT, TE, deep receiver and edge groups) — this will make late Round 1 and Day 2 chaotic and fun.
- Expect surprises in the back half of Round 1 (20s–30s) as teams differ widely on grades and positional value.
- The hosts push back on the narrative that the class “sucks”; they see quality and value if you evaluate position by position.
Hosts and context
- Hosts: Dave Hellman, Dane Brugler. Guest: Derek Klassen. Robert Mays absent.
- Timing: ~one week before the draft; tone is speculative/advocacy — focusing on players they “love” rather than consensus top prospects.
Fringe Day‑1 / Late Round‑1 guys (25–40 range) — hosts’ picks
- Peter Woods (Clemson, defensive tackle)
- Why they like him: elite balance, power and run‑defense traits; the body and flashes suggest first‑round upside.
- Concerns: limited pass‑rush production in 2025, inconsistent tape vs. expectations, some injury/soft‑tissue history, testing not overwhelming.
- Draft range: Late first → early second depending on team willingness to bet on traits.
- Denzel Boston (wide receiver)
- Why they like him: big‑body X who uses physicality and strong hands, contested‑catch mentality, surprisingly good movement (three‑cone, vert).
- Concerns: lack of a 40 time hurts perception; needs to clean up tracking the ball over his shoulder.
- Comp profile: Big outside receiver who can also play big slot; late Round 1 possibility or Day 2 value.
- Chris Johnson (San Diego State, cornerback)
- Why they like him: fluid coverage, played inside/outside, strong ball instincts; combine 40 shocked skeptics.
- Concerns: prior perception as a slower 4.5 guy fixed somewhat by his 4.40 combine.
- Draft range: back half of Round 1 → early Round 2.
- D’Angelo Pons (Indiana, cornerback)
- Why they like him: competitive, physical, consistently produces (multi‑year PD/INTs), great instincts and effort.
- Concerns: size/length can create matchup issues vs. big Xs; teams will balance the tradeoff.
- Draft range: late Round 1 → early Day 2.
“Firm Day‑2” favorites (the sweet spot: early Day 2 / top‑100)
- Jalen Kilgore (South Carolina, nickel/safety)
- Why they like him: excellent trigger, zone awareness, ball production, tested well (speed/size), played early and often.
- Concerns: questions about functional athleticism in man/short‑area transitions and whether NFL teams will use him primarily as a nickel or safety.
- Draft range: Round 2 → early Round 3; versatile defensive back many teams can imagine using.
- Zion Young (edge)
- Why they like him: violent run‑defender with feel for getting into the backfield; great motor.
- Concerns: off‑field incident (DWI/altercation at Michigan State) requires team evaluation.
- Draft range: Day 2 value; early Round 3 candidate.
- Gabe Ackes/Akes (edge, Illinois)
- Why they like him: relentless motor, excellent hand usage, consistent production and sack/charted pressure metrics in school.
- Draft range: Day 2 / early Day 3 edge with upside as a rotational-to‑starter pass rusher.
- Josiah Trotter (linebacker)
- Why they like him: hard‑hitting run defender, natural instincts, high‑tackling production; “hammer” linebacker.
- Concerns: coverage limitations — needs schematic hiding or subpackage usage.
- Draft range: Day 2 / late Day 2.
Day‑3 / developmental and role‑player favorites
- Trey Zune (Texas A&M, OL — projected center)
- Why they like him: pro‑ready polish, positional versatility across the line, strong college resume vs. tough competition.
- Concerns: limited snaps at center in college (so projection matters), but evaluators call him “very pro‑ready.”
- Draft range: Day 3 or late Day 2 swing for depth/versatility.
- Kieran Crawford (Auburn, edge)
- Why they like him: explosive on film, twitch and bend; scheme at Auburn limited his pass‑rush counts.
- Draft range: Day 3 or late Day 3 developmental rush specialist.
- Will Lee (Texas A&M, CB) and Torian York (linebacker)
- Why they like them: Will Lee — length, athletic profile; Torian York — elite positional IQ, tackling/instincts, future coach‑type.
- Concerns: York’s size/arm length limits pro upside; both are projects who could be special teams/rotational contributors.
- Riley Nowakowski (Indiana, H‑back/fullback)
- Why they like him: ex‑walk‑on, tough, multiuse (blocker, short‑yardage runner), special teams value.
- Draft range: late Day 3 or UDFA who sticks thanks to utility.
- Kalen Black (Indiana, RB)
- Why they like him: relentless legs, power and tough runner, strong pro‑day testing; high effort and pass‑pro chops.
- Draft range: mid–late rounds as a rotational/NFL depth back.
- Jonah Coleman (Washington, RB)
- Why they like him: elite contact balance, reliable pass‑catching (high college reception totals), surprisingly good blocking for size.
- Concerns: limited top‑end speed — projects as later‑round target or depth back who contributes on special teams and passing‑down packages.
- Eli Heidenreich (Navy, RB/tweener)
- Why they like him: ex‑option playmaker, outstanding pass‑catching background, strong testing; fits as a gadget/third‑down threat.
- Draft range: late rounds / UDFA with role‑specific upside.
- Reggie Virgil (Texas Tech, WR)
- Why they like him: crisp route work, ball‑tracking, mostly outside usage with good vertical instincts — Day‑3 steal potential as a productive slot/clearer on certain concepts.
- Draft range: Day 3.
- Josh Cameron (Baylor, WR — large receiver)
- Why they like him: 220‑lb receiver who dominates contested situations; physical, high‑ceiling red‑zone/monster‑catch upside for late rounds.
- Concerns: separation at the next level; projection dictates Day 3 pick or UDFA.
Honorable mentions called out by the hosts
- Keontae Scott (Miami, LB/nickel type) — explosive blitzer
- Keyshawn Elliott (Arizona State, LB) — athletic, former HS QB, starting upside
- Michael Heldman (Central Michigan, DL) — late‑round pass‑rush tester
- Cyrus Allen (Cincinnati, WR), Lance Mason (Wisconsin, WR) — late‑round/UDFA projects
- Jacoby Thomas (safety), Dallin Bentley (TE) — day‑three developmental pieces
- Toledo DBs (Andre Fuller, Emmanuel McNeil‑Warren) — sticky coverage, special‑teams potential
Notable quotes / insights
- “People judge classes by QB/edge/receiver — that’s why this one is underrated. There are really strong positions like linebacker, safety, DT, OT and depth everywhere.” — Dane Brugler
- “I want the ass‑kickers — give me the guys who will terrorize the run game.” — Derek Klassen on players like Zion Young and Gabe Ackes.
- “It’s easier to let a guy’s flaws slide when you’re picking him in Round 3 — that’s why I love Day‑2/Day‑3 dart throws.” — Derek Klassen
Draft implications & recommendations for teams/fans
- Expect volatility late in Round 1: teams will grade players differently; many plausible fits will shuffle the board.
- Teams in need of interior playmakers and versatile defensive backs should be aggressive on Day 2 and Day 3.
- For fans: watch for value picks in rounds 2–4 for the players highlighted here — several prospects could be immediate rotational contributors or special‑teams assets.
- Key evaluation areas to monitor in the next week: medical updates (e.g., Peter Woods’ soft‑tissue), interviews/background checks (off‑field flags like Zion Young’s incidents), and pro‑day/testing reports for lesser‑known players (to confirm athletic profile).
Final note / episode context
- This episode is advocacy‑driven: each host “plants a flag” on players they’d take, emphasizing fit, traits and enthusiasm over consensus rankings.
- The hosts will follow up through draft week with live coverage and additional shows — expect movement and more clarity as teams reveal their boards.
If you want a quick lookup, start with these names the hosts were most bullish on: Peter Woods (DT), Denzel Boston (WR), Chris Johnson (CB), Jalen Kilgore (S/nickel), Zion Young & Gabe Ackes (edge), Trey Zune (OL/center), Riley Nowakowski (H‑back), Kalen Black (RB), and Reggie Virgil (WR).