The Super Bowl is officially behind us, which means it’s officially time for draft season. With all 32 teams done with the 2025 year, everyone’s attention has already shifted to 2026.

Every week, EssentiallySports NFL Draft Expert Tony Pauline sits down with Tim Wood for their weekly DraftCast podcast, where they talk about the latest draft buzz. With the draft slowly approaching, we’ve got updates on Fernando Mendoza, Trinidad Chambliss and plenty more in this week’s DraftCast episode.

For all the best NFL Draft news, make sure you’re keeping up with Pauline’s articles, checking in on his Big Board and tuning in to all the DraftCast episodes on EssentiallySports’ YouTube channel.

Now, let’s recap this week’s episode of the DraftCast.

Fernando Mendoza Opts Out of Throwing at the Combine

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Fernando Mendoza is the top quarterback prospect in this year’s draft, and unless something unforeseen happens, he will be the first overall pick and heading to Las Vegas in a couple of months. Still, he will go through the pre-draft process, which includes heading to Indianapolis for the NFL Combine before performing at Indiana’s pro day later in March.

However, Mendoza has announced he will not be throwing at the NFL Combine. Instead, he will throw at Indiana’s pro day. This is becoming a much more normal thing among top quarterback prospects. At the Combine, you don’t know who you’re throwing to, but at your pro day, it’s always going to be guys you’re familiar with. Plus, as a top QB prospect, he can help his teammates get a little boost with a good outing at Indiana’s pro day.

“You go to the combine, and your throwing workout is unlike anything else in the pre-draft process,” Pauline explained. “You’re throwing to receivers that you may have met 48 hours earlier, and there’s no rapport there. It’s not like a three-day process like the Shrine or Senior Bowl, where you can get in cohesion with these guys. You basically met these guys 48 hours beforehand. There’s no timing, no rapport…He also said he was going to wait for pro day to help his guys—to help Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., and Riley Nowakowski”

On top of the three guys Pauline named, Charlie Becker, who really came along in the back half of the season, isn’t draft eligible, but will still likely show up to support Mendoza. That’s just one more reason for Mendoza to pass on the combine and throw at his pro day.

How Carson Schwesinger Could Impact the 2026 Draft

Carson Schwesinger was selected in the second round by the Cleveland Browns, and just took home the Defensive Rookie of the Year award after a stellar campaign. With his success as a rookie, and this upcoming class having a few linebackers who could go in the first round, could Schwesinger’s success make teams rethink how they value off-ball linebackers in the draft?

“Off-ball linebackers are not seen as a priority on draft day, especially in the first round. Pass rushers, cornerbacks, quarterbacks, defensive tackles—those positions are priorities. Off-ball linebackers are sort of like running backs; they’re second-tier priorities in the first round…Do I think it’s going to impact things? Yes, because I think more teams will be prone to taking really good off-ball linebackers earlier than they would have in the past.”

This draft class is absolutely loaded with talent at linebacker, including guys like Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, C.J. Allen and Anthony Hill, who could all potentially find themselves in the first round in April. Schwesinger’s success has certainly changed how teams value the off-ball linebacker position in the draft.

Trinidad Chambliss Update

As I’m sure most of you are aware, Trinidad Chambliss is fighting the NCAA for another year of eligibility, claiming that during his time at Ferris State, he should’ve received a medical redshirt for a bad case of tonsillitis. It’s an ongoing process, but we got an update earlier this week.

“The NCAA again denied his appeal for another year on the college field,” Pauline explained. “It’s going to go into the court system. I believe this Thursday it goes to Mississippi state court. Then we’ll have to see what happens. If the Mississippi state court surprises everybody and agrees with the NCAA that he doesn’t have another year of eligibility left, does Trinidad Chambliss take it another step further? If the Mississippi court says, “Sure, you get another year, good luck with the Rebels,” does the NCAA appeal and go to a higher court?”

There could be massive ramifications from this. If the courts take a long time to decide, and ultimately rule in April that he cannot return to Ole Miss, what does he do? The deadline to declare for the draft (and maybe the draft itself) will have passed, and then does the NFL hold a supplemental draft for him?

Pauline believes he will play for Ole Miss this year because of what we’ve seen with Diego Pavia and others in the past, but it will be a fascinating storyline to watch.

Eagles Insider Talks Jeff Stoutland’s Departure

Devin Jackson, an NFL draft expert from the Philadelphia Inquirer, joined the show to give some insight into the Philadelphia Eagles.

Obviously, the big news of the week coming out of Philadelphia was Jeff Stoutland, their legendary offensive line coach, announcing his departure. We don’t know if he’s done coaching, but he will no longer be a part of the Eagles. If he is interested in coaching again, he’s going to be the hottest coaching commodity out there, and Jackson said it was quite shocking to see him go.

“You always know a coach like that is going to hang it up at some point, but to do it right then and there was a surprise,” Jackson said. “It probably wouldn’t have been as shocking a few weeks earlier, before the reporting came out that he had his run‑game responsibilities stripped during the season. When that came out, you started to see maybe there was more to it.”

Jackson noted that the addition of Shawn Mannion as offensive coordinator may have played a factor in Stoutland’s decision to leave Philly. He wants to run a different system than the Eagles have in the past, and he may have subtly forced Stoutland out.

Lane Johnson, who was drafted the same year Stoutland joined the Eagles, suffered a severe Lisfranc fracture, and his status for the start of next season could be in doubt. With Stoutland leaving, Jackson believes Johnson could think about hanging it up this offseason.

“Lane has talked about wanting to play well into his 30s,” Jackson explained. “Ideally, by 2027–2028 was most likely the time period he was going to hang it up. I think it’s still going to take some time for him to decide, but Stoutland leaving will be a big part of that decision.”

Devin Jackson’s Thoughts on the Senior and Shrine Bowls

Jackson thought the secondary groups at both the Senior and Shrine Bowl were very strong, and he highlighted four guys – Devin Boykin‑Marshall, Chris Johnson, Avery Smith and Julian Neal – as standouts.

“Devin Boykin‑Marshall, the NC State corner, was the first guy who came to mind,” Jackson said. “Going into the week, I really liked him as a fourth‑ or fifth‑round, early day‑three type. I think his performance—his ability to mirror receivers, challenge at the line of scrimmage, disrupt timing, and transition fluidly out of his backpedal—really helped him. He did it all through the week.

“Chris Johnson, the San Diego State corner, didn’t get off to a strong start during the week, but over the next couple of days he put together strong performances. Julian Neal, the Arkansas corner, also had a strong week. Avery Smith, going back to Shrine, is a guy who can play nickel or outside corner and continues the tradition of Toledo secondary players going to the NFL. I think he’ll get drafted on day three, probably play nickel at the NFL level, and find a nice long career.”

Jackson’s been keeping his eye on the secondary units, because the Eagles have a big need in the backend of their defense, despite investing considerable resources in the group over the past few years. They love Quinyon Mitchell and don’t want to spend big money opposite of him, so it could be a revolving door of sorts until they land another star in the draft.

What Should the Eagles’ Draft Plan Be?

Jackson would like to see the Eagles figure out their plan for when Lane Johnson retires. He’s a future Hall of Famer, and you’re not going to have another one just like him walk through the door, so they need to start game planning for that right now. And if they don’t go offensive line round one, he’d like to see them address the tight end position. However, he feels Philly could go a different route entirely.

“I want them to figure out a plan B for when Lane Johnson retires, which could be imminent—this offseason or next,” Jackson explained. “I don’t think they have that guy waiting in the wings on the roster. They took Cam Williams and Miles Hinton late last year, but I don’t think those guys really factor into being starters anytime soon…in the first round, I’d like them to go after a right tackle of the future or upgrade the tight end position. Those are the two positions I’d like to see them address.

“What I think they will do, though, is look at edge rusher in round one,” Jackson continued. “Even if they bring back Jaelan Phillips, I think they’d like more bodies to get back to that dominant edge‑rusher room and capital they had when they won the Super Bowl—when they had Josh Sweat and Milton Williams on that defensive line along with current guys like Jalen Hunt and Nolan Smith. It feels like they want to get back to that point.”

The Eagles could go a lot of different directions in the draft this April, so it will be interesting to see what they do.

Offensive Guards to Watch

Alright, back to our regularly scheduled programming with Pauline and Wood.

After the Senior and Shrine Bowls last week, Pauline has been in the lab watching film on some of the guys who weren’t at either of those showcase games. He’s going in alphabetical order through the conferences, so he’s just about to wrap up the Big 10.

The first player Pauline mentioned was Oregon’s Emmanuel Pregnon. Pauline believes he could end up being one of the top guards in the entire draft class. 

“He’s not as dominant as Aanu, the Penn State guard, but he is a masher who drives opposing defensive linemen off the ball,” Pauline said. “He can pull across the line of scrimmage, get out on the second level, and block in motion. The scheme versatility, power, and nastiness of his game really stood out to me.”

Another pair of guards who stood out to Pauline was Notre Dame’s Billy Schrauth and Miami’s Anez Cooper. Scrauth is mean and nasty, and exactly what you want in an offensive lineman, while Cooper is powerful and can pass block at a high level. He sees both of them as potential starters in the NFL.

Wide Receivers to Watch

Moving to receiver, Junior Vandeross caught Pauline’s eye. He’s only 5-foot-7, but he’s quick and explosive and runs routes at a high level. Someone’s going to take a flyer on him late in the draft or make him a priority in free agency afterwards. He won’t fit into every system, but someone can find a use for him.

Anthony Smith from East Carolina is another receiver who stood out on tape. He caught 64 passes for 1,053 yards last year, and he’s 6-foot-2 and should run in the 4.3s. If he was on a team that had more consistent QB play, he’d probably be higher on most team’s draft boards.

“He’s a guy who really stands out on film, and when I checked with people to see if I was correct in my opinion, they said, ‘Yeah, we think he’s going to be a fifth‑round pick and he’s got tremendous upside.’ It’s just a matter of coaching him properly and harvesting all that talent onto the football field,” Pauline explained.

Will the Chiefs Trade Up, Down or Stay Put?

Pauline does not believe the Chiefs will trade up because they just have too many holes. They had a great run, but this roster has a boatload of needs, as was evident last season. He also doesn’t think they’ll move down and lose out on a premium player, which this draft class is heavily lacking.

So, if the Chiefs stay put at No. 9, they could add a premier offensive weapon like Jeremiyah Love or any of the top three receivers –Makai Lemon, Jordyn Tyson or Carnell Tate.

“They’re very likely to stay put,” Pauline said. “They need receivers and a running back, and there’s a very good chance they’ll get either one with the ninth pick. They can get a premier player at running back if Jeremiah Love happens to fall to them. If they want to take one of the receivers—either Carnell Tate of Ohio State or Jordan Tyson of Arizona State—I think both will be available to them. So I don’t think trading up makes much sense. I think they’ll stay put and get a good player who fits a need.”

Will the Steelers Draft a QB?

With Aaron Rodgers’ future in question, the Pittsburgh Steelers need to find their answer at quarterback. Even if Rodgers returns, they could be inclined to take one early in 2026, but should they?

Pauline thinks it’s something they’ll certainly consider. With Ty Simpson and possibly Trinidad Chambliss likely available in the first round, they could go with one of them, but it all depends on how they fit into Mike McCarthy’s system.

“Do they take Ty Simpson with that first‑round selection?” Pauline asked. “Do they think Ty Simpson is worth that pick? Is Trinidad Chambliss part of the equation? And if he is, is he a Mike McCarthy type of quarterback? I think it’s something they’ll consider.”

Which Position Group is the Deepest in 2026?

As we mentioned earlier, the off-ball linebacker class is loaded this year. Guys like Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles are the headliners, but teams are going to find some good value late in the first round and into the second round with guys like Anthony Hill, C.J. Allen and Deontae Lawson.

Pauline also notes that the pass rusher class is pretty deep. There isn’t a whole lot of top end talent outside of the big three – David Bailey, Rueben Bain and Keldric Faulk – but there are a lot of players that will be available in the second and third rounds that are quality players.