The NFL calendar never sleeps, and the last two weeks have once again reshaped the first round of our 2026 NFL Mock Draft. With the NFL Scouting Combine now behind us and the first wave of free agency in the books, teams have already begun reshuffling priorities. Some needs have been filled. Others have been created.
Offense is always where draft hype gets out of control first. Arm strength, body type, and "tools" start carrying more weight than what actually happened on Saturdays. Before long, we're projecting guys into stardom they haven't earned yet.
There is a stubborn narrative in football that insists on placing the most important and dynamic players on the field quarterbacks into neatly defined boxes. There's the devil-may-care Gun Slinger, the veteran (it's always someone over 30) Field General, and, most damningly, the robotic, unremarkable but reliable Game Manager. For the better part of his young, meteoric career, Brock Purdy has been shackled to that last, reductive label.
Browning threw three interceptions before he led the Bengals to three touchdowns in the final quarter to make the final margin of victory more aesthetically pleasing. "After a game like that, we're going to look at all personnel to make sure we're doing the right thing," Taylor said when asked if he still believes in Browning moving forward. "I won't shy away from that because it's a very fair question after the amount of turnovers that we had."
Tom Brady's resume speaks for itself. Over 23 seasons in the NFL, the former Patriots QB left an indelible mark on football - winning seven Super Bowl titles to go along with three MVP trophies, five Super Bowl MVP honors, and numerous other league records.
Hartman was hesitant in the pocket. There is almost no velocity on his throws, especially when he goes to the outside. The game seems to move too fast for him, and the undrafted free agent doesn't look capable of being a successful NFL quarterback right now. The former Wake Forest and Notre Dame standout completed 70.58 percent of his passes for 114 yards and no touchdowns. Hartman threw two interceptions, lost a fumble, and earned a lowly 49.3 passer rating for his efforts.
