DRAFT GUIDE
Eight rounds, one player per position, and 31 AI coaches picking around you. This is which positions actually change results, when a trade is worth making, and how the current class tends to come off the board.
📈 Positional value rankings
Value here is not opinion — it is how heavily each position feeds the five ratings the game reads when it resolves a snap.
- 1Quarterback (QB)Passing
Counts double in the passing rating, and passing is the fastest way to move the chains.
- 2Cornerback (CB)Coverage
Counts double in coverage. A shutdown corner takes yards off every pass thrown at you.
- 3Edge rusher (EDGE)Pass rush
Counts double in the rush rating, which blunts the run and turns third downs into punts.
- 4Running back (RB)Running
Counts double in the running rating. Matters most on short yardage and clock-killing drives.
- 5Linebacker (LB)Coverage + rush
The only position feeding two defensive ratings, so a good one quietly lifts the whole defense.
- 6Wide receiver (WR)Passing
Single weight in the passing rating — valuable, but never worth reaching over a quarterback.
- 7Tight end (TE)Passing + running
Touches both offensive ratings at single weight. Good value in the middle rounds.
- 8Kicker (K)Kicking
Only affects field goals — but a big leg is worth a few points a season. Take one late.
🤝 Trade scenarios
Trading up for the top quarterback
You give: Your round 1 pick and your round 4 pick
You get: A top-three quarterback prospect
Quarterback is the only position weighted double on the side of the ball you control every snap. A round 4 pick usually costs you two or three rating points at one position; the quarterback gap can be ten.
Trading down out of the top five
You give: An early round 1 pick
You get: A late round 1 pick and an extra round 3
Worth it when the board is flat — if the best four prospects grade within three points of each other, take the extra pick. If one prospect is an A+ and the rest are B, stay put.
Two good starters for one great one
You give: Your best receiver and your linebacker
You get: An A-grade corner
The engine averages ratings, so two solid players usually beat one star. You also leave a hole you must fill with a leftover prospect, which costs more than the star gains.
Paying up for a kicker
You give: A round 5 pick
You get: The best kicker in the class
Kicking only touches field goals. A round 8 kicker is usually within five points of the best one — spend round 5 on the edge rusher instead.
Selling a position you have covered
You give: Your second tight end plan (a round 6 pick)
You get: A round 7 and a round 8
You can only start one player per position, so extra picks late are pure depth on the board. More swings means a better chance of finding a B+ at a thin position.
📝 Mock draft
A full 32-team snake draft run by the AI coaches, using a fresh prospect class. Order reverses every round, so the last pick of round one opens round two.
Running the mock draft…