It’s Draft Week!!!! And somewhere out there, a handful of Packers mock draft “gurus” are itching to prove how right they are — and how wrong the front office is. But I’m not so sure there aren’t a few people inside 1265 Lombardi Avenue thinking the same thing. Because when it comes to this class, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some heated exchanges when the clock starts ticking. Not over effort. Not over talent. Over projection. Because more often than not, the phrase attached to this class is simple:

“That’s a hell of a projection.”

This 2026 class is roughshod. There’s no real future All-Pro you can point to, no franchise-altering prospect that makes you feel comfortable at the top. Even the projected No. 1 overall pick, Fernando Mendoza, probably lands somewhere around QB4 or QB6 in stronger classes from years past. You’ve got depth — just not always where you want it. To go back to the steak rating I stamped a few years ago, this class is Tri-Tip. It’s flavorful, it’ll get the job done… but I’ll be damned if I’m paying $19.99 a pound for it. Even in this economy. And that’s the name of the game this year: how do you land good talent without overpaying? Because this board is going to be all over the place. The first round could get chaotic in a hurry. This isn’t a clean “best player available” draft — not even for teams starving for talent. Fit is going to matter more than usual. Projection is going to matter more than usual. Find a guy with measurables and real production? Now you’re talking. And when that happens, don’t be surprised if teams start leapfrogging each other in a hurry trying to secure “their guy.” This is the kind of draft where one conviction can move an entire board. GMs are going to lose their minds when they give up a fifth, only to get jumped by a team that packaged a fifth and a conditional 2027 Day 3 pick to move up two spots ahead of them.

And for a team like the Green Bay Packers, that’s where things get interesting.

Because if there’s one thing this front office has never been afraid of, it’s betting on traits. They’ve lived in that space for years — trusting their board, trusting their development, and letting the rest of the league chase consensus. This kind of class doesn’t scare them. If anything, it plays right into their hands. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Because projection cuts both ways. You hit on the right guy, you look like a genius. You miss? Now you’ve spent premium capital on a player who might need two years just to see the field. And in a class like this, the margin for error feels a little thinner.

That’s why this week matters.

This isn’t about finding the obvious pick. There isn’t one. It’s about identifying the right fit, trusting your evaluation, and having the conviction to take your guy — even if the rest of the room doesn’t agree. Because in a draft like this, you’re not just picking players — you’re betting on your process.

So how do you navigate a class like this? You simplify it. When the board gets messy, when consensus starts to fall apart, when everyone’s arguing over projection — you strip it down to what actually matters.

For me, it starts with one question: did you produce?

Not flashes. Not traits. Not what you might become. What did you actually put on tape, consistently, against real competition? Because traits will get you drafted. Production is what keeps you on the field. That doesn’t mean you ignore measurables — far from it. Size, speed, length, explosiveness… all of it matters. But in a class like this, traits without production become a dangerous game. You start talking yourself into players instead of trusting what you’re seeing. And that’s where teams get in trouble. So the way I look at it is simple: give me the player who checks both boxes. Show me the measurables, and show me the tape to back it up. Because when you find that combination in a class like this? Now you’re not projecting. You’re uncovering.

That’s where the Gems are. You just have to work a little harder to find them.

And that’s where this class tested me.

Because I’ll be honest — finding Gems this year wasn’t easy. Usually, there are a handful of players that jump off the screen right away. Guys you don’t have to squint to see it. The traits match the production, the fit makes sense, and you can stamp it without hesitation. This year? It didn’t come like that.

There were a lot of “almosts.” A lot of players with one piece missing. You’d see the traits, but the production didn’t match. Or the production was there, but you’re left wondering how it translates. Time and time again, it came back to the same phrase:

“That’s a hell of a projection.”

And that forces you to dig deeper. You watch more tape. You revisit games. You start asking tougher questions. Not “what could he be?” but “what is he right now?” Because in a class like this, the difference between a Gem and a reach can be razor thin. I had the usual task of building out the Top 150 annual CHTV Draft Guide, and I’ll tell you right now — that was no small assignment this year. Trying to stack this class with any real level of conviction? That’s a challenge. And come Thursday, there’s a good chance my Top 150 looks damn near nothing as it does on the guide right now. That’s the kind of class this is.

So no — this wasn’t a list that came together overnight. It took work. It took filtering through the noise. And it took sticking to the same principle I always come back to: when the class gets murky, trust what’s real.

Because the Gems are still there. You just have to work a little harder to find them. And in a class like this, that’s exactly what separates a hit from a miss.

So with that said, I’ve got a few Gems from this class that I’m ready to roll out. Not many — this year didn’t give that luxury — but enough to make things interesting. Over the next few days leading up to Thursday, we’ll take a closer look at the prospects who actually check the boxes, who’ve put it on tape, and who might just be worth the bet in a class built on projection.

And if I hit on a few of them, I’ll be sure to let the mock draft gurus know where they can update their boards.

Happy Mining, Packers' Fans. Happy Mining.