DKDB NFL Draft
Updates: August 2026
Written by Lou Pickney
DKDB owner/operator since 2003
2027 Mock Draft Database | Best Free Simulator List
August 5, 2026
The NCAA made a rule change earlier this year allowing five years of eligibility in five years of time for Division I student-athletes. It retired the antiquated notion of redshirting (either modern soft-cap or old-style no mercy) and should be a positive. It's a rule change that actually makes sense.
But, like many things today, it's complicated.
To point, with the NCAA seemingly working a losing-streak gimmick in federal court, it was fitting that a judge last week issued a class-wide injunction allowing newly-graduated seniors who never took a redshirt to have a fifth season for 2026-27.
This will primarily impact basketball, but the very limited window creates some challenging dynamics for the football players and teams involved. The season begins on August 29.
This is madness. This is 2026.
Indiana announced on Tuesday that defensive end Stephen Daley (pictured above), one of the affected players, is coming back for the upcoming season. Daley suffered a fluke knee injury during the post-game celebration following Indiana's Big Ten championship game win over Ohio State last year and ultimately went undrafted.
I can't create DKDB 2027 draft profiles for these players as they've already been through the full NFL Draft process. No double jeopardy. They're ghosts in the machine.
No one has ever made it back after going through the draft. Not until now, anyway.
Perhaps the most intriguing player of the relatively small group who might return is Florida State QB Tommy Castellanos. As of this writing, Castellanos is said to be mulling his options.
But such things don't happen in a vacuum. Fifth-year senior Ashton Daniels (a transfer from Auburn) is the starting quarterback for the Seminoles for 2026. If Castellanos ends up returning to Tallahassee, it will be very interesting to see how he might be utilized.
August 4, 2026
The full text of the Protect College Sports Act is now available. It's a repulsive piece of legislation that will artificially limit the money college football players will be able to earn from third-party outlets.
Nobody dislikes young adults quite like American lawmakers do.
I'd be loudly protesting about this if I thought it would make any difference. That's not the way it works, not at this level.
Read the bill and decide for yourself. To me, it's terribly off-putting that the NCAA is getting rewarded for spectacularly losing in federal court over and over again.
It's a giant cash grab. It's not being done with the players' best interest in mind. But these realities don't matter.
The only chance it has of not passing is if the slow-motion process of federal legislation passage in the United States keeps it from going up for a full vote before attention turns to the mid-term elections.
August 3, 2026
It appears that Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has entered the "CM Punk at AEW All Out 2022" phase of his career, only instead of griping about Hangman Page, he's complaining about Anthony Fauci and ESPN.
Aaron Rodgers on The Pat McAfee Show (8/3/2026)
It's worth a watch/listen, though note that it has significant profanity.
If Pittsburgh wins the AFC this season, we're in for the most interesting media week in Super Bowl history.
New DKDB prospect profile arrivals!
Max Johnson, QB, Georgia Southern
Malachi Singleton, QB, App State
Hank Brown, QB, Iowa
Jamal Roberts, RB, Missouri
Dierre Hill Jr., RB, Oregon
Caleb Hawkins, RB, Oklahoma State
Jai'Den Thomas, RB, UNLV
Reed Harris, WR, Arizona State
August 2, 2026
Trying out something new here with this DKDB news/update page.
I revamped the 2027 NFL Mock Draft Database to include a bio for the various people included. It now looks more like the classic site design and functions much better on mobile now.
If you haven't seen them yet, be sure to watch my DKDB Update preview videos for top 2027 draft-eligible prospects at quarterback (6/30), running back (7/25), and wide receiver (7/29) with more coming soon. Please like/subscribe if you enjoy them.
The site's rebrand from Draft King to DKDB has been an overwhelming success. Thanks to everyone who has supported me through the years. The best is yet to come.
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