Love Ya Blue

The 2026 Pony Draft has been completed

TITLETOWN - "Luv Ya Blue" refers to the iconic late-1970s (roughly 1978–1980) era of the Houston Oilers NFL team, characterized by immense fan enthusiasm, Columbia blue pom-poms, and a, "never-say-die" spirit under coach Bum Phillips and running back Earl Campbell. The slogan captured the city's heart as the underdog Oilers reached back-to-back AFC Championships. Coached by the charismatic Bum Phillips and led on the field by RB-Earl Campbell and QB-Dan Pastorini, the team brought unprecedented excitement to Houston and the Astrodome. The era featured packed, loud crowds at the Astrodome and massive homecoming rallies, with up to 300,000 fans celebrating the team despite losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1978 and 1979 AFC Championship games. The movement was marked by the "Luv Ya Blue" theme song (originally recorded by player Carl Mauck) and a "college-game-like" atmosphere in a professional setting. The era is remembered as a special time in Houston culture, often highlighted in documentaries like "Luv Ya, Bum!". In the 2026 BDFL Pony Draft, the Duncanville Armadillos wrote their own Texas version of "Love Ya Blue" by taking Notre Dame RB-Jeremiyah Love with the first overall pick and projecting him to play for the Tennessee Titans in the NFL. The North Birmingham Vulcans claimed they were "sabotaged" in this year's draft for the second season in a row, but these claims were unsubstantiated. As a matter of fact, it was one of the smoothest drafts in the history of the BDFL. Love and the other 15 "Pony Picks" will be on opening day BDFL rosters in September when the regular season starts. Fifteen of the 16 ponies were well documented over the last seven months with the BDFL's annual "Pony Draft Watch List". The lone exception was RB-Mike Washington from Arkansas who slipped through the crack and was drafted by the Magic City Mayors with the 5th overall pick. It was a huge draft for receivers with nine of the 16 picks being pass catchers. Two quarterbacks, four runningbacks and one kicker rounded out the 2026 Pony Draft.

Please Come To Boston by Dave Loggins (Live 1974)

2026 BDFL Pony Watch List   2026 BDFL Pony Mock Draft

The Darkhorses

The Pony Draft "Darkhorses" have arrived

AUDUBON PLACE - When the NFL Draft rolls around, you always hear about potential draft sleepers and super sleepers in the draft that may be surprises in the fall once the season begins. These our prospects who may have been overlooked for some reason, but are much better than advertised. The BDFL has always loved these type players over the years (Pacheco, Purdy, Nacua, Dell, LaPorta, Vidal, Reichard, Irving, etc.), those who get ignorded by the media experts, don't get picked in the league's annual Pony Draft, but somehow find a way onto a BDFL roster in their rookie season and contribute to their team. The BDFL doesn't like to use the sleeper and super sleeper terminology to define this group of players, so we refer to them as the BDFL's "Darkhorses". This dovetails well with the league's overall Pony Draft concept. With 16 studs above who went in the 2026 BDFL Pony Draft, the league has identified 33 more of these proverbial "darkhorses" who we think could eventually make their way onto a BDFL roster in the fall. Here's a look at the 2026 BDFL Pony Draft Darkhorses...

Dreams of Clay by Dwight Yoakam (2015)