Big Board Lab vs PFF Mock Draft Simulator

Two different philosophies for mock drafting. Here's how they compare for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Updated March 26, 2026

Feature	Big Board Lab	PFF
Price	Free — all features, no signup	Free tier (limited) / PFF+ for full
Prospect Database	458 scouted prospects	Full draft class
Scouting Reports	Full reports with strengths/weaknesses	Professional analyst reports (paid)
Spider Charts	Position-specific trait grades	No
Combine Explorer	26 years of NFL Combine history (beeswarm viz)	Combine data (limited)
College Stats	Ranked against 10 years of FBS data	College production stats
Dominator Ratings	Yes — with breakout year analysis	No
Scheme Fit Scores	Every prospect × every team	No
Scout Vision	Toggle any team's lens onto the full board	No
Head-to-Head Comparison	Up to 4 players with combo charts across traits and stats	No
CPU-to-CPU Trades	Yes — 32 cognitive GM models	No
User-to-CPU Trades	Yes — free	Yes (paid only)
GM Cognitive Models	32 individually built models mirroring real NFL GMs	Generic CPU behavior
GM Chat	Ask any GM about their draft strategy	No
R1 Prediction Simulator	Monte Carlo, 500 iterations	No
Formation Depth Charts	Update live with every pick	No
Free Agency Tracking	Contract details and roster impact	FA tracker (separate from sim)
Scarcity Maps	See where positional depth runs thin	No
Team Insight Pages	All 32 teams — needs, roster, FA, scheme, picks	Team needs (basic)
Pick Grading	Letter grades + trade surplus values per pick	Draft grade on completion
Community ADP	Built from user drafts	No
Share Cards	Shareable results for completed drafts	No
Adjustable Sim Speed	Yes	No
Big Board Building	Pair-by-pair Elo + trait sliders	Scouting Mode (paid)
Rounds	1–7 (free)	1–3 free / 1–7 paid
Mobile	Full desktop and mobile support	Desktop and mobile
Leaderboard	No	Yes (paid)
Multiplayer	No	Yes (paid)

Where PFF Wins

Professional scouting reports from analysts like Trevor Sikkema, and advanced stats like true pass-rush win rate and coverage grades. If you want a second opinion from a professional scout on a specific prospect, PFF's reports are well-regarded.

PFF also offers a leaderboard that lets you compete with other users on draft accuracy, and a multiplayer mode for drafting against friends. These are social features Big Board Lab doesn't have yet.

Where Big Board Lab Wins

Prospect Research

Big Board Lab covers 458 prospects, each with a full scouting report breaking down strengths and weaknesses. Every prospect has spider charts showing position-specific trait grades, so you can see exactly where a corner excels in man coverage vs zone, or how an edge rusher's bend compares to his power.

The Combine Explorer lets you compare any prospect's athletic testing against 26 years of NFL Combine history in an interactive beeswarm visualization — instantly see where a 4.38 forty or a 38-inch vertical ranks historically at any position. College stats are ranked against 10 years of FBS production data, with dominator ratings and breakout year analysis to identify true alpha producers.

Scheme fit scores show how every prospect fits every team's scheme, and Scout Vision lets you toggle any team's lens onto the entire board to see the draft the way that front office sees it. The head-to-head comparison tool puts up to four prospects side by side with combo charts across traits, measurables, and production.

Draft Simulation

PFF's CPU teams run generic logic — there's no meaningful difference between how the Saints draft and how the Bengals draft. Big Board Lab has 32 individually built cognitive GM models, each designed to mirror how a real NFL general manager actually approaches the draft. The Falcons' model reflects a different philosophy than the Cowboys' model because those front offices have documented, distinct tendencies around BPA vs. need, positional value, reach tolerance, and scheme priorities.

Both CPU-to-CPU and user-to-CPU trades are live. In real NFL drafts, teams trade with each other multiple times in the first round. PFF's simulation doesn't allow CPU-to-CPU trades at all — only you can trade with the CPU, and only if you're a paid subscriber. In Big Board Lab, all 32 GMs can trade with each other and with you throughout the draft.

Formation-style depth charts update live with every pick. You can see whether a player projects as a day-one starter or developmental depth, and how each team's roster changes in real time. Free agency impact is tracked with contract details, so you know which signings shifted a team's needs before the draft started.

GM Chat lets you ask any of the 32 GMs about their draft strategy, roster needs, and how they're evaluating prospects — an entirely new way to interact with the simulation. The R1 prediction simulator runs 500 Monte Carlo iterations to show the most likely first-round outcomes before you even start your mock.

Team Intelligence

Every team has a dedicated insight page showing needs tiers, current roster depth, free agency moves, scheme analysis, and full pick inventory. Scarcity maps reveal where positional depth drops off across the board, helping you anticipate runs on positions.

After the Draft

Every pick gets a letter grade with trade surplus values. Completed drafts generate share cards you can post to social media. Community ADP is built from real user drafts, showing you where the crowd is actually taking prospects. Simulation speed is adjustable — watch every pick unfold or fast-forward to your team's selections.

And all of it is completely free. No paywall, no signup required. Desktop and mobile.

The Verdict

PFF has professional analyst scouting reports and a social leaderboard. Big Board Lab has a deeper prospect toolkit, dramatically more realistic simulation with 32 cognitive GM models, full trading, live depth charts, scheme fit analysis, and a feature set that goes well beyond what any other mock draft simulator offers — for free.

If you want professional scout opinions on individual prospects, PFF's reports are worth reading. For everything else — running realistic mocks, understanding scheme fit, exploring combine and college data, seeing how 32 real-feeling GMs would actually draft — Big Board Lab is the better tool.