Tweet
Originally posted by Boltnut
View Post
-
It seems that way for some people here. -
After Drake Maye is gone there is no quarterback worth drafting in the first round, as far as I'm concerned. The Giants may as well stick with Jones, Lock, and DeVito this season if the options are J.J. McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix. I personally think Spencer Rattler is a better prospect than McCarthy, Nix, and Penix.Originally posted by Boltjolt View PostComment
-
Bolt,Originally posted by Boltnut View Post
You totally skipped my whole premise including the most important piece, the financial side.
You’re selling low on the value of the 5th pick and settling for who you hope “might” be the best run blocking right tackle in this draft. (By the way, who would that be?)
You are also assuming they see Pipkins as such a problem they have to trade out of a guaranteed Elite prospect for what you call a possibility. Then you call a LBer (assuming Cooper is who your referring to) when there is no guarantee he’s worth a 1st round pick (I know scouts personally who think he’s a late 2nd rounder at best).
What if they believe Colson is the best LB for their scheme? They could get him later than #37.
Is it possible they feel they can get the same type of value for a player at #37 or later than a player at #23? I do, in fact, there was already a young upcoming team with a franchise QB with a savvy GM who felt there was just as much value in the mid 2nd as the late 1st and traded out entirely.
Then felt a 1 year rental on an aging receiver was more valuable that the WR they could get at the Top of round 2.
I’m well aware of how Harbaugh wants to build this team ultimately but this ain’t the early 2000’s and it sure as heck ain’t the BIG 10. You have to go through a Dynasty and you aren’t going to lineup and run the ball 40 times and pass 20 times and beat these AFC Teams. He knows that by the way and so does Hortiz.
i care about Elite Talent when available for a valued cost. If fact, Hortiz has drafted a WR in the 1st round for Baltimore in 3 of the last 5 years.
You simply don’t pass on Elite Talent at a Premium Position in 2024 unless it’s for a tremendous ransom.
#11 and #23 is not enough capital.Comment
-
It's not the picks in this mock draft that's important. It's what the college coaches and NFL sources say about the prospects.
5. Los Angeles Chargers: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State
One of Jim Harbaugh’s first big challenges in L.A. will be to help ultra-talented quarterback Justin Herbert continue to ascend. Losing two big targets in Keenan Allen and Mike Williams this offseason won’t make that any easier, but this draft has a very good crop of wideouts. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound Harrison checks every box. He’s got good length, strength, burst, polish and competitiveness. Of all the great wide receivers who have come out of Ohio State in the past decade — and there have been several — Harrison is the most complete and best of the bunch. (Quick pivot: If everything I’ve heard from people I trust inside the Buckeyes program the past few years is spot on, newly enrolled freshman Jeremiah Smith will end up surpassing Harrison.)
But make no mistake: Harrison is special. He also has an interesting connection to Harbaugh, who played in Indianapolis with his father, the great Marvin Harrison Sr. And even though he played for Michigan’s hated archrival, Harrison shined in two games against the Wolverines, catching 12 passes for 238 yards and two TDs. Harrison took over the Buckeyes’ win against Penn State, with 11 receptions for 162 yards after going 10 for 185 in Happy Valley a year earlier. In Ohio State’s 2022 College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Georgia, he was terrorizing the Bulldog defense for 106 yards and two TDs before being knocked out of the game in the third quarter with the Buckeyes up by two TDs. Based on everything I’ve seen and heard, Harrison is one of the two players who I’d say are the closest to a “sure thing” in this draft.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s really good. Really, really good. He’s bigger than you think when you see him in person. He’s strong, quick, he’s fast. At the line of scrimmage, he’s a beast. He’s hard to stay in front of. He gets in and out at the top of routes. I don’t what he can’t do.”
“He was such a problem for us. They were moving him around. He was as good as the hype. He’s got the explosion, a big catch radius. He separated well. He makes catches in traffic. He was bigger than I thought.”
“His body control is special. He catches a lot of contested balls. He made one of the best catches I’ve ever seen live. I don’t know how fast he really is. I think he’s a 4.5 guy, not a sub-4.4 guy. But he is really, really good. He’s wickedly polished. Far and away the best (receiver) they’ve had there.”
6. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington
The Giants have an underwhelming quarterback situation with Daniel Jones returning and Drew Lock now in the mix. I could see them tempted to get into the top three for a promising QB, but receiver is also a big need, and here they’ll have their choice of two studs in Odunze and Malik Nabers. Both are dazzling, but after drafting a blazer from the SEC last year in Jalin Hyatt, the hunch is they go for the bigger, more physical Odunze.
The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Odunze isn’t quite as fast as Nabers, but he is really explosive. The former track standout from Las Vegas clocked a 4.45 40 at the combine with a 1.52 10-yard split, a 39-inch vertical and a 4.03 shuttle time. His film is even more impressive than his workout numbers. Last season, he had 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 touchdowns. Everyone who has been around him comes away impressed. His ball skills are truly elite.
“His focus is awesome,” a former Washington assistant told The Athletic, adding that Odunze would come back to the sideline and could tell coaches exactly how many times the ball rotated before it got to him. From the feedback I got from NFL folks and others who had been around him during the combine run-up, I came away thinking that Odunze is the other receiver alongside Harrison closest to being a can’t-miss prospect.
The Coaching Intel
“(He is) as good as we’ve faced (in two decades as a college coach). Unbelievable with the ball in the air. Fantastic hands. Very good route runner. Good size. Good competitor. He is as good at tracking the ball as I’ve ever seen. That 50-50 ball, he had to have been 85 percent or better at those.”
“He can play inside or outside and eat you up. He’s very polished and has a lot in his bag. He makes great adjustments and is very, very strong. He’s the alpha receiver who bullies guys whenever there’s a contested catch. I know people talked a lot about Marvin Harrison and we never played him, but if he’s better than this guy, man, that’s really saying something.”
7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
If Tennessee believes Will Levis has a legitimate chance to emerge as its long-term quarterback, it has done some heavy lifting to help him this offseason. The Titans have added wide receiver Calvin Ridley, running back Tony Pollard and center Lloyd Cushenberry. Adding Alt, the best O-line prospect in this draft, to go with last year’s top pick Peter Skoronski should give the Titans a promising foundation up front.
The 6-foot-9, 321-pound Alt, who won’t turn 22 until after his rookie year, started three seasons at left tackle for the Irish. He put on an impressive display in Indianapolis, running a 5.05 40 with a 1.73-second 10-yard split. His 7.31-second time in the 3-cone drill was the best among all offensive tackle prospects at the combine and the best in the past two years there.
The Coaching Intel
“I like him a lot. He’s as good as I’ve coached against in a long time. He’s athletic. He’s big. He’s strong. He moves his feet real well. He’s never in a bad position and he’s never on the ground. Some of these guys, you can get them moving. This dude always had his pads square and played with low pad level.”
“He was the best lineman we played all year.”
8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, edge, Alabama
The Falcons could snag speedy Malik Nabers for even more juice for Cousins (Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts and Drake London are all already on the roster), but new coach Raheem Morris could really use a pass-rushing spark, and Turner’s an ideal fix here. Turner was the most disruptive player on the Crimson Tide defense, producing 14.5 TFLs and 10 sacks to go with 13 QB hurries and two forced fumbles in 2023. At 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, he doesn’t have great size for an edge, but Turner does have 34 1/2-inch arms and superb explosiveness, clocking a 4.46 40 with a 1.54-second 10-yard split in Indianapolis along with a 40 1/2-inch vertical and a 10-7 broad jump.
The Coaching Intel
“He takes some plays off but he also played like 900 plays this year. I’m not building in an excuse but that’s a s—ton of plays. There are times the guy gets tired and looks lazy. That’s the only knock. But on average, it’s 60 plays in the NFL compared to 80 or 90 in college. It’s a different deal. His A to B quickness, his hip fluidity, his length, his willingness to play physical is all so impressive. He can beat a block in a number of ways, not just with speed.”
“He’s violent with his hands and is the best pass rusher we’ve faced the last two years. He’s freaky athletically. We thought he was very versatile.”
9. Chicago Bears: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU
Chicago could upgrade at edge rusher with either UCLA’s Laiatu Latu or Florida State’s Jared Verse, but instead the Bears provide even more firepower for their top pick Williams. Nabers is coming off of a fantastic showing at his pro day, in which he roared to a 4.35 40 and posted a 42-inch vertical and 10-9 broad jump. Nabers dominated last season, catching 89 passes for 1,569 yards and 14 TDs. Against Alabama, which had the best secondary in the nation, Nabers had 10 catches for 171 yards.
The Coaching Intel
“He can separate like nobody else. He has super speed and explosiveness. He’s got this big lower half and is so scary in the open field. He is elite with the ball in his hands.”
“He’s a f—— dawg, man.”
“Explosive, but a really good route runner. His ability to sink his hips and separate at the top of routes is elite.”
10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, tight end, Georgia
Aaron Rodgers returns to action, and the Jets gift him another playmaker. Bowers is the best skill player Georgia has produced since Kirby Smart took over in 2016. The tight end from Napa blew up nearly from the moment he put the pads on in Athens. In 2021, he was the SEC Freshman of the Year and a first-team All-American. He was Georgia’s leading receiver that year, with 56 catches for 882 yards (a 15.8 average) and 13 TDs — all school records for a tight end.
He accounted for 31 total touchdowns over three seasons and would take over games when the Bulldogs needed the spark. The 6-3, 243-pounder had four catches that went for at least 70 yards in his first two college seasons. He doesn’t have a freaky size-speed ratio, but he is simply a terrific athlete.
The Coaching Intel
“What separates him is on the 50-50 balls, he’s just such a competitor. He seems to have that ‘clutch gene.’ Watch their Auburn game. When the game was on the line, he took it over. [Georgia trailed 17-10 late in the third quarter on the road. On Georgia’s next three series, Bowers caught six passes for 148 yards and a TD, and the Bulldogs won 27-20.] He’s probably a mid-4.5 (40) guy, but I just think he’s a better football player than athlete. He’s a willing blocker. I think he’s a true off-the-ball H-back.”
“He was such a problem because when he’s running routes, he’s as good as there is. He can really separate. They’d pound you in the running game and then hit you with the play-action pass, and he’d eat you up. His speed put so much stress on your defense when they might be in 12 personnel but you had to play it like 11 because he’s like a 240-pound receiver because of the way he moves. They’d line him up all over the place, out wide, in the backfield, as an in-line. The other thing you don’t really get a sense of until you see him in person is how physical a runner he is with the ball in his hands. He’s a violent runner, breaking through tackles and picking up speed.”
“He’s pretty special with the ball in his hands. Like he runs routes like a wide receiver and once he gets the ball, he runs like a running back.”
11. Arizona Cardinals (via MIN*): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU
Arizona moves down seven spots to get added value with another pick, knowing there are other elite receivers available in the middle of the first round, and it works out for them. Thomas put on a spectacular showing at the combine, running a 4.33 40, vertical jumping 38 1/2 inches and broad jumping 10-6. His 10-yard split of 1.50 was just .01 seconds behind Xavier Worthy. Thomas had 68 catches for 1,177 yards and led the FBS with 17 touchdowns in 2023. He also had three catches of 70 yards or longer. Thomas has really impressed NFL folks with how football smart he is, something that has shined through in the draft process, from what I’ve heard.
The Coaching Intel
“He is a great jump-ball guy. Really good in the run zone. He is freakishly athletic. Not surprised the (40) time he ran at the combine. We were not as worried as him running the immediate routes. We thought he was the least polished of the top receivers we saw.”
“Potentially, I think can be really good in the NFL. He was a red zone nightmare. Even if you were in great position, he could still win those 50-50 balls. But he didn’t scare you with (yards after catch) like Nabers did.”
12. Denver Broncos: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Can the Broncos trade into the top four so Sean Payton gets a franchise quarterback? I’m not sold Denver will see Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. as the right fit at this spot. But in Mitchell, they can add another defensive back gem opposite Patrick Surtain. The Florida native backed up all the buzz that had built around him entering Indianapolis. Mitchell, who came in at No. 46 on the Freaks List last year, was expected to fly in the 40, and he did just that, posting a 4.33 (with a 1.51-second 10-yard split) at 6 feet 1/8 inch and 195 pounds. He had a 38-inch vertical and did 20 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. Two years ago, he burst onto the national scene when he had four interceptions and two pick sixes in a game against Northern Illinois. He set a Toledo record with 20 passes broken up that season. Coaches in the MAC can’t stop gushing about how special Mitchell is.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s a phenomenal football player. I’m actually showing a tape of him in our team meeting later this week. His technique, the aggressiveness that he plays with, are things you can study to help your game. He’s a very physical player, plays with good anticipation, very good change of direction, good feet, great ball skills. The most impressive thing I thought are his instincts. It’s hard for DBs to look and lean and still be able to make a play on the ball, and he does it effortlessly. He plays like an offensive player on defense. You don’t see many guys that can transition the way he transitions. He’s a game-changer on one side of the field.”
“He was a dominant player in our league. His instincts are phenomenal, but so is his athleticism. I thought he’s the total package.”
14. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Trevor Penning, the No. 19 pick in 2022, has struggled at tackle and started only six games since the Saints drafted him. Nabbing Fuaga here should make the Saints giddy. Their O-line needs to upgrade at tackle, and the 6-foot-6, 324-pounder is too good and too nasty to pass up. Once ranked by recruiting sites as the No. 145 offensive tackle prospect in the Class of 2020, Fuaga played on a high school team that didn’t win a game his senior year, but he went to camps and got offered by USC and Oregon. The Beavers were sold on him after watching him play as a D-lineman, noticing his agility and quickness. They also loved how driven he was to improve, describing him as a football junkie who despite his soft-spoken demeanor was still voted a team captain. He played right tackle, but his coaches thought he was more than capable of playing on the other side and could also be a dominant guard. Other offensive tackles tested better, but few are as impressive on film.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s so physical and very explosive. He is a friggin’ powerhouse. He really moves people in the run game. He’s not super long, but he has quick feet and good awareness and balance. I thought he improved a lot last year, especially as a pass blocker.”
“He’s really good. Tough, tough dude. I think he’s been really well coached. I love their O-line coach (Jim Michalczik, now at Michigan State). He’s one of the best in the country.”
No. 15: Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
The Colts need help at corner, and the hope was that Mitchell would still be on the board, but he’s gone. Arnold emerged as a star this year and was the corner rival coaches feared most on the Tide — not Kool-Aid McKinstry, who garnered more hype. McKinstry is a very good and savvy corner, but Arnold really blossomed in 2023, with five interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Arnold (6 feet, 190 pounds) is the more athletic of the two Tide corners, but he didn’t display the same kind of wheels that Mitchell did at the combine, running a 4.50 40. He did jump 37 inches and went 10-9 in the broad jump. Then, at his pro day, he ran an impressive 6.65 in the 3-cone.
The Coaching Intel
“He kept getting better and better. He’s good at everything. I think he could play anywhere in the secondary and shine.”
“Kool-Aid was the guy who the media talked about more, but in my opinion, Arnold is more talented.”
“Kept getting better and better. Texas A&M ran by him earlier in his career, but he really developed. He’s a dawg, a three-position player — corner, nickel and safety.”
16. Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, OT, Washington
This is a terrific fit for many reasons. The 6-foot-4, 317-pounder with 34 1/2-inch arms can play tackle or guard, which are both needs. He would also reunite with his former offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, now in the same job in Seattle. Fautanu started 29 games at left tackle for the Huskies and two at guard. He was the winner of the Morris Trophy, which honors the Pac-12’s top offensive lineman and defensive lineman as voted on by league players. Considering Fuaga was also in contention last year, that is no small feat, and it speaks to how well regarded Fautanu is. He was also the headliner of the Huskies’ Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line.
The Coaching Intel
“He is a mauler, but he has good flexibility and agility. He’s a tough dude, but sometimes gets himself out of position.”
“This guy mows people down. I could see him being a better guard in the NFL, but that’s just my two cents.”
17. Minnesota Vikings (via JAX*): Jared Verse, Edge, Florida State
Cornerback is a big need for Jacksonville, but with Mitchell and Arnold gone, the Jaguars opt for more picks and move down to No. 23. Minnesota, which has a ton of draft capital, can move back up with a talent like Verse still available. The Vikings lost edge players Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport and D.J. Wonnum this winter but added Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard. In Verse, they get a disruptive player who made a very smooth transition from FCS dominance at Albany to FSU, where he became a leader and piled up 18 sacks, 29 TFLs and 88 tackles in two seasons. The 6-foot-4, 254-pound Verse ran a 4.58 40 with a 1.60 10-yard split and broad jumped 10-7 to go with a 35-inch vertical, and he did a very impressive 31 reps of 225 pounds.
The Coaching Intel
“His assimilation of making the jump from Albany to Florida State was impressive. He’s very smart. He’s got a chip on his shoulder.”
“He’s very physical. He gets after people in the run game. Has some mitts and uses those hands well. He’s an explosive athlete and has good burst. Plays like he’s always trying to prove he belongs in big-time football.”
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas
Signing Trent Brown diminishes the need for an offensive lineman here, although the likes of JC Latham and Olu Fashanu are intriguing. So is Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton, but I think Cincinnati goes for Murphy after losing D.J. Reader. The 6-0 1/2, 297-pound Murphy didn’t receive as much hype as his much larger Texas linemate T’Vondre Sweat, the Big 12 defensive player of the year, but opposing coaches say Murphy gave them more headaches. Murphy had 8.5 TFLs and five sacks in 2023, then showed off his freaky athleticism at the combine, running a 4.87 40 with a 33-inch vertical jump.
The Coaching Intel
“His movement skills are so good. He’s just really got ‘it.’ He plays nasty and with great leverage.”
“He was almost unblockable because he’s so quick and twitchy and has balance like a big-ass running back. He’s been coached well. The guy is just really disruptive. He was much more of a problem (than T’Vondre Sweat).”
“Great initial quickness. Gets so low and always has leverage. Almost unblockable. Is really good against the run and great against the pass. High football IQ.”
19. Los Angeles Rams: Laiatu Latu, Edge, UCLA
Replacing the great Aaron Donald is impossible, but to get a player of Latu’s ability and character at this point in the first round should be a big win for Sean McVay’s defense. The 6-5, 259-pound former rugby standout won the Lombardi Award in 2023, which honors college football’s top lineman, after he led the FBS with 21.5 TFLs and had 13 sacks, 49 tackles with two interceptions and two forced fumbles for the Pac-12’s top defense.
Latu began his career at Washington in 2019, where he was part of a fantastic recruiting class that also included Rams star receiver Puka Nacua. But then the prized D-lineman suffered a neck injury and his career was derailed for two seasons. Washington doctors would not clear him to play. Eventually, doctors at UCLA and one of the country’s foremost spine surgeons did clear him, and he emerged as a dominant player. Latu tested well at the combine, running a 4.64 40 with a 1.62 10-yard split. His film — and the feedback from his coaches — is even more impressive.
The Coaching Intel
“His arsenal of pass rush is legit. I started writing down the different ways he wins and I was getting up near eight, nine or 10. That’s a lot!”
“He’s really athletic and long. My knock on him is I don’t know if he played as physical as you’d like. They were a run-around-you defense — not so much of a take-you-on scheme. But he was able to jump around and get after you. He could get away with things in college that he probably can’t do in the NFL. But he is quick and can change directions fast.”
20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Olu Fashanu, OT, Penn State
After grabbing Broderick Jones, another offensive tackle, in the first round last year, I think Pittsburgh will pick between a tackle or Oregon strongman center Jackson Powers-Johnson. There are some good options at tackle between JC Latham, Amarius Mims and Tyler Guyton, but the hunch is that the Steelers grab Fashanu, a bright, long, gifted big man. He was inconsistent last year but has intriguing potential at 6-6 and 312 pounds. At Penn State, where he was a team captain, he went up against many elite speed rushers every day at practice. Given his attitude and intelligence, he’s a good bet to continue to add polish to his game.
The Coaching Intel
“He definitely looks the part and has very good flexibility for a big guy, but he struggled some against powerful edge rushers.”
“This is a big, great-looking dude. He comes off the ball well and is good with his hands, but there are times you’d expect him to finish better.”
“Good player. Long arms, huge frame. I thought he was a better run blocker than pass protector. There’s some stuff he really needs to clean up in pass pro.”
“He has really good feet and did a great job in their wide zone scheme. I thought he had great hands and was very polished, but he struggled some anchoring down. He had problems against Ohio State (against JT Tuimoloau) when they went speed to power.”
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (via PIT*): Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama
The Jags still get a good corner after sliding down. McKinstry was a three-year starter in a complex system. He’s very intelligent and has good leadership qualities. He isn’t one of the fastest corners in this class, but he’s very polished. In his three seasons with the Tide, he had 62 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions. He made first-team All-SEC twice and was voted an All-American in 2023. At his pro day, he ran a reported 4.47 40 despite having a Jones fracture in one of his toes that required surgery later that week. The fact that he ran as fast as he did, and that he ran at all before the procedure, also speaks well for McKinstry’s grit.
The Coaching Intel
“He had some struggles early in (2023) but is a good player. He’s a pretty fluid DB, but I questioned his speed. He’s not that twitchy.”
“Really smart and savvy. Not as quick out of his break as Arnold. He uses his hands to make up for his feet. Will jump routes.”
24. Green Bay Packers (via DAL*): JC Latham, OT, Alabama
To have this guy still available after the top 20 is good break for Green Bay, which inches up to get him. At 6 foot 6 and 342 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms and 11-inch hands, Latham is a giant, like fellow SEC super heavyweight Amarius Mims, but he has a lot more experience and seasoning. He has started the last 27 games for the Tide at right tackle. Latham also could likely slide inside as well if needed.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s got some serious knock-back power with explosive hips and those meat hooks. He knows how to finish. I think he’s a beast at right tackle.”
“He’s mammoth. Gets a little out of rhythm and can get himself out of position, but he moves a lot better than you’d think at that size.”
“Does a very good job of how he changes up how he delivered his hands with the timing of his punch. He was the best lineman we played this year.”
25. Dallas Cowboys (via GB*): Jackson Powers-Johnson, center, Oregon
There are some promising interior linemen here Dallas can grab to help replace Tyler Biadasz, who is off to Washington. Duke’s Graham Barton is athletic and can probably play all five spots up front. WVU’s Zach Frazier is an athletic, dominant center, but I think Dallas goes for the super strong Powers-Johnson, who had a terrific week at the Senior Bowl. He won the 2023 Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best center, has excellent size for the position (6-3, 328) and showed good movement skills at the combine.
The Coaching Intel
“Nasty dude. Tough, tough, tough. Extremely powerful. He shocks guys with that pop he has.”
“Really big center. Moves pretty good. Much quicker than you’d think and creates a lot of movement at the point of attack. Plays with a big chip on his shoulder.”
28. Buffalo Bills: A.D. Mitchell, WR, Texas
With Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs gone, Buffalo gives Josh Allen more firepower. The 6-2, 205-pound Mitchell, who transferred from Georgia to Texas for his final college season, is a fantastic athlete. As expected, he showed out at the combine. His teammate Xavier Worthy may have made the biggest headlines with his 4.21 40, but Mitchell might’ve been even more impressive. He ran a 4.34 40 with a 1.52 10-yard split. He broad jumped 11-4 and vertical jumped 39 1/2 inches. In 2023, he led Texas with 11 touchdown grabs and caught 55 passes for 845 yards. Mitchell made himself a lot of money early last season when Texas beat Alabama and he got the better of some of the Crimson Tide’s Round 1-bound defenders.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s big and physical and has really strong hands. And he can move like a guy 30 pounds lighter.”
“He’s pretty. You see him in warmups and you’re like, ‘I can see why he was at Georgia.’ He makes things look too easy.”
“He adjusts to the ball better than a lot of top-notch receivers. Great red zone weapon. Ridiculous ability to separate. The downside: Consistency. He doesn’t always run routes at full speed. He will float through routes at times.”
30. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
With Morgan Moses gone, Baltimore needs to bolster its front to better protect Lamar Jackson. Houston’s Patrick Paul is another viable option here. Sooners O-line coach Bill Bedenbaugh has tutored plenty of future pros, but the 6-foot-8, 322-pound Guyton, who vertical jumped an impressive 34 1/2 inches at the combine, may be the most talented player he’s ever had. Guyton started only 14 games in college and is a better pass protector than run blocker at this point.
The Coaching Intel
“He still needs to get stronger and he tends to play too high, but he can do some things out there that are pretty special, given how big he is. He is so smooth and he isn’t on the ground much.”
“I don’t think their system helped him because they played so fast in that offense, I think it’s hard to be consistent for those big guys because they’re sprinting to the ball all the time. They look s—- sometimes because they’re gassed. I think he’ll be a much better pro than college player.”
31. San Francisco 49ers: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
The 49ers end up with a great option to reload up front in the talented but raw Mims, a 6-foot-8, 340-pound giant with 36 1/8-inch arms and 11 1/4-inch hands. Mims started only eight college games. If he can blossom quickly, he could push right tackle Colton McKivitz, who allowed nine sacks last season according to Pro Football Focus. Mims could also emerge as the long-term solution at left tackle, developing behind star Trent Williams, who turns 36 in July.
The Coaching Intel
“Freak athletically, but still pretty raw. Not a road grader. More of a dancing bear.”
“He’s like a freak of nature. Massive but very athletic. Has good feet but he’s so high-cut, he struggles with guys that can bend because he’s a little stiff-hipped.”
32. Philadelphia Eagles (via KC*): Graham Barton, OL, Duke
Philadelphia, which has two second-round picks and three fifth-rounders, trades with the Chiefs to slide up to the end of the first round to add Barton, the most versatile O-lineman in the draft. The 6-5, 312-pound two-time first-team All-ACC pick as a left tackle for the Blue Devils has been projected to shift inside in the NFL (his arms are under 33 inches long). The coaches we spoke to were more impressed with Alt and Zach Frazier, but Barton, who started five games at center in 2020, should develop under Jeff Stoutland.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s a good player, but I don’t think he’s even close to the kid at Notre Dame. I get it that they’re (going to play) different positions, and he’s gonna be a guard, which is probably a better spot for him than tackle.”
“He’s good. Are they talking about him as an early draft pick? I don’t see him in that elite ‘Holy s—, how are we gonna deal with him?’ category. But he’s talented. Whether he wrestled or not, he played like a wrestler.”
42. Houston Texans (via MIN): Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M
The linebacker position doesn’t have the same draft value it used to, but there is some talent in this group. One of the most intriguing players in this draft is NC State’s Payton Wilson, who was the best defensive player in the ACC, but he has a medical history that I’m told has some NFL teams reluctant to draft him, despite his physicality, size and tremendous speed. He’s been injury-free the past two years, and I hear the Cowboys and Lions really like him. The hunch here is that the Texans grab the Aggies star, who was a bright spot during a dismal 2023 season, when he led the team with 84 tackles, 17 TFLs and eight sacks. The 6-2, 230-pounder ran a 4.51 40 with a 1.54 10-yard split and vertical jumped 34 1/2 inches.
The Coaching Intel
“He’s got a ton of physical talent. He is explosive and strong, and has really long (34-inch) arms.”
“Awesome athlete. Makes a ton of plays. There are times when he doesn’t diagnose it well, but he can cover well, and he will light guys up.”
Last edited by DerwinBosa; 04-06-2024, 05:23 AM.Comment
-
Agree and I say that nearly every year but they do anyways.Originally posted by DerwinBosa View Post
As for who you just named. ....Nix had a much better college career than Lock did who I didn't like. But he went 2nd round.
JJ would of had better stats if he didn't play in Harbaughs run game offense and barely has thrown more college passes than Aaron Rogers (713 to 665) in three seasons to Rodgers two.
Daniel Jones was a part of that crap QB class of 2019. I called that class a bunch of backups and that maybe 1 would be a starter his whole career. Well Murray imo isn't great & Jones soon will be a backup somewhere which will leave Murray til AZ gets rid of him.
I can see the Giants draft Rattler in round 2.Comment
-
Any team's most elite player is their QB. If you don't protect him, your team is crap.Originally posted by SuperChargedRodney37 View Post
That's why Harbaugh says, "You must protect your QB". Pipkins doesn't do that. There is a mountain of tape that proves this.
Harbaugh and Roman also seem to be pretty keen on running the ball. They have said this over and over again.
"Can you imagine Justin Herbert with a running game". Harbaugh said this before he was ever hired. It was his selling point, I'm sure.
Well, where do these two statements intersect...? They intersect at either Joe Alt or Taliese Fuaga. @#5 or @#11. Those are the slots.
If you are completely making a financial statement, then you stay @#5 and draft Joe Alt.
He solves your RT problem for 2 years... then moves over to LT if you can't get a reasonable deal done with Slater.
Top-10 LT's make just as much as Top-10 WR's... hence the long term value aspect.
Now, I don't think Joe Hortiz has a problem keeping both a Top-10 LT and a Top-10 QB at the same time. Ravens did this with Ronnie Stanley and LaMarr Jackson. What I think Hortiz has a problem with is having a RT that doesn't perform. Their RT's have had mid-70's pff grades for the last 5 or 6 years... not guys that hover in the high-50's or low 60's. I also know that Joe Hortiz has no problem trading back and getting extra picks.
If #11 gets him the best run-blocking RT (Fuaga) and #23 gets him the best LB (Cooper)... then I think he goes for it. He's gotta keep his HC, OC, and DC happy... moreso than his adoring fanbase. He had some real good LB's in Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen. Even then he took Trenton Simpson in last year's draft... so I know he's not afraid of having good depth @certain positions.
I know most people here believe Elite Talent must be a WR or TE... but I'm not so sure Joe excludes OT's from that designation. The only time the Ravens drafted Top-10... they took an OT.OLineCentricComment
-
You said Minnesota was balking about giving up their 2025 first along with 11 and 23...which i havent heard.Originally posted by SuperChargedRodney37 View Post
If they know that's the price why would they balk at it? It don't matter if it's for a QB or MHJ. QBs always get over drafted and to teams, are more valuable.
We don't know what Hortiz will do. This is his actual first time doing the drafting. I can see him taking a WR and wouldn't be surprised if he traded down if AZ takes MHJ..
Comment
-
Three weeks from today we will have 3 rounds in the books and we will all be analyzing the best players remaining!Comment
-
-
My stance is you need Elite talent at "Premium Positions" if you can get it in today's NFL. (**Premium in terms of Positional Value/cost**)Originally posted by Boltnut View Post
Those positions are QB, WR1, CB1, LT, Edge Rush, (Maybe throw Safety in there).
TE is not a premium position.
If you can get an Elite Blue-Chip Player at one of the listed positions above, you do it. If you can get them where the production on the field supersedes the positional value, you absolutely do it without fail.
Comment
-
Other than QB and Kicker - is there really a position on the team that cannot use help long term. Hortiz has to walk a fine line of BPA and Needs but I think this draft, tipping the scales to BPA for sure. If that means you might get two players at one position and not "fill a slot" for LB - so be it. Team needs so much talentOriginally posted by blueman View PostComment
-
And then Jim Harbaugh VERY predictably says fuggit, I am going to build this roster according to the vision that has always served me well.Originally posted by SuperChargedRodney37 View Post
As solid as your points are, there ain't gonna be no deep analysis.Maybe we do play modern football.Comment
Comment