And With The 5th Pick Of The NFL Draft Chargers Select....Discussion

[Steve]

I keep seeing reports that Bowers might be safest pick in draft!..... and super important posaition for hrbaugh!

Alt is a pretty safe player too. He is the son of a former pro bowl caliber OT (John Alt) who played for KC for a long time. Guys whose dads have played are often considered safe picks because they understand what it takes. And Alt's dad became a coach after playing, so he has that going too. Joe player QB and TE in HS.

Alt is very mechanically sound, and has a fair amount of ability. His first step is not Johnathan Ogden/Walter Jones type of quick, but he is still pretty good. He may lack some of the upside of some of the top prospects, but he is miles ahead in terms of technique. His arms are a mile long, and even though he is 6'8", and he can move pretty well.

In terms of prototypical fit, Alt is probably more of a classic fit at LT. Partly because he has played there so much, but he is a great pass blocker, but only a good run blocker. And he is not that classic RT mauler type of blocker who is massively physical. He is a really good zone guy, who does a great job of trading players off on the double teams and then releasing downfield to get his guy. But he can line up on either side.

If we were to draft him, we would play him at RT. You could flip-flop him and Slater, but Slater is already one of the better LT in football. While Alt is a more natural fit, Slater is still the better player. Slater could play at either OG or OT positions, but why would we put our best pass protector away from LT?

[Boltnut]

A couple things:
1). Ertz and Eifert were never that good as blockers. For those trying to make comparisons with Bowers, he is a much better blocker than either of them.

2). The issue was always that Harbaugh and Baalke was that they didn't get along, so I am not sure how much of it was Baalke was taking his guys and not really letting Harbaugh make the picks.

3). Kelce was highly regarded as a player, but had a LOT of red flags. He had broken a lot of school rules and his weed use was troubling to teams. He also was a blocking TE for all but his senior year, so he only had 1 year of production. KC ended up taking him because Reid knew Kelce and his family after having drafted Jason in Philly.

Yes. I've heard all of these things before.

My point about Eifert, Ertz, and McDonald was that the "experts" all got this wrong. DJ had Eifert as the #10 prospect.
My understanding of the Harbaugh/Baalke rift was less about who they were drafting and more about players already on the team. If you remember, several of the players had domestic abuse and/or DUI's... and that Harbaugh wanted them traded. That the locker room was suffering.

[Boltnut]

When I look at Horitz's draft record... I find it more believable that they will pick an OT than a TE @#5.
When I look at Harbaugh's coaching tendencies... I tend to believe that the player could be a defensive player or an o-lineman.
Both guys like to play defense and run the ball.

[Charge!]

The 2013 draft is interesting for many reasons...

TE Tyler Eifert was being talked about as a generational TE. Daniel Jeremiah had him as his 10th best prospect overall. Eifert eventually went #21 to Cincinati. He had an up/down career with many injuries.

There was also TE Zach Ertz (Jim's old TE from Stanford). He was the 2nd TE to be drafted @#35. Even though Ertz never caught over 35 receptions in a season, he was considered quite a weapon as his YAC and ypc were very good.

Harbaugh was the coach at SF by now. He took DB Eric Reid @#18... with Eifert and Ertz on the board. The 49ers waited until the 2nd round to get their TE... Vance McDonald with the 55th pick of the draft. He never amounted to much.

The experts unanimously agreed that those 3 TE's were the best in the class that year...

8 picks later, Andy Reid and the Chiefs picked TE Travis Kelce @#63....

watch thm play!!!.....ive neverr seen a TE play as dominating as B0wers!

huge difference!!!

[Charge!]

dont look at stats....watch them play!!

[powderblueboy]

Center is stil important.... he leads the OL... and blocks the quickest path to the QB!!!!

Draft Alt at #5 and center at the top of the 2nd? I don't think so.

That's what I mean.

[21&500]

Center is stil important.... he leads the OL... and blocks the quickest path to the QB!!!!

Also, while not unique to the Ravens, they prioritize fortifying down the middle on offense and defense
QB, RB, OC, DT, LB S
So Hortiz will definitely address OC as a priority.

[Boltjolt]

A couple things:
1). Ertz and Eifert were never that good as blockers. For those trying to make comparisons with Bowers, he is a much better blocker than either of them.

2). The issue was always that Harbaugh and Baalke was that they didn't get along, so I am not sure how much of it was Baalke was taking his guys and not really letting Harbaugh make the picks.

3). Kelce was highly regarded as a player, but had a LOT of red flags. He had broken a lot of school rules and his weed use was troubling to teams. He also was a blocking TE for all but his senior year, so he only had 1 year of production. KC ended up taking him because Reid knew Kelce and his family after having drafted Jason in Philly.

Good points. I noted in here last week that Bowers had more production as a true freshman than Kelce had in his college career.

As much as these teams watch tape, have scouts, measure, grade, have this combine and interviews,.... They still fuck up. Reid did say that getting Kelce to buy in and mature was a chore.

[Duck of Death]

This year is hard.

- In 2020, the most common guess was QB. They took Herbert.
- In 2021, the most common guess was LT. They took Slater
- In 2022, the most common guess was G. They took Zion
- In 2023, the most common guess was WR. They took QJ

In 2024, it seems Nabers is most frequently “mocked” to the Bolts, with Bowers a close 2nd. I would love either. But I’m not so sure. Those previous 4 years, it was so much easier to guess (although I thought it would be Flowers over QJ). With new mgmt this year, I honestly have no clue. If Telesco were still around, easy - Johnny Wilson 😉

So what do folks think Harbaugh will do at #5?

My admittedly wild guess - either Joe Alt, or trade down for Fuaga (best run blocker)

Reasoning:

- Harbaugh is all about controlling the LOS.
- Slater is up for a new deal in ‘25. Of course they’ll keep him, but he’ll be expensive.
- Pip is also up for a new deal in ‘25. At this point, he is who he is - below avg run blocker, okay in pass pro (when not facing a premier edge). Doesn’t seem like a Harbaugh fit, but who knows.
- Plug n play OTs are hard to find outside the first 15 picks. And hopefully, they’ll be picking outside the first 15 in ‘25.

[SAY OW 55]

A couple things:
1). Ertz and Eifert were never that good as blockers. For those trying to make comparisons with Bowers, he is a much better blocker than either of them.

2). The issue was always that Harbaugh and Baalke was that they didn't get along, so I am not sure how much of it was Baalke was taking his guys and not really letting Harbaugh make the picks.

3). Kelce was highly regarded as a player, but had a LOT of red flags. He had broken a lot of school rules and his weed use was troubling to teams. He also was a blocking TE for all but his senior year, so he only had 1 year of production. KC ended up taking him because Reid knew Kelce and his family after having drafted Jason in Philly.

Let’s look at this full circle. You have coaches who don’t give a fuck. You can act like Andy Reid is this big grandpa santa clause. But he would do it to win.

He signed Vick outa jail.

drafted Tyreke Hill after it was reported he kicked his pregnant girlfriend.

He drafted Kareem Hunt. So he will take a flagged player.

The commentary was sensational. So that’s how the chiefs got a hall of famer.

Id take a weed guy. It’s so overatted. Warren Sapp pot Randy Moss weed both hall of famers.

As for the tight ends. I never liked Tyler Eifert. I did think Kyle Rudolph was generational. He had it all. Route running skillset. He looked like Mark Bravado.

its funny tight ends stay around in the draft. Gronk had back problems at Arizona and got to the second round.

Don’t lie there weren’t a lot of yall who were high on Sam Laporta and he looks like the next Kelce. I saw his tape and said. He looks slippery. Hopefully we can trade back up and get him. When Detroit got him. I was like damn Detroit got a dude.

I was high on the raiders guy all y’all were. It wass was him or Kincaid. Doesn’t he look a little small in the NFL????

But Bowers is different. He looks generational. But he looks like one of the best players in the draft like he looks like Jamar Chase and he’s a tight end. He runs receiver routes and he’s a tight end. Look at his freshman stats. Shit I would debate him over Marvin Harrison jr.

And I was the guy who said I might like Jamar Guiybss more than Bijan Robinson and yall laughed at me. How that looking now Jamyr Gibbs is a better running back then Bijan Robinson.

I just like when I watch Bowers tape. He plays hard. He just looks so hyped. Like he plays hard that’s what players feed off of. When guys jump off tape you want them on your team.

Tony Gonzalez was bigger. This guy is more of a hybrid. See the kids started actually training to be more of a wide receiver so don’t get mad that Brock is top 5 he’s just a polished prospect.

[SAY OW 55]

Trent Balkee was a clown. Part of the issue was. York the owner was siding with him. Going behind Harbaughs back.

Harbaugh was beefing with York. That’s how Harbaugh is. He doesn’t give a fuck if it’s the owner. This shit was well documented in the media. He didn’t speak with Balke.

The team suffered because of it. Harbaugh didn’t give a fuck about Balke. Balke was a liar. Balke took credit for the draft picks wanted all the credit and was jealous of Jim. How all the players liked him.

York sided with Balke and Harbaugh didn’t like it. Then they hired Jim Tomaslula. And it all imploded. When they hired Kyle Shannhan York wanted to hire Lynch so they can all be buddies. After the Harbaugh beef that was it.

it kind of changed the NFL landscape because now when teams hire coaches they want to hire the GM to.

[Boltx]

As good as Alt is...would a good/great RT be more transformative than what Bowers can bring at TE?

No doubt we can always use more help in the trenches. I would be happy with either pick.

Just thinking out loud - after 10 years, who do you think will have done more to help us win games? Obviously OL play is hard to quantify, I get it.

Once in a generation talent at TE or a very good RT? And I don't mean this as a knock on Alt, again I would be happy with either, just that Bowers to me feels more "special."