HoboRocket

And let's not sleep on the Zac Taylor/LA connection, okay?

The Madden Curse strikes again!

Not really. I, personally, had Goff as my top guy, but if you do a quick search, ESPN, NFL.com, Bleacher Report (except for Matt Miller early in the process), and WalterFootball had him as the top prospect from the Senior Bowl onward. The Washington Post originally had Goff as the top QB, but Wentz moved up to the top spot after the Combine. The only site I could find that had Goff as the top QB by the time of the draft was Sports Illustrated. Also, you can find reports on TurfShowTimes from the lead-up to the 2016 draft that many members of the front office preferred Wentz.

Just for reference: Les Snead 1st-Round Picks: Michael Brockers Tavon Austin Alec Ogletree Greg Robinson Aaron Donald Todd Gurley Jared Goff Les Snead Day 2 Draft Picks: Brian Quick (bust) Janoris Jenkins (pro-bowl starter) Isaiah Pead (had a great rookie season) Trumaine Johnson (high-end starter) TJ McDonald (solid starting safety) Stedman Bailey (career derailed by getting shot in the head) LaMarcus Joyner (pro-bowl starter) Tre Mason (also had a great rookie season) Rob Havenstein (has been a starter since his rookie year, was great last year) Jamon Brown (was a solid pass-blocking starter, but outplayed by Austin Blythe) Sean Mannion (bust) Gerald Everett (not featured enough, but we all know he's a stud) Cooper Kupp (stud WR) John Johnson III (one of the top safeties league-wide) Joseph Noteboom (starter but it's early for judgement) Taylor Rapp (looks great but only a rookie) Darrell Henderson, Jr. (rookie) David Long (rookie) Bobby Evans (rookie)

And, I mean, look at the Rams. It's not like they haven't traded picks for players before. They traded a 2nd-rounder for Marcus Peters. They traded a 2nd or 3rd for Sammy Watkins. They traded a 1st for Brandin Cooks. That's the thing - Les Snead is used to trading early picks for established young players. And for the most part, it has worked out. They flipped from the worst team in the NFL down the stretch in 2016 to a division title in 2017 and a conference title in 2018. Les Snead is generally money on day 2 and in the later rounds of the draft (though he did draft Brian Quick at the top of round 2 in 2012), but he's hardly had a great record in the 1st round. Yes, he got Aaron Donald, but people forget that earlier that same draft, #2 overall, he drafted Greg Robinson. He drafted defensive end Michael Brockers, who has been a solid run-stopper and a leader in the locker room, but in general, I'd call him a disappointment, considering that Brockers is like 30 and has yet to really breakout or become even an average pass rusher. He drafted Tavon Austin and Alex Ogletree in the 1st in 2013, and Austin never figured out how to play WR (unless you're counting this past week in Dallas) while Ogletree was traded away for like a 6th round pick. Greg Robinson was a massive, massive bust. You could even question the Todd Gurley pick, because there were concerns over his knees even back in the lead-up to the 2015 draft, and there's the neverending argument about RB value. I think it was a good pick, but there are definitely arguments against it, since Gurley is playing like a 32 year old and his rookie contract wouldn't even be over yet (2019 would be the 5th year). Jared Goff has been inconsistent, and yes, he has played at an elite level, but he also has played like trash. He was widely regarded as the second-best QB prospect in the 2016 draft, even within the Rams Front Office, but Les wanted him, and I'm not sure if he's better than Wentz. Anyways, his 1st-round record isn't very good, but what he has done in the past is trade away picks for Vets, and that's worked out really well. Last year, he traded a 1st for Brandin Cooks, and he has paid dividends already. Look at how 1st-round WRs have done dating back to 2016. We have yet to see a 1st-round WR reach 1,000 yards in that span. Cooks had 1,300 yards last year as the team worked its way to SBLIII. I like the Jalen Ramsey trade.

I bet NCR plays there in the rare "Base 3-4" set, and my money is on David Long playing on the perimeter the rest of the time. Best press corner in the 2019 NFL draft.

I think it would be fair to add the Rams/Texans to the discussion at this point. If we're talking about being a team for 2019, then it doesn't matter that both have a lack of future picks. The Rams may just have one of the best press corner combos in the league, with Jalen Ramsey coming to town and David Long being able to suit up as they get away from a zone scheme that was constantly roasted. I know Long is a rookie that has yet to see the field, but pretty much everyone in the draft forum or the analytics world was crazy hyped on him. They now have the advantage of the league's best pass rusher and best corner. This team has the most star power in the league. As for the Texans, their offensive line has been playing well for a while now, and even with Will Fuller dropping everything, the offense has been clicking at a high level. With a good offensive line, a WR group of Nuk, Will Fuller V, Kenny Stills, and Keke Coutee, the 1-2 punch of Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson at RB (which has been really good up to this point), and a defense that contains JJ Watt, Whitney Mercilus, and a pretty good group across the board outside of corner, this is one of the most complete rosters in the league (no homer-ing, I promise).

One year ago, the Raiders go a HAUL of draft picks for the league's best edge rusher and a second-round pick. Yesterday, the Jags got their own haul for the league's best man corner. Let's compare the trades: EDGE Khalil Mack and 2nd round pick for two 1sts, 3rd, and 6th. CB Jalen Ramsey for two 1sts and 5th. Now, in my mind, the 2nd that the Raiders had to give up offsets the 3rd and 6th they got in return. It AT LEAST offsets the 3rd, so I would say that the Rams had to give up MORE for Jalen Ramsey. A non-edge rusher. Now, I'm not saying that any corner is more valuable than any edge rusher (though I'm sure that some have that opinion). But doesn't this imply that the best cornerback in football is more valuable than the best edge rusher? Some say that pass rush manufactures pass coverage. I know for a fact that it can also work the other way, hence the term "coverage sack." Do you think an elite cornerback is more valuable than an elite edge rusher? Do you think the opposite? Or are you of the mind that an Early Thomas type of safety, or a Luke Kuechly at linebacker, is the most valuable (you contrarian, you)? Do you think an elite interior disruptor a la Aaron Donald or Fletcher Cox is the most valuable position? What, exactly, is the MOST valuable defensive position? Interpret as you will.

Fantastic take. I was thinking the same thing. David Long didn't put up huge numbers at Michigan, but he had fantastic grades from PFF because he literally erased receivers week in and week out. He allowed a super low passer rating and wasn't targeted very often. I had Long, Lonnie Johnson, and Jamel Dean as the top-three press man corners in the class, in that order.

No no no no no. I said put Carr on Woods. I said to put Peters on Cooks, since he'll probably burn the Ravens anyways. Might as well have that increased chance of a splash play.

Wouldn't Jimmy Smith, Brandon Carr, and Marlon Humphrey ALL be above him? Once Jimmy's healthy, at least? That's a pretty good secondary. Match Humphrey up against Kupp. Put Carr on Woods and Peters on Cooks. If you're going to get burnt anyways on we plays, you want to get burnt by the guy that you're planning on burning you. Woods and Kupp both need sure tacklers. Peters' gambling might pay off on a play or two against Cooks. Limiting Kupp and Woods after the catch is important.

Wildly inconsistent.

Tier-1: These are the teams that need a QB TODAY, and have NO succession plan or QBs who could argue for a starting job. Okay, so the Dolphins need a QB for sure. The Buccaneers are, without a shadow of a doubt, getting a new QB this off-season. Tier-2: These are the teams that probably do NOT have their franchise QB, or a QB that they're comfortable with as the long-term plan. Cincinnati might move on, which we've been talking about for years it feels like. If Jacoby Brissett falters, you can bet the Colts will make a play for a QB, whether it's someone this draft class or TLaw/Fields in 2021. The Titans benched Marcus Mariota. He was really, genuinely good over the course of his first-two seasons, but he looked like a different QB after a season ending injury at the end of the 2016 season. Since then, he's had flashes, like at points during last season, but in between, he had a nerve injury and an elbow injury on his throwing arm, at one point saying that he had lost all feeling in his throwing hand. On top of this, he has developed a fear of hits, causing him to lose significant field-vision in the red zone, especially, where he used to thrive. Tier-3: Faces of the Future. Ben might be done, and Rudolph/Hodges might stink it up for the rest of the year, which would add the Steelers to the mix. And then, of course, there's the ever-present questions of succession for several teams. The Chargers and Patriots are omnipresent on this list. The Saints may not have faith in Teddy B long-term, because it would be unrealistic to expect to win every week in the future solely based off of your defense. You can do well, but you'll almost NEVER have sustained success with just an OK QB. I think it's safe to say that Aaron Rodgers is at the point of his career where the Packers need to start planning for the future. Not saying that he'll retire this year or next, but he's aging and could decide to walk away in a couple seasons. I THINK that's it for now. I guess MAYBE the Raiders if Carr has some big-time struggles over the second-half of the season.

Heyo, Texans fan here. Deshaun Watson has a good enough arm. It's his anticipation and ability to read a defense (i.e. throw where defenders AREN'T) that makes the deep game work so well, though. Watching him week in and week out, his arm strength is definitely better than it was two years ago, or even last year, but he doesn't have a cannon or anything. I'd say Carr and Ryan both have bigger arms than Watson. I'd rate Watson with Garropolo, Darnold and Mayfield (whose arm strength gets overblown, also more of an anticipation thrower). Ahead of guys like Mariota, Alex Smith, and Dalton, but not into the top-tier or maybe even second tier. Again, his arm isn't bad and isn't a liability by any means, and this year he's throwing with better velocity than in years past, but he doesn't have a stronger arm than Jared Goff or Lamar Jackson.

The cruelty! I'm writhing on the ground with tears in my eyes. Much like Will Dissly. 'cept for me it's laughter that did me in.