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Goldfish's Way Too Early Draft Rankings 2018 (Tampa Bay at 1)


goldfishwars

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1 hour ago, reamer said:

 

All about health. He was incredibly productive prior to injury. He's a big, fluid mover who only played in 6 games this season, but put up the following statline: 65 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, four quarterback hurries and two interceptions. If he recovers, I believe he'll challenge for reps soon; he's got the makeup of a future three down player (or four down, as you mention). 

Sorry to jump in twice like this. Great series. Hope I'm helping with some extra details.

Nah, feel free man. I’ll check him out.

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21. Tennessee Titans

evans600-042718b.jpg

Pre-Draft Needs:

EDGE, OL, LB

What They Had Heading into the Draft:

1. 25

2. 57

3. 89

4. 125

5. 162

6. 199

 

What They Had Leaving The Draft:

1. 22. Rashaan Evans  [ LB ] Alabama

2. 41. Harold Landry  [ EDGE ] Boston College

5. 152. Dane Cruikshank  [ CB ] Arizona

6. 199. Luke Falk  [ QB ] Washington State

 

Best Thing About This Draft:

They drafted two really good players in Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry. They obviously felt they had done their spending in FA and were good outside two spots most people thought they would look to fill. Evans should slot right in next to Woodyard in their base, he can do a bit of everything and the scheme fits him well. The floor his high, he plays with a real edge and intelligence which you have to in Alabama’s complex scheme. I think he's a better fit here than he would have been in New England, who they traded above to get him. I thought Landry was the best pure rusher in the class. He tested out really well, he’s got a natural ability to bend around the corner and nobody else in this class was as good as that. Perhaps the medical situation is there is worse than we know, but if it isn’t then it just doesn’t make sense that he fell as far as he did. 

Worst Thing About This Draft:

Well, this ranking is more of a reflection of how many players they ended up drafting rather than who they selected. it was kind of brief – they traded up for players they liked and made just the four selections in total. There’s a mild surprise they didn’t try and get some offensive line help, given Jack Conklin’s serious injury and the lack of obvious back-up options there. Unless they really like Dennis Kelly, which is possible. There’s also a noticeable lack of athleticism on the offensive line interior which might become an issue. 

Late Round Gem:

Dane Cruikshank -  A few people were really high on Dane, some referred to him as a poor man’s Minkah Fitzpatrick given his similar stature and ability to play a number of roles at the back end. He tested particularly well athletically too and could feature in a number of roles in the back-end. 

What Else?

That would be Luke Falk. I didn’t get a great feel for Luke Falk, he’s not particularly toolsy and played in an NFL unfriendly scheme. He's seems like a great dude off the field and thinks about the game deeply, perhaps that's a nice asset to have in the locker room. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him hang around in a back-up role for a good while.

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20.  Carolina Panthers

moore_inside.jpg

Pre-Draft Needs:

WR, TE, CB, OL

What They Had Heading into the Draft:

1. 24

2. 55

3. 85

3. 88

5. 161

6. 197

7. 234

7. 242

 

What They Had Leaving The Draft:

1. 24. D. J. Moore  [ WR ] Maryland

2. 55. Donte Jackson  [ CB ] LSU

3. 85. Rashaan Gaulden  [ CB ] Tennessee

4. 101. Ian Thomas  [ TE ] Indiana

4. 136. Marquis Haynes  [ DE ] Ole Miss

5. 161. Jermaine Carter Jr.  [ LB ] Maryland

7. 234. Andre Smith  [ ILB ] North Carolina

7. 242. Kendrick Norton  [ DT ] Miami (FL)

Best Thing About This Draft:

I liked the DJ Moore pick in the first round, he can be real focal point of the passing attack in a way their other wide receivers don’t have the ability to. He has the speed to take off the top of the defense, but did a lot of his damage underneath at Maryland showing a consistent ability to make explosive plays with the ball in hand. He’ll need to develop his route tree at the NFL level, but he could be a real game breaker with ball in hand early on.

Worst Thing About This Draft:

With Matt Kalil barely capable of holding down a starting role and his brother about the play in his last season, it was a real surprise to see the Panthers leave the draft without looking at future reinforcements at tackle or further inside. Elsewhere, a blunt inside banger to compliment Christian McCaffrey might have been an idea now Jonathan Stewart is in New York. 

Late Round Gem:

Kendrick Norton – He was a surprise early declaration and that decision almost blew up in his face after very nearly going undrafted. He’s a naturally strong nose tackle with an enormous wingspan and could give Carolina some rotational help on their interior.

What Else?

Donte Jackson was a surprise name when Daniel Jeremiah was touting him as a 1st round pick early on in the draft process and then it went a little quiet after that. Clearly the headline of his skillset is his blazing speed, although his lack of size might not lead to time on the outside too often - but the slot is more or less a full-time role. He's not just a quick either, he's a smooth mover with very little tightness which makes him a real danger on miss thrown passes. They kind of went back to the slot to draft a bigger body type in Rashaan Gaulden in the 3rd round. he’s got some size and versatility to play slot corner or safety. He plays faster than his slow forty time would suggest. I really like the Ian Thomas selection, presumably made with one eye on Greg Olsen’s future. Like Olsen, he’s going to do his biggest damage working the seams and is more big slot than traditional tight end at this point. 

The Panthers traded up for Marquis Haynes, an undersized outside rusher – best fitted to standing up. Perhaps it’s a sign they want to show more versatile looks this year and might get looks as a third down rush specialist. Then there’s two linebacker picks in Jermaine Carter and Andre Smith later on. Carter is small and slow, not sure he's anything more than a special teams pick at this point although he was very well liked at Maryland where he was team captain. He'll help DJ Moore to settle in, perhaps. Smith declared early after a serious knee injury last year coming off a good sophomore year. Again, he's a smaller dude who doesn't run particularly well.

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@goldfishwars See this year I wouldve it wouldve been better to ranked the Rams 19th than last year. They hit all their needs with some guys who dont need to start on a loaded roster. They can develop into starters a few years down the road when some of those starters now are gone ala Whitworth and Sullivan (replaced in a few years by Noteboom and Allen). Kiser led the ACC in tackles three straight seasons. The only other person to do that was Luke Kuechly. He will be a starter next to Barron and with Suh in front of him, Kiser will rack up the tackles to help sure up the Rams poor run defense from last year. I agree that Okoronkwo shouldve went higher. He is a speed demon and Wade will have fun with him in the scheme. He was hand picked to rush the passer and I think he will be very very effective with Wade. Young was pretty good before he got hurt. He came back and it took awhile before he started to play like he did before his injury. If he can stay healthy I think he can be a gem. From everything I heard about Howard, all he does is have a nose for the football. He could be the replacement for Barron if the Rams choose to move on because he is similar to Barron in terms of Safety who could play Linebacker. So again I think you couldve ranked the Rams 19th just because they actually do better after the draft in terms of adding more picks, hitting their needs, and getting quality players from where they were picking from. Coming into the draft we didnt know how things would shape out so the Rams did better than expected. Also on the Allen note, the Rams took him because he is similar to Sullivan who has played in McVay scheme for a few teams now. As Mayock said, Allen will fit the Rams scheme perfectly. So even though he doesnt measure well, he fits what the Rams want to do on the OL and thats why the pick makes sense.

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On 5/1/2018 at 5:31 PM, Chiefer said:

Haha cAlled it

For what it's worth, Speaks is going to play outside. The GM likens him to Tamba Hali, and the athletic profiles are similar. 

Khalil McKenzie is converting to guard. They're pretty excited about it, at his pro day he worked out there and impressed. He was also our last pick we didn't draft the southern miss corner

O'Daniel should be the new dimebacker, we signed hitchens in FA to start next to Ragland.

not a very exciting draft but we went after specifi c needs

Frankly I think the Chiefs had  a good draft given the resource constraints they had going into it. 

Speaks had good film, and I wouldn't have taken him round 2, but I don't think that was a huge reach. 67.5 percentile SPARQ athlete for a defensive lineman and a 1.63 10 yard split. Great burst, great motor, and if he plays 5-tech in some hybrid fronts or 4i, he will be super successful. I don't know if he can stand up on the edge. 

Nnadi is meh, big body, not easily movable but terrible athletic profile and got exposed in some games (see Louisville 2016) for his lack of twitch/lateral ability, but he's fine as a rotational guy. 

O'Daniel, Watts and McKenzie were great picks.

O'Daniel is the perfect modern hybrid player, ELITE COD skills,  super productive as a pass rusher thanks to that quickness and ability to translate speed to power, really bendy around the edge too. Showed some good tape covering tight ends and slots. I think he's a top 50 player in this class given where the NFL is going. Not the same level athlete as Derwin James, but can be used in a lot of similar ways. Watts has a ton of technical flaws (bad tackling technique / terrible angles in pursuit / blown coverages) but his processing speed is really high. He plays with anticipation in zone coverage, can be a single high guy who has range and elite ball skills. McKenzie is super physically talented, got stuck with an atrocious coaching stuff that doesn't develop guys at all, and he's got the potential to be a starting guard long term. 

Given the constraints, you compare it to teams like the Raiders, Steelers and Lions and I think its hard to criticize what KC did. Draft guys who have a clear place to win in the league and a trait that allows them to win. KC does that well. They did it well here too, overall. 

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I am- once again-astounded at the depth of knowledge, and the obvious amount of work reflected, in this thread. These huge comprehensive threads of yours remind me of those epic Biblical movies- The Ten Commandments, Ben-Hur, The Greatest Story Ever Told. One can only marvel at them and ask, How'd he DO that???

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19. LA Chargers

16636324_G.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale

Pre-Draft Needs:

DL, LB, QB, RB

What They Had Heading into the Draft:

1. 17

2. 48

3. 84

4. 119

5. 155

6. 191

7. 251

 

What They Had Leaving The Draft:

1. 17. Derwin James  [ S ] Florida State

2. 48. Uchenna Nwosu  [ LB ] USC

3. 84. Justin Jones  [ DT ] NC State

4. 119. Kyzir White  [ S/LB ] West Virginia

5. 155. Scott Quessenberry  [ C ] UCLA

6. 191. Dylan Cantrell  [ WR ] Texas Tech

7. 251. Justin Jackson  [ RB ] Northwestern

 

Best Thing About This Draft:

Derwin James, by quite some distance. That was one of my favorite picks in the entire draft and it’s kind of weird that he just fell all the way into their laps at 17. He really is a defensive weapon that can be lined up in a number of spots for any team with a creative defensive mind pulling the strings. The Chargers got good play from their crop of safeties last year and you could argue Derwin is a bit of a luxury there, but with Vita Vea and Da’Ron Payne off the board it was probably sensible to not overthink it.  

Worst Thing About This Draft:

If I was focussed on helping my team stop the run next year, which has been a problem for this team, I’m not sure the obvious answer would come in the form of Uchenna Nwosu and Justin Jones, not that I dislike either player. People couldn’t really decide if Nwosu would be better at edge or slotted inside. There’s stuff to like, he’s some ability as a speed rusher and is fluid enough to drop. My guess is the Chargers will just mix it up a bit. I didn’t like Justin Jones as much as say, Deadrin Senat or Harrison Phillips, who both went after him in the same round. He's a strong and fairly active rotational level interior lineman who probably won’t offer an awful lot as a pass-rusher. As for other needs, there were no additional offensive line picks and the tackle spots continue to look thin outside of the starting pair of Okung and Barksdale.

Late Round Gem:

Dylan Cantrell – Ranked in the 99.8th percentile for NFL wide receivers after a pretty ridiculous set of results at the Combine, although you don't really see all of that on tape.. At 24, he’s not one of the youngest receivers in the class, but he’s got ideal outside receiver size and, in fact, it’s his size rather than his speed that stands out on film. He’s got the tools to become a red zone threat.

What Else?

Kyzir White played all over the place at West Virginia, dime linebacker, safety and corner. He was a team captain for his college team and was best known for his ability to make big hits coming down hill. I think he was announced as a linebacker, so that might be where he's going to fit in. He's kind of a weird guy to watch move, not the smoothest. Scott Quessenberry is a highly athletic, but underpowered center. It makes sense to continue to build options with Mike Pouncey arriving to fill in at center carrying some health concerns. Justin Jackson was hugely productive during a long career Northwestern, potentially he could be the scatback they’ve been looking for since Danny Woodhead left – but there’s a lot of tread on the tyres and he’s got a very slight frame.

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18. New England Patriots

isaiah-wynn-sony-michel1.jpg?w=640

Pre-Draft Needs:

LB, OT, DL, CB, QB

What They Had Heading into the Draft:

1. 23

1. 31

2. 43

2. 63

3. 95

6. 198

6. 210

7. 219

 

What They Had Leaving The Draft:

1. 23. Isaiah Wynn  [ OT ] Georgia

1. 31. Sony Michel  [ RB ] Georgia

2. 56. Duke Dawson  [ CB ] Florida

5. 143. Ja'Whaun Bentley  [ LB ] Purdue

6. 178. Christian Sam  [ LB ] Arizona State

6. 210. Braxton Berrios  [ WR ] Miami (FL)

7. 219. Danny Etling  [ QB ] LSU

7. 243. Keion Crossen  [ CB ] Western Carolina

7. 250. Ryan Izzo  [ TE ] Florida State

Big Trent Brown    

2019 2nd Round Pick From Chicago    

2019 3rd Round From Detroit    

 Best Thing About This Draft:

Apart from Isaiah Wynn pick, which I have pondered upon and decided I love (and I was a big Wynn guy before the draft), snake charming 2nd and 3rd round picks out of teams for next year, plus big old 400 pound Trent Brown from the 49ers was damn fine work if we can get Trent to inflate a little. He was a good pass protector at the 49ers. BB does this stuff well, he doesn’t get caught up in the moment, he doesn’t fall in love with any prospect. He just sits there full of hatred expecting you to call offering everything you Goddam have in exchange to move up four spots to take the developmental long snapper of your pathetic dreams. The sheer number of moves the Pats made during this draft suggested that either didn’t like this draft much, or he really likes the current roster.

The Patriots left it uncharacteristically late to fill their left tackle spot this year and now we suddenly have a few options. I wasn’t looking forward to Kolton Miller or Matt McGlinchey, but was semi-resigned to it pre-draft. Scar would work his magic whatever happens. Somehow whilst arguing that Isaiah Wynn was the best tackle in the class and should be given a shot there (he has the by far the most dominant tape), I neglected to think he was an option at tackle for the Pats. Now I’m sure he must be. He deals with speed rushers easily. In fact, his gifts as a pass protector are rare to the point you wonder if it’s worth putting a shorter stature blocker on the edge in the first instance. If he fails at tackle, he can slide in and take Thuney’s spot – he’s been steadily underwhelming since he arrived.

Worst Thing About This Draft:

Being blindsided by what the Patriots do during the draft is an annual tradition for Pats fans. There’s no point mocking anything, you’ll be wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The Patriots showed more than anyone that they understand the devaluation of running backs and then went and drafted one in the first. I just hope we don’t regret not moving up to take Josh Rosen when he wasn’t so far out of reach, and not passing on Lamar Jackson like we did twice. For the first time in a few years, there’s actually no clear succession plan at quarterback. There’s no Ryan Mallet, no Jacoby Brissett, no little Jimmy G. There's no Jimmy G, Lord. And there's no linebacker who can run. I've no idea why a big *** defensive line should have big *** linebackers behind it waving to running backs scooting by off the edge, but it happened a lot last year and that's going to continue. 

Late Round Gem:

Braxton Berrios – Of course the one slot receiver in the draft everyone thought was going to be drafted by the Patriots, was drafted by the Pats. You knew it and I knew it. Like two magnets drawn towards each other. He’s brave as hell over the middle, can separate early and make plays down field. He can return punts too, which is always a bonus in BB’s mind. There’s a crowded situation at receiver to work through with Jordan Matthews and Cordarelle Patterson joining Edelman, Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell which might provide a tough path for him to find a spot early.

What Else?

I wasn’t expecting the Sony Michel pick at 31, not with holes elsewhere and the stable of backs we’ve amassed. The bone on bone knee situation reports that came out the day of the draft are still a little concerning. He is more talented than everything else we have right now and has a more well-rounded skill-set, so that’s something. Its something we haven't really had in years, in theory. He has an easy change of direction and a natural ability to maintain his acceleration through cuts, which is almost a rare quality. We needed help in the slot with Cyrus Jones not being able to show anything in his two seasons and Eric Rowe being bad at football. Dawson went a little early based on buzz but he is a natural fit to fill in there, he’s ultra-competitive and physical and isn’t afraid to man-up. It's just what we need.

The Ja'Whaun Bentley selection seems to have been influenced by a personal recommendation from former Patriot, Rosevelt Colvin. He is listed at 260 pounds, which is exceptionally large by modern NFL off-ball linebacker standards – naturally I would imagine he’s better on the front foot. He was also PFF’s 2nd rated college LB, if that means much. Christian Sam is another chunkier linebacker at 245 pounds, he was productive and reliable at Arizona State. Both players will have a chance on a thin roster spot. Elsewhere, Danny Etling is bad at football and the Crossen and Izzo picks look like potential special teams picks. Crossen is a small slot corner, who is incredibly quick according to his pro day numbers. Izzo is a blocking tight end. Perhaps Belichick ran out of trading buddies and just had to make those picks before the clock expired. 

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17. Buffalo Bills

josh-allen-c4a9e59487c927a0.jpg

Pre-Draft Needs:

QB, OL, WR, DL, TE

What They Had Heading into the Draft:

1. 12

1. 22

2. 53

2. 56

3. 65

3. 96

4. 121

5. 166

6. 187

 

What They Had Leaving

1. 7. Josh Allen  [ QB ] Wyoming

1. 16. Tremaine Edmunds  [ LB ] Virginia Tech

3. 96. Harrison Phillips  [ DT ] Stanford

4. 121. Taron Johnson  [ CB ] Weber State

5. 154. Siran Neal  [ CB ] Jacksonville State

5. 166. Wyatt Teller  [ G ] Virginia Tech

6. 187. Ray-Ray McCloud  [ WR ] Clemson

7. 255. Austin Proehl  [ WR ] North Carolina The Draft:

 

Best Thing About This Draft:

The best thing about their draft is landing the quarterback they wanted and it didn’t cost them everything like it seemed it would have to. Brandon Beane played it just about right in the end, accumulating a lot of draft capital and was even able to come away with nice pieces away from a position which has dogged them for such a long time. Say what you like about Allen, we knew he was going high and he fits this landing spot better than others. That arm was built to cut through the winds of north New York and his low-key rural charm is a nice fit off the field. Lower than ideal accuracy doesn’t have to be a death knell if the Bills have a firm plan on how to make the most of his gifts. 

Worst Thing About This Draft:

They traded up twice to take two kinda boom or bust prospects and I’m not entirely convinced about the need to move up for Edmunds after the Allen pick. That athletic full package is his unique selling point rather than anything he’s put out on tape so far and the lofty draft hype was a little rich for my blood anyway. The best things about him are what he could become and the Bills need to fill spots now. Same with Allen, everything screams late 1st or early day two quarterback to me. Clearly those are top tier tools in his locker. It’s a bit of a shame then that despite two late round darts, they couldn’t do much at receiver or tight end to help him out a little. I know the plan is to keep him on the bench, but if AJ McCarron sucks then it could be difficult to keep him on there for the entire year.

Late Round Gem:

Wyatt Teller – A defensive tackle convert, he’s a muscular gym rat with some natural power. Whilst his 2016 tape was better than 2017, he’s got a chance to push Vlad Ducasse from a starting gig at guard.

What Else?

Harrison Phillips in the 3rd round was nice, even if the 1st round hype around him was a little much. Phillips is naturally strong and whilst he isn’t a pass-rusher, this is a fitting home for someone so often compared to Kyle Williams. Taron Johnson was selected in the 4th round, he had a nice week of practice at the Senior Bowl and has some versatility at the back end. Siran Neal also had a nice week at the Senior Bowl and is actually a pretty similar prospect. Ray-Ray Mcloud and Ricky’s son Austin Proehl landed on the right team to push for playing time early. Both will be hoping to be better in the pros than they trying to fulfil their potential in college

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On 5/3/2018 at 1:35 PM, goldfishwars said:

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

 

What They Had Leaving The Draft:

1. 28. Terrell Edmunds  [ S ] Virginia Tech

2. 60. James Washington  [ WR ] Oklahoma State

3. 76. Mason Rudolph  [ QB ] Oklahoma State

3. 92. Chukwuma Okorafor  [ OT ] Western Michigan

5. 148. Marcus Allen  [ S ] Penn State

5. 165. Jaylen Samuels  [ FB ] NC State

7. 246. Joshua Frazier  [ DT ] Alabama

 

Best Thing About This Draft:

I did like the James Washington pick, Pittsburgh knows what to do with players with his skillset and slots in nicely as the third receiver there. - Thank you. I'm not sure why others do not understand this. I keep hearing that since we have AB, we don't need another deep threat, but AB isn't a prototypical deep threat like Washington is. Washington is the guy that you think you have covered until all of a sudden, you realize you can't keep up with him anymore.  Just look at his film. He'd just keep running away from defenders the longer away from the LOS he was; he's sly like that. And yes, I realize I'm looking at 'highlights', but he still does it...a lot...before and after the catch.

He had crazy production and an insane YPC at Oklahoma St. albeit in a conference which isn’t known for defensive play. Three years of 1,000+ yards and 10+ TD’s, which is almost unheard of in prospects coming out now. He should slot right in as the third receiver there with Martavis gone and he blends in nicely with what they already have there.

Worst Thing About This Draft:

The Steelers rarely move down the board to create additional value, I don’t know why – I'm going to guess that they really like having that team option for a fifth year that a 1st Rd pick provides over a 2nd Rd pick; if a late 1st Rd team isn't willing to trade up, allowing Colbert to still pick in the 1st, then I think the idea of trading down is off the table. I thought I heard them mention that once in a post-draft presser some years ago; not that extact verbiage, just that they like having that fifth year team option.

 

but perhaps they just don’t have a particularly nimble front office. It was a little like that with the Artie Burns pick a couple of years ago, when people thought they could trade down and still get him. Perhaps it's a similar situation with Terrell Edmunds. I get that the big linebacker names off the boar, but this was a leftfield choice and the Rashard Penny selection just before perhaps buffered that shock slightly. They needed help at safety and Edmunds is a very impressive athlete, with some excellent movement skills – but the tape is pretty patchy. I don't think they can just plug him in. Did they confused him with his brother? -  I can't imagine that could possibly happen in the NFL, with all the draft preparation they do; but TBH, it also wouldn't surprise me, LOL! Maybe they didn't see that Tremaine was drafted, and put him on the card, and the dude on the other end was too scared to tell them, so he just scratched out 'Tremaine ' and wrote 'Terrell' in his place, and when Tomlin called Tremaine's phone, Terrell answered, pretended to be his brother, and a couple questions, and voila' Terrell Edmunds--newest Steeler, 1st Rd pick! ha ha! 

That lack of an inside linebacker selection anywhere is more than a bit glaring, unless Edmunds and Allen are part of a scheme-based solution to the holes there.

Late Round Gem:

Jaylen Samuels – I don’t know what he is yet, a running back (he was announced as one) or a tight end or an H-back – he’s possibly going to be all of those things and someone who can also contribute on special teams. I do think he’s someone who will hang around in various roles for a while his versatility doesn't hurt him, he’s a got a lot to offer. -- Spot on!

What Else?

I didn’t love Mason Rudolph as a 1st round pick, but 3rd round seems about right to take a QB of his calibre and give him a real close look. He can play within the pocket and is a very good downfield passer. But he’s more of pusher than a thrower and doesn’t chuck it with much anticipation at this point. With Joshua Dobbs selected last year, I wonder if this selection tells us more about Dobbs or Big Ben at this point. The Steelers have lost tackles over the past couple of years, so the Okorafor makes sense for their depth. He’s nicely sized and moves well, but is a little underpowered at this point. Munchak has worked magic with less talent. - Yes!  Thank you!  Someone who gets it!

Marcus Allen is a busy box safety, who plays well close to the line and has some limitations doing much more than that. The Steelers now have a bunch of similar safeties, so not sure what the plan is there. - Honestly, the Steelers SUCK in their DB evaluations, both FA and Draft, and even more so, specifically safety, but in general, let's look at their DB's drafted over the past decade...Keenan Lewis, Joe Burnett, Crezdon Butler, Curtis Brown, Cortez Allen, Terrence Frederick, Shamarko Thomas, Terry Hawthorne, Shaquille Richardson, Senquez Golson, Doran Grant, Gerod Holliman, Artie Burns, Sean Davis, Cameron Sutton, and Brian Allen.

Of those, how many have succeeded WITH the Steelers?  Yeah, the ONE guy who has taken the most flak...Artie Burns.  Sean Davis has done OK. Cortez Allen was good until he got a contract, but it wasn't immediate like Burns. and of course, Keenan Lewis did well...in NEW ORLEANS!!!  So no, I've stopped having much faith in our DB's drafted. Marcus Allen LOOKS like he will be a good pick, right?  Great Value, since he was rated around Rd 3-4, but half those guys I listed were value picks...supposedly...yeah, turns out, they were OVER drafted...ugh. Either that, or Carnell Lake, and his predecessor, just could not develop to save their lives, which I'm beginning to think might be the case.

Joshua Frazier is a large run stuffer with some athletic limitations.

Overall...solid evaluation.  Likely a bottom 25% draft based on what we know right now.  We may have missed an opportunity to get better, RIGHT NOW, to put us over the top, but I think Rudolph is the type of QB you go after in the 3rd, if he's sitting there, and he was.  He could have gone late 1st/early 2nd, and yeah, some wouldn't have liked it, but many would really think it too much of a stretch, either.  He was the 5th to 6th rated QB, depending what board you looked at (I saw him as high as 3rd, and as low as 7th), and he was the 6th QB taken, so he was taken where he probably should have been.  In a 'bubble', the Steelers could have taken Rudolph 60th overall, and Washington 76th, and fans/draftniks would have probably liked the value for those two 'better', if that makes any sense; many felt Washington was a 3rd-4th Rd WR, though I don't see it, and most sites had him ranked in the 40s-60s. In fact, after the draft, I went to go look, because so many were calling Washington a reach, yet this is what I found...

NFL.com BigBoard - Washington - 65 |  Rudolph - 95

DraftTek BigBoard - Washington - 43 |  Rudolph - 41

FootballFanSpot Final Mock Draft - Washington - 49 |  Rudolph - 52

TheSportsQuotient Final Mock Draft - Washington - 24 |  Rudolph - 31

DraftCountdown BigBoard - Washington - 56 |  Rudolph - 43

DraftAce BigBoard - Washington - 56 |  Rudolph - 57

GBNReport BigBoard - Washington - 77 |  Rudolph - 53    |    (Terrell Edmunds - 37)

NFLDraftScout BigBoard - Washington - 84 |  Rudolph - 43

Yahoo BigBoard - Washington - 58 |  Rudolph - 64

Mayock BigBoard - Washington - 49 |  Rudolph - 37

Pro Football Focus BigBoard - Washington - 24 |  Rudolph - 25

 

Washington averaged the 53rd spot, while Rudolph averaged the 49th spot...so those are both 2nd Rd values, but Washington had more 3rd rd grades than Rudolph...in fact, Rudolph had only one, and that was NFL.com.

But anyway, great analysis, and I think you REALLY understand the prospects, and how they fit better than most, IMO; I appreciate that...or...we could both be way off-base. Ah well, it's fun to speculate, regardless!

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16. Miami Dolphins

SPORTS-FBN-DRAFT-25-FT.JPG

Pre-Draft Needs:

LB, OL, DL, TE, QB

What They Had Heading into the Draft:

1. 11

2. 42

3. 73

4. 123

4. 131

6. 209

7. 227

7. 229

 

What They Had Leaving The Draft:

1. 11. Minkah Fitzpatrick  [ S ] Alabama

2. 42. Mike Gesicki  [ TE ] Penn State

3. 73. Jerome Baker  [ LB ] Ohio State

4. 123. Durham Smythe  [ TE ] Notre Dame

4. 131. Kalen Ballage  [ RB ] Arizona State

6. 209. Cornell Armstrong [ CB ] Southern Miss

7. 227. Quentin Poling  [ LB ] Ohio

7. 229. Jason Sanders  [ K ] New Mexico

Best Thing About This Draft:

They drafted a bunch of athletic players who were built for the modern sub-package game, this is a between-the-numbers draft from top to bottom. Miami are a team clearly thinking ahead about where the game might be heading. Not many people matched Minkah with Miami pre draft, but clearly he fits the personality of the type of player they are looking to get in the building after a recent in-house personality cleanse. He’s a versatile defensive player who can match pattern with running backs and tight ends alike. It’s a hugely important defensive weapon to have right now and one probably made with one eye on the Patriots.

Worst Thing About This Draft:

No picks spent on an offensive line lacking in quality, health and depth – that was a bit of surprise. According to the depth chart, they will be fielding an inside trio of the embers of Josh Sitton, Daniel Kilgore and Jesse Davis who was fairly solid for them in spot duty last year. Interior defensive line is also thin in the wake of Suh’s departure although they did recently trade for Akeem Spence. 

Late Round Gem:

Quentin Poling – Another smaller run and chase linebacker with impressive athleticism. He was a little under the radar at Ohio, but was very productive there and has the chance to make his name on special teams and then potentially in sub packages. 

What Else?

Mike Gesicki drew plenty of headlines for his insane workout at the combine, but was a productive part of the Penn State passing game and caught 9 touchdowns last season. He’s really an oversized slot in the mold of Evan Engram who has seen some early success in his career. Jermome Baker is a run and chase linebacker from Ohio State, he’s got some real speed and also some spotty play in his locker - but should help upgrade a thin linebacker spot alongside his old teammate Raekwon McMillan. Durham Smythe is the most tight end named prospect of all time, a blocker who’ll help the offensive line out and help clear out room for the running game. Kalen Ballage was one of the draft’s enigmas, a big dude who wins in the small game as a receiver. He’s not really a hammer compliment to Kenyon Drake, just kind of more of the same from a different body. I think he'll have a better NFL career than at Arizona State where they just didn't know what to do with him. Miami drafted Jason Sanders who immediately slots in as the team's place kicker, the fact he went ahead of undrafted Eddy Pineiro was a surprise to some. He kicked 25 out of 35 attempts at New Mexico State there last year, which clearly isn't earth shattering, but clearly has something they like. I know next to nothing about Cornell Armstrong. 

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On 5/2/2018 at 12:29 PM, Broncofan said:

elite non-QB player I have no doubts on.   I don't know how anyone could say Davenport falls in that latter category.

I think Davenport is going to be an elite NFL DL. I had him ranked #6 overall, ahead of Chubb.

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