Grade the draft picks

[soulman]

16 hours ago, CBears019 said:

Thank you I appreciate that.  But honestly, I love my job.  I know I’m biased, but I feel it’s the best job in the world.  On a slow day, I’m hanging out with my friends, drinking coffee, and shooting the crap (or on the range shooting real guns).  On busy days, we get to “be the police”, as in what you see on shows like COPS, Live PD, etc.  There’s nothing quite like getting a “hot call” in your patrol squad, turning the lights/sirens on, and freakin hitting he pedal to the metal.  

I love talking about my job to give people a real look into what’ve law enforcement actually is, so if you guys got any questions feel free to ask.  I’ll respond tomorrow because i am going to bed now - i have an email to send in the morning so i gotta rest up for that

OK, what's the best way to talk you out of a speeding ticket.  Asking for a friend.   LOL

[soulman]

I can't grade each pick without qualifying my grade so I'll simply grade the entire draft a high B that could go higher depending on how some of the later picks pan out.  What I can also do is comment by round.

2nd: Kmet was an obvious deference to Nagy.  I don't see him as a "special player" but if he turns out to another Kyle Rudolph he will have been worth the pick.  I would have liked to have seen us take Antoine Windfield Jr. but taking Jaylon Johnson after Windfield was off the board was a nice pick.  Overall I feel we got good value with those picks.

5th: Here was Pace once again working his phones for swaps to get guys who may have fallen just a little farther than they should have. I see both Mooney and Gipson as picks based on need who can quite possibly contribute to a degree this year.  Vildor seems like a pure BPA pick whose immediate future is likely to be ST with the hope that like McManis he can also ascend to become a quality backup as a #3 CB.

7th: Not a bad spot to add some OL projects.  IMHO any OL drafted after round three is a project of one sort or another so is any OL taken on Day 3 all that much better than another?  We haven't had great success with late OL picks an UDFAs during Pace's time as GM anyway so it's a numbers game.  Bring in enough of them, give them good coaching, and hopefully one or two will pan out.  We haven't been in a position to draft a highly ranked OT for awhile now and the more we win the smaller our chances get so somehow we'll just have build our own OTs and OGs from who we can get and hope we get lucky and it works.

With the exception of a top ranked Safety and an OT we covered other needs reasonably well.  Now we can looks at players who are still unsigned and a few who may be released post draft for cap reasons to see if we can improve over who we have.

[CBears019]

37 minutes ago, soulman said:

OK, what's the best way to talk you out of a speeding ticket.  Asking for a friend.   LOL

Lol, for me it was always just be genuine.  No excuses, no feigned respect, and of course don’t be an ahole about it.  If I was pulling someone over it meant you were doing something REALLY bad and unsafe.

But every officer has their own subjective standards.  Some officers get off on writing tickets to anyone and everyone, some pull over about 3 cars an entire year.

One thing that NEVER worked on me was the crying.  I ALWAYS hear girls say, “if i get pulled over i just start crying and the cop always just gives me a warning.”  After hearing that, i made it a point that if someone starts crying, they’re getting a ticket.

[Ty21]

43 minutes ago, CBears019 said:

Lol, for me it was always just be genuine.  No excuses, no feigned respect, and of course don’t be an ahole about it.  If I was pulling someone over it meant you were doing something REALLY bad and unsafe.

But every officer has their own subjective standards.  Some officers get off on writing tickets to anyone and everyone, some pull over about 3 cars an entire year.

One thing that NEVER worked on me was the crying.  I ALWAYS hear girls say, “if i get pulled over i just start crying and the cop always just gives me a warning.”  After hearing that, i made it a point that if someone starts crying, they’re getting a ticket.

What if they’re crying cause their grandma is in the backseat dying and you pulled them over when they were en route to the hospital and she died along the way 

[soulman]

59 minutes ago, CBears019 said:

Lol, for me it was always just be genuine.  No excuses, no feigned respect, and of course don’t be an ahole about it.  If I was pulling someone over it meant you were doing something REALLY bad and unsafe.

But every officer has their own subjective standards.  Some officers get off on writing tickets to anyone and everyone, some pull over about 3 cars an entire year.

One thing that NEVER worked on me was the crying.  I ALWAYS hear girls say, “if i get pulled over i just start crying and the cop always just gives me a warning.”  After hearing that, i made it a point that if someone starts crying, they’re getting a ticket.

Nice to know both sexes are treated equally.  Besides I only cry during sad movies so that wouldn't work for me anyway. 

[soulman]

18 minutes ago, Tyty said:

What if they’re crying cause their grandma is in the backseat dying and you pulled them over when they were en route to the hospital and she died along the way 

Ty, you really have to stop drinking so early in the day. 

[Ty21]

5 minutes ago, soulman said:

Ty, you really have to stop drinking so early in the day. 

I’m on a different substance. I gave up alcohol last week after a 6week dream cruise with it and now I have an ulcer so the difference substance is new bae 

[Heinz D.]

2 hours ago, Tyty said:

I’m on a different substance. I gave up alcohol last week after a 6week dream cruise with it and now I have an ulcer so the difference substance is new bae 

[Pool]

19 hours ago, JustAnotherFan said:

This has seriously taking me a long time to write because I honestly don't like sharing my past with anyone because I absolutely HATE sharing or looking back on this part of my life anymore because It doesn't represent anything that I stand for now.

This is only the short part of it, but here it goes.

I'm from Toledo, Ohio and from the age of 13 to 21 I sold drugs and guns in OH, Mi, Indy, Illy, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. I was not on anyone's radar until I screwed up and put a target on my back at the age of 17. (And because my "friend" turned on me)

My reputation, that i THOUGHT was so important to uphold at the time eventually caught up to me, and was ultimately my downfall. I had a bad temper and did not take crap from anyone. When I was 17, one day I was with my boy at a gas station pumping and I seen this guy at a Marcos Pizza across the street that I had been looking for so I waited for him in the parking lot and beat him pretty bad. I didn't know how bad it was (will get to this later). 

Marcos Pizza had me on camera but cameras were not as vivid as they are now so they couldn't prove it was me but they did have witnesses (workers, including on of his friends) and everything else needed. Fast forward 8 months later (was 18 now --this was ON my 18th B-day) I was pulled over for a traffic stop (they changed the lanes in downtown Toledo and I accidentally went the wrong way a one way street on a street that USED to be two way street just out of habit). They found a unregistered gun in the car and only a QP of weed bagged in one -- it was personnel use (it was not legal then tho). Only one, thankfully, but I guess they also noticed where I was from and had an idea where the gun AND the weed had come from (how, I don't know, but this is PART of what raised suspicion in the future). Plus I had already caught a felony charged at 16 for felonious assault (beat another kid pretty badly who's family just happen to know the Schools officer that knew me VERY WELL (thank you Hymore--good dude though) and had previous gun charge at "frog city" (a old pool hall in the city). 

Anyhow, they arrest and charge me with possession of hand gun and a F2 (felonious assault) for the Marcos thing. I sat in jail until the hearing and both of my lawyers (my paid lawyer and my Dad's) tell me that I'm okay and that I'm getting out on bail. WRONG. The guy I beat up showed up to the courthouse that morning and showed the prosecutors hospitals reports showing that he had flat-lined 3 times while he was there and the judge raises the charge to attempt murder and considers me a "threat to society" and orders me back to jail until sentencing. I hurt him badly. And as someone who NOW suffers from several head injuries now, this is one of biggest regrets in life. It really is. Even though years later after I changed he try to have me killed.

So, I do my time and I get a lenient 2 years with time served, 2 years probation, and I had to pay every month for the rest of the guys hospitals bills that the insurance wouldn't pay for (about 8 grand). 500 a month. I only did about 6 months for good behavior --playing cards all day and hoping one of your pod mates doesn't freak out and break the ONLY TV you all have SUCKS.  

To keep it short, I get out and go back to work at both jobs--I was also working at Mcd's at the time and working my *** off too -- not only as a cover up but because I have strong work ethic). But now I'm on the radar without even knowing. By this time, I'm 19 and I learn that my GF (current wife one month younger than me) is pregnant is with our first kid and this starts opening up my eyes and seeing that this is the life that I don't want for my kid so I try to start easing my way out of it but it's not that easy. 

Years later, one night, one of my dudes calls me and he needs a shotgun(sawed-off) for someone local he knew but I was getting ready to leave out of town so I told him I will leave it in trash can in the backyard for him to pick up. But he ended up getting pulled over that night and caught with drugs(same ones linked to mine) and had 2 warrants in 2 separate counties, so needless to say he didn't pick up the gun. I'm out of town and I don't hear a word about any of this until a couple of days later (the gun is still sitting there). So I call someone (I'll call him ST) to pick it up and everything goes smooth until I get back from vacay and I hear that nobody has heard from him since. He's not answering his phone, his family or girl don't where he is or anything. He shows up about a week later after I get back and he has the gun and everything seems okay -- he was one of the ONLY ones I thought we would NEVER snitch. He was younger than me and I would literally give his mom money to buy food, pay rent, electric bill, etc anytime they needed it before he started working.while he was in school)

Atleast I thought it was okay anyways. 4 months later we were raided. 11 of us got arrested, 7 houses were raided (only 2 stash houses though) on a Sunday night and it turns out that they had been watching us for a while (my offense at 17) and they were working with one of "us" as part of a deal.  None of us (especially ME) had ANY idea that he would turn but he did. 

I was lucky enough to get off on a friendly deal again (first offense ) and did my time. I got out just in time 

I have lived a crazy life and I don't condone ANY of this. I have been jumped, shot, stabbed, and I regret it all now. I have issues now becuase I have taken so much damage to the head that I wont reveal here but it has had lasting effect on my life that I didn't even consider at the time. 

What's even crazier about all of this is that today I will not let drugs into my house whatsoever anymore. And just recently, in December, my wife told that she had starting to smoke weed again and she was reluctant on telling me because she knows how I feel about any drug now. I won't even take Excedrin now when I need it for my ankle or knee pain until it's reaches a point that I cant take it anymore because I know that I will need it later and I don't want my body to get immune to at this young age.

Was not expecting to read this on a football forum but damn man that is crazy. Very glad you got your life sorted now and are doing better. Major props to you for that.

[Ty21]

47 minutes ago, Heinz D. said:

I’m on a different substance. I gave up alcohol last week after a 6week dream cruise with it and now I have an ulcer so the difference substance is new bae 

[CBears019]

4 hours ago, Tyty said:

What if they’re crying cause their grandma is in the backseat dying and you pulled them over when they were en route to the hospital and she died along the way 

Well if she’s already dead, she’s not gonna become more dead, right?

[soulman]

7 hours ago, Tyty said:

I’m on a different substance. I gave up alcohol last week after a 6week dream cruise with it and now I have an ulcer so the difference substance is new bae 

Yeah it can do a number on you that's for sure.  Ask me how I know.

[Ty21]

6 hours ago, soulman said:

Yeah it can do a number on you that's for sure.  Ask me how I know.

How do you know

[SLCbear]

22 hours ago, Madmike90 said:

2[43] TE Cole Kmet...B+...This is a pick that combines need, floor and ceiling...we didn't really have a "Y" TE on this roster outside of Harris and we clearly needed an upgrade on him...Kmet brings excellent size, speed & athletic ability to make an instant impact especially in the passing game where a lot of LBs will struggle to cover him...I also like the fact he isn't going to tip a defence to what coming...Kmet also has a really high ceiling and if he can improve on his overall strength and blocking technique he will be a quality pick up.

2[50] CB Jaylon Johnson...A+...Excellent value at #50 for Johnson...and an even better fit in this defence...for me he is Kyle Fuller 2.0...excellent in press, athletic, high football IQ, willing tackler and plenty of ball skills...Johnson will present an upgrade on Amukamara from last year...teams will test him early to stay away from Fuller but I suspect that won't last long as Johnson will make them pay for it.

5[155] OLB Trevis Gipson...A...can never have enough pass rushers and this is exactly the type of high upside development prospect we should be looking for...Gipson is a guy with all the tools to eventually develop into a real force...if anything this is a Pagano pick like they have done in Baltimore for years with the likes of Parnell McPhee & Matt Judon...Gipson size, length, strength, motor and physicality could see him become a 3rd down pass rusher early in his career...he also had some great grades as a run defender from PFF for what that's worth.

5[163] CB Kindle Vildor...B-...So this is the pick that position wise doesn't make a ton of sense...we clearly like size and length at the outside CB spot so Vildor doesn't make a ton of sense there and Skrine is under contract for at least this season and we took Shelley last season to play the nickel so where does he fit? That is a question Pace didn't answer saying they felt he could play both so the pick has to be marked down...that said he is clearly a confident and talented coverage guy who seems to make excellent breaks on the ball...I think he is an out and out nickel and this is a move for 2021 that could pay off.

5[173] WR Darnell Mooney...B...I like this pick...don't love it but like it...I think the 4.3 speed doesn't quite show up on film as much as it did at the combine...this isn't a guy like Hill who is just flat out going to run away from quality defensive backs but if used right he will carve out a role for himself...I just hope we work on developing all his traits so we don't make it easy for a defence to know what he is doing when he does see the field.

7[226] Lachavious Simmons...B...High upside pick who will battle it out for a place on the practice squad...would rather have taken a special teamer who could give us better field position or score us points but there could be something there.

7[227] Arlington Hambright...B...same as above.

wow, these are practically my exact same grades .... B for Vildor instead of B- and thats the only diff

[soulman]

1 hour ago, Tyty said:

How do you know

I was being facetious.  Or is it sarcastic?  Lot of that going round these days.