2022 NFL Draft Thread

[AlexGreen#20]

35 minutes ago, R T said:

That is interesting. The new ST's coach handpicked his new punter, and his contract says it is his job to have. They have 3 kickers on the roster right now and all 3 might be better than anyone in the draft this year. That leaves LS, I could see that but is there one worth drafting and is Gutes going to draft a 2nd LS in 5 years? He probably should, but I don't know about putting money on it. 

Edit: As I hit post on that I realized you might be talking about returners or a coverage demon also, that would raise the odds considerably. I think I agree with that side of it.   

He means a DB as a designated ST body. 

[packfanfb]

8 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

He means a DB as a designated ST body. 

Just draft Jalen Pitre, and you have your best nickel, Saf 3 and STer on the team. 

[CWood21]

49 minutes ago, Brat&Beer said:

I don't see a serious punter competition. They'll want to know who the holder is from early on. 

I'm not saying they're going to invest a semi-high draft pick in a punter, but I wouldn't be surprised if they threw a 7th round pick at a punter and see what happened.

[Old Guy]

38 minutes ago, CWood21 said:

I'm not saying they're going to invest a semi-high draft pick in a punter, but I wouldn't be surprised if they threw a 7th round pick at a punter and see what happened.

Draft Araiza and you have a punter and kicker in one. Make the back up QB learn to hold and you've saved a roster spot as well. 

[DWhitehurst]

1 hour ago, Old Guy said:

Draft Araiza and you have a punter and kicker in one. Make the back up QB learn to hold and you've saved a roster spot as well. 

I'm curious how high Araiza will go. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes rnd 5. 

[mikemike778]

6 hours ago, Brat&Beer said:

I don't see a serious punter competition. They'll want to know who the holder is from early on. 

This.

We don't need to be good at Special Teams, we just need to not screw up. We don't need to draft ST studs or play starters or throw draft picks at punters. We just need to not screw things up. The whole thing needs to be as reliable as possible. Most of the time ST impacts on games, it is because one side has screwed something up.

Everyone else can use the bottom of the roster to play ST and to not have your punts and kicks blocked, to not give up long returns and the rest of the nonsense we had to endure. 

The Punter needs to be acceptable at punting and as holder be part of a safe field goal unit. If he can do that then I'm not interested in trying to get someone slightly better. If the new ST had a say in picking this guy then he should be able to do that.

 

[NFLGURU]

5 hours ago, Old Guy said:

Draft Araiza and you have a punter and kicker in one. Make the back up QB learn to hold and you've saved a roster spot as well. 

Until he pulls a quad and you have to find both positions mid season..

[PossibleCabbage]

It would be really interesting to hear NFL Special Teams people on whether Araiza's strategy of "hangtime doesn't matter if you can kick it far enough" will hold up against stiffer competition.  I've heard multiple former NFL punters express their doubts.

[Norm]

3 hours ago, NFLGURU said:

Until he pulls a quad and you have to find both positions mid season..

Yeah this **** doesn't work. Imagine early in the game... possibly an auto loss. 

Didn't the Vikings just trade for a guy trying this **** not long ago

[Old Guy]

11 minutes ago, Norm said:

Yeah this **** doesn't work. Imagine early in the game... possibly an auto loss. 

Didn't the Vikings just trade for a guy trying this **** not long ago

You just go all Madden and go for in every time. No punting, no field goals. 

[Norm]

Just now, Old Guy said:

You just go all Madden and go for in every time. No punting, no field goals. 

What football should be.

Disclaimer: I am not joking

#TeamPresbyterianBlueHose

 

[craig]

23 hours ago, R T said:

Neither. 

RB's - Jones and Dillon 100 combined (that number might be light)

TE's - Current group 75 combined (these same TE's caught 72 and 77 passes the last two seasons. 

WR's - Lazard 60, Watkins 45, Cobb 45, Rodgers 25 is 175 

That is 350 total and could be debated that it is on the conservative side. 

Your fundamental point that it will be existing personnel that dominates the targets is sound; with the implication that posters being prioritized on WR/TE draft picks are perhaps naive.  Couple of thoughts.

1. Time and injuries and performance do shift things.  Guys like Allison, Lazard, MVS, Boykin, and Quarless got some number of rookie catches.  So there is a possibility that some rookie will get some targets sooner or later, whether by earning them or via injury attrition of existing veterans.
2. The odds of rookies filling in attrition-based snaps often depends on the next-man-up alternatives.  It's possible attrition-bases snaps will get primarily absorbed by some combo of Winfree-Taylor-Gafford-Blair.  But I'm not sure whether a good rookie might be able to vault past most or perhaps all of them for next-man-up opportunities?  
3. 20-35 catches by a rookie doesn't seem significant relative to 350 from existing personnel.  Still, if rookies snag 20-35 or even more, those could still impact some games.  
4. Sometimes small-volume guys get increasingly important as the season progresses.  Stokes wasn't starting or playing much at first; as time progressed he became invaluable.  Raji didn't play much early; by Super Bowl he was an essential contributor.  Matthews didn't start at first, but was a main guy by the end.  So it's not impossible that a guy who got <10% of the season targets/catches might still end up being an important element involved in >10% come playoffs?
5. Your point wasn't the specific numbers, I know, so nitpicking them is dumb.  . But Cobb 45 and Rodgers 25, I wonder if that combo might be a bit high?  Either one individually seems variably plausible, but I'm not sure MLF will run lots of sets with both playing together?  To complete 70 passes to slot, it's not impossible, but I wonder if that isn't a little high?  Of course, certainly possible that if Rodgers is over-guessed by 20, maybe Winfree is being under-guessed by 20, or something, still without any rookie getting any extra play.  
6. RT, I think Gute is usually drafting with the future as well as the present in mind.  I don't expect some rookie draft pick to get a lot of snaps or targets.  But with Cobb, Watkins, and Lazard all expiring, I would imagine Gute would be looking fairly seriously at WR for the future, even if not necessarily for this year.  So even if it's true that rookie-won't-get-many-catches-anyway, I'm not sure it follows that Gute won't be considering them variably seriously in the draft?  

[R T]

28 minutes ago, craig said:

Your fundamental point that it will be existing personnel that dominates the targets is sound; with the implication that posters being prioritized on WR/TE draft picks are perhaps naive.  Couple of thoughts.

1. Time and injuries and performance do shift things.  Guys like Allison, Lazard, MVS, Boykin, and Quarless got some number of rookie catches.  So there is a possibility that some rookie will get some targets sooner or later, whether by earning them or via injury attrition of existing veterans.
2. The odds of rookies filling in attrition-based snaps often depends on the next-man-up alternatives.  It's possible attrition-bases snaps will get primarily absorbed by some combo of Winfree-Taylor-Gafford-Blair.  But I'm not sure whether a good rookie might be able to vault past most or perhaps all of them for next-man-up opportunities?  
3. 20-35 catches by a rookie doesn't seem significant relative to 350 from existing personnel.  Still, if rookies snag 20-35 or even more, those could still impact some games.  
4. Sometimes small-volume guys get increasingly important as the season progresses.  Stokes wasn't starting or playing much at first; as time progressed he became invaluable.  Raji didn't play much early; by Super Bowl he was an essential contributor.  Matthews didn't start at first, but was a main guy by the end.  So it's not impossible that a guy who got <10% of the season targets/catches might still end up being an important element involved in >10% come playoffs?
5. Your point wasn't the specific numbers, I know, so nitpicking them is dumb.  . But Cobb 45 and Rodgers 25, I wonder if that combo might be a bit high?  Either one individually seems variably plausible, but I'm not sure MLF will run lots of sets with both playing together?  To complete 70 passes to slot, it's not impossible, but I wonder if that isn't a little high?  Of course, certainly possible that if Rodgers is over-guessed by 20, maybe Winfree is being under-guessed by 20, or something, still without any rookie getting any extra play.  
6. RT, I think Gute is usually drafting with the future as well as the present in mind.  I don't expect some rookie draft pick to get a lot of snaps or targets.  But with Cobb, Watkins, and Lazard all expiring, I would imagine Gute would be looking fairly seriously at WR for the future, even if not necessarily for this year.  So even if it's true that rookie-won't-get-many-catches-anyway, I'm not sure it follows that Gute won't be considering them variably seriously in the draft?  

The Packers will add another 3 WR's and a couple more TE's before the month of April is out. Young talent will be added for this coming season and for future years to come. Aaron completed over 400 passes last season so if members of the current roster account for 350 there is still opportunity for rookies to contribute and grow within the system. The Packers have 11 draft picks and 26 roster spots yet to fill before training camp, some of those will be WR's who might even be high draft picks. Just don't expect any of them to be a focal point of the offense regardless of how high of a draft picks they are.    

[Brit Pack]

Some more Cosell. I skipped the part about Walker as I don’t think we have a chance of getting him even if we wanted him. Cosell talks about the other two Dline men for Georgia. Interesting he is not as high on them as the draft community is. He sees Davis as someone who has strength but not power. What he means by that is that Davis can dominate an area but can’t translate that to power where he can move that strength. He averaged only 20 snaps a game for Georgia. Wyatt he likes more but doesn’t see it consistently enough, that he will take time to develop.

He really likes Winfrey, sees him as someone who can play in multiple fronts and positions. He has long arms 35.5inch. DeMarvin Leal, thought he has the traits to be a good one. He liked his 2020 tape a lot, less so his 2021.

A guy he gushed about who is totally under the radar is LSU’s Neil Farrell, quickness of the snap, heavy hands, multiple fronts, played off blocks really well. Could be a three down player. But 0.85 RAS!!!

Likes Phidarian Mathis too. Matthew Butler is a guy Cosell is fascinated by. He has got length, strength and explosive power, violent hands and lateral quickness. Cossell uses this terms ‘tremendous playing personality’ which refers too great effort.

Edge guys

He in many ways likes Ojabo more than Hutchinson, sees more athletic/explosive traits, reminds him off Robert Quinn coming out of college. But the injury is bad and there is no guarantees what he comes back as.

Karlaftis, says he was a state shotput champion, with very strong upper body and hands. Has a nuanced feel on how to attack OTs, he has a plan, is smart. Problem with him is his lower body can’t support his upper body, where his feet stop moving., thus no second move and no flexibility and fluidity. He is not a bender, he is good ‘face up rusher’ – explosive in a confined space and area.  Not a pure edge rusher.

Nik Bonitto, a good rusher, moves at a different speed to other rushers. He needs more play strength but as a pass rusher Cosell likes a lot. He can get OTs off balance. Explosive tape. This guy can rush the passer. Liked him a lot.

Pascal, doesn’t sees him as an edge player in the NFL. Really strong player. Not sure how teams will see him.

Drake Jackson not ready early, has traits, raw and unrefined in how to rush the QB.
 

 

[R T]

5 hours ago, Brit Pack said:

Some more Cosell. I skipped the part about Walker as I don’t think we have a chance of getting him even if we wanted him. Cosell talks about the other two Dline men for Georgia. Interesting he is not as high on them as the draft community is. He sees Davis as someone who has strength but not power. What he means by that is that Davis can dominate an area but can’t translate that to power where he can move that strength. He averaged only 20 snaps a game for Georgia. Wyatt he likes more but doesn’t see it consistently enough, that he will take time to develop.

He really likes Winfrey, sees him as someone who can play in multiple fronts and positions. He has long arms 35.5inch. DeMarvin Leal, thought he has the traits to be a good one. He liked his 2020 tape a lot, less so his 2021.

A guy he gushed about who is totally under the radar is LSU’s Neil Farrell, quickness of the snap, heavy hands, multiple fronts, played off blocks really well. Could be a three down player. But 0.85 RAS!!!

Likes Phidarian Mathis too. Matthew Butler is a guy Cosell is fascinated by. He has got length, strength and explosive power, violent hands and lateral quickness. Cossell uses this terms ‘tremendous playing personality’ which refers too great effort.

Edge guys

He in many ways likes Ojabo more than Hutchinson, sees more athletic/explosive traits, reminds him off Robert Quinn coming out of college. But the injury is bad and there is no guarantees what he comes back as.

Karlaftis, says he was a state shotput champion, with very strong upper body and hands. Has a nuanced feel on how to attack OTs, he has a plan, is smart. Problem with him is his lower body can’t support his upper body, where his feet stop moving., thus no second move and no flexibility and fluidity. He is not a bender, he is good ‘face up rusher’ – explosive in a confined space and area.  Not a pure edge rusher.

Nik Bonitto, a good rusher, moves at a different speed to other rushers. He needs more play strength but as a pass rusher Cosell likes a lot. He can get OTs off balance. Explosive tape. This guy can rush the passer. Liked him a lot.

Pascal, doesn’t sees him as an edge player in the NFL. Really strong player. Not sure how teams will see him.

Drake Jackson not ready early, has traits, raw and unrefined in how to rush the QB.
 

 

Jordan Davis might not go in the 1st round, can't spend high draft capital on a part time run stopper only.