2021 Draft Review: Grades, Rage, Praise

[diamondbull424]

4 hours ago, SalvadorsDeli said:

They were genuinely surprised to see Bateman fall to 27.

I was as well. I thought everyone in the draft game were fools for having both Bateman AND Moore on their lists. If I’m being honest, I thought there was NO SHOT that Bateman fell to us and only about a 33% chance that Moore would fall to our pick. Figured once the draft broke that way, we would go for OL and edge and be forced to neglect the WR position and instead trade for Julio Jones (though I figured there was some outside chance that we would decide to trade down from 31 and Terrace Marshall would fall to a spot where we deemed his medical somewhat inconsequential to his potential).

3 hours ago, DreamKid said:

Bateman really is a Top 10-20 receiver who just kind of fell into our laps. 4 Star recruit who turned down late offers from bigger schools, staying with Minnesota. Shoddy QB play throughout his tenure. Wasn't eligible to declare after monster 2019 season. COVID hits the process and him personally. 4 Bigger name receivers(Pitts,Chase,Waddle,Smith) enter the draft with him, after a couple consecutive years of strong WR classes enriched positions rooms around the league. If just one of those things doesn't happen, we likely have no shot at him.

Also, shout out to the Giants and Gettleman for rolling with Kardarius Toney....

Exactly, this idiotic pick was the catalyst. It makes no sense to me how they would decide to go for a WR who has spent his collegiate time more focused on being a rapper than a WR prospect (granted he does have undeniable potential when focused). Toney has the kind of upside to turn into PB type talent if they could figure out a way to have him focus exclusively on his pro prospects, but when dealing with the WR position, it already has high bust potential within the 1st round, so why would they want to add in the obvious focus issues Toney brings to the table? Especially when Toney and Moore are IMO very similar WRs; only Moore was focused on his craft the entire time and is obviously more advanced in his route running consistency. Both present YAC ability and oily hips. Toney has a better size profile, but it’s nothing extensive that would provide him an advantageous matchup boost to Moore at the next level.

Not to mention Moore is a year younger. I’m still baffled that the Giants would take Kadarius Toney over both Bateman and Elijah Moore. It was the catalyst that allowed for us to acquiesce the better talent fit in Bateman. Lamar’s ball placement issues best pairs with a wider catch radius and Bateman presents roughly 4-6” of direct length over Toney and Moore (standing reach) and a pretty aggressive high point profile to boot.

3 hours ago, DreamKid said:

Seems like it could've easily been Moore & Rousseau instead of Bateman & Oweh. Always interesting how the board falls and fates change. I think Rousseau would've had a better shot at development with us vs the Bills. Oweh should consider himself lucky, we were probably his best shot at reaching his ceiling league wide.

I was much more confident in Rousseau than I currently am with Oweh (hence my pessimism with the Brown Jr compensation) I thought GR clearly seemed to be an impact option rushing out of the 5 tech and with Calais Campbell directly teaching him the ropes combined with his size and length that were CC-esq, seemed to be an unlikely bust option with us.

Odafe absolutely has more potential, he’s got AP type of potential with his athletic profile and natural strength, but I’m not as convinced of his effort on a play to play basis as I was GR (which was arguably his strongest ability as a prospect). Too often on tape, I see Oweh jogging backside, trusting his teammates to make the play whereas GR is from the 11 hats to the ball school. He’s looking to be a part of the action regardless of if his teammates should conceivably be able to make a play.

Teaching technique is one thing, teaching field effort is another. Though Oweh isn’t pathetic or bad in his field effort either. With a Ray Lewis guiding the defense, I’d be 100% confident that Oweh would turn into a legitimate demon within this defense, the past decade since RL departure, I haven’t felt our players consistently brought that same effort on a play to play basis within our front 7. 

My biggest hope with Oweh that I do like is that McPhee is here and has been an invaluable energy conductor the last couple seasons IMO; Calais Campbell has been both an energy conductor as well as a technician freak that I think the young front 7 players can really benefit from playing alongside; Rob Ryan, while brought on to be the ILB coach, I’m hoping will largely be more of an overall unit coach and provide that additional Ryan energy that those guys bring to any/every defense they’re a part of; Wink’s schematic strengths with pressure and teaching ability. I think Oweh, along with playing next to a ball of energy like Patrick Queen, could certainly benefit greatly from the environment.

He’s definitely, outside of playing in NE with Belichick, in probably the best situation in the league for cultivating his defensive talent and providing him his best chance into evolving into an apex predator. I’m just not particularly confident with projecting such, makes me nervous. Feel like I’d have to fully throw on the purple shades to be confident with that selection.

Either way, it’s indeed interesting how the fates of teams and players can change by virtue of draft decisions. The Giants selection of Toney, the Raiders selection of Leatherwood, and the Panthers/Broncos both selection of corners were all the catalysts of a draft route that was all but impossible for me to envision prior to it’s inception. Such decision making provides for such interesting drama that one who doesn’t follow the draft can never truly understand.

3 hours ago, DreamKid said:

The Leatherwood BS reminded me of the 'Packers had to jump the Ravens to get Darnell Savage'  talking point. Just never made any sense. Yea, Zrebiec said we didn't really like Jenkins a couple times now. Had to be some glaring tape, medical, or character issue the FO had. 

Prior to his senior bowl performance, I honestly was pretty interested in Leatherwood myself. Though yeah, the fact that he could have that type of performance at the senior bowl (where the Ravens are noted to really do a ton of research on an annual basis) and we still would be that high on him, doesn’t at all seem like a plausible scenario.

1 hour ago, sp6488 said:

Short arms. Our FO are huge arm length sticklers when it comes to drafting legit tackle prospects. 

That makes sense. Couldn’t imagine why we wouldn’t like Teven Jenkins, but this is definitely a good enough reason.