2022 College Prospect Thread

[AnAngryAmerican]

23 hours ago, Dbrog24 said:

Hell, the Raiders are now at 3-3...who woulda thunk that?! 

Well, they beat the Packers and the Patriots, at home, and have the Bears this week. It's like false spring we get March. A blizzard is right around the corner. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by AnAngryAmerican

[The Helicopter]

We have to do whatever it takes to lose out. If that means keeping Vance Joseph at the helm, trading players, letting Russ get walloped, designing terrible plays...do it. If Payton can pull that off, then his hire was worth it. 

[grizmo78]

To add more on my trade down position, here is how my overall philosophy of the rebuild would go:

As crummy as it is, I think we need to be thinking about 2026 as when we start truly competing again. That's when we'll be free of the Russ money. While drafting a QB this year helps mitigate our total contribution to the position, it hinders the huge benefit of a rookie contract QB on the team. We essentially would get the last 2 years of the rookie QBs contract where we can build a great (expensive) supporting cast. 

If we remodel our rebuild after anyone, the Dolphins are the best example. Specifically what they did prior to the 2020 season that helped set up having 5 first round picks and 4 second round picks in a 2 year span while drafting their QBotf. They utilized their poor year to fund their future rather than waiting for their future to arrive and mortgage their resources to get talent (yes I know they traded premium picks for Hill but that is after having stocked their team with high end cheap prospects in advance). 

These next two years, we should be focused on trading our "talented" players for what we can get (Surtain aside unless we get at minimum 2 firsts and second from a poor team). Trade down from our high picks to accumulate additional resources in 2025/2026 and hopefully (🤮)  in addition to have a stockpile of draft picks, we will also be bad enough to draft a top QB going into 2026 and be able to put talent around him. 

In terms of position priority I'd focus on the offense as a whole (specifically Lions mentality of O-line then skill positions) and defense last (D-line first, secondary last). That would force an offense to learn how to put up lots of points because they need to before rounding out the team. Secondary last because athleticism is so important on that side of the ball and is fleeting in older ages. 

Having Sean now is important though as it allows him to build continuity through these years that the team can build on and be prepared for when we actually have talent needed to compete. 

If we don't hit on that QB then who knows... We'll be in retool/restart mode all over again. 

[Broncofan]

2 hours ago, grizmo78 said:

To add more on my trade down position, here is how my overall philosophy of the rebuild would go:

As crummy as it is, I think we need to be thinking about 2026 as when we start truly competing again. That's when we'll be free of the Russ money. While drafting a QB this year helps mitigate our total contribution to the position, it hinders the huge benefit of a rookie contract QB on the team. We essentially would get the last 2 years of the rookie QBs contract where we can build a great (expensive) supporting cast. 

If we remodel our rebuild after anyone, the Dolphins are the best example. Specifically what they did prior to the 2020 season that helped set up having 5 first round picks and 4 second round picks in a 2 year span while drafting their QBotf. They utilized their poor year to fund their future rather than waiting for their future to arrive and mortgage their resources to get talent (yes I know they traded premium picks for Hill but that is after having stocked their team with high end cheap prospects in advance). 

These next two years, we should be focused on trading our "talented" players for what we can get (Surtain aside unless we get at minimum 2 firsts and second from a poor team). Trade down from our high picks to accumulate additional resources in 2025/2026 and hopefully (🤮)  in addition to have a stockpile of draft picks, we will also be bad enough to draft a top QB going into 2026 and be able to put talent around him. 

In terms of position priority I'd focus on the offense as a whole (specifically Lions mentality of O-line then skill positions) and defense last (D-line first, secondary last). That would force an offense to learn how to put up lots of points because they need to before rounding out the team. Secondary last because athleticism is so important on that side of the ball and is fleeting in older ages. 

Having Sean now is important though as it allows him to build continuity through these years that the team can build on and be prepared for when we actually have talent needed to compete. 

If we don't hit on that QB then who knows... We'll be in retool/restart mode all over again. 

There aren’t many years where we can get a franchise changing QB, though.   I’m not talking about guys you squint hard and think they have a high ceiling (usually low floor) or are safe but aren’t close to elite ceiling.   But guys you can wake up smiling ear to ear with them in the fold.   This is one of the few years we truly suck and elite ceiling / higher floor guys could be there.   
 

FWIW I agree we’re likely not contending for playoffs until 2025 at earliest and it’s a tall order.   So 2026 is very possible as more likely best-case.   But if you have the chance for an elite ceiling / higher floor guy you shouldn’t pass it up.   Those guys change an org’s future.  I’m confident Williams & Maye fall in that category.   If they aren’t there I see your argument and I’d  probably support it.   But there’s a real chance we are there.   

Edited October 20, 2023 by Broncofan

[grizmo78]

33 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

There aren’t many years where we can get a franchise changing QB, though.   I’m not talking about guys you squint hard and think they have a high ceiling (usually low floor) or are safe but aren’t close to elite ceiling.   But guys you can wake up smiling ear to ear with them in the fold.   This is one of the few years we truly suck and elite ceiling / higher floor guys could be there.   
 

FWIW I agree we’re likely not contending for playoffs until 2025 at earliest and it’s a tall order.   So 2026 is very possible as more likely best-case.   But if you have the chance for an elite ceiling / higher floor guy you shouldn’t pass it up.   Those guys change an org’s future.  I’m confident Williams & Maye fall in that category.   If they aren’t there I see your argument and I’d  probably support it.   But there’s a real chance we are there.   

I don't disagree with you, if we're in position to draft one of those two without a trade up, you have to take it and see what they are but I would be overwhelmingly against trading up for either. There is still over half a season left so this is all a little premature. I guess I was just trying to mesh my general team building philosophy with the predicament the Wilson contract has us in. 

[Broncofan]

17 hours ago, grizmo78 said:

I don't disagree with you, if we're in position to draft one of those two without a trade up, you have to take it and see what they are but I would be overwhelmingly against trading up for either. There is still over half a season left so this is all a little premature. I guess I was just trying to mesh my general team building philosophy with the predicament the Wilson contract has us in. 

Fair enough - and yes there’s a lot of season left.     Things don’t get really interesting until December hits and we're still in range.   NGL though it’s fun to watch the guys play on Saturday’s and dream a little.  

Edited October 21, 2023 by Broncofan

[broncos_fan _from _uk]

My gut says Chicago gets #1 from Carolina, hires Lincoln Riley as their next HC and drafts Caleb Wilson. We get drake who ends up being the better NFL QB.

[grizmo78]

1 hour ago, broncos_fan _from _uk said:

My gut says Chicago gets #1 from Carolina, hires Lincoln Riley as their next HC and drafts Caleb Wilson. We get drake who ends up being the better NFL QB.

I don't see Riley leaving for the foreseeable future. If he was going to leave, it would have been last year before taking the USC job. I think he's there for the long haul. 

[Cutler06]

Saw a mock top ten done by Bleachers Report. They have us dropping to sixth...do they know of a winning streak I don't ??

Edited October 21, 2023 by Cutler06

[Cutler06]

CHI trounces the Raiders, double dipping there, beat-down on LVR AND moves us into 2nd position in the draft

[AKRNA]

8 minutes ago, Cutler06 said:

CHI trounces the Raiders, double dipping there, beat-down on LVR AND moves us into 2nd position in the draft

The Bears, Pats and Giants all won. Great start to the day.

[broncosfan_101]

Getting Caleb or Maye is obviously best case scenario in this draft, but a 1b would be somehow walking out of the 1st round with one of the top 4 OT’s and Jer’zhan Newton. That dude looks like a superstar.

Would need two top-15 picks, not out of the realm of possibility. 

[grizmo78]

Thoughts on Jayden Daniels as a second round target? While still a little bit raw (somewhat concerning for a 5th year senior), the talent is pretty undeniable. He moves up in the pocket well, seems to read defenses pretty well and make touch throws over linebackers. I'd like for him to gain some size and be a little smarter about running when he's in the nfl but could be a good gamble if we're not in position for one of the top 2 qbs. 

Edit: Forgot we don't have a 2nd rounder this year 🙄. Maybe a target if we trade down and pick up another 2nd rounder this year... 

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by grizmo78

[lomaxgrUK]

Whilst I find the plight of the Raiders hilarious, I am a bit worried they are going to be bad enough to be near the top of the draft. Need Jimmy back healthy; he's good enough to keep them in the back end of the top 10, but nowhere near good enough to make them good.

[big_palooka]

3 minutes ago, lomaxgrUK said:

Whilst I find the plight of the Raiders hilarious, I am a bit worried they are going to be bad enough to be near the top of the draft. Need Jimmy back healthy; he's good enough to keep them in the back end of the top 10, but nowhere near good enough to make them good.

We worry the same of the Broncos. Jimmy G won't stay healthy, that's a given. It would be entertaining to see week 18 have some weight as to the top pick.