Trojan's Week Before Draft Raider Mock

[Trojan]

3.086 -- Daniel Faalele, RT Minnesota (Alternative*: unexpected BPA fall here, not Wyatt/Pickens/Wydermeyer/Kinnard though)
4.126 -- Thayer Munford Jr., G The Ohio State (Alternative: Luke Fortner, C/G Kentucky here)
5.164 -- Alontae Taylor, CB Tennessee (Alternative: Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB Alabama here)
5.165 -- Thomas Booker, DT Stanford (Alternative: Curtis Brooks, DT Cincinnati here)
7.227 -- Devin Harper, LB Oklahoma State (Alternative: Danny Gray, WR SMU here)
* all alternatives I do not expect to be available, but think they could // Taylor and Munford I think may flip, but I went with the order closer to what consensus big boarding showed.

3rd Round || Daniel Faalele, Right Tackle Minnesota
Height - 6' 8" || Weight - 384 lbs || Arms - 35 1/8 || Hands - 11"

I feel like most of us picked up on him last draft season before he elected to return, and as a result he's been someone heavily discussed throughout the year. I feel like he rose for a while as a potential second rounder, but my current near the draft feel is that he realistically could be around when we enter the clock late day 2. Josh Daniels has featured some big boys at RT while typically featuring an athlete on the left side and Faalele would play that role opposite Kolton for us. Trent Brown reroll with a humble Austrailian as the person behind the prospect. He'll need that coachability personality as he takes the next step.

4th Round || Thayer Munford Jr., Guard The Ohio State
Height - 6' 6" || Weight - 328 lbs || Arms - 35 1/8 || Hands - 10"

Initially I ignored Munford as I never had him as really in range for our picks and then I came back to him. I liked Wyatt Davis a lot last class, and Munford was the other guard opposite. He's been a big part of some very memorable OSU offenses from JK Dobbins running all over people to this year where their three receivers made an all world passing attack. Like Alex Leatherwood he has experience collegiately at both tackle and guard (he ended his career as a guard, the opposite of Leatherwood though), and that sort of versatility may be an additional point on his card as the team attempts to salvage Leatherwood and place him where ever makes sense to develop and not handicap the team. I'm not sure he's NFL ready, but he comes across as someone who could develop into a gap based blocking scheme versatile piece of the puzzle.

5th Round || Alontae Taylor, Cornerback Tennessee
Height - 6' 0" || Weight - 199 lbs || Arms - 32 1/4 || Vertical - 34.5 || Broad - 10'8" || 40 yard dash - 4.36

Traits based he could develop into the CB2 we need opposite Mullen, but in the mean time he offers some good play on special teams as well. Watching interviews with him impressed me and if we still had our previous staff I would be fairly confident he's a locker room fit. I'd be comfortable with him playing zone, but if we go man the high hips and transition issues you see with many bigger Cover3-y CBs are present. I am confidant our new DC will scheme for personnel though and I have no issues with the prospect.

5th Round || Thomas Booker, Defensive Tackle Stanford
Height - 6' 3" || Weight - 301 lbs || Hands - 10 5/8" || Arms - 33 1/4 || Broad - 9'2" || 40 yard dash - 4.94 || 3 cone - 7.33 ||  20 yard shuttle - 4.41

Booker is one of the most impressive people in this draft, in my opinion. If you are interested in that start researching him, but as a football player he offers quite a bit. He starts out as a top high school prospect, and then chose the top academic football school and graduated with a good GPA. He's played both 3tech and nose and he's done well in each role, although nose is hard to scout as it's a lot of holding ground snap to snap. He flashes that top recruit ability when opportunity presents and is a massive positive influence in the locker room and as a leader. He's a wide body looking at him you wouldn't expect such a low weight, but he can move a bit as well. He was used as a nose later in his career a lot and box scouting him would write him off. He could develop into a nose, but with Hankins and Billings I think his most likely early career rotation would be as a 3tech and he had production there.

7th Round || Devin Harper, Linebacker Oklahoma State
Height - 6' 0" || Weight - 234 lbs || Vertical - 40.5 || Broad - 9'11" || 40 yard dash - 4.44

He was depth his career up until this year which was his super senior year with that extra year of eligibility. I came across him watching his teammate Rodriguez. After being snubbed from the combine Harper performed exceptionally well at his pro day which the above numbers are from, additionally he had 21 reps of 225. Harper in this year of starting showed a versatile skill set from blitzing to coverage and spying to scheme opposing stars out as he did against Oklahoma's freshman superstar Caleb Williams (who now has transferred to USC). Listening to him speak in interviews he comes across as a great teammate, well spoken and understanding of questions which points towards being able to absorb coaching, and obviously athletic and confident. Harpers years as a reserve also had him featuring on STs which in a late round pick is the way onto a roster.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Trojan

[Humble_Beast]

9 hours ago, Trojan said:

3.086 -- Daniel Faalele, RT Minnesota (Alternative*: unexpected BPA fall here, not Wyatt/Pickens/Wydermeyer/Kinnard though)
4.126 -- Thayer Munford Jr., G The Ohio State (Alternative: Luke Fortner, C/G Kentucky here)
5.164 -- Alontae Taylor, CB Tennessee (Alternative: Jalyn Armour-Davis, CB Alabama here)
5.165 -- Thomas Booker, DT Stanford (Alternative: Curtis Brooks, DT Cincinnati here)
7.227 -- Devin Harper, LB Oklahoma State (Alternative: Danny Gray, WR SMU here)
* all alternatives I do not expect to be available, but think they could // Taylor and Munford I think may flip, but I went with the order closer to what consensus big boarding showed.

3rd Round || Daniel Faalele, Right Tackle Minnesota
Height - 6' 8" || Weight - 384 lbs || Arms - 35 1/8 || Hands - 11"

I feel like most of us picked up on him last draft season before he elected to return, and as a result he's been someone heavily discussed throughout the year. I feel like he rose for a while as a potential second rounder, but my current near the draft feel is that he realistically could be around when we enter the clock late day 2. Josh Daniels has featured some big boys at RT while typically featuring an athlete on the left side and Faalele would play that role opposite Kolton for us. Trent Brown reroll with a humble Austrailian as the person behind the prospect. He'll need that coachability personality as he takes the next step.

REACTION: Faalele is on my short list of guys I want in the 3rd. He's a great 3rd round prospect at a position of need. 

4th Round || Thayer Munford Jr., Guard The Ohio State
Height - 6' 6" || Weight - 328 lbs || Arms - 35 1/8 || Hands - 10"

Initially I ignored Munford as I never had him as really in range for our picks and then I came back to him. I liked Wyatt Davis a lot last class, and Munford was the other guard opposite. He's been a big part of some very memorable OSU offenses from JK Dobbins running all over people to this year where their three receivers made an all world passing attack. Like Alex Leatherwood he has experience collegiately at both tackle and guard (he ended his career as a guard, the opposite of Leatherwood though), and that sort of versatility may be an additional point on his card as the team attempts to salvage Leatherwood and place him where ever makes sense to develop and not handicap the team. I'm not sure he's NFL ready, but he comes across as someone who could develop into a gap based blocking scheme versatile piece of the puzzle.

REACTION: I like how you hammer home the OL. Munford has been overlooked, NFL.com thinks he should go back to Tackle. He was a rock for years at Ohio State 

5th Round || Alontae Taylor, Cornerback Tennessee
Height - 6' 0" || Weight - 199 lbs || Arms - 32 1/4 || Vertical - 34.5 || Broad - 10'8" || 40 yard dash - 4.36

Traits based he could develop into the CB2 we need opposite Mullen, but in the mean time he offers some good play on special teams as well. Watching interviews with him impressed me and if we still had our previous staff I would be fairly confident he's a locker room fit. I'd be comfortable with him playing zone, but if we go man the high hips and transition issues you see with many bigger Cover3-y CBs are present. I am confidant our new DC will scheme for personnel though and I have no issues with the prospect.

REACTION: I agree with finding a CB in the 4th-5th range. It's a great class, a few solid options in these rounds 

5th Round || Thomas Booker, Defensive Tackle Stanford
Height - 6' 3" || Weight - 301 lbs || Hands - 10 5/8" || Arms - 33 1/4 || Broad - 9'2" || 40 yard dash - 4.94 || 3 cone - 7.33 ||  20 yard shuttle - 4.41

Booker is one of the most impressive people in this draft, in my opinion. If you are interested in that start researching him, but as a football player he offers quite a bit. He starts out as a top high school prospect, and then chose the top academic football school and graduated with a good GPA. He's played both 3tech and nose and he's done well in each role, although nose is hard to scout as it's a lot of holding ground snap to snap. He flashes that top recruit ability when opportunity presents and is a massive positive influence in the locker room and as a leader. He's a wide body looking at him you wouldn't expect such a low weight, but he can move a bit as well. He was used as a nose later in his career a lot and box scouting him would write him off. He could develop into a nose, but with Hankins and Billings I think his most likely early career rotation would be as a 3tech and he had production there.

REACTION: I like Booker the prospect. At this point, is a great pick in the 5th 

7th Round || Devin Harper, Linebacker Oklahoma State
Height - 6' 0" || Weight - 234 lbs || Vertical - 40.5 || Broad - 9'11" || 40 yard dash - 4.44

He was depth his career up until this year which was his super senior year with that extra year of eligibility. I came across him watching his teammate Rodriguez. After being snubbed from the combine Harper performed exceptionally well at his pro day which the above numbers are from, additionally he had 21 reps of 225. Harper in this year of starting showed a versatile skill set from blitzing to coverage and spying to scheme opposing stars out as he did against Oklahoma's freshman superstar Caleb Williams (who now has transferred to USC). Listening to him speak in interviews he comes across as a great teammate, well spoken and understanding of questions which points towards being able to absorb coaching, and obviously athletic and confident. Harpers years as a reserve also had him featuring on STs which in a late round pick is the way onto a roster.

Reaction: I barely read about this guy the other day. He is an athletic freak, and those the type of guys you take a shot on in the 3rd. I agree there are a few sleeper LBs late we should take a shot on. I like Rodriquez, Barrell, Carpenter, Harper 

I would prefer adding a pick or two, but this would be a solid class. Good prospects at positions that could use an infusion of talent. 

[true2form]

I like picking up Munford and I'd like it more if they planned to use him at tackle.  He was very good at LT two years ago and he unselfishly switched to LG to get the best 5 on the field last year.  The transition didn't go super smooth.  I could see him as a swing tackle with the potential to compete at RT.  If we are looking for a Guard, I'd look elsewhere.

[Humble_Beast]

8 hours ago, true2form said:

I like picking up Munford and I'd like it more if they planned to use him at tackle.  He was very good at LT two years ago and he unselfishly switched to LG to get the best 5 on the field last year.  The transition didn't go super smooth.  I could see him as a swing tackle with the potential to compete at RT.  If we are looking for a Guard, I'd look elsewhere.

I was reading About him on NFL.com.... they are higher on him as a tackle, and he has a solid resume to back him up. 

[OnlyGlove]

I'm not a fan of Daniel Faalele that high. I think he's potentially too big, can't get small and will get beat with leverage and he's so slow.  Very bad technically too.   Rather just stick with Leatherwood because he's a project too. 

[Devilshark69]

I like it. Good mock. Solid picks. B+

[jimkelly02]

15 hours ago, OnlyGlove said:

I'm not a fan of Daniel Faalele that high. I think he's potentially too big, can't get small and will get beat with leverage and he's so slow.  Very bad technically too.   Rather just stick with Leatherwood because he's a project too. 

At some point being “too big” is a real problem.  While he moves well for his size he moves poorly compared to top and mid level prospects.  And yes he’s rather poor in his technique.  Also, for his size He doesn’t have crazy game strength, which is likely because of leverage issues.  I’d much rather have Kinnard is your looking for a big, physical RT.

[jimkelly02]

On 4/25/2022 at 2:09 PM, true2form said:

I like picking up Munford and I'd like it more if they planned to use him at tackle.  He was very good at LT two years ago and he unselfishly switched to LG to get the best 5 on the field last year.  The transition didn't go super smooth.  I could see him as a swing tackle with the potential to compete at RT.  If we are looking for a Guard, I'd look elsewhere.

I like Munford as a 4/5th round pick for us, but I take issue with the characterization “he was good 2 years ago at LT” but struggled with the transition.  
Don’t get me wrong he was good his Jr year at LT but he was rated much higher then he is now because his game tape wasn’t out Thru detailed examination like it is being now that he’s in the draft and any minor flaws we’re disregarded because he had the potential to correct them with more Playing time.  It can portrayed as he Selflessly moved to get the 5 best OL on the field but it’s more likely to be true that had he not moved he’d have lost his job to Petite-Frere.  Munford May be a great teammate but he isn’t stupid and when your the starting LT at OSU as a Jr and then move to G as a Sr that will Absolutely cause harm to your draft stock, no matter now well you play.  No one does that purely to Be a good team mate.

[true2form]

12 hours ago, jimkelly02 said:

I like Munford as a 4/5th round pick for us, but I take issue with the characterization “he was good 2 years ago at LT” but struggled with the transition.  
Don’t get me wrong he was good his Jr year at LT but he was rated much higher then he is now because his game tape wasn’t out Thru detailed examination like it is being now that he’s in the draft and any minor flaws we’re disregarded because he had the potential to correct them with more Playing time.  It can portrayed as he Selflessly moved to get the 5 best OL on the field but it’s more likely to be true that had he not moved he’d have lost his job to Petite-Frere.  Munford May be a great teammate but he isn’t stupid and when your the starting LT at OSU as a Jr and then move to G as a Sr that will Absolutely cause harm to your draft stock, no matter now well you play.  No one does that purely to Be a good team mate.

In general, I'd agree with what you're saying.  Since I'm a Buckeye fan I know what happened, so I have to disagree.

https://www.thelantern.com/2021/12/football-munford-returns-to-natural-position-for-final-game-with-ohio-state/#:~:text=It's been a season full,spent much of his season.

"Munford's move to guard was rooted in giving junior offensive tackle Dawand Jones an opportunity to see the field.  Jones took over the right tackle spot, while Petit-Frere shifted over to left tackle."

Edited April 27, 2022 by true2form

[Darbsk]

I've seen Faalele a lot in mocks to us and on the surface it does make a lot of sense. We need a RT, we previously signed Trent Brown and he is an obvious comparison as a huge RT and we've had sone huge OLinemen over the last few years but I just feel the agility comparison is not quite there, Brown was a very agile man for his size and as @jimkelly02 says above Faalele does look ponderous and slack at times and doesn't really overwhelm with power like you'd expect given the mass advantage he has, not at the level which will be required against NFL ends at least. It's a popular pick for obvious reasons but I have big question marks over that one. 

[Humble_Beast]

JimKelly02 is making me very weary of Faalele 

[jimkelly02]

21 hours ago, Humble_Beast said:

JimKelly02 is making me very weary of Faalele 

Lol…. If you like him, stay liking him.  I’m not trying to turn people off from Him.  Merely stating my opinion.  If he slimmed down to 350Ish and gained agility id be Less opposed to drafting him.  He’s just too unrefined for me and I don’t think he’ll be capable of blocking speed rushers or even worse players that can turn speed to power.  If we do draft him, he’s gotta lose weight.  He’s Not 386lbs Of muscle, Islanders do have that “hard fat” body type and he Isn’t super flabby, but there is room to cut down on fat.  Even if he does get to 350 I don’t think he’ll have the feet to make it but at least that’s give him a chance.

[jimkelly02]

On 4/27/2022 at 10:44 AM, true2form said:

In general, I'd agree with what you're saying.  Since I'm a Buckeye fan I know what happened, so I have to disagree.

https://www.thelantern.com/2021/12/football-munford-returns-to-natural-position-for-final-game-with-ohio-state/#:~:text=It's been a season full,spent much of his season.

"Munford's move to guard was rooted in giving junior offensive tackle Dawand Jones an opportunity to see the field.  Jones took over the right tackle spot, while Petit-Frere shifted over to left tackle."

I’m willing to believe, etc what you say since you know more as a buckeye fan.  I was just skeptical, which I’m sure you can understand.  I will add that Jones is a highly rated prospect in his own right and Munford very well of could have believed his future in the nfl was at guard anyways. 

[true2form]

13 hours ago, jimkelly02 said:

I’m willing to believe, etc what you say since you know more as a buckeye fan.  I was just skeptical, which I’m sure you can understand.  I will add that Jones is a highly rated prospect in his own right and Munford very well of could have believed his future in the nfl was at guard anyways. 

Yeah, I'm not saying you're wrong in your assessment.  Munford could develop into a starting Tackle, an average Guard, or just be a mediocre backup type guy.  I think he's worth a shot in the 4th or 5th.

[Jeremy408]

17 hours ago, jimkelly02 said:

Lol…. If you like him, stay liking him.  I’m not trying to turn people off from Him.  Merely stating my opinion.  If he slimmed down to 350Ish and gained agility id be Less opposed to drafting him.  He’s just too unrefined for me and I don’t think he’ll be capable of blocking speed rushers or even worse players that can turn speed to power.  If we do draft him, he’s gotta lose weight.  He’s Not 386lbs Of muscle, Islanders do have that “hard fat” body type and he Isn’t super flabby, but there is room to cut down on fat.  Even if he does get to 350 I don’t think he’ll have the feet to make it but at least that’s give him a chance.

I think the bottom line is he's not the finished product right now and he's not gonna start next year so if you want him(like I do) it's gonna be because he is a very high end upside pick that with a good o line coach like we have he could be developed into potentially one of. Dont ANYTHING from at all this year. Not even in preseason lol.

The good news about us this year is in theory we don't need to draft anyone that needs to start this year. We need people that are going to replace the one year deals of all the people that we're not gonna pay next year.

For Example, if we were to get metchie, he wouldn't play right away he would just sit there until we decide whether or not we're gonna pay Renfrow 

Or if we were able to get coby Bryant or one of the Clemson corners it would be for next year when all the run year deals on everybody runs out we would have us corner that sat for a year and would be ready to start by then. 

Same with Anderson at linebacker or whatever DT is available(unless it's Mathias)

Bottom line is we might be better served getting talent that can be coached and developed rather than getting an instant starter. I think Ziegler saw that which is at least partially why he felt comfortable trading the first and second for a star wr instead