2018 Draft Prospects

[WindyCity]

6 minutes ago, G08 said:

Are there any round 2 guards/centers that you absolutely love? I'm guessing the Bears are 50/50 on Nelson if he's there at 8 (something tells me they will draft him if he is there) but assuming they don't and go with Tremaine Edmunds, who are some prospects you like that could fall and be there for us at #39?

James Daniels from Iowa.

I would take him at 39, start him at C, move Whitehair to OG. The dude has great size 6'3" 295lbs, long arms 34", and he has great athletic ability. We could run zone stretch and screens to both sides.

[G08]

Just now, WindyCity said:

James Daniels from Iowa.

I would take him at 39, start him at C, move Whitehair to OG. The dude has great size 6'3" 295lbs, long arms 34", and he has great athletic ability. We could run zone stretch and screens to both sides.

I didn't focus on him much when I watched my Hawks play... can he anchor? That's the issue we have/had with Grasu.

[WindyCity]

34 minutes ago, G08 said:

I didn't focus on him much when I watched my Hawks play... can he anchor? That's the issue we have/had with Grasu.

I think so. He reminds me of a bigger Rodney Hudson. He is just always in good position.

[topwop1]

1 hour ago, WindyCity said:

Argument for Nelson

1. He is the best player in the draft
2. It is all about Trubisky
3. Gives you potentially a dominant OL

Argument Against Nelson

1. Positional value
2. You need some defensive playmakers
3. You can find a starting OG in the 2nd

I feel like Nelson will be the pick if he's there at #8 for several reasons.  There's a void now at LG with Sitton gone and Long is always hurt. Then there's the Hiestand connection to Nelson.  As for pass rushers, aside from Chubb there are lots of question marks at the Edge/OLB position in this draft.  

Edmunds played all over the place in college and doesn't really have a true position yet, but I think he's the most likely to get picked if not Nelson because perhaps he can fill a couple of needs (EDGE/ILB).

Landry is super athletic but has injury concerns and Davenport is very raw.  With so many question marks outside of Chubb, IMO they will be able to find value at this position in the 2nd round (ie. Key/Carter). Fangio is also as good as any coach out there in developing these guys.

As for WR that was never going to be the pick in round 1, especially now with the FA haul.  CB was a possibility but I see that out the window now with both Fuller and Prince back on multi year deals.

Edited March 19, 2018 by topwop1

[dll2000]

Giants move out of two if: 

1) they only really like one of QBs and Cleveland takes their guy.

2) they trade to a team that gives them their 2019 one and gamble that their trade partner stinks enough it puts them back at top of draft in 2019.  

3) they get an offer so good they can’t refuse.  

Otherwise they have to think they likely won’t get another chance to draft at top of the draft and get a future QB without paying the kings ransom in picks. 

I say little chance they sit and take Barkley like so many are predicting.  

[G08]

@dll2000 I have no idea what the NYG want to do, but it "sounds" like they want to give Eli a couple more chances before moving on from him. Barkley would be a perfect pick for them at 2 if that was the case... should be interesting! I hope 4 QBs go in the top 7.

[WindyCity]

If we look at Pace's draft classes we often see some trends over 3 years that may be helpful in narrowing down who he may be looking at in certain rounds.

1st Round

Targets elite athletes

-Kevin White, Leanard Floyd, and even Trubisky were elite athletes for their position.

Upside is a huge factor

-There has been a tremendous amount of projection with all of the 1st round picks in the Pace era. In fact Trubisky and Floyd were largely projected by the media as reaches where they were picked.

Production not as valuable

-Kevin White had 1 season of production, Floyd had never really produced as a pass rusher, and Trubisky had 13 starts. Clearly experience and production take a back seat to upside and what they become.

2nd Round

Trade Downs

2/3 years he had moved down in the 2nd round and in total he has moved down 3 times adding multiple 4th and 5th round picks in the process. This appears to be the area where he feels most comfortable with getting picks back and adding picks.

Big Trench Players

Eddie Goldman and Cody Whitehair are obvious investments in the trenches and Shaheen is an inline TE that is close. This appears to be a round where he is looking to add players in more lunch pale areas.

Day 3

Multiple Picks at a Position

-In one draft we have seen 3 picks invested in DBs, we have seen 3 day 3 RBs added in 3 years. He appears to like to put multiple picks at a position of need in day 3 to see if he can land someone who can contribute.

Small School Guys

-Clearly Pace does not shy away from taking small school projections on day 3. We have seen Kutztown, NC A&T, William and Mary, Northern Iowa in the schools of players drafted. I think he is looking for guys who have not been over scouted and may have some upside to them.

[WindyCity]

Based on tendencies we have seen what I would expect

1. Defensive Super Athlete with a ton of upside

2. Trade down and then an OLmen who can start pretty quickly

4. There will be 3 of these after the trade down and the Bears will add 2 players at a need position like LB

[G08]

9 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Based on tendencies we have seen what I would expect

1. Defensive Super Athlete with a ton of upside

2. Trade down and then an OLmen who can start pretty quickly

4. There will be 3 of these after the trade down and the Bears will add 2 players at a need position like LB

Yup. Edmunds or Landry at 1 (unless Fitzpatrick is there, which I think will throw everything out of whack).

2nd round I'm expecting a trade down and finally a selection of someone who will either convert from OT to OG, or it will be Pace's highest rated OG/OC.

4th round an onward there might be a little wheeling and dealing (might move up if someone he covets is falling) but I'd expect, as you said, ILB to be addressed as well as a swing tackle to groom/develop.

[Nads786]

10 minutes ago, WindyCity said:

Based on tendencies we have seen what I would expect

1. Defensive Super Athlete with a ton of upside

2. Trade down and then an OLmen who can start pretty quickly

4. There will be 3 of these after the trade down and the Bears will add 2 players at a need position like LB

We have a small sample size so perhaps those decisions were based on how the draft board fell for him. I would add I think he is someone who knows exactly the player he wants and actively goes to get him. He is not conservative at all. 

[Sugashane]

18 hours ago, blkwdw13 said:

I'm still at

1. ILB Tremaine Edwards

2. OLB Lorenzo Carter/Dorance Armstrong

That woukd be fantastic. I've been a big fan of Armstrong since the 2016 season, I would be ecstatic to get him in the 2nd, Carter projects as a high potential player too due to his physical gifts. 

[WindyCity]

38 minutes ago, Nads786 said:

We have a small sample size so perhaps those decisions were based on how the draft board fell for him. I would add I think he is someone who knows exactly the player he wants and actively goes to get him. He is not conservative at all. 

3 Drafts is enough to see some trends.

Not sure that we see an aggressive move in the 1st round this year for "the guy" this is the first draft where is starting without a premium pick.

[G08]

Just now, WindyCity said:

3 Drafts is enough to see some trends.

Not sure that we see an aggressive move in the 1st round this year for "the guy" this is the first draft where is starting without a premium pick.

We don't even have the juice to move up 2 spots right now... I don't see a way in which Pace moves up from 8.

It should be one of: Nelson, Fitzpatrick, Edmunds, Landry (reach)

[Epyon]

Something that has been bugging me on Harold Landry's tape, and I was only able to put my finger on it yesterday...

No it's not his run support, which isn't nearly as bad as it's often portrayed....... but rather.... try and find a clip where he really hits a dude.... because I'm not sure it exists.....  He bends the edge, and he has plenty of sacks, but even when given a free shot you don't see him ever laying a guy out.... it's almost universally hand/arm contact bringing the guy down.... Compare that to Chubb's tape, and he outright destroys some people when he's given a free shot to lower his shoulder and drive through someone.

This is my big problem with our current draft position.....I can't really seem to find one prospect I'm all in on for the #8 pick, and I just can't see any scenario where Chubb-Edge, Nelson-OG, or even Barkley-RB make it to us.  I can make a case against any of Edmunds-ILB, Ward-CB, James-SS, Minkah-S, Davenport-Edge, Landry-OLB, Vea-DL just as easily as I could make a case for them...

[G08]

@Epyon it's more about projection this year, for me anyway. Edmunds doesn't show enough pass rushing on his "tape" because he simply wasn't asked to do it. His range and burst, however, are outstanding for a kid his size. The Bears will have to bring these kids in on private visits and put them through drills and really assess if they can do what we require in this defense.

For me, I see no reason why Tremaine Edmunds can't be used like Aldon Smith was his rookie season -- just tell him to pin his ears back and get after the QB. Drill drill drill him on hand usage and placement and converting speed to power.