burlow Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Harbaugh and muffed punts in the postseason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIllg Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Draft Favorites: Taliese Fuaga, T Oregon State (already mentioned) - he's got my favorite reach blocks and double team blocks in the class. He might not test physically like an elite athlete in a straight line, but his balance, fluid hips, and coordination mean that he can turn his body and get himself in the right places to wall off defenders in the running game like no one else. And he's strong and built low to the ground for down blocks and is ready as a pass protector with quality footwork and balance. He's my favorite tackle in the class for Shanahan style teams (including Alt and Fashanu) and sort of like with Darrisaw a couple of years ago, I don't see why he isn't an even more highly regarded prospect. Imagine like 95% of Trent Williams, but at right tackle. Seems really good. Dominick Puni, T Kansas - So, Puni and Graham Barton remind me a lot of each other on tape. Both are fluid guys that execute double teams and reach blocks well, but have a long way to go to live in pass protection. Puni's footwork is really rough and Barton's balance and waist-bending can be really detrimental. However, Barton is getting late first round love and Puni is currently projected in the middle rounds. I get that Barton has experience at guard and center (and I think his skillset makes a lot of sense at center, where you won't be one on one as often and the fluidity and ability to get to guys and get to the second level on double teams matters). I also get that Barton has the longer track record. But right now, I think that Puni is the more likely to actually become a tackle long term and I'm quite happy to get him in mock drafts as a Trent Williams backup/eventual replacement. Byron Murphy II, DT Texas - Murphy is so disruptive that it kind of boggles my mind that he isn't getting more love. Yes, he's on the shorter end, but he is solidly built enough to hold up at the point of attack and too quick for just about every guard and center at the college level. I loved Kobie Turner last year. I love Murphy this year. I have a type. Malik Washington, WR Virginia - First, yes he's 5'8". That's a big deal. Lower catch radius, etc. But he's a rocked up 5'8" at all of 200 pounds. And he led the country in missed tackles forced by wide receivers. 35 missed tackles forced! Sounds like a 49er to me. Made catches at every level of the field. Understands coverage. Has quite useful ball skills for his size. Crazily dangerous in the open field - think Zay Flowers or Rondale Moore. And right now, I'm seeing him too far down draft boards for the skill level and the production. At wide receiver, I spent most of my time this offseason scouting bigger WRs that can try to do Jauan Jennings things (Bru McCoy?), but I fell in love with Malik along the way. And I think if you are going to try and prepare a Deebo replacement on the fly for when his contract runs out or you trade him for assets after next year, Washington can provide a lot of the same explosiveness that you want from your Flanker/Wide Back. Jack Sawyer, DE Ohio State - Yes, he's limited length-wise and explosive wise. But he is an absolutely dogged edge setter and his motor never stops. Bare minimum, you end up with a guy that can take on Clelin Ferrell's role and perform it just as well or better right away with a few added cleanup/effort sacks. But I really think that there's some Trey Hendrickson upside here. And that for me spells some late second/early third round and I've seen him fall further than that often on various boards. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forge Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Nate Tice did his mock draft for Yahoo and had us taking Kingsley Suamataia. He was like the 10th tackle off the board lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIllg Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 1 hour ago, Forge said: Nate Tice did his mock draft for Yahoo and had us taking Kingsley Suamataia. He was like the 10th tackle off the board lol Suamataia gives me Blake Freeland vibes only with even more gangly tall guy energy. Really don’t trust on down blocks or against bull rushes. And for me, Freeland was a lot more polished in their wide zone running game coming out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forge Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 1 hour ago, JIllg said: Suamataia gives me Blake Freeland vibes only with even more gangly tall guy energy. Really don’t trust on down blocks or against bull rushes. And for me, Freeland was a lot more polished in their wide zone running game coming out. I think he's cooking for a year. That's why I'm unsure if the first pick will be a tackle. I think there's a good shot that a guy like Suamataia or even Paul can't beat out McKivitz in year one. I don't think Kyle is going to like Paul that much because I don't think he's going to be a good enough run blocker for him. If they are going to sit these guys a year anyway, I could absolutely just see the FO rolling the dice on a traitsy guy in round 3 that they can redshirt for a year while McKivitz gets rolled out there for one more year until he's a UFA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ftn49 Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 18 hours ago, Forge said: I think he's cooking for a year. That's why I'm unsure if the first pick will be a tackle. I think there's a good shot that a guy like Suamataia or even Paul can't beat out McKivitz in year one. I don't think Kyle is going to like Paul that much because I don't think he's going to be a good enough run blocker for him. If they are going to sit these guys a year anyway, I could absolutely just see the FO rolling the dice on a traitsy guy in round 3 that they can redshirt for a year while McKivitz gets rolled out there for one more year until he's a UFA. I think they'll end up trading up for one. Also, as the resident UGA homer on the board, I've heard about some maturity issues with Mims so I'm out on him. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIllg Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 (edited) 1 hour ago, Ftn49 said: I think they'll end up trading up for one. Also, as the resident UGA homer on the board, I've heard about some maturity issues with Mims so I'm out on him. I don't think that Mims is what we want either. Should look like a crazy athlete - he is a really good 6'7" 340 pounds. But like, in the run game he isn't crushing people. He isn't walling off or reaching cleanly. In the pass game he's just figuring things out. He's had no experience. Mims for me is a top of the second round swing for the fences pick on a bad team that has time to give him starting snaps right away where he'll be pretty bad up front. When you compare Mims to Latham who is the same monstrously huge sort of dude, Latham just crushes people a lot of the the time. Latham isn't the athlete Mims is, but he is just waaaaay more ready. Uses his body to wall off well. Trent Williams says that when a run is going his way, he considers himself the primary receiver and is out there ready to go make a monster hole by crushing someone or by getting a piece of one guy to secure a reach followed by picking up another. There are three first round dudes that I trust to be that primary weapon on run plays and two that stand out for me on outside zone runs in particular. Fuaga and Latham are those dudes at the point of attack on outside zone runs and can pass protect well enough out of the gate. If they aren't there, I'm picking a defensive lineman and looking to snag some developmental tackle sorts/a starting guard (even if that guard is going to be a future center) later on. Note - I trust Fuaga more in pass protection. He's got lighter, quicker feet and fewer penalty issues. Plus, Fuaga's anchor is ironclad and Latham can be forklifted (weird for someone that's all of 360). Latham has had a false starting habit trying to get a first step backwards in pass protection on his opponents. Fuaga has also had a couple of false starts, but they are usually overeagerness going forward trying to go kill someone in the running game. Man, do I freaking love Fuaga. Edited January 5 by JIllg 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forge Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 On 1/4/2024 at 7:59 AM, JIllg said: Jack Sawyer, DE Ohio State - Yes, he's limited length-wise and explosive wise. But he is an absolutely dogged edge setter and his motor never stops. Bare minimum, you end up with a guy that can take on Clelin Ferrell's role and perform it just as well or better right away with a few added cleanup/effort sacks. But I really think that there's some Trey Hendrickson upside here. And that for me spells some late second/early third round and I've seen him fall further than that often on various boards. Sounds like he's going back to OSU. Really surprised. Must not have liked the grade he got back from the advisory board 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JIllg Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 1 minute ago, Forge said: Sounds like he's going back to OSU. Really surprised. Must not have liked the grade he got back from the advisory board Yeah, I'm surprised too. I guess as a former five star guy with some NIL, he might be hoping for a first round grade. That's more doable in next year's class. But I think his measurable are going to put teams off a bit no matter when he comes out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW21 Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Big fan of this Michigan team. JJ McCarthy Blake Corum Roman Wilson Mike Sainristil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ftn49 Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 Jack Westover a possible Juice successor? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlow Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 1 minute ago, Ftn49 said: Jack Westover a possible Juice successor? trying to pay attention to his blocking a little more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ftn49 Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 9 minutes ago, burlow said: trying to pay attention to his blocking a little more. First time I've really watched Washington play and his movement skills kind of reminded me of Juices. I'm assuming you're saying he's not very good? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlow Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 2 minutes ago, Ftn49 said: First time I've really watched Washington play and his movement skills kind of reminded me of Juices. I'm assuming you're saying he's not very good? First time watching Washington as well to any real degree. I sometime in the 3rd quarter I thought I should start paying attention to him as a possible backup TE but a Juice replacement could work as well, just wanted to see how his game rounds out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forge Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 Penix has played better games. Congrats to harbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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