2024 CFB Talk/Draft Prospects: Draft who we want or the world will end.

[diamondbull424]

8 hours ago, DreamKid said:

@diamondbull424 

 

Please let him fall. I don’t know his medicals, but if he falls within range and is still there when Tampa Bay or Arizona is on the clock, I want to absolutely move up.

I know I’m higher on him than anyone not named Chris Simms, but I think he’s the second best WR in this class and slightly above Nabers (as a fit at least).

Any news that might have him fall past the Steelers and other WR needy teams is good news to me.

I’m also quite high on JC Latham as a fit next to Lamar Jackson. When Latham gets his hands on a defender, they don’t escape. His only issue is foot quickness is average to below average. But between his length and rushers respecting Lamar and not wanting to over rush the passing lane, that’s going to afford Latham that extra ability to eat them and bury them.

[diamondbull424]

15 hours ago, DreamKid said:

Some thoughts on Round 1:

- Most likely scenario to me is one of the top Tackles or Cornerbacks falling to our pick for whatever reason(There's typically always a guy there you didn't expect to make it), or the Ravens looking at Graham Barton(Probably gone) & Jackson Powers-Johnson and saying "Okay, you can start next to Linderbaum for the next 8-10 years".

- I don't feel confident enough to outright predict one, but a Trade Up is definitely more likely this year than it has been in the past. 

- It's hard to see WR going from a 14 Million investment need last season with the acquisition of OBJ to not even on the radar this season, so even with all the recent early picks at the position it's fair to say a Round 1 WR is still very much in play. Problem is stock wise it's looking like Brian Thomas Jr is the only mid 1st Round option and then you have Late 1st guys like AD Mitchell, Ladd McConkey, and possibly Xavier Worthy/Troy Franklin but all are trending lower into that early-mid 2nd Round territory(With lacking consensus around their worth). So it's unlikely we see the Ravens reach for a WR talent outside their Top 25 players. 

- It won't happen but a Falcons-Julio Jones type trade up for Malik Nabers would probably be worth it in the long run. He's a talent that typically goes Top 3 but will be pushed down a handful of picks because of other players. 

- I'm expecting Dallas Turner and Jared Verse to be gone, which would make a falling Laiatu Latu the only option at EDGE in Round 1. It looks like Latu's stock is recovering though and he'll probably be picked earlier than most think. 

- It's hard to sell DI as a major need with the success of the unit last year, extensions of Buike/Pierce, upside of Travis Jones, and depth above replacement level in Broderick Washington...BUT.... BPA is BPA and Byron Murphy or Johnny Newton could be Top 15 talents still on the board at our pick. Murphy is the better prospect in my opinion and much less likely to be there but Newton profiles as your classic faller who might force an interesting conversation for the FO.

Yeah I think at this point Nate Wiggins falling to be our pick at 30 and Xavier Worthy are the most likely options for our 1st pick.

That said I disagree about OL, if we don’t trade up than I think we’ve got the best opportunity to upgrade the OL in round 2 with someone like Cooper Beebe, who from a value standpoint gives you a lot of what JPJ gives you but can probably be had a round or perhaps more below (maybe).

But the reports regarding teams wanting to trade up for OT likely means that all the top talents at OT probably won’t make it past pick 25… and to be clear when I say top OTs, I think there’s a clear dropoff past Mims and it wouldn’t be worth the 1st round selection IMO.

So the further along we go into the draft day, I’ve got three scenarios that I feel are likely going to happen in round 1:

Scenario A) We sit at pick 30 and we miss out on all the top 20 prospects, we miss out on the top 4 WR prospects that are on a higher tier, we miss out on the top 6 OT options in Alt, Latham, Fashanu, Fautanu, Fuanga, and Mims as well. Thus at this point we’ve got to go BPA and that’s likely going to be corner.

What our corner group currently lacks is that incredibly fast corner that can matchup with the speedy WR options. Currently Stephens is the best fit in that role. Wiggins would complete the group admirably and has great special teams value that I’m sure would impress Harbaugh.

Scenario B) We wait and get to our pick and while we could go corner, there is a team or two looking to get their QB and get that 5th year option. A team like the Raiders for example might want to trade up for Michael Penix.

A team like New England, if they’re not sold on Maye, might decide to trade down early and then add playmakers and protectors before deciding to trade back into round 1 to get Penix. The Raiders might decide the same.

Either way in this scenario, if we can pickup a day 2 pick to move down, that might be worth the move.

Scenario C) We see a player falling that is high up on our board and then trade up for him. My top three prospects that I think could fit the bill would be Amarius Mims, JC Latham, and Brian Thomas Jr.

Latham and Mims considering the talk of many teams being interesting to trade up to secure a talented OT prospect, neither likely fall. However between Latham being a “Bama OL” with somewhat slower feet, I could foresee a scenario where he falls and we trade up to the early 20s to scoop him up.

Same with Mims, only his injury history would be the thing that would likely see him slide. A team would have to be confident in their depth to draft him and rely on him to be their only solution to the position. Some teams might covet a more durable player that’s less talented because they’re more confident that he can be available for all 17 games. The Ravens having a ton of depth along the OL would allow them to take the gamble on Mims health that few other teams can feel as confident in doing. However the further down in the draft, the more likely any team is going to be comfortable taking that gamble, so we’ll have to move up to secure him I’m sure.

Lastly Brian Thomas Jr has somehow slid in tons of mocks that I’m seeing and is falling all the way down to the Bills because of a shoulder. If he were the kind of WR who uses physicality to win like an Xavier Legette, Malik Washington, or Malachi Corley… than I’d be more concerned. For someone that’s a vertical WR, I’m not concerned. If he falls, even with the Bateman deal, we’d be fools to not move up and secure him. I’d be surprised if he’s not high up on our board.

[diamondbull424]

On the topic of Brian Thomas Jr, I’m hearing rumors from the NFL draft that the Cowboys are going to be trading up to the Raiders pick and securing a WR.

My assumption is that WR is going to be Brian Thomas Jr, so the chance that he’s a guy that falls wouldn’t be the case in this scenario. If true, I think that’s a very smart move by the Cowboys, I think Brian Thomas Jr would fit in perfectly with that team and he’s being slept on in this process IMO.