Your Draft Hot Takes

[Shylo3716]

1. Buffalo will move up in the top-5 to select their pocket-passer. (Trade picks with San Francisco)

2. Anthony Miller will be selected in the first-round.

3. Sony Michel will clock the fastest 40-time for the RB position and be selected before Nick Chubb.

4. There will be at least 5 CBs to be selected in the first-round.

5. Saquon Barkley will not be selected within the first 5 picks.

[CalhounLambeau]

2 hours ago, Shylo3716 said:

Anthony Miller will be selected in the first-round.

I've heard rumblings that he has an injury in his history that may be problematic for him at combine medicals (I would guess shoulder). 

Aside from that, a 5'11" 190 WR that will turn 24 years old during his rookie season. 

Not a likely first round pick. I would guess he goes in the third round. 

[48 1/2ers]

2 hours ago, CalhounLambeau said:

Aside from that, a 5'11" 190 WR that will turn 24 years old during his rookie season. 

Not a likely first round pick. I would guess he goes in the third round. 

Pretty spot on with John Brown from Pitt St., although Miller has legit #1 receiver potential regardless of age/size so late 1st wouldnt surprise me. 

[Epyon]

Been watching tape on WRs mostly:

-#1 WR is this class is Calvin Ridley... and I don't think it's that close... only top 10 WR talent imo.

-Jaleel Scott ends up being one of the biggest draft risers and a mid-late 2nd rounder by draft day (most sites I've seen have him as a 4th or later currently).

-I really don't see it in Washington, and I'm genuinely confused as to how some people have him so high.

-Gallup will underperform at the combine.. Just get the feeling he's one of those good players, who isn't a particularly good athlete.

[CalhounLambeau]

11 minutes ago, 48 1/2ers said:

Pretty spot on with John Brown from Pitt St., although Miller has legit #1 receiver potential regardless of age/size so late 1st wouldnt surprise me. 

You guys are nuts. Probably won't run that fast. Reminds me more of Taywan Taylor. But we're all wrong and disagreements are what make this fun. We'll see. 

[Word_is_Bond]

Not sure how hot these are, but here we go:

• Auden Tate is WR1: First let me say that I'm a big fan of Calvin Ridley. However, I think Auden Tate holds much more upside. I may be a little bias here because big-bodied WRs with rare size and athleticism are one of my favorite molds among any position. Tate turns a 50/50 ball into an 80/20 ball. He may draw a lot of comparisons to Mike Williams, but I think he's actually a better contested catcher, a better route runner and probably a better athlete as well. Graceful body control with locked-in concentration along with his size and athleticism is rare, and gives Tate potential to be an elite WR in the NFL.
• Michael Gallup is a Top 5 WR: If you're a box score scout, you may say Michael Gallup's performance in the New Mexico Bowl was underwhelming. However, you have to factor in that two impressive 'almost' TD grabs were ruled incomplete following review. There was a late 3rd & long, and you just knew they were going to throw it to him. Gallup ended up making a one-handed snag over the middle albeit in a losing effort. I think he's similar to Calvin Ridley in terms of how they win off release with quickness and savvy along with a full tool box of routes. Gallup is tough, experienced and has all the traits you look for. He's going to tear it up at the Senior Bowl and I wouldn't be surprised if he went early Day 2 with a Zay Jones-esque rise.
• Courtland Sutton is One of the Most Overrated Prospects in the Class: I've never been the biggest Courtland Sutton advocate. He was actually the first WR I evaluated all season. I expected him to play to that Auden Tate style which I touched on earlier. While Sutton does make some impressive contested catches, he's just not consistent enough in that facet of the game. His hands are inconsistent and his route tree is scattered. Plus, I don't think he's the athlete Tate is. Essentially, Auden Tate is who everyone wants Courtland Sutton to be.
• Timon Parris is a Top 50 Prospect: This may be my hottest take ever? I don't pride myself on my offensive line evaluation, but something just stood out with Parris. Quality left tackles seem to be a dying breed in today's game, but Parris could fill that void for a lot of teams. He's an excellent pass protector who's light on his feet with quickness and precision in his sets. He plays with an edge and isn't timid of getting down and dirty. Right now I have him pegged as a 2nd round prospect, above a player like Tyrell Crosby. I expect Parris to be among the biggest risers at the Senior Bowl this year--I can't wait to watch him in 1-on-1 drills against guys like Marcus Davenport and Maurice Hurst. I wrote a Senior Bowl OL Preview highlighting about 10 players we'll see in Mobile, for a more extensive read on Parris check it out in the hyperlink.
• This DL Class Isn't as Good as Advertised: Let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of Vita Vea and Taven Bryan, and I also like Da'Ron Payne, Christian Wilkins and Maurice Hurst. However, I don't think the latter three are 1st round caliber players as they've been hyped up to be. Vea and Bryan are likely top 15-20 players for me. And while I love Payne's game, he has a lot to round out--luckily he is only 19 years old right now. Tremendous burst and quickness off the snap, but he gets gassed easily and struggles to finish even in close proximity. Wilkins is an athletic specimen, but he's one of those guys who's going to rely on his power, strength and speed until he develops some technique. Hurst is honestly underwhelming on film in my opinion, but I see the appeal. Haven't dug too much into the depth of this class, but there doesn't seem to be too much talent.
• Rashaan Evans is a Top 5 Player in the Draft: Of the infinity of Alabama defensive prospects I've evaluated over the years, Rashaan Evans could be the best of them--right up there with Minkah Fitzpatrick. Evans is undoubtedly my LB1 (I also love Roquan Smith), and he might even be my EDGE1 if he played there full time. Dude is always around the ball, vicious, finisher, leader. Superb athlete and he's going to gain a lot of attention once he tests off the charges at the Combine. Twitchy athlete with the mindset you want on defense. Let him roam at LB then kick him off the edge on 3rd down. Ultimate chess piece in the front 7 and it wouldn't surprise me if he goes top 10. I wrote an article about the Top 10 Franchise Cornerstones in this year's draft class, check it out in the hyperlink and see where Evans landed.
• Malik Jefferson is a Runner Playing LB: Since my preseason work, I haven't been a big fan of Malik Jefferson by any means. I get why he garners hype, he's a blazer. However, he doesn't have the football IQ to match his gifted athletic profile. Jefferson has flashed, but the consistency is nowhere to be found. You'll rarely see him read and react or be the first guy to the ball. Based on his physical tools, I could entertain the idea of drafting him late Day 2; but all these 1st round projections, no thanks.
• Isaiah Oliver is the Undisputed CB1: I'm a fan of this CB class, although I don't think you could say it holds as much talent at the top as last year's class. That's not to say it's not good. Denzel Ward is a tremendous man corner with quick feet and the smoothest hips in the class, but he lacks in size, run defense and overall physicality. Joshua Jackson is a converted WR with insane ball skills and potential in a zone scheme, but he's still working on the basics and developing at the position. Jaire Alexander has become the forgotten man in this CB class with a couple injuries during the season, but he has Marcus Peters level potential. He makes it look easy with his crisp movement and overall feel at the position. Then you have guys like Tarvarus McFadden, Holton Hill and Carlton Davis, who all have likeable traits. But then there's Isaiah Oliver, the guy I feel is in a tier of his own. While he may not be elite in any single trait, he's an all around corner with no flaws--a complete player. The All-American decathlete is a tremendous athlete and comes from swaying bloodlines. A lengthy, athletic corner who plays lockdown on the outside.

[Word_is_Bond]

Also, Anthony Miller is insanely overrated right now. He's a good player, and a nice piece to have on offense, but he's not overly athletic and I don't think he'll consistently win at the next level. If we're going to hype up a Group of 5 WR, it should be Michael Gallup, Richie James or even Jaleel Scott.

[fin156]

I'll throw a few out there...

1. Quenton Nelson goes Top 5.  I don't know how "hot" of a take that is to some people but I think guards are becoming more and more of a commodity in the draft and there are some teams with a desperate need for O-Line help.  Nelson is the best guard to enter the draft since DeCastro.

2. DeShon Elliot is picked before Ronnie Harrison and Derwin James.  Harrison's lack of ability in coverage and James' durability / underachieving performance in 2017 will vault Elliot into the discussion as to who is the second safety taken behind Fitzpatrick (some see him as a CB but he's a FS in my mind).

3. Arden Key falls out of the first round.  Scorching, I know.  However, he has Randy Gregory written all over him to me.  The rumors of him missing time in the spring for going to rehab have been picking up more and more steam lately.  As much as no one likes to hear that, teams are going to stay away from him due to that, his fluctuating weight and overall performance of 2017.  For his sake, I hope I am wrong on this but I just don't see it happening.  He has a lot to figure out before being worthy of a team spending 1st round money on him and his issues.

[MSURacerDT55]

52 minutes ago, Word_is_Bond said:

• This DL Class Isn't as Good as Advertised: Let me start by saying I'm a huge fan of Vita Vea and Taven Bryan, and I also like Da'Ron Payne, Christian Wilkins and Maurice Hurst. However, I don't think the latter three are 1st round caliber players as they've been hyped up to be. Vea and Bryan are likely top 15-20 players for me. And while I love Payne's game, he has a lot to round out--luckily he is only 19 years old right now. Tremendous burst and quickness off the snap, but he gets gassed easily and struggles to finish even in close proximity. Wilkins is an athletic specimen, but he's one of those guys who's going to rely on his power, strength and speed until he develops some technique. Hurst is honestly underwhelming on film in my opinion, but I see the appeal. Haven't dug too much into the depth of this class, but there doesn't seem to be too much talent.
• Rashaan Evans is a Top 5 Player in the Draft: Of the infinity of Alabama defensive prospects I've evaluated over the years, Rashaan Evans could be the best of them--right up there with Minkah Fitzpatrick. Evans is undoubtedly my LB1 (I also love Roquan Smith), and he might even be my EDGE1 if he played there full time. Dude is always around the ball, vicious, finisher, leader. Superb athlete and he's going to gain a lot of attention once he tests off the charges at the Combine. Twitchy athlete with the mindset you want on defense. Let him roam at LB then kick him off the edge on 3rd down. Ultimate chess piece in the front 7 and it wouldn't surprise me if he goes top 10. I wrote an article about the Top 10 Franchise Cornerstones in this year's draft class, check it out in the hyperlink and see where Evans landed

Totally agree on both of these, Hurst played hard and got the most out of his little body but there is nothing about him that says he'll dominate against bigger, stronger, better technique guys. As far as the class, I feel like one of the second tier guys may end up being be best out of the group (Dre'Mont Jones if he declares, Andrew Brown, Rasheem Green), and next year's class will be super.

As far as the Evans thing, Whenever I watch Bama, I always leave impressed by him. He plays well with his hands, moves really well, really well coached and has great instincts, and best of all loves to hit like a ton of bricks. But Roquan is my guy, he is a Ruben Foster clone... 

[gopherwrestler]

Royce Freeman sneaks into round 1

[Rich7sena]

7 hours ago, Word_is_Bond said:

Denzel Ward is a tremendous man corner with quick feet and the smoothest hips in the class, but he lacks in size, run defense and overall physicality.

Strongly disagree on the bolded. Ward is tremendous against the run and delivered one of the biggest hits this college season.

[DocHambone]

-Michael Gallup is the best WR prospect in this draft class and it isn't particularity close.
-Calvin Ridley is going to be severely over drafted.

 

[Word_is_Bond]

10 hours ago, MSURacerDT55 said:

Totally agree on both of these, Hurst played hard and got the most out of his little body but there is nothing about him that says he'll dominate against bigger, stronger, better technique guys. As far as the class, I feel like one of the second tier guys may end up being be best out of the group (Dre'Mont Jones if he declares, Andrew Brown, Rasheem Green), and next year's class will be super.

As far as the Evans thing, Whenever I watch Bama, I always leave impressed by him. He plays well with his hands, moves really well, really well coached and has great instincts, and best of all loves to hit like a ton of bricks. But Roquan is my guy, he is a Ruben Foster clone... 

Agree 100%. He's had his fair share of bright spots, but there's really nothing about his game that gets me excited. As a Michigan fan I love him, played out of role a lot as a NT but played hard and was the catalyst on defense this past season. But looking at how he translates at the next level, I feel you need to get him next to someone like Linval Joseph or Damon Harrison. Put him next to someone who is going to eat blockers while Hurst can bust out in space at 3-tech. I think he can be a decent production guy at that spot, but I think he's an average starter at best in the NFL.

Evans is an elite prospect man. He has everything you want from the head down, really a complete player who stands out in every game. I was watching some Tennessee vs Alabama cut-ups and there was one play where he broke towards the QB and was almost instantly at a full speed, launched himself at the QB making hard contact and the impact forced the QB's helmet off. Vicious athlete with versatility who plays mean and knows where the ball is going to be.

Evans' value as an EDGE rusher puts him over Roquan for me, but it's close. I'm a huge fan of Roquan Smith and fell in love with his game after the Notre Dame game earlier this season. Could be the most dominant film you'll see from a prospect all year.

[Word_is_Bond]

4 hours ago, Rich7sena said:

Strongly disagree on the bolded. Ward is tremendous against the run and delivered one of the biggest hits this college season.

I wouldn't say he is "tremendous" against the run. He's had some standout plays. I actually remember the play you're talking about, against Maryland? On a play-to-play basis you're not going to see much consistency. If it's lined up for him? Sure, he'll blow it up. But he can get tossed around and times. Probably not as much of a weakness as I made it out to be, but I wouldn't call it a strength. He's my CB3 fwiw.

[Word_is_Bond]

5 hours ago, gopherwrestler said:

Royce Freeman sneaks into round 1

I know these are hot takes, but I would bet a great sum of money against this one.

There is literally nothing special about Freeman's game. Sure, he's one of the most decorated Pac-12 rusher's of all-time, but he doesn't do much for me on film. I like him as a Day 3 guy, he could provide decent depth at the next level, but his ceiling is not much higher than his floor. Has good a good build, but already tons of miles on the odometer.

No way he goes in the first round with the 2nd tier featuring guys like Damien Harris, Bryce Love, Ronald Jones, Nick Chubb and others.