Unconventional Day 2 Picks that Could be Big Booms

[Dr LBC]

We're all familiar the bridge period between Round 1 and 2 where many people are fixating on the value of the guys who were projected to go in the 1st, but fell out.  And sometimes the teams picking early in the 2nd round, what their needs are perceived to be don't match up with the best value still on the board.  But that doesn't mean that said players would be poor value for those teams; really, it means that people have fixated on what they perceived to be "pressing" needs that were addressed in the 1st.  While the Rams aren't the greatest example of this, they have historically embodied this approach quite a bit during this past period of not having a FRP, so this is a perspective I gained as an alternate way to look at the available board (the Steve Avila pick last year, really drove this home for me).

So, a few examples just to further put things into context:

Buffalo Bills:
   - Now the obvious "Stephon Diggs and Gabe Davis" sized holes are clearly there.  However, once you set aside the clear Top 3 WR's in this class, there was a lot of gray area in terms of value that really didn't differentiate itself a ton outside of personal preference for specific traits or particular roles - lots of guys whose value fluctuated along the scale depending on what system you were going to ask them to play in.  While the Pats appear like they may have the inside track, calling San Francisco up and trading for Deebo Samuel probably offers a more immediate and short-term address to the WR need - and given Deebo's age, contract, and injury history, he's likely to cost less than #33.
- So that leaves us looking at a couple options.  The obvious value that's a system fit and a low-key need is Cooper DeJean.  And I wouldn't rule that out.  That said, I would contend that another faller should be in strong consideration for the Bills at 33 as well.  Namely, Jackson Powers-Johnson.  Mitch Morse retired at the end of last season and while the initial speculation was to slide Connor McGovern over from guard to play the position he played in college, what if they didn't have to?  Now the argument could feasibly be made that center tends to be an undervalued position in the draft (or at least, center-only prospects - and I'm not convinced that JPJ is that, but center is clearly his best position) and that this is still a fairly deep center class (4-5 startable prospects still on the board by my count), so that may temper the value of the position, if not the player, at 33.  So let's take a look at DeJean.
- I'd be lying if I didn't point out that my comp for DeJean for quite a while has been Eric Weddle (moreso prospect Eric Weddle coming out of Utah than finished product Eric Weddle), but I should also point out that there was a reason why I was so high for the longest time when it was a possibility for the Chargers to hire Sean McDermott as a HC - Weddle's skillset and traits would have been even further unlocked in McDermott's defensive scheme.  Now do I think the Bills would be a getting a rebooted Micah Hyde?  Not entirely, but definitely a gradient facsimile that could do some things Micah Hyde couldn't (as well).

 

DC Manders (I won't go the lowbrow route and call them the Commies):
   - Now, I'm not certain that the glaring 1st-round-fallers make any astounding case of appeal to Washington.  A case could be made that Kool-Aid could fit well into an Ed Donatell secondary, and presents a better long-term option than Michael Davis.  Though I do feel like Washington may opt to trade back if they can, to have more flexibility to target the areas they could use better long-term solutions at where the value is better (LB comes to mind), I wouldn't fault them in the slightest if they looked at Kingsley Suamataia as someone they can apprentice at guard and eventually kick out to RT to replace Adam Wylie or else just go grab Cooper Beebe to just be the rock at guard opposite Sam Cosmi, and make sure that Jayden Daniels is protected and has running lanes.

 

The Former Evil Empire (New England Patriots):
-   He doesn't really fit what they've traditionally done on their approach to defense, but if I was going to trust anyone to adapt Belichick's scheme to incorporate a talent like Johnny Newton, it would be Jerod Mayo.  Still not sure I love the fit, but the Pats need talent, plain and simple.  If they think that JPJ can fill pro-temps at guard, I can see them having some interest in him too, and allow him to be the eventual (not-to-far-off) successor to David Andrews.  I don't think Maye starts right away unless he just blows the doors off of Jacoby Brissett in camp with the same (or lesser) weapons.  And as a result, I see more value in ensure the trenches in front of Maye when is elevated are as solid as possible than in investing in gray-tier WR's who, even if they grow with Maye as backups, probably aren't unseating Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Juju, and KJ Osborne.  Maybe they circle back around for a taller possession receiver, but I think that's better value in the middle rounds.

Los Angeles Harbaughs (aka Ravens East):
-   I would still advise Chargers fans to temper any expectations of a WR at this pick, too.  Unless Jimbo wants to reach for "his guy" Roman Wilson - which I think flies in the face of the Ozzie-Philosophy that I have to assume John Hortiz is operating with until proven otherwise - this pick is either OL again (I could see them going C, given the value and the fact that Bozeman is only on a 1-year deal) - or it's defense.  Kool-Aid could fit.  I think Jesse Minter could make Newton useful in his scheme as well.  I still keep coming back to Minter, in an interview when he and Harbaugh were still at Michigan, calling Kris Jenkins Jr a "foundational piece" for the defense, and I have to see need and process (and some sentimentality) making up the marginal give-up in value for them - particularly if Newton is off the board already.  You get a guy that can functionally play every interior role in that scheme because he has done it already, which give them the versatility to play around with rotation of pieces and, what wouldn't surprise me, giving them the ability to (health-permitting, which is a big if) have Mack, Bosa, and Tuipolotu on the field at the same time by dropping Bosa down into the Morgan Fox role and rushing from the 4-/5-tech.

More to come... I just want to publish to save this.

Edited April 26 by Dr LBC