Goldfish's Way Too Early Draft Rankings 2024 (All Up)

[Daniel]

6 minutes ago, MikeT14 said:

Yeah, I expected the Titans to be in the bottom half, but not 29. I really like the picks of Gray and Brownlee. 

I have them in the middle 20s, because there are two teams, off the top of my head, that I don't like the return on investment of more, but I don't fault anyone for putting the Titans there at all.  I expect those two teams are going to be coming up shortly.

Gray was by a wide margin my favorite pick.  I had him as the top LB in the class  (Cooper I do not like at all, Colson I'm also lower on, and Wilson I took off my board because injuries), and I thought that LB was a need the Titans were just gonna have to ignore because of the quality of the players available.  There was no legit starter on the roster.  Closest was Kenneth Murray.  So I'm really excited about that pick.

Sweat though, I think I like even less the longer it sits.  Even beyond picking Sweat, not trading down.

[Danger]

On 4/28/2024 at 10:08 AM, Daniel said:

I think everyone but the most delusional of Falcons fans would agree that the Falcons had the worst draft, and everyone expected them at 32.

Let's just ask scar as our barometer.

[mse326]

19 hours ago, goldfishwars said:

I wasn’t particularly in love with the trade-up to get Calen Bullock at 78 mainly due to his physical deficiencies. I do think he has talent in coverage and excellent ball skills as a turnover threat, but you want your safeties to enjoy the physical side of the game and he’s got a wiry frame and is a detrimentally poor tackler at the moment. If Ryans and his team can coach him up in that aspect, then he’s got a chance to be good. Right now, he might struggle to see the field.

I understand that, but man our ball skills at safety have never been good so getting a ball hawk is a refreshing change. I'm also cautiously optimistic that our staff can improve his tackling. It looks like he misses more because of bad technique rather than strength or effort and that is something that can be taught and fixed.

Like @Texansfan713 and @ET80 there is nothing truly exciting about this draft, but at the same time I think sometimes we get caught up in the flash of a draft. Good solid drafts are what win you games. And this is the first year I didn't come out saying why did we draft this player so high. All of them seem very solid for where they were taken. I think we may look back on this draft and say no stars or crucial players but many solid contributors

[FrantikRam]

Pretty sure @goldfishwars was high the Rams draft last year and low the year before, which was SPOT on. I'm pretty confident he will be high on it again, but just know the fate of the Rams as Super Bowl contenders in 2024 rests on your shoulders

[Danger]

20 hours ago, scar988 said:

I’ve already said I was wrong. Y’all can quit trolling me now. 

Looking to help you out here. If you want people to stop trolling you, it'd be good to show some criticism of their questionable moves out in the open. Maybe you've done it in other circles, but when you stan for your team so hard when basically everyone else is telling you it ain't it, I'm not surprised. Maybe I missed it, but let's just get on record, how do you feel about this draft generally speaking? In particular the first two picks. What negative things will you say about the current direction of the team, even if you think overall things are trending positively? 

Right now, most NFL fans I feel view Terry Fontenot as one of the, if not THE, worst GM in the league. His 1st round drafting strategy ever since he took the reigns has been INCREDIBLY questionable. And the only guy after the first round that has really emerged during his tenure has been Allgeier, who he subsequently took Bijan 8th overall the following year... Oh right Ebiketie's been decent. I'll give you that one. 

[Spartacus]

23. Brian Thomas Jr. | WR | LSU

48. Maason Smith | DL | LSU

96. Jarrian Jones | CB | Florida State

114. Javon Foster | OT | Missouri

116. Jordan Jefferson | DL | LSU

153. Deantre Prince | CB | Mississippi

167. Keilan Robinson | RB | Texas

212. Cam Little | K | Arkansas

I actually liked the Jaguars draft. Brian Thomas is a stud.

I disagree about getting smith in the 3rd unless enough teams had him off the boards due to medical. One of the highest upsides in the draft and frankly his problems with hand placement and some wonky feet at times seem coachable. You don't find his mix of body & athletic profile past the 1st couple rounds. 

Jarrian Jones is a little high for my taste but IMO late 3rd isn't the worse corner to take. I generally hate stiff hipped corners like him but he has pretty decent instincts that I expect it to not be as big of an issue. I'm fine with the rest as well. 

Edited April 29 by Spartacus

[goldfishwars]

46 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

23. Brian Thomas Jr. | WR | LSU

48. Maason Smith | DL | LSU

96. Jarrian Jones | CB | Florida State

114. Javon Foster | OT | Missouri

116. Jordan Jefferson | DL | LSU

153. Deantre Prince | CB | Mississippi

167. Keilan Robinson | RB | Texas

212. Cam Little | K | Arkansas

I actually liked the Jaguars draft. Brian Thomas is a stud.

I disagree about getting smith in the 3rd unless enough teams had him off the boards due to medical. One of the highest upsides in the draft and frankly his problems with hand placement and some wonky feet at times seem coachable. You don't find his mix of body & athletic profile past the 1st couple rounds. 

Jarrian Jones is a little high for my taste but IMO late 3rd isn't the worse corner to take. I generally hate stiff hipped corners like him but he has pretty decent instincts that I expect it to not be as big of an issue. I'm fine with the rest as well. 

Eh, perhaps that's true - but I'm still not gonna select a player in the mid 2nd with such little proven production, so much missed playing time and a laundry list of technique issues either. I like Smith's potential, but that price is too rich for me. 

[Spartacus]

23 minutes ago, goldfishwars said:

Eh, perhaps that's true - but I'm still not gonna select a player in the mid 2nd with such little proven production, so much missed playing time and a laundry list of technique issues either. I like Smith's potential, but that price is too rich for me. 

I get it a lot of this draft is going to be predicated on either liking Smith or not. 

[scar988]

1 hour ago, Danger said:

Looking to help you out here. If you want people to stop trolling you, it'd be good to show some criticism of their questionable moves out in the open. Maybe you've done it in other circles, but when you stan for your team so hard when basically everyone else is telling you it ain't it, I'm not surprised. Maybe I missed it, but let's just get on record, how do you feel about this draft generally speaking? In particular the first two picks. What negative things will you say about the current direction of the team, even if you think overall things are trending positively? 

Overall, I like the draft. Addressed the long-standing need of defensive line and edge rusher depth. Addressed a long-term franchise QB.

I didn't like the Cousins contract compared to other spots. I was just happy to have a quality QB. I wasn't a fan of the McGary re-signing because I don't think he's a good pass blocker. 

My biggest issue though was with Arthur Smith during the first three years of this regime. He was just so inept as a head coach and so negative all the time publicly that it brought a damper to the team overall. I think Rah is going to be a much better coach and get more out of this roster.

 

Quote

Right now, most NFL fans I feel view Terry Fontenot as one of the, if not THE, worst GM in the league. His 1st round drafting strategy ever since he took the reigns has been INCREDIBLY questionable. And the only guy after the first round that has really emerged during his tenure has been Allgeier, who he subsequently took Bijan 8th overall the following year... Oh right Ebiketie's been decent. I'll give you that one. 

I think he's had a really solid run for OL. 

Drew Dalman at C has been very good. But in his first two drafts, he was not very good overall. And that happens to first time GMs.

Matthew Bergeron was a really solid LG last year. Zach Harrison has a bright future ahead of him here. Clark Phillips and DeMarcco Hellams both looked solid last year too in the secondary. 

Fontenot in the draft hasn't been amazing, but he's been pretty solid. I don't think his strength is in college scouting. It's more in pro scouting. He has done a good job with value FAs and filling needs in FA. I wouldn't say he's the worst in the league though. Not in a league where you have the Browns trading 3 full drafts for DeShaun Watson.

[goldfishwars]

27. Carolina Panthers

This Class In One Sentence:

An impatient draft for an irritable owner

Pre-Draft Needs (According to https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/team-needs-2024)

WR, EDGE, IOL, CB, TE, LB, RB

Selections

32. Xavier Legette | WR | South Carolina

46. Jonathon Brooks | RB | Texas

72. Trevin Wallace | LB | Kentucky

101. Ja'Tavion Sanders | TE | Texas

157. Chau Smith-Wade | CB | Washington State

200. Jaden Crumedy | DL | Mississippi State

240. Michael Barrett | LB | Missouri

Best Pick

Ja'Tavion Sanders – The gloss came off his draft stock as the process wore on and whilst I wasn't enamoured with Sanders, 101 is decent value for a speedy tight end who can create quick separation and has a snap to his breaks. He does have a below-average size profile at 6’3 and 245 pounds and offers little as a blocker. I guess that makes Sam LaPorta as a poster boy profile for his success.

Worst Pick

I’m not crazy about Legette at 32, but it’s like whatever. I’d say Jonathon Brooks at 46 with his late-season ACL tear being selected a full 20 picks earlier than Trey Benson is a little more egregious. Remove Brooks from the injury, he was a little overrated. He does have prototypical size at 6’0 and 220. He can break off chunk runs and will make defenders miss in space. But the instincts and contact balance are just average. He’s also not been a producer as a receiver to date.

Overall

Man, is there a less likeable person in NFL circles than David Tepper? Turning up at a restaurant in Nowhereville to rant at the owner is sad and pathetic. What an appalling person, just a terrible dude - the bad vibes pour out into the franchise, man and it's sad. Is that fact clouding my ability to accurately judge this draft class? Who knows. What I do know, is that the Panthers took players in spots higher than where I would have taken them.

Some people were really high on Legette, whereas I was a little more suspicious. He’s a thickly-built receiver at 220 pounds, and that shows up in his ability to box out and make contested catches. He’s also a fast runner, with big-time YAC upside. But he’s also a little heavy-footed and not the smoothest route runner. At 23 and with production only in his final season, it’s not a profile which normally projects sustained NFL success. He does seem like a genuinely great guy based on his early press conference, so I am rooting for that to happen.

Trevin Wallace was also a minor reach according to my board. He’s a very good athlete with good size, but lacks power at the point of attack. Of the three remaining selections, I liked Jaden Crumedy at 200 most. There’s a high variance in his game, but he does flash genuine high-end potential as an inside pass-rusher.

[goldfishwars]

55 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

I get it a lot of this draft is going to be predicated on either liking Smith or not. 

Probably, and I might be higher on that selection if it wasn't Baalke due to his long history of fawning over physical talent versus on-field production. 

[Danger]

59 minutes ago, scar988 said:

Overall, I like the draft. Addressed the long-standing need of defensive line and edge rusher depth. Addressed a long-term franchise QB.

I didn't like the Cousins contract compared to other spots. I was just happy to have a quality QB. I wasn't a fan of the McGary re-signing because I don't think he's a good pass blocker. 

My biggest issue though was with Arthur Smith during the first three years of this regime. He was just so inept as a head coach and so negative all the time publicly that it brought a damper to the team overall. I think Rah is going to be a much better coach and get more out of this roster.

 

I think he's had a really solid run for OL. 

Drew Dalman at C has been very good. But in his first two drafts, he was not very good overall. And that happens to first time GMs.

Matthew Bergeron was a really solid LG last year. Zach Harrison has a bright future ahead of him here. Clark Phillips and DeMarcco Hellams both looked solid last year too in the secondary. 

Fontenot in the draft hasn't been amazing, but he's been pretty solid. I don't think his strength is in college scouting. It's more in pro scouting. He has done a good job with value FAs and filling needs in FA. I wouldn't say he's the worst in the league though. Not in a league where you have the Browns trading 3 full drafts for DeShaun Watson.

You gotta criticize man! Even the one thing you criticized in Cousins (the strangest one to do so), you were like "but we got a QB so it's good!"

Everything else was all positive, like I just don't get it man lol

[RaidersAreOne]

You Raider rankings over the years: 

• 27
• 20
• 13
• 26
• 20
• 15

Pretty bad - average. I'm excited to see where you have them this season!

[TakeTheBallDeep]

8 hours ago, Hunter2_1 said:

Me explaining to my wife why the PS5 would be good for both of us 

Quick question, I live out in the country and have just ok internet and am thinking of buying a PS5...but I read everything is mostly online? Should I hold off until I have a quality high speed internet?

[KhanYouDigIt]

2nd best draft in the AFC South. Nice.