2017 Draft Thread

[sherck]

The more I look at film, the more that I am becoming convinced that I don't see a big difference between the OLBs after Myles Garrett ranking from about #2 through #15 or so.

I mean, who is the #2? Reddick? Harris? Willis?

Who is the #8? Who is #12?

I think that different teams are going to value a lot of different traits in these kids. I personally think that T.J. Watt could become the best of the lot BUT I also acknowledge that there is a lot of downside to him as well that could lead to a bust. It is that kind of class.

They all have talent and production. There are going to be some really good pass rushers that come out of this class but I am not convinced that the kids taken in the middle of the 1st round have that much more going for them than the kids whom are going to be taken in the middle of the 2nd round or possible even taken in the middle of the 3rd round. I like Ryan Anderson, Alabama (whom many think is a 3rd round pick) and Trey Hendrickson, Florida Atlantic (again, whom many think is 3rd round or below) about as well as I like Harris or Watt or Bowser.

As such, I am now throwing my considerable weight (alas, physical and not reputation) behind the concept of drafting CB in the 1st round instead of OLB and waiting until later to draft LB.

As Puck keeps pointing out, "who is going to play CB?" The answer probably needs to be one of:

6'00" / 195lbs / 4.44s 40 / 11 bench / 37.0" vertical / 129.0" broad / 6.68s 3 cone / 4.18s 20 shuttle / Gareon Conley, Ohio State
5'11"/ 192lbs / 4.47s 40 / 16 bench / 32.0" vertical / 119.0" broad / 6.90s 3 cone / 4.32s 20 shuttle / Tre'Darvious White, LSU

I prefer Conley because he is the better athlete, played more press coverage in college and just "looks" more NFL ready right now. I am not so sure that White will not be the better CB in the long run after a season or two of seasoning but, alas, the Colts are in need of a starter RIGHT NOW instead of in a season or two.

Once we get our CB2 in the 1st round, we could then come back at 2-14 (#46) and 3-16 (#80) and go ILB/OLB depending on who has best BPA. Guys like this could/should be available:

OLB Tarell Basham, Ohio (small school and raw but talented)
OLB Tim Williams, Alabama (how far is he going to fall?)
OLB Tyus Bowser, Houston (+ physical that is still very raw)
OLB Ryan Anderson, Alabama (+ production but lack physical upside)
OLB Trey Hendrickson, Florida Atlantic (+ production, + physical, SMALL school)
OLB Daeshon Hall, Texas A&M (DE position switch, pure pass rusher)

ILB Alex Anzalone, Florida (+ physical and production, has been inured a lot)
ILB Raekwon McMillian, Ohio State (solid coverage, needs to improve run support)
ILB Anthony Walker Jr, Northwestern (+ run play, only okay in coverage)
ILB Duke Riley, LSU (1 year of production but improving, solid all around)
ILB Blair Brown, Ohio (1 year of production; small school)

The ILB class really seems to fall off after the likes of Foster, Reddick (if folks view him as an ILB), Davis and Cunningham. My BPA for 2-14 would probably be one of Davis or Cunningham if they fall that far and then OLB if they don't.

The likes of Trey Hendrickson, Daeshon Hall or Ryan Anderson might still be around for our 3rd round pick and would add another solid body in our OLB rotation; not a world beater but a solid body.

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TLR

1-15:
A pick = CB Gareon Conley
B pick = CB Tre'Darvious White

2-14:
A pick = ILB Jarrad Davis or ILB Zach Cunningham (if they slide)
B pick = OLB Charles Harris or OLB T.J. Watt (if they slide)
C pick = ILB Raekwon McMillian
D pick = OLB Tim Williams

3-16:
A pick = OLB Ryan Anderson (if ILB was taken in 2nd round)
B pick = OLB Trey Hendrickson (if ILB was taken in 2nd round)
C pick = ILB Duke Riley or ILB Blair Brown

4th round CB (Witherspoon? Kazee? Elder? Griffin?)
4th round RB
4th round Safety
5th round TE

Add a veteran CB in free agency from camp cut to push the rookie 1st round draft pick to perform and you have a full wrap on it.

Cheers,