2021 NFL Free Agents: Top available at each position

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Smith was only a couple picks out of the first. I think the teams think in terms of tens than rounds. But yeah, he should have been a top 20 pick and Leonard top ten. We will see if he can do it. If he can they can go DE with their first pick and tackle with their second. Jackson Carmine of Clemson would make a good RT. Or maybe Alex Leatherwood.

You could go 10 deep on starting quality OTs right now in this class:

1) Rashawn Slater
2) Christian Darrisaw
3) Liam Eichenberg
T4) Dillon Radunz
T4) Samuel Cosmi
6) Teven Jenkins
7) Alijah Vera-Tucker
8) Jalen Mayfield
9) Jackson Carman
10) Penei Sewell

That's my order on preference for the Colts and there's no way that not one of those guys makes it to 54.

[Spike]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

You could go 10 deep on starting quality OTs right now in this class:

1) Rashawn Slater
2) Christian Darrisaw
3) Liam Eichenberg
T4) Dillon Radunz
T4) Samuel Cosmi
6) Teven Jenkins
7) Alijah Vera-Tucker
8) Jalen Mayfield
9) Jackson Carman
10) Penei Sewell

That's my order on preference for the Colts and there's no way that not one of those guys makes it to 54.

Very good list, but you have Sewell at 10 and Vera-Tucker at 7 in your order of preference? I know we most likely won't get Sewell or Vera-Tucker.

In my rat's ass of an opinion, here is my order of preference.

1. Sewell
2. Vera-Tucker
3. Slater
4. Darisaw
5. Leatherwood
6. Eichenberg
7. Jenkins
8. Cosmi
9. Mayfield
10. Carman
11. Radunz

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Spike

Very good list, but you have Sewell at 10 and Vera-Tucker at 7 in your order of preference? I know we most likely won't get Sewell or Vera-Tucker.

In my rat's ass of an opinion, here is my order of preference.

1. Sewell
2. Vera-Tucker
3. Slater
4. Darisaw
5. Leatherwood
6. Eichenberg
7. Jenkins
8. Cosmi
9. Mayfield
10. Carman
11. Radunz

You're right, I'd forgotten Leatherwood, I'd take him over Sewell as well. I don't like Sewell, his technique is shit and he's a waist bender who gets beat way too often. There's a reason he's sliding, and it's his film. He's got a TON of potential, but there's so much technique he needs to learn. He is in no way NFL ready, and that's what the Colts need. My comp for him is Nate Solder and that's because of how unpolished he is. I'd rather have just about any of them over Sewell.

[TheMugwump]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

You're right, I'd forgotten Leatherwood, I'd take him over Sewell as well. I don't like Sewell, his technique is shit and he's a waist bender who gets beat way too often. There's a reason he's sliding, and it's his film. He's got a TON of potential, but there's so much technique he needs to learn. He is in no way NFL ready, and that's what the Colts need. My comp for him is Nate Solder and that's because of how unpolished he is. I'd rather have just about any of them over Sewell.

Wow! If you are right about Sewell, you need to apply to an NFL front office as a scout, because most of those who are paid to do the job would disagree with you.

And not saying you're wrong here, because I don't know enough about OL technique and breaking down every nuance to think I know better. But when I watch Sewell's tape, he just explodes off the line and destroys guys. He also gets to the second level really well.

We'll see though. It will be an upset if he's not the first OT off the board, and unless Ballard has something up his sleeve, we won't have to worry about him in the Horseshoe.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by TheMugwump

Wow! If you are right about Sewell, you need to apply to an NFL front office as a scout, because most of those who are paid to do the job would disagree with you.

And not saying you're wrong here, because I don't know enough about OL technique and breaking down every nuance to think I know better. But when I watch Sewell's tape, he just explodes off the line and destroys guys. He also gets to the second level really well.

We'll see though. It will be an upset if he's not the first OT off the board, and unless Ballard has something up his sleeve, we won't have to worry about him in the Horseshoe.

What tape did you watch? I watched 3 games from 2019 (from what I can tell he sat out 2020). The biggest thing that stood out to me was that he struggled against Bradlee Anae quite a bit, lost a lot of the reps against him. He also lunged at opposing pass rushers quite a bit, mostly by bending at the waist, all of which caused him to get off balance and made it easy for a technically sound pass rusher to beat him. To me he's basically a big body that needs a lot of coaching, much like Nate Solder was. It worked out for Solder, but to me the bust factor is huge.

[Racehorse]

I have to wonder if there seems to be so many good LTs this year because all of the good pass rushers went last year, making it a mirage.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

I have to wonder if there seems to be so many good LTs this year because all of the good pass rushers went last year, making it a mirage.

Technique is technique. You can see if someone can kick slide, mirror, what their reaction to speed is, what their reaction to power is, how they recover when beat initially, how well they anchor, how well they recognize blitzes and pick them up, etc. Good or not, speed is still a problem for less athletic OTs. Vera-Tucker is an example of that. His kick slide looks belabored, and a pure speed rusher wins reps against him frequently, see the Oregon game. I don't know who #5 is on Oregon, but he's fast, and he gave Vera-Tucker fits.

[TheMugwump]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

What tape did you watch? I watched 3 games from 2019 (from what I can tell he sat out 2020). The biggest thing that stood out to me was that he struggled against Bradlee Anae quite a bit, lost a lot of the reps against him. He also lunged at opposing pass rushers quite a bit, mostly by bending at the waist, all of which caused him to get off balance and made it easy for a technically sound pass rusher to beat him. To me he's basically a big body that needs a lot of coaching, much like Nate Solder was. It worked out for Solder, but to me the bust factor is huge.

If you can find tape of it, look at Arizona State from 2019.

And remember, he's only 21, and the kid won the Outland Trophy at age 19! He only played two years of college ball, so yeah, he has some rough edges, but with NFL coaching, he's going to improve that technique.

Again, if you're right, then huge props. I am not betting on him to fail though.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by TheMugwump

If you can find tape of it, look at Arizona State from 2019.

And remember, he's only 21, and the kid won the Outland Trophy at age 19! He only played two years of college ball, so yeah, he has some rough edges, but with NFL coaching, he's going to improve that technique.

Again, if you're right, then huge props. I am not betting on him to fail though.

Oh there's absolutely the possibility that he'll get coached up and flourish. I am by no means saying he will certainly be a bust, and all of his issues are technique based, meaning they're fixable. But, especially for what the Colts need, Sewell is not a good fit. The background you just gave me reminds me of Tremaine Edmunds. I watched his tape and saw a 34 thumper, didn't understand the hype. Then I saw the measureables and that he was 19, and he made sense as a Top 15 pick. Sewell may be the same, but considering the Colts immediate need at LT, I still would keep him ranked where he is for the Colts.