2017 Draft Thread

[sherck]

Originally Posted by GoBigBlue88

Honestly, I'll be happy with a lot of draft picks this year. I would have only been happy with 2 or 3 last year.

Hmmm...we seem to have hit oretty well ladt year. Kelly, Haeg are both keepers with Clark and Ridgeway showing a lot of oromise.

Green? We will see. I hope he shows more in year 2.

Morrison? Good depth at the least.

Blythe and Bates? Depth at best but what do you expect out of 7th round draft choices?

I thought we did well last year.

Cheers,

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by sherck

Hmmm...we seem to have hit oretty well ladt year. Kelly, Haeg are both keepers with Clark and Ridgeway showing a lot of oromise.

Green? We will see. I hope he shows more in year 2.

Morrison? Good depth at the least.

Blythe and Bates? Depth at best but what do you expect out of 7th round draft choices?

I thought we did well last year.

Cheers,

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Isn't Bates with the Pats now?

[GoBigBlue88]

Originally Posted by sherck

Hmmm...we seem to have hit oretty well ladt year. Kelly, Haeg are both keepers with Clark and Ridgeway showing a lot of oromise.

Green? We will see. I hope he shows more in year 2.

Morrison? Good depth at the least.

Blythe and Bates? Depth at best but what do you expect out of 7th round draft choices?

I thought we did well last year.

Cheers,

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

It's a low bar if Clark and Ridgeway showed "a lot of promise"...

But what I was actually saying and didn't articulate well: this year, I'd feel good about a number of guys in the first round. Last year, there were only 2-3 guys I realistically wanted at that spot.

[sherck]

Draft report on one of the best 3-4 NT prospects in this year's draft. Most project him as being drafted in the 5th or 6th round.

Name: Stevie Tu’ikolovatu

School: USC

Position fit: Nose tackle

Stats to know: Ranked third in the nation in run-stop percentage with 36 stops from 286 snaps.

What he does best:
•Decimates plays from the backside, almost impossible to reach block.
•Destroys inside zone when he is given solo opportunities on the front side.
•Violent hands, delivers a powerful strike to win the initial contact on a consistent basis.
•Narrows lanes by consistently driving offensive lineman vertically into the backfield.
•Embarrassed offensive linemen by rag-dolling blockers frequently at the point of attack.
•Able to fight off cut blocks with good hand placement.
•Impressive first step for a 350-pound prospect, gets off the ball well.
•Carried over his strong run defense to Senior Bowl practice where he was one of the top-graded players on a snap-to-snap basis.

Biggest concern:
•Fails to consistently shed without dominating initial contact.
•Struggles against double teams at the point of attack, can play high at times against multiple blockers.
•Finds himself on the deck regularly against double teams.
•Very limited pass-rusher, managed only one knockdown and 13 combined pressures in 2016.
•Weak bull rusher despite strength, gives blockers an opportunity to re-anchor.
•Negligible lateral agility, failed to generate any pressure using finesse moves.
•Gambles occasionally on highlight reel stops, resulting in a loss of gap discipline.
•Lacks upside, will be 26 by the start of the 2017 season.

Player comparison: Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens

Base package nose tackle might not be the most coveted position in the NFL, but a two-down run-stuffer is essential for any top defense. Like Williams, Tu’ikolovatu wrecks interior running plays with his strength up front. The USC product has the potential to be equally productive in the pros.

Bottom line: Tu’ikolovatu represents a difficult evaluation. His production against the run is off the charts, but he’s also in his mid-20s and offers nothing rushing the passer. Damon Harrison proves that pure nose tackles can make a major impact, but Tu’ikolovatu is likely to be overlooked in favor of the prospects with higher upside in May. That said, Tu’ikolovatu is probably one of the safer options amongst the defensive line prospects and won’t require a high pick as investment.

Cheers,

[Racehorse]

Originally Posted by sherck

So, as a complete hypothetical, using the draft trade value chart from Walter Football (they are all similar), would you rather have:

1-15 Hassan Riddick ?

---- OR -------

Trade 1-15 and 3-16 for Lions 1-21, 2-21 and 4-21

then

Trade 1-21 for Cowboys 1-28, 3-28

--------------------------------------------

In essence, trading Hassan Riddick for Charles Harris plus

2-21, 3-28, 4-21 while giving away 3-16 ?

Assuming that Charles Harris is available at 1-28 which most mock drafts have him being so.

Interesting question. It all depends on how Ballard and our staff rate the rookies available in the first round.

Cheers,

I know what you're saying, but if this draft class is as deep as people say, wouldn't this be a draft where teams are less likely to package two or more picks for one?

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

I know what you're saying, but if this draft class is as deep as people say, wouldn't this be a draft where teams are less likely to package two or more picks for one?

There are a few scarce positions like QB and OT. If one or more QBs are gone, a team might get desperate.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by sherck

Draft report on one of the best 3-4 NT prospects in this year's draft. Most project him as being drafted in the 5th or 6th round.



Cheers,

Seems like a reasonable target in rd 5 or with the comp pick between rounds 4-5.

[sherck]

Originally Posted by Racehorse

I know what you're saying, but if this draft class is as deep as people say, wouldn't this be a draft where teams are less likely to package two or more picks for one?

Like Veve said, this is a DEEP draft class for defensive talent.

This is not a deep class for QB, O-Line, or to a lesser extent WR.

If you are defensive set team but need offensive firepower, O-Line or receivers, then trading up to grab "the one" makes sense. Honestly, HOU is a QB away from contending.

If desired, we could find trade partners.

BTW, holy crud, I just saw mock draft by a national pundit that had Hassan Riddick going #5 overall. They are that in love with his combine performance and versatility to play ILB on 1st/2nd downs and OLB/Pass Rush on 3rd down.

Crazy.

Cheers,

[Racehorse]

Originally Posted by sherck

Like Veve said, this is a DEEP draft class for defensive talent.

This is not a deep class for QB, O-Line, or to a lesser extent WR.

If you are defensive set team but need offensive firepower, O-Line or receivers, then trading up to grab "the one" makes sense. Honestly, HOU is a QB away from contending.

If desired, we could find trade partners.

Fair enough

[Puck]

I know this wont be very popular with most of you but I want G Forrest Lamp with pick 15