Draft 2021

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish

I would throw Patrick Jones II into that group as a late 2 or early 3 player.

I actually intentionally excluded Jones because while he and Weaver both have the same, for lack of a better term, positional athleticism going on (they both have average RAS scores, but elite scores in key categories that would indicate their ability to succeed at DE), Weaver's hand usage and rush plan are more advanced, and he was able to more consistently generate pressure. The better technical skill makes Weaver more likely to succeed at the next level, and I think that's going to be necessary for him. Jones is much more of a project to me, and it's going to be difficult for him to translate that into success without elite athleticism to carry him when he struggles with technique.

Originally Posted by Racehorse

Translation: I want everyone to think I am the smartest in the room

Add in the 17 players you listed as people you like for other rounds, and you are throwing out a bunch of names, hoping to be able to point back here when one of them does well and say you knew it. You are probably the guy at parties who everyone avoids due to being a blowhard know-it-all.

I don't really care about anyone thinking I'm the smartest in the room, honestly. If I did, I certainly wouldn't have stuck around here. I like being able to point to my opinions in writing because people have a tendency of not believing it unless it's in writing. Someone here even fact checked me when I said that Aaron Donald was the player I wanted in the 2014 NFL Draft.

I pointed out a bunch of players with traits not because I want to be "right" (I'd've included Patrick Jones II in that list if I was trying to just be "right", because consensus likes Jones way more than I do), but because it's a group of players I've watched in some form or another that has promising traits. Elerson Smith, for example, is one of my favorite late round guys (and might go on Day 2) because he has ridiculous length and athleticism, and he went to the Senior Bowl and dominated every OT not named Dillon Radunz (which, incidentally, is a factor in me liking Radunz more than most).

Originally Posted by Spike

NO, just fucking NO! I have already told you that I watched a lot of Clemson games, and it is my fucking opinion that he is the best QB coming out of college. I didn't need the pundits to tell me what I saw. He is head and shoulders the best QB coming out of college, period! You have a lot of great points, but you are not the only one who watches game tape. I just am not as high on Jones as you are. Plus, Sewell is going to be a great pro.

As far as Marvin vs. Galloway, give me a fucking break here please. Give either one of them the same QB and Marvin would still be head and shoulders the better wide receiver. Just watch the fucking tape, like you say you do. Marvin was better in every aspect of the game than Galloway.

The bottom line though is that anyone who would take Jones over Lawrence is living in crazy town. Lawrence can take a bad team and make them better, Jones just fucking can't. Jones can go to a team like the 49ers or Pats and do well though. Remember that Shanahan wanted Cousins, that is who Jones is.

As far as the rankings go, I will say that I really only watched Lawrence, Fields, and Jones. The other 2, not so much.

Can you give analysis beyond "I watched a lot of Clemson and Trev's the best because I say so"? Because that doesn't address all the times he struggled to read a defense and ended up tucking and running on most of Clemson's shot plays where one of his receivers didn't get college open. That doesn't address how Swinney seemingly covered for Lawrence's inability to read a defenseby making his offense heavy on screens and quick one read passes. That doesn't address that Lawrence misses open windows on NFL throws and hesitates to get the ball out, preferring to run rather than throwing timely into an NFL type of window. That doesn't address how freshman Trevor Lawrence and junior Trevor Lawrence are not very distinguishable from one another on film, meaning he hasn't improved much as a QB in 3 years of college football. "I watched a lot of Clemson and Trevor's the best because I say so" doesn't address those concerns. Got anything you saw on film that does?

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Ironshaft

There will be a bunch of guys released after the draft and at the 53 man cut down. Value guys. Wait until the start of the season until you run Ballard out of town.

The finished body of work is what you should be looking at. Not when work still needs to be done.

I don't think anyone's trying to run Ballard out of town, and if they were, they'd be stupid to do so.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

We have plenty of money to resign those guys AND sign a pass rusher. This is a false narrative.

Tampa Bay had 15 million entering this off season and they signed

WR Chris Godwin (franchise tag)
TE Rob Gronkowski (1 year, $8M)
DT Ndamukong Suh (1 year, $8M)
OLB Shaquil Barrett (4 years, $68M)
LB Lavonte David (2 years, $25M)
K Ryan Succop (3 years, $12M)
RB Leonard Fournette (1 year, $4M)


We had 69 million entering the offseason.

re-read what I typed, I said nothing about cap space, I was talking cash to pay the upfront money.

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish

Was the other Max Crosby?

Carl Lawson. I rounded up since he had 8.5.

The Bosa’s, Chase Young, and Bradley Chubb.

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by Butter

re-read what I typed, I said nothing about cap space, I was talking cash to pay the upfront money.

It’s possible, I don’t know what his finances are. But it’s not like Irsay has a corporation that brings money in, this is his business. But Leonard, Smith, and Hines next year. Then Nelson the year after that.

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by JAFF

Nothing is certain. If you dont like what is in front of you, you look somewhere else.

There is no perfect answer. There is no magic wand to make this better. But you make the decisions you wanna make rather than the ones you’re forced into.

The draft comes you make a deal you move up to get the guy you want. Or you trade back and get more pics and find out there.

There is no magic eight ball to give you the right answer. It’s a gamble it always has been. Chris Ballard is playing the long game. It sucks and it’s Chancey but it’s what we have. It doesn’t bother me because I’m not responsible for it. Every decision Ballard makes, could impact his job as in keeping it.

We will just wait for draft day and see what’s coming, because reading Chris Ballard’s mind, it’s a lot harder than people think

I’m not sure what you are talking about. Not all risks are the same buying a lottery ticket and hitting on a 13 in blackjack are both gambling, but different odds on each. Not doing anything can be just as bad as making the wrong move as well.

I’ll keep it simple. His job is to fill the holes in the roster. Ballard does a good job. I don’t want to run him out of town like Ironshaft implied. But the dude isn’t above criticism. And when you continually sit on a pile of cash and don’t address the same deficiencies on the roster year after year, I start to question what you’re doing. Because this team goes no where without a pass rush. I said the exact same thing last year, and here we are again. It’s holding the team back.

Pass rushers are hard to find, you get them however you can. All four championship teams had free agent pass rushers. His philosophy is nice, but it only works if you hit on your draft picks.

People act like Ballard has won something, I like the guy too, but we haven’t won anything. We are barely squeaking into the playoffs.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Carl Lawson. I rounded up since he had 8.5.

The Bosa’s, Chase Young, and Bradley Chubb.

You actually missed Crosby, he did have 10 as a rookie.

https://www.pro-football-reference.c...C/CrosMa00.htm

I was surprised that TJ Watt only had 7 as a rookie. And that Mack only had 4 as a rookie and was a rookie in 2014.

If I had to put money on someone from this class getting 9+ sacks in 2021, it would be Phillips. I think his combination of technical skill and athleticism gives him a chance to get there. Ojulari is bursting with talent, and he's really technically advanced for a 21 year old, but he's going to need to learn to use his hands better to get to the level he'll need to be at to get to 9 sacks.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

I’m not sure what you are talking about. Not all risks are the same buying a lottery ticket and hitting on a 13 in blackjack are both gambling, but different odds on each. Not doing anything can be just as bad as making the wrong move as well.

I’ll keep it simple. His job is to fill the holes in the roster. Ballard does a good job. I don’t want to run him out of town like Ironshaft implied. But the dude isn’t above criticism. And when you continually sit on a pile of cash and don’t address the same deficiencies on the roster year after year, I start to question what you’re doing. Because this team goes no where without a pass rush. I said the exact same thing last year, and here we are again. It’s holding the team back.

Pass rushers are hard to find, you get them however you can. All four championship teams had free agent pass rushers. His philosophy is nice, but it only works if you hit on your draft picks.

People act like Ballard has won something, I like the guy too, but we haven’t won anything. We are barely squeaking into the playoffs.

Barely squeaking into the playoffs with the bullshit he's had to guide this team through is still incredibly impressive. I agree that he needs to loosen the pursestrings a bit in free agency, but let's not disparage what he's been able to accomplish in very trying circumstances.

[Spike]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

Can you give analysis beyond "I watched a lot of Clemson and Trev's the best because I say so"? Because that doesn't address all the times he struggled to read a defense and ended up tucking and running on most of Clemson's shot plays where one of his receivers didn't get college open. That doesn't address how Swinney seemingly covered for Lawrence's inability to read a defenseby making his offense heavy on screens and quick one read passes. That doesn't address that Lawrence misses open windows on NFL throws and hesitates to get the ball out, preferring to run rather than throwing timely into an NFL type of window. That doesn't address how freshman Trevor Lawrence and junior Trevor Lawrence are not very distinguishable from one another on film, meaning he hasn't improved much as a QB in 3 years of college football. "I watched a lot of Clemson and Trevor's the best because I say so" doesn't address those concerns. Got anything you saw on film that does?

Damn it Dam. I surely am not as detailed as you, but I felt the same way about Manning over Leaf, Luck over RGIII and Castonzo over Carimi, based on what I saw, I will repeat that, based on WHAT I SAW. I have also got my ass kicked on others who didn't turn out how I thought they would. I'm no expert on this, not even close. I'm not the only one who thinks Lawrence is the number 1 QB, all the experts who get paid shitloads of money think so too. Could they all be wrong, hell yes they can. The draft is not an exact science, many sure fire picks have busted.

Let me ask you a question Dam, if you had the number 1 pick in the draft and needed a QB, who would you take knowing your job was on the line?

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Spike

Damn it Dam. I surely am not as detailed as you, but I felt the same way about Manning over Leaf, Luck over RGIII and Castonzo over Carimi, based on what I saw, I will repeat that, based on WHAT I SAW. I have also got my ass kicked on others who didn't turn out how I thought they would. I'm no expert on this, not even close. I'm not the only one who thinks Lawrence is the number 1 QB, all the experts who get paid shitloads of money think so too. Could they all be wrong, hell yes they can. The draft is not an exact science, many sure fire picks have busted.

Let me ask you a question Dam, if you had the number 1 pick in the draft and needed a QB, who would you take knowing your job was on the line?

Zach Wilson, without a second thought.