* Ye Official 2012 Mock Draft Thread!! *

[Off The Grid]

Originally Posted by Off The Grid

No WAY anybody's interested enough to go through all that, but that's OK: I had a blast!!

Originally Posted by Merril Hoge's Tie Knot

Already did, and while I'm absolutely in love with it, I don''t know how I'm going to follow it. I'm going to have to sleep on it but there are a few things I can comment on without thinking too much.

I hate Aaron Corpse, don't ask me why, I just hate him.

I was getting worried that I didn't see any defensive grizzlies, but then you picked the ultimate defensive grizzly, Hicks.

I don't think McCants is going to last that long, but it's possible.

It's loaded with players I love. The top five alone would make a great draft, then you add Hicks, E-Rod, Moore, Moss, etc etc and etc.

More tomorrow.

Got through ALL of that?? I AM impressed!!

Thanks for your gracious words, Brother Knot!! DELIGHTED that you like it!!

You could very well be right about McCants: I went with Pro FootBall Weekly's Grid, for the most part, and was startled to see him projected so late...

Aaron Corpse!! Hah!! LOVE it!!

[Off The Grid]

Originally Posted by Wilfork#75

OTG you are absolutely insane, and I love it! As always it is a pleasure to read your work. I especially love the Trumaine Johnson, DeMario Davis, Desmond Marrow and Chigbo Anunoby picks. I just wish they would raise the season roster limit because I would love to see what you could do with 60 spots. Bravo Good Sir

High Praise from The Master Craftsman!! I am honored, INDEED, Sir!!

That IS the appropriately revered Orson Welles!! I LOVE the View Page Info Option!!

[doesntmatter1]

I would like to chime in on a few things. I like alot of your picks otg but i want to bring up some talk of our glory day defenses. Coming into this draft I thought it was better than the last few drafts for coverage linebackers, wide receivers, and cornerbacks. And I feel that coverage linebackers has been the most ignored spot for years now, moreso than pass rushers. I wanted us to fix our wideouts but once we signed brandon lloyd and gonzo(i like him) i shifted my attention back to coverage linebackers.

Many feel that our dominance was attributed to our dline but i really feel it was our linebackers. Bruschi, roman phifer, don davis, and even ted johnson were pretty good in coverage and could come up with an interception if you threw in their direction enough. For example, take the 05 season when bruschi had the stroke. We still had vrabel, colvin, our dline consisting of first rounders and some of our playmakers in the secondary but that defense was not good when chad brown and monty beisel were playing and got much better when teddy returned even though his play had dropped off. Then seau was used as a stop gap and it hasn't been addressed good enough imo. Hell in 06 people want to blame caldwell for dropping a pass and i could argue the colts shouldn't have scored so many points and picked on eric alexander who should have been upgraded long before that game even happended. Im not even going to get into the pass interference calls in that game so back to the topic.

Playing a 4-3 this year really showed our lack of coverage lbs that i have always noticed and showed how much guyton sucked and wasnt fixed until tracy white stepped in and he is supposed to be strictly special teams. And it is not often drafts come along with the likes of lavonte david, demario davis, kendricks, etc. and you have to get at least one of them. By the end of the year we were solid with white, mayo, spikes, ninko, and fletcher but i want to reduce ninko to more of a rusher and just make this coverage lbs a strength for the team. And I have no faith in bobby carpenter, koutovides, or glass tarpinian and need to be replaced with promising rookies.

Now onto the secondary. I don't think we should reach for anyone because next years draft will most likely be just as good as this one. I truly feel there are only three safeties worth picking high and they are dre kirkpatrick, trumain johnson, and barron(still not completely sold on him). Now when it comes to corners there are so many that I could envision on this team so i am kinda torn on who i would really go with here.

And lastly OTG has me wondering how we can fit projects like dale moss(who i had no idea about but now intrigued) are going to fit onto the roster especially if BB goes on his trend of taking at least 1 oline and possibly even a tight end.

Also i wanna say I really thought the draft talk would die down when mayoclinic stopped posting but OTG has been one of the best draft contributors bringing our picks to life lol.

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

Originally Posted by Off The Grid

Got through ALL of that?? I AM impressed!!

Thanks for your gracious words, Brother Knot!! DELIGHTED that you like it!!

You could very well be right about McCants: I went with Pro FootBall Weekly's Grid, for the most part, and was startled to see him projected so late...

Aaron Corpse!! Hah!! LOVE it!!

I admire your effort to make up for the last five drafts, and replace half of the roster. I don't agree with it, but god damn I respect it.

And I'd never trade Mallet, but we're going to have to just agree to disagree on that one. Our views are opposite.

One question I have is on your view of defensive backs. I can understand wanting to replace the safety positions with with big fast corner backs, in fact I want to do that too. But are you saying you want the players to be completely interchangeable? If so I don't agree with that. I think if you draft a player for a position, you keep him there and let him perfect the position. No flip flopping. The NFL is hard enough.

If I had my druthers I'd draft man and press man corners to play corner, and bigger zone and off man corners to play safety, provided they can hit and tackle. Trumaine Johnson is to perfect player for that application, but I'm afraid he could be gone by 48, never mind 62.

I love those UDFA tight ends you found. Talk about high upside physical specimens.

[Sfpat]

OTG, I highly respect your work and enjoy your contributions. Obviously, you and BB take opposite but similar approaches to the draft (both think way outside the box). My two cents:

While I like many of your picks I completely disagree with your assessments of the Pats back-up QB's and Kellen Moore, whom my nickle says won't get drafted and won't make an NFL roster. Can't argue with your logic regarding Hoyer but swapping Mallet (think Aaron Rogers) for Moore is a drastic drop in ability. Moore is the best QB in .........Boise, but nowhere near NFL capable. Watch his tape from the Senior Bowl, where he was a "deer in the headlights" who struggled to get his throws off and curled up into a cocoon whenever a defensive player crossed the line of scrimmage. TB would be forced to take every snap if this was to happen.

Not sure if a bunch of 4th round and lower round picks are better than Slater, Tarpinian, Brace, Cannon, M. Carter, Pryor, Deadrick

Love the OL picks and db picks (agree that Greagory has yet to make the team). Wish there was a way to get half of your haul.

[kennyb]

I think they will draft

Hightower

Malik Jjackson Defensive End

Trenton Robertson FS he has a lot of experience

Thomas Compton OL

Hightower in the first, the rest of the guys later, maybe 3rd or 4th.

[Off The Grid]

Originally Posted by doesntmatter1

I would like to chime in on a few things. I like alot of your picks otg but i want to bring up some talk of our glory day defenses. Coming into this draft I thought it was better than the last few drafts for coverage linebackers, wide receivers, and cornerbacks. And I feel that coverage linebackers has been the most ignored spot for years now, moreso than pass rushers. I wanted us to fix our wideouts but once we signed brandon lloyd and gonzo(i like him) i shifted my attention back to coverage linebackers.

Many feel that our dominance was attributed to our dline but i really feel it was our linebackers. Bruschi, roman phifer, don davis, and even ted johnson were pretty good in coverage and could come up with an interception if you threw in their direction enough. For example, take the 05 season when bruschi had the stroke. We still had vrabel, colvin, our dline consisting of first rounders and some of our playmakers in the secondary but that defense was not good when chad brown and monty beisel were playing and got much better when teddy returned even though his play had dropped off. Then seau was used as a stop gap and it hasn't been addressed good enough imo. Hell in 06 people want to blame caldwell for dropping a pass and i could argue the colts shouldn't have scored so many points and picked on eric alexander who should have been upgraded long before that game even happended. Im not even going to get into the pass interference calls in that game so back to the topic.

Playing a 4-3 this year really showed our lack of coverage lbs that i have always noticed and showed how much guyton sucked and wasnt fixed until tracy white stepped in and he is supposed to be strictly special teams. And it is not often drafts come along with the likes of lavonte david, demario davis, kendricks, etc. and you have to get at least one of them. By the end of the year we were solid with white, mayo, spikes, ninko, and fletcher but i want to reduce ninko to more of a rusher and just make this coverage lbs a strength for the team. And I have no faith in bobby carpenter, koutovides, or glass tarpinian and need to be replaced with promising rookies.

Hah!! Could NOT agree with you MORE!!

I am Fuh NATICAL about Coverage MidFielders and Coverage Flankers!!

And I agree 1000% that this draft is LOADED with'm!!

Shae McClellin
Cam Johnson
LaVonte David
DeMario Davis

All 4 of those guys have displayed exceptional Coverage Potential or Capacity, and LaVonte David is the Crown Jewel of Coverage MidFielders!!

With McClellin and Johnson joining us as Ends in the "43" and "425", as HeffaLumps in the "245", perhaps, and as Flankers in the "34"...And with David and Davis at Flanker in the "43" and "245", MidFielder in the "34", and MidFielder or Rover in the "425", our Front 7's Coverage capacity would be LIGHT YEARS better than it's been since our Fabled Defense of 2001-2004!!

Originally Posted by doesntmatter1

Now onto the secondary. I don't think we should reach for anyone because next years draft will most likely be just as good as this one. I truly feel there are only three safeties worth picking high and they are dre kirkpatrick, trumain johnson, and barron(still not completely sold on him). Now when it comes to corners there are so many that I could envision on this team so i am kinda torn on who i would really go with here.

KirkPatrick as a Safety IS an intriguing notion, though I'm more inclined towards Hybrids...But assuming that Mad Bill sticks to a more conventional system ~ Corners are Corners and Safeties are Safeties ~ it's a very sweet idea. Johnson, I think, could play either.

I'm not familiar with next year's Corner class, but I REALLY like THIS year's.

To haul in Fleming and Johson at the end'f the 2nd Round ~ I've heard them going anywhere from #40 to #99, mind you, so who knows?? ~ and Norman, later on, would be AMAZING.

Originally Posted by doesntmatter1

And lastly OTG has me wondering how we can fit projects like dale moss(who i had no idea about but now intrigued) are going to fit onto the roster especially if BB goes on his trend of taking at least 1 oline and possibly even a tight end.

Also i wanna say I really thought the draft talk would die down when mayoclinic stopped posting but OTG has been one of the best draft contributors bringing our picks to life lol.

Thanks so much, my friend. Brother Mayo is my favorite private correspondent, and we exchange a lot of ideas, so it's certainly an honor to be mentioned in that vein. I'm OBSESSED with this, so if nobody gave a crap, I'd probably just post away on my Site, sending my rambling out into the far reaches of Outer Space, just because I MUST...But it is INFINITELY more gratifying to share and exchange thoughts with my fellow Draft fans, and to know that my Passion is shared by others!!

[Off The Grid]

Originally Posted by Merril Hoge's Tie Knot

I admire your effort to make up for the last five drafts, and replace half of the roster. I don't agree with it, but god damn I respect it.

And I'd never trade Mallet, but we're going to have to just agree to disagree on that one. Our views are opposite.

One question I have is on your view of defensive backs. I can understand wanting to replace the safety positions with with big fast corner backs, in fact I want to do that too. But are you saying you want the players to be completely interchangeable? If so I don't agree with that. I think if you draft a player for a position, you keep him there and let him perfect the position. No flip flopping. The NFL is hard enough.

If I had my druthers I'd draft man and press man corners to play corner, and bigger zone and off man corners to play safety, provided they can hit and tackle. Trumaine Johnson is to perfect player for that application, but I'm afraid he could be gone by 48, never mind 62.

I love those UDFA tight ends you found. Talk about high upside physical specimens.

Good stuff, Brother Knot!!

1 ~ My notion of an Amorphous Secondary is a typically radical one, I do admit, and I don't even know if it's practical...But the idea of confusing the HELL out'f QB's and OC's really excites me...It's an idea that Brother Mayo and I've kicked around, with the basic idea being that the less the enemy can guess...the better!!

2 ~ No telling when Trumaine Johnson gets drafted, or Jamell Fleming...But my thinking is that it's such a deep Corner Market ~ haw ~ this year, that Opportunity is knocking, regarding 3 1st Round Talents, Josh Norman being the third.

3 ~ Thanks for the Props on the Tight Ends!! I was a bit bogged down, getting to the Pro Days, and Brother Mayo was kind enough to point out that he'd found Matt Veldman, as well as another Flex End who's name escapes me...Derek Carrier I found mention of at some other Site, but usually I just troll the Pro Days, myself, for these UFA types. It's one of my favorite parts of the process!!

[jsull87]

Originally Posted by Off The Grid

1 ~ I agree!! If I expect the Draft Pick to be an equal contributor to the Incumbent by the end of the year, and to eclipse him after that, then I absolutely 100% prefer the Draft Pick!! But I appreciate and respect your courteous way of pointing that out, Sir, and we both know that everybody ~ and I do mean everybody!! ~ will agree with you on that!! Not my first divergence with the Majority.

2 ~ I'm quite confident that you're correct in that Marcus Cannon, Steve Gregory, and Brandon Deaderick will very likely make the roster, because it's Coach Bill drafting the players and making the Personnel decisions, not me...More's the Pity!!

3 ~ Yes, trading both back ups is yet another radical move by me, and one that Coach Bill is highly unlikely to emulate...But it's worth noting that going into a season with only a single rookie as a back up Quarter Back is precisely what he did in 2009, even with Brady coming back from injury...Even so, I'm more than happy to agree that everybody will agree with you on this!!

4 ~ I like Matt Slater, but I have no room on my 50 Man Roster ~ the last 3 spots are always Spec Teams ~ for any positional player who can't play a position well enough to play, especially with the new lame Kick Off rules. Will Mad Bill retain his services?? Quite possibly, but that's not at issue, here.

5 ~ It's worth repeating: This is my insanely twisted, raving lunatic Mock. I'm not making predictions about what Coach Bill will do, you see: just dreaming!!

It's a great pleasure to discuss differences of opinion with the intelligent and the courteous, Brother Sull!! Thank you for taking the time to share your Arguments!!

You make a good point about the new kick off return rules. It makes me wonder if the kick off return specialists wond just become obsolete and the punt returner becomes really the only real special teams returner of value.

Appreciate you taking the comments for what they were a opinion of theory rather than a critique.

I for one especially in the case of Cannon still would say that i would pick him with any pick in this draft 3rd round onwards and therefore wouldn't pick a player similar as i would expect him to beat them out.

It is a pitty i havent had time this year to do research on the lower rounds like i have previous years so really only know the 1st 2 rounds and maybe a few binkies more.

[ay-yo]

My final mock draft:

1a. Chandler Jones - my top OLB / DE prospect, day 1 starter
1b. Jerel Worthy - will start day 1, can play 3 downs
2a. Alshon Jeffery - I have him as a mid-1st round talent
3 + 2b = 50. Lavonte David - top coverage LB, will see ~50% of snaps 1st year
4. Trenton Robinson

S is not really addressed but top 4 are my binkies.