Bakes mock v1.0

[Nonentity]

I think Denver really ought to take McClain for themselves. They have 2 ILBs on the roster, only 1 with any real experience.

You could make the argument that no team needs any position worse than Denver needs an inside linebacker.

I think McClain to Denver and Cody to Kansas City are the two locks in this draft.

McClain to Denver only happens if they are 100% certain that they won't trade Brandon Marshall. In which case I think the pick is Dez Bryant. They need a center too and the only place for them to realistically get one is Matt Tennant in Round 2.

I don't see Cody making it out of the 1st round either, probably goes to the Chargers in Round 1, second off the NT board after Dan Williams.

 

[bakes781]

• Ryan Mathews is not a small back, he's 220lbs.

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  You guys clearly misread what I was saying. I was saying that in general the league as a whole is going away from the bigger backs in favor of the smaller backs. Guys like Dwyer and Matthews who have a lot of mileage already are not as appealing to GMs.

 

[VJCPatriot]

You guys clearly misread what I was saying. I was saying that in general the league as a whole is going away from the bigger backs in favor of the smaller backs. Guys like Dwyer and Matthews who have a lot of mileage already are not as appealing to GMs.

How do you explain McCluster over Best then? :confused2:

 

[bakes781]

Well IMO McCluster is like 2 players in 1. He can serve as your slot receiver and he can be your 3rd down back. He may be small but he can block with the best of them. As a receiver he catches just about everything thrown in his general area. And there's no better when it comes to YAC.

 

[patchick]

McClain to Denver only happens if they are 100% certain that they won't trade Brandon Marshall. In which case I think the pick is Dez Bryant. They need a center too and the only place for them to realistically get one is Matt Tennant in Round 2.

But which is more likely to find after round 2, a WR within shouting distance of Bryant or an ILB within shouting distance of McClain? I'd argue the former.

 

[dryheat44]

But which is more likely to find after round 2, a WR within shouting distance of Bryant or an ILB within shouting distance of McClain? I'd argue the former.

Exactly. Denver, barring a trade or signing, needs an ILB to start week 1. If I'm Xanders, or whomever is calling the shots over there these days, I take McClain regardless of Marshall's presence on the roster and Bryant's availability. Let's say they trade Marshall for a 2nd rounder. I think the only play is to take McCain in the first, and then one of Benn, Thomas, Tate, Price later, even if a trade-up is necessary. Taking Bryant at #11, who appears to be more potential Prima Donna headache than Marshall, and then trying to find a starting ILB later probably isn't going to happen, unless you have a lot of faith in Spikes or Edds.

Maybe they can trade Marshall for David Harris.

 

[patchick]

I think Denver really ought to take McClain for themselves. They have 2 ILBs on the roster, only 1 with any real experience.

You could make the argument that no team needs any position worse than Denver needs an inside linebacker.

How about how badly the Giants need an ILB?

I've been working on a no-trade mock, and an interesting thing happens. The Giants look screwed at #15. There's been a big run on OTs, Denver took McClain, the top DTs are gone, etc. The Giants' best options are Sean Weatherspoon or maybe Jerry Hughes as ILBs, or Iupati with hopes of playing him at RT (that's the current pick in my mock). Not very pretty for #15 overall.

So if I'm NYG, I look to trade up ahead of Denver. And then things start to get wild and woolly.

 

[Nonentity]

But which is more likely to find after round 2, a WR within shouting distance of Bryant or an ILB within shouting distance of McClain? I'd argue the former.

That's a fair point. This is a horrible draft for non-rushing linebackers, the choice is basically McClain/Weatherspoon, an overdraft in the 2nd or pot luck when there's a run on the competent remaining ones in the 3rd.

How about how badly the Giants need an ILB?

I've been working on a no-trade mock, and an interesting thing happens. The Giants look screwed at #15. There's been a big run on OTs, Denver took McClain, the top DTs are gone, etc. The Giants' best options are Sean Weatherspoon or maybe Jerry Hughes as ILBs, or Iupati with hopes of playing him at RT (that's the current pick in my mock). Not very pretty for #15 overall.

So if I'm NYG, I look to trade up ahead of Denver. And then things start to get wild and woolly.

Hah, I gave them Weatherspoon at 15 with McClain still on the board, as an excellent replacement for Antonio Pierce. Hughes doesn't really fit since they prefer, I think, to create pressure with their front 4. That said, he has an excellent short shuttle so he probably could convert.

A good alternative is Brian Price at 15. He's the best non-Suh/McCoy 4-3 DT in the draft. He otherwise falls to the Colts at 31 for me, and the Giants take Cam Thomas at 46 as a painful but necessary overdraft.


On the subject of my mock, I've got as far as the Patriots' pick at 47. Still not happy with the pick either. It's a 2 round mock with trades, should get it up today.

 

[patchick]

Hah, I gave them Weatherspoon at 15 with McClain still on the board, as an excellent replacement for Antonio Pierce. Hughes doesn't really fit since they prefer, I think, to create pressure with their front 4. That said, he has an excellent short shuttle so he probably could convert.

A good alternative is Brian Price at 15. He's the best non-Suh/McCoy 4-3 DT in the draft. He otherwise falls to the Colts at 31 for me, and the Giants take Cam Thomas at 46 as a painful but necessary overdraft.

Good stuff. I gave a lot of thought to Price at 15 too, but the run on OTs tipped the balance to Iupati. I had trouble talking myself into Weatherspoon as reasonable value, but given how shallow the position is it may make sense.

On the subject of my mock, I've got as far as the Patriots' pick at 47. Still not happy with the pick either. It's a 2 round mock with trades, should get it up today.

Looking forward to it! I'm a big believer in including trades in mocks. In fact, one of the main benefits I get out of doing a non-trade mock is to sort out where the value/need trigger points are.