dryheat44
Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2004
- Messages
- 6,351
- Reaction score
- 78
1 Houston - Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville. This pick pretty much has to be the quarterback Bill O'Brien wants. Bridgewater was considered the best college QB all season long, and I see no reason the post-season events would change that. Then again, back in November, Tajh Boyd was said to be #2 by a whisker.
2 St. Louis - TRADE TO ATLANTA. Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina. Atlanta needs quite a few things, but it seems they will prioritize by taking a supposed generational player here. For good or ill, Tommy Dimitroff isn't afraid to give up assets to target a player he covets.
3 Jacksonville - Khalil Mack DE Buffalo. At this stage, Jacksonville needs to try to win games with defense.
4 Cleveland - TRADE TO MINNESOTA. Blake Bortles QB Central Florida. With several teams between "mildly interested in a QB" and "desperate for a QB" lurking, the Vikings trade up for their favorite.
5 Oakland - Jake Matthews OL Texas A&M. A speedster WR or QB here is tempting, but after letting Veldheer move on and whatever that Saffold mess was, the best way to improve the Raiders, and allow McKenzie to keep his job, is to draft some QB protection.
6 St. Louis (via Atlanta) - Greg Robinson OT Auburn. I don't think it's particulary good policy to spend consecutive Top-10 picks on WRs, although a do-everything talent like Watkins would be tempting, and different enough from Austin. However, I don't think a Jeff Fisher team would spend consecutive Top-10 picks on WRs.
7 Tampa Bay - Sammy Watkins WR Clemson. Doesn't matter who the QB is, they'll look a lot better with Jackson and Watkins bookending the field.
8 Cleveland (from Minnesota) - TRADE TO DALLAS. Aaron Donald DT Pittsburgh. Cleveland knows who it wants, so will trade down again and get more assets. Dallas doesn't know who Tennessee, New York, or Chicago want, but there's a good chance at least one of them is targeting Donald.
9 Buffalo - Mike Evans WR Texas A&M. Time to get a taller target up in Buffalo. Given QB health, their offense can be scary.
10 Detroit - Eric Ebron TE North Carolina. I think Ebron could fall until late in the first, but Detroit 1) Didn't want Pettigrew back this year, 2) Let leak their infatuation with Watkins, 3) Didn't want Pettigrew back this year, 4) Couldn't improve on Pettigrew in the free agent market, and 5) Didn't want Pettigrew back this year.
11 Tennessee - Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M. I don't necessarily know what the Question is, but the Answer isn't "Jake Locker". Plus, Nashville is generally welcoming to rock stars. Johnny Football will be Johnny Escorting Country Music Startlets soon enough.
12 NY Giants - Anthony Barr DE UCLA. This seems to be the best intersection of value and need.
13 St. Louis - Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St. He'd make a nice, young, tandem with Jenkins. In any other division, the Rams are probably a playoff team.
14 Chicago - Ha Ha Clinton Dix S Alabama. These two have been making googly eyes at each other for a month now.
15 Pittsburgh - Calvin Pryor S Louisville. With Pryor taking over for Polamalu sometime this year, the Steelers will be able to continue with their defensive schemes.
16 Cleveland (from Dallas) - Zach Mettenberger QB LSU. The Browns have used a few late-firsts to get a quarterback recently, and it hasn't been working out great. Time to use an earlier pick. As I've thought about it more, I've leaned away from Manziel in Cleveland. I don't think the new management team wants the entire city screaming for the rock star the first time Hoyer struggles. Taking Mettenberger gives them the opportunity to bring him along slowly.
17 Baltimore - Louis Nix DT Notre Dame. I had Nix going here before, and now that Hakuna Matata, I mean, Haloti N'gata, has turned down a lucrative extension, I feel more solid in this projection.
18 NY Jets - Odell Beckham WR LSU. Despite Rex Ryan's objections, the Jets take an offensive skill position in the first.
19 Miami - Taylor Lewan OT Michigan. Lewan slides a bit in this scenario, which is perhaps unlikely, but it's fantastic news for Miami.
20 Arizona - Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St. Huge upgrade to the WR corps here, and he should play well within Arians's offense.
21 Green Bay - Zack Martin OL Notre Dame. I don't know where he fits best along the Green Bay OL, but he will provide a sorely needed upgrade somewhere.
22 Philadelphia - Darqueze Dennard CB Michigan St. I'm not sure whether the pass rush or the coverage is the biggest culprit in Philly, but the larger jump in improvement is probably Dennard at corner.
23 Kansas City - TRADE TO JACKSONVILLE. Derek Carr QB Fresno St. Jacksonville is probably (justifiably) concerned that Cincinnati could go QB here. Now, it's possible that Jacksonville could sit tight and take whomever's left of Carr, Garropollo, or a surprise riser like Murray, but with Kansas City looking to take one of the next tier receivers, and not a lot of trade interest here, Jacksonville can get a good deal to move up and get their choice.
24 Cincinnati - Dee Ford DE Auburn. Ford almost seems like too solid a citizen for Marvin Lewis, but he should fit in nicely otherwise.
25 San Diego - Jason Verrett CB Texas Christian. Everybody loves tall corners these days. Tall corners are the new black. But I'd still rather have a good small corner than an average tall corner, so with apologies to Roby and Fuller, I'm taking the superior cover guy.
26 Cleveland - RaShede Hageman DT Minnesota. He fits into what Pettine likes to do defensively, and guys like Pettine usually get the best out of their players.
27 New Orleans - Marquise Lee WR Southern Cal. Defense having been largely rebuilt, it's time for the Saints to replenish the skill positions.
28 Carolina - Allen Robinson WR Penn St. The Panthers are fairly desperate for a WR they can pull off the shelf and plug into the opening day lineup. In this draft, that's Robinson.
29 New England - I'll admit I just don't know what to do here. And unless someone's hot for Garropollo, I can't see a trade. Sometimes you just need to swallow hard and stay true to the board. I think there are a few 1st round grades left here -- Jernigan, Mosley, Shazier, Roby, and Ealy -- but no really good systemic or need fit. I think it comes down to one of two things -- which starter's injury would screw us the most, and which player is a rare speciman that any defensive coach would love to have. For me this comes down to Mosley, Shazier, and Ealy. What clinches it for CJ Mosley LB Alabama for me is that there are other players I like at DE who can be had later (Kadeem Martin, Will Clarke), and OLB (Jeremiah Attaochu, Carl Bradford) but with respect to Christian Jones, Mosley is unique in this draft, the ultimate Coach's player, on and off the field. Mosley, by a hair over Shazier.
30 San Francisco - Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St. The 49ers, on the other hand, take about 9 seconds to bring their card to the podium.
31 Denver - Xavier Su'a-Filo OL UCLA. There are some interesting pieces on defense which the Broncos would benefit from, but I think some interior protection for Manning is the first order of business.
32 Seattle - Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech. Fuller becomes the first of the Fuller brothers to crack the 1st round -- barely. He has the skills and the brashness to fit right in there.
Pats draft:
29. Mosley
62. Trade for 69 and 143 (Tampa)
69. Carl Bradford OLB Arizona St
93. Will Clarke DE West Virginia
130.Charles Sims RB West Virginia
140.Trai Turner G LSU
143.Jake Murphy TE Utah
198.Antone Exum S Virginia Tech
206.Prince Shembo LB Notre Dame
244.Garrett Gilbert QB Southern Methodist
Top 10 UDFAs:
QB Jeff Mathews Cornell
RB Antonio Andrews Western Kentucky
RB David Fluellen Toledo
WR Matt Hazel Coastal Carolina
TE Gator Hoskins Marshall
C Tyler Larsen Utah St
S Nat Berhe San Diego St
LB Tyler Starr South Dakota
DT Ryan Carrethers Arkansas St
TE College Power Forward to be Named Later
2 St. Louis - TRADE TO ATLANTA. Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina. Atlanta needs quite a few things, but it seems they will prioritize by taking a supposed generational player here. For good or ill, Tommy Dimitroff isn't afraid to give up assets to target a player he covets.
3 Jacksonville - Khalil Mack DE Buffalo. At this stage, Jacksonville needs to try to win games with defense.
4 Cleveland - TRADE TO MINNESOTA. Blake Bortles QB Central Florida. With several teams between "mildly interested in a QB" and "desperate for a QB" lurking, the Vikings trade up for their favorite.
5 Oakland - Jake Matthews OL Texas A&M. A speedster WR or QB here is tempting, but after letting Veldheer move on and whatever that Saffold mess was, the best way to improve the Raiders, and allow McKenzie to keep his job, is to draft some QB protection.
6 St. Louis (via Atlanta) - Greg Robinson OT Auburn. I don't think it's particulary good policy to spend consecutive Top-10 picks on WRs, although a do-everything talent like Watkins would be tempting, and different enough from Austin. However, I don't think a Jeff Fisher team would spend consecutive Top-10 picks on WRs.
7 Tampa Bay - Sammy Watkins WR Clemson. Doesn't matter who the QB is, they'll look a lot better with Jackson and Watkins bookending the field.
8 Cleveland (from Minnesota) - TRADE TO DALLAS. Aaron Donald DT Pittsburgh. Cleveland knows who it wants, so will trade down again and get more assets. Dallas doesn't know who Tennessee, New York, or Chicago want, but there's a good chance at least one of them is targeting Donald.
9 Buffalo - Mike Evans WR Texas A&M. Time to get a taller target up in Buffalo. Given QB health, their offense can be scary.
10 Detroit - Eric Ebron TE North Carolina. I think Ebron could fall until late in the first, but Detroit 1) Didn't want Pettigrew back this year, 2) Let leak their infatuation with Watkins, 3) Didn't want Pettigrew back this year, 4) Couldn't improve on Pettigrew in the free agent market, and 5) Didn't want Pettigrew back this year.
11 Tennessee - Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M. I don't necessarily know what the Question is, but the Answer isn't "Jake Locker". Plus, Nashville is generally welcoming to rock stars. Johnny Football will be Johnny Escorting Country Music Startlets soon enough.
12 NY Giants - Anthony Barr DE UCLA. This seems to be the best intersection of value and need.
13 St. Louis - Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St. He'd make a nice, young, tandem with Jenkins. In any other division, the Rams are probably a playoff team.
14 Chicago - Ha Ha Clinton Dix S Alabama. These two have been making googly eyes at each other for a month now.
15 Pittsburgh - Calvin Pryor S Louisville. With Pryor taking over for Polamalu sometime this year, the Steelers will be able to continue with their defensive schemes.
16 Cleveland (from Dallas) - Zach Mettenberger QB LSU. The Browns have used a few late-firsts to get a quarterback recently, and it hasn't been working out great. Time to use an earlier pick. As I've thought about it more, I've leaned away from Manziel in Cleveland. I don't think the new management team wants the entire city screaming for the rock star the first time Hoyer struggles. Taking Mettenberger gives them the opportunity to bring him along slowly.
17 Baltimore - Louis Nix DT Notre Dame. I had Nix going here before, and now that Hakuna Matata, I mean, Haloti N'gata, has turned down a lucrative extension, I feel more solid in this projection.
18 NY Jets - Odell Beckham WR LSU. Despite Rex Ryan's objections, the Jets take an offensive skill position in the first.
19 Miami - Taylor Lewan OT Michigan. Lewan slides a bit in this scenario, which is perhaps unlikely, but it's fantastic news for Miami.
20 Arizona - Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St. Huge upgrade to the WR corps here, and he should play well within Arians's offense.
21 Green Bay - Zack Martin OL Notre Dame. I don't know where he fits best along the Green Bay OL, but he will provide a sorely needed upgrade somewhere.
22 Philadelphia - Darqueze Dennard CB Michigan St. I'm not sure whether the pass rush or the coverage is the biggest culprit in Philly, but the larger jump in improvement is probably Dennard at corner.
23 Kansas City - TRADE TO JACKSONVILLE. Derek Carr QB Fresno St. Jacksonville is probably (justifiably) concerned that Cincinnati could go QB here. Now, it's possible that Jacksonville could sit tight and take whomever's left of Carr, Garropollo, or a surprise riser like Murray, but with Kansas City looking to take one of the next tier receivers, and not a lot of trade interest here, Jacksonville can get a good deal to move up and get their choice.
24 Cincinnati - Dee Ford DE Auburn. Ford almost seems like too solid a citizen for Marvin Lewis, but he should fit in nicely otherwise.
25 San Diego - Jason Verrett CB Texas Christian. Everybody loves tall corners these days. Tall corners are the new black. But I'd still rather have a good small corner than an average tall corner, so with apologies to Roby and Fuller, I'm taking the superior cover guy.
26 Cleveland - RaShede Hageman DT Minnesota. He fits into what Pettine likes to do defensively, and guys like Pettine usually get the best out of their players.
27 New Orleans - Marquise Lee WR Southern Cal. Defense having been largely rebuilt, it's time for the Saints to replenish the skill positions.
28 Carolina - Allen Robinson WR Penn St. The Panthers are fairly desperate for a WR they can pull off the shelf and plug into the opening day lineup. In this draft, that's Robinson.
29 New England - I'll admit I just don't know what to do here. And unless someone's hot for Garropollo, I can't see a trade. Sometimes you just need to swallow hard and stay true to the board. I think there are a few 1st round grades left here -- Jernigan, Mosley, Shazier, Roby, and Ealy -- but no really good systemic or need fit. I think it comes down to one of two things -- which starter's injury would screw us the most, and which player is a rare speciman that any defensive coach would love to have. For me this comes down to Mosley, Shazier, and Ealy. What clinches it for CJ Mosley LB Alabama for me is that there are other players I like at DE who can be had later (Kadeem Martin, Will Clarke), and OLB (Jeremiah Attaochu, Carl Bradford) but with respect to Christian Jones, Mosley is unique in this draft, the ultimate Coach's player, on and off the field. Mosley, by a hair over Shazier.
30 San Francisco - Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St. The 49ers, on the other hand, take about 9 seconds to bring their card to the podium.
31 Denver - Xavier Su'a-Filo OL UCLA. There are some interesting pieces on defense which the Broncos would benefit from, but I think some interior protection for Manning is the first order of business.
32 Seattle - Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech. Fuller becomes the first of the Fuller brothers to crack the 1st round -- barely. He has the skills and the brashness to fit right in there.
Pats draft:
29. Mosley
62. Trade for 69 and 143 (Tampa)
69. Carl Bradford OLB Arizona St
93. Will Clarke DE West Virginia
130.Charles Sims RB West Virginia
140.Trai Turner G LSU
143.Jake Murphy TE Utah
198.Antone Exum S Virginia Tech
206.Prince Shembo LB Notre Dame
244.Garrett Gilbert QB Southern Methodist
Top 10 UDFAs:
QB Jeff Mathews Cornell
RB Antonio Andrews Western Kentucky
RB David Fluellen Toledo
WR Matt Hazel Coastal Carolina
TE Gator Hoskins Marshall
C Tyler Larsen Utah St
S Nat Berhe San Diego St
LB Tyler Starr South Dakota
DT Ryan Carrethers Arkansas St
TE College Power Forward to be Named Later