This has actually been my favourite draft in awhile. I know a bunch of you probably disagree, but hear me out.
1) First we get a LB that should be able to make an immediate impact inside. The key here is that Mayo can take snaps at ILB. This will allow AT to shift outside to OLB. He'll only move inside for specific packages. He was very effective outside in the SB, and I think he could be downright scary there with a year in the system under his belt. IMO Mayo's hand play and physicality were probably the best of all LB's in this draft. His transition to the pros will probably be gradual (Hobson and Bru will get the majority of the snaps early on), but I expect he'll be a real contributor by playoffs. With Hobson and Mayo we just got a lot younger and more athletic inside.
It might have been a slight reach, but there was no way the Lions were letting him slip past them by all accounts. I'm excited to this kid play.
2) It's funny how Wheatley is so similar to Hobbs. Short, but lightning quick, tough, physical and athletic. It's also funny how the reaction to the pick was the nearly identical as well. The fact of the matter is BB just doesn't really care about size in his corners - it's all about ball skills and athleticism. Wheatley can also contribute as a KR. Personally I don't mind having short corners. For every jump ball a receiver might win (and there's no saying a 6'2 corner wouldn't get beat too), the shorter corner should be able to knock away many more passes with better acceleration/hips/explosion.
Wheatley should be a nickel corner for this year and next, but like Hobbs I see him starting in the near future.
Again, these two picks weren't sexy, but I see both guys contributing in sub packages early on and having the potential to grow in the system. What I like best is that both are great leaders with top intangibles - we've built a dynasty on players like these and I'm glad this trend is continuing.
1) First we get a LB that should be able to make an immediate impact inside. The key here is that Mayo can take snaps at ILB. This will allow AT to shift outside to OLB. He'll only move inside for specific packages. He was very effective outside in the SB, and I think he could be downright scary there with a year in the system under his belt. IMO Mayo's hand play and physicality were probably the best of all LB's in this draft. His transition to the pros will probably be gradual (Hobson and Bru will get the majority of the snaps early on), but I expect he'll be a real contributor by playoffs. With Hobson and Mayo we just got a lot younger and more athletic inside.
It might have been a slight reach, but there was no way the Lions were letting him slip past them by all accounts. I'm excited to this kid play.
2) It's funny how Wheatley is so similar to Hobbs. Short, but lightning quick, tough, physical and athletic. It's also funny how the reaction to the pick was the nearly identical as well. The fact of the matter is BB just doesn't really care about size in his corners - it's all about ball skills and athleticism. Wheatley can also contribute as a KR. Personally I don't mind having short corners. For every jump ball a receiver might win (and there's no saying a 6'2 corner wouldn't get beat too), the shorter corner should be able to knock away many more passes with better acceleration/hips/explosion.
Wheatley should be a nickel corner for this year and next, but like Hobbs I see him starting in the near future.
Again, these two picks weren't sexy, but I see both guys contributing in sub packages early on and having the potential to grow in the system. What I like best is that both are great leaders with top intangibles - we've built a dynasty on players like these and I'm glad this trend is continuing.
