Summer NFL fun

[PatFanCraig]

OK patriot brothers and sisters. Nothing is going on til training camp soooo let's try and have some fun.

Everybody first list 6 players drafted after the first round you think will have a first round career. Try to list some third fourth fifth sixth rounders instead of all second rounders. You can include a late first rounder if you like. You can even add a little side note like you would have liked that pats to take this player with one of their 2-7 round picks or trade up into early second round to get. But trade has to be realistic. No late #2 and a #4 to move up into early second round. You can add a little side note of an early pick or 2 you think will be busts. Briefly explain your reason for each player. We can come back and look at this over next couple seasons. So who are your mid round gems.

 

[PatFanCraig]

Paul Richardson,definitely would liked to traded up to get him. Perhaps the stork or white pick with Garapollo pick. Or even both picks if necessary. I think he is going g to be a phenom at WR. He is over 180 lbs now and growing into his frame. He will end up 190-195 (same size as young chad johnson)

Zach Moore. Sub 1.6 10 yard split. 6'5 275lb frame he is flexible/strong,explosive. His broad and vertical are better than some top WRs. He is a specimen who just needs NFL coaching.

Finish list tomorrow

 

[Kontradiction]

I'm happy to see that you've learned to use the "Enter" key to space out paragraphs.

 

[PatFanCraig]

Kony Ealy- He has burst and bend that's rare and can't be taught. Might take a season or 2 but he will become a very good edge rusher.

Martavis Bryant- Again could take a season or 2 but he is big fast fluid and athletic. He has an established qb and could outperform his Clemson teammate.

Telvin Smith- Will grow into his frame. In this pass happy NFL most elite LBs are 240 or less. Covetasge duties are as important for a LB now as a safety 25 yes ago. He is athletic and explosive and can get skinny and knife through blocks. He arrives with violent intentions and is a good tackler. Maybe not a Lavonte David but will end up a 230 lb impact LB.

Joel Bitonio- may not be a dominant destroyer but like Mankins will consistently seal his opponent. Needs to fill out some but will be a reliable starter a team feels lucky to have.

Kareem Martin- maybe not a terrorizing rusher but a double digit sack threat similar to Chandler Jones. Similar upside as Zach Moore.

Teddy Bridgewater- very accurate. I believe he will be a franchise qb on par with a Matt Ryan. He can scan the field quickly. He doesn't look to run because he trusts his arm so much but he can rip off 20-30 yards if he wants.

Derek Carr-accurate thrower with a strong arm. His big bro will not allow happen to him what he went through.

Brandon Thomas- when he returns he will be a solid powerful guard who can move defenders off the ball. Yet has the athletic ability to play RT.

Stephon Tuitt\Ra'Shede Hageman- Both big strong athletic guys with Seymour/Marcus Stroud ability. If Easley gets hurt or doesn't return to top form.we could regret passing on them. We went for upside let's wait and see. To play in the trenches I think Easley needs a little more bulk.


Honorable Mention

Cameron Fleming. If he is a guard I believe he is a pro bowler. He can play RT but lacks the athleticism to be overly good. However he has plenty athleticism to play guard. Couple that with his power and the fact he doesn't get beat which proves he knows how to play.Consider that coaches at Stanford considered moving him to road grading guard because he lacked RT athleticism but he surprised them by never getting beat in spite of that shortcoming and they didn't have to switch him. The fact he found a way to always win despite he lacked athleticism and that proves he just flat out knows how to get the job done and make his block. Now in the NFL it would be a different story because the level of passrusher. However if he had enough athleticism to flourish at RT for Stanford and protect the edge it means he has plenty of it for guard. As matter of fact guard will be easy compared to protecting the edge. Couple that with the fact that he flat out knows how play and not get beat and has top power and he will be a stud at guard who never gets beat and can drive defenders back. He will be a 6'4 1\2 330 Lb powerful guard with long arms and great athletic ability for a guard. His coaches at Stanford all projected him to convert to guard in the NFL and be a stud. I just hope bill isn't bullheaded and insist he is already coached to be a RT. I hope Bill is open minded especially since his college coaches saw it. If I have one knock on bill its he doesn't like coaching young players or recoaching a scheme position. Kaczur would have been a decent guard but bill refused to recoach him then have to coach up the scheme to a new young RT even if he was far better. We lost the 07 super bowl because Kaczur was beaten on nearly every snap. Had we drafted one of those fine tackles in 06-07 to contain 36 year old Strahan we would have won. But bill insisted keeping Kaczur a guard at Tackle instead of coaching up somebody able to protect the edge. I hope bill realizes Fleming is best at guard in the NFL.

Jon Halapio- I pick to be a pro bowl center if moved over like many scouts said. He is very strong and a little better feet than given credit for. He could play guard and do OK. However he would be a standout center capable of going one on one with NTs. That ability would stand out in the league especially blocking for Tom Brady and the best offense. Our previous Centers made the line calls helped double team a big or explosive DT and made the right call who to help block or pick up a blitzed. That's all good but what happens when you play a defense with multiple elite DLineman and pass rushers. You can't double everybody and that's where our OLine struggled especially in the playoffs when the cream puff DLines disappeared. Halapio gives us a center who can lock horns with a big Dlineman and not need help. Stork maybe can be that guy at center but reports in mini camp he struggled holding ground. Many standout college centers struggled in the NFL due to power deficiency. I haven't given up on Stork yet but Halapio seems to be the more stout lineman.

Halapio and Fleming at guard/center would be major draft steals! How often do you find a road grader at center in round6. I see Fleming/Cannon/Halapio as our RG/C/LG of the future. Average of about 330 LBs and with Solder and Vollmer the bookends that could very well be the best OLine in the NFL. Capable of punching dominant Defenses right back in the mouth. Solder for a stretch was the best LT in the NFL. Several edge rushers said Solder was tougher than Joe Thomas. That's a big compliment. I know I'm off track here.

The point is with Fleming as our Carl Nicks and Halapio neutralizing NTs as a Center that's some serious later round steals. Throw in 6'5 275lb Zach Moore with a 1.56 10 yard split and a vertical/broad jump on par with top WRs and there's 3 potential day 3 steals. Not just hopefuls but legit top shelf upside. Zach Moore outjumped kelvin Benjamin and matched Sammy Watkins. Considering how raw he is and didn't get training at his school to ace the combine makes it more impressive. I know its just raw skills and they have to transfer it to the field but our young talent is exciting. We haven't had this much upside to get excited about. We haven't had explosive edge rushers like Moore/Buchanan/Jones or a Warren Sapp type penetrating DT or 3 young WRs with speed and talent like this to anticipate who will break out. Easley does need more size for the trenches at the NFL level but he is a weight room warrior targeting 297 lbs he said at end of mini camp. My favorite of our young talent is Tossup Kenbrell Thompkins/Dobson on offense and Easley/Collins on defense. I know many are skeptical on KT but his sudden cuts and burst out of breaks are amazing to watch.

There's my picks for mid/late round steals. Couple more WRs I liked but have to keep that position to a minimum. My best ever predictions after round one came in 2010. I loved Atkins/Bowman/Gronk/mike Williams as my mid round gems.Atkins was my favorite,I still have no idea how he lasted til round4. I thought he would be similar to Darnell Docket but he even exceeded my expectations. I liked Graham but not as much as mike williams. My blunder there. Let's see if I'm as accurate this year especially on our players