Stick to Your Board Mock 3/29

[Whatever]

Throwing this one out there as an example of what can happen when the board doesn't really fall how you think it will. Fashanu in the 1st was a surprise, obviously.  He's a Top 10 talent at a premium position, so I had to pull the trigger here, despite some concerns about how he will translate to RT.

In the 2nd, the plan wasn't to double dip on OL, but Frazier was easily the highest player on my board.  Could have filled a need at WR with Roman Wilson, but his injury history scares me.  Frazier hypothetically gets a year to develop behind Karras before becoming the starting C next year.

Went with Benson in 3, despite WR being a more immediate need, as he's my RB1 in this class with a 2nd round grade and we desperately need a rotation RB/heir apparent.  Wright in the 4th might be overkill, but he's my RB2 and between the two, I'm extremely confident on hitting on at least one and hopefully shoring up a great 1-2 combo at the position for the next 4 years.  Sandwiched in between, I nabbed Blake Fisher, which was another seemingly overkill pick, but he's short term insurance in case Fashanu can't make the switch and a potential Cappa replacement.  MacCaffrey in the 5th finally filled that WR need,.  I'm thinking he's our eventual Irwin replacement, but he could surprise and compete for slot reps this year.  Pritchett filled a depth need at CB, Hall an interesting upside prospect for the DL, Glaze a versatile depth OL, and Watson s bit of LB depth.

[Hammerstripes]

Like the draft other than the 2 running backs. I don't think there's a clear cut RB that would make me take 2, let alone one that high.

[Whatever]

(03-29-2024, 05:26 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Like the draft other than the 2 running backs.  I don't think there's a clear cut RB that would make me take 2, let alone one that high.

I really like Benson for us.  He's not going to create a bunch on his own, but similar to what we saw from Brown last year, give him a hole and he'll pop a huge gainer.  He's got bellcow size at 225 and a physical style between the tackles.  He's also arguably the best pass pro back in this class, and finding RB's that are plus pass protectors coming out of college is rare.  He's just a legit 3 down back that can stay on the field regardless of the situation or play call.

Wright was basically a pure BPA pick, and fairly easy to justify due to Williams and Evans being so bad.  Plus, how much confidence does the addition of Moss really give you?

The common thing I like about both is they both have legitimate 4.3 speed.  For an RPO heavy offense, I like having a back with legit home run speed to keep pass rushers honest in their run fits knowing that if the back gets to the second level, it's going to be a huge gainer or a TD.  With Mixon, he may have gotten you 10 yards.  

[JoeyB2023]

(03-29-2024, 05:26 PM)Hammerstripes Wrote: Like the draft other than the 2 running backs. I don't think there's a clear cut RB that would make me take 2, let alone one that high.

Wright and benson together would be wild. But the lack of priority in the trenches in the defensive side gives me an upset stomache

[tms]

Fashanu's an intriguing pick. Haven't seen him mocked to us often but if he's there at 18 I run it up to the podium. Love Frazier. All my best mocks have us double-dipping on OL to get started so I don't have a problem with that at all. In fact that's exactly what I'm hoping for if Frazier or Haynes falls to 49. It opens up the rest of the draft for us while addressing our most acute need and providing long-term stability for a unit that's been anything but stable the past few years. And Benson's a monster.

But I can't get down with 97 and 115. If you have Benson the last thing you need is Wright (and I like Wright!). If you have Fashanu and Frazier the last thing you need is Fisher (granted, I don't like Fisher but the point holds lol). It just seems like a waste given our need to fortify the DL and how a plethora of quality linemen will land somewhere between 75 and 150. I don't know who all was available in this case but McKinnley Jackson. DeWayne Carter and Tyler Davis would all help round out our DI, while Justin Eboigbe, Brennan Jackson and Mo Kamara, etc., could be brought in as playmaking Edges. Gabe Hall's not a bad get on Day 3 imo but that's just waiting too long unless we have a crystal ball that assures us he'll be the next Geno Atkins haha

Anyway, great draft. I just have a different philosophy. I'm a big believer in depth (see Fashanu and Frazier) but I'm also a big believer in not going overboard (Fisher... forget about Glaze on top of that!). I do think McCaffrey, Pritchett and Watson are good value at those spots. Two of them are team captains and I think we should continue to prioritize those intangibles given the team's already competitive and looking to fill holes rather than needing to find diamonds in the rough.

[Whatever]

(04-01-2024, 09:56 AM)JoeyB2023 Wrote: Wright and benson together would be wild.  But the lack of priority in the trenches in the defensive side gives me an upset stomache

There just was never anything approaching a good value on the IDL, either on my personal board or the draft big board, until I took Hall in the 6th. Sweat was gone in the 2nd. Maason Smith is a guy I really like in the 3rd, but he was gone.  Jackson was gone in the 4th.  

[Whatever]

(04-01-2024, 12:08 PM)tms Wrote: Fashanu's an intriguing pick. Haven't seen him mocked to us often but if he's there at 18 I run it up to the podium.  Love Frazier. All my best mocks have us double-dipping on OL to get started so I don't have a problem with that at all. In fact that's exactly what I'm hoping for if Frazier or Haynes falls to 49. It opens up the rest of the draft for us while addressing our most acute need and providing long-term stability for a unit that's been anything but stable the past few years. And Benson's a monster.

But I can't get down with 97 and 115. If you have Benson the last thing you need is Wright (and I like Wright!). If you have Fashanu and Frazier the last thing you need is Fisher (granted, I don't like Fisher but the point holds lol). It just seems like a waste given our need to fortify the DL and how a plethora of quality linemen will land somewhere between 75 and 150. I don't know who all was available in this case but McKinnley Jackson. DeWayne Carter and Tyler Davis would all help round out our DI, while Justin Eboigbe, Brennan Jackson and Mo Kamara, etc., could be brought in as playmaking Edges. Gabe Hall's not a bad get on Day 3 imo but that's just waiting too long unless we have a crystal ball that assures us he'll be the next Geno Atkins haha

Anyway, great draft. I just have a different philosophy. I'm a big believer in depth (see Fashanu and Frazier) but I'm also a big believer in not going overboard (Fisher... forget about Glaze on top of that!). I do think McCaffrey, Pritchett and Watson are good value at those spots. Two of them are team captains and I think we should continue to prioritize those intangibles given the team's already competitive and looking to fill holes rather than needing to find diamonds in the rough.

There wasn't really any value on the IDL, honestly.  I'm personally not taking an edge rusher unless it's a great value early, as Ossai is going to beat out any mid-late round Edge in all likelihood.  Even if the rookie does manage to beat him out, he'll be inactive on game days because you dress 4 and those are set in stone with Hendrickson, Hubbard, Murphy, and Sample (due to 3t versatility).  

As for Fisher, he is naturally a RT, while Fashanu is a left.  If Fashanu can't switch sides, he'll probably be at LG for 3 years before kicking out, potentially creating a spot for Fisher at RT next year.  Or, Fisher might take over for Cappa at RG in a couple years.  Glaze was just a pure BPA pick, but he's a guy I'm pretty sure can at least provide 4 years of cheap depth, and in the 7th, I just couldn't pass on him.  The value was too good, as I have a 5th round grade on him personally.

Wright, similarly, was just too good to pass on at that point looking at the other guys on the board.  And he'll play and get touches immediately.  

[JoeyB2023]

(04-01-2024, 12:19 PM)Whatever Wrote: There just was never anything approaching a good value on the IDL, either on my personal board or the draft big board, until I took Hall in the 6th. Sweat was gone in the 2nd. Maason Smith is a guy I really like in the 3rd, but he was gone.  Jackson was gone in the 4th.  

I feel you. Those are guys on my radar as well. Liked Jordan Jefferson a lot too but with rankins and hill no need. Smith and hall have masssssssssive upside to pass if there and then obviously Jackson’s is the back up to sweat so if u lose out on both ur screwed

[CJD]

First three rounds would be the best draft ever.

But Wright may be a bit overboard.

Adding Wright to a RB room with Moss, Benson and Brown doesn't add very much value to the team, even with how good he is.

I love the Fisher pick though, even with Fashanu in the 1st. We lost in the Super Bowl because our starting RT was injured and we were running out back up caliber players at guards and center (Williams - Spain - Hopkins - Adeniji - Prince) and we lost the AFC championship game because our starting RT, LT and RG were injured (Carman - Volson - Karras - Scharping - Adeniji). You can never have too much depth on the Oline. Plus our OT depth is O Brown (3 years left), T Brown (1 year deal), Carman (1 year deal), Ford (1 year deal), Smith (1 year deal), so we're going to have to rebuild our OT depth eventually anyway. I can't say the same for RB, where we have Moss for at least 2 years, Brown for at least 3 years and then Benson would be a rookie on 4 years. Wright would take Trayveon's roster spot, which is a low impact slot.

Everything past that is fine. I think McCaffrey is getting more attention than he probably deserves because of his name, but bloodlines are a predictor for success, so that may end up working out for us. And then the 5th through 7th round picks are fine depth pieces that you hope turn into something, but don't expect much out of. None of them are my "favorite" late round picks, but they're mostly all lottery picks anyway. Getting even one starter out of the 5th through 7th rounds is considered a huge bonus to me.