04-29-2019, 12:28 PM
(04-29-2019, 11:06 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: I agree. It's interesting because this draft had a lot of first round talent (a prospect you expect to start from day 1 or be a pro bowler within 1 to 2 years). It had a lot of 3rd to 5th round talent (a prospect you expect to start eventually but may need some fine tuning or they would need to fulfill their potential in order for them to work out). But it didn't have all that much 2nd round talent (a prospect that may start from day 1, or may start later in their rookie year who, if things break right, could be a pro bowler in the future.)
In that context, there weren't a whole lot of 2nd round prospects in this draft. There were so many first round prospects they started to leak into the 2nd round, but they were at positions we didn't really need, like CB and S. So we were in a pickle regardless.
Our needs in the 2nd round simply did not align with the value that was there, so instead of taking a player who was "worth the pick" but would sit at 5th on our depth chart for 1 or even 2 years, we decided to take a player at a position we needed and just absorb the criticism for "reaching," even though our coaches insist Sample would have been picked in the 2nd round if we didn't do it. I don't necessarily believe them, but they know much more than me so...
^ This is incorrect. The talent and numerical grades on these prospects, included 75% of the first round picks were in line with previous drafts 2nd, 3rd, & 4th rounders. Dave Lapham specifically said in his podcasts and in interviews before the draft that there was only a single digit number of guys who would have even been considered fringe 1st rounders compared to previous drafts.
He said that you could get a guy in the 4th who would be a 2nd round talent and vice versa as there were a ton of guys graded in that range but, obviously, only so many 2nd & 3rd round selections by teams.
Look at the QBs, for example. None of them would have been 1st rounders in previous drafts and maybe not even 2nd. There was no Andrw Luck or anything even close. Same thing with WRs. There was no AJ Green this year. No Julio Jones, etc.
Could these guys all turn out awesome and the talent evaluators be wrong? Of course! However, all anyone can go off of at this point are the actual grades given to each guy. Inlike that the Bengals took a guy they wanted and moved on. Let's see the plan!
For what it's worth, I think Drew Sample has Jason Witten written all over him. Time will tell!
