Boom or Bust Draft

[*ochocincos*]

(05-16-2019, 05:33 PM)3wt Wrote: Ross Tucker called our draft "Meh";   Kiper & McShay graded our draft out at A-

So we have a boom or bust draft here:

1. Jonah Williams - Dropped because no one could certify he'd be a quality tackle and because of ordinary measurable and athleticism; BUT superior production against elite competition, superior intelligence, love of the game, superior technique and mental toughness
2. Drew Sample - Roundly criticized pick because of paltry production in the receiving game and the belief he'd be there as late as the 4th round; BUT film showed that he was frequently open, caught everything thrown to him, was the consensus best blocking TE in the 2019 class and would not have been there in the 3rd Round
3. Germaine Pratt - Liked by most but loved by none.  Former safety with good production but stiff hips and limited athleticism;  BUT superior production, excellent speed, demonstrated ability to cover and a great tackler.
4. Ryan Finley - Meh QB in this class.   Tucker calls him, "Dalton Lite".   Average to below average arm.  Inconsistent.  BUT - when he's on he's VERY accurate, has great intelligence and is a big time competitor.
5. Renell Wren - Inconsistent performance.  Raw.  BUT - Big time size/ length, great quickness, motivated (late) towards practice and film work, when he's performing up to his capabilities is dominant.  I read that as he's inconsistent because of lack of experience not motivation or brains.  Deemed very coachable.
6. Michael Jordan - Has poor techniques and sluggish feet and is prone to quick combination moves; BUT has great size, was smart enough to make the calls as center and is likely to grow into his size as he cleans up his technique
7. Trayveon Williams - Smaller back with limited power and limited vision;  BUT gained mentally and physically in his last season, has great production is an alpha player that sparks the rest of the team.
8. Deshaun Davis - Smaller linebacker with average to slow speed;  BUT is very smart, knows where to be, sheds well and gets there quicker than faster linebackers - and hits like a tank
9. Rodney Anderson - Talented and well sized running back with a significant history of injuries; BUT the film when he's healthy is excellent and has the potential to be the perfect backup to Mixon
10. Jordan Brown - Good sized corner who is perceived as not being physical and a poor tackler;  BUT has terrific size/ speed ratio, has really good ball skills and can "smother" underneath routes
    

It's the Kool-Aid, rose colored glasses and homer time of the year I realize.  But I think the draft has the potential to be excellent.  And I'm intrigued by the UDFA QB as well.   I particularly am excited about the first 3 picks and Wren, Jordan and Davis.  They have the potential to be game changers by the end of the season.  So I'm saying BOOM.

What say you?  Boom or bust?

I don't consider this draft "boom or bust," just Day 3.

Jonah Williams was the safest player in the draft if you wanted to get a good player. If anything, Williams becomes a great guard if he can't hang at tackle.
For as thrown off as I was with the selection of Sample in Rd 2, he should be a solid TE2 due to his blocking ability and high catch rate.
Germaine Pratt should also be a safe bet to be at least a solid starter. I liked what he did at NC St and I like his speed. When people talk about how they want a big safety to play LB, that's Pratt. He came into NC St as a FS and switched to LB.

I think the best pick on Day 3 was Trayveon Williams. I think he's going to be Gio's replacement by next year and will be a great complement/backup to Mixon.
Wren is the ultimate boom or bust, as he's little production but a lot of potential due to his size and athleticism. Anderson is boom or bust due to injuries.

I think the Bengals will get 3-4 key contributors from this draft (Jonah, Sample, Pratt, Trayveon), which is what's considered a solid draft nowadays. If Wren and/or Anderson hit, even better.