03-05-2020, 09:43 AM
I used TDN:
1. Joe Burrow QB, LSU
33. Patrick Queen LB, LSU
65. Brandon Aiyuk WR, ASU
97. Darnay Holmes CB, UCLA
129. Alton Robinson Edge, Syracuse
160. Justin Herron OT, Wake Forest
192. T.J. Brunson LB, South Carolina
The Joe Burrow pick is obvious.
I was surprised to see Queen at 33. I am not certain he will be there, but I think the reason was because TDN has probably updated their board for the combine by now. That resulted in a lot of players jumping up to the first round. Justin Jefferson, Denzel Mims, Cole Kmet, Cesar Ruiz and, oddly enough, Lloyd Cushenberry. There was also a run on CBs, with Henderson, Fulton, Gladney, Igbinoghene and Diggs all going in the first round.
This pushed down some premium talent, and I had my choice between Josh Jones and Patrick Queen. I chose to go with Queen because the linebackers in this draft are a bit...sketchy past the top 2 or 3. OT is a position that I personally would like to upgrade, but considering how Hart's season appeared to be approximately average to slightly above average and Fred Johnson was very good to close the season, I'm not so sure that the Bengals are prepared to spend a premium pick there. I also happen to know that this class has a couple of OTs whose stock plummeted after the combine because they were so unathletic. I bet I could grab one of them in the later rounds.
Brandon Aiyuk in the 3rd is also incredible and, again, I have my doubts that he'll fall this far. I don't think he's a first round pick anymore, as he is pretty solidly the 10th best receiver in this class behind Jeudy, Lamb, Ruggs, Jefferson, Mims, Shenault, Higgins, Reagor and arguably Hamler. He is also competing with Peoples-Jones for that 10th best WR slot, so I think him dropping to the 3rd is...feasible, if unlikely. But he gives Burrow that big play threat that he so greatly enjoyed in Ja'Marr Chase (not saying Aiyuk is to that level, of course).
Darnay Holmes will replace Dennard or Dre, whoever we lose (I think we either cut Dre to keep Dennard or let Dennard walk. Not sure which way they're leaning at this point). He's a good press corner who may be more suited to the slot because of his size. Amik Robertson was also there, so I could have gone with him as well. They are pretty similar in their traits, but Holmes is just a little bigger, which gave him the edge for me since Amik cannot be on the outside at 5'9" 172 lb.
From the 5th on, I just started drafting athletes. The chances of getting a starter this late are remote and that proved to be the case in this particular mock draft.
I wasn't thrilled with my options in the 5th. I was hoping Akeem Davis-Gaither would be there, but he was taken at the end of the 4th round. But Alton Robinson has some very intriguing physical traits. He's got a great first step and has great short area quickness. He's still a raw prospect and will need to learn to be a player rather than athlete, but if he can put it together, he could be a steal. I see him as a poor man's Carl Lawson who may actually be able to stay healthy.
In the 6th, I had the choice between Trey Adams, Calvin Throckmartin, Charlie Heck and Justin Herron at OT. I ended up going with Herron for a few reasons.
Herron is actually a good athlete. He can move in space and showed well as a pass blocker at Wake Forest. He also has the added bonus of being short enough to realistically fit at guard, should we choose to go that direction.
Trey Adams and Calvin Throckmartin, on the other hand, are arguably more accomplished prospects, but they are so unathletic that I would question if they can even stick at RT, especially with pass rushers on the right side becoming more athletic over time. Ordinarily, OTs that aren't athletic enough to be OTs can move into guard, but Adams is like 6'8", so he'd undeniably get in Burrow's throwing windows. And Throckmartin could move into guard, but he is a very upright blocker, so his 6'5" frame may present the same problem as Adams'. He also has super short arms at 32 1/2"...
Heck is another super tall OT would wouldn't be able to move into guard if needed.
And in the 7th, I wrap with T.J. Brunson. He's an undersized linebacker at 6'1" 219lb, and he was snubbed at the combine. I could see him playing a more LB/S hybrid role as he is a very physical presence on the field with a high motor. He is a three year starter and two year team captain in the SEC who seems to have great instincts though, so there's some potential despite being merely average physically.
Hey, if you can get a contributor of any kind out of the 7th, it's a win right? :)
1. Joe Burrow QB, LSU
33. Patrick Queen LB, LSU
65. Brandon Aiyuk WR, ASU
97. Darnay Holmes CB, UCLA
129. Alton Robinson Edge, Syracuse
160. Justin Herron OT, Wake Forest
192. T.J. Brunson LB, South Carolina
The Joe Burrow pick is obvious.
I was surprised to see Queen at 33. I am not certain he will be there, but I think the reason was because TDN has probably updated their board for the combine by now. That resulted in a lot of players jumping up to the first round. Justin Jefferson, Denzel Mims, Cole Kmet, Cesar Ruiz and, oddly enough, Lloyd Cushenberry. There was also a run on CBs, with Henderson, Fulton, Gladney, Igbinoghene and Diggs all going in the first round.
This pushed down some premium talent, and I had my choice between Josh Jones and Patrick Queen. I chose to go with Queen because the linebackers in this draft are a bit...sketchy past the top 2 or 3. OT is a position that I personally would like to upgrade, but considering how Hart's season appeared to be approximately average to slightly above average and Fred Johnson was very good to close the season, I'm not so sure that the Bengals are prepared to spend a premium pick there. I also happen to know that this class has a couple of OTs whose stock plummeted after the combine because they were so unathletic. I bet I could grab one of them in the later rounds.
Brandon Aiyuk in the 3rd is also incredible and, again, I have my doubts that he'll fall this far. I don't think he's a first round pick anymore, as he is pretty solidly the 10th best receiver in this class behind Jeudy, Lamb, Ruggs, Jefferson, Mims, Shenault, Higgins, Reagor and arguably Hamler. He is also competing with Peoples-Jones for that 10th best WR slot, so I think him dropping to the 3rd is...feasible, if unlikely. But he gives Burrow that big play threat that he so greatly enjoyed in Ja'Marr Chase (not saying Aiyuk is to that level, of course).
Darnay Holmes will replace Dennard or Dre, whoever we lose (I think we either cut Dre to keep Dennard or let Dennard walk. Not sure which way they're leaning at this point). He's a good press corner who may be more suited to the slot because of his size. Amik Robertson was also there, so I could have gone with him as well. They are pretty similar in their traits, but Holmes is just a little bigger, which gave him the edge for me since Amik cannot be on the outside at 5'9" 172 lb.
From the 5th on, I just started drafting athletes. The chances of getting a starter this late are remote and that proved to be the case in this particular mock draft.
I wasn't thrilled with my options in the 5th. I was hoping Akeem Davis-Gaither would be there, but he was taken at the end of the 4th round. But Alton Robinson has some very intriguing physical traits. He's got a great first step and has great short area quickness. He's still a raw prospect and will need to learn to be a player rather than athlete, but if he can put it together, he could be a steal. I see him as a poor man's Carl Lawson who may actually be able to stay healthy.
In the 6th, I had the choice between Trey Adams, Calvin Throckmartin, Charlie Heck and Justin Herron at OT. I ended up going with Herron for a few reasons.
Herron is actually a good athlete. He can move in space and showed well as a pass blocker at Wake Forest. He also has the added bonus of being short enough to realistically fit at guard, should we choose to go that direction.
Trey Adams and Calvin Throckmartin, on the other hand, are arguably more accomplished prospects, but they are so unathletic that I would question if they can even stick at RT, especially with pass rushers on the right side becoming more athletic over time. Ordinarily, OTs that aren't athletic enough to be OTs can move into guard, but Adams is like 6'8", so he'd undeniably get in Burrow's throwing windows. And Throckmartin could move into guard, but he is a very upright blocker, so his 6'5" frame may present the same problem as Adams'. He also has super short arms at 32 1/2"...
Heck is another super tall OT would wouldn't be able to move into guard if needed.
And in the 7th, I wrap with T.J. Brunson. He's an undersized linebacker at 6'1" 219lb, and he was snubbed at the combine. I could see him playing a more LB/S hybrid role as he is a very physical presence on the field with a high motor. He is a three year starter and two year team captain in the SEC who seems to have great instincts though, so there's some potential despite being merely average physically.
Hey, if you can get a contributor of any kind out of the 7th, it's a win right? :)
![[Image: oN5QAdY.png]](https://i.imgur.com/oN5QAdY.png)
