T'was the Night Before Super Bowl Sunday Mock

[NATI BENGALS]

I think we spend most of our cap space on keeping our own.

1. Daniel Faalele OT Minnesota 6'8" 387lbs - Let it rip. Swing for the fences. Australian giant who has been playing football for 5 years. Better athlete than Orlando Brown. I'm not going to wait for someone else to get this rare lottery ticket. What we need more than anything is a special hoss of an OL who plays RT. This guy has the super rare physical traits and is a ball of clay with nothing but RT experience. No guarantees in the draft so I have no problem taking such a big risk late in the first with potential huge rewards.

2. Jalen Wydermyer TE Texas A&M 6'5" 255lbs - I like this TE class a lot and think we can find one who will make us better. I like Wydermyer more than all of them at this time because he seems like the most lethal pass catcher. Would like Uzi back and wouldn't mind stealing Njoku from the Browns. But I don't want to involve FAs in this scenario. So I feel like we need TE early. 2022 his 4th in the league could be Samples' last year with us. We will have to be selective in paying vets on O. This pick helps in 2022 but helps even more in 2023 when he could be the starter or more likely number two to Uzi.

3. Ed Ingram OG LSU 6'3" 317lbs - He is a plug in G from the SEC but will probably just be Spain insurance. 45 games played with 34 starts. We like getting guys from that LSU vs Clemson 2020 National Championship game. He didn't start but he played a lot of LG in that game. He will hit you. Power run game paired with studly QB means wins especially in late season AFC playoff games in places like Cincy, KC, Buffalo, Tennessee, and Baltimore.

4. Josh Paschal DL KY 6'3" 278lbs - Cancer survivor with 52 career games of college football. Only 3 time full season team captain in KY history. Third on the school record list for TFLs. He might be a smidge bigger than Cam Sample. 5th year senior so he will be older and maybe fall. Versatile tweener that can quickly collapse the pocket from anywhere and has great awareness.

5. Bryan Cook S UC 6'1" 210lbs - Hometown kid who transferred back home after two years at Howard, had to sit out a year because of old transfer rules, then had to wait his turn behind two safeties who were 2021 draft picks. And proceeded to blow up for first team all conference honors. He played in a loaded secondary and this class is loaded, so maybe he falls under the radar.

6. Marcus Jones CB Houston 5'8" 185lbs - Kick return TDs, punt return TDs, receiving TD, and quality CB play. But he is undersized and will be an older rookie so maybe he falls. Would love it if we landed him late. Keeping this starting secondary together and add quality versatile depth. The first team All American KR and PR becomes the favorite for the KR and PR job and could have a big impact for us.

7. Darrian Beavers LB UC 6'4" 255lbs - Yet another hometown kid. Played DB and WR in high school but turned into a huge LB with DE versatility. No way he is here, but we need to find a way to make this happen.

Just keep adding pieces to the dynasty

[*ochocincos*]

(02-13-2022, 03:42 AM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I think we spend most of our cap space on keeping our own.

1. Daniel Faalele OT Minnesota  6'8" 387lbs - Let it rip. Swing for the fences. Australian giant who has been playing football for 5 years. Better athlete than Orlando Brown. I'm not going to wait for someone else to get this rare lottery ticket. What we need more than anything is a special hoss of an OL who plays RT. This guy has the super rare physical traits and is a ball of clay with nothing but RT experience. No guarantees in the draft so I have no problem taking such a big risk late in the first with potential huge rewards.

2. Jalen Wydermyer TE Texas A&M 6'5" 255lbs - I like this TE class a lot and think we can find one who will make us better. I like Wydermyer more than all of them at this time because he seems like the most lethal pass catcher. Would like Uzi back and wouldn't mind stealing Njoku from the Browns. But I don't want to involve FAs in this scenario. So I feel like we need TE early. 2022 his 4th in the league could be Samples' last year with us. We will have to be selective in paying vets on O. This pick helps in 2022 but helps even more in 2023 when he could be the starter or more likely number two to Uzi.

3. Ed Ingram OG LSU 6'3" 317lbs - He is a plug in G from the SEC but will probably just be Spain insurance. 45 games played with 34 starts. We like getting guys from that LSU vs Clemson 2020 National Championship game. He didn't start but he played a lot of LG in that game. He will hit you. Power run game paired with studly QB means wins especially in late season AFC playoff games in places like Cincy, KC, Buffalo, Tennessee, and Baltimore.

4. Josh Paschal DL KY 6'3" 278lbs - Cancer survivor with 52 career games of college football. Only 3 time full season team captain in KY history. Third on the school record list for TFLs. He might be a smidge bigger than Cam Sample. 5th year senior so he will be older and maybe fall. Versatile tweener that can quickly collapse the pocket from anywhere and has great awareness.

5. Bryan Cook S UC 6'1" 210lbs - Hometown kid who transferred back home after two years at Howard, had to sit out a year because of old transfer rules, then had to wait his turn behind two safeties who were 2021 draft picks. And proceeded to blow up for first team all conference honors. He played in a loaded secondary and this class is loaded, so maybe he falls under the radar.

6. Marcus Jones CB Houston 5'8" 185lbs - Kick return TDs, punt return TDs, receiving TD, and quality CB play. But he is undersized and will be an older rookie so maybe he falls. Would love it if we landed him late. Keeping this starting secondary together and add quality versatile depth. The first team All American KR and PR becomes the favorite for the KR and PR job and could have a big impact for us.

7. Darrian Beavers LB UC 6'4" 255lbs - Yet another hometown kid. Played DB and WR in high school but turned into a huge LB with DE versatility. No way he is here, but we need to find a way to make this happen.

Just keep adding pieces to the dynasty

Faalele might take some time to develop, but the potential is definitely there. He moves well for his size. I'd prefer Trevor Penning, Nicholas Petit-Frere, or Zion Johnson if taking an OL in Rd 1. If Faalele is selected, I think it'd be necessary for him to lose about 30-50 lbs to see if he can become more agile. He'll need that if he's going to thrive in wide zone.

Rd 2-4 are all solid choices.

Can you explain why you think Beavers will fall to Rd 7? TDN has him as their 59th overall prospect, so I think some people are noticing him and he'll go much higher than Rd 7.
Similar kind of thing with Marcus Jones. TDN has him as their 85th overall. I think he could go sooner than Rd 6 because people have starting noticing him.

[*Synric*]

(02-13-2022, 02:02 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Faalele might take some time to develop, but the potential is definitely there. He moves well for his size. I'd prefer Trevor Penning, Nicholas Petit-Frere, or Zion Johnson if taking an OL in Rd 1. If Faalele is selected, I think it'd be necessary for him to lose about 30-50 lbs to see if he can become more agile. He'll need that if he's going to thrive in wide zone.

I think he moves well forward but when he has to shift is weight back or move laterally it's like he's stuck in concrete. This showed up big time at the Senior Bowl. 

I have an early 3rd grade on Faalale in a scheme specific offense. He might go to the Ravens in rhe middle of 2 though power run heavy offense fits him perfectly.

[*ochocincos*]

(02-13-2022, 03:03 PM)Synric Wrote: I think he moves well forward but when he has to shift is weight back or move laterally it's like he's stuck in concrete. This showed up big time at the Senior Bowl. 

I have an early 3rd grade on Faalale in a scheme specific offense. He might go to the Ravens in rhe middle of 2 though power run heavy offense fits him perfectly.

I do think he fits best with a team like the Ravens. A team that pushes off the LOS and goes north-south.
From the tape I've watched (less than you, I'm sure), I wouldn't say he's "stuck in concrete." He's slower than someone who is ~75 lbs lighter than him though.
It kind of depends what the Bengals ultimately wanting to do. If they take him, I'd expect either A) they put him at G, or B) they don't put him on the move laterally as much.

[NATI BENGALS]

(02-13-2022, 02:02 PM)ochocincos Wrote: Faalele might take some time to develop, but the potential is definitely there. He moves well for his size. I'd prefer Trevor Penning, Nicholas Petit-Frere, or Zion Johnson if taking an OL in Rd 1. If Faalele is selected, I think it'd be necessary for him to lose about 30-50 lbs to see if he can become more agile. He'll need that if he's going to thrive in wide zone.

Rd 2-4 are all solid choices.

Can you explain why you think Beavers will fall to Rd 7? TDN has him as their 59th overall prospect, so I think some people are noticing him and he'll go much higher than Rd 7.
Similar kind of thing with Marcus Jones. TDN has him as their 85th overall. I think he could go sooner than Rd 6 because people have starting noticing him.

I don't. But strange things happen in the draft. That's why I wrote no way he his here on Beavers. His combine performance will mean a lot for him. He might blow up and end up getting sleeper first rounder talk.

I think the size and age thing will prevent Marcus from rising too high in a deep DB draft. This is just a wishful thinking hoping he falls to our 6th.

I haven't figured out the top of the draft. No way I'm accurately predicting rounds 6 and 7 right now. So I went with some pre Super Bowl positive thinking. I wanted to stop after round 5 because I am so unfamiliar with the late round guys in this draft. But figured I would go with a best case scenario and keep the positive vibes flowing.

[NATI BENGALS]

(02-13-2022, 03:03 PM)Synric Wrote: I think he moves well forward but when he has to shift is weight back or move laterally it's like he's stuck in concrete. This showed up big time at the Senior Bowl. 

I have an early 3rd grade on Faalale in a scheme specific offense. He might go to the Ravens in rhe middle of 2 though power run heavy offense fits him perfectly.

Orlando Brown can't move. Chiefs traded a 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. For him and a 2nd and 6th. And he is about to get paid. We just played him in the AFC Championship.
Rob Havenstein isn't a great athlete. He is the RT in the wide zone we will face tonight in the Super Bowl.
Jordan Mailata didn't play football before being a 7th rounder in 2018. He got a 4 year $64 million contract extension last year. He isn't going to win any movement competitions. He is just a giant wrecking people. And was a starter in the playoffs a few weeks back.

Ogbuehi was a great mover though. So there is that.

It's definitely a risk. But one worth taking imo.

[*Synric*]

(02-13-2022, 03:50 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: Orlando Brown can't move. Chiefs traded a 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. For him and a 2nd and 6th. And he is about to get paid. We just played him in the AFC Championship.
Rob Havenstein isn't a great athlete. He is the RT in the wide zone we will face tonight in the Super Bowl.
Jordan Mailata didn't play football before being a 7th rounder in 2018. He got a 4 year $64 million contract extension last year. He isn't going to win any movement competitions. He is just a giant wrecking people. And was a starter in the playoffs a few weeks back.

Ogbuehi was a great mover though. So there is that.

It's definitely a risk. But one worth taking imo.

None of those guys have any bearing on Daniel Faalele.

At the Senior Bowl players were using Faalele's lack of athleticism to beat him consistently on 1 on 1s he was exposed quite spectacularly as a pass protector. They would get him moving outside then make an inside move Faalele could not shift his body or weight back to the inside. The Jets installed alot of Wide Zone during the week and you could see Faalele struggle to move laterally front side or backside.

Daniel Faalele could lose some weight and maybe help himself in pass protection but I dont ever see him being a Wide Zone Offensive Tackle. I could be wrong but I am just an amateur like everyone else here but then you have him at 32 at worse and you can tell he's not a first round pick.

[NATI BENGALS]

(02-13-2022, 05:27 PM)Synric Wrote: None of those guys have any bearing on Daniel Faalele.

At the Senior Bowl players were using Faalele's lack of athleticism to beat him consistently on 1 on 1s he was exposed quite spectacularly as a pass protector. They would get him moving outside then make an inside move Faalele could not shift his body or weight back to the inside. The Jets installed alot of Wide Zone during the week and you could see Faalele struggle to move laterally front side or backside.

Daniel Faalele could lose some weight and maybe help himself in pass protection but I dont ever see him being a Wide Zone Offensive Tackle. I could be wrong but I am just an amateur like everyone else here but then you have him at 32 at worse and you can tell he's not a first round pick.

Struggling in 1 on 1s sounds about right. If I was drafting him to a 1 on 1 team I would probably move him down my board. He gave up 1 sack last year. And 5 across 34 career games from what I’m seeing.

So they guy isn’t going to be at his best when asked to get on the move and go find a small defender in space. But guess what happens when Joe Burrow drops back to pass and he has a mountain protecting his right side?

[*ochocincos*]

(02-13-2022, 03:39 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I don't. But strange things happen in the draft. That's why I wrote no way he his here on Beavers. His combine performance will mean a lot for him. He might blow up and end up getting sleeper first rounder talk.

I think the size and age thing will prevent Marcus from rising too high in a deep DB draft. This is just a wishful thinking hoping he falls to our 6th.

I haven't figured out the top of the draft. No way I'm accurately predicting rounds 6 and 7 right now. So I went with some pre Super Bowl positive thinking. I wanted to stop after round 5 because I am so unfamiliar with the late round guys in this draft. But figured I would go with a best case scenario and keep the positive vibes flowing.

If you don't believe he'll be there at all, why did you mock him there? lol