Official 2020 Draft Thread

Player valuation plain and simple. 

That said, hopefully falls where OT or DT are the BPA early as the depth is limited later.

AtTheMurph posted:

Henry posted:

Disagree only for the reason that travel is probably way down, which means scouts aren't out in full force.  I think it forces more teams to go with a Cleveland money ball approach, which we all know has worked out really well.

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a VP for the Colts about the draft problems. He said that travel and pro days, etc don't really mean much. The team has had it's draft board mostly done since last fall and only makes small changes to it between the end of the season and draft day.

And the changes are mostly due to character or medical issues that were unknown. But most of them are known. 

So the Combine is more tampering, subterfuge dog and pony show?

Grave Digger posted:

Packmeister posted:

Grave Digger posted If guys like Reagor and Jefferson are not available at 30, take TB, solidify the interior OL and don't worry about it. Let Turner and Wagner fight for RT. 

Digger...I don't think the Pack will have him that high on their board...if they want a guard- type, they seem to like former tackles, or guys with prototype measureables for the position.

They won't draft a center just to back up Linsley, unless they feel they could win with either at guard. I don't see it.

They took Elgton Jenkins at 44, he was thought to be basically a Guard or Center only. Biadasz is a better prospect than Jenkins IMO. I think they would draft him to play RG.

I think they're looking at Turner and Wagner at RT because 1) they kept and paid Lane Taylor, you don't pay your backup OG $5.5M when you're your LG is rock solid and your RG is making $8.1M, and 2) both Turner and Wagner's deals are basically on 1 year deals at this point. They structured both so that either could be easily cut after this season with negligible dead money. So I think, which is wild speculation, they're looking at 1) letting Turner/Wagner compete and be bandaids at RT 2) inserting Lane Taylor at RG if Turner locks down the job and does well 3) drafting a RG replacement since Taylor is in a contract year.

Linsley is in also contract year, so if they draft a C/G prospect like Biadasz then they will feel comfortable letting Linsley walk. 

Put in that perspective, it does make a lot of sense.

Is Jenkins athletic enough to slide out to RT?

Pakrz posted:

Is Jenkins athletic enough to slide out to RT?

Maybe, but would you rather have him play at an all-pro level at guard, or an ok level at tackle? I'm not saying he wouldn't thrive there, but he's been more of an interior lineman, than a boundary player.

Henry posted:

AtTheMurph posted:

Henry posted:

Disagree only for the reason that travel is probably way down, which means scouts aren't out in full force.  I think it forces more teams to go with a Cleveland money ball approach, which we all know has worked out really well.

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a VP for the Colts about the draft problems. He said that travel and pro days, etc don't really mean much. The team has had it's draft board mostly done since last fall and only makes small changes to it between the end of the season and draft day.

And the changes are mostly due to character or medical issues that were unknown. But most of them are known. 

So the Combine is more tampering, subterfuge dog and pony show?

We talked about the combine. It's held in Indy. His take was that the Colts scouts don't value it that much because it's guys running around shorts. Some guys it makes a difference because they played at small schools against inferior competition but even then the scouts know what they are doing. So not really a big deal.

They do like to interview however.

Fiend belongs to the same country club and we just traveled together to Jamaica to golf for a week in Feb. I golfed with him on Fri afternoon and we had a chance to talk about it. He's on the financial side so take everything with a grain of salt.

He did sort of telegraph the Luck retirement last summer but never gave it all away, so he knows things.

I'd like to see them have all the GM's pre-rank their players this year and do an auto draft. Would be entertaining.  

Viks would still miss their pick.

AtTheMurph posted:

Henry posted:

Disagree only for the reason that travel is probably way down, which means scouts aren't out in full force.  I think it forces more teams to go with a Cleveland money ball approach, which we all know has worked out really well.

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a VP for the Colts about the draft problems. He said that travel and pro days, etc don't really mean much. The team has had it's draft board mostly done since last fall and only makes small changes to it between the end of the season and draft day.

And the changes are mostly due to character or medical issues that were unknown. But most of them are known. 

I buy that. It's why I think online draftniks overthinking themselves on players like Biadasz is kind of funny. Immediately after bowls and before the Combine there wasn't anyone who DIDN'T have TB as a late 1st rounder. His play speaks for itself. But we don't have any "workout" numbers, as if the 40 and 3cone are essential to know how good an OL will be, so he gets ignored or downgraded? 

I've seen people talking about how the medicals at the combine are truly what teams are there for. I think it's also why we hear so many outlandish stories of teams asking unusual or confrontational questions in combine interviews. I imagine they've heard something in research and want to try and push players out of their media/interview coaching. 

Punch my ticket for the badass train.   Solidify the OL and you don’t have to pay a RB absurd money.   Insert any 3rd rounder in and you will be just fine. 

As long as any 3rd rounder can pass protect. Most top RBs coming out aren't asked to do that often so the reps are lacking to recognize the free runner.

YA Tittle tongue darts gerbils.

Can I thumb down his thumb down?

YA Tittle is a cyber mime. 

While looking for this gif I can now confirm that yes, there is mime porn.

Good article on the linebackers...

https://www.acmepackingcompany...an-gutekunst-targets

Henry posted:

YA Tittle is a cyber mime. 

 

While looking for this gif I can now confirm that yes, there is mime porn?

Isn’t “mime porn” just regular porn with the mute on?

Only if you're watching clown porn.

I've given up on the daily Coronavirus briefing.

The Bengals are apparently set on their quarterback, and Washington’s sending signals that Chase Young could be the second pick.

That means the third spot is suddenly the interesting one, and don’t the Lions know it.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Lions have “had discussions with teams about potentially moving back,” and that there seems to be some interest.

The market for quarterbacks should dictate that they have a scarce commodity, and anyone wanting to get their hands on Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert (or anyone, really), should be calling Detroit.

It doesn’t hurt for the Lions to put the “For Sale” sign out two weeks ahead of the draft, giving them plenty of time to gauge the value of the pick as opposed to taking a player for themselves there.

They should take Okudah, he looks like a Day 1 pro bowler. Of course they will screw it up.

Packmeister posted:

Good article on the linebackers...

https://www.acmepackingcompany...an-gutekunst-targets

My God, that is an awful collection of linebackers they've drafted.  Not sure I'd pick any of them again, outside of Desmond Bishop.

This is that “Big Slot” role which is becoming more popular and is truly the landing spot for guys like Chase Claypool and Allen Lazard. Not an in-line TE like Gronk, not an HBack like Cooley, not a receiver though. There’s a place and a role for these guys in the NFL and it’s bullying CBs and running past LBs.

#Packers TE Jace Sternberger told @Peter_Bukowski on @lockedonpackers that Matt LaFleur is expecting to put him "in the slot a lot" and have him "moving around" in 2020. https://t.co/DUrQJp85CD

— Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) April 9, 2020

My new favorite simulator: fanspeak.com  look at all these assets available at 30

I could really like those three.

Yeah Murray isn't just a steal at 30, that's Sonny Weaver Draft Day trading the 3 2nd round picks for a top 5 pick and then trading down 1 slot round picks for 3 1st round picks and starting kick returner. Hope it happens.

https://www.espn.com/blog/gree...t-round-pick-on-a-wr

My mock draft of the week. I used Fanspeak, with the consensus board from Fanspeak. I wanted to focus early on offense, so you may not like some of these picks, but not being able to move around the board with trades ties your hands, somewhat. I'm still fairly pleased with the way it turned out. If you have any questions on who I took, or who I passed on at a certain spot, I have the draft saved.

That’s pretty nice. I like it. But I think a couple of those guys are gone before we pick.

Which guys? Do you mean Mims? That's possible, but he happened to be there in this one.

I’m seeing talk that Texas Tech ILB Jordyn Brooks is more well thought of by DC’s and personnel folks than online draft folks. It’s a little surprising because of his injury history and the fact that he hasn’t done much in the way of workouts this offseason. Saw some talk he might be a late R1 player, I can’t imagine that. I had him pegged as a solid R3 player, but it’s not crazy think he could be a R2 pick.

GB has to get one of Murray, Queen, Dye, Brooks, Wilson or Davis-Gaither in this draft... 

I have a wild ass hunch that it's going to be Wilson out of Wyoming. 

I don't think Wilson would be a bad fit at ILB. He has plus instincts, and his athletic profile is quite good. He's an experienced starter, and he complements what Kirksey brings. That's also why I targeted someone like Muse, later, who not only fills the hybrid role, but could be a special teams ace.

I’m wondering how Milt’s Baltimore influence will change how they look at ILBs. Baltimore has a great track record with ILBs and I think it’s because they draft for instincts over athleticism. Athleticism and coverage is great, but in a division with Dalvin Cook and how they got swamped by SF’s running game, I don’t think they can afford to draft athletes over instincts. They need instinctive badass MFers to stuff the run. Make Cousins and Jimmy G beat you, don’t give them easy opportunities for play action because you’re getting gashed in the run game. In terms of this draft, I think the guys that fit that bill are Murray, Queen, Brooks, Quarterman, and Gay. That’s not to say other guys aren’t good, but those guys are more Blake Martinez than Desmond Bishop.

Good take, Digger. I guess I'm higher on Wilson than you are, but I like your reasoning. I think Gay may be more athlete than instinct, though. Would I still like to see him in Green Bay? Yes. 

Mims has had drop issues and I'd go with Brandon Aiyuk.

Interesting that Aiyuk was able to have surgery last week considering electives have been cancelled for the most part. Sounds like high rate of recovery for this type of core repair - good time to get it over with considering he wont be participating in any team drills any time soon. 

Just an off-topic, draft-related question: what about the Wonderlic? It's nice to see the league has privatized this information, at least that's the way it seems. Are players still taking this test?

Seeing as how we are picking in the bottom of the rounds of the draft, I liked this link and hope that a couple of good players are available at the end of the rounds.

https://www.pff.com/news/draft...t-picked-high-enough

Packmeister posted:

Which guys? Do you mean Mims? That's possible, but he happened to be there in this one.

Yah, Mims and Wilson. I liked your picks but my guess is that other teams will grab them first.