Outside the 1st Round
Posted: March 22nd, 2016 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 101 Comments »Everyone wants to know who the Eagles will take with the 8th pick. Can they really take RB Ezekiel Elliott? Should we hope a QB is there, and if so, which one? What about OL help?
Having a Top 10 pick is exciting so it only makes sense that we focus on that. But the Eagles have 9 overall picks and they could find help with any one of them. I wrote a piece for PE.com on players outside of the 1st round who could fit what the Eagles are looking for.
The one down side to firing Chip Kelly is that I spent all fall watching college football and focusing on Kelly guys. I ignored 1-gap DTs, instead watching 3-4 DEs. I watched athletic OL instead of maulers. I looked for WRs who were outstanding blockers. And so on.
I’ve had to re-learn the draft class on the fly.
I can’t tell you how much fun it is to once again be watching 4-3 defenders. I love putting on the tape of someone like Notre Dame DT Sheldon Day. I don’t think Chip would have had any interest in him, but Day could be an ideal fit in the new scheme. He has a great motor and is a natural penetrator. Very disruptive player. But ask him to take on double teams? That would be a big problem. Day isn’t likely to be an Eagles target because he’s not worth pick 8 and I don’t think he lasts all the way to the 3rd round.
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I watch tape on prospects every day. I’m trying to figure out who the best players are and who is the best fit for the new schemes. Here are some additional quick thoughts on players.
The more I watch Jared Goff, the more I like him. Smart. Accurate. Understands situational football. I would be fine if the Eagles took him at 8.
The Eagles seem set at LB right now, but if Myles Jack slides, you take him. Mix him in this year. Trade Mychal Kendricks next March and give that job to Jack. Tremendous prospect.
OLB Deion Jones of LSU is overrated. Terrific athlete, but struggled with the physicality of SEC players. How is he gonna handle the NFL? Jones only started as a Senior so maybe things click in the future, but LBs who aren’t physical by nature make me nervous.
In the Reid era, the Eagles loved to take LTs and convert them. Todd Herremans, Jamaal Jackson, John Welbourn, Winston Justice and Dennis Kelly all played LT in college. I have no idea if that was an Andy thing or a Juan Castillo thing. It will be interesting to see what happens this spring. You look at someone like LT Shon Coleman of Auburn. He’s 6-5, 307. Very good run blocker. Major project as a pass protector. Okay athlete, but nothing special. I don’t think Chip Kelly would have had any interest in him. Jeff Stoutland and Doug Pederson could love him if he’s on the board in the 3rd round.
I have no interest in Cardale Jones. He has the physical tools to be a starter in the NFL, but he’s incredibly raw and you’d be building him from the ground up. QB is a position where physical tools aren’t as important as positional skills and intangibles. Matt Cassel barely played at USC, but he was in a pro-style offense. You didn’t have to teach him mechanics or the subtleties of the position. The thing he lacked was game experience. Jones has 10 or so starts, but played in a spread system and made plays more on talent than refined skills.
I also don’t know what to think of him off the field. Early in his career, a frustrated Jones said this on Twitter, “Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain’t come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS”.
He has since said he’s learned from that and is embarrassed by it, but that still bugs me. Being successful in the NFL involves a tremendous amount of classroom work. Obviously studying game tape is more fun than studying biology, but it is still a grind. Is Jones willing to burn the midnight oil to help make himself into the best player he can be?
Work ethic is critical to success in the NFL. Randall Cunningham would be a slam dunk HOF player if he had worked harder. Johnny Manziel might not even have a career if he can’t quit partying and get focused on football. I’m not saying Cardale Jones is a bad guy. But is he ready to be the face of your billion dollar organization? Is he a player that you’re willing to invest countless hours developing?
I see too many question marks with Jones. The guy has the tools to be a terrific NFL QB, but I just get the feeling he’s not going to pan out. I hope I’m wrong. When it comes to my opinion vs a young man’s career, I always hope they prove me wrong. Daniel Jeremiah thinks Jones could go as early as the 2nd round. I could see a strong-willed coach like Bruce Arians or Hue Jackson taking a chance on Jones. If he does pan out, he could be a terrific player. His combination of size, power and arm strength is rare. For now, Jones is a major project and one that I would pass on.
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[…] Tommy Lawlor Everyone wants to know who the Eagles will take with the 8th pick. Can they really take RB Ezekiel […]
https://twitter.com/Jeff_McLane/status/712319144910258176
Lurie is getting to old for this.
I’m sure that was the plan from the moment howie got “Fired” last year.
Three scouts, none of whose teams need a quarterback, were not very high on “Cal’s Jared Goff”
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2016/03/2016_nfl_draft_will_cals_jared_goff_be_a_star_or_a.html
From the scouts:
“I’m just not crazy about him, not at all. He doesn’t win. Show me a quarterback who didn’t win in college, that did well up here? There aren’t many. To me he’s another Jay Cutler. And you can take that any way you want.”
– It seems this scout has little regard to the surrounding talent on a team.
“People out there love this guy, we don’t,” said an AFC scout. “We don’t like him at all. He looks the part and all. But there’s just something about him that turns me off. Maybe it’s the slender build, or the small hands. I mean we’re not taking a quarterback early, but if we were it wouldn’t be him.”
“The hand size really scares me,” another NFC scout said. “Did you see him play in bad conditions? He couldn’t throw a wet ball at all. He was terrible in the rain. He has some talent, for sure. He has a decent arm, can move a little. But he’s not always accurate. I’d be real leery about taking him real high.”
These scouts seem to forget the reason some QBs wear gloves…
http://www.thepostgame.com/eye-performance/201601/nfl-qbs-gloves-hands-bridgewater-flutie-brady-warner-taylor-manning
Here Phil Simms talks about Kurt Warner wearing gloves on both hands…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UceIF6OnSWg
I find it odd that they ignore skillset and focus on things out of the player’s control (talent level of teammates) or something that can be controlled (wearing gloves in bad weather).
I don’t buy any of the bullshit in this article. First its an NJ.com article written by Mark Eckel who is terrible. On top of that they are sighting unnamed sources from both conferences? NJ.com has no sources in the Eagles organization let alone some from other conferences. Like you said Dave these so-called “scouts” are totally ignoring what kind of talent he had on his teams and the glove thing as well. If us fans can see that how can’t scouts see that.
http://cdn.meme.am/instances/400x/59135290.jpg
When you watch Tape you judge the Qb on his pocket command, footwork, mechanics, the throw.. What the WR does with the pass ISNT a part of QB evaluations… This is why people are so clueless about the season Bradford had, they focus on the outcome of the play, when that part shouldn’t even come into the QB Evaluatipn
No one cares who they played with? That is an absurd statement. The talent that surrounds a QB absolutely plays a part. You should know first hand with how much you advocate the mediocre Sam Bradford and try to validate the receivers dropping balls as not his fault. If the QB is surrounded by a bunch if bums then its much more difficult to succeed then it would be if he was surrounded by all-americans. Look at Alabama QBs who are for the most part not good yet in college look amazing because they have the best players around them. I agree that when evaluating said QB you must go with the intricacies of footwork and mechanics and all of those things but to say that who he plays with means nothing make no sense to me.
That first scout is obvs a retard. Doesn’t he know that things like this exist on the interwebz?
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Winner
First of all, WTF is this picture of?
http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/4/4a/Be-a-Winner-Step-8.jpg/aid164875-728px-Be-a-Winner-Step-8.jpg
Secondly, I can’t be the only one who read this website in Stuart Smalley’s voice!
http://www.hashtaghockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/stuart-smalley.jpg
Ain’t it grand?
That is one of the worst illustrations I have seen in a while.
My favorite touch though is that small blot of brown paint above his upper lip. Is that supposed to be facial hair?
You have correctly identified the piece de resistance.
Don’t forget that is a 2-door coupe with a phantom door handle to fool passengers trying to get in the back seat. And what’s that thing on his cheek under his hair, a mole?
I do enjoy how the article can be edited by anyone though.
That’s what I was thinking about Paxton Lynch.
that first one kinda looks like a Homeless James Franco was paid (cash, of course) to start a fire in front of some dudes pontiac. now he’s stuffing the bills into a piggy bank, because thats how Homeless James Franco invests his money.
To add to Dave’s justified outrage at the quality of illustration, here we have
“These lists would be much more useful if I could remember to flip the pad around and start writing on the left. Screw it all. I’m just going back to bed”
“I can use this brush to paint, tickle your elbow, or stab you in the heart.”
“Maybe that Jenner guy…er girl was on to something. What would I look like as a woman?”
Right handed bias
Great scout…
Howie: So what’s your evaluation of Goff?
Scout: I just don’t like him.
Howie: Can you tell me why?
Scout: Um, well uh, he has little hands.
Howie: Yeah I know that. What else don’t you like about him?
Scout: Um he’s 6-4, 215.
Howie: I know that too. What do you like about him?
Scout: Well uh. Um he looks like a QB when he’s on the field.
Howie: Ok well thanks for all your hard work. You have gone the extra mile!
“In the past hour, people on hand say Vernon Hargreaves looks tremendous in position drills. In fact, many say it’s one of the best pro-day position workouts they’ve witnessed from a cornerback and Hargreaves is killing the drills. ”
http://walterfootball.com/proday.php#Cb1hrORBlkiz0CsF.99
Then there is that confounded tape to reconcile.
If i was a personnel organization, i’d devote serious assets to developing some sort of specialty. Either it’s sports science so i can get more out of rehabbing guys, or i’d have a QB guru that can just build QBs, or develop WRs or something.
A lot of projects just need TLC and then can become assets (trade/comp picks/depth).
I think an underrated aspect of draft and post draft player evaluations is exactly what you’re talking about here. The ability of a team to develop players.
Lurie says eagles want to draft a QB.
Bring on Jared Goff.
Or Wentz – which ever the Browns don’t draft at 2 who then slides to 6 for a small trade up in front of Chip.
Yes please
Don’t hold your breath
Haven’t you read anything on here yet today? We need a WINNER.!.
Ok
We don’t need trumphands, err Goff
http://i.imgur.com/sbbHcWs.jpg
I’ll take Goff and his trump hands since he is without a doubt the best QB in this class.
You are leaving out the part where he mentioned wanting a QB at some point in the draft… That last thing I took from his statement is the Eagles taking a QB at #8… But if someone they love is available, pull the trigger..
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Hue Jackson was raving today, openly going Gaga over Goff
You realize anon made the comment in a post entitled “Outside the First Round” right? What makes you think anon is talking about 8?
Tommy do you have dreams about watching player tape?
Tommy only dreams in player tape.
He must be an expert on rap music by now.
Everyone’s ruling out a first round trade back, but the trade was only to get rid of money right? And without a second round pick it seems logical that Roseman will try to depending on how the first 7 picks go.
In hindsight it does seem very logical for the Eagles to trade back but I honestly don’t think that’s what they’re aiming to do. As much as the Maxwell/Alonso trade was for a salary dump at the same time I think the move up to 8 was to keep the Eagles in striking distance of a QB. I truly believe their intentions is to trade up for one of these QBs, but if they get taken before the Birds pick they should explore every option possible to trade down.
Not sure how much sense it makes… I assume Roseman could have gotten a 3rd round pick from Miami if he didn’t value trading up… With an extra 3rd we would have three and it’s probably not hard to package two for a second round pick, and we would still have a 3rd.
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We didn’t just trade up, we traded into a higher Teir of prospects, not sure it be wise to pass up a chance to get one of the elite prospects, to trade back into the second tier of prospects, but It’s possible, we’ll see
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I
It really is hard to tell what their primary motivation was, they gave a young talented player, a proven starting CB, and a first round pick for a better first round pick and a salary dump. Now being within range of a QB does give this new pick extra value, it really does come down to how bad do we want a crack at one of Howie’s 10 blue chip players, or was it really just for the value of #8 as a general commodity to be used or traded (whichever one looks more beneficial on draft day). Rather, I wonder what it would take to get Howie to part with #8. Would it just take something slightly better than the value chart says, or do you have to blow him away with an offer?
I think the initial reaction to a trade down would be “why did we even bother trading up”, but it would be interesting to balance Maxwell (and his contract), Kiko, and our original first vs whatever we hypothetically would get for #8.
you’ll never know the hypothetical question because we’ll never see Max/Kiko in the new defense so it’s hard to compare…
True, but still, however useful they may have been to the Eagles, people still have a (subjective) idea of what kind of value those players had as commodities. Going the other way, it is kind of like if we pick a player that ends up Leonard Weavering out of the league in his first year, it doesn’t mean the draft pick had no value when we traded for it.
Valuing them as commodities, Byron Maxwell was a net negative (contract was too painful), and Kiko Alonso was completely negligible. He had no impact, but also was basically free. Who knows what he looks like in 2016, but he looked terrible in 2015. Maybe it’s the lingering injury, maybe his one good year was a fluke (remember Nick Foles?). In total, it’s still a net negative to have them both, unless you were confident Kiko could be much better than he had shown.
Moving from 13 to 8 made it an absolute no brainer, and in my opinion one of the best offseason moves I’ve seen in some time.
not disagreeing at all that the move up was a good one. But would be interesting to see what would become of a move down. Consolidating 3 lesser commodities in to 1 greater commodity is relatively simple to understand, then diffusing that greater commodity back down into a few parts again makes things interesting.
What if we just visualize a guy taking the wrong first step 80% of the time then overrunning as he tries to make up for it while another guy goes for the strip instead of the tackle before putting himself on the sidelines for a while? We can get a good idea, right?
The trade up and then potential trade down is explained very easily – get more draft picks in an attempt to work into the 2nd round.
Looking at the warts on Elliot, Hargreaves, and Stanley that we’re all finding as it suits our opinions of each guy relative to the other two……………..seems like being positioned at 8 to snag a QB has some logical merits.
well, 1 – HR said – the goal was to get into the top 10. Not sure why he’d lie to everybody. and 2 – IF HR wanted a 2nd or 3rd round pick – he could have easily gone after them. Reason why most aren’t talking about trading back is because HR appears to have a plan.
….
Can he get an offer he can’t refuse to trade back? Of course. The feeling is HR didn’t move up just to have a plan to move back.
Honestly I don’t see the connection between where they pick in the 1st and having an absence of a 2nd pick. You could just as easily combine the two 3rd round picks for a 2nd pick. Teams aren’t saying “we need to have at least one pick in the first three rounds, so trade down to make sure we get a 2nd round player”.
Personally, having seen Howie run drafts and move up and down as the draft unfolds, I cannot believe the possibility is off the table, but I had my fill of that discussion in the last thread.
No more chop blocks, fav tool of running backs and online everywhere. Think this is actually going to have a big effect.
Weren’t chop blocks already against the rules?
not for *all* cases. apparently there were still a few legal ways it could be done. i think it was legal in cases where the OL is blocking a defender on the playside of a run play.
Noted. Thank you sir.
Do teams who typically cut block (zone schemes a la Kubiak) also rely on the chop block? Or is there no correlation? What I’m asking is who is this going to really impact?
is it possible that since Gamble was in SF, chip was thinking screw it, and just didn’t care about contracts or any other stuff, just signing guys like murray and Maxwell figuring if it didn’t work out he was going to SF anyway.
my question is did chip already know that if we didn’t make the playoffs he was heading to San Fran so didn’t really care about the other stuff, like contracts, and players? like he already knew he had a landing spot.
does Gamble really have THAT much Power for Chip to know he would land on his feet a year ago?
yeah I don’t know, but that’s the only connection. he didn’t interview anywhere else, and you know Gamble sold him
Pretty sure no other team wanted to interview him in general. He actually had to reach out to San Fran for them to set up an interview with him. As soon as I read that the Titans had no interest in Chip I knew teams weren’t really much interested in him at all.
For someone to prefer Mularky over reuniting you with your college QB is embarressing… Doubt Mularky will still be the coach a year from now
I agree whole heartedly friend. Really seems Chip just isn’t well liked in NFL circles.
It’s one thing for a team to hire Adam Gase. Or Hue Jackson over you, but MIKE Mularky? Mularky and his “exotic smashmmouth” scheme? Yuck..
.,,
So a Titans team that has a QB so comfortable running out of shotgun, decides to sign Demarco Murray who did pretty bad running out of shotgun for us? Sounds “brilliant” lol
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Think it’s safe to assume, that If things don’t go well for chip in San fran, he will be forced to go back to college, or take a coordinator position in the NFL…. If they don’t get a QB at #7, and hit on a QB at #7, chips NFL career will be doomed
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Im actually rooting for chip to do well next year, I want him to succeed enough to wrestle personnel control away from Baalke lol
Top-5 oxymorons of all time:
1) exotic smashmouth
2) emotional intelligence
3) Players coach
4) Chip Kelly
5) oxymoron itself is an “oxymoron”, root meanings coming from latin: sharp/dull
BUT KAEP IS AN ATHLETIC QB MADE FOR CK READ OPTION SCHEME DURRRRRRR
Spot on.
no bc you forgot the Rooney rule
he does look like mickey rooney. you’re right
I think San Fran was toxic to coaches and Chip was hired because nobody else showed much interest. The 49ers were reportedly deciding between Kelly and Mike Shanahan, neither was in any sort of demand from other teams.
http://www.ninersnation.com/2016/1/20/10798950/chip-kelly-over-mike-shanahan-might-have-come-down-to-colin-kaepernick
If in fact Kelly was hired over Shanny because he wanted to keep Kaepernick, that turned out to be unwarranted since Kaep wanted out even after Chip’s hiring to supposedly salvage his career.
They have the highest cap space in the league at over $58M and yet not a single free agent signed with them. Coaches on the staff left for college jobs to avoid working with Chip. He had a tough time getting a defensive coordinator as he was turned down by several coaches, including Belichick disciple Mike Vrabel.
San Fran was a hot mess before hiring Kelly, and now that he is there, they are in worse shape.
Absolutely not, and here’s why –
Chip Kelly does not think about the future, it was his downfall. He only thinks about applying what he knows – his scheme and ideas – to the here and now. He refuses, and has always refused, to even think about next week.
We’re at the point now that we know the emperor (CK) has no clothes. It would be silly to try to resurrect the Machiavellian narrative that he knew what he was doing all along. We know that he didn’t.
If a coach was not looking to the future at all, they would probably not trade a 4th rounder last year for a 3rd rounder this year. So no… I doubt he thought much along the lines of not being the coach after the season.
It sounded like Roseman gave him the financially viable options surrounding certain players, and he chose between them. I don’t think anything he did was financially reckless — the main problem is that the players didn’t perform the way Kelly thought they would, and they were paid according to Kelly’s vision. If they became critical parts of the team, we would have kept them mostly OK. Some of his more reckless moves were actually saving on the salary cap, like cutting Mathis. But yes, Kelly did use a bit more of the cap than the Eagles normally do.
McLane is “reporting” that Pederson interviewed poorly…. I find it hard to believe that LURIE, Roseman or Smolenski would leak that about the Eagles new coach.. Not sure who else, if anyone, sat in on the interview
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McLane always seems like a scorned Teenage girl
Mclane interviews poorly. so he would know.
NEEDS:
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1) starting LG
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2) Backüp OT
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3) #5 and #6 WR,.. Im more and more convinced that Roseman will have to trade for a WR
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4) Starting RB of the future
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5) #3 QB in like round 5
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6) DT (backüp 3tec) Needs to be a better interior pass rusher than Logan and Beau
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7) Two backüp LBs to pair with Najee on the #2nd unit, be great if we can sigń a backüp LB in FA
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8) CB
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9) could use a backüp Safety
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10) no idea if any of our backüp Centers can play
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Still got plenty of work that needs to be done on this roster.. Fortunately the immediate starting spots are mostly all filled.. Not all of these have to be addressed this offseason.. It’s a two offseason job(minimum)
1) I think we have at least a body that can fill in being that Kelce only has to help (1) of (2) guards now.
2) ……..
3) Really want Flash Gordon
4) not to worried to be honest
5) Hackenburg? (Maybe 3rd or 4th?)
6) If Bennie has a down year and we can re-sign cheap may not be worst thing in the world.
7) Agree, LB has become position of need all of a sudden (depth wise)
8) I hope they decide whether Rowe will be a CB or S this year, proof will be in the pudding.
9) Backup safety, Reynolds, Couplin are still floating around. I like Maragos for ST, but liability when playing on defense.
10) Barret Jones?
Hey Tommy, Mr Justice protected the blindside of Lefty Leinhart and in doing so, was always a RT. As I remember, he found it very difficult to set up as a left tackle and ultimately failed on that side of the line. He wasn’t much better on the right”. 🙂
Just because a QB is left handed doesn’t mean he wasn’t the LT, he did still line up on the left side. Last time I checked left is still left and right is right. Justice also did have stretches of very competent RT play albeit never consistent enough.
yep, the best pass rusher rarely follows the QB’s blind-side, typically your LT has the tougher assignment regardless of the QB.
OK, to be clearer, Justice made all of his collegiate starts for the Trojans at Right Tackle. Unlike the others mentioned, Justice was a right tackle who the Eagles believed had the tools to play Left Tackle. The others had started at Left Tackle (and other positions in some cases such as Jamaal Jackson) and the Eagles seemed to value that, which was Tommy’s point. Justice doesn’t fit in that point, just like he didn’t fit at aLT in the NFL.
It bothers me that Goff has hands smaller than Donald Trump’s. How can you be 6’4″ and have hands <9"? I'm 5'9" on my tippy toes, and my hands are closer to 9.5" than 9".
But maybe that's why I always won in Mercy back in grade school.
did they ever get you with “if your hand is bigger than your face you have cancer?”
that one always wrecked
Once. Only once.
My father hung me on a hook once. Once.
if the glove don’t fit
you must acquit
Hands came in at 9″ at the combine and 9 1/4″ at his pro day.
So I read that no chop blocks – none – will be permitted from here on out. I guess Mike Shanahan is done.
Be interesting to see how good RBs really are at blocking, blitz pickup is going to be a problem i expect this year.
Cut blocks aren’t banned. A RB will still be able to cut a rushing defender. The only chop blocks that have been allowed before now were in certain types of running plays(not draws or any type play where the offensive line is selling a pass) where a linemen could cut a defender that was engaged with another lineman adjacent to him. Now all chop blocks are allowed. But as long as the defender isn’t engaged with anyone, cutting him is okay.
Good explanation.
Just to clarify, I am sure that second to last sentence was to say no chop blocks are allowed.
Yep, just edited. Although it’d be nice if Goodell said screw it, we’ve never really cared about player safety, we were just using that as an excuse to minimize the running game and maximize the passing game so we can have high-scoring shootouts and get bigger ratings but hey you know might get good ratings…..NO HOLDS BARRED!!!!! Chop blocks…ALLOWED!!! Hitting a defenseless receiver….HAVE AT IT!!!! Eye poking, fish hooking, taking a crowbar to the QBs knees….IT’S ALL FAIR GAME!!!!
For clarification, a cut block is at thigh level or lower. This is allowed. A chop block is when a cut block is performed on a defensive player who is being blocked above the waist by another offensive player. Basically, no more high-low double team blocks allowed.
More so Alex Gibbs, but yes.
“Obviously studying game tape is more fun than studying biology…”
I think I have pinpointed why things haven’t gotten off the ground with Megan Fox.
Deion Jones being not worth it in the draft is going to adjust how I’ve been looking at LBs in mocks.
Also, glad to hear that Tommy doesn’t like Jones.
Fired up a mock. Jack falling to 8 and Henry/Washington being there in round 3 all aren’t happening, but I had to take them. D3 has me targeting McGovern and Glasgow b/c I can’t often get Haeg in the 4th.
Round 1 Pick 8: Myles Jack, OLB/ILB, UCLA (A+)
Round 3 Pick 14: Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas (A+)
Round 3 Pick 16: Adolphus Washington, DT/DE, Ohio State (A+)
Round 4 Pick 2: Connor McGovern, OG, Missouri (A-)
Round 5 Pick 14: Graham Glasgow, OG, Michigan (B+)
Round 5 Pick 25: Jatavis Brown, OLB/SS, Akron (A-)
Round 6 Pick 13: James Bradberry, CB, Samford (A+)
Round 7 Pick 12: Tanner McEvoy, TE/WR, Wisconsin (B)
Round 7 Pick 30: Lawrence Thomas, DE, Michigan State (B-)
I could see McGovern going 2/3 and Gasglow as a 3rd. Both are key targets for me. i’d rather get an imoact player at 8 instead of reaching for an OL
“The one down side to firing Chip Kelly is that I spent all fall watching college football and focusing on Kelly guys. I ignored 1-gap DTs, instead watching 3-4 DEs. I watched athletic OL instead of maulers. I looked for WRs who were outstanding blockers. And so on.
I’ve had to re-learn the draft class on the fly.”
As you stated Tommy it is fun to be able to watch tape and project 4-3 defenders, maulers on the O-line and WR’s with speed who couldn’t block a lick. Of course if you or any fan watches tape, shares their opinion and are wrong it is no big deal. For our scouts they have done the same thing you have done and had to switch gears when Chip was axed and Doug and Jim came aboard as coaches.
I am wondering if the concerns we read that our scouts are way behind due to the coach/scheme changes are valid? Or is it possible this is a non-issue and the scouts will have made the adjustments and had plenty of time to evaluate all the prospects. In other words will our draft board be as good as it can be despite having less time to prepare than many other staffs around the league?
Personally I think the top of our draft board will be on par with everyone else in the league. I think we will land an impact starter in round 1 and another starter or someone who will compete to start from day 2 of the draft. I think the bigger concerns come on day 3 of the draft where teams can find solid players if they have done their homework. Let’s hope we can add talent to our roster with a solid day three by adding solid depth and maybe even a future starting player or two in rounds 4-7.
Scouts file reports on all players in their area. Scheme fits or not.