top dawg

Just the fact that I found myself saying "that was a damned good pick" from rounds 2-6, this draft was excellent. Just for the ability to trade back--kind of fly by the seat of their pants--and still get such great value, this draft gets somewhere between a B+ and A-. Our draft room kind of made it look easy. And, believe me, I wouldn't say it if I didn't have much faith in this draft. Call it jumping the gun if you like, but this was a great draft that will reap clear and obvious benefits.

There was markedly more OT talent than DB talent, and the dropoff in day-one starter's level DB talent was was pretty stark from what I've heard. As for Fields, he was obviously not as valued as highly by a significant number if NFL scouts as many NFL fans thought. And though perhaps unpopular with some Huddlers, some notable analysts always said that Darnold would be at worst the second QB taken in this year's draft if he had been in this class. The Slater and Horn thing is perhaps a matter of philosophy in regards to team building, or maybe just as simple as believing that Horn was a better player--a better fit--for our situation. We'll have to wait for the results, but it's not a stretch in the slightest to say that Horn may turn out to be a better CB than Slater will be an OT. In general, I think there's a lesson to be learned. Pre-draft hype is good for message boards and football talking heads, but professional NFL evaluators aren't moved by it, at all.

Fitterer and Rhule obviously believe in value. Last year's draft gave us some good value, but they upped the game this draft. Perhaps that jump was a direct result of our new GM, but Rhule and Fitterer seem to have an amazing working relationship. We've heard Rhule preach about every part of the organization being on one accord in reference to the overarching vision, and Fitterer and even Tepper seems to have bought in 100 percent.

Another solid signing!

Honestly, our offense and defense have the possibility of being just as scary.

Damned good value!

Other than maybe LT, CB seems to be the hardest damned position to successfully address, at least for us. Jaycee needs to be better than every one of the CBs we've drafted since Gamble. That's the only way I'll be happy with the pick.

Sam Darnold is the luckiest QB in the league. The kid got a mulligan! For all practical purposes, this is his essentially his rookie year all over again. Sure, it will be a shorter window to succeed, and it probably should be because he does have some pro experience, but he'll get two years to turn his fortunes around as opposed to one that I've seen suggested here. It just makes sense. Short of Deshaun Watson, Sammy's going to get a legit shot. Mark my words!

BPA! BPA! BPA! Honestly, I'm beginning to think that they're comfortable with who we got at safety and OL...at least in terms of not willing to draft for need provided that some of these guys with 2nd and 3rd round grades are still there (and I suspect that there may be an OL or Safety and--my fave--WR among them).

We did take trade offers, but none of them were sufficient to kiss Horn goodbye.

I will say that one of the best two CBs was there. Surtain may or may not turn out to be the best in this class.

I've also seen some less encouraging articles. Horn is an aggressive press corner that is being minimized in today's NFL. He's the type of corner that will fit certain schemes, but not others. I'm going to keep an open mind, & trust that Fitt & Rhule know what they're doing, even if this pick seems a little underwhelming.

We didn't overdraft last year or this year.

Nah! Pittsburgh is gonna draft Najee Harris. Loomis ain't gonna reach.

With the Pats, this is within the realm of possibility, and that's what I hate.

We have to take Fields now!

There's the commercial!

fug!

Maybe we'll trade to Denver, them take Sewell.

Cinci is dumb! But we should get Sewell now!

Cinci should take Sewell

Huh?

Gonna be some surpris s tonight, of this you can be sure! Thanks for the scuttlebutt!

If Pitts or Sewell are there, we take either one. If both are there, we take Pitts. I don't believe either one will be there. If either Fields, Lance or both are there, we have an auction. If none of those guys are there and Chase is still there, we take Chase. Otherwise, we trade down and get what draft capital we can get.

For all the LB hate though, I concede that Parsons could be the best defensive player in this draft.