Smitty's draft hot takes!

[SmittysLawnGuy]

Just now, SmittysLawnGuy said:

That was funny

6 hours ago, Shocker said:

Stick to cutting grass

 

I also pleaded for Ladd and Frazier but back to cutting

[SmittysLawnGuy]

On 2/1/2025 at 12:14 AM, Growl said:

that senior bowl practice rep is getting way too much hype

for starters, as I mentioned in the shrine thread, it was that pointed out after the first practice that he had been working at trying to show that move off all day and couldn’t quite pull it off. The reprimand was that he needed to focus on what he did well. Then he went out the following day, pulled it off, and immediately shut himself down for the game. It’s kind of odd.

secondly, those one on ones are an OL drill. The defense is there, but they have a fraction of the responsibilities they have in a game. They aren’t playing gap control, they aren’t making sure the QB doesn’t bounce, they aren’t playing the screen. It’s every bit of juice and energy they have just to do the comparatively simple thing of getting around one guy with a pretty generous book on how they can go about it. It’s up to the OL to acclimate and the ones that do really stand out because they are entirely disadvantaged

That rep meant nothing to me but made me go look. Sure it wasn't against Alabama but 17.5 sacks, please explain why you want someone else and who?

[SmittysLawnGuy]

8 hours ago, Shocker said:

Stick to cutting grass

Classic. If I was Marty, we would have Bowls! My last miss was Pickles 

( Mind you a bad miss)

[Tr3ach]

6 hours ago, SmittysLawnGuy said:

That rep meant nothing to me but made me go look. Sure it wasn't against Alabama but 17.5 sacks, please explain why you want someone else and who?

Well he was also top 5 rated in pass rushing, pass rush win percentage, and run defense in college football last season.  People saying he's hyped just because that one rep haven't seen much.

[MHS831]

9 hours ago, SmittysLawnGuy said:

If Graham is there, absolutely. Just thinking we are out on him as well as Hunter and Carter.

That is the popular sentiment right now, but after the combine and free agency, things will change.

In the past 15 years, there have been 2 DTs drafted in the top 8 picks--Quinnen Williams was taken by the Jets 3rd overall in 2019 and our own Derrick Brown was taken with pick #7 in 2020.   So DT is not one of those rare positions that teams reach or trade up for in the top 10 picks of the draft. Compare that to CB, DE/Edges, QBs, WRs, OTs--they are more like TEs--rare to see one go first round early.  This draft is pretty loaded at DT, imo, so I see teams thinking, "We will go after that Edge, CB, OT, or WR and get the DT later.  You could argue that Graham is special, and I would agree. But if the CB from Michigan (who is a baller) and one of the two premiere LTs (better protect Maye) and two QBs and Hunter go in the top 5, we have a chance. 

 

[SmittysLawnGuy]

18 hours ago, Shocker said:

2 hours ago, MHS831 said:

That is the popular sentiment right now, but after the combine and free agency, things will change.

In the past 15 years, there have been 2 DTs drafted in the top 8 picks--Quinnen Williams was taken by the Jets 3rd overall in 2019 and our own Derrick Brown was taken with pick #7 in 2020.   So DT is not one of those rare positions that teams reach or trade up for in the top 10 picks of the draft. Compare that to CB, DE/Edges, QBs, WRs, OTs--they are more like TEs--rare to see one go first round early.  This draft is pretty loaded at DT, imo, so I see teams thinking, "We will go after that Edge, CB, OT, or WR and get the DT later.  You could argue that Graham is special, and I would agree. But if the CB from Michigan (who is a baller) and one of the two premiere LTs (better protect Maye) and two QBs and Hunter go in the top 5, we have a chance. 

 

 

I think Will Johnson will slide down boards due to his 40 time. Could be wrong. If he speeds then top 5 is in line.

Edited February 2 by SmittysLawnGuy

[SmittysLawnGuy]

Also, Dart is getting a lot of love. Would be huge if say the Raiders took him at 8. Then we would definitely get a blue chip. We're kind of at the blue chip cut off. Need one team to go out of the box.

[SmittysLawnGuy]

Jeanty could save us too. Also I'm not saying I don't like Tet McMillan. Just saying that I don't believe it's a fit for Bryce. If that guy is draped Bryce won't throw to him. He needs an Aaron Rodgers. Fug it I trust him. Just don't think that is in Bryce's game.

[Tr3ach]

5 hours ago, MHS831 said:

That is the popular sentiment right now, but after the combine and free agency, things will change.

In the past 15 years, there have been 2 DTs drafted in the top 8 picks--Quinnen Williams was taken by the Jets 3rd overall in 2019 and our own Derrick Brown was taken with pick #7 in 2020.   So DT is not one of those rare positions that teams reach or trade up for in the top 10 picks of the draft. Compare that to CB, DE/Edges, QBs, WRs, OTs--they are more like TEs--rare to see one go first round early.  This draft is pretty loaded at DT, imo, so I see teams thinking, "We will go after that Edge, CB, OT, or WR and get the DT later.  You could argue that Graham is special, and I would agree. But if the CB from Michigan (who is a baller) and one of the two premiere LTs (better protect Maye) and two QBs and Hunter go in the top 5, we have a chance. 

 

I could see the Quinnen Williams, but he is a better prospect coming in than Brown was.  Graham is a beast against the run, but the difference is he has a lot of potential to become a really good pass rusher in the interior.   I think he is one of the top, if not the safest players in this draft to be really good.  If he's there at 8, they better sprint to the podium, I just think the way this draft will probably fall, I don't see very many ways he's there.

[Basbear]

9 hours ago, MHS831 said:

That is the popular sentiment right now, but after the combine and free agency, things will change.

In the past 15 years, there have been 2 DTs drafted in the top 8 picks--Quinnen Williams was taken by the Jets 3rd overall in 2019 and our own Derrick Brown was taken with pick #7 in 2020.   So DT is not one of those rare positions that teams reach or trade up for in the top 10 picks of the draft. Compare that to CB, DE/Edges, QBs, WRs, OTs--they are more like TEs--rare to see one go first round early.  This draft is pretty loaded at DT, imo, so I see teams thinking, "We will go after that Edge, CB, OT, or WR and get the DT later.  You could argue that Graham is special, and I would agree. But if the CB from Michigan (who is a baller) and one of the two premiere LTs (better protect Maye) and two QBs and Hunter go in the top 5, we have a chance. 

 

 

These are facts and it does show teams ignore DT early in the draft. Star fell as well, sure you can say it was that heart issue, but teams knew the virus truth. He mainly dropped cause he is a DT, and not the type of DT that can play end in a 3-4 ala JJ watt....he's a run stopper and teams do not care at all for them...whatever reasons why.

 

[DaveThePanther2008]

New England will define how this draft goes. They have 128 million in cap space. They could make a run at several top free agents including top tier LTs. They need to give Maye weapons and protection. If they address the offense through Free Agency our picks of Carter or Graham will be gone. If they go OT we might have a chance at one of the top defensive players. 

[mrcompletely11]

3 minutes ago, DaveThePanther2008 said:

New England will define how this draft goes. They have 128 million in cap space. They could make a run at several top free agents including top tier LTs. They need to give Maye weapons and protection. If they address the offense through Free Agency our picks of Carter or Graham will be gone. If they go OT we might have a chance at one of the top defensive players. 

who is the top tier LT in free agency?  They can easily "over pay" for higgins and still be fine, they would be insane to not draft the LT from LSU.  That kid is damn good in pass pro.  The pats have set themselves up nicely to take a massive step forward

[DaveThePanther2008]

2 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

who is the top tier LT in free agency?  They can easily "over pay" for higgins and still be fine, they would be insane to not draft the LT from LSU.  That kid is damn good in pass pro.  The pats have set themselves up nicely to take a massive step forward

Honestly I don't recall the names that were mentioned but there were a few. 

I'm hoping they do address the offense in the draft. My point is that IMO they will dictate how round one goes because no one really knows who they will pick. 

It's all speculation right now. I think by the end of March, after free agency, we will be able to get a better idea of how the draft might go. 

[SmittysLawnGuy]

1 hour ago, DaveThePanther2008 said:

New England will define how this draft goes. They have 128 million in cap space. They could make a run at several top free agents including top tier LTs. They need to give Maye weapons and protection. If they address the offense through Free Agency our picks of Carter or Graham will be gone. If they go OT we might have a chance at one of the top defensive players. 

Very good points. I assume you meant defense. Your 100% right though, if.they go defense, we're cooked. I'd take Tet or Burden but the rest of the draft needs to be D.