First off season mock draft

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Hey gang,

Put this together earlier tonight.

First off I stuck to NEED or upgradable positions so all but 1 pick will be ILB, IOL, IDL and CB

Pick 52 CB Will Lee Texas A&M: We need bodies that can play I'm not the CB guru I'm the LB guy. Tyni or others please pick this apart. I loved the college competition in the SEC, and I like the 6'1 190-195 size.

Pick 84 LB Deontae Lawson Alabama: One of the last Saban recruited and coached linebackers we'll see. The thing about those Saban linebackers, whether they are under or over valued, they find their way into the rotation for their team, and usually in the starting line up. This kid is 6'2 228 so about the same size as Coop and Quay. Maybe he's the third starter maybe he's 1st off the bench. I definitely think he's gonna be better than every version of McDuffie, and if what we saw with limited playing time is the REAL Hopper McDuffie finds himself at spot #5 or 1st spot off the team. To me Lawson is a value pick at an upgradable position here.

Pick 120 CB Preston Hodge Colorado: 6'0 200 pounds. I'm not a fan of some of the Deion Sanders antics, but I would definitely be willing to draft a Primetime coached CB especially one that is approximately the size Deion was when he played. Can he start? Hopefully....cause our collective livers can't survive another KeSean Nixon started game. Need position pick.

Pick 160 DT Chris McLlellan Missouri: 6'4 323 pounds. I saw him against Auburn and was impressed. Drinkwitz is a great teacher. My reason for drafting multiple DT is we don't have Kenny Clark anymore. Karl Brooks whom I love is awesome, he's undersized at DT at 6'3 296. We need size and strength in the middle of the D-Line especially if and when the speed rushers can't get around the corner to the QB. Value pick at an upgradeable position.

Pick 198 DT Ahnad Moten Miami: 6'3 325 admittedly didn't see this kid play. Best available at an upgradable position. Loved the size.

Pick 245 G Dillon Wade Auburn: 6'4 315. Let's get it straight Sean Rhyan can NOT start any more games for this team at ANY position. Didn't work at RG didn't work at C, didn't work anywhere else. Wade I saw as an Auburn fan, and thought he was solid even after Connor Lew went down and if I remember correctly he was either making or helping the Freshman Center with the line calls. Came back to Auburn this year for his Sr. season. So a big kid with commitment, and intelligence. Hopefully with him in our interior O-Line Josh Jacobs won't get hit in the head with his big *** like he did with Rhyan.

Pick 253 QB Drew Allar Penn State: 6'5 235 Jordan Love's size (If I remember right) played B1G football at a high level until a season ending injury pre-James Franklin firing. If he slips this far, I would be very happy to get him as our backup for a couple years, and if Love continues to struggle in December and the playoffs who knows? Also according to the depth chart, as well as the eye test watching Clayton Tune...we don't have a backup.

 

[milani]

Hey gang,

Put this together earlier tonight.

First off I stuck to NEED or upgradable positions so all but 1 pick will be ILB, IOL, IDL and CB

Pick 52 CB Will Lee Texas A&M: We need bodies that can play I'm not the CB guru I'm the LB guy. Tyni or others please pick this apart. I loved the college competition in the SEC, and I like the 6'1 190-195 size.

Pick 84 LB Deontae Lawson Alabama: One of the last Saban recruited and coached linebackers we'll see. The thing about those Saban linebackers, whether they are under or over valued, they find their way into the rotation for their team, and usually in the starting line up. This kid is 6'2 228 so about the same size as Coop and Quay. Maybe he's the third starter maybe he's 1st off the bench. I definitely think he's gonna be better than every version of McDuffie, and if what we saw with limited playing time is the REAL Hopper McDuffie finds himself at spot #5 or 1st spot off the team. To me Lawson is a value pick at an upgradable position here.

Pick 120 CB Preston Hodge Colorado: 6'0 200 pounds. I'm not a fan of some of the Deion Sanders antics, but I would definitely be willing to draft a Primetime coached CB especially one that is approximately the size Deion was when he played. Can he start? Hopefully....cause our collective livers can't survive another KeSean Nixon started game. Need position pick.

Pick 160 DT Chris McLlellan Missouri: 6'4 323 pounds. I saw him against Auburn and was impressed. Drinkwitz is a great teacher. My reason for drafting multiple DT is we don't have Kenny Clark anymore. Karl Brooks whom I love is awesome, he's undersized at DT at 6'3 296. We need size and strength in the middle of the D-Line especially if and when the speed rushers can't get around the corner to the QB. Value pick at an upgradeable position.

Pick 198 DT Ahnad Moten Miami: 6'3 325 admittedly didn't see this kid play. Best available at an upgradable position. Loved the size.

Pick 245 G Dillon Wade Auburn: 6'4 315. Let's get it straight Sean Rhyan can NOT start any more games for this team at ANY position. Didn't work at RG didn't work at C, didn't work anywhere else. Wade I saw as an Auburn fan, and thought he was solid even after Connor Lew went down and if I remember correctly he was either making or helping the Freshman Center with the line calls. Came back to Auburn this year for his Sr. season. So a big kid with commitment, and intelligence. Hopefully with him in our interior O-Line Josh Jacobs won't get hit in the head with his big *** like he did with Rhyan.

Pick 253 QB Drew Allar Penn State: 6'5 235 Jordan Love's size (If I remember right) played B1G football at a high level until a season ending injury pre-James Franklin firing. If he slips this far, I would be very happy to get him as our backup for a couple years, and if Love continues to struggle in December and the playoffs who knows? Also according to the depth chart, as well as the eye test watching Clayton Tune...we don't have a backup.

Do you think we should go for the DT position first in light of the fact that both Wyatt and Parsons may not be available in the first month or two next season? Our corners do not light the lamp but none of them have ACLs. Should we keep Diggs?

 

[tynimiller]

Hey gang,

Put this together earlier tonight.

First off I stuck to NEED or upgradable positions so all but 1 pick will be ILB, IOL, IDL and CB

Pick 52 CB Will Lee Texas A&M: We need bodies that can play I'm not the CB guru I'm the LB guy. Tyni or others please pick this apart. I loved the college competition in the SEC, and I like the 6'1 190-195 size.

Only because you asked me to weigh in potentially. Yes, I also believe CB is going to be for sure a place of intentional attention for our scouts and likely pre-draft visits. Will is a CB that right now from the pulse I'm getting is in that mix of Day2 guys that many are going to love - think guys like Igbinosun and Rivers and even Ponds (only due to size) to name a few or one of my favorites Neal from Arkansas.

Personally I happen to fall in the Lee needing to go back one additional year. His best most complete year for me is still that 2023 season with Kansas State. This year he elevated his missed tackle percentage again for the third straight season, and saw QB ratings against him go up by over 20points. Don't get this wrong he is a serviceable CB2 on most teams that will target him on Day2, so he isn't bad, I just don't see clear path to me of him having a ceiling of CB1 clearly.

His positives are his size and it appears length but don't have official measurements yet and that when you isolate his mind to only have to worry about his man and only his man - he excels.

However, he struggles in zone it seems far too often and I worry the next level with better QBs, faster game speed this might be a thing which slows down his ability to excel sooner rather than later.

I have written by Lee right now that he would be neck and neck with Valentine IMO upon entry but likely not see the field unless Nixon is gone (which he should be IMO).

Few guys that right now appear to likely be there potentially I'd rather have would be Julian Neal from Arkansas, Daylen Everette from Georgia (who is the inverse of Lee, great in zone and struggles in man) or I'd even risk drafting Ponds just because he is such a good football player and hope he is an outlier height wise at CB.

Lee is a guy if we picked and depending on the board I'd fully understand even if I disagree with hime being best on my CB board.

 

[tynimiller]

I'll add further, the Colorado CB I don't think goes that early. He has a lot of holes to his game and has proven incapable outside and is a slot corner by trade....a spot I don't have us as a need really. If we go CB in the fourth guys to keep eye on likely might be Muhammad from Texas, Igbinosun from OSU, Davis from Washington, Josh Moten Southern Miss (but likely touch later).

 

[Heyjoe4]

Hey gang,

Put this together earlier tonight.

First off I stuck to NEED or upgradable positions so all but 1 pick will be ILB, IOL, IDL and CB

Pick 52 CB Will Lee Texas A&M: We need bodies that can play I'm not the CB guru I'm the LB guy. Tyni or others please pick this apart. I loved the college competition in the SEC, and I like the 6'1 190-195 size.

Pick 84 LB Deontae Lawson Alabama: One of the last Saban recruited and coached linebackers we'll see. The thing about those Saban linebackers, whether they are under or over valued, they find their way into the rotation for their team, and usually in the starting line up. This kid is 6'2 228 so about the same size as Coop and Quay. Maybe he's the third starter maybe he's 1st off the bench. I definitely think he's gonna be better than every version of McDuffie, and if what we saw with limited playing time is the REAL Hopper McDuffie finds himself at spot #5 or 1st spot off the team. To me Lawson is a value pick at an upgradable position here.

Pick 120 CB Preston Hodge Colorado: 6'0 200 pounds. I'm not a fan of some of the Deion Sanders antics, but I would definitely be willing to draft a Primetime coached CB especially one that is approximately the size Deion was when he played. Can he start? Hopefully....cause our collective livers can't survive another KeSean Nixon started game. Need position pick.

Pick 160 DT Chris McLlellan Missouri: 6'4 323 pounds. I saw him against Auburn and was impressed. Drinkwitz is a great teacher. My reason for drafting multiple DT is we don't have Kenny Clark anymore. Karl Brooks whom I love is awesome, he's undersized at DT at 6'3 296. We need size and strength in the middle of the D-Line especially if and when the speed rushers can't get around the corner to the QB. Value pick at an upgradeable position.

Pick 198 DT Ahnad Moten Miami: 6'3 325 admittedly didn't see this kid play. Best available at an upgradable position. Loved the size.

Pick 245 G Dillon Wade Auburn: 6'4 315. Let's get it straight Sean Rhyan can NOT start any more games for this team at ANY position. Didn't work at RG didn't work at C, didn't work anywhere else. Wade I saw as an Auburn fan, and thought he was solid even after Connor Lew went down and if I remember correctly he was either making or helping the Freshman Center with the line calls. Came back to Auburn this year for his Sr. season. So a big kid with commitment, and intelligence. Hopefully with him in our interior O-Line Josh Jacobs won't get hit in the head with his big *** like he did with Rhyan.

Pick 253 QB Drew Allar Penn State: 6'5 235 Jordan Love's size (If I remember right) played B1G football at a high level until a season ending injury pre-James Franklin firing. If he slips this far, I would be very happy to get him as our backup for a couple years, and if Love continues to struggle in December and the playoffs who knows? Also according to the depth chart, as well as the eye test watching Clayton Tune...we don't have a backup.

Thanks Ric. With the season over, this takes my mind off that horrible loss on Sat. night.

I am no draft expert, not even close. I read as much as I can, but haven't even looked at a mock yet. So while I can't weigh in on the talent or draft-position-worthiness of a guy, your mock draft certainly addresses the big areas of need.

One question about pick #84, LB Lawson from Alabama. 6'2" and 220 lbs seems really small for LB. I think Walker is 6'4" and about 240, 250, and Cooper is around 6'2" and 230-240 lbs.

That's not a huge difference. I'm just intrigued that you have him that high with those measurables.

Thanks Ric - for taking my mind off Saturday night's nightmare.........

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

Thanks Ric. With the season over, this takes my mind off that horrible loss on Sat. night.

I am no draft expert, not even close. I read as much as I can, but haven't even looked at a mock yet. So while I can't weigh in on the talent or draft-position-worthiness of a guy, your mock draft certainly addresses the big areas of need.

One question about pick #84, LB Lawson from Alabama. 6'2" and 220 lbs seems really small for LB. I think Walker is 6'4" and about 240, 250, and Cooper is around 6'2" and 230-240 lbs.

That's not a huge difference. I'm just intrigued that you have him that high with those measurables.

Thanks Ric - for taking my mind off Saturday night's nightmare.........

I've seen him listed 6'2 228 not 220 on multiple sites. If 220 I agree with you if 228 that's Quay and Coop's size. Also when we drafted Hopper he was only 221.

 

[RicFlairoftheNFL]

I'll add further, the Colorado CB I don't think goes that early. He has a lot of holes to his game and has proven incapable outside and is a slot corner by trade....a spot I don't have us as a need really. If we go CB in the fourth guys to keep eye on likely might be Muhammad from Texas, Igbinosun from OSU, Davis from Washington, Josh Moten Southern Miss (but likely touch later).

I am glad you jumped in CB is a weak area for me when I look at draft picks. I can judge PBU and INTs but I struggle with coverage ability.

 

[tynimiller]

I am glad you jumped in CB is a weak area for me when I look at draft picks. I can judge PBU and INTs but I struggle with coverage ability.

I believe Lee might be one of the guys doing the Senior Bowl. Those 1v1 reps will be a little of bit of an overstatement to many due to that is what he excels at...his biggest thing is going to be pre-draft discussions/interviews and diagnosing questions - if he can show promise in zone coverages and responsibilities I think Lee has a solid shot at growing into an amazing CB2 on a team.

 

[Heyjoe4]

I've seen him listed 6'2 228 not 220 on multiple sites. If 220 I agree with you if 228 that's Quay and Coop's size. Also when we drafted Hopper he was only 221.

Thanks Ric. Teams are valuing what I consider smaller LBs (6'2" - 230 lbs plus/minus) versus the "typical" LB who weighs around 250 lbs. Speed is being valued more highly than just strength.

That has given GB's D the ability to swarm to the ball, quickly.