NFL Draft 2015 discussion thread

[mikeygnfl]

1st Round

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2nd Round

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3rd Round

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4th Round

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5th Round

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6th Round

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7th Round

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[mikeygnfl]

Here are my winners and losers from the NFL Combine

Winners (Biggest winners in Bold)
QB - Marcus Mariota, Cody Fajardo
RB - Jeremy Langford, David Johnson, Melvin Gordon
WR - Philip Dorsett, Chris Conley, Kevin White, Tyler Lockett
TE - Maxx Williams, MyCole Pruitt
OL - Ali Marpet
S - Eric Rowe
LB - Vic Beasley, Alvin Dupree, Dante Fowler
DB - Trae Waynes, Ronald Darby, Josh Shaw, Byron Jones

Losers (Biggest losers in Bold)
RB - Ameer Abdullah
WR - Sammie Coates, David Funchess, Ty Montgomery
LB - Paul Dawson, Denzel Perryman, Shaq Thompson
DB - Marcus Peters, PJ Williams

[mikeygnfl]

I have put a consensus draft rankings board together using a few big boards from various sites and here is the current top 25 players going into the draft:-

[NYJ]

I don't think Marcus Mariota, Melvin Gordon, Phillip Dorsett or Maxx Williams were winners per se. They all performed as expected whereas Langford and White showed us something better or different than they did during the season.

[NYJ]

I have put a consensus draft rankings board together using a few big boards from various sites and here is the current top 25 players going into the draft:-

Surprised to see a consensus with Cooper above White.

I think Shelton is far too highly rated, I don't get it. Same with Arik Armstead, Andrus Peat and Jaelen Strong. Strong can't separate or win contested catches consistently so what is his role in the NFL other than benchwarmer?

[GSC]

The only way to determine winners and losers from the combine is who tested well medically and in interviews.

The rest of it is largely meaningless. I've often felt they should do drills in pads to be honest.

[NYJ]

The only way to determine winners and losers from the combine is who tested well medically and in interviews.

The rest of it is largely meaningless. I've often felt they should do drills in pads to be honest.

I think certain drills are very helpful for certain positions. The combine isn't going to tell you much about QB's or LB's for example. However, the 40, 3 cone and short shuttle are important to test speed and quickness for WR's, RB's and CB's. Things like the vertical and broad jump are a good test for explosion particularly for WR's and DLinemen.

Players in these positions need to have the athletic ability to match up with their NFL peers. If a WR runs an 4.70 then, unless he is supremely talented route runner, how is he supposed to consistently create separation? How is a slow CB supposed to keep up with a 4.35 Kevin White who is also much bigger and more physical? Of course there are exceptions to the rule as technique can sometimes override raw athletic ability but it should factor into your evaluation.

[GSC]

How you run in shorts and in pads are two different things though. Itd have more merit if they did drills in pads imo

[NYJ]

How you run in shorts and in pads are two different things though. Itd have more merit if they did drills in pads imo

I don't see how it's anything other than a marginal factor.

[NYJ]

Did a wee mock draft because I'm bored as hell on my day off.

#1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon)
#2 Tennessee Titans - Leonard Williams (DL, USC)
#3 Jacksonville Jaguars - Dante Fowler Jr (OLB, Florida)
#4 Oakland Raiders - Kevin White (WR, West Virginia)
#5 Washington Redskins - TJ Clemmings (RT, Pittsburgh)
#6 New York Jets - Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State)
#7 Chicago Bears - Vic Beasley (OLB, Clemson)
#8 Atlanta Falcons - Shane Ray (OLB, Missouri)
#9 New York Giants - Brandon Scherff (OG, Iowa)
#10 St Louis Rams - Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama)
#11 Minnesota Vikings - DeVante Parker (WR, Lousiville)
#12 Cleveland Browns - Eddie Goldman (DT, Florida State)
#13 New Orleans Saints - Marcus Peters (CB, Washington)
#14 Miami Dolphins - Eric Kendricks (LB, UCLA)
#15 San Francisco 49ers - Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State)
#16 Houston Texans - Shaq Thompson (LB, Washington)
#17 San Diego Chargers - Bud Dupree (OLB, Kentucky)
#18 Kansas City Chiefs - Dorial Green-Beckham (WR, Missouri/Oklahoma)
#19 Cleveland Browns - Sammie Coates (WR, Auburn)
#20 Philadelphia Eagles - Kevin Johnson (CB, Wake Forest)
#21 Cincinnati Bengals - Owamagbe Odighizuwa (DE, UCLA)
#22 Pittsburgh Steelers - Landon Collins (S, Alabama)
#23 Detroit Lions - Malcolm Brown (DT, Texas)
#24 Arizona Cardinals - Todd Gurley (RB, Georgia)
#25 Carolina Panthers - La'El Collins (LSU)
#26 Baltimore Ravens - Quinten Rollins (CB, Miami OH)
#27 Dallas Cowboys - Duke Johnon (RB, Miami)
#28 Denver Broncos - Carl Davis (DT, Iowa)
#29 Indianapolis Colts - Eli Harold (OLB, Virginia)
#30 Green Bay Packers - Paul Dawson (LB, TCU)
#31 Seattle Seahawks - Devin Smith (WR, Ohio State)
#32 New England Patriots - AJ Cann (OG, South Carolina)


Upon reflection, more OLinemen will be selected. There are too many teams with needs at WR and CB and not enough talent to fit in the first round.

[mikeygnfl]

#1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon)
#6 New York Jets - Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State)

Do you rate Marcus Mariota more or is that more wishful thinking of having Jameis Winston in New York?

[NYJ]

Mariota > Winston.

I don't think it's as clear cut as everyone thinks it is. Both have concerns but Winston seems to have charmed everyone into forgetting about his ridiculous number of interceptions. Some media outlets have even turned it into a positive saying that he has a short memory and keeps challenging despite those INT's. I'd rather he didn't throw them in the first place but what do I know.

[mikeygnfl]

With the draft just a few days away I thought I would put up a few draft rumours.

Apparentlt 'numerous teams' have contacted the Buccaneers regarding the first pick but Tampa Bay look set to draft Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers along with the Cardinals and Jaguars are in the running for Adrian Peterson if the Vikings look to trade him.

The Rivers to the Titans for Mariota rumours are just smoke. The Jets on the other hand could well move up for Mariota.

The Falcons are focusing on the draft rather than trading for Peterson and could look at drafting Todd Gurley at #8.

The Eagles could trade Sam Bradford, Mychal Kendricks and Flecher Cox on draft day.

The Cowboys are 'very high' on Melvin Gordon and could look at trading up for him.

[mikeygnfl]

Here is my updated top 25 from my consensus draft rankings:-

[BamBam]

Browns offer their 2 first round picks to the Titans for number 2 ...

[NYJ]

Nah.

[GSC]

Much like everything you'll hear in the next 24 hours, its horseshit

[mikeygnfl]

He is my latest mock:-
1 TB Jameis Winston QB Florida St
2 TEN Marcus Mariota QB Oregon
3 JAX Vic Beasley OLB34 Clemson
4 OAK Leonard Williams DT43 USC
5 WAS Amari Cooper WR Alabama
6 NYJ Dante Fowler Jr OLB34 Florida
7 CHI Danny Shelton DT34 Washington
8 ATL Todd Gurley RB Georgia
9 NYG Brandon Scherff ROT Iowa
10 STL Kevin White WR West Virginia
11 MIN DeVante Parker WR Louisville
12 CLE Randy Gregory OLB34 Nebraska
13 NO Shane Ray OLB34 Missouri
14 MIA Trae Waynes CB Michigan State
15 SF Arik Armstead DE34 Oregon
16 HOU Andrus Peat LOT Stanford
17 SD La'el Collins ROT LSU
18 KC Eddie Goldman DT43 Florida St
19 CLE Maxx Williams TE Minnesota
20 PHI Marcus Peters CB Washington
21 CIN Alvin Dupree DE43 Kentucky
22 PIT Kevin Johnson CB Wake Forest
23 DET Malcom Brown DT34 Texas
24 ARI TJ Clemmings LOT Pittsburgh
25 CAR Shaq Thompson OLB43 Washington
26 BAL Jalen Collins CB LSU
27 DAL Melvin Gordon RB Wisconsin
28 DEN Ereck Flowers ROT Miami (FL)
29 IND Damarious Randall FS Arizona St
30 GB Eric Kendricks ILB UCLA
31 NO Landon Collins SS Alabama
32 NE Dorial Green-Beckham WR Oklahoma

[mikeygnfl]

I still have Randy Gregory and Shane Ray in the top 20 on my rankings board based on talent but it will be interesting to see how the Dion Jordan ban will affect their value.

[GSC]

La'el Collins might now be drafted until day 3 at this point

[NYJ]

Very muddy situation with Collins. It's unlikely that he will go undrafted IMO (at out current level of information) because initial reports did state that he was not a suspect.

[TM Moot]

is anyone gona watch this 'live'?

I'll be recording it and then catching up hopefully Friday evening (having avoided this site and others!)

[NYJ]

I'm going to try and get some sleep tonight, wake up at 1 to watch the draft then get a couple of hours sleep before going to work. Dedication.

[GSC]

Very muddy situation with Collins. It's unlikely that he will go undrafted IMO (at out current level of information) because initial reports did state that he was not a suspect.

Yeah at some point he'll get drafted. As it stands though, Hernandez is going to scare teams off using a day 1 and possible 2 pick on him barring some clarity today.

[Number-25]

So, just a few more hours to endure now of all the Marcus Mariota trade talk. Hallelujah!

Keeping my fingers crossed that Leonard Williams is allowed to slip to the Redskins at 5. Otherwise, I'd like to see us trade back but Mariota and Williams himself are the only two players I can see that would make someone want to part with the necessary picks to make that worth our while.

[GSC]

Gonna be a major let down when the Titans pick Mariota at 2. The amount of rumours the Titans are leaking are down to the fact they aren't getting a deal they like.

[mikeygnfl]

Gonna be a major let down when the Titans pick Mariota at 2. The amount of rumours the Titans are leaking are down to the fact they aren't getting a deal they like.

They probably want something like the Rams got for RG3.

[GSC]

Yep.

They aren't likely to get it either.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The "Tennessee thinks Mettenburger is a poor mans Tom Brady" story/leak easily the best of the bunch.

Poor Mariota having to go play for the Titans - obscurity forever

[Lowlandbrit]

Scoopage: Agent for LSU's La'el Collins trying to pull him from this draft allowing him time to clear his name then enter Supplemental Draft

[GSC]

He ain't gonna.

Timing sucks immensely for him, but some things are more important than Football.

[Thomond]

Bucs looking to trade back up into the first apparently, don't think it's a great idea but I'm out on Lovie and Licht already.

Collins has entered the draft, you open up a pretty big loophole if you allow a guy who is sliding to simply enter the supplmental draft. No way it happens.

[Number-25]

Redskins pass on Williams to take Scherff at 5....

This team never fails to keep dishing up disappointment.

[NYJ]

Jets land Williams though. As long as we don't trade Wilkerson, our front line and defense in general is pretty scary.

[mikeygnfl]

Redskins pass on Williams to take Scherff at 5....

This team never fails to keep dishing up disappointment.

They need to protect RG3. It will be interesting to see what the Jets do? Will they move Sheldon Richardson to DT or is Muhammad Wilkerson on the trading block?

The 49ers pick Arik Armstead as expect.

[NYJ]

We won't be playing a rigid formation anyway. Wilkerson and Richardson already play multiple positions along the line and adding Williams gives us more options and more domination.

[GSC]

Cant fault the pick. Imagine Wilkerson may walk next year

[GSC]

Few interesting points, relatively sedate first round overall.

Sounds like we and Tenn never really got close on a deal. The rumour that's kicking around is false according to Peter King. Ultimately, they had to take the QB if they loved him.

Somewhat surprised Oakland passed on Williams. He and Mack would've been cornerstones for the next 10 years. Though they had to get Carr help.

You can see why Washington wanted to trade down. Can never fault an OL pick, but its a big call for a new regime to make.

As stated it was a pick the Jets had to make. Big win to see him sitting at 6. You wonder what happens with Wilkerson in a year. Tag and trade?

Not that surprised Landon Collins dropped out the first. Modern safeties have to be able to play single high or come up and cover a TE, not sure he does either.

Perhaps we over exaggerated the death of the RB. Murray and LeSean got paid, Lynch got paid off to stick around, 2 RBs picked in the first half of the first round.

[GSC]

Quite like the Agholor pick doe. Mightve been a bit early but he can do good things in this offense

[Guest]

I think we had to pick help for Carr, Willliams would've been a really really noce pick up, almost too good to pass up on, but our offense was desperate.

Lot of raider fans on forums slagging off the franchise for passing him up, while i get what impact he would have had on the defense, we still would leak points because our offense wont be good enough to keep them off the field to rest up. I like the cooper pick, think its the safest choice, and probably the right one to make

[twelve283]

Opinion seems to be that we got good value with Malcom Brown. I was interested in a big nose/3 tech like Eddie Goldman as a replacement for Vince but we might get more versatility, snaps and impact out of Brown.

[mikeygnfl]

Good to see two players I have liked sneak into the 1st round in Stephone Anthony, who I hoped might have still been around for the 49ers 2nd round pick, and Damarious Randall.

The winners from the 1st round for me were the Raiders with Amari Cooper, Jets with Leonard Williams, Falcons with Vic Beasley and Rams with Todd Gurley.

Scherff is a solid pick for the Redskins and Phillip Dorsett could do well for the Colts.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

The Dorsett pick is easily the worst of the round

[GSC]

That or Gordon

[skins4ever]

Redskins pass on Williams to take Scherff at 5....

This team never fails to keep dishing up disappointment.

I'm torn on this one. On the one hand he could be the bookend to Williams, and this is as much a confidence boost pick for RG3 as it is plain improving the line.

On the other, I agree with the ethos 'draft the best player available unless you have a glaring need' and I can only believe they see OL as a glaring need. For me my top 3 needs for the Skins are, 1) replace Orakpo, 2) Replace Sean Taylor (never done it since he died), and 3) reinforce the OL. And in that order.

I wonder if they just didn't get enough trade offers with enough upside and see something in Scherff that maybe others don't. Or there is some wheeling and dealing going on to trade down in the 2nd to get more picks? But I look at the 9ers trade. 2 spots in mid round cost 2 lower round picks. Even if they had just swapped picks in the first with the Jets, Bears or Falcons, and gotten 2 extra picks from that, they would still have likely gotten Scherff and had more value from the pick. I have to assume those offers were not on the table, or just not good enough.

[NYJ]

It's likely that with Williams, Beasley, White and other guys like Dupree and Parker still available at 5 the teams you mentioned were willing to just stay where they were and take the best guy.

If we trade Wilkerson I will lose my Poopie. I can see us taking up his 5th year option then seeing how Williams pans out to gain leverage. Just pay the man the money he deserves and concentrate on making his defence historically great.

[GSC]

I doubt he'll be traded, imagine he plays this year then walks into FA

[Number-25]

So, NFLcom clearly has a surplus of journalists these days. They've got some guy who I can only assume is getting some work experience with them dishing out draft grades already!

Apparently Scherff was a "big reach" for the Redskins. Now, while I'm not overjoyed about the pick, I don't think you can call taking a guy about 3 or 4 places earlier than where he was projected to be picked a "big reach"

[skins4ever]

Agreed. NFL.com has our first round as a C+. B- maybe, but it's not that bad a pick. I wouldn't mind seeing us pick up Collins or maybe even Gregory now in the 2nd, but if they go with another OL so high I WILL be peed!

[crazy_dave23]

Just watched the draft on delay and I have to say it was quite unexciting... I wanted a ridiculous blockbuster trade...

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