Draft thread

[skinsinparadise]

Interesting, though I somewhat agree, Missouri's coach thinks Burden would be redundant with Deebo in Washington

[skinsinparadise]

If its all about win now. To me its on the table to add a player who likely makes an instant impact -- Egbuka IMO fits that.

Against the Eagles in 2 of their 3 matchups, they shut down Terry. Mitchell seems to handle Terry well. The Eagles clearly weren't scared of any other WR. Ertz could get open against them. But who else? Egbuka is really good at getting open. He also helps the run game. And if they are in love with "brotherhood" building the best locker room -- Egbuka is off the charts on that front.

Egbuka is a fine player but pretty low ceiling. You're basically getting a #3/slot guy. If there is someone with more upside and higher chance at being an All Pro you have to take that swing. The draft is the best realistic chance at adding high end talent because the truly elite players almost never touch FA. I can find a #3/slot guy every year.

I think he's a clear #2 guy, unless you mean by default the slot is #3.

Godwin, St. Brown, etc aren't a dime a dozen.

This isn't 2010 anymore. 11 personnel is king. Your slot WR can be big time. Just like your slot CB.

[GoingCommando]

Nice Watts highlight video:



Watts is my favorite player in this year's class and he's the guy I want us to get. He's going to get dinged for lack of size and physicality, but that's missing the big picture with him. His instincts are some of the best I've ever seen--Luke Kuechly-level mind and feel for the game. So many times he's running the routes for the receivers and running that alley from 20+ yards deep, before any of the normal keys for the play have really developed, and he's reaching the LoS at the same time as the runner. It's like he's got Daredevil hearing for listening to their calls and huddles and knows what they're running. He's versatile too. Best deep safety that I've seen in a really long time, but also really good in man coverage on slots.

I absolutely love him. He's the kind of great back end player that makes your whole defense great. If we add him to a group that rotates Sainristil, Martin, Lattimore, etc. I think we fix our coverage issues overnight. And then I think the quality of our defense as a whole takes off because that has the potential to be a dominant secondary. Especially if we double dip and bring in a head-hunting beast like Andrew Mukuba with that second rounder.

IMO a truly dominant secondary can be built and come together really rapidly, and it's exactly what the Eagles did with two early draft picks last year. A dominant secondary + the hyper efficient offense we've built are the ingredients of a genuine SB contender.

[GoingCommando]

Interesting, though I somewhat agree, Missouri's coach thinks Burden would be redundant with Deebo in Washington

Yeah I was thinking that too, but I think Burden has more speed and deep threat in him than Deebo. But a lot less physicality.

I think Burden is a top 15 talent this year, and I think he can be a Pro-Bowl caliber weapon. But I don't feel a lot of urgency to take chances on receivers with warts because we have Deebo and Terry. I don't like Burden's lack off effort away from the ball, and I question how well a receiver with some diva in him will fit on this blue collar offense. Lack of physicality is what got Dotson traded.

[Warhead36]

I'd take Starks over Watts if we go Safety.

[DWinzit]

I'd take Starks over Watts if we go Safety.

Are you not including Emmanwori because you figure he is gone before our pick or do you like these two better? I am really big on any 3 of these guys but love Emman. What a great group
EDIT-my bad, I read your post wrong. I do like all 3 fitting in our backfield

[GoingCommando]

I'd take Starks over Watts if we go Safety.

I like Starks, been following him since he was a freshman, but Watts is a lot better than him. Starks looked like he was going to be the next Champ Bailey when he was a true freshman, but he never really became a consistently great player. Watts is the best DB in program history for Notre Dame, which is saying something.

[skinsinparadise]

Just watched a couple of games, then highlights, then a few interviews.

Rumor is @GoingCommando likes Xavier Watts?

Yeah he's fun. True FS. Ed Reed style. Around the ball. ex-WR with great instincts and great hands. You can get away playing cover 1 with him because of his range. Seems like a good dude -- good locker room type, too.

I think better against the run then advertised, albiet had his share of miss tackles.

I've watched Watts plenty in real time. And he had plenty of hype among college broadcasts, etc. Surprised not as much with mock drafters, Maybe because the in vogue safeties as far as hype seem to be the hybrid big nickle type or hybrid slot-FS. And Watts doesn't fit really either category. Though he did play his share of slot. Also guessing he's not an athletic freak like a Emmanwori. I guess we will find out on his pro day on the 27th.

But agree with @GoingCommando a dude like this can mask weaknesses in the secondary. And for all the Joe Whitt majors in turnovers-picks stuff before the season. It didn't materialize. They actually had less picks last season then they did the season before. A dude like Watts would change this dynamic.

[brandies]

[GoingCommando]

I've watched Watts plenty in real time. And he had plenty of hype among college broadcasts, etc. Surprised not as much with mock drafters, Maybe because the in vogue safeties as far as hype seem to be the hybrid big nickle type or hybrid slot-FS. And Watts doesn't fit really either category. Though he did play his share of slot. Also guessing he's not an athletic freak like a Emmanwori. I guess we will find out on his pro day on the 27th.

Yep, if you watched a Notre Dame game sometime in the past two seasons, you heard a lot of gushing about Watts. He was the best player in the field for Notre Dame in most of their games. I'm a little surprised he feels so undervalued, but I also see it as a major opportunity for late drafting teams like us. Sometimes it feels like there is a pretty big disconnect between scouts and draftniks and the people who are much closer to the college game like the broadcasters and coaches and awards voters, and great players who are really celebrated by the college football world can get overlooked when they don't cleanly fit NFL archetypes. It's also hurt Watts's draft stock that he didn't work out at the combine, and players whose special trait is instinct almost always get undervalued anyway.

I also think the mediocre tackling and physicality are big turnoffs for draftniks, as if anyone is allowed to routinely head hunt receivers any more. I don't think Watts is poor here, over running tackles happens sometimes when you're playing fast and trying to make plays at the line from a deep position. I think it's more about the fact that he just kind of wrestles ball carriers down instead of hitting through them. Draftniks want safeties who are big hitters.