I fixed that for you. You’re welcome.
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The problem is we don’t have access to the medicals prior to the draft which clearly affected both JOK and Teven Jenkins and has affected many other guys in the past.
The other problem is that any given year, there’s around 15-20 legitimate 1st rounders, then about 20-30 guys who could go in the 1st round based upon need, etc… The potential 1st round pool is generally around 40-50 guys, espeically once you get past the elite guys at the top. That means everyone’s gonna miss on 10-20 guys every year, that’s just the way the draft goes. And that’s also without the legitimate surprise 1st rounders like Arnette, Sony Michel or Jordyn Brooks.
Nothing’s impossible, but I thought our chances were much better the past two years. Last year to jump Denver/Carolina who both might ostensibly want one of the QBs (and Fields was there), and who knows, maybe we had an offer but were honed in on Sewell. I definitely don’t blame them.
And two years ago for LAC or Miami to ensure they got one of Herbert or Tua. They called our bluff (if we even bluffed), but I would have taken one and then opened negotiations (I said as much at the time). Alas I would have opted for Tua which clearly would have been the wrong one, but I think we still would have gotten a trade out of one of them.
I know QBs make FOs go weak in the knees, but I don’t think this year’s crop of QBs is gonna cause anyone to jump into the top 2. I don’t see them doing it for edge either as the class is so deep and Hutch/Thibs aren’t Bosa-level prospects (many have Karlaftis in the mix as well). And if someone’s trading up for a tackle, I doubt if it’s into the top two.
Plus, it’s just very rare to trade down in general, so predicting it to happen is going against the general trends. If only we could have had the #3 pick last year.
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Picture of Den mock drafters responding:
I’ve seen/heard Jav. Clowney as a comp but with better work ethic. This tidbit from Lance Zeirlein who does a lot of the write ups for NFL.com. Dane Brugler has made a Harold Landry comparison.
The thing that sucks worst is that we have such a high pick and honestly, I don’t think there is one guy in this draft who goes higher than about 8th in last year’s draft. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but I just dont see the top end talent like years past. Despite all the morons who couldn’t see Stafford from Aaron Curry, Stafford was the easiest selection ever. So was Suh. I think we get an easy selection, KT or Hutch, but I question just how talented our pick is in comparison. In the end, its okay because we got a good player, but I was really really hoping for a superstar. They need a face of the franchise player.
But I do see decent depth. You figure there are a lot of guys who missed development, but there are also some guys who played last year and would have normally come out but didn’t because they wanted that extra year on the field. Some have paid the price too because instead of helping them it hurt them, see Sam Howell.
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I remember reading that last year had much fewer draft entrants than usual because the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID cancelled years.
This is from an article prior to the 2021 draft…
“There’s another element at play here too … the NCAA gave college players an extra year of college eligibility if they chose to make use of it. A lot of them have. In this year’s draft pool there are 657 eligible players to be drafted … last year at this time … 1,932 … we know that 657 players aren’t going to get drafted but the pool is one-third the size of what it usually is and the general consensus is that NFL GMs are going to give away day three picks like a cup of water … you want my sixth this year? Give me a seventh next year.”
Said one anonymous scout: “There are going to be some absolute slaps drafted this year … as in rejects.”
Every draft prior to this, if a team wanted to trade back into the sixth round this year, they’d have to give up a fifth next year. The general rule has always been that if you want a draft pick now, you have to give up a better draft pick later. But given that this pool is one-third its usual size — and that next year’s draft class pool will be over -loaded with prospects — the 2022 NFL Draft is expected to be remarkably more valuable than this one .
Many of those players likely had no chance to drafted in 2021 or 2022… but some may have benefited from the extra year to develop physically.
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There are quite a few WR’s who I personally would be okay with with the Rams 1st or our 2nd.
Jameson Wlliams
Garrett Wison
Drake London
Treylon Burks
Chris Olave
Geroge Pickens
Jahan Dotson
I would say it is likely at least two of those guys are there with our 2nd round pick. Depending on where the Rams pick falls, I can see Burks and London sitting there.
Here is the thing that gets me with Jameson Williams projections:
How is he being ranked over Olave and Garrett Wilson? Now, I get it, he got out from under them, and spread his wings. Good on him. But don’t you think Ohio State would play the best players? If he couldn’t beat Olave out in college, then why is he being ranked higher in mocks?
I go back to Joe Burrow. He probably should have started over Dwayne Haskins, in hindsight. But honestly, I get that progression at QB more than WR. QB is one of those positions where you need to be on the field. He got two years at LSU to develop. Williams was on the field at OSU getting a lot of reps already. He scored on a bomb in the playoffs last year.
The best retort I can give myself is that maybe it was just too hard to tell Wilson or Olave they needed to sit for Williams after they decided to come back this year. They did made a lot of plays and came back to hone their skills instead of leave early. I dunno, I’m in no way saying Jameson is a bad player. its just tough for me to justify ranking him over those guys when trying to project…
Jameson Williams
- REC
75
- YDS
1,507
- TD
15
- AVG
20.1
Chris Olave
- REC
65
- YDS
936
- TD
13
- AVG
14.4
Garett Wilson
- REC
70
- YDS
1,058
- TD
12
- AVG
15.1
I was thinking that the #2 overall pick could be VERY valuable. Even if the QB ratings aren’t that high, there are quite a few desperate teams with draft capital. they need a rookie for fan attendance and a chance at growth.
Lions could drop just a few spots and make out like bandits.
Part of it is his athletic profile for sure, he offers something Olave and Wilson don’t. He’s gonna time much better.
I also think there’s lots of examples of backups eventually outperforming the guys who started above them once they get their shot. Brady and Henson is one good example, Terrell Davis in college, Marvin Jones in Cincy. At OSU Thurman Thomas famously kept Barry Sanders on the bench. Both those guys were badass, but one moreso than the other.
Also, it’s possible Williams realized he needed to take advantage of this opportunity and turned over a new leaf, as it were. Maybe he became a pro at Alabama.
Oh, I get the statistical argument. He had a great season.
What I do question is what happened at Ohio State that he couldn’t get on the field? I mean he had like 150 yards and two TDs in the NCG vs Alabama. Its not like he was an unknown at OSU. He just couldn’t stake out a clear role. Esp with JSN creeping up on him.
Its just really hard for me to dismiss that.
And you know what? I think he’d be great with the Lions. I like him. He is exactly what we need in a way. But what if its down between him and Olave? Or Wilson? Man…
Those are some good thoughts. Maybe he matured.
One thing I’m curious on is if you are right on him timing better. It appears that Williams has better jets than Olave at times. But Olave is also very fast. I would expect both to hit like 4.39ish at the combine. Williams looks to be better at the RAC. I think Olave is a better route runner.
Oh I think Olave is definitely a better route runner and maybe, maybe in a straight line he’s close to as fast. But to me Williams is far more explosive. If he’s not the fastest guy in the class he’s gonna be close, but he’s electric. The way he moves actually reminds me a lot of DeSean Jackson, and he’s bigger too.
Now saying all that Williams still makes me the most nervous of all the top guys. Why couldn’t he beat out Olave and Wilson? Why didn’t he do anything until he transferred? You’re right to wonder, it’s something that any FO thinking about drafting him will have to sort out (and something we’ll never know). I think he has some concentration issues sometimes as well, quite a few drops on tape though I think his hands are fine. High ceiling, low floor guy.
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Yeah, I don’t really know what to make of it all. I agree with you on his explosiveness. His highlight reel is fun.
Maybe I will change my opinion here by draft time. I really had fun watching him. I just think its so bizarre what has transpired. He transferred out of Ohio State to Alabama and goes from like a 4th rounder to a top 15 pick. I’ve never seen anything like that in one spring. I’ve seen Justin Fields and Joe Burrow end up with great careers and I’m sure all three of them have that “I’ll show them” mentality, but one spring is what gets me. He transferred out this spring. Either Ohio State made a critical error and didn’t know what they had, or Olave is better. The timeline just isn’t there for me to say he is a changed man or whatever. Maybe he would have taken over for Olave anyway?
He transferred because of JSN through Garrett Wilson.
They wanted to get JSN on the field as a slot, so they moved Wilson outside, kicking Jameson to the bench.
Olave had nothing to do with it. He was going to play regardless and they knew that. Same with Wilson basically, but Wilson had to change positions.
I dont think houston takes a qb. They took one last year with their top pick and he has been playing better than all those 1st rd qbs. Argument for mac jones aside.
And neal is a rt? If so i dont see jax taking a rt at #1. If some team wants to jump the lions for hutch i can see them going to 1 to get him.
Its semantics to a degree. You are right, but there really isn’t a reason Jameson can’t play Olave’s position. He was beat out by both Wilson and Olave. And probably JSN - or at least they split time. Those two coming back is why he left, as OSU felt JSN was too good to not play.
So it does beg the question: if those two are so good, why did Jameson have a better year than either? Its hard to say Alabama’s offense is better than Ohio State’s. Or alternatively, why couldn’t Jameson beat out either WR if he supposedly the best WR in this draft - something more and more prognosticators are claiming.
It’s a serious question that nobody had a real answer to. I’d love to ask those “experts” what their answer is to that question.
With wr’s sometimes opportunities are more
Important than skill and talent. Being in the right system with a qb who throws to you trumps skill and talent. You think chase does so good on any team that took a qb in rd 1? Or just because of the situation in cinci with a qb who trusts him already?