I am now at the point where I feel Travon Walker needs to be the pick at #2, but I keep seeing people bring Johnson’s name into the equation.
Are there some more knowledgeable people on the board who can compare and contrast the two players for those of us less in the know?
They both played at Georgia though were asked to do different things. Walker played everywhere along the line and rarely got to attack, mostly he was supposed to hold the line, set the edge, take on blockers for blitzing linebackers, etc… Johnson did that too sometimes, but he also spent more time than Walker at the “rush” position occupied by Adam Anderson this past year.
Johnson transferred so he didn’t have to be part of such a deep rotation and really got a chance to get after the passer at Florida State, and was thus able to display many of the skills necessary for rushing the passer. Walker didn’t really get a chance to show this, his potential in this area is just that, potential.
But until Johnson left for Florida State, he was the same way. He had the potential to be a great rusher, then he turned that potential into actual talent, at least at the collegiate level. Like Walker he’s a strong edge-setter, but he got to display a fierce power rush. He’s not as flexible/bendy as some of the other guys (including Walker IMO), though he tested like a better athlete than I thought he was.
So basically you’re debating the production Johnson has already shown versus the potential of Walker, who really didn’t get much opportunity to attack the edge at all. To me Walker’s got the higher ceiling, Johnson’s got the higher floor, but that’s not meant as a slight. Walker’s got a pretty high floor too, and Johnson has a really high ceiling, it’s just not as high as Walker’s, who could be Bruce Smith/Reggie White incarnate if he puts it together.
All of that said, neither are as good of prospects as Thibs. If we decide we can work with him, he should be the obvious pick.
Yep
If Hutch ain’t there, you take Tibs
Everything else is over thinking it
That’s where I’m at today
Next week? 
So KT isn’t even an option now? This has gotten insane. I know you don’t necessarily feel that way.
Ah you missed my last sentence 
Whoops. Got caught skimming again.
I know I can get a little word vomit-y
The thing I worry about with those Georgia guys is that defensive front is so loaded, how much of what you see is a result of the guys around him?
I would have more concern about resign-ability than I would his taking plays off.
If he is thinking about his long term future and marketability, better options out there than Detroit.
This should never be a factor in a draft. Treat the guy well enough and give him enough money and he will stay if team is good enough.
Suh left. There was no amount of money he was going to be offered to stay.
It should never be a high consideration, but if the kid is telling you up front he won’t sign after his rookie deal is up, you’re an idiot if you don’t take that into consideration.
I am not saying Thibs has said that either. But you should have him in here and ask. He has stated about his brand and marketing being important.
I wonder why people don’t use this logic for Aiden Hutchinson vs Thibodeaux?
How many (possible) 1rst round selections were on the Michigan defense vs the Oregon defense? Hutch, HIll, Ojabo?
I know Oregon has some great talent but was KT playing with the same caliber of teammates as Hutch?
Maybe this is just “word salad” and I have no clue what I’m talking about…
Martin Mayhew completely botched the entire Suh contract issue.
Thanks for the detailed response! I was hoping you would share your two cents in the thread.
To be honest I think this is more of a concern evaluating their LBs and DBs.
The DL is the first line of defense, they don’t have the luxury of letting others do the hard work in front of them. Now maybe, say, Wyatt’s job is easier because Davis is being doubled, but that’s the sort of stuff that happens all the time in the NFL. What’s more important is to see if Wyatt can take advantage of that situation, and since he’s already gone through it, it’s right there on the tape.
Walker is really the only guy on the DL where there’s a lot of projecting going on, because most think he’ll have a somewhat radically different role in the league. So the things he did in college, besides setting the edge, don’t tell us the complete story. Plus he’s dropped like ten pounds since the season and that might affect him as well.
If you do that for Thats2’s contributions, I shudder to think what happens to my gems…
Fair enough. Ojabo providing a similarly elite pass rush from the opposite side no doubt helped Hutchinson.
But with Georgia, you add to the mix a first-round-worthy, mountainous DT.
I’m going to file this under the heading of Inconvenient Truth.
Walker might be in play for No. 1 overall
Short arms concern with Hutchinson?
