Some interesting takes. Drew Sanders at #8 is eye opening. I’d started to come around to him at 18 for us if we go CB at 6 (since he’s more than just an off-ball LB), but that might be a dream.
Jalin Hyatt at #12.
And of course Michael Mayer to us, which tells me while Lance is researching prospects, he’s spent less time researching team tendencies, etc…
I imagine that Lance has gotten assurances that Drew’s workouts are going to be lights out. If he runs 4.47 or something with those pass rushing chops it’s not all that crazy. Early in the season he and Hyatt were two guys that I thought would go much higher than they were being projected. I think that was in October.
Yeah you were in on both early, and I figured you were right on Sanders. Hyatt would surprise me but wouldn’t shock me.
I’ll be honest, the thing that excites me most about Sanders is his long-term potential as a MIKE. I think he could be the guy Tremayne Edmonds was supposed to be. Of course that’s problematic, because if you’re only looking at him as an off-ball LB, well 18’s too high. For Brad and for me too, probably. So I’ve convinced myself that his pass-rushing chops makes up the difference lol. I’m actually not as high on him as a rusher as others though. He’s got no speed-to-power to his rush game, not much of a plan, and I wouldn’t want him setting an edge either. It’s just sheer athleticism. But I’m OK with that if he’s basically a MIKE for us.
Murphy at 29 and no Brain Breese in the 1st Rd.
Hyatt currently has no answer for press. Whether or not a team thinks that can be fixed will determine how high he goes. I still think late 1 is a possibility if he runs like I think he will.
His acceleration is Jamo like.
I don’t want to take Sanders at 6 or 18. I like him but if we want another pass rushing look from a LBer give me Ivan Pace, Jr. much later.
Yeah my biggest concern with Hyatt is that CBs are just gonna be able to push him off his route, that he won’t have a chance to flash that speed unless you play him in the slot, and that will hurt his value.
Yeah he looked great at the Senior Bowl. Personally I don’t want a pass-rushing LB I’m just using that as an excuse to nab Sanders earlier than I normally would. I think he could be our coverage eraser and a whole lot more. But it’s a projection and it’s early for someone who’s nothing more than an off-ball LB.
Right. Julian Peterson if everything hits but it’s a leap of faith at this point.
We don’t seem to want to utilize Barnes pass rush potential so I’m not sure that’s what we’re looking for at the position anyhow.
Yeah, you’re probably right. LB doesn’t have a lot to do in our scheme other than hold up against the run and fall into passing lanes.
How can you not like D Sanders, long, big, can run
I do like him, but for a lot more reasons than being long, big and fast. There’s a hundred guys like that. He’s also instinctive, plays hard, plays smart, and has the kind of personality I think our FO will love.
But if he’s just an off-ball LB I don’t see any way we take him early. And that’s where I see his future, as a stud, coverage erasing, blitzing MLB. Sure he has a lot of experience rushing from the edge but aside from some athletic flash plays, I don’t think he’s all that great at it. He’s been compared to Parsons because of it but I don’t see that, he doesn’t have near Parsons’ strength. And while he’s a great athlete, Parsons is a freak. I don’t see that either.
So those are my hesitations. I wouldn’t mind taking him in maybe the 2nd, but I don’t think Brad will unless he thinks Sanders is more than an off-ball LB.
As it should be
There is still a group here that want to take him at 6.
Its starting to feel like a consensus for corner at 6. With the battle coming down to Gonzalez and Witherspoon.
That means nothing of course. 
Witherspoon plays like a Lion. He tackles. He just seems like a culture fit. But Gonzalez man I’ll tell you a corner at 6’2 200 lbs with long arms, fluid hips and blazing top end speed how can you pass that up? Traits mean so much at corner. What Gonzalez lacks, maybe, is the ability to tackle. You can teach tackling though but damn it would be fun to see Witherspoon as a Lion.
I’m officially content at QB, but if this team takes a TE at 18 instead of Richardson or ANY of the next 4 taken, I’m going to break something. I might break a lot of things.
Couldn’t disagree more
In this draft class alone, Murphy, Van Ness, Adebawore, Johnston, Rush, Gonzalez, Orji, Wilson, Miller, Brents, Diabate, McDonald, Carter, Hall, White, Luter, etc… and that’s just off the top of my head.
Derrick Barnes is stronger and potentially faster and longer too.
A hundred was obviously hyperbole, but there’s a lot of them.
But my point wasn’t to disagree with what you said, Sanders is a physical freak. But to me it’s the other stuff that makes him a prospect worth taking that high.