Official 2018 Draft Thread- We Have the 17th Pick

[Formula 21]

I think we're 7 deep on the DL, so even if we don't get an early DL, we're in decent shape. And that's a lot of money for one position group.

Defensive linemen under contract: Melvin Ingram ($13.88 million), Joey Bosa ($7.06 million), Corey Liuget ($9.5 million) , Brandon Mebane ($5.5 million), Damion Square ($2.61 million), Darius Philon ($735,147) Isaac Rochell ($555,000), Christopher Landrum ($555,000), Whitney Richardson ($480,000).

But still, I'm looking for a DL in one of the first 2 rounds.

Is Liuget worth 13x Philon?

[Fleet]

I do really like the idea of Griffen in our D.

[Gwynning_Spirit]

I could live with that.

[chargerkdb]

Its a 19 7th

[Steve]

LB, even good players, simply are not impact players anymore. They are too big, and don't change direction well enough in coverage.

NFL offenses have decided that we won't be playing with LB on the field that much. They play the majority of the game with 3 or 4 WR sets, so 1 LB (or NT) has to come off the field so the D is playing 2 true LB right off the bat. What 2nd LB do we think can run with all these pass catching TE and RB? How many with the WR?

College football is full of in the box S. NFL teams have ignored these guys for a long time. The NFL want deep S who can cover. But if you are willing to look for LB like S, who play in the box (like Addae and Phillips), they are actually all over the place. So, play them like a LB. Even the average guy is as fast or faster than all but the fastest LB, and can change direction better too.

The old story was that the offenses will just run on these tiny weeney S. But can they?

You are going to bury some big hitting S with a TE or FB who can't block? Blocking a S who is attacking the line is one of the tougher blocks to make in football, and these guys don't get used like that in college and NFL teams don't develop their own. Go ahead and try and take some scrub FB who is an undreafted FA and tye and block Ronnie Harrison with him. You might get that a few times a game, but you won't get rich doing it. And in the running game, I can always rotate up another S or CB in run support and outnumber the blockers. At the very least I can outnumber you at the point of attack, and those same players can run down plays to the backside. But put that same TE against Malik Jefferson or Vander Esch and he probably needs some deep help from a S.

Call the S types I want anything you like. 215-225 lb S or College LB who can run. if they played LB in college fine. If they played as an in the box S, fine. Think the next Rodney Harrison. He played LB for the Pats. They hardly used him as a deep S at all. That is what we need. A couple of guys like Rodney (who are not in much demand yet), and we are in great shape. We are fine with Addae and Phillips, but we can be a lot better off with a couple of true playmakers. Except that they won't come off the field. They will have an impact.

All that being said, the bigger need is at DT. Mebane is old and Liuget is not productive. We need some production at 2/11th's of our D. Plus, we need them to do a better job of being stout at the line. LB or S, you have to use the DL to protect them. Neither one of them is going to get rich taking on and shedding blocks at the line. We have to have DT for that.

[Panamamike]

I think the dark horse scenario this draft is that the top corner is sitting there at 17.

As to Safety. I think it is a really valuable position and increasingly so. However it is a supply and demand situation right now. It is a really deep draft at safety and there are a number of decent options as FA.

[Panamamike]

Safety is the deepest position in the draft. It is why nobody is throwing cash at the FA safeties before the draft.

[Panamamike]

How could you ever say treated like a piece of crap? He has a contract, and yes a rookie deal. He has flashed....but he has missed 3/8ths of every game for the last 2 years. U are treating him like a veteran player that has actually proved it over time and earned the rights to which you refer.

[Gwynning_Spirit]

We absolutely neeed to upgrade the middle of the DL and LB depth. Can you honestly count on Perryman to be available each week?
...He will get snaps this year and let perryman walk next year. And fair thing to do??? Fuck fair. I want the most talent on my roster i can get. He can worry about his FA when the time comes. That is zero concern to me, nor should it be to TT. He is still on his rookie deal, and what comes next is yet to be seen. Another injury plagued year and our D suffers and he gets bargain bin money on a prove it deal.

I agree with this.

Stock up your team with good players, and the good players will see the field. ...If Brown had been on the field, the stats would have shown way more LBer snaps. Since Phillips is a S, DB's got those snaps. If they can play, they will find the field. With Perryman I still saw a lot of Emmanuel and Pullard, even on the field with Perryman. ...Make our D better. Give our LBers more depth, should Perryman get hurt again? Resign Dzubner to the special team role he is meant for. Take the best player. Take a guy that makes us better. Again, I like Vea.. I've watched the clips Steve posted, and I still see the same thing. Dude abuses Olinemen.. I even watched a handful of "Analysis" clips that were linked from those, and I can't find anyone that doesn't think he's a sure fire first rounder. But, I'd be happy with Payne. ...They all are better than what we have and make the team better. Snaps or not.

I also agree with this.

So I'm fine with us taking DL or LB in the 1st or the 2nd, but since I don't think we're in a must take position "X" place right now, I'd be good with taking the BPA at any OL position or maybe even RB if the right guy is there too, and then taking DL, LB, LB/SS, FS throughout the rest of the draft.

Since it looks like even veteran S are still available, maybe we don't need to use that high of a pick at this position to get us through this year if need be. Does Justin Reid look like he could be good? How about somebody like Cruikshank from Arizona?

And at LB, should we take a shot at somebody like Leon Jacobs, or is he just a 40 time?

[chargerkdb]

We held Hunt in check receiving ( 8 catches, 60yds) but he absolutely shredded us rushing (325)

[blueman]

Sig bet: we take two LBs this draft.

[Fleet]

FS is also a need. But you cant go into the draft expecting 1 of 2 guys to be there in the 1st. James or Fitzpatrick. If they draft Harrison SS, LB or DT that would be awesome. These are the 3 positions of need imo. Im fine with that.

You just make it sound like we have no need whatsoever at LB. And that you cant start one along with Perryman. Yet we saw it last year and it was pretty terrible. Why cant we add too Perryman? We need help against the run. DT and LB were specifically mentioned by Lynn. So i base my projections on what coaches are saying as well.

I just dont get the let him walk talk since we are drafting another LB. I dont think its to replace him. I think its to add to the LB core.

Im very comfortable with Evans spying a RB. Didnt we draft Jenkins? Isnt he kind of expected to play that in the box safety role? I certainly havnt ruled him out. He was a pretty high pick in the 4th. I think the saftey you are talking about is probably him. He may not have shown it last year but hes so young. We drafted the position its just about developing now.

Im ready for a freak athlete in the LB core.

Ill leave it at that.