Official 2018 Draft Thread- We Have the 17th Pick

[richpjr]

The UT has updated their first two round mock draft and now has us taking:

Top needs: OT, ILB, QB

48. L.A. Chargers (9-7)

The co-Big 12 defensive player of the year was also named first-team All-Big 12, second-team All-American and a semifinalist for the 2017 Butkus Award recognizing the nation's best linebacker. Top needs: OT, ILB, QB

[Steve]

The only problem I have with Payne is that he is not an upgrade over Liuget. Liuget would still be the other starter. Payne would replace Mebane at NT.

He lacks the speed and quickness to penetrate deep into the backfield to chase QB. Payne would not add much to the pass rush.

Payne can knock OL back into the backfield and control the line. He can get some penetration vs the run, but the only reason he gets close to college QB is they hold the ball too long.

[Formula 21]

The UT has updated their first two round mock draft and now has us taking:

Top needs: OT, ILB, QB

48. L.A. Chargers (9-7)

The co-Big 12 defensive player of the year was also named first-team All-Big 12, second-team All-American and a semifinalist for the 2017 Butkus Award recognizing the nation's best linebacker. Top needs: OT, ILB, QB

I have no problem with that. But he only fills one of his top three needs and DT is not one of them.

[bonehead]

I have no problem with that. But he only fills one of his top three needs and DT is not one of them.

[Attack]

If we select a LB, it may mean that Jatavis has little to no use as a LB to us, esp if it's Roquan, as the two are very similar. I'd really like to hear what the deal is with Jatavis from Gus. It doesn't make sense how he went from promising and productive to disappointing and demoted.

Another LB that I like, who has been mentioned before by someone, is Josey Jewell from Iowa. He was 2017 Big 10 Defensive player of the year, and as a senior, he had 136 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and 11 passes broken up. He's 6'1" or 6'2" and 236 and runs around a 4.78, and projected in the 2nd or 3rd round.

It looks like Roquan won't be there at 17. I think the interior D-line next yr is going to look much different than it did this yr as far as starters. I'd take Da'Ron Payne at 17. I think we will have a shot at one of Payne, Hurst, Wilkins, or Vea.

I think Price will be there too, and O-linemen Nelson and McGlinchey will be gone.

[Formula 21]

I think our competition for Roquan is the Oakland Raiders. If they resign Navarro Bowman, I think they'll select someone else. Especially if they cut Michael Crabtree and have a need for a #1 wr.

And I'd have no trouble taking two LBs in the draft.

[bonehead]

Gruden might have a tough time passing on Ridley

[Steve]

Raiders new DC Guenther has a preference for bigger LB (or did in Cnci). Smith is a great player, but he is the size of an NFL S, so he might not go for him.

So, by taking 2 LB, you want to replace both starting LB?

[Formula 21]

If Jatavis Brown doesn’t fit, I think we need two new starters keeping only Perryman as a starter.

Unlikely we’ll find 2 new starters, but we can bring in competition and hopefully one wins a starters job. And these would obviously be guys that fit Bradleys D.

[blueman]

Smith or Payne over Price I guess, not sure Price would start right away unless injury, whereas the other two can contribute fast if not win starting spots outright.

[Attack]

Smith or Payne over Price I guess, not sure Price would start right away unless injury, whereas the other two can contribute fast if not win starting spots outright.

I see Price as a plug and play C for the next 10 or 12 yrs, barring injury. I think he'd be a very safe pick, solidify the interior O-line, give Rivers room to step up, and help in the run game. Do we need to fix the interior O-line or interior D-line more though with the first pick?

[blueman]

Whoops, was thinking Price was an OT for some reason. So yeah, tough choice, Oline or D front seven. I’d be happy with any of them.

[bonehead]

I feel like it’s interior D Line first....Mebane is old and probably done and Lieget is just adequate

[Steve]

Maybe someone can explain why we even need to upgrade our LB corp. Our run D was better when we didn't even try to play LB, and they cover better, so why even try?

Are we planning on replacing Perryman? His pass coverage is not that great, but he is an excellent run defender. If we are talking about drafting a LB high in the draft Perryman is the guy who is going to be replaced by him as our every down guy. At MOST, we are only going to use 2 LB for any amount of time. If Perryman is 1 of those 2, then we need 1 max.

If we draft Smith he could become a replacement for Brown and Phillips, although it would be a while. Smith is very fast, but he takes horrible drops and needs work in man to man coverage, most college LB do. But once we do that, Brown won't play except on ST. He cannot play OTTO/SAM because of his size.

As I keep pointing out, we play 3 S reguarly in our D. Phillips, Addae and Boston (King too sorta, depending on what you name the nickel DB). Is anyone all that thrilled with any of those guys?

Boston is horrible coming up to play run support, takes bad angles is usually a step slow in coverage. Of the 5 Int he got this past season, only 1 was a play that he really made an athletic play to make. The rest were on passes that got rushed or deflected. He had a good year, but I think we can do better.

Addae had a career year too, but he has his flaws too. He is not very good in man coverage, and he misses a lot of tackles early in the year because he doesn't wrap up. He did finally stop injuring our own players by trying to land knockout blows on every tackle, but he needs to learn to wrap up more consistently.

Phillips finally found a home at Will LB in the dime. His tackling had a lot to do with why our run D got a lot better in the middle of the season. Maybe he can push Addae, but we have seen his work as a deep S, and his instincts are so bad in the deep middle, there is no way I would even try him there again.

[blueman]

Maybe a similar rundown of our LBs would explain why? Both positions could use an upgrade, along with Dline. We’re good everywhere, but there’s room for better.

[Boltjolt]

I think we need to replace Pullard. They have been playing him at MLB and Perryman at OLB for some reason. Pullard hasnt been that impressive.

[charger1993]

While im not the biggest supporter of smith at our pick, he wouldnt be a bad pick. With gus bradleys defense he prefers fast, coverage line backers, ala telvin smith, Myles jack etc. For some reason jatavious wasnt seen much this year, but i do think we could possibly see brown and smith on the field together, we saw what brown did when he started he was pretty great in coverage and fast, he is only 5 11 and he did play safety in college, so why wouldnt we drop him into phillips role?? Coverage and tackle.

[Formula 21]

While im not the biggest supporter of smith at our pick, he wouldnt be a bad pick. With gus bradleys defense he prefers fast, coverage line backers, ala telvin smith, Myles jack etc. For some reason jatavious wasnt seen much this year, but i do think we could possibly see brown and smith on the field together, we saw what brown did when he started he was pretty great in coverage and fast, he is only 5 11 and he did play safety in college, so why wouldnt we drop him into phillips role?? Coverage and tackle.

Just from playing dime so much, it appears that Bradley prefers smaller and faster. So it is funny that Brown disappeared. He must not have been disciplined enough to do his job.

[pigskin]

From the First Pick website playing the draft game, yes it's unrealistic, but fun.
Your Picks:
Round 1 Pick 17: Roquan Smith, ILB, Georgia (B-)
Round 2 Pick 16: Ronnie Harrison, SS, Alabama (A)
Round 3 Pick 20: Derrick Nnadi, DT, Florida State (A+)
Round 4 Pick 19: Frank Ragnow, C/OG, Arkansas (A+)
Round 5 Pick 18: Sony Michel, RB, Georgia (A)
Round 6 Pick 17: Daniel Carlson, K, Auburn (A+)

[Attack]

Has anyone seen or know much about D-lineman Tim Settle from Va Tech? He's an early entry player who is huge at 6'3" or 6'4" and 335 and seems to have good pass rush skills, takes on double teams, and will be interested to see how he does in the combine. Watched some youtube of him and came away impressed. He hasn't played a great deal though, as he's leaving after only 2 years.

[chargerkdb]

Ok I’m a Hokie fan (disclaimer) Settle was all name and hype and too little production to declare early. Took way too long to establish himself as a 5 Star prospect and has not been dominant. The skills are there. He won’t be a starter right away but he has the skills to play at the next level. At some point his production needs to match his potential. He could be top 15 type talent that came out too early and effected his draft stock or; could be selling cars in a few years. Boom or bust

[chargerkdb]

P.S. if I was going to eyeball a Hokie it would be Tremaine Edmonds.