2021 Roster Build

[Critty]

I’ve watched 22 of his games. My assessment stands. We simply disagree on his evaluation.
Ill disagree with Devonte Smith as the best WR in college football in this or any other season. He’ll struggle worse than Jeudy getting off press, creating separation, and staying healthy with his minuscule frame in the NFL.

I do agree that we will be looking for speed with M2M skills going forward at CB.

I have a different take on these WRs.
I do agree these lighter guys when defender presses and get hands on them don't have the size and strength to shrug it off.

But I wouldn't consider Juedy small. 6'1 193lb. He did have a few rookie struggles, but considering the offense and QB play on the Broncos. I think 52 catches and 850yd was decent start to his career. I think he will improve and if he gets better QB play. I think he can be a 1000yd WR in this league. And I think he shows good stop start and a good ability to set up defender and get separation.

For Smith, he seems to play stronger and tougher than his size when I watch him. He is 6'1 but the 175lbs is not ideal. But he has that easy speed that allows him to separate. Doesn't even look like he is running fast. He is a hands catcher and he shows a good ability to high point and come back to the ball. If you whiff on press with him, then you are beat.
Its really the weight that is a the worry with Smith. 175 is light. If he can add 10lbs to his frame and get to 185lbs. Think that will help him at NFL level.
You can't teach the speed Smith has. And they way he locates and attack the ball when it's in the air is also hard to teach. He does a great job helping the QB and coming back to the ball.

having said that......J.Chase is the #1 WR in the draft.

[Bolt Dude]

For Smith, he seems to play stronger and tougher than his size when I watch him. He is 6'1 but the 175lbs is not ideal. But he has that easy speed that allows him to separate. Doesn't even look like he is running fast. He is a hands catcher and he shows a good ability to high point and come back to the ball. If you whiff on press with him, then you are beat.
Its really the weight that is a the worry with Smith. 175 is light. If he can add 10lbs to his frame and get to 185lbs. Think that will help him at NFL level.
You can't teach the speed Smith has. And they way he locates and attack the ball when it's in the air is also hard to teach. He does a great job helping the QB and coming back to the ball.

having said that......J.Chase is the #1 WR in the draft.

Whoever takes Smith will have him focus on gaining muscle mass. And he does play much bigger and tougher than his size indicates. If he gets up to 185-190 he should be fine. Beyond his immediate skill set, Smith has some of the best field awareness and spatial coordination that I’ve ever seen in a prospect. That includes working back for the ball, turning defender’s hips to create space, high pointing, quick breaks, and just a good feel for exploiting gaps and coverage weaknesses. He’s sneaky and smooth in space, but he’s twitchy at the LOS. I’m rooting for him. And the way the NFL game is changing, it’s trending in the right direction for players like Smith.

[like54ninjas]

• DaVonte Smith was the best COLLEGE WR this year. Will he be too slight to compete at that level in the NFL...? That's a different discussion.
• Which of Campbell's games do you suggest I watch...? I've seen a few... most of this year's games.

2018 - Missouri, Bama, Tennessee
2019 - Auburn, LSU
2020 - UFL, Tennessee

[Boltnut]

2018 - Missouri, Bama, Tennessee
2019 - Auburn, LSU
2020 - UFL, Tennessee

If you're marking him down for the Pitts TD or Grimes TD vs. Florida... I don't know what to say. Those were just amazing acrobatic catches... that no CB could have stopped. Campbell was right in their pockets... I don't know how he could have played it better. The same is true for the Palmer TD catch vs Tennessee. In fact Palmer pushed off a little to create last second separation.

And that's the thing... WR's don't get separation on Campbell (Davonte was the exception vs Alabama... and even then... very limited). If there is any knock on Campbell... it's that he has only 1 interception. I'm sticking with my mid/early-2nd round grade.

[Boltnut]

If I remember correctly Campbell didn’t play too well vs Mississippi St., Florida, and Bama.

I don't think Mississippi State threw at Campbell at all... maybe once. MS St. threw a bunch of stuff short middle. Kinda picked on the slots and LB's.

[Boltnut]

BTW Ninjas... If you're talking about the LSU game in 2019 (Championship game)... pretty sure Campbell didn't play in that game (injury).
The Auburn game was in 2020... Campbell shut down Seth Williams.
I guess I could go back and watch 2018 (freshman year)... but not sure what I could glean from that.

[like54ninjas]

If you're marking him down for the Pitts TD or Grimes TD vs. Florida... I don't know what to say. Those were just amazing acrobatic catches... that no CB could have stopped. Campbell was right in their pockets... I don't know how he could have played it better. The same is true for the Palmer TD catch vs Tennessee. In fact Palmer pushed off a little to create last second separation.

And that's the thing... WR's don't get separation on Campbell (Davonte was the exception vs Alabama... and even then... very limited). If there is any knock on Campbell... it's that he has only 1 interception. I'm sticking with my mid/early-2nd round grade.

Well see who’s correct in 3/4 years.

[wu-dai clan]

The pundits are getting all goofy.
It's not just ninja.
Zack Wilson @ #1.
DeVonta Smith @ #1.

[wu-dai clan]

And so I ask...

What is the mission statement of The Trenchers ?
Fix the Oline first.

Shouldn't it be
Fix the Oline while simultaneously doing all the other things we need to do to win Super Bowls ?

I do think so, and yet y'all...
--want to draft Oline in the same rounds that we drafted DJ Fluker, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney.
--hell, let's draft Oline in all three rounds !
--never mind that perhaps our one keeper, Samiuela Tevi, was drafted in round 6.
--and David Bakhtiari, the best OT in football, was drafted in round 4.

We need to do this whole thing right, not carpet bomb the situation.


woodMock v2.
Soon.
Guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Ha ha ha ha.

[Critty]

BTW Ninjas... If you're talking about the LSU game in 2019 (Championship game)... pretty sure Campbell didn't play in that game (injury).
The Auburn game was in 2020... Campbell shut down Seth Williams.
I guess I could go back and watch 2018 (freshman year)... but not sure what I could glean from that.

Question I have about Campbell and Stokes. Is did they stay on one side. Did either get tasked with the match up of playing the opponent best WR. If so, then that has some significance in grading these players. Did opponent intentionally try to get their WR#1 vs either CB. That would mean something. If either is often looking good vs opponent WR#2 then that should be factored in as looked good but wasn't match up very often vs the better WR. Anybody know if one drew the tougher assignment more often?

In the NFL you can never have enough corners. Teams often have 3 CB on the field. Every team needs corners and Campbell looks like he can be a starting CB in the NFL. He show good coverage and decent awareness and toughness. And then he is 6'3 with speed. I suspect all 32 teams see him as a prospect who can be a starter in the league. And typically in draft there really isn't 32 for sure 1st rd graded players. Often it's 15-20 players that are really considered worthy of a 1st. After that it's maybe around 40-50 players that are 2nd-3rd rd graded. I would say Campbell fits somewhere in that next group of players after the top 20. Meaning he could go anywhere from 21-71. Depending how teams rank the prospects on their board.

Over past 3 draft in rd1-rd2.
2020 9CBs
2019 8CBs
2018 9CBs

I think in 2021 another 8 or 9 , maybe 10 CBs will be drafted before rd 3 starts. I think Campbell is very likely in that top 9 of CBs on most boards. If I was betting. I would say Campbell is taken before pick 65. So that puts him solidly in the 2nd rd in 2021. And depending on how teams ranked their board. He could slip into bottom of rd 1.

Who are your top 10 CBs in the draft?
Campbell is in my top 10.

[Boltnut]

Question I have about Campbell and Stokes. Is did they stay on one side. Did either get tasked with the match up of playing the opponent best WR. If so, then that has some significance in grading these players. Did opponent intentionally try to get their WR#1 vs either CB. That would mean something. If either is often looking good vs opponent WR#2 then that should be factored in as looked good but wasn't match up very often vs the better WR. Anybody know if one drew the tougher assignment more often? Watching Georgia's defense is odd. There is so much talent... they go 2 deep at almost every position. They would play Campbell on the right, Stokes on the left... then half way through the game they'd switch Campbell to the left, Stokes to the right. Neither were tasked with best/worst WR... teams didn't specifically align "best" WR against either CB. In my analysis, Stokes and Campbell are pretty even... it looks like Campbell may play a little more "press". Campbell may be slightly more blessed with the physical traits... twitch, speed, length... and Stokes may have more "ball-hawking" instincts. What I did notice is that Stokes was a little "grabby" at times... he may get called for that in the NFL. I like Stokes aggressiveness and instincts (that's why I have a slightly higher grade on Stokes) but to say that Campbell doesn't have any is just wrong.

In the NFL you can never have enough corners. Teams often have 3 CB on the field. Every team needs corners and Campbell looks like he can be a starting CB in the NFL. He show good coverage and decent awareness and toughness. And then he is 6'3 with speed. I suspect all 32 teams see him as a prospect who can be a starter in the league. And typically in draft there really isn't 32 for sure 1st rd graded players. Often it's 15-20 players that are really considered worthy of a 1st. After that it's maybe around 40-50 players that are 2nd-3rd rd graded. I would say Campbell fits somewhere in that next group of players after the top 20. Meaning he could go anywhere from 21-71. Depending how teams rank the prospects on their board. I agree, CB's are a high priority for teams. And generally, your best talent will be in the first 2 or 3 rounds. IMO, the top-2 CB's (Farley and Surtain) are not that much better than the #3-8 CB's. And... I wouldn't choose either over LT's Sewell, Slater, or ATV. Partly due to talent... partly due to need... partly due to depth at each position.
My rankings @ OT
1. Sewell (1st)
2. Slater (1st)
3. ATV (mid-1st)
4. Eichenberg (late 1st)
5. Darrisaw (late 1st)
6. Radunz (2nd)
7. Cosmi (2nd)
8. Carman (late 2nd)
9. Jenkins (late 2nd)
10. Little (early 3rd)

My rankings @ CB
1. Farley (mid-1st)
2. Surtain (mid-1st)
3. Stokes (late 1st)
4. Campbell (early 2nd)
5. Horn (early 2nd)
6. Wade (mid 2nd)
7. Molden (late 2nd)
8. Adebo (early 3rd)
9. Samuel (early 3rd)
10-20. Then I have a bunch of guys that are quality 3rd-5th round CB's (Newsome, Robinson, Wilson, Vincent, R.Williams, Graham, Kendrick, Thomas, Lenoir, St-Juste....)

The CB group is deep!


Over past 3 draft in rd1-rd2.
2020 9CBs
2019 8CBs
2018 9CBs

I think in 2021 another 8 or 9 , maybe 10 CBs will be drafted before rd 3 starts. I think Campbell is very likely in that top 9 of CBs on most boards. If I was betting. I would say Campbell is taken before pick 65. So that puts him solidly in the 2nd rd in 2021. And depending on how teams ranked their board. He could slip into bottom of rd 1.

Who are your top 10 CBs in the draft?
Campbell is in my top 10.

Notes in blue.

[Boltnut]

And so I ask...

What is the mission statement of The Trenchers ?
Fix the Oline first.

Shouldn't it be
Fix the Oline while simultaneously doing all the other things we need to do to win Super Bowls ?

I do think so, and yet y'all...
--want to draft Oline in the same rounds that we drafted DJ Fluker, Forrest Lamp, and Dan Feeney.
--hell, let's draft Oline in all three rounds !
--never mind that perhaps our one keeper, Samiuela Tevi, was drafted in round 6.
--and David Bakhtiari, the best OT in football, was drafted in round 4.

We need to do this whole thing right, not carpet bomb the situation.


woodMock v2.
Soon.
Guaranteed crowd pleaser.
Ha ha ha ha.

At this point, I'm hoping for LT material (Slater or ATV) in the 1st round. I'm looking to protect the franchise.
Then I start looking for EDGE, CB, and even RB/WR in the 2nd and the 3rd rounds (I believe these positions offer good/starting talent in these rounds). I go BPA.
I think we get 4 starters at PON 1st-3rd rounds. If the BPA is an ILB with coverage skills (Collins/Surratt/Cox/Werner) in the 2nd/3rd rounds, then I consider going that direction and getting RB/WR/CB in the 3rd/4th rounds because RB/WR/CB positions are so deep/good.

I'm not basing my plans around hoping that unicorns exist in the 4th round (Bakhtiari) along the OL. I'm also not waiting/hoping for Tevi/Lamp/Feeney to develop under magic tutelage [insert whichever SD/LA OL coach we've had over the last 8 years). And I sure as hell am NOT going to let the "Ghost-of-DJ-Fluker" influence my draft strategy in the 1st round. Kicking the can down the road strategy hasn't worked. And since I have a superstar QB on a rookie contract, I'm cutting some fat (Turner/MW) and getting smart/relatively cheap FA signings at the IOL positions (Linsley/Reiter/Blythe/Feiler/Feliciano/Pocic....) so that I don't have to pass on PON (OLB/LB/CB/RB/WR) to draft a developing IOL in the 3rd/4th/5th rounds. Probably looking for good IOL depth/development prospect in 6th/7th round.