2014 Official Draft Thread

[Yubaking]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap200...gn=Twitter_atl

Interesting development here if it's true. With us sitting at 25 and the Browns behind us, any team that wants Carr needs us as a partner potentially to leap frog the Browns. This could setup nicely if we are looking to trade back. QBs make teams do stupid things. A lot of those teams that pass on a QB in the top of the draft will be looking to move back up.

The trade back that makes sense under the scenario you describe is us trading with Minnesota, a team with a need at QB. We would send them #25 and they would send us #40 and #72. They would end up giving us 10 draft pick trading points more and might bitch about us kicking in our 7th rounder to equalize, but I would rather include a player that does not figure into our plans to equalize (like Mouton) if necessary. From our standpoint, I would argue that the team initiating the talks has to eat the 10 points or they can watch Cleveland take their potential QB of the future at #26.

[Formula 21]

What if the 15th best player is there at 25?

[Beerman]

What if the 15th best player is there at 25?

I think the Chargers run to the podium like they did with Fluker then. In my scenario where MY perceived top team needs and players on the board are gone, it would make sense to trade down if they still have a sizable cluster that they would feel good about if they drop 5-10 spots.

It's a tricky situation because the further you drop the less chance there is for getting that impact/all pro player, but in the 20's that chance is already far less than if you are in the top 10-15.

We have sooo many holes still though, that it has to be tempting with a draft this deep. Again, with a QB on the board, teams get crazy particularly if the Browns pass at the top of the draft. Everyone and their moms will know that QB is the target with that second pick. We would be the logical trade partner and would have ALL the leverage in negotiations.

[Beerman]

Does seem he'll be gone before we pick. But yeah, his "thing" seems to be the very thing we're missing from our front 7.

Bman, my thinking would be to play Donald in the rush line, so it wouldn't be about him staying in his lane, just getting to the QB (which we don't seem to do that well currently). And, if he also serves to push Luiget/Reyes, cuz they really need one, all the better.

I just don't think like that. I see it as taking one of our best young players off the field and that really doesn't improve the team overall. 3-4 DE is a tough, tough position to learn (from what I've read/heard). Neither Liuget or Reyes played the position before and it took both players significant time to improve. Liuget has showed he has that elite skill level. Reyes has flashed it on occasion. Both players still have plenty of room to grow. Taking them off the field other than for regular rest just isn't in the teams best interest IMO.

I just don't see the value in adding another DE. It's not like a pass rusher where you can just throw 4 of them on the field and you can get away with it. If we throw 4 DE's on the field (which are really DTs), we won't have a pass rush. Not to mention it also takes Lissemore off the field as a rotational DE as well. Drafting Donald puts us 4 deep at DE while we still have HUGE holes at OLB, CB, and NT. You can even make a case for S and ILB. Where's the value added? DE is the last place we should be using a top draft pick.

The only significant way we improve our pass rush is by getting better OLB. Freeney will help (I hope he's healthy), but he's a 1 year stop gap. It's the same situation as WR last year, we have some perceived depth at the position ATM, but it's littered with injury concerns/aging players.

[Formula 21]

I'm liking the potential choices at 25 more and more. But if the Browns wanted to throw us a 4 to move down one spot to prevent us from trading it to someone else, I'd take it.

[Beerman]

I'm liking the potential choices at 25 more and more. But if the Browns wanted to throw us a 4 to move down one spot to prevent us from trading it to someone else, I'd take it.

Heh another very good option! That would be the shark move.

[Formula 21]

Rang and Brugler both have their new mocks up after the combine. Donald now goes ahead of Nix. 50% chance of getting my preferred guy Nix. Both of them have us taking CB Jason Verrett although Cooks is still there. I'd prefer Cooks in that scenario although Verrett has a lot of skill to offer. Both are burners. Can't go wrong at 25.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft

Jason Verrett
Prospect Ranking Full Prospect Rankings
Overall Position Projected Rnd
32 3 1-2
Mock Draft Full Mock Drafts
Rang Brugler Prisco Kirwan
(25) (25) (28) (30)
Workout Results
40 20 10 Bench
4.38 - - -
Vertical Broad Shuttle Cone
39.00 10'7" 4.00 6.69
Vitals
Height
5-9
Arm Length
30 5/8
Weight
189 lbs.
Hand Length
9 1/4
LATEST NEWS
12/13/2013 - 2013 WALTER CAMP FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: DB Jason Verrett, TCU, 5-10 176, Sr., Fairfield, CA...Verrett, a second-team pick last season, is TCU's fifth Walter Camp All-America selection in the last six seasons, joining defensive end Jerry Hughes (2008-09), safety Tejay Johnson (2010) and center Jake Kirkpatrick (2010). In his final game as a Horned Frog, Verrett limited Antwan Goodley, Baylor's leading receiver, to just one catch for 12 yards. Verrett also broke up two passes in the process.

Earlier this season, Verrett held Texas Tech's Eric Ward, who has 72 receptions, without a catch for the entire game. Goodley and Ward are two of the Big 12's top-five receivers. When lined up against LSU's Odell Beckham Jr., Verrett allowed just one reception. He totaled seven stops, including a sack, while adding three pass breakups versus LSU. Despite not many balls being thrown his way this season, Verrett is second in the Big 12 and tied for seventh nationally with 1.5 passes defended per game (two interceptions, 14 pass breakups). Since the start of the 2012 season, he tops the nation with 38 passes defended (eight interceptions, 30 pass breakups). - TCU football

More Jason Verrett News
Overview
Verrett struggled with academics out of high school and went the JUCO route (Santa Rosa JC) for a season before enrolling at TCU. He earned a starting job right away and despite a rocky start, he showed steady improvement and had an All-American junior season in 2012, tallying 22 passes defended. Verrett battled injuries as a senior, but he was still productive and earned Co-Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2013 ? shut down several of the conference?s top receivers and caused offenses to stop looking to his side of the field. He is like a magnet to the ball with excellent timing to plant, drive and arrive when the ball does with aggressive ballhawking skills. Verrett is scrappy and loves to play sticky and physical, which will cause some penalties, but it?s easy to love his confident mentality. His lack of size likely limits his NFL ceiling, but he has the easy change of direction skills, light feet and physical and mental toughness to shine in the NFL, ideally suited as an inside nickel corner.
Analysis
STRENGTHS: Fluid body type with smooth hips to easily turn and adjust his frame. Excellent short-area burst and flexibility to seamlessly redirect his footwork to mirror receivers in space. Very good feel on an island ? baits and drives on throws with burst and timing. Improved instincts and awareness, not afraid to come off his man to make a play. Excellent ballskills and confidence to undercut routes and finish with the interception. Quick read/react skills. Adequate strength for his size and very active in run support. Will hold his ground at the point of attack. Very aggressive with the ball in the air and attacks it. Smart and sound with his cover assignments, always playing alert. Routinely made ?wow? plays on special teams coverage, including a blocked field goal in 2012. Heady player with high football character. Productive as a three-year starter, combining for 43 passes defended and nine interceptions in college.

WEAKNESSES: Lack of elite height and length shows against most receivers. Lanky build and doesn?t have the frame to pack on too much more muscle. Lacks ideal hand strength to consistently finish or easily shed blocks. Room to improve his tackling technique, especially in space, hitting too high and losing immediate leverage. Will pop up out of his backpedal too soon and needs to play with more consistent pad level in his transition technique. Needs to eliminate the mental mistakes with too many offsides and holding penalties on his resume. Blanket coverage, but needs to do a better job finding the ball with his back to the line of scrimmage. Some durability concerns after several nagging injuries plagued him in 2013, most notably a shoulder injury.

--Dane Brugler

[Beerman]

Still cringe at the thought of a CB in the first round. Would prefer we pick one up in the 2nd-3rd round. I would actually prefer we don't even bother with CB and find a starter in FA. CB's just take so damn long to develop.

I also like Stevie Williams and think he will be that depth guy that comes in and helps this season.

[Steve]

It is funny that you raise this discussion about Donald. Others raised the possibility of him playing OLB, but it occurred to me that if he is quick enough in change of direction, I might want him to lose 15 pounds and play ILB. To me, he has good enough straight line speed for a front 7 player (4.68 at 285 pounds) and he could potentially be a great run stuffer at ILB at 270 pounds, especially with a big, block consuming NT playing in front of him. The thing to remember is that he is faster than Te'o and would probably be at least as fast as Butler with 15 less pounds on him, but the question, of course, is whether he could avoid getting lost in coverage and whether or not he has the same instincts at ILB as he does at DT. His 10 yard speed was pretty good at 1.59.

If he were to play ILB, we would flip his size from a liability into an asset. That would definitely qualify as manning up defense and we could well have a need at ILB with the potential departure of Butler.

I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I would be interested in knowing if Donald can play anything other than 4-3 DT, especially whether or not he can play ILB. It makes me curious about his pro day and what he will do there.

The issue with him isn't speed. I knew he would be fast enough to play ILB. But can he change direction well enough in pass coverage? Levon Kirkland was one of the old style thumper ILB and when he used to get heavy he could still run fast enough to play, but any movement at all, and he would overrun EVERYTHING. Now, Donald appears to be much more dedicated then Kirkland ever was, and in far better shape, but the point is LB have to play in space and DL don't.

Most other college players have a lot of room to improve in the 40 time in terms of their form and technique. Donald looked like he had done a lot of work on his running form. There was very little wasted motion. So, when you compare actual functional speed, I think Donald has done a little smoke and mirrors here. He ran close to his maximum potential, most other players have some room to improve, and you would see that on a lot of them when they play. There are some guys who ran 4.6 range 40's who are a lot faster then that in the football sense, but couldn't run a great 40. Teo was very stiff, but I have a hard time believing that he would be slower then Donald if both were playing ILB, although it is hard to tell since Donald plays down.

You have to watch players on multiple games. You don't really get to appreciate a guy like Donald until you see him over and over. I know I have seen the youtube of the Georgia tech, but I really don't remember that too much. My overall impression of GT is that their team is very, very sloppy and not fundamentally sound, so I agree, you don't give him too much credit against those guys. However, he was without a doubt one of the best players in all of college football, and one of the most sound players. Again, he uses his hands better then any DL I have ever seen. Just about every college DL I can ever recall seeing has to learn a lot about using their hands, and Donald already knows how. I suspect if you were his size, you wouldn't last long without learning to use them either.

As far as adding him to be our next great inside pass rusher, I don't know how much it would help. Liuget and Reyes both are inconsistent, but so are a lot of younger DL. When they just try to run around players, they got nothing to show for it. When they tried to beat their man, both made plays (see Reyes sack vs Eli and Liuget hit to force the int that beat Denver). But inside rushers don't get the pressures that the outside guys get. Inside guys have blockers to the left, to the right, and guys who can help out at TE and RB. Outside guys are singled one on one a lot more, and they have the space to set up the blockers and get around them. But it is only when you get the inside and the outside rush working together that you get a consistent pass rush. I don't think getting more inside rushers helps us much. We need the outside rush.

The pass rush improved when Ingram came back, but he still has a long way to go as a rusher. Freeney had some good rushes early on, but again, if you don't get everyone working together, the QB just slides away and throws the ball (or scrambles). We need a lot of help on the outside.

[Formula 21]

I wouldn't want to retrain a DT as an ILB. Too long a learning curve with no guarantee of results. it's a whole different set of skills.

[Beerman]

But it is only when you get the inside and the outside rush working together that you get a consistent pass rush. I don't think getting more inside rushers helps us much. We need the outside rush.

The pass rush improved when Ingram came back, but he still has a long way to go as a rusher. Freeney had some good rushes early on, but again, if you don't get everyone working together, the QB just slides away and throws the ball (or scrambles). We need a lot of help on the outside.

That's the key and one of the reasons I would love to find a starting caliber OLB in this draft (even though I doubt we do without trading up). We haven't had a consistent unit playing alongside each other for years. Be it injuries or just lack of players. Right now we have the opportunity to really build a strong D line if we just add some players. Bring in another young NT and a OLB and let them get some cohesion. That would give us a strong 5 man group of players that will see the majority of snaps and start to build that cohesion needed to take the next step.

Liuget, Reyes, and Ingram are all young as hell and should all receive extensions. BUILD on them, don't replace them. It's time this group finally takes the next step, they just need a bit more talent.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Verrett's height concerns me, but he profiles a little bit like Weddle did, demonstrating production in all facets, being very aggressive and having a nose for the ball.

A backfield that includes Weddle, Verrett, Addae, Wright and Williams shows some promise. With some coaching up, that could be a good foundation.