Official 2018 Draft Thread- We Have the 17th Pick

[bonehead]

Sounds good, thanks

[Steve]

To me the thing is I think Liuget is the guy who goes. $10 mill per season contract, and very modest production and then we have some salary cap space to resign the RFA and for next year with the CB. There is lot of other things the team needs that money for than an under performing DT.

Mebane might get released by he is more valuable and the better player. They only way they release him is if they are just trying to clear a buttload of cap space. Otherwise, you bring him back and let him compete for his job, but if he doesn't win it in camp, he is probably gone.

As far as 3 tech, I would give the starting job to Phillon and then try and draft a 3 tech. If Hurst is there, I love him and would take him. If he is gone, which I am 99% sure he will be, then I take one later. Green the kid from USC (listed as a DE by some sources) I think would be a kid you could develop and be a regular part of a DL rotation, and maybe develop into a starter down the road in a year or two.Squares and Palepoi should also get some time at it.

Mebane I would let compete to start at NT, but his cap number is too high to bring as a backup. If we end up being able to draft Payne or Vea, then i think we can solidify the NT spot and shore up the inside run D. I also think they add some pass rush in the base D, although both are more the type to finish plays when the QB is flushed, or stuff draws and screens. They lack inital quickness and chase down speed, but neither of them is completely immobile.

Settle, Nnadi and Phillips are other NT prospects to us a quality pick on.

[blueman]

I dunno, I’d be pretty happy with a ILB who can do all of those things out of the box (considering we don’t have a ILB who can), and has room that mature into an even more complete player. Also I don’t see a FA or draft pick who will be a magic bullet on our DL, so better tackling somewhere behind the LOS seems priority to me. Either a LB like Edmunds or a safety like Harrison will help loads IMHO (and there are nice DT options who could play decent snaps for us even as a rookie in mid rounds). Also liking Payne more than the other DL not named Chubb.

[Steve]

Leo is the weak side DE in our D. Will is the weak side LB.

I am not sure Edmunds can play Leo. He gets to blitz some, but he is not a pass rusher who has technique and plays like a DE. It hurts his stock as a SAM/OTTO LB a little bit too.

The good thing is I don't think many people care. He is probably best suited to be a Will LB, and can probably play Mike. You can develop him into a SAM or a LEO, but it would take a while because he is just not used like that and has none of the skills. His skills just don't look like they would turn him into a top player at those positions, and his skills at Will, or MIke do.

Edmunds is a stack and flow LB who can read and react and give a D some real height in the middle. He is fluid and can cover a lot of ground. I would like to see him with an extra gear closing on the ball, but he is fast and instinctive enough to be a good coverage guy. He needs some work on his drops, but all college LB do. I can see him getting a lot of int over the middle when he drops into a zone and a QB without a lot of touch just can't get the ball over his head and into the receiver. He takes away more ground that just his speed (which is already good) would indicate. The other knock I have on him is that he slips blocks more than he takes them on and sheds them. He is at his best being protected by the DL so he can just run to the ball. He is not horrible shedding, but it's not his thing.

He might be around at 17. I agree, he shouldn't, but LB are one of those positions that just don't seem to go that high any more. I could see him like a Derrick Johnson (ILB KC) type of guy, although he is a better player than when Johnson was drafted in the 1st round by KC. The thing is in today's NFL, does a LB dropping into pass coverage have that much value. The OLB guys who rush the QB do because they are pass rushers. I think he goes in the middle to late 1st mostly because ILB don't go that high anymore unless they have rare speed (Myles Jack).

[chargerkdb]

[bonehead]

Hurst would be a 3 tech

[Steve]

Hurst would be a 3 tech

[bonehead]

Would Hurst be 3 tech or Nose in Charger D?

[Steve]

[B]

I wouldn't consider him much smaller. They are both huge.

I like the fact that Settle seems to get it a bit. I saw some pictures of him when he was a freshman, and he has really transformed his body. He is not a model with 6 pack abs or anything, but he is not the sloppy guy he used to be, and can probably get stronger and lose some more fat.

Both Vea and Settle can be forward moving players. Settle seems to do it a lot more, his first step seems to be forward. He has poor hand use, and could play with better leverage, but he gets that he needs to stay low and fire out, and he gets penetration and disrupts offenses. He needs to learn to use his hands better to shed blocks. He needs to stop firing out and spending the whole play crawling along on his knees. But the tools and ability is there.

Vea flashes the same sort of thing. How much do you downgrade him because of the stupid technique that Washington likes their DL to use? I hate what they do. They ask their DL to line up with their feet only slightly staggered like an OL. He can't fire off and attack the line. Then he is just asked to hold his position, shed and chase the play down. He is not asked to penetrate and create a new line of scrimmage like an NFL DL tries to do. When they let him line up in a staggered stance and attack the line, he gets low and is just as disruptive, maybe more than Settle. BUt they RARELY ask him to do that.

As far as how many snaps you can get out of them?????????????????? I don't think that you can ask any DL to be a full time player. 60-70 plays, at that size, you can't keep any explosive take off in your legs and get penetration. Sure, they can line up and play, but they won't be that effective. Interior DL are only going to be explosive for 20-30 plays a game. So, maybe 30-35 plays per game, which is half. Smaller, quicker guys can get some more, but really big 330lb guys, they get fewer. I just don't think you can expect either of them to be more than half the time kinda guys.

That being said, I think we have the guys to cover the other half the plays. Issac Rochelle, Bosa, and Ingram can all play DT in the rush line. Phillon and Palepoi can play the 3 tech position. I think we have the bodies if we can pick and choose where/when to play them. That means we need a big physical guy who can control the middle of the line to force passing situations. Add in Davis to mix into the DE rotation (and Rochelle too), I think the group can fill the spots and let everyone play hard and effectively, instead of asking a few guys to play sloppy and wear down.

All that being said, I still hope Hurst is the guy who falls to us. He is the attacking penetrating DT in this draft and I think he is such a strong run defender and pass rusher, he immediately upgrades our D. I don't see him falling to us, but if he is we should take him. If he gets anywhere near us, we should find a way to get him and get the synergy with him, Bosa and Ingram.

[blueman]

It’s nice going into a QB and CB-heavy draft with no real needs there in the first round. We will get a top defender for sure. I think it’s also the first mock I’ve seen with Harrison going in the first round, to Dallas two picks after us! Gotta admit, I love the LBs but after Vea I see our top need at S, and Harrison fits so well with Bradley’s D.

[bonehead]

It’s early but most mocks I’ve seen have Smith going to the Raiders

[Formula 21]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndica...pects.amp.html

This draft has James, Smith, and Vea off the board when we pick Edmunds. Harrison, Hurst, and Jefferson all go later in the 1st round.

That's the first time I've seen a LB mocked to the Bolts, yeah. Edmunds is a dynamite pick, maybe better than Smith. I'd love it.

The latest CBS mock doesn't have Vea or Hurst in the 1st round any more. Things are fluid.