2020 Draft Prospect Discussion

[Critty]

For Sure Burrow-QB and Young-DE will be off the board before pick #7

One of these prospect will be there at #7

Simmons-LB, Clemson
Okudah-CB, Ohio St.
Epenesa-DE, Iowa
Brown-DT, Auburn
Jeudy-WR, Alabama
Thomas-OT, Georgia
Wirfs-OT, Iowa
Herbert-QB, Oregon


7.Chargers

[Lone Bolt]

I think our defense is pretty good. There are some players that are getting old and will need to be replaced soon, however. Specifically, Brandon Mebane and Thomas Davis. And while Casey Hayward is 30 (and CB's can play well into their mid-30's), we probably need to look for his replacement (or upgrade the position opposite him).

IMO, all three of these positions are fairly deep draft classes. Here are some players I like in later rounds.

DT:

Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M. I noticed him last season when researching Daylon Mack. He's not as girthy as Mack, but he holds up well in the run game as he uses leverage well and has better lateral abilities than Mack. At 6-3, 305 lbs. he could put on another 10-15 lbs. without losing his quickness. He has 5.5 sacks this season. 5.5 sacks last season. He often subbed in for Mack on passing situations, but he's pretty good at taking on double teams. 5th or 6th round...?

Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma. Gallimore is another penitrating DT that hols up against the run pretty well. Doesn't hold up as well against double teams as Madubuike but shoots gaps well and moves laterally often getting tackles for loss. Had 4 sacks this year. Teams may see him as a 3-tech. At 6-2, 301 he may be a little light as a 1-tech. He's disruptive but his aggressiveness sometimes takes him out of position. It depends how team uses him. 5th round...?

Ross Blacklock, TCU. Blacklock is my favorite of the 3. At 6-4, 305 he could put on another 10-15 lbs. and be a legitimate 1-tech. Has long arms he uses to gain separation and shed IOL. Athletic for this size and can move laterally. Can chase down outside runs. Pushes the pocket well and is good vs the run. Had 3.5 sacks this year and is disruptive. Most mock drafts have him going in 5th or 6th rounds, but I think he goes in 4th to 5th rounds...?

Derrick Brown is the best DT in this draft class. He could be a consideration @ pick 8. Javon Kinlaw is very effective as well but probably not worth the #8. If he were available in the 2nd round (doubtful) I'd take him. But I think quality DT's exist into the 5th round this draft. If you hesitate to take a DT in the 1st round (like I do) and use your 1st on an OL, QB, or CB... there are some mid/late rounders I think will be good.

I also agree the defense looks pretty good, and might have been really good had we possessed an offense that could keep them off the field more. However, we can always use a star player on any side of the ball, and do not want to reach for an olineman just because it is our biggest need, or a QB just because we think we have too. If the quality of the defender is much greater than the offensive players available, you take the defender.

If our pick comes around, and Brown and Simmons are there, and Thomas(maybe Wirfs) gone...you gotta think hard. Between the two, I think Simmons may be a bigger playmaker someday...but I think Brown would complete this defense...so I would opt for Brown, but would like either player...and Okuda is another possibility this high...one thing about sucking this year, we are gonna be spoiled for choices when we draft...

[wu-dai clan]

For Sure Burrow-QB and Young-DE will be off the board before pick #7

One of these prospect will be there at #7

Simmons-LB, Clemson
Okudah-CB, Ohio St.
Epenesa-DE, Iowa
Brown-DT, Auburn
Jeudy-WR, Alabama
Thomas-OT, Georgia
Wirfs-OT, Iowa
Herbert-QB, Oregon


7.Chargers

LOL.
In a recent mock I did at The Draft Network,
Chase Young was available at 7.
I took him.
Sounds legit.
There was a good Olineman there at 39 too...forgot who it was.
Took him.
Best draft evah.
We don't need no stinkin' QB.

[Topcat]

For Sure Burrow-QB and Young-DE will be off the board before pick #7

One of these prospect will be there at #7

Simmons-LB, Clemson
Okudah-CB, Ohio St.
Epenesa-DE, Iowa
Brown-DT, Auburn
Jeudy-WR, Alabama
Thomas-OT, Georgia
Wirfs-OT, Iowa
Herbert-QB, Oregon

7.Chargers

That is a real nice clusta, Critty...that would be awesome if Wirfs, Thomas, Brown and Simmons are all there...

[Topcat]

According to the TDN Mock Draft Machine on TPB site, here's who we'll have to choose from when we pick:

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[like54ninjas]

I think our defense is pretty good. There are some players that are getting old and will need to be replaced soon, however. Specifically, Brandon Mebane and Thomas Davis. And while Casey Hayward is 30 (and CB's can play well into their mid-30's), we probably need to look for his replacement (or upgrade the position opposite him).

IMO, all three of these positions are fairly deep draft classes. Here are some players I like in later rounds.

DT:

Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M. I noticed him last season when researching Daylon Mack. He's not as girthy as Mack, but he holds up well in the run game as he uses leverage well and has better lateral abilities than Mack. At 6-3, 305 lbs. he could put on another 10-15 lbs. without losing his quickness. He has 5.5 sacks this season. 5.5 sacks last season. He often subbed in for Mack on passing situations, but he's pretty good at taking on double teams. 5th or 6th round...?

Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma. Gallimore is another penitrating DT that hols up against the run pretty well. Doesn't hold up as well against double teams as Madubuike but shoots gaps well and moves laterally often getting tackles for loss. Had 4 sacks this year. Teams may see him as a 3-tech. At 6-2, 301 he may be a little light as a 1-tech. He's disruptive but his aggressiveness sometimes takes him out of position. It depends how team uses him. 5th round...?

Ross Blacklock, TCU. Blacklock is my favorite of the 3. At 6-4, 305 he could put on another 10-15 lbs. and be a legitimate 1-tech. Has long arms he uses to gain separation and shed IOL. Athletic for this size and can move laterally. Can chase down outside runs. Pushes the pocket well and is good vs the run. Had 3.5 sacks this year and is disruptive. Most mock drafts have him going in 5th or 6th rounds, but I think he goes in 4th to 5th rounds...?

Derrick Brown is the best DT in this draft class. He could be a consideration @ pick 8. Javon Kinlaw is very effective as well but probably not worth the #8. If he were available in the 2nd round (doubtful) I'd take him. But I think quality DT's exist into the 5th round this draft. If you hesitate to take a DT in the 1st round (like I do) and use your 1st on an OL, QB, or CB... there are some mid/late rounders I think will be good.

DT is a deep draft class but very limited on premiere prospects. D. Brown is an elite talent. Kinlaw is another 3 tech with serious juice. Gallimore will go day 2.
Add Coatney, Elliott, BJones, Strowbridge, DHamilton, Panasiuk to your mid/late rounders.

CB looks like talent found until early day 3. Different projections but lots of speed & ballskills.

LB is a very thin position group. May only have 3/4 (non rush LBers) taken in the top 100. Simmons is a impact prospect that is a true game changer. The only other guys are day 2 prospects Dye, Murray, Woodward.

OT is very deep if several of the Juniors declare.

[Topcat]

Here's a TDN mock if we take Wirfs first. Thanks to Wood for the intel on C-Berry. Also, got our big, bruising RB with Moss.

image.png

[Boltnut]

Good post Nutty.
Agree with you here !
And thanks for the detailed breakdown.
We still need an alpha dog, a third DT in rotation.
Hopefully Justin Jones and even Tillery can come on.
I like Madabuike...great '19 season...nearly unblockable.
Any thoughts on Marvin Wilson ?

BTW speaking of LBs, take your bow on Fred Warner. I thought he was lacking in sand in his ass...solid for 49ers at MIKE.

Now, Oline...steel sharpens steel, baby.
We will clash cuz, cuz dats what we do.

I like Marvin Wilson! He's almost a consideration with our 2nd round pick. However, most of the mock drafts I do there is always someone there that I like better. If he slipped to the 3rd round, I'd probably take him. He's strong and holds up well against the run. He sheds well in one on one situations. He's disruptive and pushes the pocket. Doesn't have good lateral movement and tires out when he's not rotated. Overall, he's better than DT's I mentioned before. But not enough to warrant a 2nd round pick IMO. I think Brown and Kinlaw are a cut above and deserve 1 st round grades. After that, it falls off. And the DT's that are 2nd/3rd round grades aren't all that better than DT's that are 4th/5th round prospects.

Fred Warner turned out being even better than I thought he would. Playing behind that DL has benefitted him. He's free to read and attack. That's what a stout DL does for LB's. If our DL was better at occupying o-linemen, I think our LB's would be more effective. I think Corey Luiget was under-valued in that respect. It's why (after my obsession with OT) I'd seriously consider taking Derrick Brown. It's why I thought Dexter Lawrence was so valuable last year.

Now... OL... I'll leave that discussion for another post...

[Topcat]

Here's another mock if we go 1-2 with Wirfs and Wilson. I still like that big bruiser Moss in round 4. Van Lanen can compete at OT, or slide him inside to G. And remember, we should get a comp pick for Twill--probably a 4th rounder.

image.png

[Boltnut]

I also agree the defense looks pretty good, and might have been really good had we possessed an offense that could keep them off the field more. However, we can always use a star player on any side of the ball, and do not want to reach for an olineman just because it is our biggest need, or a QB just because we think we have too. If the quality of the defender is much greater than the offensive players available, you take the defender.

If our pick comes around, and Brown and Simmons are there, and Thomas(maybe Wirfs) gone...you gotta think hard. Between the two, I think Simmons may be a bigger playmaker someday...but I think Brown would complete this defense...so I would opt for Brown, but would like either player...and Okuda is another possibility this high...one thing about sucking this year, we are gonna be spoiled for choices when we draft...

Like I mentioned, I'd think hard about taking Derrick Brown. And Simmons... well, he's probably the most athletic player in the whole draft. No doubt, Okuda is almost a certain day-1 starter and gives you a very good CB for years to come. All three of those guys would be good picks. But, like I said, the defense is already pretty solid. That offense though... Can't score a TD in the redzone. How many points did we leave on the field this year...? I'd say 7 or 8 points per game. How many games did we lose by less than one score...? Too many. Another thing that drove me crazy were all the 3-and-outs. Too many 2nd-and long, 3rd-and-long situations. Part of that was playcalling, but a bigger part of that was our inability to run the ball on 1st down effectively. And when your in a 3rd-and-long situation over and over, with these OT's... just a recipe for disaster... and turnovers.

Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood are not rated higher than Brown, Simmons, or Okuda. But I think the addition of one of those two OT's would benefit the overall effectiveness of our total team. I think we'd be better in the redzone, better on 1st down, and keep our defense off the field and fresher. Didn't it bother you when we only managed 17 points against a Raiders defense that regularly gives up 27 points...?

It would not be a popular pick (OT) with those other guys on the board (add Tua to the group). But I have a sneaky suspicion it might be the best. Maybe the best thing we could do was trade back in the 1st, grab one of the OT's, and an extra 2nd or 3rd...

[Topcat]

If Tua's medicals check out good, I'd consider pulling the trigger. He was the consensus #1 overall pick before he got hurt. It would set us back in OT area, but consolation prizes are Wilson in round 2 and C-Berry in round 3. If we go this route, urgent that we sign a solid FA OT.

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[Steve]

The problem with any team drafting a QB when you already have one is if the team struggles, the QB controversy will ensue, even if QB play is not the reason for the team struggling.

It doesn't help that NFL teams are not like college teams, and not set up to give a developing player the reps they need to become better. NFL teams run the plays that they want to use in the upcoming games with the 1st team, and the scout team runs the other teams plays, focusing on what plays need to be stopped, not what plays a young player may need work on.

As far as the Chargers go, I doubt that we would draft another DT high. While Tillery has been slow to develop, he has showed some flashes, as has Jones. I also like Williams and thought Broughton had a couple of flashes in his limited snaps. Only time will tell if we are in any way "set" at DT, but we have enough promise to move on to positions that need a number of bodies.

OL is obiously the highest priority, Even if you feel the OL is OK (and it's not), then with Okung coming off his health scare and his age, we need depth.

We need an every down LB, or at least find a better rotation to put the guys we have now into. Simmons is not a good fit unless we are going to change the D and find a way to use him. He does his best work as a blitzer or free lancing near the line, where he can change his drops and get missed by QB who struggle to read throwing lanes. I think LB depth is thinish, but we would be better off going for loading up on extra S who can play LB then spending too much on true LB.

The biggest issue this season, on D is that we still don't have a true FS type playing the position. Jenkins probably has a future with us, and can certainly play some FS, but is much better suited overall as a SS in the box. I am thinking a more athletic Adrian Phillips type, although we were crushed by not having Phillips this season, since it was his insertion into the dime package (and playing that package 75% of the snaps in 2017 and 2018) that was why the defense was so good. I think we have found the FS of the future, but adding another true FS for depth is not a horrible idea, although probably not till the middle of the draft.

Adding a top TE to go along with Henry is not a bad idea, although I would prefer a blocker 1st type, and that is probably not something we can get via the draft, and would have to grow ourselves.

RB is going to be an area of need. Even if we bring back Melvin Gordon,, I would like to see us improve our quickness by moving Ekeler into the slot. His quickness and we can keep him in the running game there, while teams tend to take him out of the offense by isolating him in the backfield, by blitzing and making him protect.

WR we still do not have a WR who get off press well. Williams can get deep, but like his predecessor Tyrell, neither is consistent getting off of press man to man and getting downfield. Both are great against zone, but we need to beat peoples blitzes and make plays when they blitz, not just cower in fear and regroup for another big play. Pass protection if part of that, but quicker players at the line who can attack coverage, even at the expense of speed.