NFLDG Final Mock

[Guest]

@"Geoff Nichols" said:

@greediron said:

@Skodin said:

@"Geoff Nichols" said:

@MaroonBells said:
YAASSS! Best one yet. In the immortal words of Yul Brynner, so let it written; so let it be done. 

I'm willing to take the gamble on Phillips. Potential payoff is just too great. 

Exactly. Give me solid O-lineman but the potential game changer at EDGE. With Hunter across from him and continued health (he's been healthy since UCLA) Phillips would be the odds on favorite for NFL defensive rookie of the year. 

I don't think people understand the impact of having Phillips added to this DL.  There is no reason why this can't be the most effective defensive line in football.  Pierce and Tomlinson are going to be beasts against the run, tilting the odds in favor of passing plays which is great because with strong edges you can get pressure without blitzing.  The value you can get out of having a stud rookie edge rusher with these 3 on this defense is much higher in value than a very good OT.  You can get solid enough OT play from later int the draft, FA, or internally, which Geoff addresses in rounds 2 and 3.  

Plus I believe there is talent on this OL that can be NFL average (which is what we need) if given a chance aka Hinton and Udoh.  I know it's risky but a OL of: ONeill-Davis/Cole/Hinton-Bradberry-Cleveland-Udoh/Hill/Christensen has ability to be good, good enough to keep a top 5 offense.

NFL games are so close, and usually come down to a handful of plays per game.  With Hunter and an effective edge counterpart, and an effective run D, you are going to win many games.  A dominate DL is a game changer, not including the blitz packages that will be 2x as effective.

Nothing else, swap out last year's DL for this year's and we win 3-4 more games (Dal, Tenn, Sea, Chicago).  4 more wins and a win already in Lamblow why couldn't we be contenders?

Be smart, get an edge rusher in the first and if you can do it by grabbing additional picks, even better.

I like that reasoning.  Build the lines.  We have ignored too long.  

We need a tackle, but isn't that why we drafted Cleveland?  

I don't know how much Cleveland was drafted to specifically play tackle. He was drafted since regardless of position his physical attributes were on the high-end of the spectrum for a wide zone blocking team. How that serves the Vikings well is that I think he can probably play 4 different positions today LT/LG, RG/RT. That flexibility you got last year allows you added flexibility this year since you're not looking for a specific player or position. Rather you are just looking for the best lineman possible.  

How do you rank the Olinemen in this draft? If you had to give your top 10 or even 5, what would they be?

[Guest]

@"Geoff Nichols" said:

@"BarrNone55" said:
All valid points, but he's still got the 3 concussions.

Here is an interesting one for you... were they all actually concussions or a reoccurrence of one moderate concussion that led to a multitude of concussion like symptoms? Not saying either way but I know at least one team that thinks it was a single concussion that wasn't handled well.  

Does it matter? If you can't play? You can't play...

Too much risk with this pick. They need to address LT much more aggressively this draft...It's not like this OL needs just an OG . And there is no guarantee they'll even equal last years mediocrity with Reiff gone. 

[Guest]

@minny65 said:

@minny65 said:
I'm tiptoeing around this draft because it is Guru and I have zero team insight:

But I really dislike this draft.

1 - We "need" to get one of the Top 3 OT's - Sewell, Slater or Darrisaw.  That has to happen in the first round either at 14 or a slight move up.  If all 3 are gone I really advocate for a drop down and pick up a 2nd rounder and still have a shot at AVT in the 18-28 slot.   I would not draft Phillips for us at this time.  A team in full rebuild and multiple early picks should take the chance.  This draft is pretty deep at DE and we can find someone in round 2 (move up) or round 3.  I like Weaver from Pitt as a candidate. 

Pick (61) 2nd pick is, of course, fully dependent on the first pick.  If we got either of the Big 3 T's or fell back and got AVT, I would do the proposed move up for Levi -3T from Washington or a falling player at a position of need like Weaver.  I would not move up for a Guard in this draft because I think the 3rd pick(81) - Christensen - is a Guard and has the athleticism that Cleveland had coming out.  I also like Eichenberg (ND) as a Guard.  I think we could get either one of them at 90.  

Pick(81) Is it possible Levi or Weaver are still there?  Probably not, so in my move up scenario I go Levi because because the depth at DE and the shallowness of IDL.  Assume Weaver is gone then I would be targeting Dayo or  Sample.  Both have the size to do some interior rushing for us in the BRob mold to compliment Hunter's speed rush. 

Pick (90) Christensen or Eichenberg as Guard's.  With our scheme we like the athleticism of former Tackles playing Guard and both fit our mold.


Bottom line for me (it's all about me) is that we need to come away with a TOP 3 Tackles and a projected Guard from the tackle list.  If we are able to get a guy like Weaver or Levi then that would be an awesome draft for me even before getting in to the late day picks.  I also love Cisco at Safety but he likely gone before the 3rd round so no real shot at him and not a move up candidate because that need is not as great.  

Oh well, pumped for tonight!

 

Thanks for the insight as always.

But under your above scenario I would take Darrisaw at 14.  I think he is a stud LT.  I think Sewell is the best and Slater second but not a wide margin from Slater vs Darrisaw as LT's.  I would move down to that 18 and take the chance that AVT is there and pick up additional pick.  

I would not take the chance on Phillips for this team right now.  We are not a DE away from a SB IMO.  We are a LT and Guard away - IMO.  We loaded up on D in free agency and assume Hunter is back 95%.  Concussions are no joke and players and the league (liability) are very concerned about CTE with several former players every year having brain damage.  These kids are not old school head knockers and Phillips will be smart to get out if he has his bell rung a few more times.  That all said, and we all say this every draft, no player has zero bust factor including Phillips without concussion issues.  He is the best DE in this class on paper no doubt.

Also every year we (most of us) have been crying to fix the OL and every year we seem to go with best Defensive player available and expect to find OL gems we can develop later which we have proven we can not!  I like Darrisaw much better then the #4 LT pick by the Giants last year (Jones from Georgia).  It hard to find or portray a OL as a game changer vs skill players which to me include DE's.  We need to address our decade long piss poor OL this draft and it is a very good crop.

I will admit ahead of time that if we pass on any of the Big 3 OL I am going to be very disappointed from the get-go.

So Happy in round 1.  I will ecstatic if we come away with Levi, Basham, Weaver, Cisco, Christensen, Eichenberg or Sample tomorrow!