NFL Draft thoughts........

[Cobra Mgr]

I really wanted the Panthers to address the secondary. WR was definitely a need. OL was as well. But I think Carolina plays better when they are generating turnovers. The Panther defensive backfield more or less just tried to have a close view of the opponent making the catch.

However, I have been crying for years now about the Panthers not giving Newton some weapons in the draft. Kelvin Benjamin was "eh". Devin Funchess is a TE people are trying to make into a WR. Curtis Samuel's contributions to the cause last year was shaving a few bucks off the team's laundry bill. Carolina played the Saints in the postseason w/an injured Funchess, Kaelin Clay, Brenton Bersin, Russell Shepard & Mose Frazier. So when the Panthers ended up with 1st choice on the best available WR, I can't complain that they jumped. What cinched it for me was Steve Smith's seal of approval. That's enough for me..........


..........Ozzie Newsome is a boss. In his last draft he picked up the #1 TE available. But even though he is retiring, he probably made sure his influence would last for years to come by trading up & picking Lamar Jackson. If he pans out, Ozzie could have a fingerprint on this franchise into 2030......


.......Lot of comments about Josh Rosen's comments.....IDK why some have a problem with what he said. When you're picking 10th, don't you want your selection to see 9 previous mistakes? I also think the Cardinals went from one of the most unstable QB situations to maybe the NFL's most secure. Seems like this franchise has often found itself starting a no name 3rd stringer or pulling somebody off the taxi squad. Now they have oft-injured Sam Bradford, with Mike Glennon & Rosen behind him. Now if when they have to replace the #1QB (& with Bradford it is when, not if) they have an experienced starter to send in. With the franchise's future waiting in the wings..........


......Picks I like........Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami @ 11, Tremaine Edmunds to Buffalo @ 16, Derwin James to LAC @ 17 (was hoping he'd fall into Carolina's lap).......


......Picks I don't like........Saquan Barkley to NYG @ 2. It's not that I don't think he is talented. It's that @ 2, you want a guy who will anchor you for a decade or more. He's got to be a superb talent, a focal point, a position you can cross off your wish list for years to come. If you're going to do that @ RB, he needs to be Adrian Peterson, Marshal Faulk, LaDanian Tomlinson. I don't think Barkley is that. I think he is Warrick Dunn, Reggie Bush. They have an aged Eli Manning returning. He's not getting better. He's never been that good to begin with. He's managed to have his best moments @ the biggest moment twice. Football's equivalent to Kirk Gibson. I think the Giants should have picked their QB for the future......Rashad Penny to Seattle @ 27. My guess is that Seattle felt they had to jump for Penny because there wouldn't be any good RB's available when they next selected in the middle of the 4th round. If that was the case, seems like they could have traded their #1 for a couple of #2 & extra & still land someone to help their pitiful backfield. But I guess they felt they couldn't risk it.......Sonny Michel @ 30 to NE. Seems like I hate drafting RB's early, which is not the case. This is not a knock on Michel. It's wondering about the thinking of Belichek. This is a guy who will run a RB 35 times one week, then sit him the next game. He interchanges backs like the rest of us (hopefully) switch underwear. So why go this high for a player that might not be put to maximum use?.....


........Let's see what happens.......Josh Allen to Buffalo. I've heard lots of pros & cons about this guy. But I think his skill set was made for Buffalo off of Lake Erie......Marcus Davenport to NO. As a Panther fan, I'm certainly hoping he's a bust. Trading up to pick a guy from a football factory like Texas-San Antonio is either bold or stupid.......Frank Ragnow to Detroit. Not sure I'd want to risk a 1st rd pick on a guy who missed so much time last year......Mike Hughes to Minnesota. Talent is unmistakable. If the maturity has grown off the field, Vikes got a steal......


........Misc........


Let me guess...Colin Cowturd is praising the Jets for picking USC QB Sam Darnold.......


........I think the Edmunds family won the draft. Tremaine is a teenager & is going to learn from a good defensive mind in McDermott. You can see him playing 15 years in the league. Plus, the media focus will not be on him, but on Josh Allen. His brother, Terrell, got to go to a great organization in Pittsburgh. And they really need him to fill a spot in a subpar backfield. The bonus was having Ryan Shazier announce his selection. And no matter what happens, their names will be etched in NFL history by being drafted in the 1st round the same year. Not a bad night......


.......This is more about college basketball than the NFL. But TE Hayden Hurst was selected by Baltimore from S.Carolina. Hurst originally tried to play baseball, signed a contract with a 6 figure bonus, but didn't make it. All this fuss about players testing the draft waters but not signing with an agent.....Why is it ok to sign with an agent in a sport, then play collegiately in another sport? But you can't do so in the same sport if you don't sign to play professionally?.......

[Jason]

As a Penn State fan that watched Barkley play in, play out...you are so wrong on him.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Jason

As a Penn State fan that watched Barkley play in, play out...you are so wrong on him.

Here's the problem. The Giants were picking 2nd overall and will probably need a QB next year. Why would you pick a RB? Unless you're the Browns you don't often have the 2nd overall pick. Barkley could be the next Barry Sanders and it won't matter without a QB.

[TonyJ]

I wouldn't take Barkley second but Jason is right about his talent level. He's a phenomenal talent.

My main take this draft is that Josh Allen is 100% absolutely going to be a bust and Buffalo basically gave up the draft value of the first overall pick for the privilege. I realize that he has a cannon for an arm and is tremendously athletic but it kind of seems important for a QB to be able to a) read defenses and b) have some idea of where the ball is going. Teams always talk themselves in to being able to fix quarterbacks and in never, ever work.

[TheMaus2]

Barkley should have been #1. If Mayfield doesn't have a good debut year, the cycle for Cleveland will continue.

[Jason]

BRILLIANT pick for the Eagles in round 2. Dallas Goedert may not end up a Hall of Famer but I can see this kid being a Pro Bowler a half dozen times in his career.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Jason

As a Penn State fan that watched Barkley play in, play out...you are so wrong on him.

Maybe I am. As a PSU fan I know you think you're right. As an Eagles fan, I know you hope you're wrong.

I don't think saying he's a Dunn or Bush is an insult. But even the best RB's are virtually done by the time they are 30-31. The exceptional ones that are still Pro Bowlers @ 33 are rare, if ever. Barkley has never averaged 20 carries per game in college. I would think a RB drafted #2 overall would be expected to carry that type of load & more w/an ancient QB. I don't think he is that type of runner.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Jason

BRILLIANT pick for the Eagles in round 2. Dallas Goedert may not end up a Hall of Famer but I can see this kid being a Pro Bowler a half dozen times in his career.

I thought it was one of the best troll jobs in sports history. You jump in front of your most hated rival, send up a kicker (of all positions) to talk pure noise about the 'Boys, point out you are the best in their division, their conference, their league, in their building, snatch a TE they were probably hoping for after their HOF TE suddenly retired. And then, best of all, his name is frikkin' Dallas!

[Cobra Mgr]

I'm surprised Shaquem Griffin hasn't been snatched up yet. Hope he lasts til the Panthers select first tomorrow.

[BaseballMan]

I just like all the trash talking the cowboys were getting.
Strange to see the Jets not screw up in the draft.

[MBarrett]

Death, taxes and the Cleveland Browns will always select the wrong QB.

[Galeg]

Nah I think Cleveland got it right this time. Now that Hue Jackson has finally been forced to release play calling we'll see some success. I just hope Mayfield gets to a sit a little while. Passing Chubb at 4 was not my favorite.

[TheMaus2]

The Cleveland Browns just drafted Chad Thomas, AKA Major Nine, producer of the Rick Ross song ‘Apple of my Eye’

Pretty wild, dude also plays 9 instruments

well at least the Browns are getting some kind of talent

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by Cobra Mgr

I thought it was one of the best troll jobs in sports history. You jump in front of your most hated rival, send up a kicker (of all positions) to talk pure noise about the 'Boys, point out you are the best in their division, their conference, their league, in their building, snatch a TE they were probably hoping for after their HOF TE suddenly retired. And then, best of all, his name is frikkin' Dallas!

In a way I'm kind of glad they took Goedert. Because Dallas had that OL already picked before Philly traded up. The look in the war room just before Philly made the pick said it all, they were smiling ear to ear. I would have broken my keyboard had they picked at OL while Goedert was still available. Even though I know we needed him.

Originally Posted by Galeg

Nah I think Cleveland got it right this time. Now that Hue Jackson has finally been forced to release play calling we'll see some success. I just hope Mayfield gets to a sit a little while. Passing Chubb at 4 was not my favorite.

I thought for sure the Browns were going to try and copy the Dak/Zeke combo by picking Barkley first and a top end QB with the 4th pick. But they weren't that interested in Barkley, apparently.

But they did get Ward, the QB, and a pretty good RB. So I'm not really sure which is better. I also agree with you on the DE. But Cleveland needs DB help. So I'm not sure about that either. But Chubb along with last year's pick would put every offensive line to the test.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by TonyJ

I wouldn't take Barkley second but Jason is right about his talent level. He's a phenomenal talent.

If I had a nickel for every time someone said that about a running back I'd have two bucks by now. He's a phenomenal talent in college, the NFL remains to be seen.

Originally Posted by TonyJ

My main take this draft is that Josh Allen is 100% absolutely going to be a bust and Buffalo basically gave up the draft value of the first overall pick for the privilege. I realize that he has a cannon for an arm and is tremendously athletic but it kind of seems important for a QB to be able to a) read defenses and b) have some idea of where the ball is going. Teams always talk themselves in to being able to fix quarterbacks and in never, ever work.

You can say the same thing about Darnold if you read his scouting report. "Turnover total is alarming". What you need to look for is how they played under pressure in a big spot. It reminds me of Vinnie Testaverde. He threw 5 picks in the national championship game against college talent. I watched that game. That game alone told me I wouldn't draft him in the 6th round, let alone the first.

[Cobra Mgr]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

If I had a nickel for every time someone said that about a running back I'd have two bucks by now. He's a phenomenal talent in college, the NFL remains to be seen.



You can say the same thing about Darnold if you read his scouting report. "Turnover total is alarming". What you need to look for is how they played under pressure in a big spot. It reminds me of Vinnie Testaverde. He threw 5 picks in the national championship game against college talent. I watched that game. That game alone told me I wouldn't draft him in the 6th round, let alone the first.

RB & QB are 2 "it" positions, IMO. You can fill out all the measurables you want. What mattes most is the "it" factor. You can't quantify "it". They just know how to play their position. I thought Russell Wilson had "it". I always felt Deshaun Watson has "it". Most, you don't find out they have "it" until you put him in an NFL game. You don't know for sure when you draft those positions.

My feeling is we'll find out. I can't say Allen is a bad pick. I think he has an advantage most new QB's in Buffalo haven't had. In that he's used to the weather coming from Wyoming. Much will depend on coaching. McDermott's decision to play Peterman & sit Taylor leads me to believe McDermott needs to stay as far away from the QB meeting room as possible.

[Cobra Mgr]

Shaquem finally got picked. In the 5th by the Seahawks, his twin bro's team. I guess it's worth the unnecessary embarrassment the NFL heaped on him by having him in the stadium 2 days & not hear his name called.

[TonyJ]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

You can say the same thing about Darnold if you read his scouting report. "Turnover total is alarming". What you need to look for is how they played under pressure in a big spot. It reminds me of Vinnie Testaverde. He threw 5 picks in the national championship game against college talent. I watched that game. That game alone told me I wouldn't draft him in the 6th round, let alone the first.

Yeah Darnold is concerning as well. I'd rank them like this...

1. Mayfield
2. Jackson
3. Rosen





4. Darnold










































































5. Allen (who I don't think is even worth drafting. Period)

[TheMaus2]

Josh Allen has the skill set to perform in Buffalo, however I read an article saying that college QBs below 58.5% and 7.3 YPA never succeed in the NFL. The only player who survived failing to reach these magic numbers was Brett Favre.

[TonyJ]

Correct, he is like unbelievably inaccurate, his adjusted completion percentage from a clean pocket ranks 23rd in the class. Like he struggles to complete screen passes. And the thing is, it's not like there's an issue with his footwork or mechanics, he just can't seem to put it on target. That seems kind of important.

I mean check this out.