2012 Comprehensive NFL Draft Database

[Dro89]

if we go WR which i seriously doubt we do.. this is my boy.

Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina

Height: 6-4. Weight: 215.

Projected 40 Time: 4.55.

Projected Round (2012): 2-3.

[Going Commando]

I wonder what happened to the Eagles. They're only four million dollars under the cap right now. They just gave a Haynesworth sized 40 million dollars in guarantees to Michael Vick. And they could struggle to extend DeSean Jackson because of all the deals they made this offseason.

Frankly I think this is a fantastic develolpment. The Eagles are on a path towards ruin like we were a few years ago. Dishing out almost 100 million in new guarantees in an offseason is just not good management.

The Eagles will fall to their rightful place at the bottom of the division soon enough as this old core of players they've created wears out and Reid finally decides to retire/gets fired. The Cowboys will be competitive once their OL starts to gel since they've got weapons, a good QB, and a pretty good defense.

But I think it'll end up being between us and the Giants for control of the division in the near future. I think we'll have the better defense and running game which is a good winning formula. And our coaching is superior on the whole. But the Giants have a far better QB situation, lots of passing game weapons, a decent offensive line, and a terrific defensive line. Plus they draft so well every year that their well will never run dry.

If John Beck ends up being as good as Shanahan thinks he is, then we should be able to beat them this year. The division feels up for grabs right now.

[darrelgreenie]

A question about the QB evals.

Are there certain things you watch for and note/chart during the games?

Are you judging accuracy by the eye ball method?

[Warpath11]

I wonder what happened to the Eagles. They're only four million dollars under the cap right now. They just gave a Haynesworth sized 40 million dollars in guarantees to Michael Vick. And they could struggle to extend DeSean Jackson because of all the deals they made this offseason.

Frankly I think this is a fantastic develolpment. The Eagles are on a path towards ruin like we were a few years ago. Dishing out almost 100 million in new guarantees in an offseason is just not good management.

Agreed everything the Eagles have done this off-season screams win-now. This is a major deviation from their usual path under Reid. I think their moves this off-season are foreshadowing the eventual Reid retirement, as you point out (2-3 yreas tops). Reid will leave the Eagles in the same situation Gibbs II left the Redskins after his second retirement.

[Going Commando]

I like Criner too GWin and Sanu consistently caught my eye when I watched Anthony Davis a couple seasons ago. He's an explosive, big play guy that I think will end up drawing comparisons to Anquan Boldin with his thick build and ability to do it all as a runner and receiver, maybe even run some passes.

Interestingly enough, I didn't know this before but Tom Savage transferred to Arizona. He'll sit this year out but Nick Foles will graduate and he'll get a chance to start in 2013 most likely. Arizona has really been successful poaching QBs from other teams.

Check out Jeff Fuller at Texas A&M too and see what you think. He's another big, fluid receiver and he's part of what should be a very explosive offense this season.

Dwight Jones is physically impressive. Such a huge, fast receiver. UNC has been putting out a lot of good receivers lately. I'll be interested to see how he follows up on last season's breakout effort.

Greg Childs is also still another impressive big bodied receiver that does a good job getting separation underneath. Nick Toon is another one. Plus there is still Michael Floyd, who I still think has #1 WR ability.

This should actually be a pretty banner year at WR. I don't think teams will have to spend first round picks to get #1 WRs because there are a lot of other names out there after Alshon Jeffery and Justin Blackmon.

[GWinSkins83]

I like Criner too GWin and Sanu consistently caught my eye when I watched Anthony Davis a couple seasons ago. He's an explosive, big play guy that I think will end up drawing comparisons to Anquan Boldin with his thick build and ability to do it all as a runner and receiver, maybe even run some passes.

Interestingly enough, I didn't know this before but Tom Savage transferred to Arizona. He'll sit this year out but Nick Foles will graduate and he'll get a chance to start in 2013 most likely. Arizona has really been successful poaching QBs from other teams.

Check out Jeff Fuller at Texas A&M too and see what you think. He's another big, fluid receiver and he's part of what should be a very explosive offense this season.

Dwight Jones is physically impressive. Such a huge, fast receiver. UNC has been putting out a lot of good receivers lately. I'll be interested to see how he follows up on last season's breakout effort.

Greg Childs is also still another impressive big bodied receiver that does a good job getting separation underneath. Nick Toon is another one. Plus there is still Michael Floyd, who I still think has #1 WR ability.

This should actually be a pretty banner year at WR. I don't think teams will have to spend first round picks to get #1 WRs because there are a lot of other names out there after Alshon Jeffery and Justin Blackmon.

Yeah I like Fuller too. He was a tough matchup for Peterson in the bowl game. He is a Big WCO Wr. Really good at the intermedian routes. I've seen him go deep but it seems he is better at the 10-20 range. Which is good for a system like ours. Now Jones he plays like Randy Moss. i guess his builld resembles it and the way he runs his routes. Yea Childs was a great prospect but I think he tore his PCL. That can take a long time to heal from and maybe he lose some of his speed. This year he has to show he still got that. Its a WR from VT that is getting some blow Im going to find his name and talk about him to some more.

[Going Commando]

A question about the QB evals.

Are there certain things you watch for and note/chart during the games?

Are you judging accuracy by the eye ball method?

That's how I typically judge it. Did the pass come out in pretty good time and was it's placement pretty easy for the WR to handle? I suppose this encompasses touch too. I can get an impression if most of the QB's completions are on the money and then just check it against their efficiency numbers if need be. Throws I'd be most interested in are intermediate depth over the middle and on the sidelines. I'd also look out for specialty throws like bucket passes that demonstrate advanced mechanics.

If I had a full set of cutups containing every attempt I could chart the passes for accuracy and just put "good," "push," or "bad."

The main things I look for when I watch cutups on a QB are general feel things:

- command of his offense: fluid passer? does the offense run well at his direction? can I see him making his adjustments? what is his offensive system like?

- does he look fluid on drop backs, are the feet smooth, is he consistent? where are his eyes?

- arm strength and accuracy of throws

- does he show off a variety of throws?

- throwing mechanics, what does his process look like?

- making good decisions most of the time or is he forcing bad throws a lot?

- does he look poised and comfortable--like he belongs?

- how does he look when he scrambles?

- does he have polish and more advanced QB skills like sliding, shovel passing, sticking bucket throws, running play action, throwing the ball away, etc

Chances are I'll see most of those things happen in a typical cutups video or during the course of a game. After a while you get an impression "yeah this guy looks like an NFL QB and seems like a pretty clean projection," or "something is wrong with him to make me doubt his potential." Occasionally you'll feel, "holy crap, this guy is special." For instance former Oregon St. QB Sean Canfield was putting up ridiculous numbers in the 2009 season and garnering second round consideration as a potential NFL starter. But something felt wrong with him. He wasn't really making NFL throws when you watched him and his physical talent level wasn't all that impressive. He felt like a game manager at the college level rather than the focal point of his offense and his team's most necessary player. He ended up getting exposed in the pre-draft process and went in the seventh round and is mostly a PS player. I remember feeling the same way about Dan LeFevour that same year when he was also being touted as a second round pick. He wasn't physically special in any way, had subpar arm strength, didn't make a lot of NFL throws or plays, etc. I just never saw starting NFL QB in him and he ended up dropping into the late rounds too.

But by contrast, that same year I really liked Mike Kafka as a potential sleeper/developmental type because there were several things he did that were special. He made some nice plays in the All Star games, had rare scrambling ability, looked big and tough and like he was the best player on his team. He ended up going to the Eagles and is looking like their primary backup right now. He came in and played very well against the Steelers in relief, when all of the rest of the Eagles were getting killed. So maybe he does have starting potential, and watching him in college, something just felt right.

It's mostly instinctual/impressionistic for me with QBs. There are reasons that are hard for me to completely articulate for why I love Andrew Luck, Blaine Gabbert, Mark Sanchez, and Christian Ponder would be good QBs and why I really didn't like Jimmie Clausen, Cam Newton, and Ryan Mallett.

---------- Post added August-30th-2011 at 11:15 AM ----------

Yeah I like Fuller too. He was a tough matchup for Peterson in the bowl game. He is a Big WCO Wr. Really good at the intermedian routes. I've seen him go deep but it seems he is better at the 10-20 range. Which is good for a system like ours. Now Jones he plays like Randy Moss. i guess his builld resembles it and the way he runs his routes. Yea Childs was a great prospect but I think he tore his PCL. That can take a long time to heal from and maybe he lose some of his speed. This year he has to show he still got that. Its a WR from VT that is getting some blow Im going to find his name and talk about him to some more.

Jarrett Boykin? I try and catch as many tech games as I can and I watched him play last season. He's a big, rumbling receiver with sure hands. He's definitely the #1 target in the passing offense. His role kind of reminds me of Bey Bey Thomas at Georgia Tech--the only big receiving threat in a run-centric offense.

His numbers probably won't be as good this season without Tyrod. He's a pretty good player though.

[The Tris]

http://draftbreakdown.com/rankings-by-ryan-lownes-offense

[Dukes and Skins]

wow guess I was out of the loop there too steve didnt see that Savage had transferred as well. He could put up a big year though after Foles leaves.

As for the WR's I love Childs and always have since last year with Jones I'll definitely keep a close on him this year and with Sanu he's always seemed to be an impressive WR when I've watched him.

As steve said earlier it will be a fun year with WR's as you have a bunch of guys with potential and have production who could very well be 1st rounders(excluding Blackmon and Jeffery who are 1st round locks IMO)

[Dro89]

what do you guys think of Nate Potter.. I seen someone on a draft forum say he would be a elite Guard in the ZBS do you guys agree?

[Dukes and Skins]

what do you guys think of Nate Potter.. I seen someone on a draft forum say he would be a elite Guard in the ZBS do you guys agree?

I've said as a 3rd rounder that Potter could be a very good LG in the ZBS. Been seeing him sitting in the 3rd in premature mock drafts

[Dro89]

fits steves method of the FO drafting Seniors.

[Dukes and Skins]

Very much so, seen people saying he can still be a T in the NFL, but with how we run our ZBS I think his best fit is at LG which then would move Kory to C.

[Going Commando]

fits steves method of the FO drafting Seniors.

Very few underclassmen offensive linemen declare. I think you'll usually only get about three or four OTs (if that) and maybe one or two interior linemen a season. Some years you might only see one or two underclassmen offensive linemen total. So in general, no teams draft underclassmen OLs very often. I think the reason so few come out is because that extra year is really important for developing your body for the NFL. It's also a position where continuity makes a huge difference for individual success. It can be tough to look good when everyone around you is in flux. So future NFL OLs might not get opportunities to start until their junior or senior seasons since the position has a tradition of graduating it's players.

---------- Post added August-30th-2011 at 12:37 PM ----------

Very much so, seen people saying he can still be a T in the NFL, but with how we run our ZBS I think his best fit is at LG which then would move Kory to C.

I'd give Potter a look at RT personally. He seems pretty athletic. He'd be more valuable to us as an OT.

[Dukes and Skins]

See I can see him as a RT but I think if we drafted him we'd try to move him to LG and use him for an instant impact. Almost similar to Sherrod in GB where they moved him to get him on the field(has been up and down though for him)

[Spartacus87]

Speaking to the CB discussion going on right now, what are y'alls thoughts on CB Greg Reid out of Florida State? I do not see him listed on CBS sports 2012 CB Draft Prospects list.

I know he's only a junior and drafting him would be contrary to Steve's theory (which, by the way, I think is a GREAT theory coupled with the team captain idea - well thought out Steve!), but I remember a good amount of hype surrounding him at the beginning of last CFB season. But if I remember correctly, I do not think he had a stellar year last season.

Has anyone followed him enough to notice the strengths/flaws in his game? He is definitely someone I would like to watch this season.

He's a playmaker in the same style as DeAngelo Hall - he'll make a big INT, force a fumble, and is extremely dangerous returning the ball, but he also likes to gamble and play out of his assignments and can get burned for it.

OU basically beat him like a drum last year because they knew FSU hadn't fully learned the Stoops' style zone defense and they could frustrate Reid and get him to freelance.

Actually, while Reid probably made the biggest plays at CB for FSU last year, most would say that he was outplayed in terms of coverage by both JuCo transfer Mike Harris and Xavier Rhodes (the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year).

In fairness to Reid though, and something to consider when evaluating any of FSU's defensive prospects, is that 2011 will only be their 2nd season playing a real zone defensive scheme. Prior to 2010, FSU's scheme relied on man coverage about 90% of the time. So a lot of guys are still adjusting to the pattern-reading zone techniques.

[ATLredskin]

OU basically beat him like a drum last year because they knew FSU hadn't fully learned the Stoops' style zone defense and they could frustrate Reid and get him to freelance.

What about your boy EJ Manuel...the next Josh Freeman or the next JaMarcus Russell???

[darrelgreenie]

That's how I typically judge it. Did the pass come out in pretty good time and was it's placement pretty easy for the WR to handle? I suppose this encompasses touch too. I can get an impression if most of the QB's completions are on the money and then just check it against their efficiency numbers if need be. Throws I'd be most interested in are intermediate depth over the middle and on the sidelines. I'd also look out for specialty throws like bucket passes that demonstrate advanced mechanics.

If I had a full set of cutups containing every attempt I could chart the passes for accuracy and just put "good," "push," or "bad."

The main things I look for when I watch cutups on a QB are general feel things:

- command of his offense: fluid passer? does the offense run well at his direction? can I see him making his adjustments? what is his offensive system like?

- does he look fluid on drop backs, are the feet smooth, is he consistent? where are his eyes?

- arm strength and accuracy of throws

- does he show off a variety of throws?

- throwing mechanics, what does his process look like?

- making good decisions most of the time or is he forcing bad throws a lot?

- does he look poised and comfortable--like he belongs?

- how does he look when he scrambles?

- does he have polish and more advanced QB skills like sliding, shovel passing, sticking bucket throws, running play action, throwing the ball away, etc

It's mostly instinctual/impressionistic for me with QBs. There are reasons that are hard for me to completely articulate for why I love Andrew Luck, Blaine Gabbert, Mark Sanchez, and Christian Ponder would be good QBs and why I really didn't like Jimmie Clausen, Cam Newton, and Ryan Mallett.

Good post and forgive the brief response, it warrants a much more detailed then I can give right now.

I think in order to truely make a comparative assessment their should be some standardization of the evaluation process.

First blush isn't always correct.

[Dukes and Skins]

Good post and forgive the brief response, it warrants a much more detailed then I can give right now.

I think in order to truely make a comparative assessment their should be some standardization of the evaluation process.

First blush isn't always correct.

I think usually you'll see us have a standardized way of doing things, but at the same time its also different with each one of us. For me I'll rate accuracy differently and my system and rating of guys is different than Steve, yourself, MartinC who have done profiles in the past. So while the idea of it being standardized is the best, it also can be hard to do

[darrelgreenie]

I think usually you'll see us have a standardized way of doing things, but at the same time its also different with each one of us. For me I'll rate accuracy differently and my system and rating of guys is different than Steve, yourself, MartinC who have done profiles in the past. So while the idea of it being standardized is the best, it also can be hard to do

I don't doubt that you guys have a standardized way of doing things in general.

And I agree that here will always be a portion of any assessment that's about feel or gut instinct, I'm not talking about that aspect.

I'm speaking specifically about standardizing the QB eval process to avoid the small differences in the actual observables.

I....think that we would all eval the accuracy of a given prospect in a given game the same.

For example when MartinC and myself chart the same game we very seldom disagree to large extent about which passes were on target vs off target.

Therefore there could be a way to standardize that skill measurement in a given game.

E.g. you could note the number of off target passes and that could be a standardized comparative measurement for accuracy.

[The Tris]

Steve, going with your theory of senior-centric drafting, perhaps we should us this list as a jumping off point for our big board:

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/The-NFP-Big-Board.html

A preseason breakdown of the top-50 senior prospects from the six major BCS conferences based off my summer of tape study.

Enjoy.

1. DE Quinton Coples: North Carolina (6-6, 278)

Can be as good as he wants to be in the NFL. The game comes very easy to him and he can be dominant in the NFL if he learns to use his hands/length better. The sky is the limit.

ICON

Irvin is a terror off the edge.

2. DE Bruce Irvin: West Virginia (6-2, 245)

A similar type athlete to Von Miller off the edge, but might be a little more natural as a pass rusher to be honest. Looks like an impact caliber kid as a 34-rush guy in the NFL, if he can continue to keep himself clean off the field. However, plays hungry and looks like he’s out to prove people wrong.

3. LB Courtney Upshaw: Alabama (6-2, 263)

I like him as a 34 outside backer who can play on the strong side, take on linemen at the point and also rush the passer. He’s at his best attacking downhill, using his strong hands to disengage and always is around the football. Looks like a year one starter to me at the next level with scheme versatility and impact potential.

4. WR Jeff Fuller: Texas A&M (6-4, 215)

An NFL ready receiver who should develop into a very capable number one threat at the next level.

5. QB Ryan Tannehill: Texas A&M (6-4, 220)

He’s smart, athletic, can make all the throws and the team really responded to him. His flaws are correctable and it’s crazy to think where this guy could be in five years with more experience and coaching. A potential franchise quarterback in my mind.

6. DT Alameda Ta’amu: Washington (6-3, 335)

This is the kind of guy who has the ability to anchor the middle of an NFL defense in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front. Needs to do a better job finding the football, but overall he looks like a starter you can win because of at the next level.

7. DE Melvin Ingram: South Carolina (6-2, 271)

A shorter, compact defender with a long set of arms, an explosive pop into contact and knows how to get after the quarterback in a number of ways. Plays fast in tight quarters and possesses an impressive pass-rushing repertoire.

8. DT Brandon Thompson: Clemson (6-2, 310)

A prospect who should be able to come in and win inside vs. the run game early on in his NFL career. Looks a bit limited as a pass rusher, but will be able to push the pocket and projects as a starting caliber 43 nose inside.

9. WR Michael Floyd: Notre Dame (6-3, 220) Wasn’t quite as dynamic as a pass catcher when he bulked up to 227, however, if he can lean himself out and improve on his stellar 2009-year, he could end up being the top wide out to come off the board come April.

10. CB Chase Minnifield: Virginia (6-0, 188)

A talented corner who can bend, re-direct, maintain balance out of his breaks and make plays on the football. Improved as the year went on in 2010 and looks like one of the more NFL ready corners in this year’s draft. Should be able to start in just about any scheme.

11. LB Lavonte David: Nebraska (6-1, 220)

He’s undersized, but really instinctive. Might be limited to more of a cover two type scheme only at the next level, but looks like a starting caliber weak side guy to me early in his NFL career.

12. CB Alfonzo Dennard: Nebraska (5-10, 205)

He’s strong/feisty, can press off the line and turn and run. Needs to clean up some technical flaws both in press and off the line, which hinders his balance. But can be a guy who could start both on the outside and play in the slot at the next level.

13. NT Josh Chapman: Alabama (6-1, 310)

Has the making of a starting caliber nose at the next level in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front. Can consistently anchor on contact, is long armed and tough to move off the football. Also, is a better pass rusher than given credit for.

14. WR Greg Childs: Arkansas (6-3, 217)

He knows what he is and plays to his strengths. Looks like a big, coordinated possession type receiver at the next level who can win in the three-step game and create some big plays for a team in jump ball situations as well.

15. OLB Travis Lewis: Oklahoma (6-2, 233)

He’s a bit undersized and doesn’t tackle as well as you would like inside the box. However, he’s a good run and hit backer who plays the run well and will be able to make plays vs. the pass game in the NFL. Looks like a day one starter to me as a 43 backer, either on the weak side or possibly in the middle.

[Forehead]

EDIT: also on the front page I will be updating it with Player Profiles and such that people do. As for the mocks it'll be tough to keep up with those so I'll just stick to player profiles

D&S

LIAR! You gave up keeping the OP updated with profiles last year. Not that I blame you, but still...LIAR!

[Dro89]

Tris that list has me drooling yo

[Dukes and Skins]

LIAR! You gave up keeping the OP updated with profiles last year. Not that I blame you, but still...LIAR!

Man we stopped doing them until March when I made a couple and posted them

[Going Commando]

Steve, going with your theory of senior-centric drafting, perhaps we should us this list as a jumping off point for our big board:

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/The-NFP-Big-Board.html

At first blush Tris, the guys I would focus on from that list as potential options for our first round pick are:

- Courtney Upshaw

- Travis Lewis

- Alameda Ta'amu

- Chase Minnifield

- Alfonso Dennard

- Josh Chapman

- Brandon Thompson

- Billy Winn

I don't think there is much of a chance we'll draft Quinton Coples (won't pick that high anyway) or Brandon Lindsey, Bruce Irvin, or Melvin Ingram. They'd all be strictly OLBs and we don't need them. I also don't see Lavonte David playing 3-4 ILB so you can probably rule him out.

Even Chapman and Thompson feel unlikely since their height makes them NTs only and we seem to like linemen with the ability to play multiple positions. I doubt those two end up being first round picks anyway. My gut instinct on Chapman is that he's not a first round talent.

I also don't think we'll pick a WR like Fuller, Criner, Childs, or Floyd early on.

There are a few things that make me uncomfortable with both Dennard and Minnifield. I like Minnifield's total skillset better than Dennard's but the one thing I really don't like about Minnifield is the lack of playmaking on the ball. A stud first round corner has got to find the football more often than he does IMO. Dennard has never really impressed me. I question his read and react ability and zone coverage and the few times I watched him he looked dreadful in run support. I don't understand the hype with him.

Of course that means we'll probably draft him

But I think Cliff Harris is a significantly bigger talent than both of them as a senior CB. And Janoris Jenkins probably is too when you consider his playmaking ability. I think you can get just as much from waiting until the third or fourth round to draft Omar Bolden or Coryell Judie as you would from drafting Minnifield or Dennard in the first. That's what I would do.

I've been watching Tannehill lately and something feels wrong about him. It's like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with him. He doesn't have enough starts to be a Shanahan first round QB IMO and he's not going to have them by the end of the season. I actually feel a lot better about Lindley, Cousins, and Weeden as potential draft choices than Tannehill. Weeden might not have enough starts either, but he'll have 1,000 attempts by the end of the season and he's such a natural and superlative QB you can't ignore him. I think he and Cousins both are big time players that will end up going in the second round.

Ta'amu reminds me of a cleaner Dan Williams from TN. I think he goes in the 20-30s if he holds par this year.

I like Levy Ad**** and Andrew Datko as potential RTs early in the class. I wouldn't mind coming away with one of them if we pick late in the first or in the second round.

I've been studying Travis Lewis too. It's so hard to tell where a player like him ends up going. Sometimes it'll be like Jerrod Mayo high, sometimes it'll be like Laurinaitis low. I think he's absolutley gone by the middle of the second. Maybe his injury will drop him a little bit but it's the sort of thing he'll have plenty of time to demonstrate he's returned to form by the end of the season.

Courtney Upshaw is a first round pick barring something terrible happening to him. He's flashes too much and is too well rounded not to be. Adalius Thomas is who he reminds me of the most. I think he'll come off the board in the early 20s unless a lot of junior LBs declare. I hope Burfict, Hightower, Nico Johnson, and Teo declare to push Upshaw down. It seems to me that each will be more desirable prospects to most than Upshaw.

---------- Post added August-31st-2011 at 09:37 PM ----------

One of the dream scenarios I keep scheming up if we finish with a teens pick is for something like this to happen:

- trade down into the mid 20s and giving up one of our fourths to gain a second round pick.

- pick Courtney Upshaw in the first.

- pick Travis Lewis with our second.

- pick Kirk Cousins or Brandon Weeden with the other second.

- pick the BPA among DL, OT, and OG/C with our third. I'm thinking RT here--Matt Reynolds or Nat Potter might be excellent values in this range.

- pick the best developmental corner in the fourth, I love an Omar Bolden pick around here.

- use the late round picks to go bargain hunting like we have in the past, maybe get some interior offensive linemen?

That's if John Beck looks pretty bad this year. If he looks good, then obviously I wouldn't draft another QB in the second round. I'd spend that pick on a RT, or ideally a nice DL like Kheeston Randall or Josh Chapman.

So in an ideal world, John Beck looks great and we don't have to address the QB position in the draft and Shanahan looks like a QB genius, we go 10-6 and either win a softened division or take a WC spot, and continue on our steady march to the top of the NFC East, and finish drafting in the early 20s.

Underlcassmen continue to declare early in droves, including almost all of the big name QBs, DBs, WRs, and ILBs (Kuechly, Teo, Burfict, Hightower),

and then this happens on draft day:

- We draft Courtney Upshaw as BPA from our senior pool in the first

- We draft Travis Lewis as BPA in the second

- We draft Kheeston Randall as BPA in the third

- We get lucky and someone like Juron Criner or Mike Brewster slips to us with our first fourth

- We take Omar Bolden with our second fourth

- We take Jaye Howard with our fifth

- We go BPA in the sixth and seventh and come away with something like Markus Zusevics and Blake DeChristopher.

I love that haul. I based the draft position of those players on where they are currently projected on CBSsports so it's kind of an "if the draft were held today" class. I think it'd be an epic class. So of course that means that half those guys will probably go in the first and second rounds...

But if it did play out like that, and assuming Fletcher retires, the defense would be absolutely nasty:

DE: Bowen, Randall, Jenkins, Carriker, Cofield, Howard, Scott

NT: Cofield, Jenkins, Howard, Neild?

OLB: Orakpo, Kerrigan, Upshaw, Alexander, Jackson, White

ILB: Upshaw, Lewis, Riley, Alexander

CB: Hall, Barnes, Wilson, Thompson, Bolden god dayaamn.

FS: Atogwe, Gomes, Moore?

SS: Landry, Gomes, Doughty?

That's more than 25 names so you'd have options.

Offense:

QB: Beck, Grossman

HB: Hightower, Helu, Torain, Royster

FB: Young, Williams

WR: Moss, Armstrong, Hankerson, Austin, Paul/Robinson

TE: Cooley, Davis, Paulsen

LT: Trent, Zusevics, DeChristopher

LG: Lichtensteiger, Brewster, Chester

OC: Montgomery, Brewster, Chester, Lichtensteiger

RG: Bewster, Montgomery, Chester, Lichtensteiger

RT: Brown, Zusevics, DeChristopher, Capers?

I love the front seven that drafting Randall, Lewis, and Upshaw would give us. You can't run well on it and Randall and Upshaw get after the pass and Lewis blitzes and covers. As Cofield ages he becomes more of a run stopping specialist and Jarvis Jenkins starts taking more of his snaps at NT. Down the line, I think Randall eventually develops into a dynamic every down DE. He and Bowen are your two best starting ends at that point with Carriker and Jenkins rotating in at both DE and NT. Carriker and Bowen eventually age but your OK with Jenkins and Randall as your core starters and possibly working Jaye Howard in as a run stopping NT.

The linebackers are super dynamic after going ILB-ILB. Upshaw lines up everywhere in the front just about but his home position will be at ILB in the base set and on running downs. His role is to solidify the middle of the run defense and let Lewis flow to the ball. On passing downs he mostly blitzes and stunts and potentially even moves to OLB while Kerrigan moves to the DL to rush from a 3 PT stance. Travis Lewis is your London Fletcher style defensive captain in charge of alignment duty and your primary tackler. He can blitz and cover on passing downs. He handles himself pretty well when being blocked by linemen and fullbacks too. He basically never comes off the field and plays every single defensive snap from rookie season onward. Perry Riley comes in at the other ILB spot for injury and in packages where we need to add range beyond what Upshaw is capable of. Orakpo and Kerrigan beast it out every down at OLB mostly and sometimes shift inside to blitz or shift to the DL in nickel/dime packages. Lorenzo thrives on special teams, injury spot duty, and in jumbo sets. Markus White and Rob Jackson are nice depth.

The CBs are really good too IMO. Bolden and Thompson look like they could be potential starters one day, particularly when Hall and Wilson start to age. Until then they are nice depth. Barnes will solidify a role as a starting CB this season or he won't. Either way he's a nice CB to have around in lots of different packages.