2015 NFL Comprehensive Draft Database

[worldpost]

I'm focused on offensive line.. Especially RT.. Brandon Scherff from Iowa may not be the highest graded T however he is the most 

natural plug in ..  Road Grater is something we haven't heard outside of Trent Williams in awhile.

[Conn]

I'm focused on offensive line.. Especially RT.. Brandon Scherff from Iowa may not be the highest graded T however he is the most 

natural plug in ..  Road Grater is something we haven't heard outside of Trent Williams in awhile.

Scherff could be perfect....he showing some limitations that might prevent him from being an elite LT in the NFL...but we don't care about that, we want a RT.

I think we pick between 6-10 and I think he'll be in the mix.

[Laron Burgundy]

I'm focused on offensive line.. Especially RT.. Brandon Scherff from Iowa may not be the highest graded T however he is the most

natural plug in .. Road Grater is something we haven't heard outside of Trent Williams in awhile.

I would love scherff, I feel like even if he doesn't make it at tackle he would be a monster guard. I'll be interested to see him in drills at the combine, he could be one of those who drop from something silly like a 40 time or agility drills, but I just can't see him bust with the way he plays.

[KDawg]

I'm in no way saying this for us in the first or even second... (I don't really think taking a RB in the first/second is necessary unless you're a back away...)

 

But Duke Johnson is incredible. As someone who follows Miami, I've always thought that. But the team is literally on his back right now and he's carrying them. He's that rare X-Factor type player that can play tail or slot. He gives you a lot of flexibility and he's got incredible vision. 

 

And he runs hard. He's a little on the small side at 5'9"/206 but he's one of those guys that if he's around in the third round, pretty much no team that runs any semblance of a zone scheme can pass on him. 

 

I wasn't all that impressed with the offensive line, either. That's not saying they were bad or anything. Just nothing to write home about. 

[DC9]

I'm in no way saying this for us in the first or even second... (I don't really think taking a RB in the first/second is necessary unless you're a back away...)

 

But Duke Johnson is incredible. As someone who follows Miami, I've always thought that. But the team is literally on his back right now and he's carrying them. He's that rare X-Factor type player that can play tail or slot. He gives you a lot of flexibility and he's got incredible vision. 

 

And he runs hard. He's a little on the small side at 5'9"/206 but he's one of those guys that if he's around in the third round, pretty much no team that runs any semblance of a zone scheme can pass on him. 

 

I wasn't all that impressed with the offensive line, either. That's not saying they were bad or anything. Just nothing to write home about. 

 

In a draft that seems very top heavy (meaning that there only appear to be a few "locks" on linemen) on the lines, this might not be a bad move. 

 

He's a smallish type runner but he runs very big.  And that speed is enticing as well.  Over 100 yards per game when the defense keys on you is impressive. 

But I'm with you, never ever in the 1st or 2nd round.

[Going Commando]

You can get really good value out of RBs with mid rounders. And usually get really high quality ones in the second. I think it's one of those positions where even teams with good RBs can get good value from drafting a RB every year or every other year because the attrition rate is terrible.

Right now, my order of preference for our first rounder is probably:

1.) Williams

2.) Scherff

3.) Collins

But I haven't really thought about or evaluated Peat or Ogbuehi yet. And I haven't figured out how Randy Gregory fits in. The dude could easily be BPA when we pick...

[bradboyd80]

You can get really good value out of RBs with mid rounders. And usually get really high quality ones in the second. I think it's one of those positions where even teams with good RBs can get good value from drafting a RB every year or every other year because the attrition rate is terrible.

Right now, my order of preference for our first rounder is probably:

1.) Williams

2.) Scherff

3.) Collins

But I haven't really thought about or evaluated Peat or Ogbuehi yet. And I haven't figured out how Randy Gregory fits in. The dude could easily be BPA when we pick...

Everything I keep reading (I'm definitely no expert) about Ogbuehi is that he's really stuggling this year and is likely to slide.  Not sure if that will happen though. 

[Going Commando]

Brave sent me a PM about Todd Gurley, and I wanted to bring that discussion into the thread because I think it is very interesting. I think Gurley is a top ten pick, so he's in our probable range as a potential BPA pick.

The dude has truly special talent, he stands out like other highly drafted skill position players as a physical anomaly like Adrian Peterson, Trent Richardson (WTF happened with him?), Calvin Johnson, Sammy Watkins, Julio Jones, A.J. Green, Darren McFadden (WTF happened to him too?), and going back 11 years (wow) with Larry Fitzgerald.

They're Non QB talents so spectacular they were arguably the best offensive player in CFB at some point and could have/should have won the Heisman.

Gurley is in that class IMO. I think he's kind of like a rich man's Marshawn Lynch (how he panned out big time and Trent Richardson didn't is one of the draft's mysteries). Gurley is an old school super talented work horse a la Eric Dickerson that can literally carry an offense. I think he's the best offensive player in the class and the only one without any real holes in the resume, and consequently, the one I would most confidently project can be a Pro-Bowler.

So, given all that, would you pick him if he's available and the clear BPA?

I think I would. My feeling is you never end up really complaining about picking a future All Pro with any draft pick, no matter the position.

But the positional value is hard to stomach. It's one of those positions where you're thrilled if you get three or four great seasons out of a back, the attrition is horrific. That gives me the most pause. In the best realistic scenario for my draft pick, would I rather have the All Pro RB for three years, or a pretty good right tackle or corner who holds down the job for like eight years? I'm not sure.

I also love Alfred Morris and would be sad to see him replaced. I think he can still be good here too, he's just having a rough year like almost everyone in our offense.

If we actually do end up drafting Gurley, it'd signify a philosophical shift too. A move towards a power running game, so I think you'd see that kind of pick in conjunction with the addition of more size to the offensive line.

But damn, Gurley, behind a big line and with RGIII in the backfield, would be intimidating. Gurley creates for himself at and before the LoS so effortlessly, and he's such a terrifying open field runner that nobody wants to tackle. And RGIII takes a defender out of the equation just by being on the field. Gurley would see so many easy fronts here. He could be a monster and we could run for 200 yards a game and sustain drives so much more easily and not really have to do much else on offense.

It'd be nice for things not to rest entirely on RGIII. Nice to have another impact player, giving us five on offense IMO (RGIII, Jackson, Reed, Williams the other four).

And it'd be nice for our defense--which is NOT a dominating unit that controls the LoS nor avoids giving up big plays--to get to play with ToP skewed heavily in their favor. A ballhawking unit can play with confidence knowing their offense sustains their drives.

So yeah, Gurley can definitely help us, and in the short term too. I'd take him if he were BPA.

[KDawg]

So, given all that, would you pick him if he's available and the clear BPA?

I think I would. My feeling is you never end up really complaining about picking a future All Pro with any draft pick, no matter the position.

But the positional value is hard to stomach. It's one of those positions where you're thrilled if you get three or four great seasons out of a back, the attrition is horrific. That gives me the most pause. In the best realistic scenario for my draft pick, would I rather have the All Pro RB for three years, or a pretty good right tackle or corner who holds down the job for like eight years? I'm not sure.

If we actually do end up drafting Gurley, it'd signify a philosophical shift too. A move towards a power running game, so I think you'd see that kind of pick in conjunction with the addition of more size to the offensive line.

But damn, Gurley, behind a big line and with RGIII in the backfield, would be intimidating. Gurley creates for himself at and before the LoS so effortlessly, and he's such a terrifying open field runner that nobody wants to tackle. And RGIII takes a defender out of the equation just by being on the field. Gurley would see so many easy fronts here. He could be a monster and we could run for 200 yards a game and sustain drives so much more easily and not really have to do much else on offense.

It'd be nice for things not to rest entirely on RGIII. Nice to have another impact player, giving us five on offense IMO (RGIII, Jackson, Reed, Williams the other four).

So yeah, Gurley can definitely help us, and in the short term too. I'd take him if he were BPA.

 

No. Absolutely not. Zero chance.

 

Taking a running back in the first or second round with glaring needs at LG, RG, RT, NT, DE, ILB, FS, SS, CB is asinine. If using a weighted formula, Gurley still shouldn't grade out above some prospects in positions of need. 

 

That's not to say that I don't agree that Gurley isn't a special talent. I think he is. So is Duke Johnson. The Redskins aren't in any kind of position to draft running back that early. If Gurley is as coveted as you say he is, and he's available at our choice, that gives us a lot of opportunity to trade back. Take that opportunity. Shore up the offensive and defensive fronts. Find a corner or safety with an extra 2/3.

 

Under no circumstances should we use a top ten pick on a running back.

[Gregpeck99]

I think Skins use their top pick on a QB (Mariotta) or one of the many superb edge rushers (Beasley) who will be available in 2015.

[Going Commando]

No. Absolutely not. Zero chance.

 

Taking a running back in the first or second round with glaring needs at LG, RG, RT, NT, DE, ILB, FS, SS, CB is asinine. If using a weighted formula, Gurley still shouldn't grade out above some prospects in positions of need. 

 

That's not to say that I don't agree that Gurley isn't a special talent. I think he is. So is Duke Johnson. The Redskins aren't in any kind of position to draft running back that early. If Gurley is as coveted as you say he is, and he's available at our choice, that gives us a lot of opportunity to trade back. Take that opportunity. Shore up the offensive and defensive fronts. Find a corner or safety with an extra 2/3.

 

Under no circumstances should we use a top ten pick on a running back.

You wouldn't draft him for BPA?

I think you have to go BPA at every pick, only weighing positional value among players in the same tier. When you talk about passing on him because of needs at X, Y, and Z other positions, you're talking about making a pick based on immediate positional need. That's how you end up getting poor value for your draft picks and a losing roster full of mediocrity IMO.

Picking BPA in the top ten is especially important IMO. This is the range where you can realistically hope to get a foundation player--a long term mainstay that ends up defining the identity of your team.

I'm also not a big fan of trading down when there are elite talents on the board at your spot. Getting an A+ player is worth more than a handful of B players or even a B+ player and some change like we did in 2011. Kerrigan has come up big for us no doubt, but we damn sure would have been better off staying put and picking a J.J. Watt. The run of the mill level player you pick in one draft is the player you're perpetually looking to upgrade starting the next offseason.

QB is the only position where I think--if you have the need--you draft it over superior talent elsewhere when you're picking at the top of a draft. That's because every regime that wants a chance of succeeding must find it's long term plan at QB immediately. You're not actually competing in the NFL until you have one.

Everything else should be done according to BPA with regard for positional value reserved for prospects within the same tier.

As a whole, NFL teams are, by FAR, the most reactionary and short-sighted with their drafts. They chew threw players and regimes because the draft is so mis-utilized. This despite the fact NFL teams get three and four years of performance in high level competition from older, more physically and emotionally mature prospects to evaluate and project than the other sports.

To me, the absolute worst way to think about and utilize the draft is as a tool for filling today's potholes on your roster. And that's what a lot of NFL teams seem to do. The best way is to think about it as the single best tool for building the long term foundation and identity of your roster. The work of filling in the potholes never ends, and it's something you can use your cap money on reliably and effectively.

The most important questions about Gurley for me are: 1.) does he fit here? 2.) what kind of opportunity would he have to play? 3.) and is anyone else in his tier?

On the offensive side, I haven't really seen anyone else who's in his tier yet. Maybe some defensive players are. Fit-wise, I'm thinking yes. And I think he'd have the opportunity to displace Morris and Helu, start immediately, and get a ton of carries.

[Going Commando]

Just to add on, the NFL draft is also the most crucial for future team success out of the major sports because the league has a hard salary cap, revenue sharing that completely negates any advantage that could come from differences in markets, a much higher frequency of injuries and shorter player careers on average, a larger roster size to fill, strong restricted free agency tools that coupled with those shorter player careers allow teams to control a much larger proportion of a player's career than say, the NBA for example.

NBA teams can routinely draft like crap and still be elite. In the NFL, good teams can have a bad draft or two and take a huge step backwards. And no teams sustain excellence without excellent drafting. Drafting for need leads to bad drafting.

[KDawg]

I don't believe in tiers.

 

I believe in BPA with weights for positions of need. I don't think Gurley's skill, which is high, weighs higher than other players who are skilled AND in positions of need.

 

I also don't believe that running back is a position that you need to use a top ten pick to adequately fill. 

[Bantu]

I don't believe in tiers.

I believe in BPA with weights for positions of need. I don't think Gurley's skill, which is high, weighs higher than other players who are skilled AND in positions of need.

I also don't believe that running back is a position that you need to use a top ten pick to adequately fill.

^^^Agree 100%

RT is a glaring need and something that, historically, could be picked up early in the 1st with a low bust rate. Personally, I feel an upgrade to that position could provide a positive domino effect to the entire offense.

Safety, OT, and pass rusher will be glaring needs so if any FA can fill those holes , they'll probably try to sign them.

[hanburgerhelper]

Rb and ot should be real considerations for positional and financial flexibility. Someone smart made the case for Scherff at guard for example.If something happens to Trent we are covered and yet the entire line gets upgraded. Same principle for Gurley-BPA with financial and positional security.

[Laron Burgundy]

I will say we lost out big time when we drafted laron over Peterson because our need was at ss and not rb. Gurley is a peterson-esque talent.

It's a tough pick to swallow but I think, realistically, we might be faced with Gurley or a tackle with a lot of question marks. My biggest fear is we win enough games to be out of the elite prospects and in to the players with potential or players with limitations part of the 1st, usually around pick 7. It could be reasonable to think you could get a solid prospect like bitonio in the 2nd instead of reaching on one who is slightly better in the top 10.

You don't regret drafting an all-pro. I like what Morris has done for us, I'm a huge fan of his, but two things, his contract is up next year and we'll have to pay a premium to keep him, and he may not be a fit for gruden's offense. Combine those together and you're looking at him likely not being here in 2016.

[darrelgreenie]

Jay doesn't strike me as the type of coach that will get the most out a RB like Gurley.

[Taylor703]

I will say we lost out big time when we drafted laron over Peterson because our need was at ss and not rb. Gurley is a peterson-esque talent.

It's a tough pick to swallow but I think, realistically, we might be faced with Gurley or a tackle with a lot of question marks. My biggest fear is we win enough games to be out of the elite prospects and in to the players with potential or players with limitations part of the 1st, usually around pick 7. It could be reasonable to think you could get a solid prospect like bitonio in the 2nd instead of reaching on one who is slightly better in the top 10.

You don't regret drafting an all-pro. I like what Morris has done for us, I'm a huge fan of his, but two things, his contract is up next year and we'll have to pay a premium to keep him, and he may not be a fit for gruden's offense. Combine those together and you're looking at him likely not being here in 2016.

I'm sorry but if Gruden can't figure out how to use a back that has 3K yards and 20 TDs in a little over two seasons than the RB is not the problem...

I think Skins use their top pick on a QB (Mariotta) or one of the many superb edge rushers (Beasley) who will be available in 2015.

I'm telling you, this team is on thin ice with the fanbase. If they spend their first round pick on another QB and ignore the OL, Passrushers or safety's than fans are going to leave in droves. Picking another QB would be a monumental mistake.

[Laron Burgundy]

Jay doesn't strike me as the type of coach that will get the most out a RB like Gurley.

 

I am in complete agreement with that!  But Allen and he have both shown the tendency to draft RB's much earlier than Shanahan (Cadillac Williams in TB and Bernard in CIN).  I'm sure Gruden covets a workhorse RB who can be a weapon in the receiving game and that's definitely Gurley.

 

I'm sorry but if Gruden can't figure out how to use a back that has 3K yards and 20 TDs in a little over two seasons than the RB is not the problem...

I'm telling you, this team is on thin ice with the fanbase. If they spend their first round pick on another QB and ignore the OL, Passrushers or safety's than fans are going to leave in droves. Picking another QB would be a monumental mistake.

 

And I'm in complete agreement with that as well, but our team made that decision when they scrapped the Shanaclan for Gruden.  The Shanahans have a history of getting much more out of RB's than other coaches, so it isn't exactly surprising that Morris isn't excelling in this new system.  If we could trade him to Cleveland for a 3rd I'd jump all over that.  Probably the best thing for his career and for our team as, like I said, I have a feeling this FO will move on from him if he continues at this pace.

 

And yes, going for another QB would be beyond disastrous.  We gave Jason Campbell until his 5th year until we dumped him, and he never, in ANY game, looked as good as RG3 does in some of his worst games.  RG3's 2013 was equivalent to Campbell's best year.  Those were some really sad, sad times.

[TheGoodBits]

Can honestly say that if the Skins took a QB in the 1st this year I would have to find a new team until someone else is running the show.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

My preliminary list

 

1.)Williams

2.)Gurley

3.)Collins

[AlvinWaltonIsMyBoy]

Glad KDawg chimed in on Duke Johnson.  That kid's been very good since he started playing at Da U.  I think he missed some time for injury last season, glad he's back and playing well this season.  Good for him.

 

Gurley played right down the road from where I grew up.  He's a heckuva player, and a great kid.  Probably would've gotten him to UNC if Butch Davis hadn't been fired.

 

However, in my eyes, AP was a much better prospect than Gurley.  I thought AP was as generational type talent, much in the way I felt about Clowney this year.  I don't see that in Gurley.  I hope he proves me wrong, wherever he ends up.  And is he is from the same small town as Kelvin Bryant, so we got that going for us.

[Laron Burgundy]

Glad KDawg chimed in on Duke Johnson.  That kid's been very good since he started playing at Da U.  I think he missed some time for injury last season, glad he's back and playing well this season.  Good for him.

 

Gurley played right down the road from where I grew up.  He's a heckuva player, and a great kid.  Probably would've gotten him to UNC if Butch Davis hadn't been fired.

 

However, in my eyes, AP was a much better prospect than Gurley.  I thought AP was as generational type talent, much in the way I felt about Clowney this year.  I don't see that in Gurley.  I hope he proves me wrong, wherever he ends up.  And is he is from the same small town as Kelvin Bryant, so we got that going for us.

 

Hard to believe AP has been in the league longer now than LT was when AP was drafted.  I disagree on AP being a much better prospect.  Gurley seems more versatile and he doesn't have the injury history that AP had.  Personally I think Gurley is even a better prospect, though it is close.

 

I like Duke as well, I don't understand how he's rated much below Melvin Gordon, I think when it all shakes out he'll be the #3 rb in this class, perhaps even #2.  He reminds me a bit of lesean mccoy.

[Conn]

Glad KDawg chimed in on Duke Johnson.  That kid's been very good since he started playing at Da U.  I think he missed some time for injury last season, glad he's back and playing well this season.  Good for him.

 

Gurley played right down the road from where I grew up.  He's a heckuva player, and a great kid.  Probably would've gotten him to UNC if Butch Davis hadn't been fired.

 

However, in my eyes, AP was a much better prospect than Gurley.  I thought AP was as generational type talent, much in the way I felt about Clowney this year.  I don't see that in Gurley.  I hope he proves me wrong, wherever he ends up.  And is he is from the same small town as Kelvin Bryant, so we got that going for us.

Two things that balance out the difference in AP and Gurley's talent as runners, whatever that difference is.

1. People forget but AP was seen as a pretty big injury risk coming out.

2. AP has made almost no impact in the passing game. Gurley fits this modern NFL much better and let's you switch it up.

[Going Commando]

Can honestly say that if the Skins took a QB in the 1st this year I would have to find a new team until someone else is running the show.

I wouldn't find a new team, but I'd stop watching the Skins altogether.