2018 Comprehensive NFL Draft Thread

[Est.1974]

Is Ridley widely regarded to go top 10, outside of the Bears who appear to be looking WR in FA, can't see many suitors. I think Gruden would like Ridley a lot.

[Skinsinparadise]

Gone, seemingly, are the days when teams would break the bank for two premier outside corners without having an immensely diverse and talented supporting cast (think of the old Rex Ryan teams that relied heavily on Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie).

The trend also has parallels to the linebacker position, which went through its own period of significant diversification. We’re reaching a point where even the term “defensive back” is probably too broad.

It can all be summed up by looking at the valuation of Alabama’s Minkah Fitzpatrick, the crown jewel of the 2018 DB class. In order to stand out and earn a first-round grade from teams this year, DBs are going to have to be truly spectacular and truly diverse. All Fitzpatrick had to do was master about six different positions while he was in college.

“He is the only guy I could tell you that could start at all six positions in an NFL defensive backfield,” draft guru Mike Mayock told Peter King. “Both corners, both safeties, the nickel and the dime. Nick Saban played him at a lot of his nickel and dime linebacker stuff. So he was tough enough to tackle, he’s fast enough to play corner, the NFL is a matchup league.”

https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/02/27/draft-defensive-backs-specialization-minkah-fitzpatrick-donte-jackson-joel-iyiegbuniwe-kentavius?utm_campaign=themmqb&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&__twitter_impression=true

[Skinsinparadise]

It's like they are reading this thread  heck Doug was talking about running backs in the context of what he's seeing in mock drafts.  Maybe this off season, this thread along with the mocks are required reading for the FO. 

 

Read more: http://walterfootball.com/NFLHotPress#ixzz58iHmd2Vv

Unlike most teams in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins got some early clarity for their draft strategy. While teams were in pre-combine meetings with their scouting staffs, the Redskins were able to resolve the biggest question for their offseason with the trade for veteran quarterback Alex Smith. The Smith acquisition cleared up the question of Kirk Cousins and also took the Redskins out of the market for a first-round quarterback. In speaking to Washington sources, they think there could be an opportunity to move down in the first round, and they have a number of options they will consider in the early rounds. 

With the 13th-overall pick in the first round, the Redskins feel they are in a good spot to move down, as Buffalo and Cleveland were picking in that range last year when they traded down with Kansas City and Houston, respectively. The Redskins gave up a third-round pick in the Smith trade, but they are highly likely to get a third-round compensatory pick in the 2019 NFL Draft for losing Cousins in free agency. Where the Redskins are picking, there could be some quarterback-needy teams looking to move and potentially grab a signal-caller who slipped out of the top 10, similar to Deshaun Watson last year. Some potential trade partners include Buffalo and Arizona. 

The Redskins are keeping their draft options open. They would like to add more talent to the defensive line, and they like Alabama nose tackle Da'Ron Payne. On offense, Washington is in the market for a guard. It would also consider adding more talent at wide receiver, and would really like a feature running back. In the second round, the Redskins like a group of running backs including Sony Michel, Derrius Guice, Ronald Jones and Kerryon Johnson. They don't believe that Michel or Guice will get to their second-rounder, but if they move down in the first round, they could have more ammunition to move around the draft board in the following rounds. 

In the mid-rounds, the Redskins could consider a young quarterback to groom behind Alex Smith. Two names to keep an eye on are Washington State's Luke Falk and Richmond's Kyle Lauletta. In the middle of the draft, either one could be a developmental backup that fits Jay Gruden's offense well. 

Washington has a lot of options available, and sources with the Redskins feel they are in excellent position to upgrade their team in the early rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. 

 

[actorguy1]

I hope Lamar Jackson's stock continues to rise. Might be another player that teams in the 20's would want to trade up for. 

[Skinsinparadise]

18 minutes ago, actorguy1 said:

I hope Lamar Jackson's stock continues to rise. Might be another player that teams in the 20's would want to trade up for. 

 

Yeah I was thinking the same.  Teams supposedly looking for QBs:  Jets, Denver, Buffalo, Cards, Giants, Browns, Vikings.    In a weird way, its actually good from a pure draft side of things for Kirk to end up in Minny considering they pick after us and at least buzz wise they don't seem a candidate to trade up.  We'd want McCarron to go to Cleveland because I think they still draft a QB.   Keenum maybe takes one of these teams out of it?  If so, they are still more teams that need QBs versus supply.  So yeah if one of them love L. Jackson that could be the ticket because it sounds like there is a good chance he's still there at 13.

 

   

[skinny21]

56 minutes ago, HigSkin said:

Just hypothesizing about maybe if one of the QB's they want drops to #13.  The draft charge shows 1150 to 1350 so yea, favors Skins.

I posted a new trade value chart a while back - factors in all of the trades since the new rookie scale in 2012.  Might be more accurate.  Anyway, I think one of Buffalo’s 1sts and 2nds would be a reasonable deal for 13.  

 

Ironically, although I love the idea of trading back, I wonder if it makes the decision that much tougher.  13 is probably too early for a back (though I’d be ok with Guice there) and receiver, and they’re more likely to take whoever falls.  In the 20’s though, you have options at corner, receiver, rb, and possibly oline/dline.  

[Skinsinparadise]

1.  
2. Dion Caputi‏ @nfldraftupdate 4m4 minutes ago

   More

   .@PennStateFball TE Mike Gesicki ran an unofficial first time of 4.55. Couple that with his TE-leading 41.5" vertical and a 6'6" 252lbs. frame. That's pretty freaky. #NFLCombine

[HigSkin]

We need to hope Denver lands Cousins, cause them passing on a QB and/or Giants taking Nelson instead of QB could mean one of those guys teams covet is there at #13.

3 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

1.  
2. Dion Caputi‏ @nfldraftupdate 4m4 minutes ago

   More

   .@PennStateFball TE Mike Gesicki ran an unofficial first time of 4.55. Couple that with his TE-leading 41.5" vertical and a 6'6" 252lbs. frame. That's pretty freaky. #NFLCombine

Mayock said earlier that the kid is a great blocker too!!

[skinny21]

3 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

1.  
2. Dion Caputi‏ @nfldraftupdate 4m4 minutes ago

   More

   .@PennStateFball TE Mike Gesicki ran an unofficial first time of 4.55. Couple that with his TE-leading 41.5" vertical and a 6'6" 252lbs. frame. That's pretty freaky. #NFLCombine

Gotta say, that surprises me.  Looked more of a lumberer with his routes and the ball in his hand.  Might need to go back and watch some more of his tape.  

[RWJ]

2 hours ago, HigSkin said:

Would you all trade out of #13 for Buffalo's #21 and #22?  Even if guys like Vea and Smith are there at #13?

I would HigSkin.  In a heartbeat!

[HigSkin]

Anybody else watching the TE's think as a group they appear much better at all the drills than the WR group?  

[mistertim]

Interesting that the reporting now is that the Skins are interested in Vea when earlier reporting was that they were not. Also, I still fail to see what it is that so many people see in Payne. Watching the guy's film he is pretty good but nothing special. Decent run stopper, not an effective pass rusher, disappears against double teams most of the time. IMO in the NFL he'll be a decent rotational guy, but that's all; it just makes zero sense to me...seems to be complete hype.

 

Really like they seem interested in Lauletta. IMO he's going to be a potential sleeper star. His stock seems to be so up in the air though. I've seen him projected anywhere from a low 2nd to a 6th rounder. I think there's zero chance he'll fall that far after dominating the Senior Bowl but I'd be surprised if he was picked as high as the 2nd. I'm guessing he's a 3rd-4th rounder. If we could get him in the 4th I think it would be a steal.

[fordranger76]

3 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

Yeah for a guy who has Garcon qualities with the ball in his hand, tough dude, combine that with speed.  Very enticing. 

 

It's an odd draft from my point of view as for the Redskins because the sweet spot for receiver and running back looks to be late first, early 2nd.  Guys like Kirk, Moore, Guice, Michel, Jones, etc likely sometime before our 2nd round pick.  Keim hits that here as to RB.  So what do we do, try to trade down?  Tough to trade up in the 2nd without the third rounder.   Obviously, there could be an enticing player that falls to 13.  A lot of potential permutations this time IMO.

If it were up to me I would trade back no matter what. Yes someone will fall and would be a great help but to me so much talent is in that second/late first that if we could grab an extra 2 and keep our first would be lights out. Heck when you move back that far (28-32) teams tend to have a guy slip farther than they think they would and offer up a small ransom to get back into the first. Another second would be on the table and something for the next year more than likely. I know its a lot of ifs and maybe's but you never know come draft day. Teams get antsy.

[Est.1974]

43 minutes ago, mistertim said:

Interesting that the reporting now is that the Skins are interested in Vea when earlier reporting was that they were not. Also, I still fail to see what it is that so many people see in Payne. Watching the guy's film he is pretty good but nothing special. Decent run stopper, not an effective pass rusher, disappears against double teams most of the time. IMO in the NFL he'll be a decent rotational guy, but that's all; it just makes zero sense to me...seems to be complete hype.

 

 

Seems like the 'bama boys we picked last year are lobbying the team to bring Payne on board.

[HigSkin]

19 minutes ago, UK SKINS FAN '74 said:

 

Seems like the 'bama boys we picked last year are lobbying the team to bring Payne on board.

 

[bedlamVR]

1 hour ago, mistertim said:

Interesting that the reporting now is that the Skins are interested in Vea when earlier reporting was that they were not. Also, I still fail to see what it is that so many people see in Payne. Watching the guy's film he is pretty good but nothing special. Decent run stopper, not an effective pass rusher, disappears against double teams most of the time. IMO in the NFL he'll be a decent rotational guy, but that's all; it just makes zero sense to me...seems to be complete hype.

 

Really like they seem interested in Lauletta. IMO he's going to be a potential sleeper star. His stock seems to be so up in the air though. I've seen him projected anywhere from a low 2nd to a 6th rounder. I think there's zero chance he'll fall that far after dominating the Senior Bowl but I'd be surprised if he was picked as high as the 2nd. I'm guessing he's a 3rd-4th rounder. If we could get him in the 4th I think it would be a steal.

 

Well redskins GM Chris Cooley is at the combine said recently he like Vea sooooooooo... there is that 

[HigSkin]

IMHO, QB's were average today.  I read somewhere balls thrown in the NFL rarely go over 30 yds so kind of takes away from the Allen intrigue unless you're a team that runs a lot of hail Mary's.  LOL

[mistertim]

43 minutes ago, HigSkin said:

 

 

I really hope that that is all completely secondary to what they see on tape. Of course their old teammate will lobby for him. I'm sure he's a good guy and their friend and they have chemistry with him. That doesn't mean he's worth a 1st round pick, and IMO he definitely isn't. 

[Bonez3]

Payne definitely played his 2 best games of his career in the college playoffs

[mistertim]

30 minutes ago, Bonez3 said:

Payne definitely played his 2 best games of his career in the college playoffs

 

Yeah and I think that's where the hype comes from. But if you watch his tape he just doesn't really stand out. Seems to have a high motor and great intensity but doesn't really have the skills to go with it. Pretty good at shedding single blockers and getting to the ball carrier but tends get handled pretty easily and pushed back by double teams (and even chip blocks sometimes) which isn't something you really want from you 0/1 tech guy, and the C/Gs he'll be going against in the NFL will be much better than most of the ones he went against in college. He also isn't much of a pass rusher, though he seems to have decent technique to his swim and club moves but appears to have a hard time actually finishing them as he rarely gets to the QB. Couple of good things I will say about him is that he has a very good explosion off the line and has a knack for batting down passes. I just don't see him as a future star which is generally what you want out of your 1st round pick.

[SWFLSkins]

27 minutes ago, mistertim said:

 

I really hope that that is all completely secondary to what they see on tape. Of course their old teammate will lobby for him. I'm sure he's a good guy and their friend and they have chemistry with him. That doesn't mean he's worth a 1st round pick, and IMO he definitely isn't. 

 

26 minutes ago, Bonez3 said:

Payne definitely played his 2 best games of his career in the college playoffs

 

IF the Redskins buy the hype and draft him, it maybe the straw that breaks Bruce's back....I would like to see him fall, us trade back, get some more picks and still snag him in the 20s with a 2nd or 3rd added. 

1 minute ago, mistertim said:

 

Yeah and I think that's where the hype comes from. But if you watch his tape he just doesn't really stand out. Seems to have a high motor and great intensity but doesn't really have the skills to go with it. Pretty good at shedding single blockers and getting to the ball carrier but tends get handled pretty easily by double teams which isn't something you really want from you 0/1 tech guy. He also isn't much of a pass rusher, though he seems to have decent technique to his swim and club moves but appears to have a hard time actually finishing them as he rarely gets to the QB. Couple of good things I will say about him is that he has a very good explosion off the line and has a knack for batting down passes. I just don't see him as a future star which is generally what you want out of your 1st round pick.

 

And this is where Tomsula comes into play, He knows what he is looking at, will the FO draft team listen to the Coaches? IDK

[Skinsinparadise]

2 hours ago, mistertim said:

Interesting that the reporting now is that the Skins are interested in Vea when earlier reporting was that they were not. Also, I still fail to see what it is that so many people see in Payne. Watching the guy's film he is pretty good but nothing special. Decent run stopper, not an effective pass rusher, disappears against double teams most of the time. IMO in the NFL he'll be a decent rotational guy, but that's all; it just makes zero sense to me...seems to be complete hype.

 

Really like they seem interested in Lauletta. IMO he's going to be a potential sleeper star. His stock seems to be so up in the air though. I've seen him projected anywhere from a low 2nd to a 6th rounder. I think there's zero chance he'll fall that far after dominating the Senior Bowl but I'd be surprised if he was picked as high as the 2nd. I'm guessing he's a 3rd-4th rounder. If we could get him in the 4th I think it would be a steal.

 

Yeah I am wondering if you can get similar value in the 2nd with Harrison Phillips.  The dude benched 42 reps today (Payne did 27, Vea 41), wow.  Or Nnadi, Settle.

 

At the moment I am at the reverse of the typical scenario that's laid out for the Redskins which is take the run stuffing DT first and the RB later.  I'd take the RB first and the DT in the 2nd round -- if I can trade down.  Just like that Walter Football article laid out.  And again this is assuming that there are no surprise drops to 13 like Fitzpatrick, etc.

 

Not that I am departing from a BPA approach but the draft does seem set up well to address our weaknesses as for stopping the run and running the ball.  

[Bonez3]

On 9/9/2017 at 9:58 AM, Bonez3 said:

Saquon Barkley is the best player in the nation this year... Big RB year

And... if he's not the first player taken in the draft the Browns are idiots and I will keep laughing at them.

 

There are players you can build teams around and they're not even in every draft. Barkley is one of them

[Redskins Reparations]

Updated March 3, 2018
By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
 

 

Unlike most teams in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins got some early clarity for their draft strategy. While teams were in pre-combine meetings with their scouting staffs, the Redskins were able to resolve the biggest question for their offseason with the trade for veteran quarterback Alex Smith. The Smith acquisition cleared up the question of Kirk Cousins and also took the Redskins out of the market for a first-round quarterback. In speaking to Washington sources, they think there could be an opportunity to move down in the first round, and they have a number of options they will consider in the early rounds.

With the 13th-overall pick in the first round, the Redskins feel they are in a good spot to move down, as Buffalo and Cleveland were picking in that range last year when they traded down with Kansas City and Houston, respectively. The Redskins gave up a third-round pick in the Smith trade, but they are highly likely to get a third-round compensatory pick in the 2019 NFL Draft for losing Cousins in free agency. Where the Redskins are picking, there could be some quarterback-needy teams looking to move and potentially grab a signal-caller who slipped out of the top 10, similar to Deshaun Watson last year. Some potential trade partners include Buffalo and Arizona.

The Redskins are keeping their draft options open. They would like to add more talent to the defensive line, and they like Alabama nose tackle Da'Ron Payne. On offense, Washington is in the market for a guard. It would also consider adding more talent at wide receiver, and would really like a feature running back. In the second round, the Redskins like a group of running backs including Sony Michel, Derrius Guice, Ronald Jones and Kerryon Johnson. They don't believe that Michel or Guice will get to their second-rounder, but if they move down in the first round, they could have more ammunition to move around the draft board in the following rounds.

In the mid-rounds, the Redskins could consider a young quarterback to groom behind Alex Smith. Two names to keep an eye on are Washington State's Luke Falk and Richmond's Kyle Lauletta. In the middle of the draft, either one could be a developmental backup that fits Jay Gruden's offense well.

Washington has a lot of options available, and sources with the Redskins feel they are in excellent position to upgrade their team in the early rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft.

[fordranger76]

It's interesting to see some of the market share guys performing well at the combine. Wonder how that all compares to previous combines/drafts. Glad to see two that I am most interested in (Moore and Phillips) are having good showings. Just hope the Skins brass don't screw this draft up. Could be a franchise maker and I am not kidding.