2021 Comprehensive Draft Thread

[seantaylor=god]

19 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

I'll try and figure out my thoughts on Horn and Farley and contribute to a discussion on them, as well as to a discussion on that third tier of OL prospects I mentioned.

I know Ron-Mar really value building through the trenches, so if there is a player close to BPA at OT I’m pretty confident that’s the pick. If you stockpile talented Offensive lineman who can play multiple positions then you really can hedge against season-ruining poor oline play. And since OTs are the most expensive and hardest to find, I think from a draft philosophy standpoint it makes a ton of sense to invest in OT in the first.

 

I also would appreciate a breakdown of defensive backs. That’s another position where it makes sense to stockpile players. It’s hard to find great defensive backs and there are 4-6 of them on the field plus depth. You have to find a ton of good ones. We have a leg up because of our dline, but we could upgrade all over the defensive backfield.

[The Sisko]

14 hours ago, WEARE1554 said:

It is vague. Throughout the entire process there was enough evidence- judge was going to dismiss the case due to no evidence and no cause.  Some just hate penn state and bring up the evil Sandusky 

Except in this case it was the PSU player bringing up the evil Sandusky. If we were the Steelers, Patsies or another team with an ongoing strong culture, I’d say we could risk it. As other have alluded to, we’re not those teams and we’ve only got one year of moving toward the right culture. Parsons is way too much of a risk for that reason and because we’re still in full rebuild mode and we simply can’t afford high draft pick busts.

[Skinsinparadise]

I mentioned this before but I saw a study once that showed a stronger correlation to O line combine stats especially speed and agility to NFL success than any other spot. 

 

 

 

 

1. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: QB TREVOR LAWRENCE, CLEMSON

If the Jaguars take up the full 10 minutes on draft night, they should be forced to forfeit future picks.

2. NEW YORK JETS: QB ZACH WILSON, BYU

Until the Jets come out and tell us otherwise, you can’t convince me this won’t be the pick. Sure, you could roll the dice with Sam Darnold, but then you’ll have to pay him immediately afterward. Four cheap years with Wilson could quickly put the Jets in Super Bowl contention.

3. MIAMI DOLPHINS (FROM HOUSTON😞 T PENEI SEWELL, OREGON

Sewell is simply too rare for me to see any team not in need of a quarterback passing on him. I don’t care what other needs you got; every offensive line in the NFL could use Sewell. He was the highest-graded offensive tackle in the country as a true sophomore.

4. CAROLINA PANTHERS (FROM ATLANTA😞 QB JUSTIN FIELDS, OHIO STATE

The Panthers are on the upswing and won’t be in a position to pounce on next year's quarterback class. Teddy Bridgewater is a limited passer whose 66.4 passing grade isn’t getting it done in this day and age. I don’t expect them to leave their quarterback decision up to whoever falls in their lap.

 

5. CINCINNATI BENGALS: WR JA’MARR CHASE, LSU

The Ja'Marr Chase-Joe Burrow connection is too much to pass up with Sewell off the board. Chase is the deep threat this offense was missing in 2020 — the LSU product led the country with 24 deep receptions as a sophomore.

6. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: WR DEVONTA SMITH, ALABAMA

The idea of taking a first-round receiver in back-to-back years (and a second-round receiver the year prior) may be a tough pill to swallow, but those are sunk costs. The Eagles need a reliable No. 1 receiver, and Smith quite obviously fits that bill.

7. DENVER BRONCOS FROM (DETROIT😞 QB TREY LANCE, NORTH DAKOTA STATE

This isn’t giving up on Drew Lock; it’s admitting he hasn’t been good enough. Lance isn’t necessarily the guy you want to start Year 1, but he’s got the tools required to open up the Denver Broncos offense.

8. ATLANTA FALCONS FROM (CAROLINA😞 TE KYLE PITTS, FLORIDA

The Falcons defense may have struggled last year, but they still shouldn't pass up a talent like Pitts. He had the highest receiving grade we’ve ever given to a tight end in college this past season and is the true middle-of-the-field threat the offense has been missing.

 

9. DETROIT LIONS (FROM DENVER😞 LB MICAH PARSONS, PENN STATE

It seems fairly clear that Chris Spielman is leaving his fingerprints on the Lions' moves of late. If that continues through the draft, he’ll certainly be enamored with Parsons' throwback size and skill set at his former position. Parsons earned the second-highest run-defense grade we’ve given a linebacker as a sophomore in 2019.

10. DALLAS COWBOYS: CB CALEB FARLEY, VIRGINIA TECH

The Cowboys could reunite the Alabama duo of Trevon Diggs and Patrick Surtain II, but it would give Dallas one of the slowest starting corner tandems in the league. Farley has the best physical tools of any corner in the class and only allowed a passer rating of 26.8 on throws into his coverage in 2019.

11. NEW YORK GIANTS: CB PATRICK SURTAIN II, ALABAMA

Surtain is about as NFL-ready as it gets at the position, and his 88.6 coverage grade in 2019 was the second-highest in the country. While there are numerous other needs on the roster, a corner across from James Bradberry is a big one, as well.

12. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: EDGE KWITY PAYE, MICHIGAN

Dee Ford looks bound for the chopping block this offseason and Arik Armstead’s versatility can slot in a lot of places along the defensive line. The 49ers defense relies on that front four to get home, and Paye’s freak athleticism could benefit from learning across from Nick Bosa.

13. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS: T RASHAWN SLATER, NORTHWESTERN

Whether it’s at tackle or guard, Slater can serve as an immediate upgrade for the offensive line-needy Chargers. We last saw him in 2019, and he allowed all of five pressures all season.

 

14. MINNESOTA VIKINGS: DI CHRISTIAN BARMORE, ALABAMA

The Vikings need edge and interior, so this decision comes down to positional scarcity. It’s a weak defensive tackle class, and Barmore is a massive upgrade as a prospect over what you can find in the second or third round at defensive tackle. The edge class is much deeper, though, and it includes some athletic projects who will fall.

15. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: WR JAYLEN WADDLE, ALABAMA

This would be a dream scenario for the wide receiver-needy Patriots. Waddle not only brings some much-needed speed to the table; he's also someone who can just flat-out get open.

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS: T CHRISTIAN DARRISAW, VIRGINIA TECH

With the top-three receivers and Kyle Pitts off the board, the Cardinals can go a number of different ways. Darrisaw could not only protect their franchise quarterback, but he can also take their running game to the next level given his 94.5 run-blocking grade in 2019. With Kelvin Beachum on a one-year deal and never being much a run-blocker, this could be the best long-term option.

17. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS: LB NICK BOLTON, MISSOURI

Mike Mayock is still searching for a leader on the Raiders' floundering defense, and that’s Bolton to a T. He’s a big-hitter who’s consistently around the ball and owns the second-highest grade of any linebacker behind Micah Parsons over the past two seasons.

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS: LB JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH, NOTRE DAME

Owusu-Koramoah can play man coverage better than any other linebacker in this class. He was pretty much a slot corner in Notre Dame’s defense and can bring that versatility to Brian Flores’ squad.

19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM: T ALIJAH VERA-TUCKER, USC

He’s likely a guard, but after what we saw from him at left tackle this past season, I wouldn’t put it past him. Both positions are obviously needs, but guard becomes an even bigger priority if the Football Team can’t re-sign Brandon Scherff.

[Koolblue13]

2 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I don't want a RB in the 1st round. Too many good ones are always available in the middle of the draft.

Does every team have a great RB?

15 hours ago, WEARE1554 said:

It is vague. Throughout the entire process there was enough evidence- judge was going to dismiss the case due to no evidence and no cause.  Some just hate penn state and bring up the evil Sandusky 

This post reads like you're dismissing or accepting an old man molesting boys that want to play in the NFL. Im from PA and thats pretty much home team (temple) and I'd never brush that over for a game. Thats disgusting and the fact its not taken seriously now is so much worse. 

[Going Commando]

2 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I don't want a RB in the 1st round. Too many good ones are always available in the middle of the draft.

 

Najee isn't just a good RB prospect though.  He is a great one, and probably the honest BPA candidate at 19 in almost all of the mock draft scenarios I've been seeing lately.  I put on cut ups of Bama-SC to watch Jaycee Horn, of Bama vs LSU to watch Jabril Cox, or Bama vs Mizzou to watch Nick Bolton, and it's just so obvious that Najee is the best player on the field that it starts to feel crazy to take any of these other guys over him.  He has that palpable man among boys quality that projects him to be a future superstar.

 

With Etienne and Harris, we're talking about guys who have a realistic chance at being Kamara/McCaffrey/Bell/Henry god tier weapons on their first contracts.  You have to throw position value out for prospects like them because they can elevate you so much more than normal backs.

[JamesMadisonSkins]

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM: T ALIJAH VERA-TUCKER, USC

He’s likely a guard, but after what we saw from him at left tackle this past season, I wouldn’t put it past him. Both positions are obviously needs, but guard becomes an even bigger priority if the Football Team can’t re-sign Brandon Scherff.

 

I know it's just a mock draft, but comments like this do annoy me. Yes Tackle is a need, but Guard is definitely NOT a need if we bring back Scherff. Scherff + Schweitzer with Ismael, Martin and Charles as backup T/G/C types ... the interior is far from a problem. If Scherff walks then yes, we should draft a Guard to replace him, but the comment makes it seem like Guard is an issue even if we bring him back (not true).

[Going Commando]

2 hours ago, seantaylor=god said:

I know Ron-Mar really value building through the trenches, so if there is a player close to BPA at OT I’m pretty confident that’s the pick. If you stockpile talented Offensive lineman who can play multiple positions then you really can hedge against season-ruining poor oline play. And since OTs are the most expensive and hardest to find, I think from a draft philosophy standpoint it makes a ton of sense to invest in OT in the first.

 

I also would appreciate a breakdown of defensive backs. That’s another position where it makes sense to stockpile players. It’s hard to find great defensive backs and there are 4-6 of them on the field plus depth. You have to find a ton of good ones. We have a leg up because of our dline, but we could upgrade all over the defensive backfield.

 

Good points, and I agree with you on the value of building the pipeline in the OL and secondary.  But the problem I've seen is that the obvious BPA type OTs in Darrisaw and Slater are going ahead of 19 in most of the mocks now.  It's putting us into trade down territory for the OL, because the third tier of OLs value probably starts in the late 20s and goes through the 40s.  I can't justify reaching for an OL over much stronger BPA candidates at 19 like Zaven Collins and Najee Harris and Travis Etienne.  And my take is that Cosmi, Eichenberg, Mayfield, and definitely Vera-Tucker would be bad reaches if Collins and those RBs were still on the board.

 

That's why I'm so tempted to take the risk and trade down.  Could lead to a huge payoff in draft value.  It'd put us in a more natural range for the third tier of OLs or second and third tiers of LBers and DBs and RBs.  Give us more chances to swing at upside picks like Cameron McGrone or Dylan Moses.  Probably still have a chance at Javonte Williams, and who knows, maybe something surprising happens like Etienne still falls to that pick we traded down into?

 

It's a riskier strategy, but if you move down successively, I think you could end up with three picks in the second and three in the third. That level of top 100 ammunition could get you something like this:

 

Rd 2 - Cosmi

Rd 2 - Javonte Williams

Rd 2 - Elijah Moore

Rd 3 - Elijah Molden

Rd 3 - Hufanga or Richie Grant

Rd 3 - Dylan Moses

 

That could be such a massive infusion of talent for the roster before even reaching day three that I think it is worth the risk.

[PartyPosse]

24 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

Najee isn't just a good RB prospect though.  He is a great one, and probably the honest BPA candidate at 19 in almost all of the mock draft scenarios I've been seeing lately.  I put on cut ups of Bama-SC to watch Jaycee Horn, of Bama vs LSU to watch Jabril Cox, or Bama vs Mizzou to watch Nick Bolton, and it's just so obvious that Najee is the best player on the field that it starts to feel crazy to take any of these other guys over him.  He has that palpable man among boys quality that projects him to be a future superstar.

 

With Etienne and Harris, we're talking about guys who have a realistic chance at being Kamara/McCaffrey/Bell/Henry god tier weapons on their first contracts.  You have to throw position value out for prospects like them because they can elevate you so much more than normal backs.

If you look at not just the SB but the conference games, Elite RB don’t win squat except for fantasy leagues. TB was a pile of castoffs and disappointments, Buffalo relies on...? Green Bay has Aaron Jones and KC blew it horribly by drafting CEH when they clearly had issues elsewhere.

[DWinzit]

3 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

Feels like this thread has reached consensus that Zaven Collins is our top option among defensive players and that we would all consider him a BPA candidate at 19.

 

Feels like we've also reached consensus that we would take any of the top four QBs at 19 (even though Lance makes me very nervous, I would still take that swing).

 

And feels like we've reached consensus that we would take Darrisaw or Slater as a BPA at 19.

 

Also feels like we've come pretty close to reaching consensus that we like Najee Harris as a BPA pick at 19.  Ditto for Chase, Pitts, and Smitty, and perhaps Waddle but I'm not sure about him yet.

 

Seemed like there is general support for Surtain at 19, and possibly Moehrig too.  But it seems like we don't have a position on Farley and Jaycee Horn yet.

 

Seems like we don't really like any DL option at 19.  Support for Owusu-Koromoah and Etienne is mixed.  So is support for the fringey first round OLs like Mayfield/Cosmi/Eichenberg/Vera-Tucker.

 

I'll try and figure out my thoughts on Horn and Farley and contribute to a discussion on them, as well as to a discussion on that third tier of OL prospects I mentioned.

 

I think we're sleeping on Owusu-Koromoah and Etienne though.  I'm a little surprised there isn't more enthusiasm for them given just how good their film is.  With them, I'd prefer to try and milk value via trade downs out of market efficiencies that are relevant to their stock--RBs being typically undervalued in the draft, and small linebackers typically are too.  But make no mistake, those two are absolutely BPA candidates at 19.  It becomes much more clear that they are if you throw a position centric view of draft value out and simply ask who are the best players in the class?  Those two easily make the top 20 of that kind of cut.  Owusu-Koromoah won the Butkus award, and Etienne was the most accomplished and decorated offensive player in the history of the ACC outside of maybe Charlie Ward and Lamar Jackson.  Any time someone is graduating from the kind of career that puts them in the conversation for best player in the history of a power five conference, it's worth serious consideration.  JOK and Etienne are two of the safest bets in the class.

 

3 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

Rd 2 - Cosmi

Rd 2 - Javonte Williams

Rd 2 - Elijah Moore

Rd 3 - Elijah Molden

Rd 3 - Hufanga or Richie Grant

Rd 3 - Dylan Moses

 

 

You definitely did hit on most of the top current preferences of the board and it is hard to knock most of thoughts. This draft doesn't have the usual distinct tiers of the prospects. There is a group of 8-14 that pretty consistently show in the top 20 of mocks and the next tier seems to be 20-50 players deep. If this stays true the first two round will actually be more of a fill your top needs instead of BPA if boards have so many graded so close. This is the reason I love your thoughts of trying to get an additional day two selection.

 

It is just too early for a consensus. 5 weeks from now FA will begin and I'd guess we will have resigned a couple players, perhaps traded for a player and signed 1-3 FA's. Then we can talk draft consensus as the prospects go through their workouts. 

 

JOK and Etienne are good prospects that fit in the 20-40 area.

Along with your other suggestions for day 2 I would add one of my favorites in the draft Freiermuth along with a number of other defenders

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by DWinzit

[Chump Bailey]

29 minutes ago, JamesMadisonSkins said:

 

I know it's just a mock draft, but comments like this do annoy me. Yes Tackle is a need, but Guard is definitely NOT a need if we bring back Scherff. Scherff + Schweitzer with Ismael, Martin and Charles as backup T/G/C types ... the interior is far from a problem. If Scherff walks then yes, we should draft a Guard to replace him, but the comment makes it seem like Guard is an issue even if we bring him back (not true).

 

IDK about counting on Martin though. I cannot recall the specific game this year he played,  but it was honestly one of the worst OL performances I've ever seen. He was consistently being shoved around like a rag doll. Maybe it was just a bad day at the office but man it was bad, bad.

[Fresh8686]

 

[Chump Bailey]

10 minutes ago, Fresh8686 said:

 

 

I'd be looking at Michael Carter before Anderson personally.

[Fresh8686]

32 minutes ago, Chump Bailey said:

 

I'd be looking at Michael Carter before Anderson personally.

 

No doubt. Michael Carter has more buzz though and will go earlier IMO.

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[Going Commando]

1 hour ago, PartyPosse said:

If you look at not just the SB but the conference games, Elite RB don’t win squat except for fantasy leagues. TB was a pile of castoffs and disappointments, Buffalo relies on...? Green Bay has Aaron Jones and KC blew it horribly by drafting CEH when they clearly had issues elsewhere.

 

It's a team sport though.  You can just as easily say teams with elite offensive lines and HoF bound QBs like Green Bay and New Orleans and Indy didn't win it all, ergo those don't win you anything.  Drawing broad conclusions from the outcomes of a few games which are decided by hosts of contingencies is a mistake.  If you get a truly elite RB like Kamara or Henry or McCaffrey, he's going to make you a lot better.  It's actually going to be one of the more individually impactful players on your team too because RBs contribute so heavily to offensive efficiency and scoring.  And in our system in particular, it was really noticeable how much our total offensive performance fell off a cliff after we lost our good running back.  Put a great back in there and they could elevate and cover up what is otherwise not a very good group and make our offense far more efficient.

[Burgundy Yoda]

Watching that Bucs defense should have reminded us all where we need to go in the draft. Having Lavonte David and Devin White patrolling the middle of the field takes away a lot of safety net options for QBs. 

 

That's what we need on our defense, we need fast LBers to take away the safety nets for opposing QBs. LBers that have screens and the short middle of the field on lockdown. It's really the only way to make this defense dominant. Bostic just isn't that athletic guy to help us out there. 

Edited February 8, 2021 by Burgundy Yoda

[Malapropismic Depository]

You can cross FS off your wish list.

Looking like 2021 is the year that Apke solidifies that.

Now that he has teammate Heinicke, clearly known as a mathemetical genius, this offseason Apke and Heinicke plan to train together.

Heinicke plans to show Apke his Brain Training regimen in Geometry, until Apke learns angles inside and out.

Word is, that Apke is just killin it, on the Hypotenuse Marathon.

[Going Commando]

13 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

 

 

He's right but only telling half the story.  Although I'd argue WR is kind of a premier position and OT surely is.  The other big factor in how they acquired such a loaded roster is they absolutely killed it with their later picks and especially their free agency signings.  Tom Brady and Shaq Barrett and Ryan Jensen were obviously grand slam signings, and Jensen and Barrett were not no-brainer type moves at the time at least.  That took vision to see the true value of them.  JPP was a nice trade, Gronk, Brate, and Fournette were nice pickups that also weren't necessarily no-brainers.  As was signing a career mercenary like Ndamukong Suh. 

 

And then their mid round draft work has been pretty great with Godwin and David being two of the best draft picks in their franchise's history, Marpit and Donovan Smith being very good second rounders, and that whole secondary is built from super savvy day two picks.

 

The foundation and most of the framing and siding and roofing of this championship roster was actually built outside of the first round of the NFL draft, but Jeremiah is right that BPA pays off in the end.

Edited February 8, 2021 by stevemcqueen1

[PartyPosse]

16 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

It's a team sport though.  You can just as easily say teams with elite offensive lines and HoF bound QBs like Green Bay and New Orleans and Indy didn't win it all, ergo those don't win you anything.  Drawing broad conclusions from the outcomes of a few games which are decided by hosts of contingencies is a mistake.  If you get a truly elite RB like Kamara or Henry or McCaffrey, he's going to make you a lot better.  It's actually going to be one of the more individually impactful players on your team too because RBs contribute so heavily to offensive efficiency and scoring.  And in our system in particular, it was really noticeable how much our total offensive performance fell off a cliff after we lost our good running back.  Put a great back in there and they could elevate and cover up what is otherwise not a very good group and make our offense far more efficient.

My point being is that if you have a good line and a good QB then it's not that difficult to find a RB that can effectively keep a run game potent. Teams that try and build a team around a top tier RB (Carolina, Dallas, Giants) fail. The main reason our offense fell off a cliff is because we lost our RB and our QB at the same time. 

[Going Commando]

6 minutes ago, Burgundy Yoda said:

Watching that Bucs defense should have reminded us all where we need to go in the draft. Having Lavonte David and Devin White patrolling the middle of the field takes away a lot of safety net options for QBs. 

 

That's what we need on our defense, we need fast LBers to take away the safety nets for opposing QBs. LBers that have screens and the short middle of the field on lockdown. It's really the only way to make this defense dominant. Bostic just isn't that athletic guy to help us out there. 

 

I love it because the success of the Bucs is a demonstration that aughts-ass elemental football still works at the highest level of the sport.  The basketball equivalent would be seeing the old school Duncan-era Spurs beat the crap out of the Golden States and Houstons of the current era.  It was kind of going out of style after Kansas City beat SF last year.

 

If you are strongest in the middle of your formations on both sides of the ball, have a power run game and big receivers, and a pocket general QB, you can still dominate.  The only new wrinkle is that your stack linebackers are going to have to man cover good route runners or else you've got to blitz a ton and get really good at hiding them.

[Skinsinparadise]

the rap some draft geeks have on Harris is he's strong but not that fast.   While I am skeptical about in house athletic numbers, i'll say if Harris runs in the 4.4's, he might not end up within our reach at 19.  Right now I think he lands at 19 but if the dude has freakish pro day numbers, I'd think with the Dolphins supposedly loving him, he might go at their pick right before ours unless they sign Aaron Jones as some think they might do. 

 

https://tdalabamamag.com/2020/08/18/najee-harris-elite-speed-alabama/

According to credible sources, yours truly of Touchdown Alabama Magazine was told Harris clocked a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash. Along with this, Lester timed him at 3.7 seconds in the 20-yard shuttle. If Harris was at the NFL Scouting Combine, he would have set a record for the event. The current record holders in Combine history for the 20-yard shuttle are Jason Allen (2006) and Brandin Cooks (2014) at 3.81 seconds.

Earlier this summer, former USC legend Reggie Bush called Harris a ‘more athletic version of Derrick Henry.’ He has always had the physical tools, but Harris just needed more burst to his game.

[Going Commando]

4 minutes ago, PartyPosse said:

My point being is that if you have a good line and a good QB then it's not that difficult to find a RB that can effectively keep a run game potent. Teams that try and build a team around a top tier RB (Carolina, Dallas, Giants) fail. The main reason our offense fell off a cliff is because we lost our RB and our QB at the same time. 

 

I don't think you can pin the failures of those teams on the opportunity cost paid by drafting RBs in the top ten.  In the case of the Panthers, they had a settled QB position when they picked McCaffrey, they broke down because Cam and that defense broke down.  The core issue was the lack of draft success during the middle of the decade, where they made the fewest picks in 2015 and 2016 and didn't get any mainstays at all.  McCaffrey was actually their only good draft pick in three years to that point.  And in the case of the Cowboys, they had an OL and there really wasn't any QB worth taking (and they ended up hitting a home run with Dak later on anyway).  I guess you could argue that they should have taken Ramsey or Buckner instead of Elliot, but both of them are on different teams than the ones that drafted them and Elliot is not.  And Elliot was one of the main reasons they won 32 games in his first three seasons.  He made All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing twice in that span, and their style of play was almost entirely predicated on him.  In the case of the Giants, they're just half-built.  It's still way too early to say they're not going to win with Barkley.  But he also hasn't been as good as McCaffrey and Elliot were.

 

We're not talking about taking a RB as early as those guys were taken either.  We're talking about picking one at 19 or in the 20s.  The opportunity cost paid is so much lower because there probably won't be a worthy QB or OL prospect in that range and we are already loaded with DL talent.

[PartyPosse]

6 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

I don't think you can pin the failures of those teams on the opportunity cost paid by drafting RBs in the top ten.  In the case of the Panthers, they had a settled QB position when they picked McCaffrey, they broke down because Cam and that defense broke down.  The core issue was the lack of draft success during the middle of the decade, where they made the fewest picks in 2015 and 2016 and didn't get any mainstays at all.  McCaffrey was actually their only good draft pick in three years to that point.  And in the case of the Cowboys, they had an OL and there really wasn't any QB worth taking (and they ended up hitting a home run with Dak later on anyway).  I guess you could argue that they should have taken Ramsey or Buckner instead of Elliot, but both of them are on different teams than the ones that drafted them and Elliot is not.  And Elliot was one of the main reasons they won 32 games in his first three seasons.  He made All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing twice in that span, and their style of play was almost entirely predicated on him.  In the case of the Giants, they're just half-built.  It's still way too early to say they're not going to win with Barkley.  But he also hasn't been as good as McCaffrey and Elliot were.

 

We're not talking about taking a RB as early as those guys were taken either.  We're talking about picking one at 19 or in the 20s.  The opportunity cost paid is so much lower because there probably won't be a worthy QB or OL prospect in that range and we are already loaded with DL talent.

And now all those teams the focal point is the RB and they're all terrible because of how centric it is. Also, I can understand grabbing a RB in the top 10 only because usually when they're touted that high they're generational. When was the last time a lethal RB was nabbed in the first round outside of the top 10? You can maybe say Jacobs or Gordon, but that's basically it and neither has been worthy of first round grades. Mark Ingram maybe? They just don't go early.

[Chump Bailey]

Since we're on the topic of RB's Caleb Huntley Ball State in my humble opinion might be worth a gander for our beloved WFT in the later rounds.

[XxSpearheadxX]

I like the idea of drafting a RB at 19 if the player is head and shoulders better than the LBers, FS or Tackles available there.   If its not that great of a disparity in prospect grades then I would rather them see go for an Olineman or LBer