2021 Comprehensive Draft Thread

[Skinsinparadise]

Parsons is my #1 LB if his character checks out.  And I understand that's a big If.  I'll let them figure that out.  Keim seems to believe he might be on the table.

 

 

 

 

 

[Skinsinparadise]

 

BEST AT TAKING ON BLOCKS: MICAH PARSONS, PENN STATE

Last year we debated what Isaiah Simmons would look like between the tackles, but there’s no such worry with Parsons. He sheds blocks so well on tape that often times he treats them like afterthoughts. He can stack and shed, dip and rip and make offensive linemen miss altogether. It’s why he earned the second-highest run-defense grade we’ve ever given to a linebacker (94.8) as a sophomore back in 2019.

@McShay13 on Micah Parsons: pic.twitter.com/IJBx58uSQI

— Raiders Beat (@RaidersBeat) April 10, 2021

 

BEST BLITZER: MICAH PARSONS, PENN STATE

These first two superlatives go hand in hand, so this shouldn’t be too surprising. If the 246-pound linebacker were classified solely as an edge defender, he’d likely be EDGE1 in the draft class. He’s racked up a ridiculous 36 pressures on 135 pass-rushing snaps in his career for a 91.4 pass-rushing grade. Unsurprisingly, that’s the highest career pass-rush grade in the draft class, with only three other linebackers even above 80.0.

MOST VERSATILE IN COVERAGE: JEREMIAH OWUSU-KORAMOAH, NOTRE DAME

This is why JOK is likely to be a top-20 selection come April 29. At only 221 pounds, he’s not the prototype for the position by any means. But when you watch him routinely make special plays in coverage, you throw any possible block-shedding issues to the wayside. JOK spent 328 snaps in the slot and 215 snaps in the box last season for the Irish. Even at his size, he still earned the second-highest coverage grade in the slot of any player in college football.

 

 

His tape is littered with lightning-quick reads from pretty much any alignment. His ability to line up anywhere over the middle of the field and still be an impact player in coverage will be coveted highly.

Big time play by JOK…

He’s in man coverage, but rules change on the jet motion…. CB then takes first to flat, JOK must redirect and sink with corner route from YTE

Gets eyes back, while getting depth… Makes play on ball. Beautiful.

This a safety to you @EaglesXOs ? pic.twitter.com/Yzhe2nK7pt

— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) February 18, 2021

 

BEST COVERAGE INSTINCTS: JABRIL COX, LSU

Cox is a former quarterback turned linebacker, and it’s very clear he sees the field like the former. Between North Dakota State and LSU, Cox earned coverage grades of 87.4 in 2018, 85.2 in 2019 and 83.5 in 2020. That’s multiple different schemes and roles with the same result.

He racked up three picks and four pass breakups from multiple different coverage types this past season for the Tigers. He may not be the super-elite athlete that others on this list are, but he continually gets the job done.

 

BEST RUN-GAME INSTINCTS: NICK BOLTON, MISSOURI

This is where Bolton thrives. He’s the second-highest-graded linebacker behind Micah Parsons since 2019, and he’s led the SEC in stops in both of the past two regular seasons. There are so many plays on Bolton’s tape where he knows where the ball is going before it even gets there. He may not be the most agile, but he can certainly hunt down ball carriers sideline to sideline.

 

BEST TACKLER: MICAH PARSONS, PENN STATE

Yet another appearance — and it is very well deserved.

The fact that he made 177 tackles between his freshman and sophomore seasons yet missed only 11 is nothing short of absurd. That’s a 5.9% missed tackle rate for a player in his first two seasons of college football. Parsons has massive 11-inch hands (the largest ever recorded for an off-ball linebacker) that won’t let go once they latch on. He also packs a punch at over 240 pounds with the ability to run a 4.39 40-yard dash.

LB1 Micah Parsons running downhill is a scary sight

(h/t @Hugorso) pic.twitter.com/CL4bnpHi4K

— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 13, 2021

 

BEST ATHLETE: JAMIN DAVIS, KENTUCKY

This is why Davis may very well be a first-rounder despite having only one season of starting experience in his four years at Kentucky. He put up an eye-popping 4.48-second 40 with a 1.53-second 10-split at his pro day, pairing those numbers with a 42-inch vertical, 11-foot broad jump and 21 bench reps with 33-inch arms. That vertical tied former Georgia linebacker Boss Bailey for the highest ever recorded from a linebacker. That’s the type of juice every NFL team is looking for at the position.

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Anselmheifer]

21 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

Parsons is my #1 LB if his character checks out.  And I understand that's a big If.  I'll let them figure that out.  Keim seems to believe he might be on the table.

 

 

I know he's off the board for a lot of people. I think we have the team culture to rein him in. He's help our interior blitz game so much and would make our pass rush that much more dangerous. 

But I don't think I'd move up for him. I'm not even sure how much more his run defense would help us than JOK's coverage. If I moved up for a defender, I think it would be Jaycee Horn. And I wouldn't do that either, probably. Unless it was low cost. I still think OT a top need. I'd move up if it insured we got our guy at OT. And I'd move up for QB. 

[Warhead36]

Depends on the cost of a move up. I wouldn't give up our 2nd. I'd consider giving up a 3rd depending on how many spots we're going up(we have two of them).

 

Question is: can Rivera/Del Rio coach up Parsons man coverage ability? I have no doubts about his run defense and in box skills. He'd upgrade our run D tremendously. But we still gotta worry about covering TEs.

[mhd24]

 

 

Maybe RR and the FO are being super coy and will take this stud.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

13 hours ago, RWJ said:

What I find interesting is that Standig has mentioned Mills name and now Pauline.  Keim has mentioned Trask and not mentioned Mills that I know of.  SIP, weigh in please if Keim has if you read this.  Too much talk about us being in on a QB or QBs that we like.  Fitz is a great short term answer plus mentor.  How many years do you get out of him?  I would like another in 2022 but we may only have one year and in that case I have to think this is the year for us to draft a QB and let him sit and learn behind Fitz and even having Fitz a 2nd year to backup and mentor or even start would be great.  Maybe we trade down and then draft Mills for two reasons.  1)  Team will target him in the 2nd round.  2)  We collect an extra pick or picks depending on hbow far we fall in the 1st round.  Only RR and Co. know.  Just thinking out loud.

 

Keim has also brought up Mills in the past week.

 

It's unfortunately getting to the point where every team that wants Mills is paying attention.  And we could have someone trade up to just ahead of us to grab him.

Edited April 17, 2021 by Alcoholic Zebra

[Conn]

Taking Najee Harris at 19 would be bizarre and frankly indefensible. He’s a good player. He’s not Henry or even close, he doesn’t have that game-breaking breakaway speed once he gets into the secondary at all. Henry is a unicorn. Najee is also clearly not a 4.45 player, either. (That wouldn’t kill him for me, but I’d never touch him in the 1st).

[Anselmheifer]

For comparison:

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think Parsons can hold Harris' jock. Harris is the PERFECT LB for this team. So physical. Blowing back blockers. Exploding ball carriers. Stack. Shed. Destroy. But then also, the coverage is so good. The instincts, so good. I don't feel as good about his as I did about Chase, but he's my favorite recent defender not names Chase Young. He's going to go top 10 though and could go top 5. Still, I'd rather go BPA this year, and I'd pay a big price to add Harris next year. Our DL and Harris and a little improvement in the secondary and we could be one of the top 10 defenses of all time. And also, super physical and fast and fun to watch. 

[@DCGoldPants]

I'm feeling better and better that they plan on staying in their spot and taking the best LT or ILB when it's their turn. The hype on moving up matches up with this time of year where disinformation is spread around to throw off other teams. Already thrilled in how desperate the 49ers were to move up. Hopefully a few other teams jump to the top 10 for QBs, pushing other guys down a little more for us.

 

If we can close day 2 of the draft with a  LT, ILB, FS and maybe another OL. That would be stellar.

[Warhead36]

2 minutes ago, @SkinsGoldPants said:

I'm feeling better and better that they plan on staying in their spot and taking the best LT or ILB when it's their turn. The hype on moving up matches up with this time of year where disinformation is spread around to throw off other teams. Already thrilled in how desperate the 49ers were to move up. Hopefully a few other teams jump to the top 10 for QBs, pushing other guys down a little more for us.

 

If we can close day 2 of the draft with a  LT, ILB, FS and maybe another OL. That would be stellar.

I don't think anything is set in stone. If Lance is available at 7 I expect us to be calling Detroit about possibly trading.

[Skinsinparadise]

1 hour ago, Anselmheifer said:

 

I know he's off the board for a lot of people. I think we have the team culture to rein him in. He's help our interior blitz game so much and would make our pass rush that much more dangerous. 

But I don't think I'd move up for him. I'm not even sure how much more his run defense would help us than JOK's coverage. If I moved up for a defender, I think it would be Jaycee Horn. And I wouldn't do that either, probably. Unless it was low cost. I still think OT a top need. I'd move up if it insured we got our guy at OT. And I'd move up for QB. 

 

If I had to pick two linebackers at 19 it would be Parsons (only if his character red flags check out) and Koramoah.  then next two for me would be Jamin or Collins but don't love either at 19 but wouldn't be upset if they took them either. 

 

I watched Hey Rookie, ESPN:  Justin Fields, Parsons, Kyle Pitts, Jaycee Horn.  Parsons easily had the most personality among the 4.  He's boisterous.   Fields joked about how much of an extrovert Parsons is.  Funny to see him interact with the other three who are on the quiet side.  Pitts from a thing he said showed he might be a bit full of himself but that's OK he's earned it.  Fields comes off quiet for a QB and also super serious -- comes off like a really articulate and a nice guy.  Horn is on the quiet-serious side.

 

But yeah Parson's boisterous personality reminds me a little of Chase Young actually.  Comes off like a natural leader of the band type of the dude.  There is good and bad to any type of personaliity.  So I am just guessing based on the sample I watched is Parson's the good version of being an extrovert ala Chase Young or the bad version of it ala Odell Beckham?

 

Clearly I have no idea.  And I think it would be too difficult for us to guess.  That's a thing among others that we don't have access to that scouting staffs can research which is what kind of dude are they?  I read that teams will interview the players weight room coaches and anyone they can find that interacted with the player.  I read one story where a team hired a driver to pick up a player at the airport specifically to interact with the player in the car and give them a report about what kind of dude that person is.

Edited April 17, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[86 Snyder]

32 minutes ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

Taking Najee Harris at 19 would be bizarre and frankly indefensible. He’s a good player. He’s not Henry or even close, he doesn’t have that game-breaking breakaway speed once he gets into the secondary at all. Henry is a unicorn. Najee is also clearly not a 4.45 player, either. (That wouldn’t kill him for me, but I’d never touch him in the 1st).

 

I've been trying to tell them Harris and especially Etienne aren't what the think they are.  It would be malpractice to take either for this team.

[@DCGoldPants]

15 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

I don't think anything is set in stone. If Lance is available at 7 I expect us to be calling Detroit about possibly trading.

 

I actually expect the complete opposite. Going from 19 to 7 and the cost of that for a guy they acknowledged (along with other QBs who don't have a ton of on-field experience) wouldn't be contributing soon seems like a no-brainer pass. Especially after listening to their presser this week where they tried to dance around that and kept saying "any player" instead of moving up for a QB.

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by @SkinsGoldPants

[Skinsinparadise]

Just now, 86 Snyder said:

 

I've been trying to tell them Harris and especially Etienne aren't what the think they are.  It would be malpractice to take either for this team.

 

I get the idea that RB isn't a top need angle.  And I agree with it.  But as for explaining they aren't who we think they are -- what do you mean?  They aren't that good?

[Skinsinparadise]

22 minutes ago, Warhead36 said:

I don't think anything is set in stone. If Lance is available at 7 I expect us to be calling Detroit about possibly trading.

 

Chris Russell who previoiusly didn't think they'd trade up for a QB changed his tune after listening to Rivera's presser, now he thinks they are going for it.  I noticed Keim changed his tune recenty too even writing an article about trading up into the top 10 for a QB is on the table.

 

I am personally chilled about it one way or another.  I know right now the 2022 draft for QBs is billed as "meh".  That could change.  Will see.  But unless this team collapses next season they are unlikely to be in any better position to get a QB than they are now.  As for veterans, supposedly Russell Wilson might be traded in 2022 but he has a no trade clause and we aren't one of the teams on his trade list.  I guess Aaron Rodgers?  Maybe.  So I get the 2021 > 2022 attitude for QB.

 

At the same time, I am not dying to trade the farm to get one of the top 5 QBs in this draft.  But if they do, I'd assume that they feel confident in that player so I'd go for that ride and trust it.

 

It's very difficult to win consistently in today's NFL without a top 10 QB.  This era isn't the teams's glory year era where QB was arguably not as essential.  

 

Having said that i am a bigger fan of Fitzpatrick than most.  I think he's 13-16 level QB.  I can ride that for two years as they look.  But bottom line is I trust them for now so whatever they do, I'd back. 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[@DCGoldPants]

Not that I put a lot of value in the Bleacher Report's opinions. But the track record of trading up for a QB hasn't been great in the NFL

 

"Why Trading Up for a Quarterback in the NFL Draft Is Almost Always a Bad Idea"

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2940076

[Skinsinparadise]

1 hour ago, Anselmheifer said:

 

 

 

I don't think Parsons can hold Harris' jock. Harris is the PERFECT LB for this team. So physical. Blowing back blockers. Exploding ball carriers. Stack. Shed. Destroy. But then also, the coverage is so good. The instincts, so good. I don't feel as good about his as I did about Chase, but he's my favorite recent defender not names Chase Young. He's going to go top 10 though and could go top 5. Still, I'd rather go BPA this year, and I'd pay a big price to add Harris next year. Our DL and Harris and a little improvement in the secondary and we could be one of the top 10 defenses of all time. And also, super physical and fast and fun to watch. 

 

Christian Harris is awesome.  He's already talked about in the 2022 thread.  I got enough to think about the 2021 draft before worrying about 2022. 

 

Alabama's Spring game about to pop on TV maybe we will get a good glimpse of Harris. 

 

Edit:  Sadly no Harris in the game. Granted you can't really judge much in these scrimmages anyway. 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[KDawg]

1 hour ago, ConnSKINS26 said:

Taking Najee Harris at 19 would be bizarre and frankly indefensible. He’s a good player. He’s not Henry or even close, he doesn’t have that game-breaking breakaway speed once he gets into the secondary at all. Henry is a unicorn. Najee is also clearly not a 4.45 player, either. (That wouldn’t kill him for me, but I’d never touch him in the 1st).

I 100% disagree with this entire take. 

[Skinsinparadise]

Just read PFF's full take on Parsons for the first time after reading the article I posted earlier where they plugged him.  Wow.  Didn't know they loved him that much.

 

I am not pimping for Parsons.  I just trust Rivera to smoke out the red flags so if they took him I'd trust him.  Conversely, if they passed on him, I'd trust that too.  Accordiing to one reporter (forgetting whom) Carolina didn't care for Guice because they were aware of character issues.  If so, I think these guys can smoke that stuff out one way or another.

 

[Burgundy Yoda]

Alabama IDL - 😀

Alabama LBs- 😑

 

Their LBs NEVER seem to work out. Even CJ Mosley has flamed out. 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Burgundy Yoda

[Skinsinparadise]

See tweet below and this from a dude who is 230 pounds plus.  Over 400 yards receiving last year (he's a better pass weapon than Henry) and almost 1500 yards on the ground.  26 TDs last season.   The dude is insane.   Derrick Henry is a freak but IMO Harris has a shot to be that type of player. 

 

 

 

[RWJ]

1 hour ago, Alcoholic Zebra said:

 

Keim has also brought up Mills in the past week.

 

It's unfortunately getting to the point where every team that wants Mills is paying attention.  And we could have someone trade up to just ahead of us to grab him.

SIP brought up the fact that Keim brought up Mills too.  Thank you for letting me know too, AZ.  Interesting year with 2 former GMs working with RR along with Polian's son.  RR makes the final call.  Let's see how all this plays out.  

1 hour ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

Chris Russell who previoiusly didn't think they'd trade up for a QB changed his tune after listening to Rivera's presser, now he thinks they are going for it.  I noticed Keim changed his tune recenty too even writing an article about trading up into the top 10 for a QB is on the table.

 

I am personally chilled about it one way or another.  I know right now the 2022 draft for QBs is billed as "meh".  That could change.  Will see.  But unless this team collapses next season they are unlikely to be in any better position to get a QB than they are now.  As for veterans, supposedly Russell Wilson might be traded in 2022 but he has a no trade clause and we aren't one of the teams on his trade list.  I guess Aaron Rodgers?  Maybe.  So I get the 2021 > 2022 attitude for QB.

 

At the same time, I am not dying to trade the farm to get one of the top 5 QBs in this draft.  But if they do, I'd assume that they feel confident in that player so I'd go for that ride and trust it.

 

It's very difficult to win consistently in today's NFL without a top 10 QB.  This era isn't the teams's glory year era where QB was arguably not as essential.  

 

Having said that i am a bigger fan of Fitzpatrick than most.  I think he's 13-16 level QB.  I can ride that for two years as they look.  But bottom line is I trust them for now so whatever they do, I'd back. 

Lance has to make it past the 9ers and Falcons.  IF that happens then I think it's game on for those who want to trade up for him and I believe as well, Detroit is the sweet spot at #7.  A guess on my part.

[Est.1974]

I’d say it was obvious that’s Parsons is the LB they would move up for. Probably a tier above the rest if he’s not a complete knucklehead.

[JoggingGod]

1 hour ago, @SkinsGoldPants said:

 

I actually expect the complete opposite. Going from 19 to 7 and the cost of that for a guy they acknowledged (along with other QBs who don't have a ton of on-field experience) wouldn't be contributing soon seems like a no-brainer pass. Especially after listening to their presser this week where they tried to dance around that and kept saying "any player" instead of moving up for a QB.

 

You have to think long term and not just for one year. If you think Lance/Fields can be a high caliber QB for 15 years, you make that trade up easy. 

[The Rook]

7 hours ago, mistertim said:

 

No, I'm telling you it doesn't happen. And that's not an opinion...modern NFL history has shown it. Teams with top franchise QBs keep them. Brady was 42 when he hit FA but he's a complete anomaly and is probably getting ready to retire.

 

Hell, the Cowboys don't even know if Dak can still play and they already gave him a blockbuster deal...and he is barely a top 10 guy. Teams know they have to have franchise QBs to win consistently nowadays, so they'll keep them at almost any cost.

 

Name a top QB who isn't over 40 and isn't the greatest to ever play the game who hit FA. And I mean a top 5 level QB, not a guy like Cousins who got overpaid.

 

Again, you're living in a fantasy land.

🤔Peyton Manning and Drew Brees? Brett Farve?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rook