Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins
Forum Rules and Guidelines

Your way too early 2021 Draft Grades

Burgold

By Burgold
in The Stadium

 Share

Recommended Posts

profusion

profusion

Posted
Posted

I guess I'd give the draft a B+ overall. It's hard to grade a bunch of guys before they've seen the field in the NFL. 

 

The team stayed on plan and didn't make any weird or obviously dumb decisions on days 1 or 2. They got what they needed. Day 3 picks are a crapshoot and I'm not going to spend much time evaluating that. Hopefully, they get some decent backups and teams contributors from rounds 4-7. If they're lucky, a starter emerges out of that group.

 

The bottom line question: did the team get better as a result of the draft? I'd have to say "yes."

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Koolblue13

Koolblue13

Posted
Posted

I love that we take the biggest fastest guys, love that Ron talks to everyone directly to see who they are. Love that most of these guys are the ones who put in extra time in the film room, with coaches on the practice field and in the weight room. 

 

It's not about absorbing anything, it's about guys all feeling tight with each other and bonded to improving at the game they love to play.

 

We've got a bunch of captain America types on the team and that's powerful. 

  • Like 9
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Koolblue13

Koolblue13

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, KDawg said:

Like I said yesterday @Koolblue13, and I know you agree:

 

Teams that can absorb a character issue are that way for a reason... because they dont absorb character issues. 

A freaking men to that brother.

 

I love that we don't have women beaters, child abusers, suspected rapists or obnoxious self absorbed assholes and instead military backgrounds and captains. 

 

Were still big mean and fast and it makes it so much better when you like your gladiators. 

  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
philibusters

philibusters

Posted
Posted
45 minutes ago, Panninho said:

Do you guys think that Shaka Toney could play as a linebacker in our scheme? I know that he played almost exclusively as an edge but he has the athletic profile for a great linebacker.

Don't know.  Athletically he might be able to, but its hard to know if would have the instincts for the position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Going Commando

Going Commando

Posted
Posted

B is my grade.  In short, I think we had a good draft but not necessarily the best draft that we could have.  We got a handful of players who seem to be good fits and have good ceilings which would make for a superb haul if they pan out.  Jamin and Cosmi feel like future 10+ AV players, and Dyami feels like a potential ~7 AV player. But it also felt like about half of the league got more value from their picks, so we're somewhere in the middle of the pack for draft grade.

 

There was a very clear method to the class.  Mostly avoided the pitfalls that come from character and injury flags (except for with St Juste) and targeted super athletes at LB, S, OT, and Edge.  Also targeted productive try-hards who put up numbers in college (or the positional equivalent like for Cosmi) despite technique/skill limitations.  We're betting on ourselves to be good enough to coach them up and this method could really pay off big.  Having a coherent draft philosophy makes me think we can get more out of our choices in the end even if some might seem like reaches on draft day.

 

Some other specifics I like about the class:

- it was large.  A 10 player class is nice, and Patterson is kind of like an 11th pick.

- it was balanced.  We put a quality prospect into all of our pipelines except QB.  Maybe could have used another OL, but for now, Cosmi + Ismael + Charles seems like a pretty decent OL pipeline considering we have Roullier on a good extension and Moses is still going strong and might get an extension too.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
goskins10

goskins10

Posted
Posted
17 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

B is my grade.  In short, I think we had a good draft but not necessarily the best draft that we could have.  We got a handful of players who seem to be good fits and have good ceilings which would make for a superb haul if they pan out.  Jamin and Cosmi feel like future 10+ AV players, and Dyami feels like a potential ~7 AV player. But it also felt like about half of the league got more value from their picks, so we're somewhere in the middle of the pack for draft grade.

 

There was a very clear method to the class.  Mostly avoided the pitfalls that come from character and injury flags (except for with St Juste) and targeted super athletes at LB, S, OT, and Edge.  Also targeted productive try-hards who put up numbers in college (or the positional equivalent like for Cosmi) despite technique/skill limitations.  We're betting on ourselves to be good enough to coach them up and this method could really pay off big.  Having a coherent draft philosophy makes me think we can get more out of our choices in the end even if some might seem like reaches on draft day.

 

Some other specifics I like about the class:

- it was large.  A 10 player class is nice, and Patterson is kind of like an 11th pick.

- it was balanced.  We put a quality prospect into all of our pipelines except QB.  Maybe could have used another OL, but for now, Cosmi + Ismael + Charles seems like a pretty decent OL pipeline considering we have Roullier on a good extension and Moses is still going strong and might get an extension too.

 

Could you elaborate on your concerns about injuries and/or character for St-Juste? Here is what I know - fully understanding there may be more that I am unaware of - He had a hamstring in 2018 at Michigan. They redshirted him for 2018 which is fine. At the start of the next season the athletic department announced he would medically retire. Upon hearing that news St-Juste made it clear that was not true and Michigan was forced to change their statement to say he was not medically cleared. He - along with quite a few other Michigan players - applied for the transfer portal which allows them to play right away instead of sit out a year. Then the guy who was not medically cleared to play at Michigan played well enough, went to Minnesota in 2019 and moved into the starter 4 games in to the season. That team was 11-2, beating Auburn in the Outback Bowl so it's not like he went to a scrub team.  It should also be mentioned he was able to transfer as a grad student as he graduated from Michigan in 2.5 yrs - dude is smart. 

 

None if this is to say he is an instant starter or I expect him to be some pro-bowl sensation. He is a development project. He is however a very good press CB early in the route with a huge wingspan that he uses well to recover. He needs to work on route recognition and can get turned around sometimes but that should be able to be fixed with coaching and experience, especially with technique. And again, he is very smart and will take the coaching well. His measurables may not appear to be the best but his game speed and physicality is very good. Oh, and he is a very strong and sure tackler both in space and in run support. He is very smart, has the right character Ron and the coaches are looking for, provides potential versatility, and has some great physical attributes that will help him. Honestly, I see him as playing a lot of FS responsibility, even if they don't officially move him there, which they very well may. Again, that doesn't mean he is a lock by any means.

 

I am open to hearing differently about him.  

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
LD0506

LD0506

Posted
Posted

Yanno, it's funny to me how so much of the after-draft conversation is either "Haha, I toldya so, they picked my guy" or "Rrrrr, you're gonna regret not pickin my guy", a lot of very subjective validation about everyone's tea leaf reading skills. That isn't about anyone here per se, across the spectrum, on the tube and the internet, all these self-appointed mavens are scrambling to explain why their prognostication is so far from reality.

 

I admit I am very subjective in my takes, I'm extremely content that when talking about teams that blew it we are no longer mentioned. We were "boring"? Boring as in competent, rational, no WTF? moments? I'll take that too.

 

I am very much in a "In Ron I trust" mode (until proven otherwise), last year was a fustercluck of a season in so many ways and he captained the team through it, he has banked a lot of benefit of the doubt for me.

 

If pressed I'd have to B+/A- range, with no obvious landmines in sight. I'll take that

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites
KDawg

KDawg

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, redskinss said:

Wasn't Saahdiq Charles a character concern last year?

So...

 

Not all character issues are the same and I’m sure I don’t need to explain that.

 

What Parsons allegedly did at Penn State is a much different thing than Charles.

 

But let’s move beyond that aspect of your premise.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/ls-us-saahdiq-charles-tries-to-put-selfish-and-stupid-mistake-behind-him-at-nfl-combine-180220463.html

 

There’s an article on Charles talking about the item that got him suspended. 
 

Here’s Parsons:

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/college/pennstate/.amp/football/micah-parsons-addresses-perceived-character-issues-ahead-of-nfl-draft

 

Excerpt: 

 

Quote

"Everyone is going to learn and grow," Parsons said. "... And if someone is going to judge me over that, then I’d rather not be in their program. I know the type of person I’m becoming. I know the type of father I’m becoming, and that’s all that matters to me.

"Anybody who’s willing to accept my wrongs when I was wrong and accept my rights when I’m right, I’m ready to go ahead and give it my all. But if it’s going to come down to something that I did in high school or something I wish I could change, I can only control what I can control and what I do moving forward."


 

So what do I see as the difference between them? Charles accepted responsibility for his actions. Parsons blamed it on youth and then tried to say anyone who holds it against him is wrong.

 

Charles has come across professional since he was drafted. In one night Parsons came across as selfish. 
 

Interesting considering Charles admitted to being selfish and wrong and Parsons puts blame on being young and everyone else... allegedly.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
redskinss

redskinss

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, KDawg said:

So...

 

Not all character issues are the same and I’m sure I don’t need to explain that.

 

What Parsons allegedly did at Penn State is a much different thing than Charles.

 

But let’s move beyond that aspect of your premise.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/ls-us-saahdiq-charles-tries-to-put-selfish-and-stupid-mistake-behind-him-at-nfl-combine-180220463.html

 

There’s an article on Charles talking about the item that got him suspended. 
 

Here’s Parsons:

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.si.com/college/pennstate/.amp/football/micah-parsons-addresses-perceived-character-issues-ahead-of-nfl-draft

 

Excerpt: 

 


 

So what do I see as the difference between them? Charles accepted responsibility for his actions. Parsons blamed it on youth and then tried to say anyone who holds it against him is wrong.

 

Charles has come across professional since he was drafted. In one night Parsons came across as selfish. 
 

Interesting considering Charles admitted to being selfish and wrong and Parsons puts blame on being young and everyone else... allegedly.

Wow, you inferred a lot more from my one sentence than I did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KDawg

KDawg

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, redskinss said:

Wow, you inferred a lot more from my one sentence than I did.

 

Nope. It's not one sentence.

 

It's full picture perspective from an outsider not involved in either situation. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
goskins10

goskins10

Posted
Posted
Just now, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

He had a hamstring injury in 2018 that cost him the season and cause Michigan to want him to medically retire.

 

So the whole injury "history concerns" is a hamstring in 2018 - 4 yrs ago and it was a hamstring - which I thought I covered in great detail. Did you see the part that Michigan had to admit they lied about him medically retiring, then changing their tune to he was not medically cleared. And that the following season (2019) he was so NOT injured he pushed his way into the starting lineup 4 gms into the season for an 11-2 Minnesota team. The hamstring, no matter how serious (and that is in question as to how serious it really was with Michigan likely exaggerating it) was 4 yrs ago and there has been nothing since. 

 

Additional information is that Michigan was screwing players over all over the place to the point quite a few players asked out of Michigan after 2018. So the "hamstring" injury did not "cause" Michigan to want him to medically retire. It looks more like he told them he wanted out and they tried to **** him on the way out. 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
KDawg

KDawg

Posted
Posted
Just now, SAli457180 said:

I'll go with a B+  They addressed a major need with right away.  Cosmi and St. Juste are the only question marks I have based on where they were taken

Why Cosmi?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
profusion

profusion

Posted
Posted

Another positive I get out of this draft is that the WFT mostly avoided the "OMG I can't believe this guy fell down to this position!" trap.

 

In rare instances, the fall is unjustified. However, far too often it seems like the WFT has put itself in position to take these players, who then turn out to be injury-prone or have character issues that prevent them from succeeding to the level of their talent. The scouting is just too thorough to have a large number of players fall through the cracks anymore.

 

What DOES happen more often is the McLaurin situation, where a guy who doesn't necessarily blow things up in college turns out to have the "it factor" for NFL success. That's where a good scouting organization in tune with its coaching staff really earns its pay.

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
London Kev

London Kev

Posted
Posted

I really enjoyed watching the draft and think that for the most part we did well. There were a few head-scratchers near the end, such as the two undersized Edge/DEs and trading up for a LS, but overall I'm happy.

 

All in all it was a bit like sex, started off great but got a bit uncoordinated at the finish. B+.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...