Welcome to the Washington Commanders Braeden Daniels OT, UTAH

[terpfan]

4 minutes ago, method man said:

Actually my prior post is off. 33 inches is well off the tackle need. His arms are shorter than Scherff’s

Yeah I’m not buying him as a tackle. They are starting him there because if he sticks that’s more valuable, but that seems unlikely. Just like Davis didn’t stick at Mike and Charles/Cosmi probably aren’t sticking at tackle. 

[method man]

14 minutes ago, terpfan said:

Yeah I’m not buying him as a tackle. They are starting him there because if he sticks that’s more valuable, but that seems unlikely. Just like Davis didn’t stick at Mike and Charles/Cosmi probably aren’t sticking at tackle. 

Yep. His athleticism for playing guard is exciting but there is a lot to clean up even for that role

[skinny21]

On the bright side, weight should be an easy fix, technique issues are quite correctable, and he’s already good at pass pro.  On the downside, what is it with this staff’s insistence that guys should try a certain role before transitioning to the one (most) everyone agrees they should play?  I’m somewhat kidding (Cosmi, and now Daniels working out at tackle would probably be far more valuable), but those two, Jamin as a Mike, Wylie at RT, Gibson as a bellcow…

[Koolblue13]

Poor mans Darnell Washington? 

[skinzplay]

Hope I'm wrong, but i think this was a bad pick, and partially brought about by neglecting building the line through the draft these last few years. This guy could've been an UDFA. Too much to correct and develop. By the time the coaches have worked on all that, someone 'ready' will surface in an upcoming draft. Doubt there's any longevity here. Like I said, though, i hope I'm wrong.

 

[Number 44]

2 hours ago, skinzplay said:

This guy could've been an UDFA.

Highly doubtful.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

I wonder if any OL with his agility numbers ever make it to UDFA.

[Going Commando]

On 5/2/2023 at 3:40 PM, skinzplay said:

Hope I'm wrong, but i think this was a bad pick, and partially brought about by neglecting building the line through the draft these last few years. This guy could've been an UDFA. Too much to correct and develop. By the time the coaches have worked on all that, someone 'ready' will surface in an upcoming draft. Doubt there's any longevity here. Like I said, though, i hope I'm wrong.

 

 

Nah, he was a fourth or fifth round value.  He has 90th percentile athleticism.  I got him in the ES mock draft at 165, I think he was fine at 118.

 

Usually Day 3 OLs are slow AF and don't have realistic upside to start.  Daniels is one of the fastest OLs in the class and he's got that kind of upside.  You're not going to get both speed and a finished technician on Day 3 for OLs, so you have to pick one.  Give me upside at that point.

 

Personally, I like Daniels, and that's why I picked him for the mock.  He's an odd-looking prospect who is pretty much the opposite of smooth and has no power or snap behind his punch, but I think there is something there with him.  His game is defined by his explosive quickness and his motor--quick steps to compensate for a lack of functional power and balanced footwork, blazing fast hands to compensate for his lack of grip strength.  His lateral steps have legit explosiveness, not like an OL where they typically just chop their way through laterally at the same speed as all of their movements, but more like skill player cuts.

 

And I think his motor is really consistent and keeps him alive on a ton of reps he would otherwise lose.  He is just always resetting.  Same with the hands.  You rip through the punch and clear his hands and then his hands are back, three or more punches on a single rep.  Just a really fast and tenacious player, and guys who play with effort like this tend to stick to NFL rosters.

[KDawg]

1 minute ago, Going Commando said:

 

Nah, he was a fourth or fifth round value.  He has 90th percentile athleticism.  I got him in the ES mock draft at 165, I think he was fine at 118.

 

Usually Day 3 OLs are slow AF and don't have realistic upside to start.  Daniels is one of the fastest OLs in the class and he's got that kind of upside.  You're not going to get both speed and a finished technician on Day 3 for OLs, so you have to pick one.  Give me upside at that point.

 

Personally, I like Daniels, and that's why I picked him for the mock.  He's an odd-looking prospect who is pretty much the opposite of smooth and has no power or snap behind his punch, but I think there is something there with him.  His game is defined by his explosive quickness and his motor--quick steps to compensate for a lack of functional power and balanced footwork, blazing fast hands to compensate for his lack of grip strength.  His lateral steps have legit explosiveness, not like an OL where they typically just chop their way through laterally at the same speed as all of their movements, but more like skill player cuts.

 

And I think his motor is really consistent and keeps him alive on a ton of reps he would otherwise lose.  He is just always resetting.  Same with the hands.  You rip through the punch and clear his hands and then his hands are back, three or more punches on a single rep.  Just a really fast and tenacious player, and guys who play with effort like this tend to stick to NFL rosters.

 

I like Daniels, too. Am I sure he's going to pan out? Nope. But he is the swing guy in this draft for me. If he pans out and can play any open OL slot that is a major boon for the OL, team and the class.

 

The lean frame is my biggest concern. But he moves real well. Like all prospects he needs technique work. But he's aggressive and fluid. Two things you can't teach. 

[Going Commando]

3 minutes ago, KDawg said:

 

I like Daniels, too. Am I sure he's going to pan out? Nope. But he is the swing guy in this draft for me. If he pans out and can play any open OL slot that is a major boon for the OL, team and the class.

 

The lean frame is my biggest concern. But he moves real well. Like all prospects he needs technique work. But he's aggressive and fluid. Two things you can't teach. 

 

Yeah I wish he had more power, and I think his game would be a lot smoother if he did.  You'd definitely see more sustained blocks.  Hopefully that is something that can be built up in time.

 

He caught my eye during the combine.  His times were all great, and during the drill work, his movement skills looked really good to me.

 

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxe69fsqoxTnsl6Ke8ZmUD-2LChaps52qc

 

He really does look fluid with those lateral steps in that clip.  But yeah, you can see without the pads on how slender he is for an OL.  He's probably going to need some time to grow into NFL starter size.

[goskins10]

On 5/2/2023 at 3:40 PM, skinzplay said:

Hope I'm wrong, but i think this was a bad pick, and partially brought about by neglecting building the line through the draft these last few years. This guy could've been an UDFA. Too much to correct and develop. By the time the coaches have worked on all that, someone 'ready' will surface in an upcoming draft. Doubt there's any longevity here. Like I said, though, i hope I'm wrong.

 

 

He was never making it to UDFA. Here is a link with a mock composite. https://www.nflmockdraftdatabase.com/players/2023/braeden-daniels

 

A lot of 4s and 5s. You could argue they took him a little early but that is mostly just for fans and people who do mocks. If they wanted him and he was in thier range they had to take him. Not very likely he lasts to 137, thier next pick. After that it'sd 193. No way he is still there then. This was clearly a bit of a need pick - not my favorite plan but I get it.

 

SO consiidering it was need and they are taking OL no matter, who do you like better at this spot?  For reference Jon Gaines II was the next OL taken and he mocked at the 6th rd - 40 places later than Daniels. The next taken was Atonio Mafi (144) and he average mocked to the 7th. This is who was left by the time they picked. 

 

 

[skinzplay]

Like i mentioned, i do hope I'm wrong. I still think Brooks sees the field first, after a convenient BubbaTyering of Daniels.

 

 

[mh86]

He looks like someone they’d use as an extra blocker. Would probably not fair well against top ends or tackles, but I could see him blocking a LB or DB easily 

[Warhead36]

I hope we just stick him at G and let him grow into a potentially good one there. It still irks me that we essentially wasted a year of Jamin Davis's development having him take significant snaps at MLB. Yes yes I know the experience there still helps but still he'd be much farther along if we just let him play WSLB from the get go.

 

This organization for 25+ years has consistently played guys out of position. Its a plague that has run through just about every coaching staff.

[bird_1972]

1 hour ago, Warhead36 said:

I hope we just stick him at G and let him grow into a potentially good one there. It still irks me that we essentially wasted a year of Jamin Davis's development having him take significant snaps at MLB. Yes yes I know the experience there still helps but still he'd be much farther along if we just let him play WSLB from the get go.

 

This organization for 25+ years has consistently played guys out of position. Its a plague that has run through just about every coaching staff.

 

All of that will be over soon. 

 

Help is on the way.

[Est.1974]

11 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I hope we just stick him at G and let him grow into a potentially good one there. It still irks me that we essentially wasted a year of Jamin Davis's development having him take significant snaps at MLB. Yes yes I know the experience there still helps but still he'd be much farther along if we just let him play WSLB from the get go.

 

This organization for 25+ years has consistently played guys out of position. Its a plague that has run through just about every coaching staff.

We drafted him to play tackle, that’s where he’ll start out. Feels like a pick with 2024 in mind, potentially LT.

 

[DWinzit]

12 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I hope we just stick him at G and let him grow into a potentially good one there. It still irks me that we essentially wasted a year of Jamin Davis's development having him take significant snaps at MLB. Yes yes I know the experience there still helps but still he'd be much farther along if we just let him play WSLB from the get go.

 

This organization for 25+ years has consistently played guys out of position. Its a plague that has run through just about every coaching staff.

 

1 hour ago, Est.1974 said:

We drafted him to play tackle, that’s where he’ll start out. Feels like a pick with 2024 in mind, potentially LT.

 

I hope these young guys gets tons of play time in training camp and the preseason games.

 

It will be exciting to see the progress of Paul, Daniels, Stromberg and Brooks along with Cosmi. 

[RWJ]