Pre-Free Agency Mock draft

In this Mock we have some important things happen with free agency and I will list them by importance. A lot of people are hung up on the 18 million that we should have after we retain the RFA’s. The thing is we have a Huge amount of salary in 2017, so any multi-year deals we can backload and fit them into the cap. As of right not our cap # for 2017 is 112M the cap will be at least 160 mil. That means we have FLEXIBILITY PEOPLE.

1. Retain Okung on a prove it deal. His health being questioned and the recent surgery puts him on the cheap 6M one year deal.
2. Retain Rubin. He suffered thru being in Cleaveland and thru heresay has been said to love to stay here and doesn’t want to leave. We give him a medium size multi-year deal 4 years – 25 million back 6APY/24< loaded to bail on it in last 2 years if he declines or we need the $.
3. Mebane stays on a cheap 3 Year deal with little guaranteed, 3APY/10M. This sets him up to retire a seahawk and be incentivized to stay until the age wall hits.
4. We gain a veteran rotational pass rusher. My choices include Mario Williams, Chris Long, Tamba Hali. Anyone of them on the cheap for a short amount of time prove it style deal.
5. Extend Bladwin.
6. Give Bennett some incentives.
7. Possibly Sign Martellus Bennett. 6APY/ 3 Year Deal that is loaded for next year.

Without further ado this is my pre-free agency Mock draft.s
1 Sheldon Rankins DT
We hold position and take the best Interior pass rusher Dt in the draft. We get lucky he falls to us and we take the need. Putting pressure on Hill and adding the sack numbers needed on 3rd down.

3. Kyler Fackrell OLB/DE
We trade out of the 2nd round to a high picking team for their 3rd round and their 5th round picks. Fackrell falls to us giving us a Legit DE that can help replace Irvins rush and has ability to cover well.

"Premium length and athleticism. Played quarterback and wide receiver in high school and lettered in basketball and volleyball. Rangy tackler who is able to shadow the ball all over the field. Has length and arm extension to punch and control the point of attack. Functional strength is good enough against the run. Has length and motor for tremendous tackle radius. Had 80 tackles or more in each of his last three full seasons. Had just five sacks, but often dropped into space. Potential is there to become plus pass rusher. Combines forward lean, hip explosion and long arms to crank up speed-­to­-power pocket push. Upfield burst covers substantial ground in first three steps. Has upper body turn and shoulder dip to slip under tackle’s shoulder and around the corner. Don’t sleep on his cover ability in space."

3. Jack Allen C
We snag a great center from Michigan, Allen is a former HS wrestler which cable loves and is a bit undersized so he falls to us.
"Has a compact build with above average core strength. Was a standout wrestler in high school and uses that background to generate quick torques and turns on defenders. Understands his strengths and physical limitations. Possesses great strength in his hands and can snatch and ride defenders until the whistle sounds. Rarely has his hands outside defender’s framework. Combines arm extension and running feet to redirect gap shooters away from his quarterback. Card­-carrying tough guy willing to put some extra spice on it when he finishes a block. On the move, can adjust tempo and angle to land a squared block. Climbs up to middle linebackers with choppy steps and balanced base. Despite a lack of athleticism, still has plus body control. Hits where he aims. Flat­-footed puncher in pass pro."

3. Willie Beavers OT/G
Sleeper surprise. We told everyone we were prioritizing the Oline. Beavers gives us flexibility he can play Tackle or guard rotate through positions as needed. Also can learn from Okung / Gilliam and could be the LT / Rt of the future.
"BOTTOM LINE Beavers is very athletic with the feet to play left tackle, but has the talent and traits to play all over the offensive line with more technique work. While he clearly has some power and twitch in his hips, he could use a year in an NFL weight room to strengthen his core and upper body. Beavers is an eventual NFL starter who is likely to be targeted by teams who covet tackles who can excel in space."

4. Paul Perkins RB
The RB insurance. Starter quality to keep a great competition in the backfield and give different looks to the defense. Has great Cutting ability behind the line, not as fast as rawls but still a threat with moves but also a great threat on 3rd down as well.
"BOTTOM LINE If Perkins had more size and play strength to go with his elusiveness, we would be talking about whether he or Ezekiel Elliott would be the first running back off the board. While Perkins' tape is full of ankle-breaking cuts, his draft value will also be determined by his ability to protect the quarterback and stay on the field in short-yardage spots. If Perkins finds the right scheme and team fits for his talents, he could become a high-­end committee back early on."

5. Deiondre Hall S/DB
Sleeper seahawky db that can play all positions on the defensive backfield.

5. Michael Thomas WR (southern miss)

6. Willie Henry DT

7. Tanner McAvoy TE

7. Travis Freeney OLB

This is a work in progress I will be adding more info on the bottom picks later.

I think Sheldon Rankins is one of this year's most misunderstood players. He is NOT a natural pass rusher. He's not fast off the ball, he doesn't explode into gaps. He doesn't use moves to blow through blocks, and he doesn't have blockers playing nervous or over-committing to contain him. What he does do is stay very disciplined holding two gaps. He's an ideal fit for a 3-4 DE spot. We've seen this player before, his name was Sharrif Floyd.

Floyd was hyped to the moon the year he came out. Kiper et all had him as a top 5 lock. Then draft day came and Floyd fell to the late 1st. Because NFL execs had eyeballs and weren't stupid.

Floyd has been, as expected, a totally solid NFL player. But he's not a true pass rusher.

Rankins is the same story. He can stay disciplined and keep mobile QBs from escaping. He can occupy OL with his body. He can, randomly, get cheapie sacks when another pass rusher forces a QB into his arms (this is how Jordan Hill got all those sacks in 2014). I don't think he is going to be a bad player, but the Seahawks have found very comparable types of DTs in free agency every year for little money. So I would be pretty upset if this pick happened.

In fairness, pass rusher is generally the most over-hyped position for prospects almost every year, and 2016 is no exception. Everybody needs pass rushers, even the best pass rushing teams still want more of them. So that need pushes a lot of flawed and mediocre pass rushers into the 1st round discussion.

I think Rankins is confusing because what you see on the tape is different than what happened at the senior bowl practices. And that might lead GMS and scout to wonder if Rankins pass rush ability wasn't hampered by scheme. His proday and team visits will determine his final draft position more than most players.

He strikes as a very moldable player, and a lot of team will be intrigued by that.

kearly":5sv15yvj said:

I think Sheldon Rankins is one of this year's most misunderstood players. He is NOT a natural pass rusher. He's not fast off the ball, he doesn't explode into gaps. He doesn't use moves to blow through blocks, and he doesn't have blockers playing nervous or over-committing to contain him. What he does do is stay very disciplined holding two gaps. He's an ideal fit for a 3-4 DE spot. We've seen this player before, his name was Sharrif Floyd.

Floyd was hyped to the moon the year he came out. Kiper et all had him as a top 5 lock. Then draft day came and Floyd fell to the late 1st. Because NFL execs had eyeballs and weren't stupid.

Floyd has been, as expected, a totally solid NFL player. But he's not a true pass rusher.

Rankins is the same story. He can stay disciplined and keep mobile QBs from escaping. He can occupy OL with his body. He can, randomly, get cheapie sacks when another pass rusher forces a QB into his arms (this is how Jordan Hill got all those sacks in 2014). I don't think he is going to be a bad player, but the Seahawks have found very comparable types of DTs in free agency every year for little money. So I would be pretty upset if this pick happened.

In fairness, pass rusher is generally the most over-hyped position for prospects almost every year, and 2016 is no exception. Everybody needs pass rushers, even the best pass rushing teams still want more of them. So that need pushes a lot of flawed and mediocre pass rushers into the 1st round discussion.

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I respect and appreciate your input. Ty. Now what are your quick thoughts on the rest of my mock?

titan3131":1xkklcnn said:

I respect and appreciate your input. Ty. Now what are your quick thoughts on the rest of my mock?

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As far as the other guys, I don't really get the hype with Paul Perkins. His running style isn't crisp, he's too lanky for RB IMO, and he's slow. He looks like a possession WR playing RB. There may very well be a switch to WR in his future.

I've made no secret my love for Michael Thomas. I should watch the rest. Haven't watched a lot of Allen, but I've seen enough to know he goes against profile for Seattle. If they draft him, it would signal a change in philosophy. Which might not be a bad thing.

Specific players aside, I liked that you went DL, LB, C to start. Center seems pretty deep this year, might be smart to draft at the back end of a talent ledge. I'm not necessarily saying that Seattle should avoid OL early, but I have a hunch that PC/JS will see front seven as the bigger immediate priority. Of course, how the draft board falls will ultimately be the deciding factor.

I suspect Seattle will do relatively little to overhaul their OL. Maybe one early-ish draft pick. Maybe a vet or two. I think they'd be 'in play' for some of the bigger names, but will ultimately fail to reel them in. I'm not expecting big changes at OL this year. I think we'll see in uptick in competition, and possibly some new guys to replace Sweezy/Okung if they leave. Dramatic changes would surprise me.

McGruff":z8i21a3m said:

I think Rankins is confusing because what you see on the tape is different than what happened at the senior bowl practices. And that might lead GMS and scout to wonder if Rankins pass rush ability wasn't hampered by scheme. His proday and team visits will determine his final draft position more than most players.

He strikes as a very moldable player, and a lot of team will be intrigued by that.

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I've read quotes from personnel guys saying that the media makes a lot more out of the senior bowl than front offices do.

And quite often, the players who shine the brightest at the event are not the ones heralded in the media. Tyler Lockett and Russell Wilson were senior bowl afterthoughts (even though both played very well) and didn't see any kind of significant change in their draft stock. There's also an issue with it being limited to seniors only, with many of the top seniors declining to attend. It's basically a competition of mostly 2nd and 3rd tier prospects trying to make a name for themselves.

WIth Rankins, I think he was used exactly right. He's not explosive or innately hard to block. But he's 'athletic for his size' and always keeps his area of the field under control. I'm frankly amazed that Louisville found a way to get him 14 sacks over the last two seasons.

Perkins is either going to be great or out of the league. His tape reeks of a guy with either a lot of breaks and flukey dominance or someone so talented it just looks that easy. Definitely worth a round 4 selection.

pehawk":1f9dt8lg said:

Perkins is either going to be great or out of the league. His tape reeks of a guy with either a lot of breaks and flukey dominance or someone so talented it just looks that easy. Definitely worth a round 4 selection.

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Perkins = former USC RB Joe McKnight

Both were very good college RB's playmakers, but they both have the body type and finesse playing style of a WR.

Huh. I usually agree with a lot of what you have to say Kearly, but we are really far apart on our views of both Rankins and Perkins.

I watched probably 4 or 5 games of Rankins before the Senior Bowl hype ever started and came away believing he is the best interior rusher in this draft. His hands are so active and violent, he is very polished in that sense which is rare now a days for a guy coming out. He shows a strong bull rush, lateral quickness with a very nice spin move. He also holds up really nicely in the run game. To me, he is an every down 3 tech that will be a load to handle each and every passing down.

I don't think Perkins is lanky at all, he is 5'10 210. He probably has the best feet of any back in this draft, he puts guys on skates constantly. Laterally, he is completely dynamic. For a guy that is so good in space, he runs with really good lean and power inside as well. Although, I will admit he looks to bounce outside a little to much.

That is what makes this process so fun and unique though I guess. Multiple people watch the same film and come away with different opinions. These 2 have been 2 of my favorite prospects from the start though.

My thoughts on your off-season mock....
IMO I don't think Mebane is going to give the Seahawks a hometown discount, because the front office approached him this past season and asked him to take a paycut to free up some cap space and he said no. He has his Super Bowl ring and may just chase the money with his final NFL contract with another team.

After reading up on the interest of the free agent DE's that you listed, I doubt we will be able/willing to compete monetarily with other teams going after those older vets.

Okung may jump on any decent offer that has a nice guaranteed money. He is too injury prone and if he were honest with himself he would admit it and be thankful to get a good sized guaranteed contract even if it were with another team.

My thoughts on your picks for us...
Rankins - is best as a 1-tech DT on our defense. He reminds me a bit of Mebane when he was at Cal, short natural leverage, nice first step. But I was higher on Mebane coming out of college than I am of Rankins.

Fackrell - I would love to get him in the late 2nd round. He looks like a player that we could move around from LB to DE like we did with Irvin. I like that he is 6-4 and looks athletic, which fits the Seahawks profile for LB. But, with 32 inch arms, he has short arms for a 6-4 guy. His arm length is not a deal breaker for me especially in the 2nd round.

Allen- I think will be a solid starter in the NFL.

Perkins - IMO the Seahawks will not draft a finesse undersized RB in the first four rounds of the draft. In the past Pete Carroll said they wanted Lynch's back up to have the same physical style "more of the same", not a change of pace RB. So Perkins is out with their past history in drafting or bringing in street free agent RB.

Hall- he fits the Seahawks size/length profile and he is a good developmental CB this late in the draft.

Henry would be a steal, and is an ideal 1-tech for our defense. He may end up being a better player than Rankins... Yeah I said it.

Freeny is a good prospect to take a flier on late in the draft.

For me I like that you tried to pick a difference making DT in the 1st round, but I would have gone with a different DT.

My favorite picks you made in the realistic rounds that you picked them are, Fackrell / Allen / Hall / and Henry.

Freeny plays like a Seahawk and has for a few years. Would love to groom him (in both senses).

I'm new at this entire evaluation and draft mocking. Only paid attention to the draft since 2014.

I really love hearing everyone's thoughts.

Cover2 glad you liked a decent amount of it. I hope to do another post combine.

titan3131":2bw2oyp2 said:

7. Possibly Sign Martellus Bennett. 6APY/ 3 Year Deal that is loaded for next year.

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If a team wanted him at 6M, the Bears would've at least gotten a conditional 7th for him, wouldn't they?

Zero chance Okung would sign a one-year deal, especially one below market value. His position gives him too much leverage to settle for that.

He can't practice till june, I don't think he will find the value he thinks he is worth.

titan3131":iv68qk3j said:

In this Mock we have some important things happen with free agency and I will list them by importance. A lot of people are hung up on the 18 million that we should have after we retain the RFA’s. The thing is we have a Huge amount of salary in 2017, so any multi-year deals we can backload and fit them into the cap. As of right not our cap # for 2017 is 112M the cap will be at least 160 mil. That means we have FLEXIBILITY PEOPLE.

1. Retain Okung on a prove it deal. His health being questioned and the recent surgery puts him on the cheap 6M one year deal.
2. Retain Rubin. He suffered thru being in Cleaveland and thru heresay has been said to love to stay here and doesn’t want to leave. We give him a medium size multi-year deal 4 years – 25 million back 6APY/24< loaded to bail on it in last 2 years if he declines or we need the $.
3. Mebane stays on a cheap 3 Year deal with little guaranteed, 3APY/10M. This sets him up to retire a seahawk and be incentivized to stay until the age wall hits.
4. We gain a veteran rotational pass rusher. My choices include Mario Williams, Chris Long, Tamba Hali. Anyone of them on the cheap for a short amount of time prove it style deal.
5. Extend Bladwin.
6. Give Bennett some incentives.
7. Possibly Sign Martellus Bennett. 6APY/ 3 Year Deal that is loaded for next year.

Without further ado this is my pre-free agency Mock draft.s
1 Sheldon Rankins DT
We hold position and take the best Interior pass rusher Dt in the draft. We get lucky he falls to us and we take the need. Putting pressure on Hill and adding the sack numbers needed on 3rd down.

3. Kyler Fackrell OLB/DE
We trade out of the 2nd round to a high picking team for their 3rd round and their 5th round picks. Fackrell falls to us giving us a Legit DE that can help replace Irvins rush and has ability to cover well.

"Premium length and athleticism. Played quarterback and wide receiver in high school and lettered in basketball and volleyball. Rangy tackler who is able to shadow the ball all over the field. Has length and arm extension to punch and control the point of attack. Functional strength is good enough against the run. Has length and motor for tremendous tackle radius. Had 80 tackles or more in each of his last three full seasons. Had just five sacks, but often dropped into space. Potential is there to become plus pass rusher. Combines forward lean, hip explosion and long arms to crank up speed-­to­-power pocket push. Upfield burst covers substantial ground in first three steps. Has upper body turn and shoulder dip to slip under tackle’s shoulder and around the corner. Don’t sleep on his cover ability in space."

3. Jack Allen C
We snag a great center from Michigan, Allen is a former HS wrestler which cable loves and is a bit undersized so he falls to us.
"Has a compact build with above average core strength. Was a standout wrestler in high school and uses that background to generate quick torques and turns on defenders. Understands his strengths and physical limitations. Possesses great strength in his hands and can snatch and ride defenders until the whistle sounds. Rarely has his hands outside defender’s framework. Combines arm extension and running feet to redirect gap shooters away from his quarterback. Card­-carrying tough guy willing to put some extra spice on it when he finishes a block. On the move, can adjust tempo and angle to land a squared block. Climbs up to middle linebackers with choppy steps and balanced base. Despite a lack of athleticism, still has plus body control. Hits where he aims. Flat­-footed puncher in pass pro."

3. Willie Beavers OT/G
Sleeper surprise. We told everyone we were prioritizing the Oline. Beavers gives us flexibility he can play Tackle or guard rotate through positions as needed. Also can learn from Okung / Gilliam and could be the LT / Rt of the future.
"BOTTOM LINE Beavers is very athletic with the feet to play left tackle, but has the talent and traits to play all over the offensive line with more technique work. While he clearly has some power and twitch in his hips, he could use a year in an NFL weight room to strengthen his core and upper body. Beavers is an eventual NFL starter who is likely to be targeted by teams who covet tackles who can excel in space."

4. Paul Perkins RB
The RB insurance. Starter quality to keep a great competition in the backfield and give different looks to the defense. Has great Cutting ability behind the line, not as fast as rawls but still a threat with moves but also a great threat on 3rd down as well.
"BOTTOM LINE If Perkins had more size and play strength to go with his elusiveness, we would be talking about whether he or Ezekiel Elliott would be the first running back off the board. While Perkins' tape is full of ankle-breaking cuts, his draft value will also be determined by his ability to protect the quarterback and stay on the field in short-yardage spots. If Perkins finds the right scheme and team fits for his talents, he could become a high-­end committee back early on."

5. Deiondre Hall S/DB
Sleeper seahawky db that can play all positions on the defensive backfield.

5. Michael Thomas WR (southern miss)

6. Willie Henry DT

7. Tanner McAvoy TE

7. Travis Freeney OLB

This is a work in progress I will be adding more info on the bottom picks later.

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First of all I love posts like this and I think you did a great job Titan. So let me share my thoughts/wants in conjunction with what you got.

In FA, I think we let Okung,Irvin & Mebane all walk. Sweezy is over-rated for me but would have him back if he gets limited interest and its a cap friendly deal. Rubin and Lane should be resigned on deals good for both parties. Kearse is a tough one for me. I want him back but it would be a mistake to overpay with Baldwin a year away from a new deal and Lockett a emerging star. If he leaves it changes our needs a bit. Lets say he stays for this exercise.

In the open FA market I think we try to add some veteran OL help that is not over the hill. Alex Boone G/T, Mitchell Schwartz OT and Stefan Wisniewski C would be a great mix to go with Lewis,Gilliam,Britt,Bailey,Glowinski,Solkoli and Poole.

The Draft would go like this for me.

Rd 1.- Vernon Butler DT- Seahawks see a huge freaky athlete with a high ceiling that could be the interior dominator we need. I like Rankins as a 3 tech like you as well.

RD 2.- Sua Cravens LB- This guy is guna be a tackling machine will and we can move KJ back to SAM.

RD 3.- Kenneth Dixon RB- I think he fits us to a tee.

RD 3.- Sebation Tretola G- Love this guy and think he turns into a pro bowl ass kicker regardless of short arms.

RD4.- Eric Murray CB- Solid college production at Minn and had a good senior bowl week. Candidate to be eventual starter opposite Sherm.

RD5.- John Theus OT- Played both sides at Georgia and has the measurables the hawks will love. He needs to hit the weight room bad but could be a starting type player with time.

I like the rest of your late rd candidates and would love Thomas WR . :thirishdrinkers:

cover-2":lfco3xlo said:

My thoughts on your off-season mock....
IMO I don't think Mebane is going to give the Seahawks a hometown discount, because the front office approached him this past season and asked him to take a paycut to free up some cap space and he said no. He has his Super Bowl ring and may just chase the money with his final NFL contract with another team.

After reading up on the interest of the free agent DE's that you listed, I doubt we will be able/willing to compete monetarily with other teams going after those older vets.

Okung may jump on any decent offer that has a nice guaranteed money. He is too injury prone and if he were honest with himself he would admit it and be thankful to get a good sized guaranteed contract even if it were with another team.

My thoughts on your picks for us...
Rankins - is best as a 1-tech DT on our defense. He reminds me a bit of Mebane when he was at Cal, short natural leverage, nice first step. But I was higher on Mebane coming out of college than I am of Rankins.

Fackrell - I would love to get him in the late 2nd round. He looks like a player that we could move around from LB to DE like we did with Irvin. I like that he is 6-4 and looks athletic, which fits the Seahawks profile for LB. But, with 32 inch arms, he has short arms for a 6-4 guy. His arm length is not a deal breaker for me especially in the 2nd round.

Allen- I think will be a solid starter in the NFL.

Perkins - IMO the Seahawks will not draft a finesse undersized RB in the first four rounds of the draft. In the past Pete Carroll said they wanted Lynch's back up to have the same physical style "more of the same", not a change of pace RB. So Perkins is out with their past history in drafting or bringing in street free agent RB.

Hall- he fits the Seahawks size/length profile and he is a good developmental CB this late in the draft.

Henry would be a steal, and is an ideal 1-tech for our defense. He may end up being a better player than Rankins... Yeah I said it.

Freeny is a good prospect to take a flier on late in the draft.

For me I like that you tried to pick a difference making DT in the 1st round, but I would have gone with a different DT.

My favorite picks you made in the realistic rounds that you picked them are, Fackrell / Allen / Hall / and Henry.

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Edit what I had to say about Rankins...I was thinking Baylor DT Andrew Billings, who I like more as a 1-tech.

Free Agency:
1. I'm not for retaining Okung at 6 million a year. I feel Mitchell Schwartz would be a much much better 5-6 million spent. He hasn't missed a snap in 4 years in Cleveland while starting at RT every game and he's almost 3 years younger than Okung. A lot of talk out of Cleveland claiming he's good enough to start at LT, but he swung to RT because they have Joe Thomas at LT and he has the physical makeup to move inside if we need him to. I'd also like to see us sign Bradley Sowell on the cheap. I'm curious about a guy who started 12 games his rookie season and then rode the bench for the next two seasons because the Cards brought in Veldheer, arguably one of the best LTs in the league.

2. I think you're a little high on Rubin's value. I put him in at around 4-5 million a year, as well as Mebane. Get Mebane on a 3 year deal and Rubin on a 4 year deal with half guaranteed over the first two to three years of their contracts depending on the length. They're proven, they do their jobs and we know what we get with them. I don't like messing around too much with something that already works and ideas involving letting one of these guys go is messing with what already works. Get Mebane and Rubin Back... Draft a guy or sign a guy that can fill in on a rotational basis that can prove they're capable of taking over for Mebane or Rubin.

3. Covered in 2

4. I don't see us spending big on guys like Mario Williams, Long or Hali. Even at their discount, they're still going to be costly players and I don't see them adding any real production over the likes of Avril, Bennett, Clark and Marsh at DE. It's money wasted on a big name that doesn't get your good value on production. I'm looking at John Simon, Tahir Whitehead, possibly even Junior Galette, as more likely candidates to be brought in. Young and hungry guys that have proven they can play at a high level in the NFL and be had at a serious bargain in comparison to a lot of the other guys in FA like Mario, Long, Hali, Irvin and Perry.

5. Renegotiate Bennett, Baldwin and Chancellor, but renegotiate Graham down off the 9 million dollar salary or release him before beginning negotiations with Bennett, Baldwin and Chancellor. Keeping Graham at 9 million dollars is giving these guys a point of reference for their value to the team. If we want to negotiate them to a fair deal, we have to bring Graham down to a fair deal because these guys are not going to sign anything with us that has any one of them making less than Graham. Graham accounted for 2 TDs last year... Bennett and Kam individually accounted for more points than Graham off turnovers. Baldwin... Baldwin should definitely be getting paid more than Graham.

6. No on Martellus Bennett for one reason... Michael Bennett... From my experience, family relations on a team interfere with team cohesion. It's just the way it is. One family member develops personal opinions of a player on the team and the other family member leans towards that personal opinion because they're inclined to side with family. Never mix family and business. I take issue with this in regards to PC having his kid as an assistant coach too, so I'm not being hypocritical. It just seems to be the nature of the relations. Family effects teamwork negatively more often than not.

7. ZACH LINE!!! Outside of Mitchell Schwartz, this is the other guy in free agency that I think would make a huge impact on our offense. Protection, run blocking, rushing, receiving... He's a player that would drastically improve us at FB with a multi-dimensional player that can do everything. What's more? As a FB, we can likely sign him for around 3-4 million a year vs. spending 4-6 million a year on someone like Bennett or a semi-proven deep threat WR that's not as multi-dimensional. Zach Line and Mitchell Schwartz should be our high priority targets in free agency.

The Draft: It's really too hard to say... With the number of quality DTs in the draft, I'd have a hard time pulling the trigger on a DT in the 1st round. Jaylon Smith is really the only player I'd pull the trigger on at #26, otherwise I'd trade down and try to pick up a 3rd or 4th depending on where you trade down to. A lot of people will say Decker, but IMHO, Coleman looks better suited to play LT in the NFL. I just don't see the drop off in talent between Decker and Coleman or a few of the guys projected to go later in the draft, like Fahn Cooper. Cooper actually really impresses me and I think he could be getting overlooked simply because he played RT last year, instead of LT. Nevermind the fact that the best OT in the draft was playing LT opposite of him.

I don't see us drafting a RB until late on the 2nd day or the 3rd day of the draft, unless someone like Kenneth Dixon slides to us in the 3rd or 4th. I don't see Perkins sliding to us in the 4th either. He's projected 2nd or 3rd round. Fackrell could definitely be an option for us in the 2nd round if we miss on Jaylon Smith in the 1st round, but if we hit on Jaylon Smith; I'm thinking we go O-Line in the 2nd. I'm pretty much locked on Tyler Higbee in the 3rd, even if we have to trade up a little for him. If Higbee played for an SEC school or a Big 12 School, he'd be drawing comparisons with Hunter Henry. Watched Higbee play and he can do it all. I think he's more deserving of the Jason Witten comparisons than Hunter Henry is when I compare how they play the game.

Last, but not least... A 7th round pick needs to be reserved for Keith Marshall out of Georgia if he's not taken before then, though I have a very sneaking suspicion that the Rams could target him in the 5th or 6th with a little insight coming from his running mate. I also really like Cajuste... Best run blocking receiver in the draft and the way he pulls away and adjusts for the ball downfield is impressive. I think he'd be the best fit for our receiving corp. Gives us a different dimension to work with and he helps out in the ground game. As for DB, Worley in the 4th if at all possible. Gives us insurance on Lane if he can't stay healthy, possibly even someone that might unseat Lane at RCB.

The discussion occurring here is beautiful. Lets keep this draft forum interesting and ALIVE.

titan3131":2fut70jd said:

The discussion occurring here is beautiful. Lets keep this draft forum interesting and ALIVE.

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Agreed, it's nice to see the draft forum to become more active.