MontanaHawk05":3izlp3z3 said:
I'm curious how you view the draft? With the caveat that nothing is set.
Of course with that caveat...
The off-season moves for the O-line didn't seem to answer the needs enough, so like many people here, I was hoping to see an early and high pick there. But once McDowell was selected, and I read some commentary on him, it made perfect sense. This team is built around a stifling Defense. That costs, and our resources go there, but the line needed more. McDowell has sooooo much potential... if he comes even close to reaching it, he'll be an all-pro.
We will always have an offense that is opportunistic with explosive plays interspersed between tough running. But our O-line will probably always be average, at best, in pass-protection. The Pocic selection fulfills the typical "versatile" lineman Cable craves, but may give less than I wished for. Our recent track record with linemen isn't good, but if Ifedi and Glow have improved (and have continued to do so in this offseason) and Pocic and Joeckel can add toughness to the line, I'll be thrilled if we hit low-average this year and cut 1/4-1/3 of the sacks off RW's total hits. It also cannot hurt to have another qualified center when the ZBS seems to create opportunities for rolled ankles and other lower-extremity injuries.
Will Griffen and the other DBs give the LOB a shot in the arm? I hope so. But considering how much better our D-line could be, it may be hard to differentiate between which has truly improved--the line or the secondary. All the selections are hard-hitters and fairly sure tacklers. I love the physicality of the whole draft.
Overall, I'm hopeful, but there are always the unknowns. Injuries always take their toll, some players don't live up to hopes, and some will excel from UDFA. And those stories are always great, too.
I wish I had more expert analysis to give, but I'm not a draft-expert at all. In fact, I know little about the college players. I prefer to play the patience game. Mostly, I just love the Hawks, and while I always want to see them win, I enjoy even more seeing them play and improve and reach their own personal ceiling. Having played in many sports through the years, it's not about what the other guys are doing or not doing, it's about what I can do and contribute.
Winning is everything to some people here. I'm old enough that it's seriously overrated in my personal life and for my expectations for teams I follow. Maybe that's why I don't get worked up over picks that don't match my expectations, or even losses on the stat sheet. I care more about players working through their own issues, and becoming all they can be.
Sorry for the philosophical rambling at the end. It's too late for me to still be typing.