GunnerBill

To me it depends how far I'm reaching. I want them to draft a WR at #28, I wanted them to go receiver in round 1 the last two years. I think Mitchell and Worthy are slight reaches by my board, but I'd do it. Franklin feels like just too much of a reach to me. Especially if I'm leaving top end prospects on the board at OT, CB or Edge.

And I nearly took him too. If I was the GM of the Lions for real I'd move Brian Branch to safety full time and take Lassiter and if he plays mainly nickel as a rookie with Carlton Davis and my 1st round pick Kool-Aid outside then so be it. But these things are always a balance between what you would do and something you think it is realistic for the team to do and I don't get any sense they have an appetite to move Branch who they basically used in the Nick Saban "star" role he played in college last year. So I went with my next guy.

With the 61st pick of the 2024 TSW v2.0 Mock Draft the knee cap biting Detroit Lions select: Christian Haynes, Guard, UConn This round did not go according to plan for the Lions. I was hoping that one of the bigger bodied receivers made it here; or one of Fiske or Jenkins; or one of Wilson or Cooper. Or a specific edge who I tried unsuccessfully to trade up for but who then went. It basically left me with options of take a safety but I feel like I can address that at pick #73, reaching for a 1T - Smith, Hall, or Orhorhoro - or sticking to my board. If I was just mocking what I think the Lions would do here I'd take Orhorhoro. But I'm lukewarm on him as a prospect and this would be too early for me, so I'm going to stick with my board. Lassiter is my BPA but I took a corner in round 1. My second best available is Christian Haynes, the athletic guard from UConn. He may be slightly undersized for an NFL guard but he is super athletic and in that offense where Ben Johnson likes to get creative with his run game you can get Haynes on the move and he will be a monster blocking in space. The Lions recent offensive improvement is built on their oline and while the have 5 viable starters for 2024 their interior is old and / or banged up. Kevin Zeitler is 34, Graham Glasgow is 31 and Frank Ragnow is held together by sticky tape. Even if Haynes doesn't start right away this is a guy who can be the next generation of that oline. @section122 and the Baltimore Ravens are now on the clock.

I don't think he runs routes well at all.

His route running is sloppy. It can be coached up though. Hands, frame and contested catch ability are the concerns. I am not sure he gives you much in the redzone. If they traded back a bit and took Franklin like in the latest TSW mock (maybe not as far as #41) I'd be happier than taking him at #28. I do think ultimately he is a #2 receiver type.

The Rams had three 5th round comp picks. They spent the third of those 3 on Nacua. He wasn't even their priority among 5th round comps. Sometimes players surprise you. There will be starters out of day 3 this year. I'm sure about that. But likely not as many as in other years.

One of those vets is Von Miller. Last seen about as mobile as a broken down tractor. What about the OTs? If they'd consider a corner there would they not consider someone like a Mims? Maybe even a Guyton?

Yea agreed. I said it at the time. Same as the year before his two trades down at the end of round 2. That said to me he was out of true second round grades and if he was gonna take a high 3rd rounder at the end of the second he may as well pick up a couple of day 3 picks in the process. They can. It doesn't mean it always works out that way. Because some guys reach their potential and others don't. But you can still take a view as to the relative strength of a class.

I would. I'd go Legette, but would not freak out over Mitchell or Worthy. I think Ladd, Franklin, Coleman would all leave me feeling slightly cold but then you have to look in the context of the board at the time etc.

I think it varies a bit more than that. There are drafts that are great at the top, but not that deep. Drafts that are deep but lack elite talent and there are some drafts that are just strong or not strong throughout. It does vary. For example the class of 2009 produced six first team all pro selections and 56 pro bowl selections from the whole class. 2010 on the other hand produced 35 first team all pros and 133 pro bowl selections.

Yea it does for me. I mean I have them right together on my board Mitchell is only just ahead and it comes down to the ease with which you can project each to be a #1 in the NFL. That's an easier projection for Mitchell than it is for Worthy because of the size.

There is a dead spot in round 1 - I agree. I see a lot more tackles there than WRs. However, in round 2 I think a lot of receivers go. Would not be shocked if almost a 3rd of the round was receiver. 5/6 in round one. 8/9 in round two.

Nobody knows how they will turn out. People can know how talented a pool of prospects it is compared to other years.

I have said it about a couple of position groups.... this is a MUCH better draft class than last year through the first 120 or so players on the board. My top 100 finishes on the 3rd/4th borderline this year whereas it was late 4th last year. However, a lot of the guys after that are older prospects who have underachieved in college. I don't think 2023 was particularly strong late either tbh... but 2020-2022 were much deeper than this class.

It's certainly true that the Yale kid has a bigger jump to make. I haven't watched enough to grade him but the bits I've seen his ceiling is sky high IMO. The BYU kid's RT tape is significantly better than his LT tape. I think he can hold up at right tackle in the league, especially in a zone scheme. I don't think he can play left tackle. He could get by at guard possible, but I don't know if he has the raw power for it and I worry he'd lose in low man wins scenarios inside. I actually think he has some Spencer Brown traits to him and as a 3rd round right tackle only pick he'd make sense. I wouldn't love him here and prefer the Yale kid and Paul but based on the shortlist infront of us he's who I'd pick.

He isn't in my WR12. I don't get it either. I think he can play outside, he isn't totally restricted to the slot, but in a class like this he doesn't belong anywhere near round 1. To be honest he'd feel like a consolation prize at #60 to me unless the Bills are double dipping at receiver.

Yea that is an outrage. It needs some better regulation. Because that will be a trend.... good player but not a start at a top 10 programme? Enter the portal go to a top 30 programme who will treat you as the star, give you a load of NIL money and then re-enter and transfer back to a top 10 programme within weeks. Whether you go back to Alabama or to Georgia or Clemson or Michigan is irrelevant to me. You get a chunk of NIL money there should be some expectation that you play for that team. However, back on topic..... the Super League is a great idea. I have been saying on these boards for years the current model is outdated and not fit for purpose and they should have some sort of division structure with promotion and relegation. You guys who grew up with it might get it but to outsiders college football is completely inaccessible and it is a shame because the product on the field is great. But the system, the conferences, the scheduling, the seeding for playoffs, the various polls and committees etc... it is a mess. I have long felt it needs starting again with a blank sheet of paper. I don't know if it will happen, because of the vested interests and tradition.... but money wise I think in the end it would increase revenues and as we know, money talks!

Interesting thought exercise for folks.... I just did one on PFN where when on the clock at #28 the Chiefs made me an offer to trade up. Now normally the answer would be "don't trade with the Chiefs" but to come up from #32 (600 by the JJ chart) to #28 (660) they were offering to swap their second #64 (270) for my fourth #128 (44). So essentially they were essentially overpaying by the chart by 170 points which is the equivalent of a free mid 3rd round pick. I should say WR wise just the top 3 and Thomas were gone. Would you take that trade? I considered it too good to refuse and accepted. They then took Xavier Worthy with the pick and I thought that is going to be a pain for years to come but it allowed me to maximise my value and I ended up with: #32 AD Mitchell #57 (traded up three spots using a 5th) Jackson Powers-Johnson who fell - and I'm not sure he will fall that far but increasingly reading and hearing people say he drops out of the first. #66 Braden Fiske after two small trade downs which allowed me to turn #133 into #104 in the meantime #104 Jaden Hicks So would I want the Bills to take that trade in reality? I mean I think the value is pretty enticing. If I got those first four picks out of it I'd be delighted.

Equally I think I am sometimes perceived as hating him. Which I don't. I have him at #50 on my board. Daniel Jeremiah has him at #43. I don't think I'm way off the consensus on him. I'm at the lower end of the range, sure. But if the Bills took another position at #28 and Coleman made it to #60 (he won't) I'd be fine with picking him there or even trading up a few spots. He just isn't a pick at #28 or slide back 5 or 6 spots into the top of round 2 and picks option for me. I think that would be bad value because while I think he is a starter and a contributor in an NFL offense I don't see him as a difference maker and I suspect there will still be guys I have in that tier there in the late 20s and early 30s. I'm with Matt Harmon on the big slot thing. Indeed I'd said that here before Harmon said it.

The latest whispers I think are that there are enough teams late in round 1 who are willing to take the shot (including Tampa). If he got to #28 I'd pick him. I'm not sure the Bills will though.

I'm not going to give away everyone I have left on the board with a 2nd round grade because I'm picking a couple of spots after the Bills but I have five 2nd round grades left. As in v1.0 when the Bills came on the clock for their second pick my BPA was Kamari Lassiter, Corner, Georgia. I know he ran slow, but seriously, he had a 38.5% completion rate when targeted in 2023. He gave up 136 yards on 39 targets. He gave up just two touchdowns in coverage his entire college career. I think you have to stick with what the tape shows you. This kid can ball. I've already taken a corner for Detroit in round 1, but I'd seriously consider double dipping if he is there.

Agree. He is the cleanest projection into our scheme IMO. But I have all of those safeties after Nubin kinda clustered. Bullock is my #2 and is in this kinda range but then I have Hicks, Bishop, Bullard, Demerson-Taylor all sort of together as 3rd round grades. The issue I think is that they will likely all be gone before the end of round 4 when the Bills next go on the clock. If the Bills want to take a safety here in a scenario like this they should go back into the early 3rd and pick up a future pick or two. He is a potential left tackle so I can see the value argument for that. I have Paul a point higher on my board for that reason alone. Was the Yale kid on the longer shortlist before we started cutting down? I think I like him more than both (although based on less info).

Agree. I think he is "only" a right tackle. His left tackle film is bad. But I think of that list you draft him, sit him and let Spencer walk (or tag and trade if he has an outstanding year) after the season with the idea that he starts in 2025. It's a save cap space for next year pick essentially. I'd take Jaden Hicks over both of them for the Bills D.

No although I doubt it ever becomes a true strength. I think you will see them more willing to use Kincaid as the single tight end in 11 personnel in 2024. But there will still be packages where they want / need Knox on the field.

Even with our first 4th rounder that values Spencer at a high second round pick. No way he is that valuable.