GunnerBill

He was a totally different level of rugby talent to Wade. Wade was a finisher. LRZ is a complete package he can do it all. Doesn't mean he will be any more successful in the NFL of course but he is younger and more talented than Wade.

I know he doesn't. But it is a fair statement regardless.

I get that. But the 2023 film isn't just good. It is very good. If he had 2 years of that this isn't even a conversation.

See there is no world in which I can watch Franklin's 2023 tape and Legette's and grade Franklin's higher. I know a big part of your concern on Legette is not the 2023 film so much as where was that in 2021 and 2022 and why did it take until 23 to play good football - which is fair. But I just think you are having to look at the most recent film of both and talk yourself into the less impressive tape. I'm not trying to convince you. I know we disagree. I am just trying to explain where I am.

But they are old. In a lot of spots. The Eagles won a straight up swap of Huff for Reddick IMO.

Honestly before the testing I'd have said Alshon Jeffrey former Bears and Eagles. His tape reminds me of him. But his testing says there is a higher ceiling there.

Time to work out what teams I want.

13 seconds was mainly a McDermott issue. From the squib decision to the defences called to the 2nd timeout. But we also know Levi screwed the second play up and played the wrong leverage. And Jordan knows that because he was madly gesturing at him before the play. He could see it was about to go wrong.

I'm away this evening so not by my board. I'll give it a shot and come back and correct if I am off (and remember these are grades not where I think they will go) 1. Marvin Harrison - top 5 grade 2. Malik Nabers - top 10 grade 3. Rome Odunze - top 10 grade 4. Xavier Legette - late 1st round grade 5. Brian Thomas - 1st/2nd borderline grade 6. Adonai Mitchell - mid to high 2nd 7. Xavier Worthy - mid 2nd 8. Ladd McConkey - mid 2nd 9. Troy Franklin - mid to late 2nd 10. Keon Coleman - late 2nd 11. Javon Baker - 2nd/3rd borderline 12. Ricky Pearsall - high 3rd 13. Roman Wilson - high 3rd 14. Jermain Burton - mid to high 3rd 15. Tez Walker - mid 3rd I think that is right but will crosscheck againsy my board in a couple of days when I'm home.

I am not as high on Thomas as some. If he got to within the kinda "4th round pick" trade up territory where Elam and Kincaid were taken then I'd be okay. But I wouldn't be giving up next years 2nd.

He wouldn't be my pick. Maybe he isn't theirs either. I agree he doesn't excite. There is something missing. But the Bills love physical freaks and high RAS. He didn't play like he tested to me. Who knows if they feel the same.

See I think OT is where the first round run will be more than QB and WR.

Yea I kinda like that idea for him. His best asset is his YAC ability IMO.

He certainly could, but in reality 6 QBs in the first feels a lot. But there is still the Giants and Raiders there who I don't have taking one who could. Possible for sure. I have Penix as QB3 in my indicative grading but based on what people have been saying I think he is seen as a day 2 guy generally.

I think he will end up as a big slot at the NFL level personally. Regardless of the gauntlet speed he doesn't separate outside on tape.

Okay here is version 2.0, post free agency and with FOUR trades!!! Flame away!! 1. Chicago Bears – Caleb Williams – Quarterback, USC It was a tentative pick in version 1.0, but trading away (maybe that should be “giving away”?) Justin Fields to the Steelers has set this in stone. Also, while I do believe the smoke that there are teams who don’t have Caleb Williams as QB1 the Bears are not one of them. He will be the pick. 2. Washington Commanders – Jayden Daniels – Quarterback, LSU Teams have tried sniffing around the number 2 pick looking at trade possibilities and have been firmly knocked back – the Commanders are taking a Quarterback. I had Drake Maye here in version 1.0 but it increasingly feels like the momentum is behind Daniels to Washington. 3. New England Patriots – Drake Maye – Quarterback, North Carolina The trendy move here has been to have the Patriots trading out (normally with the Vikings). But I just don’t understand why they would do that. The Patriots have Jacoby Brissett, Bailey Zappe and Nathan Rourke as the Quarterbacks on the roster. They have to take a Quarterback and I believe they’d prefer Maye to Daniels in any event. 4. TRADE!! Minnesota Vikings – JJ McCarthy – Quarterback, Michigan (Minnesota gets #4 – 1800 value; Arizona gets #11, #23 & #167 – 2034 value) Which means the draft starts here. Let me be clear I think #4 is too early for JJ McCarthy but it is the law of supply and demand. He seems to be the consensus 4th QB off the board and there as many as four teams potentially in the mix so if you don’t come up to take him here one of the others will. I suspect Minnesota are the most desperate and they have those two first rounders to dangle but keep an eye on the Giants as a dark horse for this trade because they have less distance to go to this pick and it would mean Arizona still gets one of the top two receivers at #6. 5. Los Angeles Chargers – Marvin Harrison Jnr, Wide Receiver, Ohio State When Marvin Harrison Snr was an NFL rookie his Quarterback was Jim Harbaugh. In a scenario where the first four guys off the board are Quarterbacks the NFL will go full circle and in Marvin Harrison Jnr’s rookie season in the NFL his Head Coach will be Jim Harbaugh. 6. New York Giants – Malik Nabers – Wide Receiver, LSU The Giants have to add playmakers for their passing game whoever the Quarterback is. They have spent day two picks on Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt the last two years but so far the contributions have been modest. They need a legit #1 threat. Nabers can be used the way Brian Daboll used Stefon Diggs in Buffalo. 7. Tennessee Titans – Joe Alt – Offensive Tackle, Notre Dame As I said in version 1.0 the Titans tried to get by with Andre Dillard at left tackle in 2023 and it was a predictable car crash. This season is all about evaluating Will Levis for new Head Coach Brian Callahan and that starts with giving him protection. Callahan Snr is coaching the offensive line and will love working with Alt who is a mean, nasty plug and play left tackle. 8. TRADE!! Arizona Cardinals – Rome Odunze – Wide Receiver, Washington (Arizona gets #8 – 1400 value; Atlanta gets #11, #90 & #186 – 1407 value) We saw the Cardinals do this last year, when they traded back from #3 to #12 and then up again from #12 to #6. I think they want to sell #4 but also want to still snag one of the top 3 receivers which means getting ahead of the Bears and Jets. Odunze is an immediate upgrade for them. 9. Chicago Bears – Dallas Turner – EDGE, Alabama The Bears traded for Montez Sweat mid-season and it paid off - his 6 sacks in 9 games led the team. However, the fact that someone who only joined at the trade deadline led the team in sacks is a concern in itself. Turner had 10 sacks for the Crimson Tide last year and adds some juice to that unit. 10. New York Jets – Brock Bowers – Tight End, Georgia I had Bowers here in version 1.0 because the top two tackles were off the board. Since then the Jets have attacked their offensive line in free agency leaving them free to take Bowers here as an offensive match up weapon for Aaron Rodgers. 11. (From Minnesota via ARZ) Atlanta Falcons – Jared Verse – EDGE, Florida State Having addressed Quarterback with Kirk Cousins the Falcons are the favourite to win the NFC South. However, they still have a need for additional pass rusher help. 37-year-old Calais Campbell led the team with 6.5 sacks in 2023, he is a free agent and hasn’t been replaced. 12. Denver Broncos – Bo Nix – Quarterback, Oregon The Broncos are in a horrible spot. They have to get a QB (Jarret Stidham and Ben DiNucci are all that’s on the roster). They don’t have the capital to compete with other teams who might trade up; they don’t have a second rounder and can’t wait and hope to get one in round three and they can’t even trade back to maximise value because the Raiders, another Quarterback needy team, are right behind them at #13. I feel like they have to pick Best Quarterback Available at #12 and the consensus is that will be Bo Nix. 13. Las Vegas Raiders – Terrion Arnold – Cornerback, Alabama The Raiders roster is pretty bad. They could go almost any direction at this spot and there isn’t a single pick here that would surprised me. It could come down to interior defensive line or corner and I think that ultimately their need in the secondary is even greater. 14. New Orleans Saints – Olu Fashanu – Offensive Tackle, Penn State The noises from inside the building sound like the Saints are done with 2022 first round pick Trevor Penning and now we learn that right tackle Ryan Ramczyk’s could miss the season with a degenerative knee condition. Fashanu would be an immediate starter at left tackle. 15. Indianapolis Colts – Quinyon Mitchell – Cornerback, Toledo The Colts have a solid roster and have been quiet in free agency. But one obvious hole is at corner where return specialist Dallis Flowers, with five career starts to his name, is top of the depth chart opposite second-year man JuJu Brents. Mitchell is trending towards being CB1 and is a great scheme fit. 16. Seattle Seahawks – Troy Fautanu – Offensive Tackle, Washington I list Fautanu as a tackle but it is likely the Seahwaks would see him at guard where the interior offensive line needs significant work. This is becoming a popular mock choice not least because Fautanu’s college Offensive Coordinator, Ryan Grubb, now occupies the same position in Seattle. 17. Jacksonville Jaguars – Brian Thomas Jnr – Wide Receiver, LSU The Jags added Devin Duvernay and Gabe Davis to Christian Kirk in their receiver room during free agency, but Calvin Ridley moved on. If Quinyon Mitchell or Arnold were here I might have gone corner but, in their absence, a big, fast, athletic freak of a receiver feels on brand for GM Trent Baalke. 18. Cincinnati Bengals – JC Latham – Offensive Tackle, Alabama Corner and receiver are possibilities (especially if they were to trade away Tee Higgins) but I still think the achilles heel of this team is their offensive line, especially with an injury prone Quarterback. They need a right tackle and they like bigger guys so Lathan fits the bill. 19. TRADE!! Dallas Cowboys – Amarius Mims – Offensive Tackle, Georgia (Dallas gets #19 & #196 – 888 value; Los Angeles gets #24 & #87 – 895 value) If this was a no-trade draft then Amarius Mims to the Steelers at #20 would be as close to a lock as it gets. They appear to have really focussed in on him for some time. However, another team that appear to love his skillset is the Cowboys and they showed when drafting Tyler Smith out of Tulsa two years ago that they are willing to take a risk on raw talent up front. Mims either starts in place of the departed Tyron Smith at left tackle and lets Tyler stay at guard or is an immediate upgrade on the right side. 20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Taliese Fuaga – Offensive Tackle, Oregon State Pittsburgh drafted Broderick Jones last year and started him at right tackle as a rookie but they have one of the worst starting left tackle in the NFL. The plan is surely to switch Jones to the left in 2024 which would create a hole at right tackle that Fuaga would fill. 21. Miami Dolphins – Xavier Worthy – Wide Receiver, Texas This is my wildcard. We know Mike McDonald loves speed on offense and while this feels like a luxury pick given their defensive needs and the fact they have Hill and Waddle already, good luck to the defensive coordinator trying to cover all three of them. 22. Philadelphia Eagles – Cooper DeJean – Cornerback, Iowa The Eagles secondary is a series of question marks. Veterans Darius Slay and James Bradberry struggled in 2023, Kelee Ringo made little impression as a rookie and their safeties were bad. They have brought back CJ Gardner-Johnson from Detroit but DeJean is a versatile playmaker who could become a mainstay on the back end. 23. (From Cleveland via HOU and MIN) Arizona Cardinals – Jackson Powers-Johnson – Center, Oregon The Cardinals would have three firsts in this scenario which might give them the freedom to invest in the center position where they have long since had a hole. Powers-Johnson had an impressive week at the Senior Bowl and vaulted himself right into day 1 contention. 24. (From Dallas) Los Angeles Rams – Byron Murphy II – Defensive Tackle, Texas The Rams didn’t just lose a defensive tackle when Aaron Donald retired, they lost probably the greatest player in franchise history. While it is unfair to ask any rookie to come in and replace that level of impact Murphy is a good penetrative defensive tackle who will replace some of the pass rush juice they have lost. 25. TRADE!! Kansas City Chiefs – Jordan Morgan – Offensive Tackle, Arizona (Kansas City gets #25 – 720 value; Green Bay gets #32 & #95 – 710 value) The Chiefs come up the board, but it is not for a wide receiver. They have tried the vet route to fix the left tackle spot, trading for Orlando Brown and signing a Superbowl winner in Donovan Smith. It might be time to draft a long term answer and Morgan is an out and out left tackle who excels as a pass blocker. He could lock down Mahomes’ blindside for a decade. 26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Laiatu Latu – EDGE, UCLA Latu is my #1 edge rusher in the class but the health concerns are likely to push him down the board. I have heard the Packers (who originally have the pick before this one) and the Buccs linked to him frequently so I feel like this is the range he comes off the board. The Buccs lost Shaq Barrett in free agency so have a need. 27. Arizona Cardinals – Chop Robinson – EDGE, Penn State This is a pick I’m leaving unchanged from version 1.0. In a world where the Cardinals have just the two first rounders unlike the three they end up with in this mock it is clear to me that they have to get a wide receiver and a pass rusher. Chop is raw, but his ceiling is high. 28. Buffalo Bills – Adonai Mitchell – Wide Receiver, Texas I can see a scenario where the Bills move from this spot, either up or down. But if they stay here I still think it will be a receiver. Mitchell’s tape is not as impressive as his combine numbers but the physical talent is obviously there. If the consistency in his play can follow he has true WR1 potential. 29. Detroit Lions – Jer’Zhan Newton – Defensive Tackle, Illinois This would be the steal of round one. I have a top 10 grade on Newton but possibly because he didn’t work out at the combine with injury or because he is from unfashionable Illinois he hasn’t had the buzz his talent deserves. The Lions have Alim McNeill and DJ Reader at defensive tackle, but they are both really 1 techs. Here is the interior penetrating 3 tech they require. 30. Baltimore Ravens – Graham Barton – Guard, Duke The Ravens lost both starting guards in free agency – Zeitler to the Lions and Simpson to the Jets. They did draft Andrew Vorhees last year in round seven despite his ACL tear at the combine and he might step into one spot. Barton can arguably play all five spots on the line but would start at guard. 31. San Francisco 49ers – Tyler Guyton – Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma I had Mims here in version 1.0 but this time it is Guyton who slides to San Francisco. The 49ers lost right tackle Mike McGlinchey in free agency last year and Guyton would presumably start there as a rookie but he might even be a long term in-house replacement for Trent Williams. 32. (From Kansas City) Green Bay Packers – Nate Wiggins – Cornerback, Clemson Green Bay have only spent one of their last thirteen first round picks on offense and that was when they drafted Jordan Love. No team has spent more recent first round capital on defensive backs, with five in the last decade. They have a need there again with the Jaire Alexander situation looking dicey and a hole opposite him.

Still not good. It would basically make our WR corps the same as last year plus Curtis Samuel. And I don't think that is enough.

It isn't just the speed with Coleman. He is a bad contested catch guy as well. He is strong and a good YAC guy. But I don't know that is enough to be more than a mid to late 2nd.

Yea I think his 2023 tape is clearly the 4th best tape of any receiver in this class. I'd take him and not look back. I get the risks with age and late breakout and one year production. But I saw someone say it the other day and I agree.... if he had two years of his 2023 production he would be slam dunk WR4 in this class for everyone.

The two receiver picks that I would hate are: Coleman at #28 And Walker at #60 I can talk myself into almost any of the other realistic options at those spots.

I agree Latu is unlikely on their board. I am not sure I agree on Legette being a complete outlier. He is a physical freak which aligns with Josh, Tremaine, Ed and Groot. They like their freaks. I take the point that they like young freaks and their older picks - Tre and Dalton have been more polished guys. So it is an alteration to the trend but it isn't a complete outlier IMO. To be clear - I don't expect the Bills to pick Legette at #28 and I expect Thomas to be higher on their board but this thread isn't what do you think the Bills will do. It is what would YOU do. Who is your guy that would get you off receiver at #28. To me it is Latu. I'd take Latu over everyone except the top 3 receivers. It would be touch and go with my WR4 - Legette - but I'd still do it. It is enough clear blue water with my WR5 that I wouldn't even think, I'd do it. Ask the question that way - Latu or whoever your WR4 is on your board? And believe me it is NOT consensus that Thomas is WR4. I touched base with some very plugged in guys pre-combine and it was a real mix. Thomas was most popular (I even found a guy who had him above Odunze), but there were people who had Mitchell at WR4, Worthy at WR4 and Coleman at WR4.

He is WR5 for me and he would be a tier below Latu as a prospect by my board. I know you don't like him but I'd be closer to having the conversation on Legette. Latu is the half a round higher graded DE from your example if compared to Thomas in my view.

He has some talent but I think he has been slightly overhyped by some in the process. He is very quick, but for someone with so much speed he isn't open as often as he should be and the reason is he is not a good route runner - often imprecise and gives up leverage willingly. I think some of that is coachable, and there has been some improvement in his hands but he is early 3rd round in terms of grade for me. He is in a little cluster with Ricky Pearsall and Javon Baker for me in my kind of 4th tier of receivers (would be a 3rd tier in most drafts) and I think I like him the least of those 3.

FIFY

likely a vet minimum to give them a baseline 4th DT after Oliver, Jones and Johnson. I'd be surprised if he ends up making the 53. But if they don't land a DT anywhere in the draft maybe he has a shot.