HappyDays

Bruce Feldman published his annual draft confidential article: https://theathletic.com/5431528/2024/04/23/nfl-draft-2024-confidential-nabers-harrison-williams?source=user-shared-article Here are the most interesting nuggets on the top WRs:

Great read, thanks. Here's some of the more interesting nuggets on top WRs: -Malik Nabers is apparently the consensus #1 over Marvin Harrison Jr. This echoes what I heard Chris Simms say the other day. Harrison is the higher floor but Nabers' explosiveness gives him a higher ceiling. Nabers comes with less discipline though. I wouldn't be surprised if Arizona still picks Harrison first just because he is such a safe pick. -The feedback on Brian Thomas Jr is surprisingly poor. Coaches talking about his lack of a route tree, lack of ball skills, lack of physicality, lack of that edge that WRs need to be elite. FWIW these are the same exact concerns I have about him. -On Xavier Worthy, a couple coaches specifically point out that he is NOT John Ross as a prospect, specifically that his route running is better. One coach says "he's really impressive to talk to" and praised his mentality. This sounds like a player Brandon Beane would love, although I doubt he makes it to #28.

Could also be Beane just setting the stage for a trade if someone falls. I still think if Odunze makes it down to #9 he's the guy Beane will go up for. Gotta make those calls in advance so the parameters are in place.

No thanks, we're picking Trojan. With the 1st pick the Chicago Bears select Caleb Williams, QB, USC. The Washington Whatchamacallits @mrags are on the clock. This pick was turned in months ago. All that's left is for Roger Goodell to give him a big hug and pose with his jersey. Ryan Poles was an executive with the Chiefs until 2022. It was never a doubt that he would draft the QB with comparable traits to the last superstar QB he had a hand in drafting. Williams has his flaws but they are similar to Mahomes' flaws coming out of Texas Tech. This pick is a no-brainer. The real draft starts now.

With the caveat that I know very little about hockey, this seems like the type of move a sports franchise makes when it has lost all confidence in its abilities to make good decisions. I'm not surprised Pegula did it.

My blockbuster trade prediction is: Bills receive: Justin Jefferson 2025 4th Vikings receive: 2024 1st 2025 2nd

I heard Simms a few weeks ago say that Brian Thomas Jr doesn't have a "squeaky clean" character profile. Doesn't sound like anything real bad but enough to be a concern. But if any character and/or injury concern pushes him down the board the Bills won't be the team to stop his fall.

Yeah teams say that to players just to gauge their reactions, it doesn't really mean anything.

It isn't just about completing a pass. You have to execute a snap, try to read the defense, throw the ball with the right timing and accuracy and touch/power. Nobody on here could complete a pass unless maybe you got lucky and the WR you were looking at first got open on a blown coverage immediately, and you manage to throw the ball fast enough to avoid one of the defensive linemen tipping it. And hopefully you get this lucky on one of your first 2-3 throws because eventually you're getting crushed by a defensive player and being taken off the field in a body cast, possibly with your leg hanging in the wrong direction.

If it makes you feel better, Charlie Campbell just tweeted out the same article. I'm guessing it's his info published by a different writer for whatever reason.

The thing that gets NFL teams excited about McCarthy is a lot of those passes came in high leverage situations. 3rd and long gotta have it moments, etc. There is a projection there for sure but 3rd down success rate is something NFL scouts and executives value much more than the general public, because that's what wins championships.

Bears Lions Cardinals

No, Charlie Campbell consistently gets good info and as a result is usually one of the most accurate mock drafters every year.

A few nuggets from Charlie Campbell:

Correct. Samuel is the best outside WR we have which is more a testament to the state of the room than his own ability. I want us to add two WRs early that can play outside.

No I don't think Kincaid has that kind of physicality. He has excellent hip fluidity which allows for sharp cuts and immediate RAC. But I think he will always get pushed around a bit off the line. He'll mostly be in the slot though so his skill set won't be erased. For an outside WR it isn't that easy to make up for a lack of physicality.

We need a big physical WR out of this draft. Coleman, Legette, Polk. I'm sick of our WRs getting pushed around in the playoffs year after year. Shakir and Kincaid aren't that type of talent. It has to come from the draft.

Beane is the de facto front man of the organization and has done an excellent job in that role. For Pegula that almost certainly matters, maybe more than anything else. McDermott on the other hand was recently the subject of national embarrassment. I also suspect Allen is much closer with Beane on a personal level than he is with McDermott. So yes I think if McDermott eventually gets fired Beane will hire his replacement.

To win games sure, but to make it to (and win) the Super Bowl you almost certainly need at least one great option. As has been the case for every Super Bowl team going back at least a decade. Our best hope on that front is that Kincaid becomes a great pass catcher. Last year down the stretch he was a good pass catcher. If he becomes a high efficiency 100+ target pass catcher we can have a championship caliber offense. That or one of our rookie WRs hits the ground running which isn't inconceivable, other teams have gotten elite production out of rookies in recent years although it's rare.

Are you still of the opinion that you "don't care about total TDs" when evaluating QBs?

I don't know, every Super Bowl participant for the last like 10 years has had an elite pass catcher. Seems like a prerequisite. I don't think it's fair to expect a rookie WR to be elite right off the bat though so we'll have to try and make do. Drafting two WRs with physical traits high would maximize our chances.