HappyDays

Yeah he has been too high on a few QBs, but he hasn't been too low on any that I can remember. Even from that same draft he said that he liked Trevor Lawrence, just didn't see him as a generational prospect like most people thought, and I would say that assessment of Lawrence turned out correct.

Chris Simms is lower on Drake Maye than just about anyone, has him as his 6th ranked QB behind Williams, Daniels, Nix, Penix, and McCarthy (in that order). The concern he's noted is that he thinks Maye is more of a project than the others and will need to rework a lot of his mechanics before seeing the field. He says Maye loses control of too many throws for seemingly no good reason. Curious if you saw any of this in your evaluation.

I've considered this as well. Last year I liked Jalin Hyatt as a potential 1st round pick for us and instead he went in the 3rd. WRs with that sort of frame tend to fall further than draftniks predict.

With the 12th pick the Chicago Bears select Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA. Las Vegas @NewEra is on the clock. It was down to Latu or Murphy for us at #9, so we are elated to come away with a 3rd and a 4th round pick, and still get one of our top choices. Latu fits a clear need. Trading for Montez Sweat has turned out great but we have no one to write home about on the other side. The only concern with Latu is medicals but recent reports are that he has been cleared, so we are more than comfortable taking him here. Latu has an extremely advanced repertoire of pass rush moves. He has a TJ Watt ceiling and is ready to start from day one. Our defense suddenly looks scary and we are ready to compete for the NFC North title.

The Bears would still like to trade down again but I'll make my pick in 30 minutes if no offers come through.

He really couldn't though. When officials keep their flags in their pockets during the playoffs, he disappears. CBs get their hands on him and grab at him and he can't get off the coverage. The Bills have dipped into the well of small-ish shifty route runners way too many times and it just isn't working to get us over the hump. Allen has to stand on his head while juggling three rabbits just to sustain drives in the playoffs. Nobody steps up to make a play for him. I want someone that is going to step up and make a play.

Yeah if you told me for sure we are getting a Diggs caliber player in the 1st round of course that is a no brainer sprint to the podium pick. But obviously it's extremely unlikely he reaches that ceiling, and I'm just saying if you're already trying to bet on an unlikely projection you might as well bet on an unlikely projection that you know can dominate late into January and February. So for me the answer to the question is Legette without any hesitation. But I'll admit the rumors about Legette's intelligence scare me a bit so my true answer might be "neither." It's hard if not impossible to make these decisions when we're missing at least 20% of the necessary information.

I mean absolute ceiling. His best trait is route running so Diggs is probably his absolute ceiling. But my whole thing is I want a WR whose absolute ceiling is dominant WR1 in the playoffs, at least with our 1st round pick. In the 2nd sure take McConkey, that's the right value for him. If his absolute ceiling is a guy that can't beat physical coverage outside I really have no interest in that player in the 1st round. And I can't think of anyone with McConkey's skill set that fits the profile I'm looking for.

The Bears are looking to trade down from #9 if anyone wants to get some early offers in.

I would like one of the McConkey fans to tell me, who is the comp player for his ceiling? Legette I can say it's AJ Brown. McConkey I can't think of anyone with his skill set that became a truly elite WR. Maybe Stefon Diggs but if that's the ceiling it's not good enough. We need someone that has the potential to dominate in the playoffs.

If the rumor about his low intelligence is true, it makes sense that we wouldn't be high on him. Our offensive system requires smart WRs that know how to read a defense and get to where they're supposed to be. It's why I think Beane will do everything he can to trade up for Odunze if he gets past pick #7 or so. He fits the type of prospect this regime has drafted in the 1st round, and happens to have some elite traits that you don't find at the bottom of the 1st round.

Not sure what he'll do but I think sticking at 28 is the least likely scenario. If one of the top 3 WRs makes it to 8ish I think he will try to make a blockbuster trade up. If someone with a 1st round grade is sticking out on his board in the 20s he is going to trade up for them using one of our 4ths. If all the 1st round grades are wiped out by then I predict a trade back with Washington to recoup our 3rd round pick. So it just depends on how the board falls.

The complimentary stuff is just that his size and speed means he has a high ceiling. Which is definitely true, but man I just can't get past his lack of edge. I really think someone with his skill set needs that. It's like if he doesn't win the release and separate vertically, the play is dead on arrival. And I don't think that alpha mentality is something you ever develop.

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.