2017 NFL Mock Drafts & Top Prospects

[GunnerBill]

I imagine Bill is thinking of Flowers. I also don't agree it was pass rushers that won it for New England... but the strip sack of Ryan was a huge momentum changer.

[YoloinOhio]

I imagine Bill is thinking of Flowers. I also don't agree it was pass rushers that won it for New England... but the strip sack of Ryan was a huge momentum changer.

the worst player on the field had to be Shaq Mason. Grady Jarrett is still finding pieces of him in his teeth.

[JohnC]

Great response but it didn't address the question I posed to Bill, who stated that DE edge rushers and tweeners win games for teams. You talked about branch and his run stuffing and interior pressure changing the game (I'm glad he had a good game but that's not why the Pats won) and that's great, but branch is neither an edge rushing DE nor a tweener

 

And I do agree with you about the first round pick. IF our FO and staff think there is a QB in this draft that can Be franchise material - I'm more than OK with them taking him at 10.

In a back handed way I did address your point about the degree of importance for certain position. There is no doubt as NY Bill stated that some positions are more important than others. On the flip side of the issue is that finding players to play those positions at a high level are more difficult to accomplish. What the Patriots demonstrated is that the best way to compensate for personnel limitations is to collectively play better as a unit. DE Long didn't play on a full time basis in the SB. He's not nearly as good when he was in his prime. However, as a situational player he was effective.

 

There is no doubt that an elite DE or OLB pass rusher has a disproportionate influence on the defense from a positional standpoint. But by mixing and matching smartly you can somewhat overcome the absence of those type of elite players at those positions.

 

We are not necessarily in disagreement here. But NY Bill's point that there are clearly more valued positions becomes evident when a talented player at the positions Bill mentions is on the draft board. Then it becomes evident by the early selection. When a player at a priority position's contract expires the settlement for the next contract is usually very grand, an expression of the importance of the position.

[PaattMaann]

In a back handed way I did address your point about the degree of importance for certain position. There is no doubt as NY Bill stated that some positions are more important than others. On the flip side of the issue is that finding players to play those positions at a high level are more difficult to accomplish. What the Patriots demonstrated is that the best way to compensate for personnel limitations is to collectively play better as a unit. DE Long didn't play on a full time basis in the SB. He's not nearly as good when he was in his prime. However, as a situational player he was effective.

 

There is no doubt that an elite DE or OLB pass rusher has a disproportionate influence on the defense from a positional standpoint. But by mixing and matching smartly you can somewhat overcome the absence of those type of elite players at those positions.

 

We are not necessarily in disagreement here. But NY Bill's point that there are clearly more valued positions becomes evident when a talented player at the positions Bill mentions is on the draft board. Then it becomes evident by the early selection. When a player at a priority position's contract expires the settlement for the next contract is usually very grand, an expression of the importance of the position.

 

Absolutely agree with this.

 

now back to prospects!!

[JohnC]

Absolutely agree with this.

 

now back to prospects!!

If you start talking about DBs I will go crazy on you, and so will NYC Bill!

[PaattMaann]

If you start talking about DBs I will go crazy on you, and so will NYC Bill!

I won't lie, one point I was on board with hooker/Adams if they were available. But fret not, I am past that point now. I would def like Davis or Williams (in that order), or franchise QB if they decide to move on from Tyrod (or even if they don't honestly) if they identify one they are sold on. Maybe if Allen falls to us he would be a good option. Rueben foster intrigues me too. There are a lot of options at our pick to improve the team immediately or long term (QB).

[JohnC]

I won't lie, one point I was on board with hooker/Adams if they were available. But fret not, I am past that point now. I would def like Davis or Williams (in that order), or franchise QB if they decide to move on from Tyrod (or even if they don't honestly) if they identify one they are sold on. Maybe if Allen falls to us he would be a good option. Rueben foster intrigues me too. There are a lot of options at our pick to improve the team immediately or long term (QB).

You are redeemable. Hallelujah!

[thebandit27]

I won't lie, one point I was on board with hooker/Adams if they were available. But fret not, I am past that point now. I would def like Davis or Williams (in that order), or franchise QB if they decide to move on from Tyrod (or even if they don't honestly) if they identify one they are sold on. Maybe if Allen falls to us he would be a good option. Rueben foster intrigues me too. There are a lot of options at our pick to improve the team immediately or long term (QB).

 

I am really hoping that 2 QBs go in the top 10, because I have 7 non-QBs that I would be perfectly happy to see the Bills draft: Allen, Hooker, Adams, Lattimore, Foster, Davis, and Williams. I can't see all 7 of them being gone before the 10th pick if 2 QBs go, since there are other guys like Fournette and Solomon Thomas that will probably get top-10 grades from a few teams as well.

[BuffaloHokie13]

 

I am really hoping that 2 QBs go in the top 10, because I have 7 non-QBs that I would be perfectly happy to see the Bills draft: Allen, Hooker, Adams, Lattimore, Foster, Davis, and Williams. I can't see all 7 of them being gone before the 10th pick if 2 QBs go, since there are other guys like Fournette and Solomon Thomas that will probably get top-10 grades from a few teams as well.

Clearly you'd like Garrett too, however unlikely the chances of that are

[P51]

 

 

I agree with almost all this except the end. We can't see EJ Manuel around every corner. Ravens had their EJ pick with Kyle Boller but they then got Flacco in round 1.

 

Im not advocating, not taking a QB because of EJ, Im advocating taking a QB where they should be taken, or +1 round higher because of the positional value. EJ was a 3-4 round QB with a loaded physical tool box and good head on his shoulders, who was a 3 year project. The highest he should have been taken was round 2, and Im convinced the Eagles would have taken him in the 2nd, but the 1st was a giant stretch to begin with.

 

If the Bills have a 1st round grade on Watson or Trubinsky, or whomever, and take them at 10, I would understand. However taking a 2nd round guy at 10 IMO is not understandable (taking a 3rd/4th round guy at 16 is stupid, IMO), thats a guy you trade up into late round 1 or early round 2 for. Preferably the former to get a extra option year. Take the quality positional player at 10 where the value is and land the possible QB of the future later.

[jeffismagic]

 

Im not advocating, not taking a QB because of EJ, Im advocating taking a QB where they should be taken, or +1 round higher because of the positional value. EJ was a 3-4 round QB with a loaded physical tool box and good head on his shoulders, who was a 3 year project. The highest he should have been taken was round 2, and Im convinced the Eagles would have taken him in the 2nd, but the 1st was a giant stretch to begin with.

 

If the Bills have a 1st round grade on Watson or Trubinsky, or whomever, and take them at 10, I would understand. However taking a 2nd round guy at 10 IMO is not understandable (taking a 3rd/4th round guy at 16 is stupid, IMO), thats a guy you trade up into late round 1 or early round 2 for. Preferably the former to get a extra option year. Take the quality positional player at 10 where the value is and land the possible QB of the future later.

I'm with you. Find the guy, get value, and beat someone to the punch.

[thebandit27]

Clearly you'd like Garrett too, however unlikely the chances of that are

 

Of course! I just think it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he's off the board.

[BuffaloHokie13]

 

Of course! I just think it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he's off the board.

Leonard Williams fell to 6 after being the foregone conclusion at #1 for basically the entire offseason. You never know! I'm trying to be optimistic. So that makes 8 picks we'd be happy with at 10 not counting Thomas, Fournette, or any QBs. I like those odds.

[thebandit27]

Leonard Williams fell to 6 after being the foregone conclusion at #1 for basically the entire offseason. You never know! I'm trying to be optimistic. So that makes 8 picks we'd be happy with at 10 not counting Thomas, Fournette, or any QBs. I like those odds.

 

Indeed; I'll amend my list of perfectly-happy to 8: Garrett, Allen, Hooker, Adams, Davis, Williams, Foster, Lattimore. So that means that we need 2 QBs to go in the top 10 if we want to land one of them.

[TPS]

 

I am really hoping that 2 QBs go in the top 10, because I have 7 non-QBs that I would be perfectly happy to see the Bills draft: Allen, Hooker, Adams, Lattimore, Foster, Davis, and Williams. I can't see all 7 of them being gone before the 10th pick if 2 QBs go, since there are other guys like Fournette and Solomon Thomas that will probably get top-10 grades from a few teams as well.

i wouldn't mind Thomas at all.

[YoloinOhio]

@albertbreer

Here's another one -- Due to his prior criminal record, Ole Miss WR Demore'ea Stringfellow wasn't invited to the combine in Indy.

[P51]

The conclusion I come away with from your excellent post is that the mediocre status of our team has little to do with the positions they are drafting for as it does with the inability to adequately evaluate players. That's the issue, and it is troubling.

 

100% agree.

 

 

I have stated it before and I will state it again because the wrong lesson is imputed from the EJ selection. The core problem with the EJ pick and many other picks regardless of position is the poor evaluation of players. That year was a blatantly poor qb draft year. Everyone in the business who was not comatose was aware of that. The other qbs who were of similar talent were drafted in the fourth round or so. The EJ selection was an abysmal selection because he was poorly evaluated as a player.

 

True too, I think this years class is better than EJ's, but most of them are 2nd round QB's IMO and while better its a parallel to EJ's class. Most of the grades I see by the analysts I follow are being pushed up into the first round based on positional value, not player value.

 

I believe that there are at least 4 good qb prospects. None are elite and non probably will be ready in their rookie year. So what!

 

I have 7 draftable grades on QB's in this draft myself and 4 (2nd round grades) I think have an legit chance to be a actual starter. If the Bills have a actual (not pushing the grade up for positional value or need) 1st round grade on any of them, and they are there at 10 I understand taking him. If not, its 2nd round pick at 44 or 2nd/1st round trade up if the guy they like w/a 2nd round grade falls into the late 1st or early 2nd. Trade down scenerios apply here as well for me, if they can turn 10 into a late 1st QB and 2 - 2nd round picks, im all for it. I would not waste the 10th pick on a QB, just for the sake of it.

 

Derek Carr was not considered to be an elite prospect. He was good enough to change the trajectory of that franchise. We let him pass. Russell Wilson and Prescott were not elite prospects and without a doubt they made impacts on their team. We let them pass. Isn't it about time that this dullard organization become more aggressive in filling the one position that will most upgrade the team? It seems every year it allows teams to benefit from our plague of bypassing good (not great) prospects that have a significant effect on them.

 

I get your point, I really do, I will say that these guys IMO are like winning lottery tickets, Carr failed his major test vs. USC, but had the arm and leadership qualities, Wilson had the production but not the physical traits that more often than not result in busts, and Prescott no one saw coming and fell into a perfect situation in Dallas, could be argued that Wilson did as well in Seattle. Oakland IMO nailed it by taking Carr after Mack, IMO take the talented position player early then the QB appropriately, Carr working out has he has is the exception, not the rule, if Oakland was so sure on him they would have taken him at 4 or 5, when ever they drafted. This organization IMO should be taking a QB every year until they get "the one" but being realistic about it should be factored in, in my opinion. I dont think taking one with your first pick for the sake of doing so is the way to go.

 

There comes a point where enough is enough. You either do it or you don't. We are in a good position to select a good qb prospect. No more excuses!

 

I agree for the most part with this last statement, as long as there is a good QB prospect worth taking at 10. Question I ask: Where do you draw the line, if at all?

Edited February 10, 2017 by P51

[P51]

 

Indeed; I'll amend my list of perfectly-happy to 8: Garrett, Allen, Hooker, Adams, Davis, Williams, Foster, Lattimore. So that means that we need 2 QBs to go in the top 10 if we want to land one of them.

 

Id add Thomas to the list, as I dont think he's that far behind Garrett and still a developing talent more so than Garrett.

Either way I think its a good list

i wouldn't mind Thomas at all.

[26CornerBlitz]

@RobQuinn619

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[Bill from NYC]

 

Which pass rushing DE/tweener won big games for the Patriots? Falcons? Packers? Steelers? Hmmmm....cant really think of any. I can, however, think of great QB play that won those teams games.

 

I agree with the heart of what your saying though, I think. We need to get better on the right side of our o-line. I just think there are other avenues to do that while still identifying your franchise QB (if its not Tyrod)

The teams you mention got there primarily because of their qbs. I know this and I already stated that qb was the most important position. Does this mean pass rush isn't important? How did the Giants beat Brady? What did Von Miller do last year? If Brady got sacked a few more times the Patriots probably would have lost the game. But, their rock solid OL held off pass rushers.

 

Defensive backs can no longer hit "defenseless receivers." Offenses now own the middle, not Ronnie Lott, Steve Atwater, etc. Quarterbacks, pass rushers and blockers are the most important pieces of a football team, and the hardest to get.