Track Guy

It all depends which prospects are available at which pick. We do need a WR who can step in and play, but its hard to say what pick that will be because you can't force it. That's just the nature of the draft. If I had to guess, I'd say either in round 1 or 2 we may take one. But it's impossible to know. I think BPA is a better approach.

With all the posts you see from people over reacting on this forum, it gets hard to distinguish

We're pretty thin at WR and our offense is designed to use a lot of TE.

I think we finally actually have a decent O-line! If they can show some performances even close to these last 2 weeks against playoff caliber teams, they have to be thought of as one of the better lines in the league. I'm not quite going there just yet, but I'm thrilled by the way they've played the last couple weeks. I commend Ballard on his additions of Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith this off season.

Finally our offensive line is playing well! After all these years. I know some were skeptical about taking a guard at 6th overall, but the additions of Nelson and Smith to a line that had Castonzo and Kelly has catapulted us forward substantially. I'm still waiting to see us win the battles at the LOS like this to a team that has an elite defense, but even being able to do it against anyone multiple weeks in a row is a big step forward. And look how efficient Luck has been. These last 2 weeks where we were able to run the football well, Luck has thrown 7 tds, no interceptions, and had a 72.2% competition percentage.

Both Hernandez and Nelson are good young players, but yes... I'm happy we took Nelson.

This is what we need more of. Everyone should also notice how efficient Luck was when the running game was good. Good on Ballard for stepping up the O-line this past off season.

This is nothing but good news. All of the people complaining about not taking Chubb don't realize that he wasn't available at 6, and for what it's worth Nelson's pff grade is actually higher than Chubb's. Watch for Nelson's grade to keep on climbing over the course of the season. Braden Smith has looked very good in his limited action. These young O-linemen will likely keep improving over time. This is nothing but excellent for our team. Let's get a run game going and watch what it does for our team. Edit: Nelson also has a higher grade currently than Roquan Smith too.

Personally, I don't think we'll be picking in the top 5 in 2019. However top 10? I'd bet yes as of right now. We have to just add some difference makers. There are some things to like about our roster. I like our QB, young interior O-line, some of the young defensive talent added over the last couple years. I think we could be really good in another year or two, I really do.

This makes sense, too bad Slauson got hurt but it sure is nice to have Smith waiting in the wings.

Which 3 OTs are you thinking? There's some speculation that Adams may go back for a 5th year. I know there's first round buzz on Jonah Williams, Greg Little, and David Edwards - are those the 3 names or are there others?

I thought he held up pretty well, especially for a rookie playing his secondary position. It will be good to know moving forward that he can cover RT if needed, although I think it'd be good to look at our options at OT next off season as well. Not only is RT a position of high interest, next year is a contract year for Castonzo.

What's the alternative while Haeg is out? I guess Good? One of those two will probably be it. I'd guess Clark. I don't think Clark is the longterm answer but we have to roll with what we've got.

R1 - Jeffrey Simmons, DL, Mississippi St. - A dynamic prospect who shows strong against the run and the rare ability to provide a pass rush from the inside. Our scheme in particular will be given a major boost by having a dominant DT. R2 - Kelvin Harmon, WR, North Carolina St. - A big possession receiver who has good hands and NFL athleticism. He could fight for the #2 WR role on our roster immediately. R2 - Trey Adams, OL, Washington - He’s a top 15 pick if healthy. Adams has a rare blend of size and athleticism. His technique is pretty good and he's nearly impossible to bull rush. He comes with some durability concerns but immense talent. R3 - Khalil Hodge, LB, Buffalo - Another balanced linebacker who can cover the run or the pass to add to our lineup. He could push for a starting position role early, in addition to our good young talent. R4 - Alijah Holder, CB, Stanford - A cornerback with good length and ball skills. There were some medical concerns with him, but so far he’s looked to have fully recovered, this year. R4 - Yodny Cajuste, OL, West Virginia - An athletic tackle who could use a bit of refinement. He’s got adequate, but not overwhelming length. His foot speed and strength are tremendous. R5 - Derrick Baity, CB, Kentucky - A lengthy cornerback who’s had a solid college career in the SEC. He’s had a lot of passes defended over his career, and the desired height that will help with defend taller receivers. R6 - Ryan Bee, Edge/DL, Marshall - He’s been used a lot inside and even as a nose tackle, but has found ways to create sacks nonetheless. His frame is more of a DE frame, and he could be another outside/inside rusher that our scheme tends to like to stock a few of. R7 - Matt Gay, K, Utah - If our kicker finally feels like retiring, here’s a good replacement option for him. Overview: O-line: I've added 2 tackles, as I think we're all set with the guys we have in the middle. We've seen how thin we are at the position this year when Castonzo is out. Speaking of Castonzo, 2019 will be a contract year for him and he'll be 31. Adams would be fairly likely to start at RT as a rookie (if he had overcome the health issues) and Cajuste would be waiting in the wings as a potential starter or swing tackle in the future. I'd still think of Haeg as the swing tackle after this mock for 2019. D-line: Adding an elite defensive tackle is the goal. You never know, because some draft picks bust but Simmons looks good... Good enough that he might be that kind of guy. Ryan Bee is a nice late round prospect who could provide rotational value. We have Tyquan Lewis coming back, and with DEs Jabaal Sheard, Denacio Autry, and Kemoko Turay I'm okay with mostly focusing on creating more interior strength in our front 4. Linebacker: I finally like a lot of what we've done here. Darius Leonard has looked good so far, and Anthony Walker is off to a solid start. I think Skai Moore is at least a very nice rotational guy. But I still think adding one more in Hodge (the best Khalil out of Buffalo since Mack) could carry lots of bang for the buck of a 3rd round pick. Secondary: I don't think it's that desperate a situation, so while I addressed it, I didn't do so on the first 2 days. That said, I really like a couple of the CBs that are eligible this year (like DeAndre Baker for one). I think an improved defensive front will help our secondary, which is already performing surprisingly well so far in 2018. So I've added 2 guys with length who are used to playing at a high competition level in college. As for safety, I've added a depth player at the position. Wide Receiver: We are pretty thin here these days. Behind T.Y. Hilton, nobody has really separated themselves. With promising rookie Deon Cain coming back, and the addition of a guy like Harmon, I think our WR group will be looking better after this mock.

The defense is clicking pretty well, the offense isn't. Andrew Luck has got to play better, but it's not all on him either. Our running backs had something like 37 yards, that's not a recipe to win games. I don't think our weapons are very scary (outside of Hilton) and our starting LT has been out, so I don't expect 40 points per game, but I do expect Luck to improve as he gets back into the flow of NFL action.