Rebuild the Defense Simulated Draft (Unrealistic)

[That Guy]

If you are against unrealistic mocks, please quietly find your nearest exit.

 

This was a First-Pick mock, and it went in a completely unexpected direction (did they update their rankings or something?).  Barkley and four QBs go in the top five, and Buffalo still decides to offer me their two firsts and a second.  I'm sitting here staring at Chubb, Nelson, and a ridiculous haul of draft picks; and I decide to move back.  Buffalo takes a fifth QB, and I decided to start using the draft capital I have amassed.  When Tampa takes Ward (possible, I guess?), I move in and trade an early second and fourth and next years first for the #8 and get Chubb.  Then I trade an early second and third and our 2020 first for #9 and get Nelson.  Now, I still have 12 and 22 and a pair of second rounders.  I trade 12 back for New Englands two firsts.  When Edmunds lasts all the way to 19, I decide to move ahead of the Lions and grab him.  After grabbing Vander Esch with 23, I start trading back to accumulate more picks.

 

Round 1 Pick 8 (CHI):  Chubb, Bradley, DE, North Carolina State (A+)
Round 1 Pick 9 (S.F.):  Nelson, Quenton, OG, Notre Dame (A)
Round 1 Pick 19 (DAL):  Edmunds, Tremaine, OLB/ILB, Virginia Tech (A)
Round 1 Pick 23 (N.E.):  Vander Esch, Leighton, OLB/ILB, Boise State (A-)
Round 2 Pick 11 (N.E.):  Jackson, Josh, CB, Iowa (A)
Round 3 Pick 15 (ARI):  Penny, Rashaad, RB, San Diego State (A+)
Round 3 Pick 18 (DET):  Cain, Deon, WR, Clemson (A+)
Round 3 Pick 30 (MINN):  Pettis, Dante, WR, Washington (A+)
Round 3 Pick 33 (ARI):  Warner, Fred, OLB, Brigham Young (A-)
Round 4 Pick 5 (CHI):  Christian, Geron, OT, Louisville (A+)
Round 4 Pick 7 (NYJ):  McFadden, Tarvarus, CB, Florida State (A-)
Round 4 Pick 11 (LAR):  Cole, Mason, C/OT, Michigan (A+)
Round 4 Pick 20 (SEA):  Griffin, Shaquem, OLB, Central Florida (A-)
Round 5 Pick 9 (SEA):  Fatukasi, Folorunso, DT, Connecticut (A+)
Round 5 Pick 19 (PHI):  Nichols, Bilal, DT, Delaware (A-)
Round 5 Pick 32 (SEA):  Gossett, Colby, OG, Appalachian State (A)
Round 6 Pick 4:  Blanding, Quin, FS, Virginia (A+)
Round 6 Pick 5 (NYJ):  Mataafa, Hercules, OLB, Washington State (A)
Round 6 Pick 7 (CHI):  Haynes, Marquis, OLB/DE, Mississippi (A)
Round 6 Pick 22 (K.C.):  J Hall, P, DT, Sam Houston State (A+)
Round 6 Pick 44 (MINN):  Conklin, Tyler, TE, Central Michigan (A+)
Round 7 Pick 3:  Joseph, Michael, CB, Dubuque (A)
Round 7 Pick 13 (WASH):  ValdesScantling, Marquez, WR, South Florida (A+)
 

This gives us an almost entirely new defense at the cost of our next two first round picks (I'd trade them for Chubb and Nelson).  We no longer have to fit square pegs into round holes, and we can release most of our costly defenders (who don't fit our new scheme).  14 new players lets us have a ridiculously athletic linebacker corps.  We drop the nose tackles, but we gain interior defenders with some pass rush ability.  We are also now a solid five-deep at corner (with a decent sixth on the practice squad).

 

DE: Chubb, Mata'afa

DT: Anderson, Ridgeway, Nichols

DT: Fatukasi, Hall

DE: Sheard, Basham

SLB: Edmunds, Simon, Haynes

MLB: Vander Esch, Walker Jr

WLB: Warner, Griffin

SS: Geathers, Farley

FS: Hooker, Blanding

CB1: Wilson, McFadden

CB2: Jackson, Desir

CB3: Hairston, Joseph (probably goes to practice squad)

 

On offense, we gain weapons and solidify our O-Line!  Whoever is healthiest between Mewhort and Slauson gets the start, and I see Clark winning the job over Good because of his athleticism.  Nelson starting at right guard gives our line a better run-first demeanor.  Geron Christian just needs some weight room time, and he'll be a good starter in the league.  Conklin comes in and takes the job away from Swoope, and Penny comes in to become our primary running back.  We gain Cain to start as an outside receiver and Pettis who can play in the slot.

 

LT: Castonzo, Haeg

LG: Mewhort, Gossett

C: Kelly, Cole

RG: Nelson, Slauson

RT: Christian, Clark

TE: Doyle, Ebron, Conklin

RB: Penny, Mack, Michael, Jones

QB: Luck, Brissett

WR1: Hilton, Pettis

WR2: Cain, Grant

WR3: Rogers, Valdes-Scantling (probably goes to practice squad)

 

K: Father Time

P: Sanchez

LS: Rhodes

KR: Penny, Mack

PR: Pettis

 

Would anyone else be willing to give up our 2019 and 2020 firsts for this draft haul?

 

[aaron11]

3 minutes ago, That Guy said:

Would anyone else be willing to give up our 2019 and 2020 firsts for this draft haul?

 

no because those picks could end up being really high.  imagine if we had traded this years pick a few years ago

 

if we go by firstpick trade scenarios, then we could trade those picks after they are in the top 5 for even more picks 

[That Guy]

1 minute ago, aaron11 said:

no because those picks could end up being really high.  imagine if we had traded this years pick a few years ago

 

if we go by firstpick trade scenarios, then we could trade those picks after they are in the top 5 for even more picks 

It sounds to me like you're saying "no" on principal rather than looking at the actual scenario and judging the players.  Would you give a 2019 first for Chubb?  Would you give a 2020 first for Nelson?

 

Saying "no, because we could be in the top five" doesn't really take into account that we are already getting a top five player.  A once-in-a-generation type of player.

[aaron11]

Just now, That Guy said:

It sounds to me like you're saying "no" on principal rather than looking at the actual scenario and judging the players.  Would you give a 2019 first for Chubb?  Would you give a 2020 first for Nelson?

 

Saying "no, because we could be in the top five" doesn't really take into account that we are already getting a top five player.  A once-in-a-generation type of player.

i would not trade a future first for nelson

 

i would just draft chubb and move on, no guarantee he would get past the bucs 

 

if those future picks end up being top 10, then we can trade them after the fact 

 

[DaveA1102]

Hmm, on paper that looks a good haul from the players available but I would really not like to come out of this year with no 1st rounder in 2019 and 2020.

 

The reason being that we are a roster in need of so many things that I don't know how our roster will look come the end of this year in terms of areas we are solid and areas we remain weak.  Having those first rounders allows us to see if our picks in the 2nd and 3rd round this year develop to being starters/future starters and so, at the end of this year, we can have a better idea of where we would potentially need to use a first round selection, rather than putting all our eggs in the 2018 basket.

 

It also spreads our risk. If Nelson gets injured and Chubb turns out to be a bust, we are going to be in Browns territory for the coming years with no leverage to bring in better players.

[That Guy]

3 hours ago, DaveA1102 said:

Hmm, on paper that looks a good haul from the players available but I would really not like to come out of this year with no 1st rounder in 2019 and 2020.

 

The reason being that we are a roster in need of so many things that I don't know how our roster will look come the end of this year in terms of areas we are solid and areas we remain weak.  Having those first rounders allows us to see if our picks in the 2nd and 3rd round this year develop to being starters/future starters and so, at the end of this year, we can have a better idea of where we would potentially need to use a first round selection, rather than putting all our eggs in the 2018 basket.

 

It also spreads our risk. If Nelson gets injured and Chubb turns out to be a bust, we are going to be in Browns territory for the coming years with no leverage to bring in better players.

Ok.  I understand, but it's a simple difference of opinion.  The whole "putting all our eggs in one basket" metaphor isn't supposed to account for eggs that haven't even been laid yet.  I'd go more with "one in the hand is worth two in the bush."  We have holes to fill now, and we need players to fill them.  Sacrificing our current roster for the sake of our future roster is a delicate balance; but, in the end, I'd rather have $1 today than $1 in 2020.

 

Worrying about Chubb or Nelson getting injured is no different than worrying about our 2020 pick getting injured.  Let's say we don't draft Chubb and he ends up being a bust, but we draft a DE in 2020 who ALSO ends up being a bust.  Did we make the right decision?  Let's say we don't get Nelson, but we draft a legendary guard in 2020, and he goes on to blow out both knees in training camp.  Did we make the right decision?  Why does three busts in three consecutive years seem more appealing than three busts in one year?

 

Playing the "what if" game will never be as good in my mind as maximizing value.  If I have the options of getting Nelson or waiting until next year and grabbing a mystery guard, I'd rather have Nelson.  We don't need another year to evaluate our offensive line.  It's been below average for years.  Same with our pass rush.  We can spread out the risk and take more time to evaluate, but we're going to have to fix the problems eventually.