Mel Kiper's Grade A Mock Draft(3 rounds)

[stitches]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2018/insider/story/_/id/23096726/grade-2018-nfl-mock-draft-all-32-teams-mel-kiper-plays-gm-three-rounds-first-100-picks

 

This is the way he would draft. It's the draft he would give an A for. Here's his Colts draft:

 

 

Quote

 

Indianapolis Colts

Round 1 (6): Bradley Chubb, DE, NC State
Round 2 (36): Ronald Jones II, RB, USC
Round 2 (37): Connor Williams, OT, Texas
Round 2 (49): Harrison Phillips, DT, Stanford
Round 3 (67): Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, OLB, Oklahoma

I really like this Colts class. They added the Jets' two second-round picks, and they have to get starters there. Their roster is depleted from several poor drafts, but GM Chris Ballard has a chance to get back in shape.

 

You should know all about Chubb at this point -- he's the best pass-rusher in this class. Jones is a big-play threat with questions about his receiving skills. He has the athletic profile of Alvin Kamara. Williams could be a right tackle or guard for the Colts. Phillips is one of the strongest prospects in this class (he bench-pressed 225 pounds 42 times at the combine) and could play nose tackle. Okoronkwo is likely a situational pass-rusher as he doesn't have ideal size (6-2, 253), but he has a relentless motor.

 

 

 

The only pick I hate is the Harrison Phillips, since it goes directly against what Ballard and Eberflus have been saying about the way they want to play. I'd be shocked if we draft a two-gap nose tackle after we just released one that was pretty damn good because he didn't fit the system. 

 

I would love it if Connor Williams is there in the second and I don't mind Ronald Jones II in the second either. 

[Manning1887]

I just do not see Chubb being available at #6. I would love for us to draft him, but I do not see it.

 

If a QB happens to be available, I would love to trade back and get an extra #1 next year, perhaps Arizona would be interested in moving up in such a scenario.

 

Otherwise, I would be very happy with Quenton Nelson.

[That Guy]

Does he know we're going for a 4-3 defense now?

[Fisticuffs111]

Meh, not terrible but I could nitpick some things.

 

I also don't really like the Harrison Phillips pick. I'd rather take Will Hernandez than Connor Williams or Jones II (who would be on the board in this scenario). I'm not big on Jones.

[Boiler_Colt]

Chubb likely wont be there and I don't like Jones or Phillips. Replace with Michel and BJ Hill and I could live with it.

[Bluefire4]

Harrison Phillips doesn't fit this team if they really want speed and athleticism on defense.

 

Also there will be better running backs if we decide to take one at 36 even though I like Ronald Jones, and I'm not sold on Okoronkwo, but I'd take him in the third only if we didn't draft Chubb.

[MikeCurtis]

Jones to me seems to me to be the exact type of back, that Mack is.

 

I think we go bigger..... I will take a Penny!  our 3rd pick in the 2nd seems to be a great spot for him.

 

220 lb guy with moves, and 4.41 speed

 

 

I havent seen enough tape on Harrison Philips

 

The guy made a ton of tackles from a dt spot....... seems like a slow mover that we are trying to get away from   

[NewColtsFan]

6 hours ago, stitches said:

http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2018/insider/story/_/id/23096726/grade-2018-nfl-mock-draft-all-32-teams-mel-kiper-plays-gm-three-rounds-first-100-picks

 

This is the way he would draft. It's the draft he would give an A for. Here's his Colts draft:

 

 

 

 

The only pick I hate is the Harrison Phillips, since it goes directly against what Ballard and Eberflus have been saying about the way they want to play. I'd be shocked if we draft a two-gap nose tackle after we just released one that was pretty damn good because he didn't fit the system. 

 

I would love it if Connor Williams is there in the second and I don't mind Ronald Jones II in the second either. 

 

I don't like Phillips and I don't like the linebacker in the third.

 

To me it's obvious that Kiper doesn't know we've switched to a fast 4-3 and are no longer running the 3-4 we did last year.

 

Whoops!

 

[Scott Pennock]

Doubt we draft a RB in the 2nd and the 3-4 DT/NT isn't a fit either...

[Defjamz26]

Not a Harrison Phillips fan. I’d swap that pick with B.J. Hill. Not a Jones fan. I’d take a RB in the 3rd. And that LB pick is horrible. He’s a project. I’d take Fred Warner or Darius Leonard there. Kiper, like most analysts, knows nothing about the Colts besides that Luck is injured and Reich is the new HC.

[Shive]

10 hours ago, stitches said:

The only pick I hate is the Harrison Phillips, since it goes directly against what Ballard and Eberflus have been saying about the way they want to play. I'd be shocked if we draft a two-gap nose tackle after we just released one that was pretty damn good because he didn't fit the system. 

 

8 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

I don't like Phillips and I don't like the linebacker in the third.

 

To me it's obvious that Kiper doesn't know we've switched to a fast 4-3 and are no longer running the 3-4 we did last year.

 

Whoops!

 

Kiper is notoriously TERRIBLE about fitting talent to teams. I can't remember the last mock draft of his that I looked at and didn't think "how does this guy still have this job?".

 

Phillips doesn't fit AT ALL and Okoronkwo, while a really good pass rusher, wouldn't be a good fit for a 4-3 other than as a situational pass rusher.

[NewColtsFan]

25 minutes ago, Shive said:

 

Kiper is notoriously TERRIBLE about fitting talent to teams. I can't remember the last mock draft of his that I looked at and didn't think "how does this guy still have this job?".

 

Phillips doesn't fit AT ALL and Okoronkwo, while a really good pass rusher, wouldn't be a good fit for a 4-3 other than as a situational pass rusher.

 

I hate to be someone who is defending Kiper....

 

But I think he's one of the better talent evaluators.    I think he's right on guys at a higher percentage than most.

 

That said....

 

I agree with you...   he's often putting round pegs in square holes in his mocks.   I don't think mocks are his strength.

 

He also has one issue that I think he contradicts himself over...   he has stated for several years now that he would NEVER, EVER take a RB in the first round.     Yet, on his top-25 board,  he has FOUR RB'S.    Barkley, Guice, Jones and Michel.      That seems completely backwards to me.

 

And why his Big Board is a top-25 and NOT a top-32 is a mystery....

 

Mel takes himself way, WAY too seriously.    But. on balance I think he's good at his craft.    I don't rely on one person only.    I take Mel and Todd and Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks and Mike Mayock and Gil Brandt and blend them altogether...    To rely on one guy is dangerous in this business.

 

 

[Shive]

7 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

I hate to be someone who is defending Kiper....

 

But I think he's one of the better talent evaluators.    I think he's right on guys at a higher percentage than most.

 

That said....

 

I agree with you...   he's often putting round pegs in square holes in his mocks.   I don't think mocks are his strength.

 

He also has one issue that I think he contradicts himself over...   he has stated for several years now that he would NEVER, EVER take a RB in the first round.     Yet, on his top-25 board,  he has FOUR RB'S.    Barkley, Guice, Jones and Michel.      That seems completely backwards to me.

 

And why his Big Board is a top-25 and NOT a top-32 is a mystery....

 

Mel takes himself way, WAY too seriously.    But. on balance I think he's good at his craft.    I don't rely on one person only.    I take Mel and Todd and Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks and Mike Mayock and Gil Brandt and blend them altogether...    To rely on one guy is dangerous in this business.

 

 

I think he does a good job at talent evaluation for sure. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff put out by the major outlets are geared towards getting clicks. The title "You'll never guess who Kiper has in the Top 10 of his latest mock draft!" would get way more clicks than "Kiper's latest mock draft makes perfect sense".

 

I like looking at Mike Mayok, Daniel Jeremiah, and Lance Zierlein mostly. I've also been listening to the PFF Podcast a lot lately with Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo. I love hearing their take on talent evaluations, because they use both the tape and the analytics PFF has been developing the past few years (this is only the 4th year of them using their advanced stats with draft prospects). They tell you what they see and how the advanced stats fit into the equation. I don't agree with all of their evaluations, but they really surprised me.

[NewColtsFan]

10 minutes ago, Shive said:

I think he does a good job at talent evaluation for sure. Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff put out by the major outlets are geared towards getting clicks. The title "You'll never guess who Kiper has in the Top 10 of his latest mock draft!" would get way more clicks than "Kiper's latest mock draft makes perfect sense".

 

I like looking at Mike Mayok, Daniel Jeremiah, and Lance Zierlein mostly. I've also been listening to the PFF Podcast a lot lately with Sam Monson and Steve Palazzolo. I love hearing their take on talent evaluations, because they use both the tape and the analytics PFF has been developing the past few years (this is only the 4th year of them using their advanced stats with draft prospects). They tell you what they see and how the advanced stats fit into the equation. I don't agree with all of their evaluations, but they really surprised me.

 

Can't believe I left off Zierlein?!?

 

What was I thinking?!?        

[Alex22]

47 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

I hate to be someone who is defending Kiper....

 

But I think he's one of the better talent evaluators.    I think he's right on guys at a higher percentage than most.

 

That said....

 

I agree with you...   he's often putting round pegs in square holes in his mocks.   I don't think mocks are his strength.

 

He also has one issue that I think he contradicts himself over...   he has stated for several years now that he would NEVER, EVER take a RB in the first round.     Yet, on his top-25 board,  he has FOUR RB'S.    Barkley, Guice, Jones and Michel.      That seems completely backwards to me.

 

And why his Big Board is a top-25 and NOT a top-32 is a mystery....

 

Mel takes himself way, WAY too seriously.    But. on balance I think he's good at his craft.    I don't rely on one person only.    I take Mel and Todd and Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks and Mike Mayock and Gil Brandt and blend them altogether...    To rely on one guy is dangerous in this business.

 

 

 

I have always found Bucky Brooks to be INCREDIBLY bad at evaluating talent. 

 

On the contrary Jeremiah is good. I guess every show needs a Skip Bayless type personality 

[NewColtsFan]

16 minutes ago, Alex22 said:

 

I have always found Bucky Brooks to be INCREDIBLY bad at evaluating talent. 

 

On the contrary Jeremiah is good. I guess every show needs a Skip Bayless type personality 

 

Of the evaluators,  I would guess I agree with Brooks the least.   And I think he does a poor job on mocks.

 

But since he's been a professional scout and earned a paycheck for years doing that,  I'm reluctant to be too hard on him.     We play scout here on the internet.     He did it for a living.....

 

[AZColt11]

I've never been a big Kiper fan but I have to say if it goes like he has it laid out there I would be fairly happy with the draft to that point.  Not like ecstatic, but I could definitely live with it.  I just think the 1st pick in round 2 is too soon for a RB, but whatever.