MY GUYS March Madness Mock

[John Hammonds]

Ok, it's time to unveil how I think, and hope, the draft falls for us.

 

Rd 1/Pick 26 - A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi, 6-1, 225

Say hello to Reggie Wayne 2.0.  Brown is the "other" receiver, working in the shadow of D.K. Metcalf's hype, running crisp routes with excellent hands.  Can play in the slot or outside.  Competence plus excellence.  My kind of guy.  DraftTek rank: 21

Rd 2/Pick 34 - Dexter Lawrence, DL1T, Clemson, 6-4, 342

Ser Gregor Clegane in pads.  This monster of a man will keep your playmaking off linebacker clean, and will take on everyone so that the others are free to make the sacks.  He's so scary, I'm afraid to pick him!  DraftTek rank: 34

Rd 2/Pick 59 - Joe Jackson, EDGE, Miami, 6-4, 275

I think he's this year's Darius Leonard.  They'll say we reached for him at 59.  And we'll just laugh.  Jackson has enough upfield burst to rush the passer with authority, the strength and bulk to seal the edge, and will give you nonstop effort forever.  DraftTek rank: 77

Rd 3/Pick 89 - David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin, 6-6, 308

Edwards started out projected in the late first round, until a combination of a late season injury and unexciting stats dropped him deep down the draft board.  I still like him.  At worst, he provides valued depth at the right side.  At best, he starts, and lets Smith move inside.  DraftTek rank: 96

Rd 4/Pick 129 - Amani Hooker, S, Iowa, 6-0, 210

Box safety in the aggressive mold of Bob Sanders.  Only bigger.  Still has a way to go developing an effective pass defense.  But there's lots and lots to work with here.  Who's up for a Hooker Squared secondary?  DraftTek rank: 123

Rd 4/Pick 135 - Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan, 6-1, 181

Small school defender with long history in playing cover 3 zone.  Looks to have the competence and awareness of Julian Love, only with better size.  Let's see what he can do against NFL level competition.  DraftTek rank: 138

Rd 5/Pick 164 - Bryce Love, RB, Stanford, 5-11, 213

Multiple injuries have dropped the prospects of this electric running back.  Powerful and quick.  Can he stay healthy?  DraftTek rank: 173

Rd 6/Pick 199 - Mark Fields, CB, Clemson, 5-11, 180

There were just too many talented guys in the Clemson secondary to allow this guy to start.  But he got seen, versus Alabama, getting four pass breakups when Trayvon Mullen went down with an injury.  Let's hope he gets seen a lot more.  DraftTek rank: 249

Rd 7/Pick 240 - Sutton Smith, OLB, Northern Illinois, 6-0, 233

Diminutive player that racked up 31.5 "Havoc Plays", an SB Nation stat that adds together sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, pass breakups, and interceptions.  That's the most in FBS.  More than Jaylon Ferguson.  More than Josh Allen.  My guy.  DraftTek rank: 284

[KB]

I spit my drink out when you called Dexter Lawerance Sir Cregor Treagane aka the mountain.

 

Good draft.

[Fluke_33]

35 minutes ago, John Hammonds said:

Ok, it's time to unveil how I think, and hope, the draft falls for us.

 

Rd 1/Pick 26 - A.J. Brown, WR, Mississippi, 6-1, 225

Say hello to Reggie Wayne 2.0.  Brown is the "other" receiver, working in the shadow of D.K. Metcalf's hype, running crisp routes with excellent hands.  Can play in the slot or outside.  Competence plus excellence.  My kind of guy.  DraftTek rank: 21

Rd 2/Pick 34 - Dexter Lawrence, DL1T, Clemson, 6-4, 342

Ser Gregor Clegane in pads.  This monster of a man will keep your playmaking off linebacker clean, and will take on everyone so that the others are free to make the sacks.  He's so scary, I'm afraid to pick him!  DraftTek rank: 34

Rd 2/Pick 59 - Joe Jackson, EDGE, Miami, 6-4, 275

I think he's this year's Darius Leonard.  They'll say we reached for him at 59.  And we'll just laugh.  Jackson has enough upfield burst to rush the passer with authority, the strength and bulk to seal the edge, and will give you nonstop effort forever.  DraftTek rank: 77

Rd 3/Pick 89 - David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin, 6-6, 308

Edwards started out projected in the late first round, until a combination of a late season injury and unexciting stats dropped him deep down the draft board.  I still like him.  At worst, he provides valued depth at the right side.  At best, he starts, and lets Smith move inside.  DraftTek rank: 96

Rd 4/Pick 129 - Amani Hooker, S, Iowa, 6-0, 210

Box safety in the aggressive mold of Bob Sanders.  Only bigger.  Still has a way to go developing an effective pass defense.  But there's lots and lots to work with here.  Who's up for a Hooker Squared secondary?  DraftTek rank: 123

Rd 4/Pick 135 - Sean Bunting, CB, Central Michigan, 6-1, 181

Small school defender with long history in playing cover 3 zone.  Looks to have the competence and awareness of Julian Love, only with better size.  Let's see what he can do against NFL level competition.  DraftTek rank: 138

Rd 5/Pick 164 - Bryce Love, RB, Stanford, 5-11, 213

Multiple injuries have dropped the prospects of this electric running back.  Powerful and quick.  Can he stay healthy?  DraftTek rank: 173

Rd 6/Pick 199 - Mark Fields, CB, Clemson, 5-11, 180

There were just too many talented guys in the Clemson secondary to allow this guy to start.  But he got seen, versus Alabama, getting four pass breakups when Trayvon Mullen went down with an injury.  Let's hope he gets seen a lot more.  DraftTek rank: 249

Rd 7/Pick 240 - Sutton Smith, OLB, Northern Illinois, 6-0, 233

Diminutive player that racked up 31.5 "Havoc Plays", an SB Nation stat that adds together sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, pass breakups, and interceptions.  That's the most in FBS.  More than Jaylon Ferguson.  More than Josh Allen.  My guy.  DraftTek rank: 284

I think that would be the perfect draft. 

[DaColts85]

I like everything except Mr. Glass aka Bryce Love. Too me he is a wash in the league. Will bounce around for a few years and be gone like some other guys (Latimore) did. Everything else looks good tho. 

[BluHorzhu]

I like the narrative, even a dash of G.O.T. in there.  

 

I'm torn on Lawrence because of the stats and reports that suggest he just hasn't seemed hungry since freshman year...football hungry anyway.  Other than that he's probably banned from every all-you-can-eat sushi joint in the south.

 

Hooker is an interesting day 3 guy that a lot of people like here, some because of yes... the Sanders comparisons.  I do like the idea of an enforcer who can cover but also rattle your teeth coming through the hole.

 

For me, this IS March Madness baby!  Let the prognosticating continue.

[indyman411]

I like this draft. Love worries me a little, would rather have a bruising back to pair with Mack. But I wouldn’t be upset if this is how the draft played out. Good job. 

[Hoose]

I'm not sure what the DraftTek rankings look like for Tillery, but I like him at #26, with Parris Campbell at #34. I would also switch the picks of Hooker and Edwards.

I don't know as much about Joe Jackson as I should, and will take a longer look at him. 

People forget how good Bryce Love was before he got hurt. He's a value pick where you have him.

 

Good job! 

[lollygagger8]

Great mock except change the RB to ILB.

 

That said, I don't see Ballard picking WR with the first pick

[John Hammonds]

Thanks @Hoose and @lollygagger8 for the good responses.  Hoose, Tillery is DraftTek's 50th ranked player.

Here's a little explanation behind how I thought through my first three picks.  It's probably more qualified to go in the BPA thread, but anyway.

Of all the players on the MY GUYS list, who were my top guys that just barely had the chance to drop to 26?  Christian Wilkins and A.J. Brown.

And I had three options:

1. They both drop to 26

2. One of them drops to 26 (I actually built a second mock with Wilkins as my top pick)

3. Neither of them drops (At which point I would think we would be truly screwed, since I think all others aren't worth the 26 pick, and might want to trade down)

So, if both of them drop, which one would I rather have?  After much though, I finally came to the conclusion that it would be A.J. Brown.

Now, we move on to pick 34.  Both Dexter Lawrence and Jerry Tillery will be available.  Here's where you do that "stick to your board / BPA" thing.  They're both on my list.  They're very different players.  And I believe that Lawrence does what he does better than Tillery does what he does.  So, I pick Lawrence.  And follow it up with my Great Pick of the Draft, Jackson at 59.

 

After all of this, I took a good look at the various options we might have at defensive line in three years, after everyone that's 30 or older has moved on (including Houston).

 

Option A

EDGE - Tyquan Lewis

DL3T - Christian Wilkins

DL1T - Jihad Ward / Hassan Ridgeway

EDGE - Kemoko Turay

Option B

EDGE - Joe Jackson

DL3T - Tyquan Lewis

DL1T - Dexter Lawrence

EDGE - Kemoko Turay

Option C

EDGE - Joe Jackson

DL3T - Christian Wilkins

DL1T - Jihad Ward / Hassan Ridgeway

EDGE - Tyquan Lewis

 

Option A gives you good upfield penetration across the board, but not so much ability in stopping a determined run push.  And although Option C has better pure pass rush talent on the edges, Option B has fewer question marks on the interior while still keeping edge rush talent.  Some may like Option C better, but I prefer Option B.

 

Anyway, that was my thinking that led to by WR pick as first overall, and picking a non pass rusher at 34.  Others may find fault with my logic, and that's ok.  I've been proven wrong before.  A lot.