Prepare yourself for a rookie LT

[NewColtsFan]

4 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

I think Eichenberg could be a true steal at OT if he is truly rated that way. Ballard could snag him in the 3rd and have his solid NFL ready LT. Then you can focus on DE, CB, and WR with the earlier picks. 
 

Give me Liam in the 3rd over Cosmi or Jenkins in the 1st any day. 

 

Well...     at this point in the process,  we don't have a 3rd round pick.    That's problem number 1.

 

Second,  there is little chance that Eichenberg lasts that long.    Could he?    Maybe,  but likely a long shot.   Not sure you can anticipate it.    So, if you want him,  odds are we'd have to take him at pick 54,  and that's assuming he lasts that long.

 

Third.....    you write...   "if he is truly rated that way."     That's a problem.   There is no one way players are rated.   There are 32 different ways.    One for every team.   Each team sees their board differently.    No two boards look alike.    They might be somewhat similar with the first 15-20 picks,  but after that,  things vary widely from team to team.    

 

Think of it as the ultimate beauty pageant.    You like the blonde,  someone else likes the brunet,  someone else likes the red head,   and so on.     Everyone sees the same thing differently.    What one team likes, another doesn't value as much.

 

[BProland85]

Ballard hasn’t done as well early in the draft in odd years so hopefully this 2021 he bucks that trend.

 

2017- Malik Hooker, Quincy Wilson, Terrell Basham, Zach Banner

 

2018- Big Q, Darius Leonard, Braden Smith

 

2019- Rock Ya-sin, Ben Banogu, Paris Campbell 

 

2020- Deforest Bucker(via trade), Michael Pittman Jr, Jonathan Taylor, Julian Blackmon 

 

 

[richard pallo]

53 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Point of clarification...   this may be their ranking, but I don’t think this means that all of them are candidates to be a Left Tackle.  A right tackle could still have a very high ranking even if they’re not a left tackle.  
 

As far as Little is concerned...   agreed.   A complete wild card.   I suspect there will be more differences of opinion on him than perhaps any other tackle.   Very few have his physical and mental gifts.   But his injury history and not playing for nearly the last two years will hurt him badly with some teams.   I think he’s a Day 2 kid, but nothing would surprise me. 

Their ranking is just a general ranking talent wise so not all of them are projected to be LT's.  The thing that surprised me was they had Little , a LT, ranked ahead of Cosmi, Eichenberg and the others after not playing for nearly two years.  They think a lot of him no doubt.  I don't think there is any way gets past the 2nd rd.  Could easily be a 1st. rd pick. 

[richard pallo]

39 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

I think Eichenberg could be a true steal at OT if he is truly rated that way. Ballard could snag him in the 3rd and have his solid NFL ready LT. Then you can focus on DE, CB, and WR with the earlier picks. 
 

Give me Liam in the 3rd over Cosmi or Jenkins in the 1st any day. 

He's going to have to take him in the first two rounds because we don't have a third unless Ballard finds a way to get one.  Hoping a player of his caliber falling into the 3rd round so you can take him there is far too risky of a strategy at a position so crucial for us this year.  I think if Ballard wants to start a rookie at LT he's going to draft one earlier than that.  

[NewColtsFan]

4 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Their ranking is just a general ranking talent wise so not all of them are projected to be LT's.  The thing that surprised me was they had Little , a LT, ranked ahead of Cosmi, Eichenberg and the others after not playing for nearly two years.  They think a lot of him no doubt.  I don't think there is any way gets past the 2nd rd.  Could easily be a 1st. rd pick. 

 

I think that's entirely possible with Little.    It only takes one team to fall in love with his skill set and raw tools.   Might be worth investing a late one on him.    I think that's possible.    I'm just not sure it's likely.   Two years is a LONG time of no football.

 

Feels very much like a Day 2 player, with the 2nd round being more likely than the third.    I love Little.    I just find projections on him all over the map.    From R1 to R4, and all the rounds in between.     Very unique draft profile.

 

[EastStreet]

3 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

He's going to have to take him in the first two rounds because we don't have a third unless Ballard finds a way to get one.  Hoping a player of his caliber falling into the 3rd round so you can take him there is far too risky of a strategy at a position so crucial for us this year.  I think if Ballard wants to start a rookie at LT he's going to draft one earlier than that.  

While I want us to keep the 21 and draft a DE, my gut says we'll trade our 21 for a 2nd and 3rd, or even a 2nd and pick for next year.

[danlhart87]

4 hours ago, EastStreet said:

While I want us to keep the 21 and draft a DE, my gut says we'll trade our 21 for a 2nd and 3rd, or even a 2nd and pick for next year.

You know Ballard loves those 2nds 

[EastStreet]

1 hour ago, danlhart87 said:

You know Ballard loves those 2nds 

I just think he's going to try and make moves to regain some of what was spent on Wentz.

 

Like I've said several times for a while now, it's easy to improve a bad roster early. It's another thing to maintain a good roster, or improve once you have solid depth. The next couple of years is how I will judge Ballard. He's not been perfect, has made some bad calls, and drafted some busts, but he's also done a lot more good than bad, and even a lot of his mistakes and bad picks weren't necessarily dumb moves. They were smart or well intended, and just didn't pan out. 

 

Now that we have a QB (assuming he works out), much improved depth, etc., I think the focus now will shift to coaching and maintenance (from the GM). Reich gets a pass for a lot of stuff because of the rotating door at QB, but now he has a guy he wanted and is familiar with, so his free pass is expired. 

[MikeCurtis]

15 hours ago, EastStreet said:

 

I think there is a difference between 

 

A) drafting a LT, and starting him early on an average or bad OL

B) drafting a LT, and starting him alongside 3 other pro-bowl guys, and probably the best LG in the league.

I see your point, but in most cases, in pass sets, the LT is up against the DE/LB, one-on-one

 

Q cant really help the outside speed rush, unless they are only rushing 3

 

Q can REALLY help when there are stunts inside

 

Overall, I think you make the pick, see how they develop, and if they are close to being ready, you let them play

 

Lets hope for some quick development 

[EastStreet]

41 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

I see your point, but in most cases, in pass sets, the LT is up against the DE/LB, one-on-one

 

Q cant really help the outside speed rush, unless they are only rushing 3

 

Q can REALLY help when there are stunts inside

 

Overall, I think you make the pick, see how they develop, and if they are close to being ready, you let them play

 

Lets hope for some quick development 

If they need help, you can chip with a TE, align the RB to that side, etc., if the new guy needs help at times when developing. It just really all depends on the matchup. I'm not saying draft a huge reach prospect. The T class is deep this year, and there's high quality guys in the 2nd. My point is, you don't need a top 3 guy this year.

[richard pallo]

10 hours ago, danlhart87 said:

You know Ballard loves those 2nds 

He does and because the class is so deep at LT and WR I can see him trading back and still drafting three very good players with our first three picks assuming we have two in the second.