Never too Early to Talk Draft

[Mebert]

I also highly favor Tennessee OL Darnell Wright over O'cyrus Torrence of the possibility existed to draft the former.

What about Mauch?

 

[Old Lion]

I wouldn't be interested in Kelee Ringo or Cam Smith either - at any draft slot.

Me either. I do like that kid from MS St. Emmanuel Forbes in the 3rd.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Me either. I do like that kid from MS St. Emmanuel Forbes in the 3rd.

He's big-time boom with his ball skills because he'll jump a route at any given moment, and he'll get burned because of it. I do like his skillset.

I like Kyu Blu Kelly as one would be a CB2, but it may very well take him until year two to grow into starter role.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

What about Mauch?

An emphatic no for me. I see a player who'll most likely need two years to become a decent guard. I do not see an NFL OT.

I see Torrence as a sure-fire day one RG who should project as a top 8 RG by end of year two into year three, but he offers no position versatility. I'd be fine with him as a draft selection, but I see him as a round 1 selection and that's early draft capital for an RG. Long-term he projects as a minimum two contract starting guard.

I favored Wright because he's more inclined to be available on day 2. He has position versality to move outside to OT if needed due to an injury or down the road but probably won't be nearly as good as Torrence at RG as quickly.

Torrence looks Pro-Bowl caliber prospect at RG, and I wouldn't state that for Wright at either RG or RT. Torrence sandwiched by Sewell and Ragnow would pave the way for one hell of an interstate lane to run through.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

It's just highlights of Dean but still impressive.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Benton in the 3rd could happen. It would solidify depth in the middle. Resigning Buggs I am assuming.

I tapped into actual game tapes of his today and I think he was misused at Wisconsin. I don't see him mostly as a 0/1 tech for the NFL. I think his better fit is playing more 3-tech/2-tech who can also play some of that 0/1 tech on occasion to give McNeil a breather.

I can also see Northwestern DT Adetomiwa Adebawore being able to play Big End and sliding inside to play the 3-tech. He may possibly be able to grow into that 3-tech role as a starter, but I'm not sure that'll happen. He has the leverage due to being 6'-1 1/2" and excellent pad level and speed to power conversion. He is long levered and powerful hands nut he mostly played End at Northwestern. There is more than a half dozen players like him available in this draft that are probably considered as being tweeners.

Moro Ojomo is the only other 3-tech player that has piqued my interest.

Once again, for 3 years running, this is a questionable interior defensive line group of players.

 

[Old Lion]

He's big-time boom with his ball skills because he'll jump a route at any given moment, and he'll get burned because of it. I do like his skillset.

I like Kyu Blu Kelly as one would be a CB2, but it may very well take him until year two to grow into starter role.

I just checked again this morning, he is easily in the second round now. Not sure I would chance it there. Still would be nice to have a corner who can make big plays though. Maybe Okuda will step up and surprise us now that he is 100% healthy.

 

[Old Lion]

I tapped into actual game tapes of his today and I think he was misused at Wisconsin. I don't see him mostly as a 0/1 tech for the NFL. I think his better fit is playing more 3-tech/2-tech who can also play some of that 0/1 tech on occasion to give McNeil a breather.

I can also see Northwestern DT Adetomiwa Adebawore being able to play Big End and sliding inside to play the 3-tech. He may possibly be able to grow into that 3-tech role as a starter, but I'm not sure that'll happen. He has the leverage due to being 6'-1 1/2" and excellent pad level and speed to power conversion. He is long levered and powerful hands nut he mostly played End at Northwestern. There is more than a half dozen players like him available in this draft that are probably considered as being tweeners.

Moro Ojomo is the only other 3-tech player that has piqued my interest.

Once again, for 3 years running, this is a questionable interior defensive line group of players.

Have you given up on Pascal? That was the one thing he exceled at was kicking inside on long yardage.

 

[Old Lion]

It's just highlights of Dean but still impressive.

Gonzales has looked real good in the combine. If they take him I would not be too disappointed.

 

[Old Lion]

Trenton Simpson might be the only LB worth taking early. I hope he lasts to 18.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Me either. I do like that kid from MS St. Emmanuel Forbes in the 3rd.

Erik Schlitt is one of the better analysts when it comes to CFB players. The following will probably take him out of contention as a Lion.

NFL Combine preview: 12 CBs the Lions should be watching

Identifying who and what to watch at cornerback during the 2023 NFL Combine.

www.prideofdetroit.com

his ability to help as a run defender is limited - and I'll add to the not yet mentioned that he weighed in at 166 lbs. while nearly 6'1".

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Gonzales has looked real good in the combine. If they take him I would not be too disappointed.

Yes indeed. He has the physical and athletic traits, but he has to clean up his sometimes-lacking ability to defend the run and will also drift out of position to attempt to make a PD or int. and fail.

Witherspoon is still CB No.1 for me because his on-field play states he's earned that. The real question surrounding all of these CB should be who they played against. This is not a great or even very good class of WR and Ohio State wasn't on Illinois' schedule in 2022. Gonzalez had to go up against better WR in USC and UCLA than what Witherspoon faced (Nebraska - Trey Palmer, Michigan State - Jayden Reed - not much from Michigan WR in 2022 or any other Big10 team).

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

Trenton Simpson might be the only LB worth taking early. I hope he lasts to 18.

He's destined to be a WILL LB for the NFL, and I also don't believe Holmes would spend a 1st round pick on a LB. I believe Holmes and DC and AG ride with Rodrigo.

Hell, nearly every damn LB in this class is more suited for WILL LB than a MIKE. Simpson, Pappoe, Dorian Williams, Dayan Henley etc.

I'm still on-board for drafting Montgomery but not until day two - 2nd draft pick of day two at the earliest. I saw a 4.7+ LB on the field and that's almost what he is - 4.65.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

It's not inconceivable to see an all Big10 draft for the first two days.

Hypothetically speaking.

1a. Van Ness
1b. Witherspoon (5'11" and 181 lbs. may not appeal to many teams) or Deonte Banks

2a. Sydney Brown or maybe even John Michael Schmitz
2b. Jack Montgomery or Keanu Benton

3. Martavious "Quan" Matin NB/Slot - might be too early for him here, but he could be the answer to shore up that position as he has had two years at outside CB and two years at NB/Slot/3rd Safety. Sydney Brown could also be a swing player for SS/NB/Slot.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

@Mebert is holding onto what some may consider a surprising pick but well deserving choice at WR for that 3rd round pick or maybe even into early day 4 should Holmes acquire an early 4th round pick, but he'll have to let the cat out of the bag.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

NFL Combine results: 12 standouts from the cornerback group

Already predicted to be a deep cornerback class, several top players held their spots, while other exceeded expectations at the NFL Combine.

www.prideofdetroit.com

NFL Combine results: 7 standouts from the defensive tackle group

The defensive tackles at the top of the class did enough to stay there.

www.prideofdetroit.com

NFL Combine results: 10 standouts from the edge rusher group

Arguably the deepest group at the Combine, the EDGE rushers showed out on Thursday.

www.prideofdetroit.com

NFL Combine results: 10 standouts from the linebacker group

In what looks to be a weaker linebacker class, a few names took advantage and improved their stock.

www.prideofdetroit.com

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I never witnessed this speed on the field, but he surely should be in contention as a 3-tech DT just as much as Kancey. Adebawore played mostly over the tackle or outside the tackle as a DE at Northwestern, but he did have quite a number of snaps as a B gap DT = and he's not a horrible tackler like many of these DE/Edge/DT. Many of these young players are far above 15-20% in missed tackles.

Ed Oliver, Grady Jarrett and Aaron Donald were all stated by the media pundits as being too small for the NFL as 3-tech DT and yet they've all prospered and at nearly similar size to one another.

NFL Combine results: 10 standouts from the edge rusher group

Arguably the deepest group at the Combine, the EDGE rushers showed out on Thursday.

www.prideofdetroit.com

Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern, 6-foot-2, 282​

40-yard dash time/10-yard split: 4.49/1.64
Vertical jump: 37.5, Broad jump: 10-foot-5

A sub-4.5 40-yard dash at 282 pounds is next-level impressive.

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

 

[Gulf of Brazil]

I'm still a fan of Bama NB/Slot Brian Branch even though he tested at 4.58 forty. His instincts more than help to alleviate what some may consider a poor forty time. I read where Ed Reed tested at 4.57 and Quandre Diggs at 4.56.

I don't see him falling too far out of range of latter half of the first-round picks 16-31. It's simply too early for me being a NB/Slot player when an DL or outside CB may be available at No.18. Branch is easily a day 1 starter and shouldn't have nearly the learning curve that an incoming rookie will have as an outside CB.