Third Round: Royce Freeman, RB; Isaac Yiadom, CB

[iknowftbll]

The third round looks solid from where I sit.

Freeman is now the Oregon Ducks all time leading rusher and leads the PAC-12 in TDs. He’s a legit threat in the passing game too. He’s a big bodied runner and has pretty good vision. He’s not depth: he’s a legit threat to keep Booker at #2 on the depth chart.

I am not as familiar with Yiadom, but reading a little on him like him as an option to compete for that #3 corner spot. He has good size For a corner and I can see him emerging as a shutdown corner in a season or two. His size is good because he can mix it up with some of the bigger WRs out there, but he has good speed too.

Seems like a win in the third round and honestly the first three rounds overall. I can see all 4 of these players being immediate contributors. That’s what you need when you finish 5-11.

 

[Mingo]

The third round looks solid from where I sit.

Freeman is now the Oregon Ducks all time leading rusher and leads the PAC-12 in TDs. He’s a legit threat in the passing game too. He’s a big bodied runner and has pretty good vision. He’s not depth: he’s a legit threat to keep Booker at #2 on the depth chart.

I am not as familiar with Yiadom, but reading a little on him like him as an option to compete for that #3 corner spot. He has good size For a corner and I can see him emerging as a shutdown corner in a season or two. His size is good because he can mix it up with some of the bigger WRs out there, but he has good speed too.

Seems like a win in the third round and honestly the first three rounds overall. I can see all 4 of these players being immediate contributors. That’s what you need when you finish 5-11.

Freeman is also good in pass protection, but doesn't have much of a clue blocking on a sweep for another ball carrier. Sutton is a very good downfield blocker.

Only saw Yiadom in the Senior bowl - I like DBs with long arms - you don't have to run a 4.3 if your arms are long enough. I like DC's description of his game in the other thread.

I think it is going to be running back by committee for next season (which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't).

If you watched Case Keenum highlights from last season - Sutton makes a lot of sense - so many of Keenum's pass completions were jump ball won by Viking WRs - Courtland Sutton is exactly that kind of receiver.

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

Meh on Freeman, love Yiadom

 

[Mingo]

Freeman - David Williams - RB draft picks - plus Bolles, Leary, Paradis, McGovern and Veldheer - show me the design is to be able to gut out the short yardage for TDs and 1st downs. I say Bravo - if they can pull it off.

Freeman had a fairly average year in 2017 - until the last 4 games of the season - when he played like he did in 2016. Some say he played his way through an injury and rehab in 2017. I hope this theory is true. If that is what happened Freeman was a bargain - if not - he will need a cattle prod to achieve.

 

[CEH]

CJ with more speed. Freeman could easily be the starter by OTAs.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Yeah Royce moves well for a big guy and catches the ball well for a big guy. If Booker stays healthy and maybe we even get Henderson a bit more involved this year, we might be pretty solid at RB... Just gotta have the OL in sync with them. I'm really not too worried about RB now. I am sensing we really want big RB's who can move a bit and catch the ball out of the backfied. Freeman, Booker, Williams and Henderson can all run, catch and have an element of power, some more then others.

 

[CEH]

Still can't see the fascination with Booker.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Understandable. I am looking forward to him being healthy and hopefully showing you why I am fascinated.

 

[Mingo]

I'm with those who believe the Oline has been quietly rebuilt already. The key is Bolles improving - as he should - Leary playing where he belongs - and something other than a string of beads at RT.

The biggest mystery of them all last year was why Mike McCoy - supposedly famous for putting together offenses that take advantage of the talent on the roster - completely blowing it! He had guys playing out of position - plays the QB couldn't execute - and situational play calling worthy of a mental institution study.

 

[cdumler7]

I'm with those who believe the Oline has been quietly rebuilt already. The key is Bolles improving - as he should - Leary playing where he belongs - and something other than a string of beads at RT.

The biggest mystery of them all last year was why Mike McCoy - supposedly famous for putting together offenses that take advantage of the talent on the roster - completely blowing it! He had guys playing out of position - plays the QB couldn't execute - and situational play calling worthy of a mental institution study.

I really think that McCoy had trouble adjusting after having two great QB's in a row to work with in Manning and Rivers. They make everything so easy for a coordinator that you can implement pretty much anything and good will happen.

As for the OL one of the biggest things I'm looking forward to is seeing Leary next to Bolles. They needed to have that combo last year to give Bolles a true high caliber player help him out. That left side of the OL should be about as strong as it has been in maybe 10 years.

 

[Mingo]

I really think that McCoy had trouble adjusting after having two great QB's in a row to work with in Manning and Rivers. They make everything so easy for a coordinator that you can implement pretty much anything and good will happen.

As for the OL one of the biggest things I'm looking forward to is seeing Leary next to Bolles. They needed to have that combo last year to give Bolles a true high caliber player help him out. That left side of the OL should be about as strong as it has been in maybe 10 years.

I really enjoy these kind of thoughtful responses from you Carl.

So McCoy was repressing his memory of being the OC for Tim Tebow?

 

[Duffman]

I really think that McCoy had trouble adjusting after having two great QB's in a row to work with in Manning and Rivers. They make everything so easy for a coordinator that you can implement pretty much anything and good will happen.

As for the OL one of the biggest things I'm looking forward to is seeing Leary next to Bolles. They needed to have that combo last year to give Bolles a true high caliber player help him out. That left side of the OL should be about as strong as it has been in maybe 10 years.

So is it official Denver will put Leary back at LG?

 

[Mingo]

So is it official Denver will put Leary back at LG?

That's what I have been reading.

 

[Dr Cyanide 28]

Leary is back to LG yes.

 

[cdumler7]

I really enjoy these kind of thoughtful responses from you Carl.

So McCoy was repressing his memory of being the OC for Tim Tebow?

Haha I would say so. Everything he ran here were things he loved running with Rivers and Manning. The Broncos were absolutely terrible in 3-wide sets. Some of their worst stats of the year came out of those formations. They did not have the personnel to make it work but guess what McCoy kept trying to do all year...play out of 3-wide sets. I mean it got to the point just a few games in that I could guess 90% of the plays we were going to call just by knowing down and distance. They did the same thigns over and over making it easy if some guy sitting on his couch can figure it out for defenses to know exactly what they would run. It was bad. Made me wish for the Tim Tebow offensive days. At least we woudln't have turned the ball over like crazy.

 

[cdumler7]

So is it official Denver will put Leary back at LG?

That seems to be the direction they are heading. Leary was none too happy about his move to RG from what I understand. Throw in now they have a couple of guys that fit better as RG's in McGovern and Watson.

 

[Draft Crazy]

I really think that McCoy had trouble adjusting after having two great QB's in a row to work with in Manning and Rivers. They make everything so easy for a coordinator that you can implement pretty much anything and good will happen.

As for the OL one of the biggest things I'm looking forward to is seeing Leary next to Bolles. They needed to have that combo last year to give Bolles a true high caliber player help him out. That left side of the OL should be about as strong as it has been in maybe 10 years.

Great post- I think you're dead on.

 

[iknowftbll]

I'm with those who believe the Oline has been quietly rebuilt already. The key is Bolles improving - as he should - Leary playing where he belongs - and something other than a string of beads at RT.

The biggest mystery of them all last year was why Mike McCoy - supposedly famous for putting together offenses that take advantage of the talent on the roster - completely blowing it! He had guys playing out of position - plays the QB couldn't execute - and situational play calling worthy of a mental institution study.

Count me in with those who believe the line will be solid this year. Just the continuity alone will help. And let’s not forget, despite a dismal offense overall, the line actually was decent at run blocking. And part of the problem with pass blocking was QB indecisiveness. Moving Leary to the left makes that side of the line a pretty formidable unit. The right side may still be a little shaky but if we’re strong on one side and can make due on the other it may be good enough.

Between that and the QB the offense appears to be upgraded significantly. I’m really excited to see where Musgrave goes with this. Of course an improved offense is a huge assist to a still very good defense. And that defense looks like it got a little better too.

Exciting things to come for this team.

 

[cdumler7]

Count me in with those who believe the line will be solid this year. Just the continuity alone will help. And let’s not forget, despite a dismal offense overall, the line actually was decent at run blocking. And part of the problem with pass blocking was QB indecisiveness. Moving Leary to the left makes that side of the line a pretty formidable unit. The right side may still be a little shaky but if we’re strong on one side and can make due on the other it may be good enough.

Between that and the QB the offense appears to be upgraded significantly. I’m really excited to see where Musgrave goes with this. Of course an improved offense is a huge assist to a still very good defense. And that defense looks like it got a little better too.

Exciting things to come for this team.

I think one of the best things that Case Keenum brings to the table is his ability to manipulate the pocket and avoid pressure. I would not say the Vikings had a better OL than the Broncos this past season but because they had a QB that knew how to step up in the pocket and keep his eyes down the field they were able to have a decent offense overall to complement a very good defense. Siemain, Osweiler, and Lynch were all terrible at helping the OL. So hopefully this year we don't see a QB set up 10 yards behind the LOS making them easy targets for pass rushers running around the arch.

 

[Draft Crazy]

Siemian ran himself into the dl half the time. Never seen anything like it.