Who is the player you don't want your team to draft?

[Across The Field]

Kendricks is a guy I think you can plug him in about any of the linebacker spots and he will do just fine. He isn't a pure pass rusher so probably 3-4 OLB is not his spot but otherwise I think he can do well at any of the others. AS for Shaq Thompson the big question with him is where do you play him? As a linebacker he is probably a WLB in a 4-3 defense. I can't see him playing anything else at the linebacker spot. Some teams though see him as the next big hitting SS. The fact that he has hardly played safety though just leads me to believe those teams won't be picking him early in the draft knowing it would be a huge risk. Look for a 4-3 team with a hole at the WLB spot to take Thompson.

That makes a ton of sense, what you say about Thompson. If he has the instincts to play safety, he could be a better version of Kam Chancellor. However, he would definitely make more sense a 4-3 WLB, definitely agree.

Do you think Kendricks could play OLB in the 3-4 though?

 

[Wamu]

It's not a player I'm worried about, the Browns will fuck up a pick at some point like they usually do. I'm more concerned that they might be dumb enough to trade a 1st round pick for injury prone Sam Bradford.

 

[cdumler7]

That makes a ton of sense, what you say about Thompson. If he has the instincts to play safety, he could be a better version of Kam Chancellor. However, he would definitely make more sense a 4-3 WLB, definitely agree.

Do you think Kendricks could play OLB in the 3-4 though?

Maybe? I don't think he is a great fit. He is more of a read and react kind of player which really doesn't fit with the pass rush role of the 3-4 OLB. He has the speed and aggressiveness to do it but I think it would be underutilizing his skill set to do that to him. Now he can play 3-4 ILB for a team and do just fine. Needs to put on about 10 lbs. of muscle to hold up in that type of role but the guy is a playmaker so hard to not like the guy. Plus he is one of the few players in this draft that has a very clean rap sheet. So no questions about his character.

 

[Across The Field]

Maybe? I don't think he is a great fit. He is more of a read and react kind of player which really doesn't fit with the pass rush role of the 3-4 OLB. He has the speed and aggressiveness to do it but I think it would be underutilizing his skill set to do that to him. Now he can play 3-4 ILB for a team and do just fine. Needs to put on about 10 lbs. of muscle to hold up in that type of role but the guy is a playmaker so hard to not like the guy. Plus he is one of the few players in this draft that has a very clean rap sheet. So no questions about his character.

I think if you tried to plug him in as an OLB in a 4-3, he may be the smallest 4-3 OLB in the league. He's only 6', 230-235 I think. But man, as a 3-4 ILB, he'd be perfect. I honestly wouldn't be mad at all to see one of the teams like Arizona or Dallas move up to 19 if Gurley is on the board and we can grab Kendricks later on. I agree with you, he has a very clean rap sheet and is definitely a playmaker.

 

[cdumler7]

I think if you tried to plug him in as an OLB in a 4-3, he may be the smallest 4-3 OLB in the league. He's only 6', 230-235 I think. But man, as a 3-4 ILB, he'd be perfect. I honestly wouldn't be mad at all to see one of the teams like Arizona or Dallas move up to 19 if Gurley is on the board and we can grab Kendricks later on. I agree with you, he has a very clean rap sheet and is definitely a playmaker.

Oh he could easily play 4-3 WLB for a team. That is about the size of those kind of players. I don't see him manning the middle though in a 4-3 and definitely can't see him at the SLB spot for the 4-3. Now some of that does depend on whether he can add some weight or not. Haven't heard if teams think he has maximized his body limit or not. Some players can add the 10-20 lbs. and not lose the athleticism. Others obviously that is a huge blow. If he can add that 10-20 lbs. then honestly I do think he could play just about anywhere. Anyway these days it is not as cut and dry what the expectations for a position are compared to in the past. So maybe he can play those other positions just depending on the system he goes to. He is a playmaker and a leader and those are the kind of guys you like to have on your team.

 

[Across The Field]

Oh he could easily play 4-3 WLB for a team. That is about the size of those kind of players. I don't see him manning the middle though in a 4-3 and definitely can't see him at the SLB spot for the 4-3. Now some of that does depend on whether he can add some weight or not. Haven't heard if teams think he has maximized his body limit or not. Some players can add the 10-20 lbs. and not lose the athleticism. Others obviously that is a huge blow. If he can add that 10-20 lbs. then honestly I do think he could play just about anywhere. Anyway these days it is not as cut and dry what the expectations for a position are compared to in the past. So maybe he can play those other positions just depending on the system he goes to. He is a playmaker and a leader and those are the kind of guys you like to have on your team.

You're right, I actually thought they were usually more around the 6'2", 245-250 lbs range. He actually would be about right. But yeah, I definitely like him more in the middle of a 3-4. Great kid, that's for sure.

 

[Nosferatu]

I like Gurley I just don't want the Vikes taking him at 11

 

[Davis_Mike]

I think if you tried to plug him in as an OLB in a 4-3, he may be the smallest 4-3 OLB in the league. He's only 6', 230-235 I think. But man, as a 3-4 ILB, he'd be perfect. I honestly wouldn't be mad at all to see one of the teams like Arizona or Dallas move up to 19 if Gurley is on the board and we can grab Kendricks later on. I agree with you, he has a very clean rap sheet and is definitely a playmaker.

Arizona is not moving up. That's not Keim's style. He likes to accumulate picks by moving back.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I agree and disagree. There are many reasons that top teams keep picking near the top. Now with the scouting department yeah maybe they are below average and the team needs to take a closer look. Beyond that though when you are switching coaching staffs every couple of years that means whole new systems are coming in and maybe the players that were drafted for the last system that were just starting to develop don't fit the new system so then those players continue to look like busts. Maybe the coaching staff just doesn't know how to use the players given to them. One of Elway's famous quotes about the draft is they don't draft All-Pros, we develop them. I actually think there are a lot of teams that are just terrible at developing the players that they have. This is where Seattle seems to have such a great advantage in especially having a great college coach in he knows he has to coach up the players as they are not coming in day 1 refined. They also do a great job of not so much looking at the weaknesses of a player but putting that player in a position to play to their strengths. That to me is how you maximize your draft in making sure that everybody from that 1st round pick to the UDFA's are given the best coaching to maximize their opportunity.

Good points, but you could've stopped with that comment in bold....agree, there's no 1 reason.

If we made a case study of 3 teams that have drafted in the top 10 more than 5 times in the last decade...imo we'd find 3 things...instability in the FO, HC & QB.

 

[Clayton]

I like Gurley I just don't want the Vikes taking him at 11

90% chance he wont be there at 11 imo

 

[DownSetHutch]

Maxx Williams has been mocked to the Broncos by several "experts", although most of them have since changed that pick. He would not be an ideal fit for Denver, as he is not known for his blocking skills, and at 28 he would be a reach IMO.

 

[Hangman]

That is being mocked to your team.

For the 49ers it is Arik Armstead.

Dude can't play football. He is big and that is all he has. He has no technique, takes plays off, misses tackles, and he gets dominated by any skilled OL. He is not worth a second round pick let alone a mid-first round. If he is who the 49ers draft i will be pissed.

I would rather over draft someone who can play now make an immediate impact or draft a skilled player that usually takes a year or two to develop (WR or CB) over an offensive or defensive lineman who is not NFL ready in the first round.

If drafted by the 49ers he will bust out of the NFL within 2 years and be just like Kentwan Balmer. A backup somewhere for a year then out of the league.

FUCK