Mock Draft Tidbits / 2024 Draft Talk

[OldSchool]

Had Bowers sitting there at 19 which I ignored as I just don't think that's gonna happen. Also two teams offered me 4-6 picks to move up to 19 which I also resisted, as it would have been too easy.

View attachment 65044

Yeah if one of those "sure fire top 10 picks" is there at 19 I usually start over but I kept this one going. I don't know what it is but I'm just not a big Pearsall fan. He is pretty much everything we could use at the X spot but there's something I don't like. I'm sure Steve Smith Jr likes him which usually will sway me on a WR too but I can't do it for some reason. Love the rest though admittedly I don't know much about Griffin from Miss St.

One guy I am starting to like more and more and he will likely be one of our 5th rounders if we land him is Xavier Thomas from Clemson. Kind of inconsistent with the hands but that can be improved and he's got all the physical attributes. Shows good bend and he's good at shedding blockers in the run game just needs a bit of work. Seems like a good depth edge/ST guy that we always need.

 

[WestCoastRam]

The 18 NFL draft prospects with a true Round 1 grade: What makes them 2024 first-rounders, plus comps

We'll see 32 picks in Round 1 in April, but which prospects are actually graded as first-rounders? We named 18 and made pro comps for each standout.

www.espn.com

Nice exercise on who has actual first round grades (I've heard a number of people say around 20 this year, this guy says 18).

Of the defenders he just has: Arnold, Mitchell, Murphy, Turner and Verse.

We're at 19, let's say he's right that it's only 18 first round grades and it's these guys:

Have to think they draft one of these guys if there, attempt to trade down if not with someone who wants a tackle like Fautanu... no? The only other possibility would be a team who has similar grades would pay a premium to get to 19 and then we get to trade down for more than it's worth.

This boards gonna lose it's mind btw when we trade our conditional 3rd to move up a few spots for Murphy!

 

[OldSchool]

The 18 NFL draft prospects with a true Round 1 grade: What makes them 2024 first-rounders, plus comps

We'll see 32 picks in Round 1 in April, but which prospects are actually graded as first-rounders? We named 18 and made pro comps for each standout.

www.espn.com

Nice exercise on who has actual first round grades (I've heard a number of people say around 20 this year, this guy says 18).

ESPN with their paywall/login for all their articles sucks

 

[WestCoastRam]

ESPN with their paywall/login for all their articles sucks

FWIW, I have a javascript blocker on my web browser that seems to work on ESPN.

Also, included pertinent info on edit of post.

 

[Flatlyner]

Okay, I see why people like TV Sweat now that I've watched more of him.

Yeah, love the guy. If we could somehow get him with our 2nd round pick, it will improve our defense by a TON.

 

[PARAM]

How many first-round prospects are there in the 2024 NFL draft class?

You might be thinking the answer is 32, because there will be 32 selections in Round 1 come April 25 in Detroit. But we aren't talking about how many players will be drafted in Round 1; we're talking about how many carry a true Round 1 grade.

NFL teams don't typically deem many prospects in a given class as Round 1-caliber talents and never 32 of them. More realistically, around 15 per class earn a real first-round grade, though the number varies by team and scouting department. These sacred evaluations are reserved for prospects who would be Day 1 selections regardless of year, and my own rule of thumb is whether the player would have been one in each of the past five classes.

Confusing? Welcome to the world of scouting.

I tackled my list for the 2024 class with a strict grading scale after handing out 20 first-round scores in 2023, and I ended up with 18 names -- up from 16 in late February. Here are the players who deserve a first-round grade on my board. (Players' overall rankings are in parentheses after their names.)

QB (3) Williams #1, Daniels #5, Maye #9
RB (0)
WR (5) Harrison (#2) , Odunze (#3), Nabers (#4), Thomas (#17), Mitchell (#18)
TE (1) Bowers (#10)
OT (4) Alt (#6), Fashanu (#11), Fuaga (#12), Fauntanu (#16)
IOL (0)
Edge (2) Turner (#7), Verse (#14)
DT (1) Murphy (#13)
LB (0)
CB (2) Arnold (#8), Mitchell (#15)

18 total

Just 5 defenders? We picked a bad year to give up sniffing glue.....or drafting offensive guys.

 

[hotanez]

How many first-round prospects are there in the 2024 NFL draft class?

You might be thinking the answer is 32, because there will be 32 selections in Round 1 come April 25 in Detroit. But we aren't talking about how many players will be drafted in Round 1; we're talking about how many carry a true Round 1 grade.

NFL teams don't typically deem many prospects in a given class as Round 1-caliber talents and never 32 of them. More realistically, around 15 per class earn a real first-round grade, though the number varies by team and scouting department. These sacred evaluations are reserved for prospects who would be Day 1 selections regardless of year, and my own rule of thumb is whether the player would have been one in each of the past five classes.

Confusing? Welcome to the world of scouting.

I tackled my list for the 2024 class with a strict grading scale after handing out 20 first-round scores in 2023, and I ended up with 18 names -- up from 16 in late February. Here are the players who deserve a first-round grade on my board. (Players' overall rankings are in parentheses after their names.)

QB (3) Williams #1, Daniels #5, Maye #9
RB (0)
WR (5) Harrison (#2) , Odunze (#3), Nabers (#4), Thomas (#17), Mitchell (#18)
TE (1) Bowers (#10)
OT (4) Alt (#6), Fashanu (#11), Fuaga (#12), Fauntanu (#16)
IOL (0)
Edge (2) Turner (#7), Verse (#14)
DT (1) Murphy (#13)
LB (0)
CB (2) Arnold (#8), Mitchell (#15)

18 total

Just 5 defenders? We picked a bad year to give up sniffing glue.....or drafting offensive guys.

PARAM, I noticed you don't have Latu on your list, is that because of health concerns? or is it because you feel he doesn't deserve a 1st round grade?

 

[PARAM]

PARAM, I noticed you don't have Latu on your list, is that because of health concerns? or is it because you feel he doesn't deserve a 1st round grade?

That's not MY list. That's the ESPN list West Coast linked.

 

[Merlin]

Yeah if one of those "sure fire top 10 picks" is there at 19 I usually start over but I kept this one going. I don't know what it is but I'm just not a big Pearsall fan. He is pretty much everything we could use at the X spot but there's something I don't like. I'm sure Steve Smith Jr likes him which usually will sway me on a WR too but I can't do it for some reason. Love the rest though admittedly I don't know much about Griffin from Miss St.

No idea what Steve Smith thinks of these guys. I'd like to hear his take on the group overall. But in the end I figure the Rams will take one of them and it will probably be one that I'm not so high on, but like with Tutu I'll just say ok whatever and hope they hit on the pick.

I have a feeling WR will get done in rounds 1 or 2, either way. Hard to think they won't take advantage of this class and there is a noticeable dropoff I think in the round 3 guys. My guess is the big runs on positions over the first couple days will be OTs on day one (teens) and WRs on day two.

 

[fanotodd]

View attachment 65037

Favorite picks:
Braswell
Sainristil
Wallace (have him in my mock in the draft forum)
Guerrendo

 

[OldSchool]

No idea what Steve Smith thinks of these guys. I'd like to hear his take on the group overall. But in the end I figure the Rams will take one of them and it will probably be one that I'm not so high on, but like with Tutu I'll just say ok whatever and hope they hit on the pick.

I have a feeling WR will get done in rounds 1 or 2, either way. Hard to think they won't take advantage of this class and there is a noticeable dropoff I think in the round 3 guys. My guess is the big runs on positions over the first couple days will be OTs on day one (teens) and WRs on day two.

He's done a lot of videos on guys here's his generic combine thoughts. I think this is my favorite vid of his too because him mocking the player comps and how terrible they are. For example we had a post here we had to draft certain DT's because they were similar size speed etc as AD99. When that doesn't mean they're going to be anything like AD that just means they're built the same. He makes a comparison of 1 WR in the draft his comp was Lockette in Seattle. And they are polar opposites at WR but his player comp was Lockette because they're built the same. So a team drafts this WR I can't remember who it was but they see the player comp and are like oh damn great we got a new Lockette and he's nothing like him.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPL8TDXEKzM&t=1s&ab_channel=SteveSmithSr
.

 

[fanotodd]

Change that OT to another ILB, Edge or CB and I'm there.

I kinda like Wallace on day three, even more if he turns out as an UDFA, but why split hairs? He’s a four year starter at RT at a top program. Havs can’t play forever and I would bet at least one of the three OTs will not be returning next year.

 

[WestCoastRam]

PARAM, I noticed you don't have Latu on your list, is that because of health concerns? or is it because you feel he doesn't deserve a 1st round grade?

Yeah, it's the ESPN list. I would expect most peoples top 50 boards, etc... include Latu without the injury risk. He's a guy who's almost full formed as a rusher but has nowhere to go athletically (he's most likely maxed out) and I think that's why people don't have him ranked higher than late first round.

If the injury is an issue, we'll see him fall to somewhere like the 3rd. It's not the difference between a few spots in the 1st.

I'll give you a comp btw for him that's a Rams guy... Chris Long. I'm not comping him just cause he's a Rams dude. Another guy who had a ceiling athletically but had a well developed arsenal of moves. I actually would say Long was a bit more athletic and a really stout run defender too which Latu may struggle with in the NFL.

 

[OldSchool]

I kinda like Wallace on day three, even more if he turns out as an UDFA, but why split hairs? He’s a four year starter at RT at a top program. Havs can’t play forever and I would bet at least one of the three OTs will not be returning next year.

We just drafted a 3+ year starter at a top program last year that plays RT in McClendon though.

 

[Ramstien]

The closer it is getting to the draft I am feeling more and more like the pick will be Verse.

 

[PhillyRam]

We just drafted a 3+ year starter at a top program last year that plays RT in McClendon though.

Because McClendon is 6-4" and 305 lbs...very smallish for a RT.

 

[fanotodd]

Had Bowers sitting there at 19 which I ignored as I just don't think that's gonna happen. Also two teams offered me 4-6 picks to move up to 19 which I also resisted, as it would have been too easy.

View attachment 65044

Favorite picks in your mock:
Verse (wouldn’t that be great?)
Davis (have him in my mock in the mock draft forum
Hall (I think he would look good on the Rams interior)

 

[fanotodd]

We just drafted a 3+ year starter at a top program last year that plays RT in McClendon though.

I’m not sure if the Rams are seeing McClendon as a Tackle, but if so, then he could have this season to instill confidence in the staff that he’s ready to step in in ‘25 if need be.

Whether or not the Rams draft a Tackle should tell us what the Rams are thinking about McClendon at Tackle.

 

[WestCoastRam]

The closer it is getting to the draft I am feeling more and more like the pick will be Verse.

I like Verse a lot, think he's got some inside and outside versatility. Not sure how Rams feel about him as an OLB though he rushed standing up at times. Feels to me like a Leonard Floyd type guy but with a potentially higher ceiling.

Think it's 50/50 he's there for us. CIN might be looking at him or Murphy ahead of us.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

The 18 NFL draft prospects with a true Round 1 grade: What makes them 2024 first-rounders, plus comps

We'll see 32 picks in Round 1 in April, but which prospects are actually graded as first-rounders? We named 18 and made pro comps for each standout.

www.espn.com

Nice exercise on who has actual first round grades (I've heard a number of people say around 20 this year, this guy says 18).

Of the defenders he just has: Arnold, Mitchell, Murphy, Turner and Verse.

We're at 19, let's say he's right that it's only 18 first round grades and it's these guys:

Have to think they draft one of these guys if there, attempt to trade down if not with someone who wants a tackle like Fautanu... no? The only other possibility would be a team who has similar grades would pay a premium to get to 19 and then we get to trade down for more than it's worth.

This boards gonna lose it's mind btw when we trade our conditional 3rd to move up a few spots for Murphy!

I don’t give Turner a first round grade. He doesn’t play the run well and he’s got one move. I’d take Newton over him.

And no Latu?