2016 Draft a Franchise: Division 7 Voting

[Mt. Crushmore]

Who has the best team in division 7 for the upcoming season and who would have the best team in 3 years time?

The candidates are:

@VeiledPsychosis Roster

@ravefan52 Roster

@NFLfan123 Roster

@-Truth- Roster

You can also find the rosters here, on the Google Spreadsheet.

Please only take into effect selections made in the 26 rounds, do not factor in the continuation. 

Use this thread to discuss your thoughts on the teams and the vote.

[Mt. Crushmore]

Unfortunately 2 teams who didn't go the distance here.

@VeiledPsychosis is going to have a mean pass rush and a solid secondary to back it up. Offense will be solid but only 3rd best in the division. 

@ravefan52 has the QB (Wilson) and the youth to be a contender for a while. Surprisingly still no C. My vote to win in 3 years time.

@NFLfan123 took over a tough situation and the roster shows. Elite talents in Antonio Brown and Patrick Peterson though.

@-Truth-'s offense is going to put up lots of points as long as Big Ben stays healthy. Defense won't be as good, but has immense front 7 depth. My vote to win the division this year.

[ravensdan]

I felt like this one is a two horse race for both honors. Veileds pass rush is better now so I went with them for this year. Truths could be right there with guys like bosa and Lawrence. His team is also hurt this year with suspension. 

[-Truth-]

3 hours ago, ravensdan said:

I felt like this one is a two horse race for both honors. Veileds pass rush is better now so I went with them for this year. Truths could be right there with guys like bosa and Lawrence. His team is also hurt this year with suspension. 

I'm uncertain that the match ups between the two teams come down to just the pass rush with the rest being a wash. I have my offense ahead of its counterpart. I'm a fan of Brandin Cooks and Tyler Boyd, and I feel that DeMarco Murray is due for a bounce back campaign. That being said, while Cooks is attempting to establish himself as a true No.1 WR, DeAndre Hopkins has shown that he belongs in the top tier category. Corey Coleman has No.1 potential in my book, though I assume some have this as debatable. That being said, most had Coleman ranked over Boyd as a prospect. I'd assume the same about Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning. The current differences between Jace Amaro, Murray and Delanie Walker, Le'Veon Bell and Dion Lewis arguably aren't close. Both Walker and Bell are near the top of their peers, while Amaro and Murray are coming off of significantly disappointing campaigns. There are obvious concerns about Bell's four game suspension, but Lewis should provide a more-than-capable option for that short span. Both offensive lines have terrific players like Zach Martin and T.J. Lang, respectively. Both also have solid players like Taylor Lewan and Ramon Foster, and both have their question marks in Greg Robinson and D.J. Humphries. I'd personally give a slight edge to Demar Dotson and Cody Whitehair over the underrated J.C. Tretter and Phil Loadholt, but I wouldn't argue against opinions that have the offensive lines being relatively even in general.

Defensively, there's no question that his pass rush exceeds mine. Khalil Mack rushing alongside of Calais Campbell is nightmarish. Brian Orakpo was rock solid last season. Sharrif Floyd on the other hand had a disappointing follow up to his 2014 campaign, though the talent is still there for a bounce back. I'm concerned about Brandon Mebane's fit at NT considering that he played at 3T for Seattle and didn't fare well against the run as a one-gap DT over the last two years. I have a balanced and deep unit, but players like Joey Bosa and Andrew Billings will need to pan out in order to bridge the gap and that's a question mark at this point. If Dominique Easley can stay on the field and Demarcus Lawrence can build on his impression season, it'd certainly help. I might favor my run defense at the moment given that each of my starting linemen is a quality run defender, and D'Qwell Jackson pitted against the likes of Vontaze Burfict and Josh Bynes isn't much of a contest. Both Mack and Burfict are among the very best run defenders in the NFL. You could most certainly argue that Bosa hasn't proven himself in that department, but having a proven run stuffer in Vance Walker at LE should help. Josh Norman is arguably the best CB on either team, though the duo of Vontae Davis and Jonathan Joseph seems to have a slight edge on that of Norman and Davon House. Byron Jones is a sleeper at FS and David Bruton has been underrated in Denver. It's somewhat of an even battle between them and Tony Jefferson and Tre Boston. I understand that it's difficult to assess the situation without via bias given that I chose the players myself, therefore I must have faith in them, perhaps more than some would. I did the best that I could to provide an objective assessment. That being said, I'd personally give the nod the my offense, which I consider to be one of the better ones out there, and I think I have enough on the defense side of the ball to keep games from being shootouts in a general sense. That's just my opinion.

Edited July 25, 2016 by -Truth-

[BmoreBird22]

Without looking at Veiled's team (sorry, a bit lazy), I'm just gonna throw out my two cents on @-Truth-'s team.

Much like with my team, he's going to be relying on a lot of players to step up and become quality starters, but the potential is there.

On the offensive line, big fan of Dotson, who you really never hear about, and Foster is underrated and extremely solid. I was a huge fan of Humphries coming out and was surprised to see him be a weekly inactive, so we'll have to see if he really does take that next step forward because going from pine rider to starting LT for Big Ben is a huge step, but it's one I think he can make. The only area I don't like is using a rookie center. I think Whitehair is a great player, but something about rookies manning the calls and directing the starting five up front is a huge pressure that I personally don't like leaving to a rookie.

At receiver/tight end, obvious studs in Walker and Hopkins. I had actually planned to take Walker, but I was so torn on when to actually take a tight end because I personally felt it was one of the positions I could wait on and still get a quality option, but Walker is in the top five tight ends in the NFL and a huge get. Past those two, I'm not a huge fan of Coleman. I feel like he's got some issues to work out that may be hard to correct in the NFL (mainly the hands for me), but he's going to fill a niche across from Hopkins and Big Ben can get the ball down the field and it's gonna work for this team. Don't know much about Carroo, but I know a lot of people on here were really high on him. Just think it's a big risk to take two rookie receivers, but I'd imagine a veteran is added soon.

Defensively, my biggest concern is that if Easley can't get on the field, stay healthy, and stay out of trouble, the interior pressure is going to take a big hit. Apparently Billings fell in the draft because he's viewed as very one dimensional, Wilfork is a pretty damn good space eater and can generate some push, but at this point, he won't be wracking up huge sack numbers, and Fairley just seems to have effort/consistency issues that will prevent him from being a true interior threat. I do think Bosa will be good for 6-8 sacks a season. Nothing insane, but he'll be a consistent force against the run and pass.

With the linebackers, have to wonder when Dansby hits the cliff. He plays ageless, but father time can strike at any point in time with no regards for whom it may affect. Behind him, though, Klein is really underrated, but it remains to be seen how he'd hold up in 16 games. Star is obviously Burficht if he can keep his head on straight and Bynes, while not elite, is very dependable and solid. Quietly just does his job.

With the secondary, gonna have to disagree with Norman being the best corner in that division. If Joseph plays like last year and Davis puts his injury issues behind him (both are big ifs), there's no reason I wouldn't put them both above Norman. I prefer Davis for his man cover skills and Joseph just absolutely tore the NFL apart last year and played like the best cover corner in the NFL after the first two weeks. Simple as that for me.

 

[-Truth-]

1 hour ago, BmoreBird22 said:

Without looking at Veiled's team (sorry, a bit lazy), I'm just gonna throw out my two cents on @-Truth-'s team.

Much like with my team, he's going to be relying on a lot of players to step up and become quality starters, but the potential is there.

On the offensive line, big fan of Dotson, who you really never hear about, and Foster is underrated and extremely solid. I was a huge fan of Humphries coming out and was surprised to see him be a weekly inactive, so we'll have to see if he really does take that next step forward because going from pine rider to starting LT for Big Ben is a huge step, but it's one I think he can make. The only area I don't like is using a rookie center. I think Whitehair is a great player, but something about rookies manning the calls and directing the starting five up front is a huge pressure that I personally don't like leaving to a rookie.

At receiver/tight end, obvious studs in Walker and Hopkins. I had actually planned to take Walker, but I was so torn on when to actually take a tight end because I personally felt it was one of the positions I could wait on and still get a quality option, but Walker is in the top five tight ends in the NFL and a huge get. Past those two, I'm not a huge fan of Coleman. I feel like he's got some issues to work out that may be hard to correct in the NFL (mainly the hands for me), but he's going to fill a niche across from Hopkins and Big Ben can get the ball down the field and it's gonna work for this team. Don't know much about Carroo, but I know a lot of people on here were really high on him. Just think it's a big risk to take two rookie receivers, but I'd imagine a veteran is added soon.

Defensively, my biggest concern is that if Easley can't get on the field, stay healthy, and stay out of trouble, the interior pressure is going to take a big hit. Apparently Billings fell in the draft because he's viewed as very one dimensional, Wilfork is a pretty damn good space eater and can generate some push, but at this point, he won't be wracking up huge sack numbers, and Fairley just seems to have effort/consistency issues that will prevent him from being a true interior threat. I do think Bosa will be good for 6-8 sacks a season. Nothing insane, but he'll be a consistent force against the run and pass.

With the linebackers, have to wonder when Dansby hits the cliff. He plays ageless, but father time can strike at any point in time with no regards for whom it may affect. Behind him, though, Klein is really underrated, but it remains to be seen how he'd hold up in 16 games. Star is obviously Burficht if he can keep his head on straight and Bynes, while not elite, is very dependable and solid. Quietly just does his job.

With the secondary, gonna have to disagree with Norman being the best corner in that division. If Joseph plays like last year and Davis puts his injury issues behind him (both are big ifs), there's no reason I wouldn't put them both above Norman. I prefer Davis for his man cover skills and Joseph just absolutely tore the NFL apart last year and played like the best cover corner in the NFL after the first two weeks. Simple as that for me.

 

Definitely appreciate the breakdown. Agreed on all accounts about the offensive line. Dotson gets lost in the shuffle, but he's been an above-average RT for some time now. I initially had Lang pegged in at Center since he's played there before, but I figured it'd be best to keep my best lineman at his most successful position. The concerns about Whitehair having to make checks are valid. Personally, I consider him to be one of the most polished and intelligent OL prospects I've come across, but your point still stands.

Agreed again on Hopkins and Walker. I see Coleman as a solid hands-catcher who's mostly dependable in traffic but is sometimes plagued with focus drops. But I understand where you're coming from. That being said, you've nailed it in that he should fit the role nicely. Lots of targets will be spread around his teammates in Hopkins, Walker, Bell and even Lewis, so I won't be depending on 120+ targets. If he can provide what Martavis Bryant did for Pittsburgh in terms of long plays here and there, I'll be content with his production. Bringing in a veteran is certainly in the works.

Fair point on the interior pressure. I am planning on incorporating some 4-3 Under with a two-gapping 0T/1T and a LEO, but if Easley has his head on straight, it'd give me the flexibility to play him opposite of Fairley in a more traditional front. 6-8 sacks is a fair estimate for Bosa. It's somewhat risky to depend on Lawrence, but there's some upside in the equation.

Fair concerns with regards to Dansby. It was a plus that he was mostly even throughout the season in coverage, and it's what I'll mostly leaning on him for, but I again see where you're coming from as he could certainly take a step back this season. Fair assessments on Klein as well as Burfict and Bynes. Should Dansby falter, I'd likely bring Bynes to replace him ahead of Klein given that Bynes saw quite a bit of time at MLB this season including a ton of snaps in Nickel and Dime packages.

That's good to hear. If Davis can get at least between the 2014 and 2015 campaigns, I'll be pleased. He was a monster the season before, and Joseph was lights out. Age is the obvious issue in his case. Thank you once again for the assessment. I agree with the majority of the points above.

[ravefan52]

Once I got Russell Wilson, who I'm a huge fan of, I started to build a team that could win now, but was more geared toward the future. I'm obviously biased, but I think my offense is one of the very best. Wilson gave me the luxury of not needing a great pass blocking OL for my offense to be successful. With that in mind, it's heavily run based with a young stud RB to run behind it. Two really good G's in Long and Pugh allow Wilson to step up in the pocket. 

Alshon and Cobb are perfect targets for Wilson and compliment each other very well. Ladarius Green is a mismatch nightmare who will stretch the field. All three will be only 26 at the start of the season. Also, The Seahawks scored the 4th most ppg last season and I have their QB and RB with a MUCH better OL and WR’s.

My defense should be good enough. I have nice mix of good established players like Vernon, Iloka, Hightower, DRC, McClain (when he's not suspended) who should all be around for awhile longer and some rookies with a ton of potential in Hargreaves, Nkemdiche and Deion Jones. 

 

I also really like @-Truth-'s team, which is built very similarly to mine.

Edited July 25, 2016 by ravefan52

[BmoreBird22]

6 hours ago, -Truth- said:

Definitely appreciate the breakdown. Agreed on all accounts about the offensive line. Dotson gets lost in the shuffle, but he's been an above-average RT for some time now. I initially had Lang pegged in at Center since he's played there before, but I figured it'd be best to keep my best lineman at his most successful position. The concerns about Whitehair having to make checks are valid. Personally, I consider him to be one of the most polished and intelligent OL prospects I've come across, but your point still stands.

Agreed again on Hopkins and Walker. I see Coleman as a solid hands-catcher who's mostly dependable in traffic but is sometimes plagued with focus drops. But I understand where you're coming from. That being said, you've nailed it in that he should fit the role nicely. Lots of targets will be spread around his teammates in Hopkins, Walker, Bell and even Lewis, so I won't be depending on 120+ targets. If he can provide what Martavis Bryant did for Pittsburgh in terms of long plays here and there, I'll be content with his production. Bringing in a veteran is certainly in the works.

Fair point on the interior pressure. I am planning on incorporating some 4-3 Under with a two-gapping 0T/1T and a LEO, but if Easley has his head on straight, it'd give me the flexibility to play him opposite of Fairley in a more traditional front. 6-8 sacks is a fair estimate for Bosa. It's somewhat risky to depend on Lawrence, but there's some upside in the equation.

Fair concerns with regards to Dansby. It was a plus that he was mostly even throughout the season in coverage, and it's what I'll mostly leaning on him for, but I again see where you're coming from as he could certainly take a step back this season. Fair assessments on Klein as well as Burfict and Bynes. Should Dansby falter, I'd likely bring Bynes to replace him ahead of Klein given that Bynes saw quite a bit of time at MLB this season including a ton of snaps in Nickel and Dime packages.

That's good to hear. If Davis can get at least between the 2014 and 2015 campaigns, I'll be pleased. He was a monster the season before, and Joseph was lights out. Age is the obvious issue in his case. Thank you once again for the assessment. I agree with the majority of the points above.

Like I said, nothing against Whitehair because I do think he will be a good player for the Bears for a long time, but having never seen NFL defenses and some of the looks they bring, I think there will be an adjustment period. I suppose it's not unreasonable to have  Lang make all the calls, assuming he can rely it to the other side of the line. I believe Yanda was doing this in 2013 toward the end of the season.

The thing with Coleman that I saw was when he went across the middle, if the ball was coming into his numbers, he seemed to let it into his body and beat him up. That's where I saw most of his drops. It was weird because he could run the exact same route against the exact same coverage, but if it's high and away, he had a great radius to go snag it. It was just really bizarre to see. I also noticed that sometimes he could be a bit of a basket catcher on high arcing deep throws, but I didn't see drops on those. Maybe one, but not a recurring issue.

I really loved Easley coming out of Florida and thought the Ravens might have a real chance at him in the second round to be a major pass rushing threat from the interior. It's disappointing to see him get cut so fast, but the Rams just kept getting richer. I think he's the real X-factor there.

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

Went with @-Truth- for best team right now. Just a well assembled all-around team with few, if any, weaknesses.

@ravefan52 gets my vote for 3 years. A lot of it was the QB... Wilson's got a shot to be the best QB in the league by that team or at least in the argument for it. Good, with chances to be great young pieces all over the offense. Solid defense for now, but with huge upside for the future. Of course, theres a chance that some of these players im expecting to be great in a couple years dont end up that way, in which case another team could take it. But based on my expectations its gotta be ravefan.

[-Truth-]

28 minutes ago, BmoreBird22 said:

Like I said, nothing against Whitehair because I do think he will be a good player for the Bears for a long time, but having never seen NFL defenses and some of the looks they bring, I think there will be an adjustment period. I suppose it's not unreasonable to have  Lang make all the calls, assuming he can rely it to the other side of the line. I believe Yanda was doing this in 2013 toward the end of the season.

The thing with Coleman that I saw was when he went across the middle, if the ball was coming into his numbers, he seemed to let it into his body and beat him up. That's where I saw most of his drops. It was weird because he could run the exact same route against the exact same coverage, but if it's high and away, he had a great radius to go snag it. It was just really bizarre to see. I also noticed that sometimes he could be a bit of a basket catcher on high arcing deep throws, but I didn't see drops on those. Maybe one, but not a recurring issue.

I really loved Easley coming out of Florida and thought the Ravens might have a real chance at him in the second round to be a major pass rushing threat from the interior. It's disappointing to see him get cut so fast, but the Rams just kept getting richer. I think he's the real X-factor there.

I don't disagree, and it's why I said that this was a valid concern with Whitehair. Good to hear with regards to Lang.

Fair comment with regards to Coleman. As you've said, there were several plays where he went inside and was able to easily adjust to  (Link1, Link2) and the clanks mostly were on-the-number throws (i.e. Link1, Link2). I've rewatched all of his available games from this season and I charted five drops: two on slants, one on a somewhat underthrown hitch, one on a shallow cross at the LOS, and one on a fade route. To his credit, there were multiple plays I came across where he reeled in the same throws (Link1, Link2). So perhaps it's more of an inconsistency and not an inability. Certainly not implying that this was the point you were attempting to make but rather just making a general observation. I personally feel that he's closer to Steve Smith Sr. in that sense. Most of the latter's drops from this season came from throws that were at or near his chest. Coleman indeed does sometimes basket catch the long throws, though he's made some difficult high-point hand grabs as well. I'm just enamored with his game-breaking ability. He's an uncanny athlete and a fiery competitor who routinely provides wow plays in the open field. I have a tough time seeing Coleman falling out altogether. At worst, I see him as a solid complementary weapon.

His personally was the catalyst behind the failed marriage and that's an aspect that New England doesn't take lightly. That he's fought them with regards to the rehab process couldn't have sat well with the FO given his injury history. He comes off as somewhat aloof as well, and with the house cleaning that occurred otherwise, I'm ultimately wasn't surprised to see him on a new team, but you'd figure they would've shopped him around like they did Chandler Jones. A small note on the prior post with regards to Billings, I felt that the post-draft assessment of his free fall was overstated. After the incorrect assumptions about his medical, most outlets immediately jumped onto the point that he's a two-down DT whose sole asset lies in the running game. Looking at the tape, I thought this was fairly off base. The concern with Billings in that department is that he didn't have much of an arsenal, but he was able to apply pressure far more often than he's recently been given credit for, also notching 5.5 sacks last season. There's a short video out there depicting some of the hits and sacks (Link). Additionally, PFF remarked that he, "can bull-rush and push the pocket in both the pass and run game. A large chunk of his pressures came on the bull rush," and that he finished with an, "Excellent two-year pass-rush grade, was disruptive on the interior." I don't by any means expect him to be near the top of the league in sacks. But he could turn out to be solid in that department for an NT.

[-Truth-]

7 hours ago, ravefan52 said:

Once I got Russell Wilson, who I'm a huge fan of, I started to build a team that could win now, but was more geared toward the future. I'm obviously biased, but I think my offense is one of the very best. Wilson gave me the luxury of not needing a great pass blocking OL for my offense to be successful. With that in mind, it's heavily run based with a young stud RB to run behind it. Two really good G's in Long and Pugh allow Wilson to step up in the pocket. 

Alshon and Cobb are perfect targets for Wilson and compliment each other very well. Ladarius Green is a mismatch nightmare who will stretch the field. All three will be only 26 at the start of the season. Also, The Seahawks scored the 4th most ppg last season and I have their QB and RB with a MUCH better OL and WR’s.

My defense should be good enough. I have nice mix of good established players like Vernon, Iloka, Hightower, DRC, McClain (when he's not suspended) who should all be around for awhile longer and some rookies with a ton of potential in Hargreaves, Nkemdiche and Deion Jones. 

 

I also really like @-Truth-'s team, which is built very similarly to mine.

Thank you and right back at you. Our defenses will certainly have their hands full when we're playing. 

[-Truth-]

1 hour ago, BOLDnPurPnBlacK said:

Went with @-Truth- for best team right now. Just a well assembled all-around team with few, if any, weaknesses.

@ravefan52 gets my vote for 3 years. A lot of it was the QB... Wilson's got a shot to be the best QB in the league by that team or at least in the argument for it. Good, with chances to be great young pieces all over the offense. Solid defense for now, but with huge upside for the future. Of course, theres a chance that some of these players im expecting to be great in a couple years dont end up that way, in which case another team could take it. But based on my expectations its gotta be ravefan.

Thank you kindly. I was hoping to build at least somewhat of a balanced unit and it's a relief to hear that it seems like I didn't falter. Cannot at all argue with regards to being behind the eight ball with the QB situation as far as the future goes considering that Roethlisberger could be out of the league in three seasons with Wilson likely still being in his prime. I feel that I've set the table on offense enough to where a solid QB could manage the situation well enough to keep the team nearly as competitive given the weapons, but I doubt I'd be able to find a replacement to rival Wilson. Could've been a different story had I been able to snag away Carson Wentz like I hoped to. By the way, my comment here is in the wrong thread, but your defense on paper is crazy stout. Sean Lee and Derrick Johnson roaming behind that defensive line would keep up offensive coordinators for days, especially with Aqib Talib and David Amerson on the back end. I pray that Jairus Byrd returns to form. My favorite recent safety in his prime after Ed Reed.

Edited July 25, 2016 by -Truth-

[BmoreBird22]

19 minutes ago, -Truth- said:

I don't disagree, and it's why I said that this was a valid concern with Whitehair. Good to hear with regards to Lang.

Fair comment with regards to Coleman. As you've said, there were several plays where he went inside and was able to easily adjust to  (Link1, Link2) and the clanks mostly were on-the-number throws (i.e. Link1, Link2). I've rewatched all of his available games from this season and I charted five drops: two on slants, one on a somewhat underthrown hitch, one on a shallow cross at the LOS, and one on a fade route. To his credit, there were multiple plays I came across where he reeled in the same throws (Link1, Link2). So perhaps it's more of an inconsistency and not an inability. Certainly not implying that this was the point you were attempting to make but rather just making a general observation. I personally feel that he's closer to Steve Smith Sr. in that sense. Most of the latter's drops from this season came from throws that were at or near his chest. Coleman indeed does sometimes basket catch the long throws, though he's made some difficult high-point hand grabs as well. I'm just enamored with his game-breaking ability. He's an uncanny athlete and a fiery competitor who routinely provides wow plays in the open field. I have a tough time seeing Coleman falling out altogether. At worst, I see him as a solid complementary weapon.

His personally was the catalyst behind the failed marriage and that's an aspect that New England doesn't take lightly. That he's fought them with regards to the rehab process couldn't have sat well with the FO given his injury history. He comes off as somewhat aloof as well, and with the house cleaning that occurred otherwise, I'm ultimately wasn't surprised to see him on a new team, but you'd figure they would've shopped him around like they did Chandler Jones. A small note on the prior post with regards to Billings, I felt that the post-draft assessment of his free fall was overstated. After the incorrect assumptions about his medical, most outlets immediately jumped onto the point that he's a two-down DT whose sole asset lies in the running game. Looking at the tape, I thought this was fairly off base. The concern with Billings in that department is that he didn't have much of an arsenal, but he was able to apply pressure far more often than he's recently been given credit for, also notching 5.5 sacks last season. There's a short video out there depicting some of the hits and sacks (Link). Additionally, PFF remarked that he, "can bull-rush and push the pocket in both the pass and run game. A large chunk of his pressures came on the bull rush," and that he finished with an, "Excellent two-year pass-rush grade, was disruptive on the interior." I don't by any means expect him to be near the top of the league in sacks. But he could turn out to be solid in that department for an NT.

I was just more or less talking out-loud there. I do think that him being between two quality guards will make his life a lot easier.

When I read his scouting report, the author had him down for 11 or 12 drops with most, if not all, coming over the middle due to allowing throws into his body. But like you showed with those links, put it up and outside of his body and he just goes up and snatches it away from the air. It's weird because I can't imagine most receivers want it up there like that, but he seems to do his best work when he has to go make a play on the ball in the air.

I really hated the pick for Cleveland for two reasons. One, I personally didn't think he was the best receiver in the draft, but I do think he deserved to go in the first, but two: he's gonna be the number one receiver there. On a team like Minnesota, Houston, or Washington, that pressure would have been alleviated and he'd be in a niche where he could just break open that defense. I really can't argue with him being a game breaker and someone that's going to threaten deep every single time he touches the ball, but I just don't see him being ready to start as the top dog over there in Cleveland.

I think that's what more or less gets me is the fact that he wasn't even shopped (for all we know). Someone would be willing to take a flyer on him with a late draft pick, or even a mid one with all the potential he has flashed on the field. I'm not saying NE was wrong to cut him because they are very strict and orderly, but they couldn't get something at all for him? I find that hard to believe.

With regards to Billings, I never watched him during the draft process because most saw him as an early prospect and I wasn't on board with another NT/DT early because the Ravens are pretty deep there already, but in watching those videos, he's a big man. Like you said, no arsenal, but he can really move a player; that's for sure. I think what's most impressive to me is he looks surprisingly fast and quick. On a couple, he just went around the entire pocket to make a sack and that's impressive for someone his size.

[Mt. Crushmore]

@VeiledPsychosis's team took a hit today, as RT Phil Loadholt announced his retirement. 16th round pick in the game.

[-Truth-]

1 hour ago, Mt. Crushmore said:

@VeiledPsychosis's team took a hit today, as RT Phil Loadholt announced his retirement. 16th round pick in the game.

Eugene Monroe and Phil Loadholt were both on my radar. Could've been my starting tackles lol

[BOLDnPurPnBlacK]

50 minutes ago, -Truth- said:

Eugene Monroe and Phil Loadholt were both on my radar. Could've been my starting tackles lol

I took the Monroe hit and thankfully picked up a promising, starting LT in Villanueva in the final 2 rounds or I'd have a glaring hole. 

Jennings and Dockett retired today too. Good foresight by the group in that no one drafted those two. 

[-Truth-]

7 hours ago, BmoreBird22 said:

I was just more or less talking out-loud there. I do think that him being between two quality guards will make his life a lot easier.

When I read his scouting report, the author had him down for 11 or 12 drops with most, if not all, coming over the middle due to allowing throws into his body. But like you showed with those links, put it up and outside of his body and he just goes up and snatches it away from the air. It's weird because I can't imagine most receivers want it up there like that, but he seems to do his best work when he has to go make a play on the ball in the air.

I really hated the pick for Cleveland for two reasons. One, I personally didn't think he was the best receiver in the draft, but I do think he deserved to go in the first, but two: he's gonna be the number one receiver there. On a team like Minnesota, Houston, or Washington, that pressure would have been alleviated and he'd be in a niche where he could just break open that defense. I really can't argue with him being a game breaker and someone that's going to threaten deep every single time he touches the ball, but I just don't see him being ready to start as the top dog over there in Cleveland.

I think that's what more or less gets me is the fact that he wasn't even shopped (for all we know). Someone would be willing to take a flyer on him with a late draft pick, or even a mid one with all the potential he has flashed on the field. I'm not saying NE was wrong to cut him because they are very strict and orderly, but they couldn't get something at all for him? I find that hard to believe.

With regards to Billings, I never watched him during the draft process because most saw him as an early prospect and I wasn't on board with another NT/DT early because the Ravens are pretty deep there already, but in watching those videos, he's a big man. Like you said, no arsenal, but he can really move a player; that's for sure. I think what's most impressive to me is he looks surprisingly fast and quick. On a couple, he just went around the entire pocket to make a sack and that's impressive for someone his size.

Got you. Very true.

The articles I've seen had him at exactly ten for the season, and I can state from my observations that at least several occurred on non-in breaking routes, but I agree with the rest.

Can't blame you there I suppose. I'm a fan of Laquon Treadwell among other highly ranked WRs and I've seen four different answers for that question in the pre-draft process. The news of Josh Gordon's return must be a welcome sight, so long as he's able to keep his nose clean, which is a question within itself. But I understand where you're coming from, especially since Cleveland's QB situation is in flux. It's a bit of a trial-by-fire for Coleman. I have high hopes for him regardless but I understand the skepticism.

I'm right there with you. It seemingly caught everyone by surprise. And I would wager they could've at least gotten a late rounder in return given Easley's age and contract.

That's fair. I've done the same in the past in the FM when I knew that certain prospects wouldn't fall to my earliest selection. He's a ball of clay. He was expected by some to remain at Baylor for another season for the sake of experience. He's notably raw in a portion of his tape. It's somewhat understandable considering that he just turned 20 years old in Spring and was an offensive lineman in high school, but it does put his immediate impact in question. Physically, he carries a good deal of promise. He broke Mark Henry's state weightlifting record while in high school, benching 500 lbs, dead lifting 705 lbs and squatting 805 lbs. Was putting up 430 lbs four times on the bench two years ago and has just reportedly blown away a strength coach who's worked with recent Pro-Bowlers. He's not the most explosive prospect as far as the defensive line goes, but the speed and quickness for a player with his size and strength are impressive, as you've noted. This is one of the more infamous examples of such (Link). He ran a 4.92 at his Pro Day. Though he fared very well in college, he might take some time to acclimate himself with the mental aspect of the game. I wouldn't be surprised if the switch came on after the first season much like it did for someone like Dontari Poe. But I am very much anxious to see how he pans out, especially since he could be lining up next to Geno Atkins as a starter at some point.

Edited July 25, 2016 by -Truth-