MHS831

I keep mocking Shipley in the fourth as well. I really do not know the RB market.

This is the dilemma. We have about 7-10 needs and you are very lucky if 3 draft picks stick--especially without a first. And this is BEFORE injuries etc.

My list went through 10. I think Sanders could bounce back; they owe him a lot of money. I start threads like this because my thinking gets biased very easily and quickly. And when we talk about one player, we fail to see the big picture a lot of times-so this kinda makes us frame it that way. Yes, I would love to draft a C, but the way it is set up right now, I cannot. I also hope we draft 2 WRs, because Mingo could be the only player back from the current roster in 2025

While you all are on the subject of cocks, I withdrew from the conversation. However, what about a snake cock in round 4 or 5 to be the 3rd QB? (That one is rather ambiguous, but it will come to you with some deep contemplation. Then you will smile, but realize that you are smiling at a snake cock, so you will unsmile and answer the question, realizing that good ol' MHS was referring to the Gamecock's QB.)

I think the staff was good, but I saw no signs that Campen was coaching anyone (OL). I think having veterans like Burns, Haynes, YGM caused these coaches to focus on their jobs---and in an environment where you are building the future, you are more willing to spend more time developing the younger players. I am just speculating.

The question I had to ask: Is C depth more important than ILB or CB depth? Realistically, you cannot expect any draft to address more than 3 needs, but I included 4. I agree with you, however.

I realize a lot of folks will be screaming for center, but I do not see the front office seeing that as a necessity. I think they feel it is covered.

I agree from our perspective, but they may think Corbett can handle it and they will be grooming Cade May behind him--maybe even BC--I dunno what they will do, and we are in the dark until we see them on the field playing center. On paper, a lot seems ideal until they hit the turf.

Oops Offense (22) Left Tackle Left Guard Center Right Guard Right Tackle Ickey Ekwonu Damien Lewis Austin Corbett Robert Hunt Taylor Moton Yosh Nijman Brady Christesen Cade Mays Brady Christesen Yosh Nijman Brady Christesen Cade Mays Brady Christensen Cade Mays Brady Christesen Chandler Zavala Wide Receiver Running Back Quarterback Tight End Diontae Johnson Chuba Hubbard Bryce Young Tommy Tremble Miles Sanders Andy Dalton Ian Thomas Adam Thielen Stephen Sullivan Jonathan Mingo R. Blackshear I Smith-Marsette T Marshall Jr Defense (23) Jack Linebacker Defensive End Defensive Tackle Defensive End Sam Linebacker Jadav Clowney Derrick Brown Shy Tuttle A’Shwn Robinson DJ Wonnum Amare Barno Raeq Williams Nick Thurmond LaBryan Ray DJ Johnson K'Lvon Chaisson Eku Leota Cornerback Will LB Mike LB Nickel Cornerback JC Horn Shaq Thompson Josey Jewell Troy Hill Dane Jackson Chan. Wooten Dicaprio Bootle Strong Safety Free Safety Jordan Fuller Xavier Woods Jammi Robinson Sam Franklin

Hi Gang, after talking a look at the roster (I will post below because it has been updated) I no longer see (or think they see) OL as a need that MUST be addressed in the draft. They added 2 starting guards, creating a starting and backup center (jury still out, I know), and a solid swing OT. Behind that, they have former starter Brady Christensen and at least Cade Mays. Most all NFL lines have areas they would like to upgrade, but if they can get Ickey balanced, this could be a very special OL. This list represents a shift away from a prioritized need at Edge as well. Based on Canales' comments, they are going to go with Clowney and Wonnum and develop players like DJ Johnson, Barno, Leota, and Chaisson. Good plan. It suggests that Canales thinks these players were not coached up or developed, but he would never say that. Athletically, the OLB room is full of studs. I still think our biggest need is a solid WR and if I were the GM, I would take 2 in this draft. But nobody on the Huddle is talking that much about the second and third biggest needs, imo. So here is what I put together this morning for you hacks to attack (includes long term needs--to me, since most rookies do not produce immediately, it is stupid to draft a player based on immediate needs): Wide Receiver: Johnson and Thielen, the top 2 WRs at this moment, are possibly in their final years. Mingo was overdrafted and his performance has not matched expectations. In my opinion, in a WR-deep draft, you grab 2 Wideouts. Longterm: You do not want to enter 2025 with Mingo, draft pick, Smith-Marsette, and Marshall (who may not be on the team by then). In my view, you can take two and still find the essential depth pieces at ILB and CB. Cornerback Depth: Of course, signing Dane Jackson to replace "Action" Jackson and re-signing Troy Hill is not enough, considering Horn’s injury history--and even if Horn stays healty--you need 3 starting caliber CBs and a nickel. I think we have to proceed as if Dane Jackson is the only starting caliber CB without an injury history and Bootle is a roster fringe CB at best. We need a CB who can start if necessary. Longterm: Horn is a huge question mark at this point, so we have to draft as if we are taking a developmental starter. For this reason, I see a second rounder being spent on CB. Dane Jackson is not elite by any means, and if we do not get pass rush this season, the secondary will be exploited. Troy Hill is 33 and this is obviously his last season here. Inside Linebacker Depth: With only Thompson and Jewell with Wooten behind them, ILB Depth is needed. I fully expect Morgan to go after an ILB on day 2. He understands their importance to a defense. I am assuming the new kickoff rule may make LBs more valuable as well. Longterm: Jewell was just signed to a 3-year deal, but I doubt Shaq is back, having just signed a 1-year deal at age 30 for 2024. We will be signing an ILB early in this draft. Morgan guarantees it (not really, but I bet he does) Tight End: I think they feel that TE is “covered” for now, but if they can upgrade the position, they will. In my estimation, they want to see what they have in Tremble; that suggests they do not think the TE position was used properly in 2023. Pure speculation. Sullivan flashed as a pass-catching TE, and Ian is a suitable #3 TE as a blocker, but I have not seen that much from him in that area. The could add a TE to the room, but with three other needs that are more pressing, I am not sure they will add someone who helps them improve. However, they want to surround Bryce with weapons, so a TE would kinda be necessary–See the Super Bowl–their TEs were pretty good. Longterm: This team needs an Alpha TE, and if Tremble cannot be that guy, they will bring one in. I do like some of the TEs later in the draft, however. A player like Ohio State’s Cade Stover would be a nice addition.

I think they will look at Corbett and they feel good about it. I think they have talked to him and he is on board. However, Mays is also moving to C and I would not be surprised to see if BC is not involved. Not ideal, but with 2 stud OGs beside you, he should be fine.

We do need ILB, CB, WR as our top 3 needs in my opinion.

So we have Horn, Clowney, Wonnum, and Jammie. Cock a doodle dooooo

We should sign all former Gamecocks. Talons and all that. Cockadooodledoooooo. Not sure this post ended as intended.

During the last interview with Morgan, I think he said (Basically) that the free agency wave is over and they were now looking toward the draft.

When did he tackle a kick going into the third row of the end zone seats? Glad you said this--I don't think everyone understands it yet.

This is very interesting. I am the son of a Gamecock Tight End and I was born during his sophomore year in Columbia, so yes, I am a fan. When I heard him speak on the interview, I was so impressed. Yes, his accent, but his humility. That makes more sense now.

Thanks for sharing. I might be wrong (see Dec 3, 1987), and I agree with the fact that we might need a RT in 2025, but I doubt we go that high (#39). I like the FSU CB. Braswell is a high motor, limited ceiling guy who, like Legette, only had 1 good season. IMO, if Ladd is there, we take him.

You just increased my vocabulary by one word. Grass is indeed another issue, so I agree with you.

He is being talked about in the first, but I see him gone long before round 4--of course, it depends on the intelligence teams have on him.

Yes, you should. He is a stud, but even in that photo, he is wearing a shoulder brace. for a LB, a shoulder problem can be devastating.

I had 2 concussions in high school--one was based on friendly fire when a teammate hit me in the side of the helmet making a tackle. They other was on a kickoff. I had amnesia for 2 days--When I realized what was going on, it was Sunday night--In college, I was put on the kickoff return team for a few weeks and hated it. The side of the helmet is where a lot of the concussions occur. My doctor said a concussion is basically due to your brain "sloshing" around during impact. that is pretty scary.

If you played on a kickoff team, you probably would not remember it either.

The way it is now: 22 men run on the field and the kicker kicks it out of the end zone. you think they are safe when that happens, but they are still being blocked. The way it is now with the new rule, there are plays you can run after catching the ball in play. Finally, if you have ever played on the kickoff team, when you are running full speed, watching the returner, staying in your lane, and the receiving team is basically blocking you by running at you at a 90 degree angle, sticking their helmets in your ear hole, you would appreciate this rule. It is different. and I always worry about NFL records. But the more information that comes out about CTE and concussions, the more the game will change. I realize the closest many of you come to getting injured on a kickoff is if you get a chicken nugget caught in your windpipe, but we want to see the best players on the field. The data explains that the kickoff is the play with the highest concussion rates, so they addressed the problem. These are not gladiators. They are professional athletes and we came to see them play not get blue tented and it would be nice if they could function at the age of 50.

Folks you all may be right--you may be smarter than me about this and you may ignore things such as the difference between Baker in 2022 here and 2023 under Canales in Tampa. You may think that Russell Wilson's decline was not due to Canales' absence, and you may think that Geno Smith would have excelled in Carolina or anywhere other than Seattle. You may think that constant penetration through A gaps is no big deal, and you may think that getting sacked and blitzed when nobody was open is no excuse for a rookie QB. Having said that, I am on hopeium and know that if I claimed to know that he is a bust when most experts are still unconvinced, that would mean that I am on dopeium. Boom.