Sock Sraft -Sax Man Draft

[saX man]

This ain't no standard tomfoolery mock draft.  I'm configuring a draft that would divide the board and stir up a lot of lively conversation like the Shaq, Star, and Devin picks have done in the past.  Factoring in the one's that are already doing that combined with our scouting depts. apparent interest, this is my mock draft prediction for the big day (the numbers aren't necessarily by round):

 

1. Hunter Henry TE Arkansas

Treadwell, Coleman and Doctson will be gone before our pick.  The high 4-3 DEs as well.  The pick therefore could come down between the likes of Ogbah, Derrick Henry, Hunter Henry, Vernon Butler, and a Ifedi type.  I'm going with the guy that I think can not only contribute but seems like the best possible addition given that scenario. 

 

2. Su'a Cravens SS/LB USC (Trade-up with picks/future pick)

Skill position guy with a ton of upside.  I get the idea more than any player, we want him on our squad.  It's got that vibe. 

 

3. Matt Judon DE Grand Valley State

Looks like we like him and he fits our scheme.  Good size, I like investing late rounds on the line.

 

4. Keyarris Garrett WR Tulsa

This guy is going to make an NFL impact.  Wide receiver becomes a BPA to compete/beat out/jump ahead the likes of Corey Brown, Norwood, Bersin, Hill, etc.

 

 

 

[TheSpecialJuan]

5 minutes ago, Promethean Forerunner said:

Cravens is now considered a Top 35 prospect according to NFL.com and CBS. Hunter is still being viewed as a second to third round prospect. If anything, we'll draft Su'a in the first and Hunter or Henry in the second if they're still there. 

Cravens at #30 would no longer be a reach.

[uscgamecocks]

That trade up would cost a lot of draft capital.  If we want Cravens that badly we should just draft him at 30.  I would hate the pick but that might be a good thing.  Cravens has great instincts but he is a poor athlete by NFL standards.  I worry about how that translates to the defensive backfield (are we just drafting a younger Roman Harper)?

I wonder if other teams are viewing him as a hybrid backer (like Deone Buchanon) and that is driving his rise into the back of the first?  Or do other teams regard him that highly as a safety?

If Dave picks him I'm sure he will be good.

[saX man]

18 minutes ago, Promethean Forerunner said:

Cravens is now considered a Top 35 prospect according to NFL.com and CBS. Hunter is still being viewed as a second to third round prospect. If anything, we'll draft Su'a in the first and Hunter or Henry in the second if they're still there. 

I confirm you may flip 1 and 2 in your mind to appease your preference based on NFL.com and CBS!

[KB_fan]

20 minutes ago, Promethean Forerunner said:

Cravens is now considered a Top 35 prospect according to NFL.com and CBS. Hunter is still being viewed as a second to third round prospect. If anything, we'll draft Su'a in the first and Hunter or Henry in the second if they're still there. 

Hunter keeps falling to us in the 2nd round in many mock drafts (i.e. at Fanspeak), but the more I look at how thin and bottom heavy the TE class is, the more I think that Hunter will be gone in the first or early second if a team really needs/wants a good TE.

Here's how the TEs grade / rank currently on NFL.com.  (the "projected round" comments are my own addition based solely on grade/rank - not taking into account Mock scenarios and teamneeds)

Only 4 TEs in the top 124 players.  Pretty thin pickins.

Henry still ranks in the 40s on some boards, however, so it's not totally impossible that he falls to us in round 2.

[saX man]

You can easily flip the scenario.  I presume a talent we like will fall into the top-10 in the second and we trade up rto assure ourselves the prospect.  Be it Henry, Henry, Bullard, or Cravens. 

[uscgamecocks]

8 minutes ago, Promethean Forerunner said:

Yep. Shaq was considered a reach too but, man, did he work out for us. Cravens at 30 as hybrid SS/LB would be very reasonable.

Our run defense is gonna be extremely nasty.

Wouldn't he be a pure S for us?  I would be more excited about picking Cravens if we didn't already have Shaq (who is a much better athlete, for what it's worth).

Then again, the lines are blurring between safeties, LBs, and DBs, so I suppose what you call him doesn't matter.

It feels to me like the league is moving away from defenses that allow you to play 3 backers and a box safety.

[TheSpecialJuan]

11 minutes ago, Promethean Forerunner said:

Yep. Shaq was considered a reach too but, man, did he work out for us. Cravens at 30 as hybrid SS/LB would be very reasonable.

Our run defense is gonna be extremely nasty.

Yeah I remember that. What people forget is that the Cowboys were going to select Shaq if we had passed on him.

[KB_fan]

I'd not really paid much attention to Cravens when I was on my mock draft frenzy in early March, so I don't have a feel for how long he lasted on the board.

I'm hoping to do a bunch of mocks tomorrow night or Tuesday, so I'll try to get a better feel in the coming days re: how often he might fall to us at our normal pick in round 2 versus us having to trade up for him.  I'll post my findings here in the next day or two.

[Ship]

i've been hoping for us to draft a quality safety for a while so i'd love to see cravens picked.

[mc52beast]

All I know is it's kind of weird going into the draft and knowing we won't make some boneheaded move... GETTY ROCKS!!!

[TheSpecialJuan]

1 minute ago, KB_fan said:

I'd not really paid much attention to Cravens when I was on my mock draft frenzy in early March, so I don't have a feel for how long he lasted on the board.

I'm hoping to do a bunch of mocks tomorrow night or Tuesday, so I'll try to get a better feel in the coming days re: how often he might fall to us at our normal pick in round 2 versus us having to trade up for him.  I'll post my findings here in the next day or two.

I get to see USC every Saturday here in the LA area and I can tell you the guy is a difference maker, an instant impact player.

Our 1st round picks under Gman have all had in common. They can come in and help us immediately. This is why I don't think we will draft a OT or DE in the 1st.

[uscgamecocks]

1 minute ago, TheSpecialJuan said:

I get to see USC every Saturday here in the LA area and I can tell you the guy is a difference maker, an instant impact player.

Our 1st round picks under Gman have all had in common. They can come in and help us immediately. This is why I don't think we will draft a OT or DE in the 1st.

Interesting - since you've seen him play, how often did he line up in man coverage (and did he hold his own in those matchups)?  Does he make plays in the deep third of the field or is his impact felt more towards the line of scrimmage?

[TheSpecialJuan]

1 minute ago, uscgamecocks said:

Interesting - since you've seen him play, how often did he line up in man coverage (and did he hold his own in those matchups)?  Does he make plays in the deep third of the field or is his impact felt more towards the line of scrimmage?

Well I no scout, but they played him all over. He started off as a safety when he got there but was moved to LB/SS role. Played more like a LB as a senior, near the line of scrimmage.