Two mock drafts, two different directions

[JawnyBlaze]

Thought I'd do two mocks, one cookie cutter one that goes the direction most think we should and will go and one that's a little more exotic, but hopefully just as agreeable.

Cookie Cutter

Round 1: Kevin Dodd/Emmanuel Ogbah, DE.  Whichever is available.  If neither is available I could also see us going with Jonathan Bullard.  One of our biggest legitimately addressable needs is DE.  We need someone for THIS year in case CJ gets hurt and/or Ealy's Super Bowl was an anomaly, not a coming out party.  A third legit pass rusher is still needed even if both CJ and Ealy play well and healthy.  Need a strong rotation, and someone's going to have to take CJ's place sooner rather than later.

Round 2: Hunter Henry/Sterling Shephard/Austin Hooper, Pass Catcher.  Cam needs more weapons.  I don't care we led the league in scoring, our offense needs pass catchers even with KB's return.  Ginn is gonna Ginn (aka occasional big plays, but not consistently catch the ball).  Funchess has a long way to go and hasn't proven he'll be anything more than a WR3 or 4 yet.  Olsen's elite and has a few years left of eliteness, but he can't be our top target if we're going to have a consistently dangerous offense.  I see Philly Brown going the way of the Colberts and Drew Carters.  Showed a lot of promise, but just can't get over the hump to consistency, plus he gets injured a lot.  We need one more legit investment in the pass catching corps to make it solid.

Round 3: Devontae Booker, RB.  CAP's cumulative contribution for the 2015 season was pretty much a wash.  Looked ok at times, fumbled the ball a little, didn't get many opportunities.  The coaching staff refused to give Wegher a jersey, so we have to assume that either A) they're playing their usual vet favoritism games, or B) Wegher still has some learning to do with the playbook.  Stewart's another vet that's gonna be gone sooner rather than later and Booker is a baller.  Some injury concerns, but well worth a 3rd round pick.

Round 4: Sheldon Day, DT.  You can just about guarantee, barring any crazy outcomes like guys falling to us we expected to go much higher, that we're taking at least a couple DLmen in this draft.  If Day's not available, there will be someone at DT around here that will be a good fit and value.

Round 5: Random DB, CB/S.  Gettleman likes his late round DBs, and he's proven adept at picking them.  I see us likely picking a CB here, but SS is also a possibility.

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Exotic

Round 1: Karl Joseph, SS.  I think there's a good chance Joseph is available when we pick here and I think he has really high potential.  Like Mathieu-lite (but not very lite, not too far behind him if at all).  Despite being an enforcer and good run stopper, he's also quite good in coverage.  Some of his technique areas could use some work (angles, wrapping up more often) I don't think anything is a serious deficiency with him.  The only way I see us taking a Safety in the 1st is Joseph.  Bell, Cravens, these other names getting tossed around would be options at our 2nd round pick in my opinion, but certainly not 1st.

Round 2: Ryan Kelly, C.  Another Ryan to eventually replace our current Ryan at C.  Kalil's great, he's not declining or anything yet, but he's expensive and getting up there in years.  We don't want to end up in a situation where we're scrambling at C.  This is a pick for the future.

Round 3: Carl Nassib, DE.  Don't think there's much of a chance we walk away from this draft without a DE and there's terribly few NFL sized 4-3 DEs in this draft.  Buncha 3-4 OLBs.  Nassib is a late bloomer, but has a lotta potential.  If he's not here, I also like Bronson Kaufusi.

Round 4: Pharaoh Cooper, WR.  Shifty guy that could compete for top slot WR duties.  Alternate pick, Nick Vannett, TE.

Round 5: DT.  Take your pick, think there's a very high likelihood we take a DT in this draft.  Doesn't have to be a day one contributor, but someone with the potential to develop into a decent starter in the event we can't afford Short or Star.  This pick may also indicate which of our two DTs we're more confident in being able to resign and who we're more willing to pay what they think they're worth (my money's on Star.  His price tag will be much lower and he's maybe not QUITE as important as Short to our DL, the difference in money it will take to resign them is much greater than the difference in impact on our DL.)

 

 

So there you have it.  I'd obviously be happier with the Cookie Cutter draft, but I think the other one has its merits too.  Wouldn't be mad at it at all.

[chknwing]

booker is gone in round 2.

[JawnyBlaze]

I don't think we see three RBs going in the first two rounds, but it's definitely a possibility.  I'd be all for trading our 7th or even a future late round pick (5+) to move up in the third to get him if we need to.

[TheNewStandard]

1 - As far as DT goes, we just signed the Hawaiian guy and I'd like to see another guy with pedigree to start in the next year if the Hawaiian guy can't step in as Star's replacement (once his rookie contract expires,) as I feel KK has surpassed Star as our dominant DT. Therefor, the DT position is probably the best position besides maybe Safety as the position to get a rotational player with the best chance to get the most playing-time and be able to step in as a starter sooner rather than later if one of our twin DTs can't get re-signed. So yes, I see a DT being signed here with wild cards being SS and to a lesser extent an OT. 

Note: SS could be addressed in FA

2 - At DE we have a commonly overlooked Mario Addison, who is very capable and seasoned...ready to breakout of the shadows and wouldn't be surprised if we see CJ or Ealy move over to DT situationally, with Addison on the outside. Yes, we need some depth here and I'd be surprised if we didn't take the Jared Allen route in FA to get a rotational vet, rather than spending a draft pick here, when we know DEs take the better part of 2+ years to get rolling. So I'm going OT here, with a wildcard at SS if it's not settled in FA.

3 - Here's where things get really interesting. If a DB that lands at our BPA pick for the 3rd is looking like a reach, I could see us going RB or C for the OL.

4 - Whatever is BPA of the three positions not filled in the third will be addressed...I think it will definitely be a DB here...whichever is not addressed via FA before the draft (SS, CB.)

5 - see 4

6 -  Do we have a 6th? If so, I'm thinking ST-OLB.

7 - Not sure if we have a 7th, but if so, I'm thinking ST-WR

[JawnyBlaze]

Soliai's a stopgap.  I'd be a little annoyed if we went DT with our 1st, but I'd get over it.  It'd basically mean we're completely giving up on either Star or Short.  I think Addison is what he will always be.  A situational pass rusher.  An OK one, but nothing more than depth at the bottom of the chart.

[TheSpecialJuan]

Whack

[TheNewStandard]

25 minutes ago, JawnyBlaze said:

Soliai's a stopgap.  I'd be a little annoyed if we went DT with our 1st, but I'd get over it.  It'd basically mean we're completely giving up on either Star or Short.  I think Addison is what he will always be.  A situational pass rusher.  An OK one, but nothing more than depth at the bottom of the chart.

I disagree with your Addison opinion. The guy has been a class act and has done nothing but improve every year. I think you're selling him short, but we all have our opinions.