Verge's Draft General thread 2021

[Icege]

@VergeDeshaun dumpster fire aside... how has COVID-19 (outside of on site visits) affected scouting reports? Is there less emphasis on games played due to the chaos of the shortened seasons?

Ie: Does "He only has 20 starts in 3 years" mean as much if they had only half of a season last year?

Also: any attention paid to prospects that contracted COVID? Are there any concerns in regards to health risks later down the line? What about character concerns if they're found to have contracted the virus due to breaking protocols?

[Memphis]

@Verge let us say the draft does not fall out to our advantage regarding a QB in the first round. They ones we like are all gone before our pick. What is your sense the direction we would go in this case? BPA, D# or Oline?

I see you have Alijah Vera-Tucker on a fairly high rating as compared to most. I do as well and really like him a lot. You see him playing LT in the NFL or more of a stud guard? (I guess LT since he is ranked #11). Which of the tackles in the draft do you see as true LTs in the NFL?

[Verge]

Let me dump my most recent positional rankings since it won't let me edit it into the original post, then I will get to some of your questions. @Ricky Spanish idk if you could unlock that edit feature or not, it would be extremely helpful for this post. 


QBs:
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, CLE
2. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3. Justin Fields, QB, OHST
4. Trey Lance, QB, NDSU
5. Kellen Mond, QB, TAM

RBs:
1. Travis Etienne, RB, CLE
2. Najee Harris, RB, ALA
3. Javonte Williams, RB, UNC 
4. Kenny Gainwell, RB, MEM
5. Trey Sermon, RB, OHST 

WRs: 
1. JaMarr Chase, WR, LSU 
2. Jaylen Waddle, WR, ALA

3. Devonta Smith, WR, ALA 
4. Kadarius Toney, WR, FLO
5. Rondale Moore, WR, PUR 

TEs: 
1-5. Kyle Pitts, TE/WR, FLO 
2. Brevin Jordan, TE, MIA 
3. Pat Freiermuth, TE, PEN
4. Hunter Long, TE, BC 
5. Tre McKitty, TE, GEO 

OT: 
1. Penei Sewell, OT, ORE
2. Christian Darrisaw, OT, VT
3. Alex Leatherwood, OT, ALA
4. Jalen Mayfield, OT, MICH
5. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, USC 

Interior O-line: 
1. Rashawn Slater, OT/G/C, NW
2. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, USC
3. Landon Dickerson, C/G, ALA
4. Wyatt Davis, G, OHST
5. Trey Smith, G, TEN (depending on medicals) 

Edge: 
1. Jaelan Philips, DE, MIA
2. Kwity Paye, DE, MICH 
3. Gregory Rousseau, DE, MIA 
4. Zaven Collins, EDGE, TUL
5. Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, GEO

Defensive Tackle:
1. Christian Barmore, DT, ALA
2. Levi Onwuzurike, DT, WAS
3. Jay Tufele, DT, USC
4. Daviyon Nixon, DT, IOW 
5. Marvin Wilson, DT, FST

LB:
1. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, OLB/ILB/S, ND 
2. Micah Parsons, ILB/OLB, PEN 
3. Jamin Davis, ILB/OLB, KEN 
4. Nick Bolton, ILB/OLB, MIZZ 
5. Jabril Cox, ILB/OLB, LSU 

S: 
1. Jevon Holland, S, ORE
2. Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU 
3. Tyree Gillespie, S, MIZZ 
4. Richie Grant, S, CF 
5. Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, FLST

CB: 
1. Jaycee Horn, CB, SC 
2. Patrick Surtain II., CB, ALA 
3. Caleb Farley, CB, VT 
4. Tyson Campbell, CB, GEO
5. Kelvin Joseph, CB, KEN

Edited March 20, 2021 by Verge

[Verge]

20 hours ago, Icege said:

@VergeDeshaun dumpster fire aside... how has COVID-19 (outside of on site visits) affected scouting reports? Is there less emphasis on games played due to the chaos of the shortened seasons?

Ie: Does "He only has 20 starts in 3 years" mean as much if they had only half of a season last year?

Also: any attention paid to prospects that contracted COVID? Are there any concerns in regards to health risks later down the line? What about character concerns if they're found to have contracted the virus due to breaking protocols?

I think teams (rightly so) have become much more reliant on game tape and consistency of the prospect. There will likely be cases of guys going ahead of other guys that no one sees coming if only because that player opted out and this player has tape from 2020 that I can look at and say for sure what I am getting with them. Showing growth and consistency is an underrated part of a prospect. If you give me one year of so-so production, and then opt out, are your measurables really going to put you ahead of a guy who has a little less of the measurables but produced and grew at a high level? Probably not. 

As far as contracting COVID there is so many unknowns to that, but these kids are healthy and young, I don't believe that is something that is factored in at all. 

[Verge]

18 hours ago, Memphis said:

@Verge let us say the draft does not fall out to our advantage regarding a QB in the first round. They ones we like are all gone before our pick. What is your sense the direction we would go in this case? BPA, D# or Oline?

I see you have Alijah Vera-Tucker on a fairly high rating as compared to most. I do as well and really like him a lot. You see him playing LT in the NFL or more of a stud guard? (I guess LT since he is ranked #11). Which of the tackles in the draft do you see as true LTs in the NFL?

Everything is kind of messed up right now with the Watson thing, so I say this with not as much confidence as I probably would otherwise, but I don't really see much of a scenario where we don't come out of this draft with a QB. If somehow we whiff, I think Tepper would be extremely upset, but we would likely take the best tackle available or Kyle Pitts.

I like AVT more as a guard, but think he will be fine at either position.

[mrcompletely11]

11 minutes ago, Verge said:

Let me dump my most recent positional rankings since it won't let me edit it into the original post, then I will get to some of your questions. @Ricky Spanish idk if you could unlock that edit feature or not, it would be extremely helpful for this post. 


QBs:
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, CLE
2. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3. Justin Fields, QB, OHST
4. Trey Lance, QB, NDSU
5. Kellen Mond, QB, TAM
 

No disrespect but have you seen Mond play?  I am not going to say he is terrible but he is pretty bad.  Very inaccurate and makes horrible horrible decisions at the absolute worst times.  IMO Mac is light years ahead of him.

[mav1234]

16 minutes ago, Verge said:

Let me dump my most recent positional rankings since it won't let me edit it into the original post, then I will get to some of your questions. @Ricky Spanish idk if you could unlock that edit feature or not, it would be extremely helpful for this post. 


QBs:
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, CLE
2. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
3. Justin Fields, QB, OHST
4. Trey Lance, QB, NDSU
5. Kellen Mond, QB, TAM

RBs:
1. Travis Etienne, RB, CLE
2. Najee Harris, RB, ALA
3. Javonte Williams, RB, UNC 
4. Kenny Gainwell, RB, MEM
5. Trey Sermon, RB, OHST 

WRs: 
1. JaMarr Chase, WR, LSU 
2. Jaylen Waddle, WR, ALA

3. Devonta Smith, WR, ALA 
4. Kadarius Toney, WR, FLO
5. Rondale Moore, WR, PUR 

TEs: 
1-5. Kyle Pitts, TE/WR, FLO 
2. Brevin Jordan, TE, MIA 
3. Pat Freiermuth, TE, PEN
4. Hunter Long, TE, BC 
5. Tre McKitty, TE, GEO 

OT: 
1. Penei Sewell, OT, ORE
2. Christian Darrisaw, OT, VT
3. Alex Leatherwood, OT, ALA
4. Jalen Mayfield, OT, MICH
5. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, USC 

Interior O-line: 
1. Rashawn Slater, OT/G/C, NW
2. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT/G, USC
3. Landon Dickerson, C/G, ALA
4. Wyatt Davis, G, OHST
5. Trey Smith, G, TEN (depending on medicals) 

Edge: 
1. Jaelan Philips, DE, MIA
2. Kwity Paye, DE, MICH 
3. Gregory Rousseau, DE, MIA 
4. Zaven Collins, EDGE, TUL
5. Azeez Ojulari, EDGE, GEO

Defensive Tackle:
1. Christian Barmore, DT, ALA
2. Levi Onwuzurike, DT, WAS
3. Jay Tufele, DT, USC
4. Daviyon Nixon, DT, IOW 
5. Marvin Wilson, DT, FST

LB:
1. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, OLB/ILB/S, ND 
2. Micah Parsons, ILB/OLB, PEN 
3. Jamin Davis, ILB/OLB, KEN 
4. Nick Bolton, ILB/OLB, MIZZ 
5. Jabril Cox, ILB/OLB, LSU 

S: 
1. Jevon Holland, S, ORE
2. Trevon Moehrig, S, TCU 
3. Tyree Gillespie, S, MIZZ 
4. Richie Grant, S, CF 
5. Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, FLST

CB: 
1. Jaycee Horn, CB, SC 
2. Patrick Surtain II., CB, ALA 
3. Caleb Farley, CB, VT 
4. Tyson Campbell, CB, GEO
5. Kelvin Joseph, CB, KEN

LB rankings are interesting.  I like your QB rankings too.  Mond seems super inconsistent though.  His physical tools seem all there.

Edit: can OPs not be edited now?

Edited March 20, 2021 by mav1234

[OldhamA]

9 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

No disrespect but have you seen Mond play?  I am not going to say he is terrible but he is pretty bad.  Very inaccurate and makes horrible horrible decisions at the absolute worst times.  IMO Mac is light years ahead of him.

It's clear the poster values arm strength over anything else - at least they're consistent. 

Edited March 20, 2021 by OldhamA

[Verge]

4 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

No disrespect but have you seen Mond play?  I am not going to say he is terrible but he is pretty bad.  Very inaccurate and makes horrible horrible decisions at the absolute worst times.  IMO Mac is light years ahead of him.

He definitely has some decision making issues, hence why you would not just throw him out as a starter day one. However, his quick flick release, strong arm, athleticism, growth, and playmaking ability puts him in the conversation to be a starter after you start ironing out the kinks in his game. He has a high ceiling, and there aren't things you can't teach him. Granted, his pocket awareness makes me cringe at times, just getting laid out in the NFL would be a serious problem, and as you stated his decision making needs work.

[Verge]

Just now, OldhamA said:

It's clear the poster valued arm strength over anything else - at least they're consistent. 

[mrcompletely11]

2 minutes ago, Verge said:

He definitely has some decision making issues, hence why you would not just throw him out as a starter day one. However, his quick flick release, strong arm, athleticism, growth, and playmaking ability puts him in the conversation to be a starter after you start ironing out the kinks in his game. He has a high ceiling, and there aren't things you can't teach him. Granted, his pocket awareness makes me cringe at times, just getting laid out in the NFL would be a serious problem, and as you stated his decision making needs work.

I hear you, but in regards to the panthers I would prefer not to have this big of a project to hopefully take over the reigns post Teddy.

[mav1234]

Just now, mrcompletely11 said:

I hear you, but in regards to the panthers I would prefer not to have this big of a project to hopefully take over the reigns post Teddy.

If the draft doesn't fall well for us I won't mind Mond as a Panther... just not at 8.  I don't even know if I'd personally want him in the 2nd either. 

Honestly at awful as it is watching Teddy, having a rookie with huge potential sitting behind him for a year would be worth it.

[OldhamA]

2 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

I hear you, but in regards to the panthers I would prefer not to have this big of a project to hopefully take over the reigns post Teddy.

"His decision making and pocket awareness makes me cringe at times".

What are the two most important aspects of playing QB again? I forget.

[mrcompletely11]

Just now, mav1234 said:

If the draft doesn't fall well for us I won't mind Mond as a Panther... just not at 8.  I don't even know if I'd personally want him in the 2nd either. 

Honestly at awful as it is watching Teddy, having a rookie with huge potential sitting behind him for a year would be worth it.

Honesty if the draft doesnt fall our way (Lance at 8 ) then we can easily build the oline by either trading down or picking SLater at 8 and then the top guard in the 2nd.  Boom our line is fixed for the next decade.