Chris Simms: Jalon Walker is the most overrated player in the draft

[Swaggasaurus]

Walker has some extra bust potential. Every time someone brings up limited stats, the other side says “but he had limited snaps.” I don’t like that. I’d have a true impact player on the field as much as possible, don’t matter if it’s at Georgia or Catawba. He’s got some stuff that protects him too, intangibles, leadership, tenacity, he plays hard. Still, if we are at 8 and he’s on the board, with no trade out scenario, I probably pick him. 

[LinvilleGorge]

16 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Our problem hasn't been swinging for the fences, it has been in identifying the pitch. We've had some of the worst talent evaluators in the game for the last seven years.

The last hit we really had was CMC and then one of our genius GMs let him go for a bag of beans and a handshake.

And don't get me started on Brian Burns. He was meh with a good sack celebration. A rarely used one. 

 

We've been drafting largely on RAS. Draft the best athletes and hope we can make them football players. It hasn't been working. The notable exception being Bryce where we did the exact opposite. We have to strike a balance. There's no perfect scientific approach to the draft. I think we've probably been overanalyzing the whole thing with Tepper thinking he's going to eventually crack the code that simply isn't there.

[Icege]

Sims has to do a little outrage marketing to make the engagement numbers go vroom, but there's been a few analysts that have commented on how Walker is ultimately going to be depending on whomever drafts him to properly develop him. Whether that's starting him off of as a rotational edge guy on obvious passing downs or settling him at ILB will be up to whoever ends up with him.

A lot of folks like to point out Isaiah Simmons, and as much as I like Isaiah as a Clemson fan he's not the guy that Jalon Walker is between the ears (this isn't to say Isaiah isn't bright, but didn't seem to breathe football like Jalon does). The kid's got a shot; he's just going to need it somewhere that's going to aim first before firing him off.

Edited Thursday at 03:46 PM by Icege

[Khyber53]

Look, if we end up taking Jalon, I'm not going to complain. I think at worst he's going to be a good contributor and at best a classic Panthers linebacker (and that's really something).

I just look at Warren and see a unicorn guy there that is going to make some long term waves in the league and I think that because of who we have in front of us, there's a fair shot at him still being there. 

It's as simple as that.

And no one player is going to complete this team's rehabilitation right now. Let's be honest, we've got a ways to go before "competitive" is a descriptor of the Panthers. 

[ForJimmy]

19 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

Look, if we end up taking Jalon, I'm not going to complain. I think at worst he's going to be a good contributor and at best a classic Panthers linebacker (and that's really something).

I just look at Warren and see a unicorn guy there that is going to make some long term waves in the league and I think that because of who we have in front of us, there's a fair shot at him still being there. 

It's as simple as that.

And no one player is going to complete this team's rehabilitation right now. Let's be honest, we've got a ways to go before "competitive" is a descriptor of the Panthers. 

I've read some "reports" Warren might be going to the Jets at 7.  If we are stuck at 8, I've love Graham or Walker assuming one makes it to 8. 

[mrcompletely11]

37 minutes ago, ForJimmy said:

I've read some "reports" Warren might be going to the Jets at 7.  If we are stuck at 8, I've love Graham or Walker assuming one makes it to 8. 

basically it seems that everyone that has studied and interviewed Walker is in awe of him.  Ive said from the jump he is not a lock for us at 8.  If he and Graham are gone then I have no clue what we should do

[tukafan21]

My concern with Walker is that he's small, he's not a true edge but he's also not a MLB either.  He's a tweener that very well could turn him into a great player, but I just don't love the idea of taking a player like that, with one season of collegiate production, at #8.

If he's not a true edge rusher and he's sure as hell not a Kuechly, taking him at 8 just doesn't make sense to me, no matter how much you like the person/player.  Just feels like he's Chinn situation all over again, except not a S/LB hybrid, but a LB/DE hybrid this time.

He seems like a 3-4 OLB who will split his time rushing the passer and dropping back, which sure, while that can be a valuable player to have, I'd rather be taking someone with more of a defined position regardless of base alignment.

I don't think we're going to stick with Evero for the long term, whether he leaves on his own or we go a different way.  And once that happens, if/when we move back to a 4-3, a player like Walker is going to struggle even more as he really won't be a great fit for any specific position in that alignment as he's not a 4-3 OLB and he's not big enough to be a full time DE in that alignment either.

[mrcompletely11]

4 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

My concern with Walker is that he's small, he's not a true edge but he's also not a MLB either.  He's a tweener that very well could turn him into a great player, but I just don't love the idea of taking a player like that, with one season of collegiate production, at #8.

If he's not a true edge rusher and he's sure as hell not a Kuechly, taking him at 8 just doesn't make sense to me, no matter how much you like the person/player.  Just feels like he's Chinn situation all over again, except not a S/LB hybrid, but a LB/DE hybrid this time.

He seems like a 3-4 OLB who will split his time rushing the passer and dropping back, which sure, while that can be a valuable player to have, I'd rather be taking someone with more of a defined position regardless of base alignment.

I don't think we're going to stick with Evero for the long term, whether he leaves on his own or we go a different way.  And once that happens, if/when we move back to a 4-3, a player like Walker is going to struggle even more as he really won't be a great fit for any specific position in that alignment as he's not a 4-3 OLB and he's not big enough to be a full time DE in that alignment either.

So who would you take?

 

[tukafan21]

3 minutes ago, mrcompletely11 said:

So who would you take?

 

My concerns about Walker have nothing to do with who I'd take and everyone knows who that is anyways.

If we're taking a 3-4 OLB, I'd rather they be someone who would be a full time pass rusher, who if/when we switch back to a 4-3 in the near future, can seamlessly transition into being a full time DE, which I don't see Walker being able to do.

And don't take this as me saying I don't like Walker in general, I think he could be a very good player.  I just don't like taking him at 8 given the positional fit issues with him.  I'd rather take someone with a lower ceiling but a higher floor because they fit a true position, not someone who is going to be alignment and situation dependent like Walker is likely going to be, particularly early in his career.

[Basbear]

33 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

My concern with Walker is that he's small, he's not a true edge but he's also not a MLB either.  He's a tweener that very well could turn him into a great player, but I just don't love the idea of taking a player like that, with one season of collegiate production, at #8.

If he's not a true edge rusher and he's sure as hell not a Kuechly, taking him at 8 just doesn't make sense to me, no matter how much you like the person/player.  Just feels like he's Chinn situation all over again, except not a S/LB hybrid, but a LB/DE hybrid this time.

He seems like a 3-4 OLB who will split his time rushing the passer and dropping back, which sure, while that can be a valuable player to have, I'd rather be taking someone with more of a defined position regardless of base alignment.

I don't think we're going to stick with Evero for the long term, whether he leaves on his own or we go a different way.  And once that happens, if/when we move back to a 4-3, a player like Walker is going to struggle even more as he really won't be a great fit for any specific position in that alignment as he's not a 4-3 OLB and he's not big enough to be a full time DE in that alignment either.

This is my concern as well. I was a fan until he measured 6' 3/4.......... there's only von Miller and Reddick for the small success crew. Not to mention his arms, length, weight, etc/ he's just small......I hated drafting a small QB. The odds are against them.

I even thought back to Elvis dummville, who was 260 LBs *but 5'11.... There's a reason for not many small OLB success stories. 

I think Williams would be a better OLB/ panther fit. Im shocked Dan listed walker as a OLB. 

I think Walker is a LB, he's even small there too.... Plus given he's not Luke, he's not worth #8.

Finally imo he is maxed out as player with his small comings and history of being like a DC on the field.  

My hope is for a great trade back package, that Brandt and an cannot say no. Let some other team find the luck God with walker... 

Edited Thursday at 09:58 PM by Basbear

[AceBoogie]

23 hours ago, jfra78 said:

Not in the NFL, he will get bullied

Based on what 

[Shocker]

LT was 6’3 240…Ray Lewis 6-1 250…I mean saying 6-1 245 is too small is ridiculous IMO

[Basbear]

11 minutes ago, Shocker said:

LT was 6’3 240…Ray Lewis 6-1 250…I mean saying 6-1 245 is too small is ridiculous IMO

 

The league has grown since LT and lewis my friend. I'd almost say its not even the same sport. 

Plus you listed the defense goat and a top 5 MLB in NFL history, that's some comparisons..... 

 

I need to see if Joe Alt played against Georgia....

 

Just the facts are small players are ultra rare success stories, Walker has the odds stacked against him. It that what you want at #8 overall??

Im beginning to hate this draft....

Edited Thursday at 10:13 PM by Basbear

[csx]

23 minutes ago, Basbear said:

 

The league has grown since LT and lewis my friend. I'd almost say its not even the same sport. 

Plus you listed the defense goat and a top 5 MLB in NFL history, that's some comparisons..... 

 

I need to see if Joe Alt played against Georgia....

 

Just the facts are small players are ultra rare success stories, Walker has the odds stacked against him. It that what you want at #8 overall??

Im beginning to hate this draft....

Linebackers are smaller now.

https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/the_new_wave_of_nfl_linebackers_are_changing_the_game/s1_17304_40199244

Edited Thursday at 10:33 PM by csx