Official 2017 2nd Round Of The NFL Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

Malik McDowell - DT - Michigan St.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Slippery and long. Combination of arm length and flexible torso allow him to slither into gaps and create disruptions for blockers. Freaky combination of size and athleticism. Can overwhelm blockers with pure strength and explosiveness when his feet are right. Strong enough in lower half to play through contact and cause stress in the pocket. Has tremendous amount of untapped potential waiting to be unlocked. Quick, strong hands in pass rush. Able to attack the edge with club-and-swim pet move. Can crank up a pocket-caving bull rush. Can redirect his weight and maintain pursuit of scrambling mobile quarterbacks. Long frame and play speed can close out perimeter runs and foil them before corner is turned. Elite playmaking radius. Explosive lateral movement and quickness. Can bound from one gap to the next in Sparty's slanting defensive front. Will be extremely difficult to cross face as he learns the position. Has experience up and down the defensive line.

WEAKNESSES Footwork and technique are a mess. Plays with inconsistent base width and overall balance. Struggles to keep feet clean and ends up on the ground. Lines up in narrow, three-point stance from interior and struggles to fight back against down blocks and double teams. Can be washed out of his gap too often. High center of gravity made interior work a challenge at times. Can bend, but lets high pad level get the best of him. Doesn't consistently utilize his length with first hands. Has to become better at controlling the point of attack with his natural attributes. Needs to punch and control rather than leaning on blockers. Production doesn't match up with the traits and the talent. Scouts concerned about work ethic and leadership.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 1

SOURCES TELL US "He has a chance to be a dominant player in our league. I mean dominant. It hasn't turned on for him all the way yet but if it does, he could be like Mario Williams. He's just a little lazy and I worry about whether he is going to be a self-starter." -- NFC North area scout

NFL COMPARISON Ezekiel Ansah

BOTTOM LINE Has similar physical traits and abilities of Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner, but may not share their football character. McDowell lacked production along the interior and could benefit from a move to a defensive end spot in a 4-3 or 3-4 front. McDowell is raw, but when he flashes, it can be blinding. McDowell is an explosive, ascending prospect with All-Pro potential if he grows into his body and takes the necessary coaching.

[Joemailman]

Malik McDowell a boom or bust pick for the Seahawks. Hope he's Jerel Worthy II.

[SMBASS]

Malik McDowell a boom or bust pick for the Seahawks. Hope he's Jerel Worthy II.

Yep, that's what I'm hoping!

[Joemailman]

Budda Baker - S - Washington

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Tremendously explosive and passionate in his play. Former high school track sprinter with good play speed. Screams off the edge as a blitzer. Always bouncing on balls of his feet just waiting to race to the action on a dead sprint. Plays with smooth backpedal and diagonal shuffle. Has a shiftiness that allows him to mirror change of direction in space. Plus instincts from any coverage areas. Allows quarterback's eyes and pattern recognition to carry him around the field. Not easily pulled from coverage responsibilities by bait routes around him. Has the click and close ability of a cornerback in coverage. Ball skills are solid. Plays with exceptional aggression. Accelerates through receivers to jar the pass loose. Tackle finisher who races to the throw to end plays at the catch point. Scouts use terms like "winner" and "top notch person" to describe him.

WEAKNESSES Undersized safety in a smaller frame. Could struggle to carry 200 pounds as a pro. Gets big-boyed by tight ends from the slot. Lack of size may limit how NFL teams can use him. Aggressive shoulder rolls into running backs could cause future health issues. Force as a tackler just average against big running backs. Forced into grab and drag scenarios to get running backs down at times. Small hesitation to accelerate when forced to open and sprint down the field. Can be too overzealous when stepping downhill to tackle. May need to play with a little more discipline and control as an NFL tackler.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 2

SOURCES TELL US "I would leave him as a centerfielder and then roll him down over the slot if you needed too. He's too small to cover tight ends, but he's got great instincts in coverage which is why he should shine as a single-high." - NFC area scout

NFL COMPARISON Bob Sanders

BOTTOM LINE Undersized free safety with the heart of a linebacker. Baker plays with a competitive desire that leaps off the field when you watch him thanks to elite football character and above-average explosiveness. While he is undersized, he makes up for it with his football instincts and plus play speed. Baker has the talent to become a play-making safety with Pro Bowl potential if he can sustain his health.

[Bretsky]

THANK YOU SD CHARGERS GM

[Joemailman]

Zay Jones - WR - East Carolina

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS All-time FBS receptions leader. Hands catcher outside the hashes and snatches it away from his frame. Swallows ball into his frame to protect it when working over the middle. Tape shows a willingness to run head-first into traffic and make the tough catch when hit is imminent. Can win all day when it comes to finishing catches at the high point. Extremely driven to succeed. Plays with good focus and footwork on catches near the sideline. Has experience working from outside and the slot. Returned kicks as a junior. Has posted impressive numbers in Pirates' strength-and-conditioning program. Well respected in the program and scouts rave about his character. Father, Robert, was a Super Bowl winner with Dallas Cowboys.

WEAKNESSES Play speed is very average. Lacks vertical push to force cornerbacks to open and run early and doesn't have second gear to separate from coverage down the field. Thin frame. Struggles to find clean releases against press coverage due to play strength and foot quickness. High-volume production helped by high percentage of short throws and wide receiver screens. Sticky out of breaks and unable to shake tight coverage. Limited amount of burst and wiggle after the catch and won't create much more than is there. Not overly-committed as a run blocker.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 2

BOTTOM LINE Possesses high football character and a desire to push himself forward. Record-breaking receptions totals in 2016 were due more to scheme and excessive targets than separation ability or top-end speed. As a one-on-one receiver on the pro level, he will have to prove he has the speed and quickness to uncover against man coverage if he is to become more than just wide receiver depth.

[Joemailman]

Forrest Lamp - G - Western Kentucky

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Compact build but not lacking athleticism. Able to redirect weight back inside. Showed nimble feet when handling spin moves and inside shots from LSU's Arden Key in 2015. Patient. Works feet and hips into position before engaging. Secures block with chopping feet and quality positioning. Bends and looks for low-man leverage with hip thrust under him. Uses short, controlled punch in run game. Clever with hands in pass protection. Throws short, teaser jab with outside hand to entice rushers into premature hand fighting. Effective counter-puncher defending edge and clears his chest and re-sets hands if defender gets into him first. Rarely bull-rushed. Processes quickly when defense runs games up front.

WEAKNESSES Average frame and might not be able to add much more bulk to it. Lack of height and arm length will likely drive him inside. Expedited engagement on interior could prevent counter-punching style with hands. Will have to learn to keep hands in ready position and shoot them with tighter track into the frame. Positional blocker lacking NFL power as a drive-blocking guard. Lack of girth will require consistent pad level and a little wider base.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 1

SOURCES TELL US "He's the real deal. If he can snap, you could get away with playing him all up and down the line. Great feet, strong, smart." -- AFC executive

NFL COMPARISON Zach Martin

BOTTOM LINE Four-year starter at left tackle whose lack of length will likely force him inside on the next level. He has the athleticism to handle athletic interior rushers while being able to fit into diverse rushing attacks that ask more from the guards and centers. His ability to potentially line up at tackle, guard or center will only increase his value. Lamp's 2016 performance against Alabama's talented edge players was a resume-builder that shined a spotlight on his potential as a pro.

[Joemailman]

Marcus Maye - S - Florida

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Ready-made safety frame with muscular build and long arms. Really instinctive with above-average field vision and feel for the game. Eyes dart back and forth from quarterback to receiver. Correlates quarterback's eyes and actions to a corresponding route and gets the early jump. Plays with good pattern recognition from both man and zone. Credited with a pass breakup or interception on more than 21 percent of his targets as a starter. Has speed to burst from sideline to sideline. Rangy tackler with in-play endurance for extended chases across field. Welcomes physical aspects of position. Sheds blockers quickly. Showed improved patience and diligence as tackler. Trustworthy as last line of defense.

WEAKNESSES Despite his instincts, credited with 10 touchdowns allowed during time at Florida. Inconsistent ball tracker. Has issues playing both ball and man down the field, and can lose feel with receiver. Tape shows some issues with hip tightness. Balance can be a little spotty and he'll fight his hips when forced to transition suddenly on combination routes. Better coming downhill than playing on his heels. Missed final three games of senior season with broken arm.

DRAFT PROJECTION Round 2

NFL COMPARISON Glover Quin

BOTTOM LINE Interchangeable safety with the instincts of a free safety and the physicality of a box player. Thrives as a downhill player and has the instincts and speed to operate effectively from both single-high and two-deep looks. Has the physical attributes and intelligence to step into a starter's role early on and will be a strong contributor on special teams.

[Joemailman]

From NFL.com:

Green Bay Packers
Draft picks: None
Day 1 grade: A
The skinny: The Browns presented excellent value in a trade out of the first round, so the Packers took it. They received the top pick of the second round, along with the top pick of the fourth round. That's two premium picks -- and they should get great trade offers for the second-rounder.

[red]

still no trade

where the fuck is the trade TT?

[smuggler]

234 is okay for a speed ILB. I think we could get him at 36 or so, I would be stoked for a trade back and still getting Cunningham

[pittstang5]

Tyus Bowser
Demarcus Walker
Zay Jones
Kevin King
Chris Godwin
Chris Wormley
Jordan Willis

I think one of these becomes a Packer tonight.

[Bretsky]

CHAD REUTER thought there was a 70 percent chance TTT trades down

[Bretsky]

I think TT's failing from 2yrs ago means he has to draft Kevin King

He trades down and Seattle grabs him; while I don't love him he's above the rest.

With TT letting the last two top tier LB's go by him I think he goes King.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I think TT's failing from 2yrs ago means he has to draft Kevin King

Stupid. Randall was all-rookie and went through injuries last year. Too early to write him off. If he turns into a solid starter (like I think he will), it will have been a good pick.

[jklowan]

where's the link to the packer war room

[red]

where's the link to the packer war room

they keep showing it on NFLN

[Bretsky]

Stupid. Randall was all-rookie and went through injuries last year. Too early to write him off. If he turns into a solid starter (like I think he will), it will have been a good pick.

Yup, sure injured all year. I hope you are right. I see a bunch of #3-#5 CB's on our roster and when you use round one AND round two on CB's that is not acceptable to me.

[Bretsky]

JAGS traded with Seattle; wonder what they got ??

[Bretsky]

Listing to Chad Reuter Seattle wanted Kevin King...a local product. If GB trades out he was going there