Never too early 2020 NFL Draft Thread

[GB-Brandon]

Agree completely with all of this. And you can add Hollywood Brown to the WR group as well. Injuries aside he had a huge impact with the Ravens. You can get guys that can help immediately assuming Rodgers gives them the opportunity, which he should.

Yes, I mentioned Brown in an earlier post regarding this and Mecole Hardman for that matter for the Chiefs. Brown was a big component stretching the defense and keeping defenses honest in the Ravens run heavy attack. Hardman gave the Chiefs yet another big play weapon.

[GB-Brandon]

NO SECRET where I've stood on this one from the day he was drafted. I hated the Gary piick. He was the 3rd best LB on the Michigan team. When Wisconsin played Michigan, they didn't worry about Gary.

Denver was taking calls but reportedly by both ESPN and NFL network did not want to trade down far. Guter dropped the ball and let Pittsburg jump us and get the perfect ILB for our system.

To your question, without hesitation I'd take Metcalf.

But even on draft day, I'd have taken several players ahead of Gary.

Gary also got ran over by Ohio State. Nobody was scared of him.

Oh yeah. I would of taken Simmons. I wanted Deebo Samuel or Parris Campbell later but they screwed that up with the big trade up for Savage.

[pbmax]

I think if you can tap a top tier ILB you go there. If not, then you can strategize with WR's. A trade back would be ideal if your ILB's are gone.

If you get a top tier ILB in round one, then you see how the board is falling and wait til there are 2 WR's you love are left and then work to trade up in round 2

Experience says the do everything ILB will not be there at 30 unless lightning strikes. And that is usually in the fourth round.

[pbmax]

You can get guys that can help immediately assuming Rodgers gives them the opportunity, which he should.

Assumes facts not in evidence. Receivers obviously need to show they will get the job done ( secure the ball) before he trusts them twice.

[pbmax]

BPA like anything else can just be a buzzword.

But drafting the best prospect (best physical traits and production) is a real thing. Ignoring position unless ratings are similar.

Gary was a projection from traits, not from production.

No idea if he was top of their board. They acted like it though.

[Joemailman]

If you could magically turn back the hands of time and you could either keep Gary or take Metcalf instead which one would you take?

I personally would take Metcalf and run. I’m not sure how Gary has any real high value other then measurables and combine numbers while looking good in the uniform because it sure wasn’t his tape or production college. I understand GM’s are trying to project these players to the next level but IMO Gary’s lack of production didn’t make him a top 12 talent or even close to BPA. Maybe “Best Athlete Available”. Big difference.

How much “Value” did Tony Mandarich have for that matter?

In Metcalf’s case he dropped because of a bad “3 cone time” but his production in college was there so everybody got it wrong because of 3 cone drill and concern over his route tree. Just Ridiculous! Looking back I’m not sure that a guy that can run that fast and is that big with his strength and explosion that can track a ball downfield and catch it(which he showed in college)isn’t worthy of a top 12 pick to be just insane.

Metcalf certainly put tape down and production as rookie to merit the “Value” of a top 12 pick. Meanwhile Gary struggled to even get snaps over Kyler Fackrell.

So Metcalf Projected both physically and with tape. Nobody would of blinked an eye if the Packers would of drafted Metcalf 12th and called us crazy. In fact, when Gary was selected at the bar I was at next to Lambeau everyone was disgusted and most people left. Many people wanted Metcalf at 12.

Actually plenty of people would have blinked an eye, including every GM in the NFL. There are reasons he lasted to the last pick of the 2nd round. Every knew he was a physical freak, but there were questions about his route running and his health. There were enough questions about Metcalf that he should not have been the 12th pick. An argument could certainly be made that the Packers should have taken him with their 2nd round pick.

For the record, I don't think either Gary or Metcalf should have been the 12th pick.

[Bretsky]

Actually plenty of people would have blinked an eye, including every GM in the NFL. There are reasons he lasted to the last pick of the 2nd round. Every knew he was a physical freak, but there were questions about his route running and his health. There were enough questions about Metcalf that he should not have been the 12th pick. An argument could certainly be made that the Packers should have taken him with their 2nd round pick.

For the record, I don't think either Gary or Metcalf should have been the 12th pick.

I can't remember; I'm getting old

Who was your guy at 12 Joe ?

[GB-Brandon]

Actually plenty of people would have blinked an eye, including every GM in the NFL. There are reasons he lasted to the last pick of the 2nd round. Every knew he was a physical freak, but there were questions about his route running and his health. There were enough questions about Metcalf that he should not have been the 12th pick. An argument could certainly be made that the Packers should have taken him with their 2nd round pick.

For the record, I don't think either Gary or Metcalf should have been the 12th pick.

Well Metcalf had a great season and shattered the playoff single game record for receiving yards by a rookie. He certainly produced like a top 12 pick and that’s what matters. For whatever reason GM’s got it wrong. Sometimes I think people tend to over-think these things. To me the combine is a formality of what you see on tape. I suppose others see it differently and think they can teach this phenomenal athlete how to play football.

My main issue in all of this is we ignored the WR position as whole in the entire draft and FA and instead purged a top 12 pick(that nobody apparently likes) followed by trading up in the first round just to take another defensive player. All of this after throwing 150 million on the defense in FA just to give up a record breaking rushing performance to the Niners in the NFC Champ game that was very embarrassing to say the least.

It just seems to be a constant trend to draft DB’s and other defensive players over and over again(based on need) with high picks and hide behind this “Best Player Available” pitch. We’ve passed up on more good WR’s that can help us win then I can count. I suppose now there is finally so much pressure to get more weapons on offense that they will finally do it. I just hope it isn’t too late.

[mraynrand]

Brandon, Metcalf has limitations and he looked
Like a risk to a lot of people. Go back and look how he was pretty much taken out of the game vs GB. Now, you can make the case that he’ll be a beast going forward and just get better as he picks up the game, but none of that was certain when the Packers were picking at 12.

I get that you and others wanted offense. Totally defensible. I can’t know what the thinking was with Gary but I suspect they were picking him early hoping for an all pro ceiling and hedging on their FA guesses and knowing they lost Clay and would loss Fackrell. The OLB cupboard was bare.

Anyway, here’s hoping they get offense this year and Gary pans out as a OLB monster.

[GB-Brandon]

Brandon, Metcalf has limitations and he looked
Like a risk to a lot of people. Go back and look how he was pretty much taken out of the game vs GB. Now, you can make the case that he’ll be a beast going forward and just get better as he picks up the game, but none of that was certain when the Packers were picking at 12.

I get that you and others wanted offense. Totally defensible. I can’t know what the thinking was with Gary but I suspect they were picking him early hoping for an all pro ceiling and hedging on their FA guesses and knowing they lost Clay and would loss Fackrell. The OLB cupboard was bare.

Anyway, here’s hoping they get offense this year and Gary pans out as a OLB monster.

As I’ve posted Metcalf wasn’t my pick at 12. I wanted Simmons and either Deebo or Parris Campbell later. I’m simply stating if Gary was a legit top 12 pick and “BPA” then why wasn’t Metcalf? To me Gary had more red flags then Metcalf. In fact Gary has a torn labrum(injured before draft) that at some point is probably gonna need surgery. It’s one of those injuries that you can play with but will degenerate over time.

Metcalf had a PFF rating of about 70 this season. He had 58 receptions for 900 yards(15.5 yard average) and 7 TD’s. Your right! He needs some more development as right now he just out-physicals lesser db’s but if he can turn the corner on a few things as you mentioned he could be something real real special. From what I gather he is dialed in and works on his craft outside of practice. One of those guys that is running routes and catching balls two hours after practice sometimes. Him opposite Adams with a nice slot/jackknife option like Reagor(preferably) or Aiyuk along with AJ would have our offense being lethal and actually putting fear into opponents again.

[GB-Brandon]

My reasoning for liking Reagor over Aiyuk is Reagor has that special Tyreek Hill like gear and his tape shows that he appears to be better at catching contested balls in smaller windows which is closer to what it will be like in the jump to the pros. I also like how Reagor can time and high point the ball.

[jklowan]

I'm thinking we either need to trade up 5-6 spots to get an ILB in the 1st or trade down to get Reagor in the early 2nd

[Joemailman]

I'm thinking we either need to trade up 5-6 spots to get an ILB in the 1st or trade down to get Reagor in the early 2nd

Right now a lot of mocks are showing Kenneth Murray available to the Packers at #30. We'll see if that changes after the Combine. Hopefully he struggles a bit.

Last year Devin White and Devin Bush went in the top 10, but that was it for ILB's in the 1st round.

[jklowan]

most mocks I run have all 3 top ILB gone by 29

[Joemailman]

most mocks I run have all 3 top ILB gone by 29

Ravens at 28 need a linebacker after losing CJ Mosley in FA last year. Possible Packers would have to jump ahead of them to get Murray.