Never too early 2020 NFL Draft Thread

[Deputy Nutz]

Love Baun

Is there a Badger you don't love? Baun played like shit during the Rose Bowl.

[run pMc]

This one fell out of the draft network mock machine, after about 10 iterations LOL. I'd be happy if this happened, but then again I am an amateur who knows slightly more than a houseplant about scouting.
30 Patrick Queen, LB LSU
62 Jalen Reagor, WR TCU
94 Hakeem Adeniji, OT Kansas
126 Davon Hamilton, IDL Ohio State
157 Justin Strnad, LB Wake Forest
172 Josiah Deguara, TE Cincinnati
189 Naquan Jones, IDL Michigan State
201 Terence Steele, OT Texas Tech
219 Quintez Cephus, WR Wisconsin

Remakes the LB position with two rangy tacklers (I have a small draft crush on Strnad), give some big DL dudes up front to replace Lancaster/Adams, and a pair of OT of which at least one should see the field soonish with good coaching. I have a soft spot for the Cincy TE - I think he could be a decent H-back type or push Tonyan. I think TEs will get a makeover. Draft left me a little wanting at WR, but the TE might help. Reagor can return punts/kicks although I bet they keep Swervin Ervin there. Cephus and a few other WRs drop in most of the drafts - my guess the allegations against him might have him off some boards completely.
Another guy I liked is Rick Spielman's kid JD -- he's small but quick, smooth, and productive.

Didn't get a RB, but there might one late or as a UDFA. Would love to find a back like Salvion Ahmed who has a rocket strapped to his back -- SF kills with speed and RAC, MLF's offense could use a little of that. Dexter Williams better bring his A game to camp, Ervin and even Tra Carson passed him up.

I took to drafting multiples at spots thinking if you hit 50/50 that means you probably got one good one of each.

[Bretsky]

Is there a Badger you don't love? Baun played like shit during the Rose Bowl.

FOR SURE

I never like Jim Sorgi or Scott Tolzien. Sorgi had a bunch of ability but played stupid and choked often. Tolzien just wasn't talented enough to be on the field.

[Bretsky]

This one fell out of the draft network mock machine, after about 10 iterations LOL. I'd be happy if this happened, but then again I am an amateur who knows slightly more than a houseplant about scouting.
30 Patrick Queen, LB LSU
62 Jalen Reagor, WR TCU
94 Hakeem Adeniji, OT Kansas
126 Davon Hamilton, IDL Ohio State
157 Justin Strnad, LB Wake Forest
172 Josiah Deguara, TE Cincinnati
189 Naquan Jones, IDL Michigan State
201 Terence Steele, OT Texas Tech
219 Quintez Cephus, WR Wisconsin

Remakes the LB position with two rangy tacklers (I have a small draft crush on Strnad), give some big DL dudes up front to replace Lancaster/Adams, and a pair of OT of which at least one should see the field soonish with good coaching. I have a soft spot for the Cincy TE - I think he could be a decent H-back type or push Tonyan. I think TEs will get a makeover. Draft left me a little wanting at WR, but the TE might help. Reagor can return punts/kicks although I bet they keep Swervin Ervin there. Cephus and a few other WRs drop in most of the drafts - my guess the allegations against him might have him off some boards completely.
Another guy I liked is Rick Spielman's kid JD -- he's small but quick, smooth, and productive.

Didn't get a RB, but there might one late or as a UDFA. Would love to find a back like Salvion Ahmed who has a rocket strapped to his back -- SF kills with speed and RAC, MLF's offense could use a little of that. Dexter Williams better bring his A game to camp, Ervin and even Tra Carson passed him up.

I took to drafting multiples at spots thinking if you hit 50/50 that means you probably got one good one of each.

RAEGOR and CEEPHUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On board. Would love our WR group with these two added

[texaspackerbacker]

I like this, especially the idea of getting Reagor in the second round rather than first.

If you combine a draft like this with a free agent signing of Reader or Chris Jones or somebody almost as good in the D Line, and either retain Martinez or sign somebody like Littleton - approximately equal quality, then we would be much improved. What I wouldn't want, though, would be to go with a rookie, even a first round pick, as the primary ILB - basically replacing Martinez.

[Deputy Nutz]

Tolzien had one of the better pro careers for a Badger QB. Like 99% of the Badger qb's Sorgi and Tolzien were game managers.

Baun is looking like a 2nd round draft pick. Some "experts" see him as a possible first round pick as an edge rusher or a 4-3 weak side linebacker.

Anyways...

Started breaking down the inside linebacker position if I was a GM that desperately needed an inside linebacker to start day one you would have to look at drafting one of the top 3 guys with first round grades, Simmons, Queen, or Murray. The rest of the top ten that I am looking at are bad. The name I keep hearing out everyone else is the Jordyn Brooks from Texas Tech. I like his film as a top 5 inside linebacker, but he also would need a ton of work to be considered a starter in 2020.

The Packers missed on Mack Wilson from Alabama last year. His film wasn't great but I thought he was 3rd rounder and he ended up going in the 5th round, but he was productive with starting 14 games and playing the majority of all the snaps for Cleveland. He only had one tackle for a loss, one sack and no turnovers.

[run pMc]

If we assume their engine AI and rankings are reasonable -- what I learned from running the Draft Network's Mock Draft Engine multiple times:

(1) Quality OT are hard to come by outside the top 15 picks this year.
Signing Bulaga -or- someone like Veldheer and hoping a high round pick can eventually step in a la Jenkins might be the approach. I actually wouldn't be surprised if they took an OT in R1.

(2) The DL run the gamut but depending on what you are looking for I think there can be some decent sleepers. Some luck and scheme fit is needed.
With money going to Clark and Lowry they likely draft help since it will likely be cheaper/younger with upside.

(3) Only a few ILB have coverage ability, and they will get snapped up early.
Either Murray and Queen (or both) were usually available at 30, but gone by 35 every time. There are a few big safeties (Duggar, Chinn) who might switch or could play hybrid, and there were one or two raw prospects (e.g., Davis-Gaither) with cover ability, so there's always that. I liked Strnad paired with Queen because both are instinctive and can run, and GB needs more speed. As mentioned before, GB gets repeatedly burned over the middle and that has to stop. There aren't many Cory Littletons around; I'm skeptical they sign a pricey vet. I do think Gute will overhaul this position.

(4) WRs and RBs could be had deep into Day 3, although they seemed to fall into tiers and so you might have to 'reach' for a pick - e.g., taking the 76th best player at 62 because they are the best available WR, and all the OT/DL stunk or were projects/not high priority positions.
ESB could replace Allison, plus they have Lazard, so unless they sign a FA WR I think Gute waits until Day 2-3 to pick 2 WR. Getting better at TE can also help lift the passing game as well. Graham is very overpriced for his production and he can't run anymore, and Tonyan still looks like a clueless rookie at times. Sternberger should at least be the TE2 but they need help here for MLF offense. Speed at RB would be nice -- Ervin has potential.

(5) You are at the mercy of the board and who is available.
It sounds trite, but you can't go into thinking "I'll just take player X at pick Y" because there's a good chance they won't be there -- and if they are, there might be someone available you like even more.

(6) Most players have warts...lots of warts...and will need coaching to fix fundamentals or be ready to play significant snaps in Year 1.
It's hard to step in as a rookie and start over a vet. If you're drafting a DL in R5, they most likely are a project and expecting them to play like Clark in Week 1 is a stretch. If you do play them early and often, be prepared for some bumps. The scouting reports for some players are terrifying, if you believe them.

(7) Trading down is a better possibility than trading up.
If there's a player -- like a QB -- who falls and a team wants to get them on a R1 5 year contract, being at pick 30 isn't a bad place to trade from. I'm not sure there's a lot of difference between the 30th and 40th best player, especially if the players you most wanted at 30 are all gone. I feel like the GB roster has a few holes it can't completely fill by drafting, and trading up will only reduce that further. Plus, MLF and Gute have had a year to see what they need for their scheme, and that will prompt more personnel changes.

[Deputy Nutz]

https://thedraftnetwork.com/mock-draft-machine
Mock draft 1/28/20
Big board has changed a little since the Senior Bowl. The trend that I am seeing in round one and round two is that if the Packers are going to need a top flight receiver and inside linebacker they are going to have to trade up in the second round, maybe the first round. If I wait until the second round on receiver the best I come up with is Donovan Peoples-Jones from Michigan. I thought he was too much of an under achiever at Michigan. I typically don't like Michigan receivers.

30
Kenneth Murray, LB
Oklahoma
-I like Queen better but he is running up the draft boards, and quite frankly I don't know if Murray or Queen will be there at 30.

62
Josh Jones, OT
Houston
- Had a fantastic Senior Bowl and might move up into first round consideration. He is a very athletic big man that demonstrates great athleticism in pass pro.

94
Tyler Johnson, WR
Minnesota
- this sort of started a trend on Big Ten Receivers. Johnson is polished, and is more of a long strider that can attack the football down field.

126
Solomon Kindley, IOL
Georgia
- Big and athletic interior blocker that could be a massive force in the zone run game.

157
Tyler Clark, IDL
Georgia
- Another Georgia guy, Solid at 6'4" 300lbs, could be a solid 4 tech defeating reach blocks and double teams

172
Quintez Cephus, WR
Wisconsin
- Cephus's draft status will depend on his combine, if he can run 4.5 or better at the combine he won't be available any where close to the 6th round, I am thinking more like the 3rd round, and I wouldn't hesitate to draft him in the third round with a good combine.

189
Reggie Robinson II, CB
Tulsa
- I don't know anything about him.

201
K.J. Hill, WR
Ohio State
- Three receivers might be over kill, but he dropped, I drafted

219
Chris Orr, LB
Wisconsin
- I think Orr will be a sleeper in this draft. The kid is a heck of a football player with an full throttle approach. The "experts" are sleeping on him but like Cephus if he shows out at the combine he could be a late day 2 pick.

[run pMc]

201
K.J. Hill, WR
Ohio State
- Three receivers might be over kill, but he dropped, I drafted

I'm a fan of KJ Hill. I don't think he's explosive, but Brain Hartline is coaching those OSU guys to run routes and Hill did a good job of finding open spots. I liked McLaurin much more last year, but in the late rounds I could see Hill being a security blanket guy and zone buster type who helps move the chains.
He's not a big guy but you can put him in the slot and he'll beat guys with his routes. For all the talk about GB's big receivers, I don't think it's as valuable as route separation with Rodgers. He won't throw a lot of 50/50 balls for a tall receiver to outjump the CB to get. (If he did, Jimmy Graham would be an All-Pro.) Hill is a senior so he's had time to develop and could be seen as a receiving option Rodgers can "trust".

Also -- I don't like Michigan receivers either. DP-J doesn't wow me, but I'm open to being convinced.

[Smidgeon]

Keep up the good work, Rats. Unlike the last couple years, I'm already finding myself intrigued by the possibilities long before the draft.

[pbmax]

Bobble, we are we, the BPA caucus, finding ourselves this year?

I am feeling the need, the need for needs based drafting in Round 1.

I am hoping this passes after FA.

[Deputy Nutz]

The 30th selection of the draft offers some interesting possibilities, although none that I would really like to face as a GM other than knowing that we must of had one heck of a season to be drafting this low in the draft.

The other good news about this draft and how it sets up for the Packers is that the offensive tackle depth is pretty good, and the wide receiver depth is pretty good. So if the Packers are desperate to add in those two categories there is going to be a quality first round talent available there.

The Bad news is that inside linebacker is pretty thin, and if the Packers are counting on one of the top three guys to be there at 30 they are taking a real chance, because I am not sure there is a rookie with starting potential after the first three.

With receiver depth a plus in this draft I have starting looking at names a little deeper down the list. I haven't made any constructive lists at this point but there are couple of interesting prospects that don't yet have a first round grade.

Denzel Mims WR Baylor
Tyler Johnson WR Minnesota
Micheal Pittman JR WR USC
Van Jefferson WR Florida
Isaiah Hodges WR Oregon St.
KJ Hill WR Ohio St.

[George Cumby]

Keep up the good work, Rats. Unlike the last couple years, I'm already finding myself intrigued by the possibilities long before the draft.

IKR, bless our boys in the trenches grinding through the film and scouting reports.

[run pMc]

With receiver depth a plus in this draft I have starting looking at names a little deeper down the list. I haven't made any constructive lists at this point but there are couple of interesting prospects that don't yet have a first round grade.

Denzel Mims WR Baylor
Tyler Johnson WR Minnesota
Micheal Pittman JR WR USC
Van Jefferson WR Florida
Isaiah Hodges WR Oregon St.
KJ Hill WR Ohio St.

I don't know that any of them deserve a R1 grade. I'd put them all in the R2-5 range. Van Jefferson is an interesting guy, good route runner, bloodlines, and is probably faster than people think. I'm a fan of Tyler Johnson too.
I mentioned this before as well -- but I've enjoyed watching some videos of the JD Spielman kid -- he destroyed WI in 2018 (9-209-1) and the OSU (11-200-1) year before as a freshman. He's undersized and that will knock him way down the board, but he can run.

There are quite a few good WRs in this draft, so I wouldn't be surprised if Gute goes after a position of higher scarcity (ILB, OT) and picks a couple of WRs in the mid-rounds where there's good value.
Another thing I've considered is if you look at the GB cap, what if they sign Bulaga but let Linsley go after this next season and draft his successor at C instead? Is Lucas Patrick that person already? Bahk and Linsley's contracts are up next year, and I'm thinking they only want to tie up so much of the cap to the OL.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/green-bay-packers/yearly/cap/

[Joemailman]

Hey Badger fans,

Bill Huber says Zack Baun projects as ILB in the NFL and has him ranked #4 at that position. https://www.si.com/nfl/packers/news/...de-linebackers

Does he have the athleticism to cover?

Edit:

https://dairylandexpress.com/2020/01...ft-stock-rise/

n the NFL, Baun will be best suited for rushing the passer from a stand-up position but if teams want him to play more as an off-ball linebacker, he is very capable of that as well. According to Pro Football Focus, Baun has dropped into coverage on over 80 snaps in both 2018 and 2019 and received coverage grades of 81.3 and 90.0, respectively. And that versatility is why he will be coveted.

As the draft process continues to unfold, Baun is someone who is going to shine. He will score very well in his various workouts, not to mention that he has the attitude and work ethic that every NFL team desires. Those traits coupled with the film he’s put out and the numbers he’s produced will lead to Zack Baun flying up draft boards in the upcoming months.

https://withthefirstpick.com/2019/12...ddle-rounds/5/

When looking at and scouting the linebacker position, the main traits this writer looks for are: a player’s ability to tackle, how well he reads and reacts to what is happening in front of him, his coverage skills, pursuit ability, and how well they excel as a pass rusher. Baun has shown the ability to excel in these skills of an off-ball linebacker.

Where Baun really excels, especially for an edge rusher, is in pass coverage; on both of his interceptions in his career, Baun has shown great range in zone coverage, good ball skills, and good hip movement to track the quarterback’s eyes. This clip below demonstrates Baun’s ability to be an efficient asset in coverage.

https://twitter.com/IKE_Badgers/status/1183141979523297280?s=20

We have already tackled Baun’s ability to rush the passes in depth, since he is technically considered an edge prospect. His pursuit is also excellent from the edge as he can get parallel down the line and track ball carriers to the ground, and as a tackler, there are no red flags there either.

The one area of Baun’s game that may take some time to adjust is his ability to read and react from the second level instead of off the edge. However, there has been another player from Wisconsin who entered the draft and has since become a Pro Bowl linebacker in Joe Schobert from the Cleveland Browns; this seems like a great pro comparison for Baun as he prepares for the next step of his career.