2022 NFL Draft Talk

[RashanGary]

I found a sleeper RB that I like in Ty Chandler of North Carolina. Reminds me of Elijah Mitchell.

Javonte Williams looked pretty good for Denver.

[HarveyWallbangers]

There were quite a few guys that weren't on my list to scout (meaning none of the big boards that I looked at had them getting drafted) that got invited to the Combine. I'm intrigued by a couple of them - Snoop Conner of Ole Miss and Greg Bell of San Diego State. Conner is a physical specimen that had to share carries in a loaded backfield. Despite being a part time player, he came out early, so he could support his daughter. Bell is a do it all back. I'll be interested in watching them at the Combine.

[Joemailman]

James Cook of Georgia is the younger brother of Dalvin Cook. Not as physical a runner as Dalvin, but a good runner and excellent receiver. Probably a 3rd round pick.

[HarveyWallbangers]

James Cook of Georgia is the younger brother of Dalvin Cook. Not as physical a runner as Dalvin, but a good runner and excellent receiver. Probably a 3rd round pick.

There are three RBs with exceptional receiving skills - Cook, Kyren Williams of Notre Dame, and late rounder Max Borghi of Washington State.

[run pMc]

I suspect Gute & Co. feel pretty set at RB with Jones, Dillon, Hill and Taylor, and aren't likely to spend anything higher than a mid Day 3 pick on a RB unless a good one drops down the board like an anvil. Despite that, I do expect them to invite a few to camp so it never hurts to scout them.

Breece Hall has a lot of miles on him...almost as many as Dillon did. Not very shifty but runs with power. I could see him doing well in a power scheme, or a team like BAL taking him about R3 or R4.
Not a big fan of him in GB's scheme, which means GUte will pick him in R2 and when we're all be screaming for him to take a WR.

(I should be kinder to Gute, a good number of his moves have panned out.)

[HarveyWallbangers]

I suspect Gute & Co. feel pretty set at RB with Jones, Dillon, Hill and Taylor, and aren't likely to spend anything higher than a mid Day 3 pick on a RB unless a good one drops down the board like an anvil. Despite that, I do expect them to invite a few to camp so it never hurts to scout them.

Breece Hall has a lot of miles on him...almost as many as Dillon did. Not very shifty but runs with power. I could see him doing well in a power scheme, or a team like BAL taking him about R3 or R4.
Not a big fan of him in GB's scheme, which means GUte will pick him in R2 and when we're all be screaming for him to take a WR.

(I should be kinder to Gute, a good number of his moves have panned out.)

I like Hall a bit more than that. I think he's fairly scheme versatile. I don't like him as much as Javonte Williams last year and Jonathan Taylor the year before, but he reminds me a bit of Curtis Martin. I'd be shocked if he wasn't gone by the end of round 2.

This RB class isn't stellar, but there are quite few guys that I like in the mid to late rounds. It seems like a deep draft, so that's good for the Packers. Some of these guys are going to drop into the UDFA pool. No need for the Packers to use a draft pick on RB. To be honest, I like some of the guys projected to go mid to late more than some of the guys projected to go early (Rachaad White, Hassan Haskins, Jerrion Ealy). I think this is a year where the combine tests and drills could shake up rankings. If guys like Pierre Strong, Ty Chandler, Tyler Badie, Max Borghi, Snoop Conner, Greg Bell, D'Vonte Price, etc. test well, they could move up. There are just an incredible amount of guys that I gave 4th-5th round grades to.

I gave 4th-5th round grades on 6 RBs in 2020. 5 RBs were drafted in rounds 4-5.
I gave 4th-5th round grades on 6 RBs in 2021. 5 RBs were drafted in rounds 4-5.
Currently, I have 4th-5th round grades on 11 RBs in 2022.

[RashanGary]

I like Hall a bit more than that. I think he's fairly scheme versatile. I don't like him as much as Javonte Williams last year and Jonathan Taylor the year before, but he reminds me a bit of Curtis Martin. I'd be shocked if he wasn't gone by the end of round 2.

This RB class isn't stellar, but there are quite few guys that I like in the mid to late rounds. It seems like a deep draft, so that's good for the Packers. Some of these guys are going to drop into the UDFA pool. No need for the Packers to use a draft pick on RB. To be honest, I like some of the guys projected to go mid to late more than some of the guys projected to go early (Rachaad White, Hassan Haskins, Jerrion Ealy). I think this is a year where the combine tests and drills could shake up rankings. If guys like Pierre Strong, Ty Chandler, Tyler Badie, Max Borghi, Snoop Conner, Greg Bell, D'Vonte Price, etc. test well, they could move up. There are just an incredible amount of guys that I gave 4th-5th round grades to.

I gave 4th-5th round grades on 6 RBs in 2020. 5 RBs were drafted in rounds 4-5.
I gave 4th-5th round grades on 6 RBs in 2021. 5 RBs were drafted in rounds 4-5.
Currently, I have 4th-5th round grades on 11 RBs in 2022.

After 2020, seniors were given a 5th year of college eligibility because of Covid. A bunch of players with later round grades stayed in school to raise their stock. It’s supposed to be a deep draft with all the additional 5th year seniors.

[Bretsky]

I'm going to be home watching the Combine this year so I'll be giving you all kinds of bad predictions about whose going to excel in the NFL

[HarveyWallbangers]

Onto WRs. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a man crush on Drake London of USC. Huge dude (6'5"), INCREDIBLE ball skills (the best I've seen since Mike Evans), great blocker, and more athletic than most big dudes. He's like a cross between Mike Evans and Michael Pittman. Or a skinnier Travis Kelce. I hope this dude gets into the range where we can draft him, but I doubt it. He'd be a great fit. After looking at the top 5, he's my #1 WR right now.

Dude only played 8 games this year and had 88 receptions for 1084 yards--averaging 11 receptions and 135 yards/game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68wWtvtLE5s

[run pMc]

Onto WRs. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a man crush on Drake London of USC. Huge dude (6'5"), INCREDIBLE ball skills (the best I've seen since Mike Evans), great blocker, and more athletic than most big dudes. He's like a cross between Mike Evans and Michael Pittman. Or a skinnier Travis Kelce. I hope this dude gets into the range where we can draft him, but I doubt it. He'd be a great fit. After looking at the top 5, he's my #1 WR right now.

Dude only played 8 games this year and had 88 receptions for 1084 yards--averaging 11 receptions and 135 yards/game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68wWtvtLE5s

Haven't seen enough of London, but he's big and competitive. They threw him the ball a LOT and it's not hard to see why. The medical on his ankle will be important; not sure if he had an injury the year before... if so that's an issue. 6'5" and 210 is basketball player size. I'll be curious to read what you think about the WRs

[Joemailman]

Onto WRs. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a man crush on Drake London of USC. Huge dude (6'5"), INCREDIBLE ball skills (the best I've seen since Mike Evans), great blocker, and more athletic than most big dudes. He's like a cross between Mike Evans and Michael Pittman. Or a skinnier Travis Kelce. I hope this dude gets into the range where we can draft him, but I doubt it. He'd be a great fit. After looking at the top 5, he's my #1 WR right now.

Dude only played 8 games this year and had 88 receptions for 1084 yards--averaging 11 receptions and 135 yards/game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68wWtvtLE5s

Draft Network and Pro Football Network have him listed 27 and 28 on their big boards. If he runs well at the combine though, he'll go higher than that because of his ball skills. I would guess Packers will have him as the top WR on their board.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Draft Network and Pro Football Network have him listed 27 and 28 on their big boards. If he runs well at the combine though, he'll go higher than that because of his ball skills. I would guess Packers will have him as the top WR on their board.

ESPN (I think McShay) has him #1 at WR and #9 overall.
Daniel Jeremiah has him #2 at WR and #10 overall.
PFF has him #2 at WR and #12 overall.

Most of the rest have him #5 at WR and near the bottom of the first round. If he runs in the mid 4.5s or better at the combine (like Mike Evans did), he'll go in the top 1/2 of the 1st round.

Imagine Drake London filling Allen Lazard's role and Christian Watson (6'4", 4.4 or better speed, jet motion/kick returner, solid blocker) filling MVS's role.

[run pMc]

ESPN (I think McShay) has him #1 at WR and #9 overall.
Daniel Jeremiah has him #2 at WR and #10 overall.
PFF has him #2 at WR and #12 overall.

Most of the rest have him #5 at WR and near the bottom of the first round. If he runs in the mid 4.5s or better at the combine (like Mike Evans did), he'll go in the top 1/2 of the 1st round.

Imagine Drake London filling Allen Lazard's role and Christian Watson (6'4", 4.4 or better speed, jet motion/kick returner, solid blocker) filling MVS's role.

I could imagine it. I think they'd bring Lazard back too since he's an RFA and they can just tender him.
All that said, I think Gute will go with a DL or OLB early before a WR. Just a hunch. In February. What happens between now and March 16 influences their draft strategy, but I've been yelling for them to draft more WRs. I think you have to draft at least one every other year.

[call_me_ishmael]

Does any team have two second rounders (that aren't totally at the bottom)? I wouldn't mind trading our R1 for 2 R2s and an R3/R4 this year. We need some new young players.

[run pMc]

Does any team have two second rounders (that aren't totally at the bottom)? I wouldn't mind trading our R1 for 2 R2s and an R3/R4 this year. We need some new young players.

Denver has two R2s and two R3s.
I think if you trade down you're likely to get an R2 and an R4; maybe a late R3. Getting two R2s would require a higher pick in the draft order than where GB is in R1. Still, there's often not a lot of difference in talent between late R1 and early-mid R2, and if it means adding more picks within the top 100 then it's not a bad move IMO unless there's a too-good-to-pass-up player sitting there when it's your time in R1.