Official 2024 NFL Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

Matt Schneidman
@mattschneidman

Cooper DeJean said his college teammate Lukas Van Ness has given him good insight during the pre-draft process.

“It’d be cool to play with Lukas again, for sure. I love my Iowa guys. He was a great teammate to play with. Just an absolute freak.”

Dan Parr
@TheDan_Parr

Iowa CB Cooper DeJean not working out at NFL Scouting Combine but says he plans to work out at some point before draft, although probably not at Iowa’s pro day. Working his way back from broken fibula suffered in November. Started running full speed last week.

DeJean did mention he's met with Steelers a couple of times. Lot of mock drafts have Steelers taking him at #20.

[Deputy Nutz]

Didn't Joe Gibbs create the H-back position to be in a better position to block Lawrence Taylor?

yes in a way, move the FB up and over to try and stall the pass rush soon rather than having Taylor destroy a FB/HB 4 yards behind the LOS.

The Y-off has become popular even more popular than using an in line TE. You get the best of both worlds now whether its in the passing game, zone scheme, or gap scheme. They can pull across the formation for a split zone scheme, zone insert scheme, and in gap schemes like GY/GH counter. The flexibility with the Y-off could be considered a small evolution in offensive football.

[Deputy Nutz]

I remember in the late 90s, the Packers were hyping a Bennett/Levens or Levens/Green split backfield package, but I don't remember much special coming out of it.

(As I obviously can't even remember who the combination was.)

It was Bennett and Levens. Both were bigger backs, and Bennett actually was drafted and used by the Packers as a FB. They pretty much split carries in 1996, and they were set to be a two headed monster in the run game the next year and Bennett tore his Achilles Tendon in the first preseason game. I don't know how much they would be used together as William Henderson was a dude at FB.

[Deputy Nutz]

DeJean did mention he's met with Steelers a couple of times. Lot of mock drafts have Steelers taking him at #20.

A lot of Cover 2 with DeJean at Iowa. he is physical and aggressive and would fit what the Steelers want in a player. Off the top of my head I am not sure how much Cover 2/2 Read gets played by Steelers.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Yo Nutz, what’s your take on J-Love? Do you think he’s a phony like your pal Skinbasket does?

[Deputy Nutz]

Yo Nutz, what’s your take on J-Love? Do you think he’s a phony like your pal Skinbasket does?

The Dallas game was a thing a of Beauty, the Niners' game was awful. His play down the stretch of the regular season was pretty damn good with pocket awareness, footwork, and especially his timing and accuracy. Things that you all might not notice is his ability or lack of ability to set protections and pre-snap identifications of where the pressure should be coming from. All these thing are not talent based but are acquired through time and experience. He has to protect himself better and set up his hot routes when expecting blitz.

I would sign him to a 9 figure deal soon. He made a bunch of 22 year old receivers look like All-Pros down the stretch.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

The Dallas game was a thing a of Beauty, the Niners' game was awful. His play down the stretch of the regular season was pretty damn good with pocket awareness, footwork, and especially his timing and accuracy. Things that you all might not notice is his ability or lack of ability to set protections and pre-snap identifications of where the pressure should be coming from. All these thing are not talent based but are acquired through time and experience. He has to protect himself better and set up his hot routes when expecting blitz.

I would sign him to a 9 figure deal soon. He made a bunch of 22 year old receivers look like All-Pros down the stretch.

Good take. Love can still get better. Hopefully he ain’t a one-hit wonder.

[Fritz]

Let's hope he's more like Stevie Wonder.

[Joemailman]

Sweat at 366 pounds ran a 5.27 forty.

[Joemailman]

Best 40 times by DL.

[Fritz]

Sweat at 366 pounds ran a 5.27 forty.

But did he . . . Sweat?

[Joemailman]

LB Payton Wilson, a likely 2nd round pick, ran a 4.44 40. Quay Walker, by comparison ran a 4.52

[call_me_ishmael]

I'm just not into the draft this year. IDK why. Give me some big uglies that can play ball and I'm good.

[Deputy Nutz]

LB Payton Wilson, a likely 2nd round pick, ran a 4.44 40. Quay Walker, by comparison ran a 4.52

I don't know about him. I would like to think he is Luke Kuechly but he is not close to that level.
Coming off a ACL injury in 2022. He is smooth and I think his pass coverage is decent, but he is not a downhill impact guy from the one game I have watched from him.

[jklowan]

I don't know about him. I would like to think he is Luke Kuechly but he is not close to that level.
Coming off a ACL injury in 2022. He is smooth and I think his pass coverage is decent, but he is not a downhill impact guy from the one game I have watched from him.

What LB's do you like?