2025 Draft

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Big/Sky/Fly said:
www.dawgsbynature.com

NFL combine: Concerning measurements could weaken an already thin NFL draft group

NFL draft prep will continue for another month and a half but the OT group has some concerns
www.dawgsbynature.com www.dawgsbynature.com
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The list of longest arms measured for tackles this year is not full of known names for most (Big Board Ranking in parentheses for context):

  • Rutgers Hollin Pierce (153) - 36”
  • Iowa St. Jalen Travis (174) - 34 7/8”
  • Miami Jalen Rivers (172) - 34 7/8”
  • William & Mary Charles Grant (Unranked) - 34 6/8”
  • Alabama A&M Carson Vinson (Unranked) - 34 4/8”
While the tackle class could take a hit, the guard group could be joined by a number of the guys that are very good but may not measure up at tackle. Many of the best guards in the game were moved from outside to inside:

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Emery Jones (LSU) has long enough arms. He’s a match. But, right tackle.
 
Thanks, BSF. Here's a discussion of the measurement issues, which are not like past years and carried over to other positions as well:


View: https://youtu.be/-N6xG4irMzI?si=S5RyYzzZ6sbwW7-D


So, back to the point of the conversation: Will Campbell measured at about 32 5/8", with no comparative measurement at a postseason game. If measurements were short at the combine and his were off by the average amount, that puts him over 33". And on every other measurable except 40 yard dash he exceeds expectations of an elite NFL OT.

Let's start getting our heads around this. I strongly suspect Campbell is going to be the pick, and the starting LT. Is he perfect? No. But he's impressive, and a tone setter for the new administration.
 
Flagg the Wanderer said:
Thanks, BSF. Here's a discussion of the measurement issues, which are not like past years and carried over to other positions as well:


View: https://youtu.be/-N6xG4irMzI?si=S5RyYzzZ6sbwW7-D


So, back to the point of the conversation: Will Campbell measured at about 32 5/8", with no comparative measurement at a postseason game. If measurements were short at the combine and his were off by the average amount, that puts him over 33". And on every other measurable except 40 yard dash he exceeds expectations of an elite NFL OT.

Let's start getting our heads around this. I strongly suspect Campbell is going to be the pick, and the starting LT. Is he perfect? No. But he's impressive, and a tone setter for the new administration.
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You could draft him and try him out at LT. If he doesn’t translate well to LT/NFL, put him inside at LG.

But, @ #4? Purdy high up to do that.
 
Big/Sky/Fly said:
You could draft him and try him out at LT. If he doesn’t translate well to LT/NFL, put him inside at LG.

But, @ #4? Purdy high up to do that.
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If his arms are on the line (more or less) and everything else is above what you'd look for, and his tape is that good, I think he's got a pretty good shot.

As for #4, well, this draft is what it is. Not all #4s are equal. But it's not every high draft pick that if they flop still have a clear path to success. So it's a less valuable position...most picks have no alternative position that they can fail forward into. Put another way, the bad scenario is basically Logan Mankins.
 
I expect that the pick will be either Campbell or Tet. Personally, best case scenario for me is to trade down a few picks and one of those two is left, and the Pats take them. But I'd be happy enough with either of them at 4.

In most years I wouldn't think either of them is top 5. But this year, they're worth the pick. They're both worthy players at positions of desperate need.

Or put another way, there's a cluster of guys between #3 and, say, #10, who are a tier. And those two are part of that tier and at a position of desperate need, who will play right away and change the team.

My preference is Campbell, as I think there are more playable options at WR that will be available early in the 2nd, where I expect a run on the top OTs to be done by then and I don't want to spend to trade up.
 
Here is something to chew on.
Patriots trade down about 5 spots to get a another 2nd. Take Tyler Warren with that pick. Wait 6 or 7 more spots and trade both 2nd rounders for Josh Simmons.
Both players should be solid starters, with Warren being a weapon for Drake. Warren has the potential to be a Pro Bowl type player for many years.
 
ParanoidPatriot said:
Here is something to chew on.
Patriots trade down about 5 spots to get a another 2nd. Take Tyler Warren with that pick. Wait 6 or 7 more spots and trade both 2nd rounders for Josh Simmons.
Both players should be solid starters, with Warren being a weapon for Drake. Warren has the potential to be a Pro Bowl type player for many years.
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I love the idea of trading down, but I expect you'll find that the payoff for trading down from the 4-10 range isn't nearly as high as it's been in years past. In fact, I expect that many teams will be looking to trade down and unable to find a partner.
 
Big/Sky/Fly said:
www.boston.com

Dante Scarnecchia cautions against Patriots drafting offensive lineman with No. 4 pick

Longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia stressed that the Patriots should not only focus on the O-line with the No. 4 pick.
www.boston.com

This article might have been posted before, but it’s true though.
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That is the truest thing I’ve read in awhile.
The top LTs in this draft would not sniff a top 12 pick in any other year.
NE needs to draft on the strengths of the draft, not the weaknesses of their roster.
 
rivshark86 said:
That is the truest thing I’ve read in awhile.
The top LTs in this draft would not sniff a top 12 pick in any other year.
NE needs to draft on the strengths of the draft, not the weaknesses of their roster.
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Disagree with much of this. People were talking about Campbell's shorter arms, but outside of that he was absolutely considered a top 5 talent. Arm length matters, but his tape doesn't show someone hampered by short arms.

I agree that you don't draft for the weaknesses of your roster, except when you consider the players available at your pick to be more or less equivalent. If you consider there to be a tier of players after Carter and Hunter, and you pick at the start of that tier, you have two general strategies: 1) take the player in the tier who will be most impactful on your roster, that is, fill a hole; or 2) trade down to the bottom of the tier and take whatever player remains.

Most of the time I'm a supporter of #2, and I think it's the clear winner. When you have clear holes in your roster like we do now, I can get behind #1. There are benefits to being a good team, and one of them is that you have more flexibility in how you approach the draft.
 
I dunno. I’ve been reading a bunch of reports on Campbell saying he’s got slow feet. I’m no LT guru, and everyone is picking the top guys apart, but I see no LT worth the 4th pick in any draft.
If that guy from Ohio State hadn’t had the PCL injury he’d be right with or above Campbell.
I can’t find much of a difference between the top four LTs in this draft. They all have limitations. The only difference is that half will go in late first early second.
I hate the idea of taking an RB or TE in the first, but at least there are options at those positions that have a chance to be elite players.
There’s no LT in this draft will one day become a top ten guy. None. Are there starters? Yes, but if your drafting a LT at 4 he better be a top ten guy for the bulk of his prime.
 
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