The 2021 Draft- We Need This One

Paging Chevs......paging Chevs.....

So, I caught some of the Senior Bowl and there was much talk of Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick, who had a
nice game for himself considering that there were no offensive wrinkles allowed. For a scrimmage he
looked pretty good. Good size and seems to be able to do everything you're looking for athletically
speaking. Not sure if he is a burner or not, but he didn't appear slow and was stemming his routes sharply.
He made a sweet catch in reaching over the helmet/back of the DB , which I haven't seen in Foxboro in recent memory.

Have you seen him at all?
LOL
Yes and he'd likely be our best WR from day 1. This WR class is the best I've seen and maybe ever.
Surely BB won't pass over all of them.
 

TALES FROM THE SENIOR BOWL​

I always love being in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. But this year was different. Veet’s and the barroom at the Battle House were hollowed-out shells of what have been in Januarys past. The great restaurants downtown, places like Noja and Dumbwaiter, were walk-up-and-get-a-table empty during what normally is a busy week. Which, of course, is due to the situation we’re all in as Americans.

But from a scouting perspective, and for the reasons we laid out in this week’s GamePlan, the week was as important as Senior Bowl week has ever been. There’ll be no combine in 2021. Pro days will be managed and limited. Teams won’t be able to fly players in. All of which made this week the only chance coaches and scouts are guaranteed to have to watch the players move around in person and talk to them face-to-face.

So what was learned? Here are a few things …

• This is another bumper crop of receivers. Even with LSU’s Ja'Marr Chase, Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle, Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman and Purdue’s Rondale Moore absent (and Bama Heisman winner DeVonta Smith there but only for interviews), the receivers were clearly the most talked about position group. A number of them helped themselves.

D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan: I had one exec tell me Eskridge won every one-on-one he saw him in this week. He’s a little small, but he’s got lightning short-area quickness, sticky hands, and always seems to be open. Literally everyone I talked to loved him.

Amari Rodgers, Clemson: He showed burst, savvy and play strength that, combined with his collegiate production, evoked some Sterling Shepard comparisons.

Kadarius Toney, Florida: He had accountability and maturity flags, but word is Toney really turned the off-field stuff around in 2020, and he’s a stick of dynamite as a player. He had a couple drops and a fumble in practices, but his movement skills are undeniable, and he got comps to fellow ex-Gator Percy Harvin from multiple scouts I talked to.

Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State: He’s built like a running back, and is a really good route-runner, which had him winning in drills consistently.

South Carolina’s Shi Smith and South Dakota State’s Cade Johnson elicited mention too, and you get the picture.

• The quarterback group didn’t generate very much excitement, and that includes Alabama star Mac Jones. That’s not to say Jones didn’t practice well. He did. It just wasn’t enough to change many people’s minds on him, good or bad. One scout I talked to said, “I think he’s just a guy,” while another called him “O.K.” I’m not positive Jones will go in the first round. We’ll see. He might. I just don’t have conviction on it after this week. Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond showed enough that one evaluator called him, “an intriguing developmental guy.”

• While top guys like Alabama’s Patrick Surtain and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley weren’t in Mobile, and that’s part of the reason here, play at corner had NFL types believing that it’ll be a down year at the position. UCF CB Aaron Robinson and S Richie Grant were two guys who did stand out in the secondary. Robinson showed ball skills and an ability to play man-to-man, and both he and Grant showed polished technique and smarts for their positions. Washington’s Keith Taylor is another who had a good week—and played well in the game.

• A couple of defensive linemen helped themselves, and UCLA’s Osa Odighizuwa’s name was one that came up consistently, as a disruptive, long-armed, upfield/inside type of pass rusher. Notre Dame’s Daelin Hayes was another who showed good versatility. And Washington’s Levi Onwuzurike, more of a pure defensive tackle, was among the best players on the field—one 2020 opt-out who didn’t show much rust.

• The running back group had a couple stars in it too. North Carolina’s Michael Carter showed quickness, burst and vision all week. Virginia Tech’s Khalil Herbert also impressed with his quickness. And Demetric Felton, primarily a tailback at UCLA, played a bunch in the slot and looked really good.

• Wisconsin-Whitewater interior OL Quinn Meinerz came in as a dice-roll pick by the Senior Bowl staff, and he really changed some people’s minds on him. Showing good strength and an ability to handle a power rush answers what’s always going to be a question for a Div. III lineman trying to make it to the NFL. Western Michigan’s Jaylon Moore was another lineman who stood out, with his ability to play four positions. Conversely, Bama’s Alex Leatherwood wanted to prove this week he could play left tackle in the pros and showed the athleticism to pull it off.

• A couple safeties who elicited mention and were interesting to me: Virginia Tech’s Divine Deablo and Florida State’s Hamsah Nasirildeen. Why? They’re both gigantic. So fire up your Kam Chancellor comps.

And so begins draft season. Big shout out to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy and his staff. What they pulled off this week, under these conditions, was pretty mind-blowing.



 

TALES FROM THE SENIOR BOWL​

I always love being in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. But this year was different. Veet’s and the barroom at the Battle House were hollowed-out shells of what have been in Januarys past. The great restaurants downtown, places like Noja and Dumbwaiter, were walk-up-and-get-a-table empty during what normally is a busy week. Which, of course, is due to the situation we’re all in as Americans.

But from a scouting perspective, and for the reasons we laid out in this week’s GamePlan, the week was as important as Senior Bowl week has ever been. There’ll be no combine in 2021. Pro days will be managed and limited. Teams won’t be able to fly players in. All of which made this week the only chance coaches and scouts are guaranteed to have to watch the players move around in person and talk to them face-to-face.

So what was learned? Here are a few things …

• This is another bumper crop of receivers. Even with LSU’s Ja'Marr Chase, Alabama’s Jaylen Waddle, Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman and Purdue’s Rondale Moore absent (and Bama Heisman winner DeVonta Smith there but only for interviews), the receivers were clearly the most talked about position group. A number of them helped themselves.

D’Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan: I had one exec tell me Eskridge won every one-on-one he saw him in this week. He’s a little small, but he’s got lightning short-area quickness, sticky hands, and always seems to be open. Literally everyone I talked to loved him.

Amari Rodgers, Clemson: He showed burst, savvy and play strength that, combined with his collegiate production, evoked some Sterling Shepard comparisons.

Kadarius Toney, Florida: He had accountability and maturity flags, but word is Toney really turned the off-field stuff around in 2020, and he’s a stick of dynamite as a player. He had a couple drops and a fumble in practices, but his movement skills are undeniable, and he got comps to fellow ex-Gator Percy Harvin from multiple scouts I talked to.

Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State: He’s built like a running back, and is a really good route-runner, which had him winning in drills consistently.

South Carolina’s Shi Smith and South Dakota State’s Cade Johnson elicited mention too, and you get the picture.

• The quarterback group didn’t generate very much excitement, and that includes Alabama star Mac Jones. That’s not to say Jones didn’t practice well. He did. It just wasn’t enough to change many people’s minds on him, good or bad. One scout I talked to said, “I think he’s just a guy,” while another called him “O.K.” I’m not positive Jones will go in the first round. We’ll see. He might. I just don’t have conviction on it after this week. Texas A&M’s Kellen Mond showed enough that one evaluator called him, “an intriguing developmental guy.”

• While top guys like Alabama’s Patrick Surtain and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley weren’t in Mobile, and that’s part of the reason here, play at corner had NFL types believing that it’ll be a down year at the position. UCF CB Aaron Robinson and S Richie Grant were two guys who did stand out in the secondary. Robinson showed ball skills and an ability to play man-to-man, and both he and Grant showed polished technique and smarts for their positions. Washington’s Keith Taylor is another who had a good week—and played well in the game.

• A couple of defensive linemen helped themselves, and UCLA’s Osa Odighizuwa’s name was one that came up consistently, as a disruptive, long-armed, upfield/inside type of pass rusher. Notre Dame’s Daelin Hayes was another who showed good versatility. And Washington’s Levi Onwuzurike, more of a pure defensive tackle, was among the best players on the field—one 2020 opt-out who didn’t show much rust.

• The running back group had a couple stars in it too. North Carolina’s Michael Carter showed quickness, burst and vision all week. Virginia Tech’s Khalil Herbert also impressed with his quickness. And Demetric Felton, primarily a tailback at UCLA, played a bunch in the slot and looked really good.

• Wisconsin-Whitewater interior OL Quinn Meinerz came in as a dice-roll pick by the Senior Bowl staff, and he really changed some people’s minds on him. Showing good strength and an ability to handle a power rush answers what’s always going to be a question for a Div. III lineman trying to make it to the NFL. Western Michigan’s Jaylon Moore was another lineman who stood out, with his ability to play four positions. Conversely, Bama’s Alex Leatherwood wanted to prove this week he could play left tackle in the pros and showed the athleticism to pull it off.

• A couple safeties who elicited mention and were interesting to me: Virginia Tech’s Divine Deablo and Florida State’s Hamsah Nasirildeen. Why? They’re both gigantic. So fire up your Kam Chancellor comps.

And so begins draft season. Big shout out to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy and his staff. What they pulled off this week, under these conditions, was pretty mind-blowing.



Great info, bravo.
 
My first attempt through 3 rnds only with a few proposed trades accepted.
I can live with this.


1612711963665.png
 
My WR ranking as of now

WIDE REC
JALEN WADDLE
DEVONTA SMITH
RONDALE MOORE
TERRACE MARSHALL
KADARIUS TONEY *
ELIJAH MOORE
TYLAN WALLACE
AMON-RA ST BROWN
TUTU ATWELL
DAZZ NEWSOME
ANTHONY SCHWARTZ
SHI SMITH
MARLON WILLIAMS
DAX MILNE
JAELON DARDEN
D'WAYNE ESKRIDGE
 

That was excellent, Chevs, even though Lazar low-balled expectations on what Mac Jones can be. I think it's worth noting that
many, many players exceed what is predicted of them and every prospect has question marks. I'm still thinking he fits what we
do and he could process our offense (4.0 grade average) quicker than some of the other guys and wouldn't need years of development
before he could take the reins.

Anyhow, Evan has proved to me to be an insightful guy who enjoys what he does (he works as hard as anybody out there) and provides
some interesting details from his own observation of a prospect. He doesn't just parrot what others say.

I'll look forward to him expanding his spreadsheets over the next few months.
 
Anyhow, Evan has proved to me to be an insightful guy who enjoys what he does (he works as hard as anybody out there) and provides
some interesting details from his own observation of a prospect. He doesn't just parrot what others say.
Lazar is my go-to read when I have time to absorb and learn. He's awesome. But his articles are NOT quick reads.
 
That was excellent, Chevs, even though Lazar low-balled expectations on what Mac Jones can be. I think it's worth noting that
many, many players exceed what is predicted of them and every prospect has question marks. I'm still thinking he fits what we
do and he could process our offense (4.0 grade average) quicker than some of the other guys and wouldn't need years of development
before he could take the reins.

Anyhow, Evan has proved to me to be an insightful guy who enjoys what he does (he works as hard as anybody out there) and provides
some interesting details from his own observation of a prospect. He doesn't just parrot what others say.

I'll look forward to him expanding his spreadsheets over the next few months.

The between the ears stuff is most important and Mac Jones has shown he has that. Arm strength, mechanics, pocket movement all that is secondary to our offense and it comes naturally or it can be taught which brings me right back to the between the ears stuff. His arm strength is plenty good anyway. People who point to that as a negative are making up problems, imo.
 
The between the ears stuff is most important and Mac Jones has shown he has that. Arm strength, mechanics, pocket movement all that is secondary to our offense and it comes naturally or it can be taught which brings me right back to the between the ears stuff. His arm strength is plenty good anyway. People who point to that as a negative are making up problems, imo.
What about a guy like Sam Darnold? He is on a terrible team with terrible coaching. Imagine what McDaniels and Belichick could do with him to try and coach him up.
 
You know, I could actually see them going for a LB in the first round as well..lol We need the help there as well.
 
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