Mock Drafts

[RiverDog]

It's that time of year. With the combine scheduled to kick off this week, I thought it would be appropriate to start off a mock draft discussion.

At #32, I think we should be targeting a position that doesn't traditionally go in the top 20, like tight end or offensive guard. One player I've thought might fall to us, perhaps in the 2nd round, would be Austin Seferian-Jenkins out of UW, and I'm not saying that because I'm a UW homer. He's 6'6", and would be a great red zone target for Russell, who has one of the shortest WR corps in the league and not looking to get much taller. A short QB needs tall receivers. Just ask Drew Brees. We're in a pretty good position as we don't have any single glaring need that has to be addressed. A couple of other possibilities are David Yankey, OG out of Stanford, and Xavier Whatshisname, OG out of UCLA. Pete likes those west coast kids. Anyhow, there's some names for us to keep our eyes on at the combine.

Man, look at the Rams. Thanks to the RG3 deal with the Redskins, they're gonna be making some serious hay with the #2 and #13 overall. That defense of theirs is going to be really tough if they end up with Clowney, a player that is the consensus best player in the draft. Houston is going to almost have to going to go with a QB. Their DC and interim HC has already come out and said that they ought to take Johnny Football, so the Rams will have the pick of the litter, plus they're bound to get an impact player at #13 as teams like the Jags, Vikings, and Browns are all QB hungry. The NFC West isn't getting any weaker.

I've posted a couple of links to some mocks. I'm not advocating any of them as good, bad, or indifferent, but they do serve as pretty good research material.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock-draft

http://walterfootball.com/draft2014.php

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1962 ... -1st-round

[kalibane]

I still look at mocks out of morbid curiosity but in the last couple years I've come to the conclusion that Schneider and Carroll 1. way smarter than I am and 2. difficult to figure out. I have like no motivation to try and project who should be taken at this point. Conventional wisdom says fix the OG positions and get a big bodied WR or TE. But usually it's their "conventional" picks (Carp for instance) that don't look so hot.

[NorthHawk]

I still look at mocks out of morbid curiosity but in the last couple years I've come to the conclusion that Schneider and Carroll 1. way smarter than I am and 2. difficult to figure out. I have like no motivation to try and project who should be taken at this point. Conventional wisdom says fix the OG positions and get a big bodied WR or TE. But usually it's their "conventional" picks (Carp for instance) that don't look so hot.

It's odd to see the pattern of good mid and late picks have turned out better than the higher selections.
I, too haven't figured out who they might select with their first picks. Other than their first draft with Okung and Thomas as well as Tate in the 2nd, I have been confounded as to who they are really looking at.
I look at the mocks and figure any players from about 25 to 40 are in play as selecting at 32 might as well be a 2nd round pick and some players might fall. They might even trade down a few places if possible to get a 3rd round pick this year after losing it for Harvin.
That means a lot of players are in consideration this year - the challenge is to try to figure out who fits.

Didn't Pete have a press conference every year after the season basically outlining the type of player they were looking for and did he do one this year or was it closer to the draft?

[RiverDog]

I still look at mocks out of morbid curiosity but in the last couple years I've come to the conclusion that Schneider and Carroll 1. way smarter than I am and 2. difficult to figure out. I have like no motivation to try and project who should be taken at this point. Conventional wisdom says fix the OG positions and get a big bodied WR or TE. But usually it's their "conventional" picks (Carp for instance) that don't look so hot.

It's odd to see the pattern of good mid and late picks have turned out better than the higher selections.
I, too haven't figured out who they might select with their first picks. Other than their first draft with Okung and Thomas as well as Tate in the 2nd, I have been confounded as to who they are really looking at.
I look at the mocks and figure any players from about 25 to 40 are in play as selecting at 32 might as well be a 2nd round pick and some players might fall. They might even trade down a few places if possible to get a 3rd round pick this year after losing it for Harvin.
That means a lot of players are in consideration this year - the challenge is to try to figure out who fits.

Didn't Pete have a press conference every year after the season basically outlining the type of player they were looking for and did he do one this year or was it closer to the draft?

The only thing I've heard Pete say since the SB was in reference to free agency, that our priority was going to be re-signing our current players and not to look for any big splashes in the FA market.

It is, indeed, odd how our top draft picks haven't been nearly as successful as some of those in the later rounds, but it's not limited to our current regime. With the exception of 2010, our first picks in the draft have not performed up to expectations. Going backwards, our top picks in the draft have been Christine Michael (2nd Rd), Bruce Irvin, James Carpenter, Earl and Okung, Aaron Curry, Lawrence Jackson, Josh Wilson (2nd Rd), Kelly Jennings, Chris Spencer, and Marcus Tubbs before you run into Marcus Trufant in 2003. It's a wonder that we've made the playoffs 7 out of 10 seasons and gone to two SB's during that time period.

[NorthHawk]

I think you have to discount Ruskell's tenure.

[RiverDog]

I think you have to discount Ruskell's tenure.

That's fine, but Holmgren wasn't exactly golden in his first round draft picks, either. Remember Lamar King? There must be something in the coffee that dooms top draft picks here.

[NorthHawk]

I think you have to discount Ruskell's tenure.

That's fine, but Holmgren wasn't exactly golden in his first round draft picks, either. Remember Lamar King? There must be something in the coffee that dooms top draft picks here.

Yah, I was initially glad they brought in a GM when Holmgren had the reins, but it turned sour pretty quickly after the 2nd draft.
Dysfunction between the HC and GM caused us to really lose a lot of talent over the remaining years and set up the opportunity to clean house and hire Carroll.

[Zorn76]

lol, if at first you do not succeed in the 1st round...

IMO, it's all about the OL. I understand TE, WR (big target, another burner perhaps) are also goals, along with DL & another pass rushing DE, etc.

But for my draft money, I hope we improve significantly up front to protect RW. 44 sacks is, well, 44 sacks, which is what we gave up during the regular season. And while I appreciate the overall guts and character our guys showed in protection at times, I just don't see how we can spend any fewer than 2 picks to boost our effectiveness there.

Carp, Breno, McQ are really 2nd string, at best, and I'd be surprised if any of those guys start a game in 2014, with Breno likely gone anyway. Even LT isn't off limits given Okung's health. And for that matter, Unger got blown up pretty good on occasion himself, though each of those guys will be here regardless.

Pete and John will work on it, no doubt. It all starts up front. Buying an extra second for Wilson in the pocket would pay huge dividends for the offense overall.

[briwas101]

If Eric Ebron is on the board i'd take him.

Imagine Aaron Hernandez without the homicidal tendencies...

C'mon Pete and John, don't keep screwing up our 1st rounds. Just keep it simple. If not Ebron then hopefully the best G in the draft or trade back into the 2nd round.

My general draft theory regarding the 1st round is to trade back for more picks unless your dream player at a position of need is available. It gives you more chances at drafting some of the top talents. Those extra 2nds and 3rds can really increase the talent on a team quickly and helps you stay under the salary cap.

The Hawks really need to keep a watchful eye on the salary cap and how much each current player takes up when considering draft picks. They can't be caught with their pants down and forced to keep players on bad contracts. The excuse of "we didn't have anyone else" shouldn't fly anymore. Salary cap issues are what brings good/great teams down in the salary cap era.

If they can manage the cap better than they have recently then they will be managing a dynasty.

[monkey]

I still look at mocks out of morbid curiosity but in the last couple years I've come to the conclusion that Schneider and Carroll 1. way smarter than I am and 2. difficult to figure out. I have like no motivation to try and project who should be taken at this point. Conventional wisdom says fix the OG positions and get a big bodied WR or TE. But usually it's their "conventional" picks (Carp for instance) that don't look so hot.

This is exactly the way I feel as well.
I don't feel like working out my "futility" muscles today, as that's what these things are, an exercise in futility.

[NorthHawk]

With Pete and John, there aren't any "no brainer" or obvious picks.
I, too would love to see them upgrade the OL.
With Russell getting as much pressure on him it's only a matter of time before he gets hurt.
That has to mean something to the Front Office.

Mayock says this is the deepest draft in 10 years. Not as many top QBs, but overall depth is real good.
Maybe we can get some OL upgrades this year.

[RiverDog]

lol, if at first you do not succeed in the 1st round...

IMO, it's all about the OL. I understand TE, WR (big target, another burner perhaps) are also goals, along with DL & another pass rushing DE, etc.

But for my draft money, I hope we improve significantly up front to protect RW. 44 sacks is, well, 44 sacks, which is what we gave up during the regular season. And while I appreciate the overall guts and character our guys showed in protection at times, I just don't see how we can spend any fewer than 2 picks to boost our effectiveness there.

Carp, Breno, McQ are really 2nd string, at best, and I'd be surprised if any of those guys start a game in 2014, with Breno likely gone anyway. Even LT isn't off limits given Okung's health. And for that matter, Unger got blown up pretty good on occasion himself, though each of those guys will be here regardless.

Pete and John will work on it, no doubt. It all starts up front. Buying an extra second for Wilson in the pocket would pay huge dividends for the offense overall.

The good OT's are likely to be gone by #32, so my attention is going to be focused on the guards, and no one's going to argue that we can't use an upgrade at that position. What happens with Tate and Rice will affect the decision to target a WR in the early rounds.

But we'll see. I understand Kal and Monkey's attitude toward mocks and trying to out guess our FO and to some degree, I sympathize with the sentiment, but nevertheless, it is an entertaining exercise for me and a good cure for the cabin fever that always sets in this time of year. There's not a lot to do in February.

[Distant Relative]

Trade 1st round pick for a couple mid rounders. That way people can b**** about the epic mid round busts instead of the 1st round "bust".