Official 2017 NFL Draft Thread

[whodunnit]

SBnation's udfa tracker if anyone was looking for a guy: http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/4/29/1 ... -nfl-draft

Thank you

[saw061600]

SBnation's udfa tracker if anyone was looking for a guy: http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2017/4/29/1 ... -nfl-draft

Nice.

[dlf_jules]

Totally agree. Especially given the exponential difference in value with him being the 5th pick vs say, the 18 or 23rd pick. That's a HUGE gap in terms of draft capital

Among the 20 WRs drafted within two spots of #5 overall since 1990,

• 10 (50%) have averaged at least 60 receiving yards per game
• 6 (30%) have averaged at least 70 receiving yards per game

Among the 14 WRs drafted within two spots of #18 overall since 1990,

• 3 (21%) have averaged at least 60 receiving yards per game
• 1 (7%) has averaged at least 70 receiving yards per game

[lukkynumber13]

Totally agree. Especially given the exponential difference in value with him being the 5th pick vs say, the 18 or 23rd pick. That's a HUGE gap in terms of draft capital

Among the 20 WRs drafted within two spots of #5 overall since 1990,

• 10 (50%) have averaged at least 60 receiving yards per game
• 6 (30%) have averaged at least 70 receiving yards per game

Among the 14 WRs drafted within two spots of #18 overall since 1990,

• 3 (21%) have averaged at least 60 receiving yards per game
• 1 (7%) has averaged at least 70 receiving yards per game

I wasn't referring to the difference in fantasy value, but rather the difference in real life value between a top 5 pick and a pick closer to the end of the 1st. In terms of real life capital, that's a HUGE difference.

So when I see Tennessee take Davis @ #5 instead of 18, it really impacts my view of how much they view him as a cornerstone of their team moving forward. Taking an offensive guy 5th overall in a really good draft class means that you plan on game planning for success with him as a centerpiece.

[Never Veto1]

^^^Same can be said for Fournette

[lukkynumber13]

^^^Same can be said for Fournette

Correct, which is why he's separated so much from Cook in my rankings, even tho they're both very good players who are in less than sexy surroundings.

[Phaded]

But at the end of the day - fantasy value matters more to us around these parts than real life value.

Hence my original reason for saying what I did.

[kasermap]

Krishawn Hogan signs with Colts

He tweeted hes going to Arizona.

[Friction]

The Doug Whaley era is officially over in Buffalo. Funny timing, but needed to be done. Had an ok draft too.

[ajmyk]

The Doug Whaley era is officially over in Buffalo. Funny timing, but needed to be done. Had an ok draft too.

According to reports he was on the sideline during the whole draft process anyway

[stoneghost28]

Browns are simply winning right now. Dare I say it. Browns are setting up perfectly for one of Darnold, Rosen or Browning next year while collecting extra picks and strong players in this draft. Nice work.

Beware, long post on the Browns future by a neutral observer (redskins fan):

There's no need to dare to say it, it's true, and they're still going to get raked over for not getting one of the big 3 QB's, though not as much as they were Thursday night/friday morning, after landing Kizer. After failing with a bunch of mediocre or worse GM's (and having Lombardi on Bill Simmons podcast has not been a good argument for his acumen in my view, makes him sound like a 10 cent mind), they've turned their F.O. over to analytics guys with a voice in the room with a quality OC who may or may not have the coaching stuff necessary (I like him, but you can't really fairly evaluate a coaching candidate who was saddled with the Bad Raiders and the "Suck for Rosen/Darnold" Browns in his two gigs so far). The past two years I've liked nearly everything they've done. My only issues have been some odd FA signings, and failing to trade guys like Mack and Thomas when they had trade value. When you have elite OL's and a bad team, you need to decide whether those OL's are important to evaluating your playmaking talent and QB's (they are) or if you already feel you know what you have in terms of playmakers, and you're tanking, trade them for assets if you can get better goodies then compensatory picks. Instead they lost Mack for compensatory consideration pending their FA decisions in the '16 offseason. But they've now managed to add the pieces necessary for the bulk of a DL especially after stealing Brantley, and the edge players necessary to rush the passer in Ogbah, Nassib and Garret. They've added Coleman and Britt to the WR corps with developmental depth in Higgins, Payton, and Louis, and they're set at RB, having wasted no assets in addressing the position while standing pat with Crowell and Duke. Then they added the best value QB selection the draft for me outside of Kelly as Mr. Irrelevant (he was a top 3 QB for me, to get him at the end of round 7, forgot who took him, was a monster steal) in Kizer.

So the FO has essentially rebuilt the offense and now have a legit developmental QB with starter potential, a running game is in place, and legit weapons at WR and TE, so the new QB in the next 2-3 seasons has nearly all the pieces he needs for success other than an elite OL, and depth at WR beyond the starters (developmental depth, yes, but not startable depth, for now).

The defense as mentioned earlier, has a totally rebuilt DL w/3 different quality pass rushers who bring different approaches to the positions which could drive teams nuts if Nassib and Ogbah continue to improve, and Brantley is a foundation DT potentially. The secondary needs some help and they brought in Peppers, not so sure about LB.

To me, the Browns can go into a 2018 draft, loaded with yet more picks, ready to go after Rosen or Darnold at QB unless Kizer blows them away, and utilize the rest of their picks and FA money to finish building their D, OL, and add talent at WR. This team could be a dominant power in the AFC North as soon as 2019 and contending and challenging the rotational divisional winners by late '18. Sure they won't contend this year, but by '18, again, if they play it right, they could really challenge the Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens. The Ravens seem to be spinning their wheels, the Bengals still lack a franchise QB, and focused entirely on offense, and the Steelers have no answer at QB long term, and their offense is aging and at risk of suspension while the D still needs work. An opening to control the division potentially for years to come for the Browns is there, if they can continue to build well and either land their QB of the future in Kizer, or via the '18 QB class. Really interesting time to be a Browns fan. There's genuine hope.

[lukkynumber13]

Krishawn Hogan signs with Colts

He tweeted hes going to Arizona.

Haha sorry it was incorrectly reported that he was going to Indy for awhile. We ended up getting Bug Howard from UNC tho.

[stoneghost28]

There goes pretty much all of Brates value but I think it's a great pick

Beat me to it. Sell now, sell fast.

I think it's too late. If you're a brate owner, you've just got to eat it. Maybe someone will buy if he is the starter early on, then sell, but now, who would pay anything for him? There's no value there.

[Crwdstunna]

I'd say the landing spots for everyone overall that most were interested in was alright, but we can't always get what we want.

[Cameron Giles]

Yep, the Browns did a good job. I'm still surprised they didn't take Watson while they could, but I can't disagree with the haul they got for the pick.

They're in great position to either:

1. Offer Kirk Cousins a huge deal in free agency next year.
2. Offer Jimmy Garropolo a huge deal in free agency next year.
3. Use their highest pick on a QB next year, in a class that's projected to be stronger at that position.