Way Way Too Early 2022 Draft Thread

[YouMightDieTryin]

Sometimes sleepers are hidden for a reason though. The Elijah Holyfields that we enamored will be exposed at the combine. And if they don't test then wave the red flag.

[wickerkat1212]

Is this going to be our combine thread or will there be a dedicated one?

[cazzie33]

That’s why I like the lgs that draft BEFORE the NFL does ... you can get a guy that slips through the media blitz based on your observations of his skills. Once the actual draft happens guys shoot up or down depending upon where & when they get drafted.

Proliferation of websites/ podcasts have made it almost zero% chance that any guy slips through the cracks after the draft . Almost as key as finding the sleepers is recognizing the frauds. Usually it’s the QBs in SF that get drafted highly then turn out to be not worth it. Tough to turn down a Trubisky , Haskins, Z. Wilson, Darnold to take a Waddle , DJ Moore, DK Metcalf , AJ Brown, etc... at the draft in real time.

In our competitive SF the only guys that went 3rd-4th rd in the last 4 years worth being full time starters were J. Rob, M. Andrews , E. Mitchell (when healthy), C. Claypool , TerryMac , Diontae Johnson and possibly Goedert & DJ Chark. And that lg drafts in May. If you waited until Aug then a couple of those would not have lasted that late.

Avoiding busts because of talent & reputation is a bigger part nowadays. It’s crushing taking Hakeem Butler , T. Sermon , Reagor ,etc... types then seeing a A. Gibson, Tee Higgins , Elijah Moore go right after them. Can’t avoid it happening to you eventually but if you can limit falling for the hype then you will be ahead of the game.

Got me last two years going for CEH over Burrow then compounding my mistake by going Z. Wilson (had to make up for missing out on young QB in Joey B. ) over guys that I liked better as talents in Waddle, E. Moore , D. Smith. Worst part is I didn’t pull the trigger to move up two spots as K. Pitts & J. Chase went right before my pick of the Jets QB of the future. Hindsight is 20/20 but foresight told me those two were generational talents but got caught up in the 2 QBs bias. Easier to acquire mid level QBs than top tier positional players. Lose & learn I say

[YouMightDieTryin]

Is this going to be our combine thread or will there be a dedicated one?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=224166

I may have started off with the bubble talk, but the title can easily meld it into a decent thread.

[mild]

Got me last two years going for CEH over Burrow then compounding my mistake by going Z. Wilson (had to make up for missing out on young QB in Joey B. ) over guys that I liked better as talents in Waddle, E. Moore , D. Smith. Worst part is I didn’t pull the trigger to move up two spots as K. Pitts & J. Chase went right before my pick of the Jets QB of the future. Hindsight is 20/20 but foresight told me those two were generational talents but got caught up in the 2 QBs bias. Easier to acquire mid level QBs than top tier positional players. Lose & learn I say

It's not a popular opinion around here... but I still believe in Zach Wilson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8vxBYTGyBQ

He definitely showed some signs of life over the final month and a half of the season. I wouldn't be too down on this pick just yet.

The fact that pretty much all of the Rookies bombed (outside of Mac, who went to arguably the best football situation for growth/development, and already had experience with a quick-tempo pro-style offense) makes me think that there was more going on here than just "perhaps these prospects were all overrated". That can still be true! But my personal theory is that the same league-wide defensive trends (Staley 2-high!) that:

- Got Goff traded for Stafford
- Stifled Mahomes for nearly half the season
- Clamped down on the overall explosive plays level for the first time in years

... were probably also in play for our Rookies, who came into the pros expecting to be able to sling it like they did in College. Defense caught up to Offense in 2021.

I am still bullish on Wilson and Lawrence. There is still a lot of room for growth for these two, and they possess rare traits as arm talents.

[wickerkat1212]

Is this going to be our combine thread or will there be a dedicated one?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=224166

I may have started off with the bubble talk, but the title can easily meld it into a decent thread.

Thanks.

[AussieMate]

Got me last two years going for CEH over Burrow then compounding my mistake by going Z. Wilson (had to make up for missing out on young QB in Joey B. ) over guys that I liked better as talents in Waddle, E. Moore , D. Smith. Worst part is I didn’t pull the trigger to move up two spots as K. Pitts & J. Chase went right before my pick of the Jets QB of the future. Hindsight is 20/20 but foresight told me those two were generational talents but got caught up in the 2 QBs bias. Easier to acquire mid level QBs than top tier positional players. Lose & learn I say

It's not a popular opinion around here... but I still believe in Zach Wilson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8vxBYTGyBQ

He definitely showed some signs of life over the final month and a half of the season. I wouldn't be too down on this pick just yet.

The fact that pretty much all of the Rookies bombed (outside of Mac, who went to arguably the best football situation for growth/development, and already had experience with a quick-tempo pro-style offense) makes me think that there was more going on here than just "perhaps these prospects were all overrated". That can still be true! But my personal theory is that the same league-wide defensive trends (Staley 2-high!) that:

- Got Goff traded for Stafford
- Stifled Mahomes for nearly half the season
- Clamped down on the overall explosive plays level for the first time in years

... were probably also in play for our Rookies, who came into the pros expecting to be able to sling it like they did in College. Defense caught up to Offense in 2021.

I am still bullish on Wilson and Lawrence. There is still a lot of room for growth for these two, and they possess rare traits as arm talents.

I'm with you, although it wasn't pretty for most of the year, I did feel like he showed the ability to grow, which in itself is a good sign. We see plenty of QBs that are basically the same guy they were when drafted. Like you I'm not as down on the whole class as most are and am trying to buy any of Lawrence, Wilson, Fields, Lance from people who are panicking.

[AussieMate]

I don't feel like we need a separate thread for the combine and should leave most 2022 class discussion in one spot.

[Jigga94]

I don't feel like we need a separate thread for the combine and should leave most 2022 class discussion in one spot.

Were you around this time last year? We had a 2021 thread, a combine thread, a 2021 QB thread, RB thread, Pitts thread...

Tis the season!

I think it's good to have a combine thread to discuss specifically the combine and then the general discussion will flow through here with updated opinions on players.

[dynastyninja]

Separate thread is appropriate imo

[Cameron Giles]

Feels like the Burks hype is going to kick into full gear after the combine.

[YouMightDieTryin]

Feels like the Burks hype is going to kick into full gear after the combine.

Isn't it already there?

[BabyChark23]

Feels like the Burks hype is going to kick into full gear after the combine.

Isn't it already there?

He’s already being viewed as WR1 in the class by the fantasy community and in a tier of his own. I am most interested to see if everyone sees him the same after the draft. He’s not even close to a lock to be the first receiver off the board in the NFL draft.

[YouMightDieTryin]

Feels like the Burks hype is going to kick into full gear after the combine.

Isn't it already there?

He’s already being viewed as WR1 in the class by the fantasy community and in a tier of his own. I am most interested to see if everyone sees him the same after the draft. He’s not even close to a lock to be the first receiver off the board in the NFL draft.

Agreed. His ceiling is probably the highest, but his floor can be potentially low. Same with London. They're high risk/reward players. Wilson is probably your safest bet to not miss, but truly there's no one this year that doesn't have some sort of flaw. No knock against them, but it's how it is unfortunately. Maybe it's the chip on the shoulder this class needs to succeed?

[Cameron Giles]

Feels like the Burks hype is going to kick into full gear after the combine.

Isn't it already there?

Not quite. I don't even think he's a 1st round WR in Kiper's mock. He definitely has hype, but he could be someone who locks himself into the 1.01 if he shows out like how people think he will.