Cuse LT Pugh will be a part of April's Draft

[RS12]

Syracuse senior LT Justin Pugh will be a part of the 2013 NFL Draft after deciding against attempting to gain an extra year of eligibility.
This isn't a real surprise, since Pugh has been listed as a senior all season and treated as such. He possesses an ideal left tackle frame and has the footwork to stick at the position, but Pugh will need to clear his medicals after missing the early parts of the season after shoulder surgery.


Another guy who could be a solid value 2nd-3rd.

[tm1119]

He's 6'5 and under 300 lbs, I've even seen some sites have him listed as low as 285. He obviously needs to get stronger and may not be the best RT prospect because of that. Could be a good developmental LT for some team, but I don't really think he fits our needs given how early he's probably going to go.

[Future]

Agreed tm, the guy is an athlete, not a grinder, and we already have one of those at LT. If you could get him late as a project/backup then maybe, but this draft has to hit on needs, and I don't think that LT is one for this team.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by Future

Agreed tm, the guy is an athlete, not a grinder, and we already have one of those at LT. If you could get him late as a project/backup then maybe, but this draft has to hit on needs, and I don't think that LT is one for this team.

No draft has to hit on needs. That mindset should never be welcomed into any NFL war room.

You draft needs and you're constantly chasing needs. You draft talent and the needs go away over time.

[ABQCOWBOY]

He does have some skills. If he developed, Smith could easily be moved back to RT. I know everybody says he is prototypical for LT but there is no question that he played better on the right side.

Also, when Smith was at USC, his playing weight was in the area of 285-290. Between the end of USC's season and the draft, he got up to 307. It can be done so I don't think that this should be a determining factor on why you wouldn't consider him.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

No draft has to hit on needs. That mindset should never be welcomed into any NFL war room.

You draft needs and you're constantly chasing needs. You draft talent and the needs go away over time.

Say you have a great QB and awful RB.

Player A in the draft is a great QB. Player B is a slightly less great player, but an RB.

You take the QB?

No chance for me.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by Future

Say you have a great QB and awful RB.

Player A in the draft is a great QB. Player B is a slightly less great player, but an RB.

You take the QB?

No chance for me.

Slightly less? What does that mean? Is he rated right around the same area of the board as the QB? Are there trade offers? Because if that QB is so great and prime value for that pick, I bet there is.

There just isn't an excuse for going into a draft intent on filling needs. Get that mindset out of your war room or you will be a poor drafting team.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by ABQCOWBOY

He does have some skills. If he developed, Smith could easily be moved back to RT. I know everybody says he is prototypical for LT but there is no question that he played better on the right side.

Also, when Smith was at USC, his playing weight was in the area of 285-290. Between the end of USC's season and the draft, he got up to 307. It can be done so I don't think that this should be a determining factor on why you wouldn't consider him.

I think some talent is an understatement. He's a solid 2nd round value. Probably a top 50 player overall. I understand he's not a typical roadgrader RT but with the state of the league these days I'm not so sure that's a huge issue.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

Slightly less? What does that mean? Is he rated right around the same area of the board as the QB? Are there trade offers? Because if that QB is so great and prime value for that pick, I bet there is.

There just isn't an excuse for going into a draft intent on filling needs. Get that mindset out of your war room or you will be a poor drafting team.

Your point is that you draft skill over need.

I presented a situation where a skill and a need were presented, and you couldn't just say that the skill should be picked.

If it's more complex than that fine, but then your argument as a whole needs to be nuanced. You act like its black and white, but its not.

[Risen Star]

Originally Posted by Future

Your point is that you draft skill over need.

I presented a situation where a skill and a need were presented, and you couldn't just say that the skill should be picked.

If it's more complex than that fine, but then your argument as a whole needs to be nuanced. You act like its black and white, but its not.

If in the rare, extreme case that one skill player at a position you're set at is the clear cut BPA over need and no comparable trade offer is out there, I'm drafting skill over need.

[Yakuza Rich]

I've watched him all year. Better pass protector than run blocker, but possesses skills in both areas because he has some athleticism, toughness and really good technique. His coach, *might* be a top-5 pure coach in the college game. That's how highly I think of him. I'm not quite confident that he is at this point, but every week I just can't find anything that makes me think differently. Marrone was a former NFL O-Lineman and O-Line coach...also was the O-Coordinator under Sean Payton.

I think with RT, we need more in pass protection than run blocking. I think Pugh could provide that. But, I don't quite see us doing that if we have Parnell.






YR

[Future]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

If in the rare, extreme case that one skill player at a position you're set at is the clear cut BPA over need and no comparable trade offer is out there, I'm drafting skill over need.

Fair enough.

[ABQCOWBOY]

Originally Posted by Risen Star

I think some talent is an understatement. He's a solid 2nd round value. Probably a top 50 player overall. I understand he's not a typical roadgrader RT but with the state of the league these days I'm not so sure that's a huge issue.

Actually, I said skills not talent. However, I can see that I stated my position poorly. I think he is a talented player and has the skills to potentially be a starter in the NFL. Of course, this assumes he continues to develop. I don't see him as a day 1 starter but maybe by the end of his rookie year or in his second year, that could happen. A lot will depend on his workouts. I don't see him as a RT because I don't see the power. He's a good run blocker but if he has to play RT, then I think the development curve is longer. I think he would have to be a LT to begin with and that would mean moving Smith from L to R, which I would not necessarily be opposed to. JMO

[jnday]

Originally Posted by ABQCOWBOY

He does have some skills. If he developed, Smith could easily be moved back to RT. I know everybody says he is prototypical for LT but there is no question that he played better on the right side.

Also, when Smith was at USC, his playing weight was in the area of 285-290. Between the end of USC's season and the draft, he got up to 307. It can be done so I don't think that this should be a determining factor on why you wouldn't consider him.

Smith still needs to add some weight. I feel much better with the bigger guys that have the weight naturally than hoping the player can gain and maintain the weight once he is in the pros. Tyron could add twenty pounds and stop some of the bull-rushes that gives him problems.

[tm1119]

Originally Posted by ABQCOWBOY

Actually, I said skills not talent. However, I can see that I stated my position poorly. I think he is a talented player and has the skills to potentially be a starter in the NFL. Of course, this assumes he continues to develop. I don't see him as a day 1 starter but maybe by the end of his rookie year or in his second year, that could happen. A lot will depend on his workouts. I don't see him as a RT because I don't see the power. He's a good run blocker but if he has to play RT, then I think the development curve is longer. I think he would have to be a LT to begin with and that would mean moving Smith from L to R, which I would not necessarily be opposed to. JMO

Yeah this is more or less what I was trying to state as well. I just don't think he has the weight or strength to play RT anytime soon. And I'm pretty sure we aren't moving Tyron anytime soon, hence why I don't think he should be a target for us.