Mel's mailbag

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
I'm going to post some of Melly Mel's mailbag because you guys are my bros.

Read and learn.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2020/...er-answers-15-questions-prospects-teams-picks

Is there a chance Miami doesn't go after Tua Tagovailoa and targets another quarterback? (via @FaillaJoe)

Yes, of course, and that's what puts the Dolphins in such a great position. They have three first-round picks (Nos. 5, 18 and 26) and two second-round picks (Nos. 39 and 56), which means they have the capital to trade up to get their guy, or wait it out if they like Justin Herbert or Jordan Love.

What's going against Tagovailoa right now is that the Dolphins can't do an in-person checkup with their team doctor (the latest reports are that Tagovailoa has recovered from his hip and ankle injuries) because of the travel restrictions as part of the coronavirus pandemic. Prospects can only do virtual visits with teams, and that could have an effect on guys who are rehabbing injuries.

There has been some buzz around Herbert to Miami, but it's still early. He is likely to be on the board at No. 5, whereas the Dolphins might have to trade up for Tagovailoa. Do they like Tagovailoa enough to use some of that capital to trade up? What happens if both quarterbacks are on the board at No. 5? That's what makes Miami the most interesting team in this draft.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Where would Daniel Jones and Kyler Murray rank in this quarterback class? (via @11423_80917)

This is a tough one. Really tough. Because where would Murray have been picked last year if Kliff Kingsbury wasn't the coach in Arizona? That's an interesting hypothetical, which makes him the wild card. I had Murray ranked No. 6 overall on my final Big Board, while Jones was my fourth-ranked quarterback at No. 23 overall (Dwayne Haskins was No. 7; Drew Lock was No. 21).

OK, I'll take a stab at ranking them, based on my pre-draft grades:

  1. Joe Burrow, LSU

  2. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

  3. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

  4. Justin Herbert, Oregon

  5. Daniel Jones, Duke

  6. Jordan Love, Utah State
This is not an exact science, but I'm basing this list on how I thought of Murray and Jones going into the 2019 draft.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Who is your favorite prospect in this class? (via @BrunelliSports)

OK, I'm told I can only pick one prospect, so I'll take the biggest in the class. Louisville offensive tackle Mekhi Becton is a giant, a 6-foot-7, 364-pound people-mover with great feet, long arms and stellar athleticism; he awed scouts at the combine with a 5.1 40. You really don't see these types of athletes come around often. Becton also has a mean streak, and he was phenomenal last season. There's a reason he's my top-ranked tackle.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
How good is this year's wide receiver class compared to the best groups you've studied? (via @Brandnewusedcar)

The depth separates this class from any other year. I've been studying the NFL draft for more than 40 years, and this could be the deepest ever. Now, that doesn't mean it's the best, because there are classes that have produced a few superstars (go look at two of the top six picks in 2011). But I have given 30 draftable grades to wideouts in this class -- that number could still rise -- and I put seven in the first round of my Mock Draft 3.0. We might never see something like this again, but it's coming at the right time because there are several receiver-needy teams across the league.

At the top of my rankings are Alabama's Jerry Jeudy, Oklahoma's CeeDee Lamb and Jeudy's teammate Henry Ruggs III. These three are in a tier by themselves. Check out my full position rankings here.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Which wide receiver is the Terry McLaurin of this draft? (via @Big305Country)

You're talking about a midround steal, right? Here's a name for you: Antonio Gibson. He is a former junior college star who spent two seasons at Memphis and really emerged in 2019, averaging 19.3 yards per catch, 11.2 yards per carry and 28 yards per kickoff return. At 6-foot, 228 pounds, Gibson is not a traditional receiver, but he could be used in several ways by a smart coaching staff, on jet sweeps and screens and quick-game concepts while he develops as a route runner. And he is extremely explosive after the catch -- he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine. Gibson's versatility makes him a perfect third-round target with upside.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Does Jalen Hurts have any chance to be drafted in the late first or early second round? (via @ryanhallwrites)

No, I don't think so. Late second round is probably Hurts' ceiling. I know teams like him, but he's not in the first tier of quarterbacks and will likely be drafted after Jacob Eason (Washington).

There are some interesting possibilities for the Oklahoma QB, though. If the Raiders pass on a quarterback in Round 1 -- they have two picks -- could they target one in Round 3, where they have three picks? What about Tampa Bay, which just brought back Blaine Gabbert to be Tom Brady's backup? If the Chargers really are going to stick with Tyrod Taylor for the short term, could they target Hurts as a developmental prospect in the third round?
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
With no first-round picks, what should the Bears address with their two second-round picks? (via @Danny_Bobrowski)

One of those picks should be a wide receiver; they could find a No. 2 wideout opposite Allen Robinson II at Nos. 43 or 50. If Arizona State's Brandon Aiyuk is still available, he'd be a fit.

The other pick could come down to offensive tackle or cornerback, because Chicago needs to address the positions. It could try to find a young prospect to push Bobby Massie and Charles Leno Jr., or it could survey the defensive backs available. If Alabama's Trevon Diggs or TCU's Jeff Gladney are around in the middle of Round 2, the Bears should think hard.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Who do you like better between Derrick Brown and Javon Kinlaw, and who has more upside? (via @dcaw90)

This is close because they are both elite defensive tackle prospects, but Brown gets the edge. The 6-foot-4, 326-pounder was more productive and more consistent overall at Auburn, even if he didn't always take down quarterbacks. He's No. 6 on my board right now. Kinlaw (6-foot-5, 324 pounds), though, might have the higher ceiling. He's a tremendous athlete, even if he wasn't able to do work out at the combine and won't have a pro day. He's No. 14 on my board.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Which position group isn't deep in this class, and could it cause teams to reach for prospects? (via @PopeJ88)

It's the tight ends. There's not much consensus inside the league on the top five, although there is some talent. There might not be any first-round tight ends. Even the top-ranked guy -- Notre Dame's Cole Kmet -- has some questions. He really only played one full season for the Fighting Irish, catching 43 passes for 515 yards and six touchdowns. Kmet is a good player, but he has some inconsistent tape.

Still, I could see teams reaching for someone like Albert Okwuegbunam (Missouri), who ran a 4.49 40 at the combine at 258 pounds. The talent is there, but I gave him a third-round grade. Hunter Bryant (Washington) is another one to watch in Round 2, but he's really just a big wide receiver.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Who is the most underrated player in this draft from Round 3 on? (via @Sketz12)

I'll give you one for both sides of the ball. Liberty's Antonio Gandy-Golden gets lost in a loaded wide receiver class, but he can play. At 6-foot-4, he has a massive wingspan and catch radius, but he's also good after the catch. He's going to help a team in 2020, even if he lasts until the fourth or fifth round.

On defense, give me Baylor's James Lynch, the 2019 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He's kind of a tweener tackle/end, but I see him as a 3-technique tackle in a 4-3 defense because he has some pass-rush ability. And he's relentless. He could be a steal in the third or fourth round.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Which prospect could surprise us and drop to the third day of the draft (via @dubydavis)

I'll give you two names again. Colorado wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. had a tremendous 2018 season, then was let down by poor quarterback play last season. His numbers dropped significantly. Then, he got injured and couldn't do all of the drills at the combine, before having surgery to repair a core muscle injury in March. I just don't have a good handle on his draft range yet; he looks like a first-rounder on his 2018 tape, but he could fall if teams don't have a handle on his injury and rehab. I don't think he lasts to Round 4, but I wouldn't be completely shocked. He's a wild card.

The defender is outside linebacker Curtis Weaver, who had 23 sacks over the past two seasons at Boise State. I thought he might be a top-20 pick in November, but he didn't test well at the combine, and he has dropped to No. 8 in my OLB rankings. He's a solid prospect, just not elite.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Whom should the Bengals target at No. 33? (via @BengalsLa)

Love this question. Everyone is talking about Joe Burrow at No. 1, but Cincinnati has a valuable pick at the top of Round 2. Offensive line was the first position that came to mind because there are going to be some really good tackles on the board. If the Bengals can get their right tackle of the future -- Ezra Cleveland (Boise State) or Austin Jackson (USC) are possibilities -- they should do it. Remember that 2019 first-round pick Jonah Williams missed his rookie season but will be back at left tackle in 2020, so that would be a good pair of tackles around Burrow.

I mentioned earlier that this isn't a great tight end class, but Cole Kmet (Notre Dame) would help Cincy immediately, even though it took Drew Sample in the second round a year ago. I'm also high on Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks, a sideline-to-sideline inside linebacker who could upgrade this team's front seven.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
If you were running Washington, what is the minimum trade package you would take from Miami to trade down from No. 2 to No. 5? (via @DanielGoldblatt)

I'd want Miami's top two picks (Nos. 5 and 18) and their top second-round pick (No. 39) at the very least. That means I'd miss out on Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young -- by far the best pass-rusher in this class -- but I'd get one of Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons or Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah with the fifth pick, plus two more starters. And remember, the Commanders don't have a second-round pick, so this would be a valuable haul.
 

Risen Star

Likes Collector
Messages
86,667
Reaction score
203,432
CowboysZone ULTIMATE Fan
Who is the No. 3 cornerback in this draft, and how big is the drop-off from CJ Henderson to that guy? (via @ThatOsCruz)

This isn't a deep cornerback class. I have first-round grades on two corners -- Ohio State's Jeff Okudah, who is likely to be a top-five pick, and Henderson, who is likely to go in the top 20. After that? There is a big gap. The next two on my board are Auburn's Noah Igbinoghene, a raw athletic specimen coming off a great season, and Utah's Jaylon Johnson, a physical press-coverage corner. Igbinoghene has the higher ceiling.
 

darthseinfeld

Groupthink Guru
Messages
31,871
Reaction score
36,326
CowboysZone LOYAL Fan
Who is the No. 3 cornerback in this draft, and how big is the drop-off from CJ Henderson to that guy? (via @ThatOsCruz)

This isn't a deep cornerback class. I have first-round grades on two corners -- Ohio State's Jeff Okudah, who is likely to be a top-five pick, and Henderson, who is likely to go in the top 20. After that? There is a big gap. The next two on my board are Auburn's Noah Igbinoghene, a raw athletic specimen coming off a great season, and Utah's Jaylon Johnson, a physical press-coverage corner. Igbinoghene has the higher ceiling.
I dont want to have to type out Igbinoghene in game day threadw
 

ThatJerryKid

cowboys31
Messages
3,168
Reaction score
7,381
I'm going to post some of Melly Mel's mailbag because you guys are my bros.

Read and learn.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2020/...er-answers-15-questions-prospects-teams-picks

Is there a chance Miami doesn't go after Tua Tagovailoa and targets another quarterback? (via @FaillaJoe)

Yes, of course, and that's what puts the Dolphins in such a great position. They have three first-round picks (Nos. 5, 18 and 26) and two second-round picks (Nos. 39 and 56), which means they have the capital to trade up to get their guy, or wait it out if they like Justin Herbert or Jordan Love.

What's going against Tagovailoa right now is that the Dolphins can't do an in-person checkup with their team doctor (the latest reports are that Tagovailoa has recovered from his hip and ankle injuries) because of the travel restrictions as part of the coronavirus pandemic. Prospects can only do virtual visits with teams, and that could have an effect on guys who are rehabbing injuries.

There has been some buzz around Herbert to Miami, but it's still early. He is likely to be on the board at No. 5, whereas the Dolphins might have to trade up for Tagovailoa. Do they like Tagovailoa enough to use some of that capital to trade up? What happens if both quarterbacks are on the board at No. 5? That's what makes Miami the most interesting team in this draft.
I see what you did there. You could have posted 1 long post. But you posted 15 individual posts so that you get 15 likes from the same people. Well done Risen. Consider me learned.....
:bow:
 

Techsass

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,383
Reaction score
5,940
I see what you did there. You could have posted 1 long post. But you posted 15 individual posts so that you get 15 likes from the same people. Well done Risen. Consider me learned.....
:bow:
You're wrong...I think I only gave him 4-5 Likes, since I don't care about QB, Miami or the Bengals.
 
Top