Fanspeak mock draft

[morasp]

I need to get off this mock draft simulator because it's too nice outside but it's really addictive. I used the composite big board to simulate the 32 teams different boards and NFL.com for my own player rankings and a six round mock. Here are the picks with my thinking and a few comments from NFL.com

1:19 C James Daniels I want defense but had some questions about the linebackers instincts and our play action passing keys off the run and I don't know who our LG is right now. We've been lucky but if Fredrick gets hurt he could move over to center.
-Elite movement talent for the position
-Easy second-level climber with agility for high connection rate

2:18 S Justin Reid Moving Jones to corner leaves a void at safety and I'd rather not give up those draft picks for Thomas so I took a younger player that could be our deep safety we've been looking for.

-Works with NFL-caliber recognition to reaction time
"There aren't too many issues in his game. If he tests well he could sneak into the back half of the first is my guess. He's better in coverage than his brother." -- NFC General Manager

3:17 WR Anthony Miller I don't think any WR we take in the draft is going to replace Dez at least right away so this looks like about the right place to pick one that might be brought along.
-Top notch ball tracker whose focus sharpens down the field
-Field fast throughout the route

4:16 LB Darius Leonard LB postion looks pretty thin and Sean Lee gets hurt every year so maybe Leonard could fill in for any time Lee misses. They must like him since they brought him in for a visit.
-Has six career interceptions
-Excellent reactive athleticism

4:37 DL Deadrin Senat I wouldn't have minded Payne in the first but this guy looks pretty good. If he could attract some double teams it would help free up the LBs and 3T.
"That guy was a handful in Tampa. Watch him in those practices if you can get the tape. Reminded me of what Javon Hargrave did when he was there." -- NFC Director of Scouting

5:34 WR Equanimeous St. Brown The WR meetings are getting crowded but I was surprised to see this guy there in the fifth so I took him.
Overview
St. Brown's combination of size and speed will be coveted by offenses looking for a prospect who can create throwing windows down the field with his ability to separate as the route progresses. St. Brown's competitive nature needs to improve as does his play strength to elude early pressure from physical cornerbacks. He has never been a volume target and has just three 100-yard games in his career. At this stage, St. Brown is more of a threat than a weapon and his ceiling may be an average starter or WR3.
-Very few focus drops during his career
6:18 LB Genard Avery We've got Joe Thomas for third downs and Jaylon is healthier this year but we need depth at LB and this guy looks pretty good.
-Consistency of production across the board is impressive
-Tested off the charts with 4.59 forty, 36" vertical leap and 6.90 three-cone
6:19 LB Tegray Scales Instincts are what set Sean Lee apart and I think they are critical for a linebacker.
-Elite instincts keep him near the action and racking up tackles
-Finished career with eight interceptions
6:34 RB Akrum Wadley This guy looks like a shifty COP RB that could come in on third downs and give Zeke a rest.
-Feet are light and electric
-Flashes big-play potential through the air as well

 

[jday]

I need to get off this mock draft simulator because it's too nice outside but it's really addictive. I used the composite big board to simulate the 32 teams different boards and NFL.com for my own player rankings and a six round mock. Here are the picks with my thinking and a few comments from NFL.com

1:19 C James Daniels I want defense but had some questions about the linebackers instincts and our play action passing keys off the run and I don't know who our LG is right now. We've been lucky but if Fredrick gets hurt he could move over to center.
-Elite movement talent for the position
-Easy second-level climber with agility for high connection rate

2:18 S Justin Reid Moving Jones to corner leaves a void at safety and I'd rather not give up a second and fourth for Thomas so I took a younger player that could be our deep safety we've been looking for.

-Works with NFL-caliber recognition to reaction time
"There aren't too many issues in his game. If he tests well he could sneak into the back half of the first is my guess. He's better in coverage than his brother." -- NFC General Manager

3:17 WR Anthony Miller I don't think any WR we take in the draft is going to replace Dez at least right away so this looks like about the right place to pick one that might be brought along.
-Top notch ball tracker whose focus sharpens down the field
-Field fast throughout the route

4:16 LB Darius Leonard LB postion looks pretty thin and Sean Lee gets hurt every year so maybe Leonard could fill in for any time Lee misses. They must like him since they brought him in for a visit.
-Has six career interceptions
-Excellent reactive athleticism

4:37 DL Deadrin Senat I wouldn't have minded Payne in the first but this guy looks pretty good. If he could attract some double teams it would help free up the LBs and 3T.
"That guy was a handful in Tampa. Watch him in those practices if you can get the tape. Reminded me of what Javon Hargrave did when he was there." -- NFC Director of Scouting

5:34 WR Equanimeous St. Brown The WR meetings are getting crowded but I was surprised to see this guy there in the fifth so I took him.
Overview
St. Brown's combination of size and speed will be coveted by offenses looking for a prospect who can create throwing windows down the field with his ability to separate as the route progresses. St. Brown's competitive nature needs to improve as does his play strength to elude early pressure from physical cornerbacks. He has never been a volume target and has just three 100-yard games in his career. At this stage, St. Brown is more of a threat than a weapon and his ceiling may be an average starter or WR3.
-Very few focus drops during his career
6:18 LB Genard Avery We've got Joe Thomas for third downs and Jaylon is healthier this year but we need depth at LB and this guy looks pretty good.
-Consistency of production across the board is impressive
-Tested off the charts with 4.59 forty, 36" vertical leap and 6.90 three-cone
6:19 LB Tegray Scales Instincts are what set Sean Lee apart and I think they are critical for a linebacker.
-Elite instincts keep him near the action and racking up tackles
-Finished career with eight interceptions
6:34 RB Akrum Wadley This guy looks like a shifty COP RB that could come in on third downs and give Zeke a rest.
-Feet are light and electric
-Flashes big-play potential through the air as well

To be honest, I'm not crazy about your first round pick, but I get your reasoning behind it. I've been a big fan of Anthony Miller's for awhile, but the Cowboys didn't have him in for a visit, so that may be a pipe dream, given the amount of work they have put in with other receivers. St Brown is intriguing. By now, we all know the story. Horrible QB play really hampered his development, and as a result, he may be a project in the early going...but if you hit on him, you have your Dez replacement in a few years. I think you may already know I'm a fan of Genard and thanks for the heads-up on Scales. At RB, I like Ito Smith more, but admittedly that's more due to familiarity; Wadley is not a guy I've look at yet, but I like Smith for the same reason you like Wadley...so I'll have to check him out when I get a chance.

Overall, nice draft!

 

[morasp]

To be honest, I'm not crazy about your first round pick, but I get your reasoning behind it. I've been a big fan of Anthony Miller's for awhile, but the Cowboys didn't have him in for a visit, so that may be a pipe dream, given the amount of work they have put in with other receivers. St Brown is intriguing. By now, we all know the story. Horrible QB play really hampered his development, and as a result, he may be a project in the early going...but if you hit on him, you have your Dez replacement in a few years. I think you may already know I'm a fan of Genard and thanks for the heads-up on Scales. At RB, I like Ito Smith more, but admittedly that's more due to familiarity; Wadley is not a guy I've look at yet, but I like Smith for the same reason you like Wadley...so I'll have to check him out when I get a chance.

Overall, nice draft!

I don't like the first round pick either but like I mentioned the two linebackers may not have the instincts you would want in a first round pick especially since we are going to give Jaylon a chance to succeed in the middle. I really like Payne but it would probably be overkill the way our defense is designed. I was trying to decide between Smith and Wadley and Wadley looked like he could be a pretty good receiver too but I would have been happy with Smith too.