Past Draft Gaffes Looming Large

[kskboys]

Prior to Micah the last good pick we had on the DLine was Demarcus Ware.

Hatcher was pretty good.

 

[SlammedZero]

Their 2020s drafts have been really bad.....and I'm talking overall. I know we've found some good players (see Lamb) but it hasn't been great.

 

[Whiskey Cowboy]

Alright, let's look at this.

Today we had 4 players drafted this season Play meaningful reps. Booker and Revel are out, but expected on the field before the end of the year.

2024 picks:
Guyton- needs to stay healthy and take the next step. Regular starter
Kneeland- nothing special, regular rotational player
Beebe- good but not great starting center. Injured. Probably the best player in this class
Marist- started today, has flashed potential, knucklehead, part of maybe the worst LB rotation I've ever seen
Carson-could be decent in the CB rotation, needs to get healthy
Flournoy- potentially a rock solid #3 receiver. Need to see some consistency
Thomas- surprisingly a solid swing tackle. Probably should be a starter. Big hit late in the draft
Rogers- gone

2023:
Mazi- bust. Should be coming into his own in year 3, but can't get on the field
Schoonmaker- overdrafted and not needed. Don't hate the player, but there were much better players available that could contribute immediately
Overshown- lots of talent, can't stay on the field
Fehoko- gone
Richards- gone
Deuce- gone
Brooks- bottom of the depth chart

2022:
Smith- exceptional LG, big win
Williams- underwhelming
Tolbert- regular contributor, OK 4th option
Ferguson- playing great this season
Waletzko- gone
Bland- former All-Pro. Big win
Damone Clark- regular starter, not a good one
Ridgeway-gone
Harper- gone

The lone survivor from 2021 is Osa. Micah brought in future draft stock. Time will tell how that works out.

That 2023 draft was brutal. Overshown could be a difference maker, but we won't know until he plays a full season...something he hasn't done yet. This year's draft looks decent. Last year's was pretty good, 2022 was really strong. The problem is the front office refuses to supplement the roster with any real FA talent. Williams was a big add this season, but that was dumb luck on a flyer. 1 year deals don't win championships, but It's hard to bring in high end talent when the top 10% are tying up over 50% of the cap. I don't see it as a draft problem, but rather the inability to properly determine who to keep.

 

[mardwin]

This is why the defense is so bad.

Mazi Smith
Schoonmaker
Kneeland
Williams
Jalen

Those are premium picks that don't contribute much. Nobody is held accountable for the poor drafting

 

[kskboys]

Their 2020s drafts have been really bad.....and I'm talking overall. I know we've found some good players (see Lamb) but it hasn't been great.

You know, it's more about who we didn't take. Torrence over Schoonmaker and we wouldn't have been forced to take Booker.

 

[Pstevens]

Taking TEs and Injured players high is the exact reason why we can't stop anyone. Schoonmaker, Revel, even Overshown who has always been injury prone. That's why.

Yes they have problems in the draft but they are better than most teams in the draft it’s the way they run the rest of the team picking coaches and mainly the way they go after free agents

 

[Johannes44]

Hatcher was pretty good.

True, Hatcher was pretty good.

 

[kskboys]

Yes they have problems in the draft but they are better than most teams in the draft it’s the way they run the rest of the team picking coaches and mainly the way they go after free agents

No, they are not. This might have been true several years ago, but hasn't been true for some time. We haven't drafted well since when, 2018?

 

[CarolinaFathead]

It’s reductive to say this, but it’s generally true nonetheless.

Jerry primarily drafts to bolster the offense because the offense is what generates buzz and chatter which is something the organization’s PR guys can fluff and promote to sell merch and tickets. Our defense is always a paper tiger. They lucked into drafting a true defensive difference maker in Micah. A player that could be a cornerstone foundational block for building a SB defense. Instead they traded him away for what will likely turn into an average to middling starter and three JAGs because they won’t commit to going all-in on both sides of the ball. One side will always be primarily built through FA dumpster diving and mid to late round draft picks and one side will be prioritized and it will always come down to a ratio of how much money is spent versus how much return will come back to the organization. That ratio will always favor the offense.

This FO only does what it takes to keep profit margins where they want them. They will never go all-in for a SB. The safe bet will always win out and that’s to be good enough to make money. Stop buying Jerry’s constant BS.

 

[McKDaddy]

I mean he was probably the best we had he was better then Mo and wherever else we threw out there.

@J_Allen was disappointed too many times. I get it. But Carr was an above average NFL corner. Awful was what led Dallas to sign Carr if I remember correctly.

 

[Aven8]

Taking TEs and Injured players high is the exact reason why we can't stop anyone. Schoonmaker, Revel, even Overshown who has always been injury prone. That's why.

The defensive drafting has been so bad it’s not even funny. Micah was an accident and the 3rd choice btw. McClay needs a a teammate to help with that side of the ball

 

[Pstevens]

No, they are not. This might have been true several years ago, but hasn't been true for some time. We haven't drafted well since when, 2018?

And your still talking about the least of their problems

 

[McKDaddy]

You know, it's more about who we didn't take. Torrence over Schoonmaker and we wouldn't have been forced to take Booker.

Keep McGovern & you don't have to spend pick on center either.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

@J_Allen was disappointed too many times. I get it. But Carr was an above average NFL corner. Awful was what led Dallas to sign Carr if I remember correctly.

Yeah they signed Carr and traded up for Claiborne. People complain but I appreciated the effort. Shoring up a weakness. Didn’t work.

Carr was solid. He was guarding the opposing teams number one so yeah he has some performances against Odell and Calvin that were memorable.

 

[stuckindc]

He was a terrible cornerback and was paid a lot of money at the time, but that doesn't mean you change your whole philosophy.

Correct. But the point is they have no clue what they’re doing and it’s shown since the Day Jimmy walked out the door

 

[kskboys]

And your still talking about the least of their problems

Drafting badly is 2nd to Jerry as far as problems go. We can't win due to a terrible D. Our D is terrible due to bad drafting. Jerry is responsible for drafting.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Mazi, Schoonmaker and then Guyton, Kneeland back to back years at the top of the draft is killing this team.

And we're supposed to believe everything is JUUUUUST fine with them having an extra late 1st round pick the next 2 years? Expect more of the same misses...

 

[J_Allen]

Correct. But the point is they have no clue what they’re doing and it’s shown since the Day Jimmy walked out the door

There's no doubt about that. What should have been 4 straight Super Bowls turned into barely winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 years. I don't consider that third Super Bowl an achievement whatsoever - it's an underachievement.

 

[kskboys]

There's no doubt about that. What should have been 4 straight Super Bowls turned into barely winning 3 Super Bowls in 4 years.

5 straight. Maybe more if Jimmy doesn't let Jerry waste his money on Deion and let a pile of key players walk.

 

[J_Allen]

5 straight. Maybe more if Jimmy doesn't let Jerry waste his money on Deion and let a pile of key players walk.

Jerry let everybody walk out the door but somehow had a load of cash for Deion, who would bring a pillow to the film room. What a great example.