2023 NFL Draft As-It-Happens

[sagnam]

5 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

This is Snacks Harrison RAS:

Run stuffing space eaters are generally not great athletes. They did struggle against the run at times. 

Did you photoshop that!  Holy hell!

[buddha]

8 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Instant Reactions:

Jahmyr Gibbs: B+

Jack Campbell: B+

Sam LaPorta: B+

Brian Branch: A+

Hendon Hooker: A

Brodric Martin: C-

B

B-

C

A+

A+

D

[RandyMarsh]

As horrible as Snacks score is there's no doubt he would look like Usain Bolt next to me. 

[MichiganCardinal]

3 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

As horrible as Snacks score is there's no doubt he would look like Usain Bolt next to me. 

Lol truly. 6'3" / 339 lbs and running a 5.31 40?? Nope.

[Motown Bombers]

The Lions defense immediately got better after they got Snacks. If Martin can eat space and free up and LB and pass rushers this could turn into a solid pick. The Lions got gashed in the run at times last year. They seem to be addressing that with Campbell and now Martin. They had already addressed the pass defense and they have spent resources in the past on pass rushers. 

[RandyMarsh]

B(if you include the pick and the trade)

B+

B

A

B

C

 

Nothing I would say that I absolutely love about the draft thus far(other than Campbell but seeing how far Simpson and Sanders dropped it prevented it from being an A) and nothing I absolutely hated. I question the Martin pick and would've preferred to get an X receiver or one of the few 2nd rd graded corners left instead of Hooker but I can understand the rationale behind the pick. 

 

[gehringer_2]

8 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

One of the NFL Network analysts saying he thinks Hooker is the best deep ball thrower in the draft.

LOL - I was just reading scouting reports on this that claimed his arm strength is less than elite! I think the media types are all just riffing. The teams have the hard metrics and they don't share them.

[buddha]

 Detroit Lions: Brodric Martin, DT, Western Kentucky - D Grade

I don't get why the Lions surrendered resources to move up for Brodric Martin, whom I had in the middle of the third day. Detroit wanted a defensive tackle - Gervon Dexter was an option in the second round - but Martin is a reach. I love Detroit's draft, but not this pick.

[RandyMarsh]

His arm strength may not be elite but his deep ball accuracy and touch is what makes the deep ball so good. I watched a few Tennessee games this past year and he threw some dimes that would just drop right into the receiver hands in stride. Was very impressive. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by RandyMarsh

[buddha]

Detroit Lions: Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee - A+ Grade

I absolutely love this pick. Hendon Hooker is a quarterback I had rated above Will Levis, who went way earlier than this. He's an athletic player with great passing ability, but he fell because he's a 26-year-old coming off a torn ACL. However, he doesn't need to play right away. The Lions can develop him and have him as the starter down the road.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[buddha]

Detroit Lions: Brian Branch, S, Alabama - A+ Grade

Brian Branch's fall finally ends. He should have been taken off the board 20 picks ago, so I can't blame the Lions for leaping up 10 spots to select him. Branch is a very versatile defensive back who can play anywhere in the secondary, so he'll be a great fit for a secondary that needed one more piece. This is a great value selection, so I'm willing to give it an A+.

[buddha]

Detroit Lions: Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa - B Grade

Iowa tight ends have worked well for the Lions before, so why not draft another one? I think Michael Mayer would have been the better pick, but LaPorta is a dynamic receiving threat who will make the offensive even more explosive.

[buddha]

Detroit Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama - A- Grade

I think the Lions could have gotten Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 18, but you never know. Thus, I don't hate this value, especially because Detroit moved down in the first place. Gibbs has drawn comparisons to Jamaal Charles and Alvin Kamara, so Gibbs will help the Lions win the Super Bowl. Yes, the Super Bowl. Unlike the Falcons, the Lions are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, so I really like this selection.

[Motown Bombers]

Do you put McNeil and Martin on the field at the same time? That's a lot of beef for the middle of the line. 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

My grade: B

This seems like another one of those picks where Brad Holmes locked in on a guy and decided to go and get him, and I’m all for that. Martin is a beefy, run-stuffing nose tackle who fits a very similar profile to Isaiah Buggs, who the Lions just re-signed to fill their interior.

This pick gives the Lions depth at the position beyond just Buggs, and will help keep them both fresh. It also frees up Alim McNeill to spend more time playing at the three technique, where he had the most success at last season.

It looks expensive for the Lions to give up what they did for Martin, but I don’t have a problem with it. The Lions roster is not what it was in years past; if the Lions walked away from day three with five new players, a good chunk of them would not have made the final 53-man roster. Instead, the Lions honed in on a guy who fills a specific role that they know is important to the success of their defense.

Martin certainly doesn’t test as an elite athlete with a RAS of 2.14, but that’s to be expected of a nose tackle. You’re drafting him for his beef and size on the interior, not for his pass rushing skills or his agility.

We’re at the point in the draft where players are filling niche roles; you’re probably not getting a starter or instant significant contributor on a roster as deep as that of the Lions. That being said, I’m all for the Lions getting their guy and getting some necessary depth.

Grading the Detroit Lions’ 2023 NFL Draft selection of Western Kentucky defensive tackle Brodric Martin - Pride Of Detroit

[buddha]

kelee ringo, adabawore, dawans jones...

a lot of people had them in round 1.

ouch.

[Motor City Sonics]

 

[buddha]

mel has the lions as a "winner" of day 2.  mostly becauae of branch and hooker, but he liked laporta too.

[MichiganCardinal]

Still a lot of perceived value on the board for day three.

Antonio Johnson is a slot corner with immense upside. Jarrett Patterson is a potential future starting offensive guard. Kelee Ringo is a potential starting outside corner. Cam Mitchell too. AT Perry and Andrei Iosivas are both still there as tall receivers. Adetomiwa Adebawore has a lot of talent as a pass rusher but lacks a natural position, which is I’m sure why he’s falling. Noah Sewell is a culture fit at a position that probably still needs a little depth. Jammie Robinson was a guy they met several times through the process.

[MichiganCardinal]

8 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

 

Glad he seemed to handle things well.

[Motown Bombers]

5 of the 6 picks look to be immediate contributors which is nice for a team looking to contend. At the end of the day, Holmes came away with 6 players taken in the top 100 and still has picks left. 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Motown Bombers]

PFF has Brodric Martin as one of their biggest sleepers in the draft.

"Martin is a discount store version of Jordan Davis, last year’s first defensive tackle drafted. He has egregiously long arms (34 3/8 inches) for an over 7-foot wingspan and holds 337 pounds with ease. He’s got all the makings of a two-gapper at the next level. He took a massive step forward with his performance this past fall, racking up 23 pressures and earning a 77.5 pass-rushing grade."

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-biggest-sleepers-2023-nfl-draft-class