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2023 NFL Draft Thread


Mr.TaterSalad

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1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

Theo Riddick would be the Lions 2nd leading receiver last year. I'm down for that especially when the Lions have an innovative offensive coordinator now. 

Especially with Swift not being able to stay on the field and Williams being our every down back now, I think adding a pass catching threat out of the backfield like Sharpe would be a big plus for this offense. A Theo Riddick like player in this offense, with Ben Johnson calling the shots, opens up a lot of different play designs and sets we can run.

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i'm not a scout.  i just read other people's scouting reports.  he could be the second coming of barry sanders for all i know.

but he sounded like a small running back who busts everything outside who can run away from college defenders but who will struggle in the pros.  

in fairness, that's MOST college running backs.  of the charbonnets and the corums and everyone not named bijan robinson its likely to be them too.

we all get draft crushes and convince ourselves this or that guy will be a star based on someone else's scouting.  its fun.  i do it all the time too.

we'll have to see where he falls on draft day.  a lot of people are talking about him after the senior bowl.

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17 minutes ago, buddha said:

i added BOTH as qualifiers. 

Pass blocking shouldn’t even be a qualifier anymore for RB’s.  It’s a thing of the past.   If an OC creates a play that relies on a RB to do anything more than a basic chip then it was either the flawed in design or the QB held the ball too long.    Either way not the RB’s fault.  

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1 hour ago, Hongbit said:

If you are going to use pass blocking as a key component in rating these RB’s then make sure to cross Gibbs, Charbonnet, Corum, Achane, and pretty much every other skill back off your list too.

Pass-blocking is a skill usually coached up in the NFL. It seems like with most drafted backs. Not all take to it, not all need it... 

But the guys you listed have enough talent to get there... even if it takes some coaching up. I'm not worried. Charbonnet is what? 6' 1" 225 #'s? I think he'll get there.

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I don't want a Riddick-type back... this year. 

I want a strong backup for when Swift goes down. If Swift wasn't so injury prone, I'd be totally open to another Riddick. But I think that has to be resolved first, prior to spending another roster spot on a potential Riddick-type.

Just my 2 cents.

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1 hour ago, Hongbit said:

Pass blocking shouldn’t even be a qualifier anymore for RB’s.  It’s a thing of the past.   If an OC creates a play that relies on a RB to do anything more than a basic chip then it was either the flawed in design or the QB held the ball too long.    Either way not the RB’s fault.  

I think the NFL values a back that can correctly pick up a blitz.

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4 minutes ago, sagnam said:

I think the NFL values a back that can correctly pick up a blitz.

They did.  Don’t think it’s as important now since defensive guys are so much more athletic.   Can’t expect a back to do more than slow a guy for a second to buy time for the QB to get the ball out quick to a blitz option or maybe help on a double team block.   It’s a bad play if you rely on the RB to actually make a good block by himself.  

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2 hours ago, Hongbit said:

Pass blocking shouldn’t even be a qualifier anymore for RB’s.  It’s a thing of the past.   

This is not what OCs think. 

If you can’t put a player on the field on any down and any situation, you don’t draft him in the first. There are few RBs who can be put on the field in any down and any situation, including to pass block. 

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28 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

Don’t think it’s as important now since defensive guys are so much more athletic.  

 agree a RB should not be expected to do much against DE/DT on an overload, but a lot of blitzes are LBs or DBs and a RB should be able hold his own in those situations. I would still rate it at a useful skill.

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I never said it wasn’t a useful skill.  It definitely is.    It’s become more of a plus than a must have to stay on the field.

Remember too the rules have changed and RB’s aren’t able to block low and cut guys on a blitz in the backfield.  It makes it almost impossible for some of the smaller guys to take someone on 1v1.

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14 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

This is not what OCs think. 

If you can’t put a player on the field on any down and any situation, you don’t draft him in the first. There are few RBs who can be put on the field in any down and any situation, including to pass block. 

7 years ago sure.   Now any play that relies on a RB to make a solo block is a bad play design.  The game moves so quick now.  There’s a reason the ball needs to comes out in under 3 seconds on most plays.  

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4 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

I never said it wasn’t a useful skill.  It definitely is.    It’s become more of a plus than a must have to stay on the field.

Remember too the rules have changed and RB’s aren’t able to block low and cut guys on a blitz in the backfield.  It makes it almost impossible for some of the smaller guys to take someone on 1v1.

Sure, it's always a balance of what else the guy brings. We had a guy even in the game as it was played a few years back make a pretty good name for himself as a running back who you'd be hard pressed to find film of doing much blocking....:classic_laugh:

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3 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Isn't Williams, at least for next year, our feature, every down back in the offense? I agree that we need a long term replacement for Swift. But with Williams operating as the feature back, don't we need a pass catching specialist out of the backfield? I think Sharpe fits that role well, at least on paper.

No, I don't think so.

It will be Swift or a draft pick (if it's top 3 rounds); just like it should have been in 2022.

I don't think they intended Williams to be a feature back in this offense in 2022... he just got pushed into it.

But he wasn't ideal. 

And I don't believe they count on it, in that way, in 2023. It will be Jamaal/ Swift as a thunder & lightning combo again, as it should be. No feature back.

So draft-wise, I want another back that can step in as a #1A or 1B with Jamaal, if/ when Swift goes down again. Not to repeat myself but, I don't want a Riddick-type until we have a healthy enough situation at the top where we can start looking at unique weapons like a Riddick...

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3 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Isn't Williams, at least for next year, our feature, every down back in the offense? I agree that we need a long term replacement for Swift. But with Williams operating as the feature back, don't we need a pass catching specialist out of the backfield? I think Sharpe fits that role well, at least on paper.

I love JW, & I hope they resign him for his character & work ethic alone, but I have a sinking feeling we've seen his best.  I like him on the goal line, but I'd like to have a back who can make people miss too.

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running backs have an awfully short shelf life.  especially guys who play like williams and take that punishment.

otoh, i think holmes likes to reward guys like williams who are good locker room guys and fit into the team.  so i suspect they will re-sign him.  hopefully for something not much more than what they paid him this year.  

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Jaamal Williams averaged 4.1 YPC, 17 TDs and had a 1,000 yard season. He was only 73 total rushing yards behind Christian McCaffery and 55 total rushing yards behind Aaron Jones. McCaffery averaged .6 YPC more than Williams and Jones 1.2 YPC more. We consider them "obviously better" backs than Williams, but statistically speaking last year, he held his own and was respectable in comparison.

I think for one more season, assuming the wheels don't fall off the bus, we can possibly rely on Williams as feature back. Doesn't mean I'm sold on the idea either, nor am I against a taking a back with out 2nd round pick.  Hence why I drafted Gibbs in my mock yesterday. I don't think though that I want to burn our 1st round pick on Bijan Robinson though. That's a little too much of a reach when talented guys are typically found all over the draft.

Edited by Mr.TaterSalad
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