2023 NFL Draft Thread

[RandyMarsh]

50 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

If Robinson is Edgerrin James, I take him 6th. 

 

I'd be fine with taking Bijan at 6. Not that he is for sure going to get to his level but he reminds me alot of Marshall Faulk and somebody who I think could really transform the offense. 

[Jason_R]

Charlie Campbell has had Robinson mocked to Detroit at #18 for a while, and yes the comp one of his sources gave him was Faulk. 
 

https://walterfootball.com/scoutingreport2023BRobinson.php

[RandyMarsh]

Well Bijan just posted a 4.47 and 4.48 40 time. Not blazing fast but considering his size it is impressive not to mention all the other things he does well is what makes him special. 

[gehringer_2]

26 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Well Bijan just posted a 4.47 and 4.48 40 time. Not blazing fast but considering his size it is impressive not to mention all the other things he does well is what makes him special. 

does sort of blow up the Edgerrin James comp a bit though.

Edited March 5, 2023 by gehringer_2

[1984Echoes]

33 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Well Bijan just posted a 4.47 and 4.48 40 time. Not blazing fast but considering his size it is impressive not to mention all the other things he does well is what makes him special. 

What that also says is that he and his camp won't be able to talk themselves into a top 6 selection... they'll be weighed down in comparison to all the other crazy athletes and their crazy numbers...

He might still go top 10... but now there would seem to be a greater chance that he could drift to #18.

That also says... with the Panthers hot for trading up, that if we're in the right spot for a Panthers trade, and Holmes would rather take a big Panthers trade package than select, Murphy for example at #6... then selecting at #9 probably gets him his pick of the top CB that he's interested in...

But I'm just speculatin'...

And I still want Gonzalez over all the other CB's... He's my #1 guy there...

[MichiganCardinal]

I don't think Bijan makes it to the Lions at 18, but I wouldn't put it past Holmes to move up and get him if he slides within striking range.

[1984Echoes]

Or...

Holmes selects someone in the 2nd/ 3rd/ 5th/ or 6th that no one was talking about and he turns into a good back for us...

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2023 by 1984Echoes

[Hongbit]

I’d be disappointed if they drafted any RB in the first round.    It’s the least valued position in the league and there are ton of options in both the later rounds as well as many proven backs in free agency.    This would be a luxury pick and they still have multiple needs that are more scarce and harder to find than RB.   First round picks are especially important assets for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs for 6 years.  They need to be able to maximize the value of these and I don’t think taking a RB would do that. 

[buddha]

i hate the idea of drafting a rb in the first round, BUT if there are only X amount of elite players in the draft and bijan is one of them, then maybe you do take him at 18?  if he's mccaffery only healthy...well...

this team played so much better when swift was available and healthy.  if robinson can give you that?  maybe you pull the trigger at 18?

[Jason_R]

I’d be happy with 18, concerned at 6. 

But I’m not convinced of the value of anyone likely to be there at 6.

[1984Echoes]

14 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

I’d be happy with 18, concerned at 6. 

But I’m not convinced of the value of anyone likely to be there at 6.

We just need...

The Raiders, Falcons & Panthers to be convinced of the value of Will Levis at #6 so there ends up being a bidding war for the rights to draft him...

[buddha]

1 hour ago, 1984Echoes said:

We just need...

The Raiders, Falcons & Panthers to be convinced of the value of Will Levis at #6 so there ends up being a bidding war for the rights to draft him...

the odds are 50/50 that ALL of the 4 qbs will be gone by 6.

[MichiganCardinal]

4 hours ago, Hongbit said:

I’d be disappointed if they drafted any RB in the first round.    It’s the least valued position in the league and there are ton of options in both the later rounds as well as many proven backs in free agency.    This would be a luxury pick and they still have multiple needs that are more scarce and harder to find than RB.   First round picks are especially important assets for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs for 6 years.  They need to be able to maximize the value of these and I don’t think taking a RB would do that. 

 

3 hours ago, buddha said:

i hate the idea of drafting a rb in the first round, BUT if there are only X amount of elite players in the draft and bijan is one of them, then maybe you do take him at 18?  if he's mccaffery only healthy...well...

this team played so much better when swift was available and healthy.  if robinson can give you that?  maybe you pull the trigger at 18?

The thing about Bijan Robinson is that he's more than your typical back. He sounds like an Alvin Kamara (in his prime... without the assaults...), that can run through between the tackles on first down and gain seven yards, and then motion to the slot and run a fly route for 40 yards on 2nd down. He's both the best runner and receiver in the draft.

If there were clear better options, or if we only had the one first round pick, I think I would stay away too. But sometimes the "luxury" pick is what can put you over the top.

[Stanley70]

I think it's more likely they trade up for a QB than take a RB in the first.I know it's tempting but they have Swift for another year and there will be RB's in next year's draft.

[RandyMarsh]

Itll end up being the 4 qbs and Will Anderson which would be the worst outcome in my eyes since we lost out on a trade back with no qbs and out on the guy by most accounts seems to be in a tier above the other defenders now that Carter is going through his thing. 

If that were to happen then that's when Im ok with going with guys like Bijan, Johnston or even the top onlinemen and then get your corner at 18. This of course is assuming that Holmes doesnt have a defacto number 1 DB in mind in which case probably need to take him there and not risk losing out on him.

[Hongbit]

7 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

 

The thing about Bijan Robinson is that he's more than your typical back. He sounds like an Alvin Kamara (in his prime... without the assaults...), that can run through between the tackles on first down and gain seven yards, and then motion to the slot and run a fly route for 40 yards on 2nd down. He's both the best runner and receiver in the draft.

If there were clear better options, or if we only had the one first round pick, I think I would stay away too. But sometimes the "luxury" pick is what can put you over the top.

I’d love to add the next Alvin Kamara to this offense.   I want them to find him in the 3rd round just like the Saints did with Kamara.   These guys are so fragile and the shelf life is short that it adds to the risk of taking one so high.  Even if they don’t bust, the durability on almost all of them is so low.   Barkley and CMC are great players taken top 10 but both have been injured and played in less than 75% of games which is less reliable than Swift, who you guys already complain about missing too many games.   

In today’s NFL, I’m not so sure it’s even a good idea to ever sign a RB to a 2nd contract.    The fall off is so quick along with damage that it seems best to draft them outside the first and keep changing out every 4 years.   Really effective new ones pop up every single draft now in the later rounds.   I’d hate to spend the 6th pick on someone that it probably doesn’t make sense to extend beyond their rookie deal.  

It does sound like you are off the idea of spending 6 on him so maybe it makes more sense at 18 but I still think they need to place their 1st round bets in other areas.  
 

 

[Stanley70]

Tyree Wilson could be an option for them at 6. I would guess it depends on if they bring back Cominsky and/or Okwara though. Even if he is there that may be a trade back possibility.

As far a CB's go i think there is Porter/Gonzales/Weatherspoon and then a drop off for the next level. If they want a CB1 they may have to get him with their first pick, because those 3 may be gone by 18. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Stanley70

[buddha]

1 hour ago, Hongbit said:

I’d love to add the next Alvin Kamara to this offense.   I want them to find him in the 3rd round just like the Saints did with Kamara.   These guys are so fragile and the shelf life is short that it adds to the risk of taking one so high.  Even if they don’t bust, the durability on almost all of them is so low.   Barkley and CMC are great players taken top 10 but both have been injured and played in less than 75% of games which is less reliable than Swift, who you guys already complain about missing too many games.   

In today’s NFL, I’m not so sure it’s even a good idea to ever sign a RB to a 2nd contract.    The fall off is so quick along with damage that it seems best to draft them outside the first and keep changing out every 4 years.   Really effective new ones pop up every single draft now in the later rounds.   I’d hate to spend the 6th pick on someone that it probably doesn’t make sense to extend beyond their rookie deal.  

It does sound like you are off the idea of spending 6 on him so maybe it makes more sense at 18 but I still think they need to place their 1st round bets in other areas.  
 

 

barkley played every game last year but one.

additionally, when barkley plays, he plays 80-90% of the offensive snaps.  swift rarely plays more than 40% of the lions snaps.  in fact, in many of the games where he "played", he was 1) unproductive; and 2) played about 1/3 of the offensive plays.

your insistence that because swift "played" in games means he's not unreliable because of injury is puzzling.  swift played well in a handful of games last year.  other than that, he was not used much.  he is a glorified third down back and not a back like barkley or potentially robinson.

swift is in a contract year, so we'll see if he can play through enough pain to get paid after this year.

[RandyMarsh]

Reading up on the updated beliefs from the evaluators post combine and more than one has said that they think a bunch of rbs may fly off the board in rds 2-3 cause there are several really good ones apparently but the consensus is that Bijan is the 1A and Gibbs being a little behind then.

Maybe they pass on Bijan at 6 and just wait till 18 knowing that the other elite one in Gibbs should be there at the very least. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

The Lions having two second round picks makes me think they will wait until then to grab a RB. If there are a cluster of guys they feel are really good I could see them waiting until the second but trading up to ensure they get their guy.

[Hongbit]

39 minutes ago, buddha said:

barkley played every game last year but one.

additionally, when barkley plays, he plays 80-90% of the offensive snaps.  swift rarely plays more than 40% of the lions snaps.  in fact, in many of the games where he "played", he was 1) unproductive; and 2) played about 1/3 of the offensive plays.

your insistence that because swift "played" in games means he's not unreliable because of injury is puzzling.  swift played well in a handful of games last year.  other than that, he was not used much.  he is a glorified third down back and not a back like barkley or potentially robinson.

swift is in a contract year, so we'll see if he can play through enough pain to get paid after this year.

I don’t want them to resign Swift.    I just think he gets a bad rap from fans for being unreliable and underperforming.  He’s the best back the team has drafted since Barry.  That includes about 30 different players.   Go ahead and nitpick the names.  30 players drafted over 30 years is alot.

How the team chooses to use him is great.  80% of plays is too much wear and tear and the Giants will regret that number.  Good teams have a reliable 2nd and 3rd back.  That is no knock on Swift.  

There have been maybe three games in his career where they have trotted him out as mainly a decoy while he wasn’t fully able to play.   It’s very much the exception and not the rule yet you keep bringing these situations up because it sounds believable.  


 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Hongbit

[buddha]

26 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

I don’t want them to resign Swift.    I just think he gets a bad rap from fans for being unreliable and underperforming.  He’s the best back the team has drafted since Barry.  That includes about 30 different players.   Go ahead and nitpick the names.  30 players drafted over 30 years is alot.

How the team chooses to use him is great.  80% of plays is too much wear and tear and the Giants will regret that number.  Good teams have a reliable 2nd and 3rd back.  That is no knock on Swift.  

There have been maybe three games in his career where they have trotted him out as mainly a decoy while he wasn’t fully able to play.   It’s very much the exception and not the rule yet you keep bringing these situations up because it sounds believable.  


 

 

i dont bring it up "because it sounds believable," i bring it up because i watch the games and i see how he plays.  there is a big difference between swift playing hard and running strong and swift looking for contact and playing weak and busting everything outside.

he played more than half the lions' snaps in 5 games last year.  one was the first game of the year when he was healthy and played extremely well.  after that washington game in week 2?  not so much.

 

[MichiganCardinal]

2 hours ago, Hongbit said:

I’d love to add the next Alvin Kamara to this offense.   I want them to find him in the 3rd round just like the Saints did with Kamara.   These guys are so fragile and the shelf life is short that it adds to the risk of taking one so high.  Even if they don’t bust, the durability on almost all of them is so low.   Barkley and CMC are great players taken top 10 but both have been injured and played in less than 75% of games which is less reliable than Swift, who you guys already complain about missing too many games.   

In today’s NFL, I’m not so sure it’s even a good idea to ever sign a RB to a 2nd contract.    The fall off is so quick along with damage that it seems best to draft them outside the first and keep changing out every 4 years.   Really effective new ones pop up every single draft now in the later rounds.   I’d hate to spend the 6th pick on someone that it probably doesn’t make sense to extend beyond their rookie deal.  

It does sound like you are off the idea of spending 6 on him so maybe it makes more sense at 18 but I still think they need to place their 1st round bets in other areas.  

In fairness, I believe Kamara fell inexplicably in 2017. He was projected as a late 1st or early 2nd, similar to Gibbs right now. As buddha said, we have differences of opinion about Swift's durability. I think the fact that Jamaal Williams was able to break the franchise record for TDs in a season as RB2 speaks more to Swift's absence than it does Williams' presence (though Jamaal being the goalline back.

I tend to agree about not re-signing workhorse running backs, but I think the way to do it is to draft your RB1 pretty high every 3-5 years or so. Maybe not always 1st round, but high enough that you're getting a playmaker like Kamara, CMC, Barkley, or DHen. Then when their rookie contract is up, let someone else pay them. Even if we put Swift in that group, the time to replace him probably is now, before his 4th season, with five picks in the first 85, and when Swift might still have some marginal trade value (3rd or 4th round pick maybe?).

I wouldn't be thrilled with taking him at 6, but I would understand it if both Wilson and Anderson are off the board and trading down is not an option. There's not a lot of tremendous value elsewhere, and if he's the #1 guy on your big board, I get it... I am warming to Jahmyr Gibbs, and would probably be okay with a strategy of sitting at 18 and taking Bijan if he's there, Gibbs if he's not... I don't see that kind of difference maker in Charbonnet, McIntosh, Achane, et al.

[Hongbit]

I hate Gibbs.  Seems small and fragile.    Achane is even worse. 

Edited March 6, 2023 by Hongbit

[Motown Bombers]

Speaking of running backs...

https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1632783763938607107?t=JcNneWHpP9LiDcDAKtxKqA&s=19