2023 NFL Draft Thread

[RandyMarsh]

Witherspoon was my number 1 CB and those numbers just solidified that. 

[Motown Bombers]

I've been a fan of Witherspoon and he seems to have Dan Campbell written all over him. 

[KL2]

22 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

Carolina, Houston, Indy, Seattle, LV, Atl, Tenn, NE, Wash and TB (and maybe Det and Minn) could use a young QB.

There are 3, maybe 4 with Levis, or 5 if you include Hooker, QBs - I expect a lot of trade ups to get one of them

Lol if your definition is that loose. There are 10 teams that need young qbs every year and not 18 trade ups.

[Motown Bombers]

 

[RedRamage]

This is from: https://www.footballguys.com/article/2023-williams-mock-draft-2
I think I'd do that trade.  Get a second 1st and 2nd rounder next year when there isn't a guy that I think is lock pick for the 6th pick right now.  I don't love losing pick 81 but we would also get 119.

Interestingly they have Carter falling all the way to 26.  I don't think I'd mind the Lions taking a shot at Carter at 18 or 23 if it played out this way.  FWIW, they have the Lions taking  Brian Branch (S) at 18 and  Drew Sanders (LB) at 23.

[buddha]

30 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

This is from: https://www.footballguys.com/article/2023-williams-mock-draft-2
I think I'd do that trade.  Get a second 1st and 2nd rounder next year when there isn't a guy that I think is lock pick for the 6th pick right now.  I don't love losing pick 81 but we would also get 119.

Interestingly they have Carter falling all the way to 26.  I don't think I'd mind the Lions taking a shot at Carter at 18 or 23 if it played out this way.  FWIW, they have the Lions taking  Brian Branch (S) at 18 and  Drew Sanders (LB) at 23.

an average athletic safety and a linebacker.  i doubt they'd do that.

[RedRamage]

4 minutes ago, buddha said:

an average athletic safety and a linebacker.  i doubt they'd do that.

Yeah the mocked picks seem bad, but I liked the trade.

[1984Echoes]

I think that's weak sauce for a Lions team that is more interested in obtaining dynamic playmakers.

I prefer the trade #6 and #18 for Jeffery Simmons and #11 and #72.

Select Bijan, Gonzalez, Witherspoon or Murphy at #11. 

These are the types of playmakers Holmes is looking for.

And they still have #48, 55, 72 and 81 (plus 5th and 6ths) to maneuver around and go after a player they like, or to just stay put and take those kind of depth players in this area... OG Avila, CB DJ Turner, LB Simpson or Henley, OT Freeland, RB Charbonnet, C/OG/OT Tippman, Safety Jordan Battle, WR Rice, DE Derick Hall, CB Ryu Blu Kelly, TE Musgrave, TE Kincaid, OG Mauch, LB Sanders, DT Adebawore, WR Tillman, LB Campbell, etc., etc...

Yeah, there are all sorts of depth guys who could turn into starters in the 2nd and 3rd.

I want playmakers with our two 1sts. As does Holmes.

[djhutch]

19 hours ago, RedRamage said:

This is from: https://www.footballguys.com/article/2023-williams-mock-draft-2
I think I'd do that trade.  Get a second 1st and 2nd rounder next year when there isn't a guy that I think is lock pick for the 6th pick right now.  I don't love losing pick 81 but we would also get 119.

Interestingly they have Carter falling all the way to 26.  I don't think I'd mind the Lions taking a shot at Carter at 18 or 23 if it played out this way.  FWIW, they have the Lions taking  Brian Branch (S) at 18 and  Drew Sanders (LB) at 23.

The picks next year are what would move me to make that trade. I think next year's draft is deeper & stronger at the top, & I don't think Minnesota is going to be able to put together so many lucky 1-score wins this coming season.  They should be decent picks.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

On 4/5/2023 at 12:28 PM, RandyMarsh said:

Witherspoon was my number 1 CB and those numbers just solidified that. 

I prefer Gonzalez over Witherspoon due to his size and arm length/wingspan. That said, I can get onboard with taking a Corner at #6 if they can't trade back and don't have enough knowledge of either player and how they fit our scheme to be critical if they take one over the other. I just slightly prefer the measurables of Gonzalez.

[Hongbit]

26 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I prefer Gonzalez over Witherspoon due to his size and arm length/wingspan. That said, I can get onboard with taking a Corner at #6 if they can't trade back and don't have enough knowledge of either player and how they fit our scheme to be critical if they take one over the other. I just slightly prefer the measurables of Gonzalez.

I prefer Witherspoon.  More polished, experienced, and productive right now. He could step in and start from day 1.  Big 10 corners are allowed to be more physical than in the Pac-12 where they call PI for breathing too close.  I also like that he has prior experience with Kerby as that can only be a help for them.  

[Motown Bombers]

Witherspoon seems like a Campbell guy and I'm sure they had their eye on him when they scouted Joseph. 

[RandyMarsh]

Since I'm a Michigan fan I of course follow the B1G more closely and have seen Witherspoon a few times so I may be biased but to me he always stood out and made plays even when he wasn't being targeted. Also he was the definition of a lockdown guy this year, for the year he only gave up 22 catches for 206 yards and no TDs. That's under 2 catches and 20 yards a game.  He had 17 combined pass breakups and interceptions so nearly as many breakups as catches he allowed which is insane. 

 

[Motown Bombers]

I would take Witherspoon over Carter. Carter has higher upside but I feel Witherspoon is a safe pick. 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Just now, Motown Bombers said:

I would take Witherspoon over Carter. Carter has higher upside but I feel Witherspoon is a safe pick. 

I get the feeling both Campbell and Holmes would too.

[RandyMarsh]

I will say one thing that kinda concerns me about Witherspoon is that he was like a zero star recruit and didn't really excel his first couple years in college. As I mentioned above he dominated this year but it does worry me a little that he doesn't have more of a pedigree like the vast majority of early picks usually have. 

[1984Echoes]

4 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I get the feeling both Campbell and Holmes would too.

I think it's Aaron Glenn that has a huge thing for Witherspoon... he's on record as such I believe...

[1984Echoes]

6 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I would take Witherspoon over Carter. Carter has higher upside but I feel Witherspoon is a safe pick. 

From a talent perspective I wouldn't do that...

But from a team perspective...

That may be exactly what Holmes/ DC/ AG decide to do...

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

From a talent perspective I wouldn't do that...

But from a team perspective...

That may be exactly what Holmes/ DC/ AG decide to do...

I don't know, Witherspoon didn't show up to his pro day too fat to run a 40. Hard to tell who has the talent advantage. 

[buddha]

you're picking in the top 10, take a swing at the most talented player.  that's carter or anderson or richardson.  if none are there, take a corner.

but that's the "public" board.  holmes et al might have a different board.

[Motown Bombers]

I wonder if in a few years Jacksonville will be happy for taking a swing at Travon Walker instead of taking the more sure thing? 

[Hongbit]

1 hour ago, RandyMarsh said:

I will say one thing that kinda concerns me about Witherspoon is that he was like a zero star recruit and didn't really excel his first couple years in college. As I mentioned above he dominated this year but it does worry me a little that he doesn't have more of a pedigree like the vast majority of early picks usually have. 

You just described Christian Gonzalez as well.  

[buddha]

39 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I wonder if in a few years Jacksonville will be happy for taking a swing at Travon Walker instead of taking the more sure thing? 

like jeff okudah was?

and dont pretend like you didnt like that pick when they made it.

[buddha]

there are no "sure things" in the draft.

if holmes thinks gonzalez or witherspoon are better than carter, take em.  i trust him more than me, a guy who reads what other people write and forms opinions on it.  

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, buddha said:

like jeff okudah was?

and dont pretend like you didnt like that pick when they made it.

I did like the Okudah pick. Obviously in hindsight if we knew Stafford would ask to be traded a year later I would have rather went for the QBs. I also don't think Okudah is a bust yet. His rookie year was during COVID when training camp was limited and also with Patricia. He missed his entire second year basically so I look at this past year as his rookie year. It was up and down and this year will be his make or break. I value players who have the on field production like Hutchinson vs players who show up in workouts like Walker.