2022 NFL Draft Thread

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I'm a no on a QB this year overall. If one had to be taken, Malik Willis and Pickett are the guys I would consider, not Corrall, Ridder, or Strong. I agree on the Jahan Dotson pick too. We need a big bodied, tall receiver who was can stretch the field with and really be a vertical threat. 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[KL2]

2 hours ago, buddha said:

matt miller lions mock today:

1: hutch

1: corrall

2: dotson

3: jalen tolbert wr 

97: cam jurgens c nebraska

176: jack sanborn, lb wisconsin

179: deangelo malone db wku

218: dane belton s iowa (to make kl happy, no doubt)

232: johnny johnson wr oregon

240: thomas booker, dt stanford

seems fine.  not sure i would 1) take dotson because he's a slot receiver and they already have st brown; and 2) double up on receiver if one of the projected linebackers or safeties are there (muma, asomoah, brisker, hill).  

You can never have too many iowa guys. 

And I agree with you on the WR. Too many positions that need fixing to add two in the top 100. Sure something like 2 and 232 is fine. But, you have Brown, a guy you take high and then one of like a million FA wr is fine for this year. 

[1984Echoes]

2 hours ago, buddha said:

....

seems fine.  not sure i would 1) take dotson because he's a slot receiver and they already have st brown; and 2) double up on receiver if one of the projected linebackers or safeties are there (muma, asomoah, brisker, hill).  

Yeah, disagree with both of those moves.

And disagree on drafting Corrall. 

There are both better WR's in that area as well as better Safety/LB'ers than QB Corrall so (not the QB I'd target if we're using a late 1st on one this year...).

Ixne on both Corrall and Dotson.

Edited February 10, 2022 by 1984Echoes

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Since it's mock draft season, why not do a couple of the,. I did one with trades and one without.

Mock Draft #1: No Trades:

1st (#2): Aiden Hutchinson/DE Michigan

1st (#32): Traylon Burks/WR Arkansas

2nd: Kenneth Walker/RB MSU

3rd: Jalen Pitre/S Baylor

3rd: Darrian Beavers/LB Cincinnati

5th: Dai'Jean Dixon/WR Nicholls State

6th: Josh Paschal/Edge LB-DE Kentucky

7th: Clarence Hicks/LB UTSA

7th: Dylan Parham/OG Memphis

Mock Draft #2: With Trades:

In this mock draft I made two trades. I traded with the Giants and got picks #5 and #7 for pick #2. I traded back in the 2nd round with Denver acquiring their pick at #40 in the 2nd and an additional 3rd.

1st (#5 via NYG): Aiden Hutchinson/DE Michigan

1st (#7 via NYG): Garrett Wilson/WR Ohio State

1st (#32): Lewis Sine/S Georgia

2nd (via Denver): Isaiah Spiller/RB Texas A&M

3rd: Quay Walker/LB Georgia

3rd: Darrian Beavers/LB Cincinnati

3rd: Mykael Wright/CB Auburn

5th: Dai'Jean Dixon/WR Nicholls State

6th: Dohnovan West/OG Arizona State

6th: Alex Wright/DE UAB

 

 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[buddha]

why would the lions draft a running back in round 2?

why would the giants give up 5 and 7 to get to 2?  come on tater.  lol.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

8 hours ago, buddha said:

why would the lions draft a running back in round 2?

why would the giants give up 5 and 7 to get to 2?  come on tater.  lol.

Both Super Bowl teams drafted RBs in round #2, Joe Mixon and Cam Akers. The Titans took a RB in round #2 with Henry and the Chiefs did in round #1 with Edwards-Hilaire. If a guy like Kenneth Walker or Isiah Spiller can be your workhorse RB, that allows you a lot more offensive creativity and flexibility with Swift and opens up the offense in general. You have said you don't believe Swift is an RB #1, so why not load up on offensive weapons, with one of them being a top-tier RB who can help balance out the offense? Whether it is Goff or a new QB taken in this/next years draft, you'd be surrounding them and new OC Ben Johnson with all the offensive weapons they can handle. While I don't think RBs in the first round are worth it, going into the second round creates a different story.

Today's pathway to a Super Bowl is to score 25+ a game and hope your defense can create pressure on the QB and force turnovers to hold the opposing team to under the 25+ mark. In terms of PPG look at where all the playoff teams ranked, all but two (Eagles and Steelers) averaged over 25 PPG. Additionally, their defenses typically held opposing teams between 18-21 PPG with the Bills being the best defense at 18.1 PPG.

As for the Giants trading picks #5 and #7, the PFN simulator offered the trade so I took it. No one accused the Giants of having good ownership either lol.

I used to be in the build in the trenches and defense wins championships categories, but forget that. Sure, dominating the line of scrimmage still matters, because you still need to protect the QB, give plays time to develop, and on defense, disrupt plays starting at the line. But what you really need in today's NFL is a top-tier QB with a bunch of offensive weapons around them with adequate protection to allow plays to develop. We've got our O-line set, so protection shouldn't be an issue. We'll get our disruptors through the #2 pick and/or free agency. We don't have the offensive weapons of the best playoff teams below.

Bengals: Burrow, Mixon, Chase, Boyd, Higgins, Ozumah

Rams: Stafford, Akers, Henderson, Kupp, Woods, OBJ, Jefferson, Higbee

Chiefs: Mahomes, Edwards-Hilaire, Hill, Hardmon, Kelce

Bills: Allen, Diggs, Beasley, Sanders, Knox

Lions: Swift, St. Brown, Hockenson, ???

Edited February 11, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[buddha]

24 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Both Super Bowl teams drafted RBs in round #2, Joe Mixon and Cam Akers. The Titans took a RB in round #2 with Henry and the Chiefs did in round #1 with Edwards-Hilaire. If a guy like Kenneth Walker or Isiah Spiller can be your workhorse RB, that allows you a lot more offensive creativity and flexibility with Swift and opens up the offense in general. You have said you don't believe Swift is an RB #1, so why not load up on offensive weapons, with one of them being a top-tier RB who can help balance out the offense? Whether it is Goff or a new QB taken in this/next years draft, you'd be surrounding them and new OC Ben Johnson with all the offensive weapons they can handle. While I don't think RBs in the first round are worth it, going into the second round creates a different story.

Today's pathway to a Super Bowl is to score 25+ a game and hope your defense can create pressure on the QB and force turnovers to hold the opposing team to under the 25+ mark. In terms of PPG look at where all the playoff teams ranked, all but two (Eagles and Steelers) averaged over 25 PPG. Additionally, their defenses typically held opposing teams between 18-21 PPG with the Bills being the best defense at 18.1 PPG.

As for the Giants trading picks #5 and #7, the PFN simulator offered the trade so I took it. No one accused the Giants of having good ownership either lol.

I used to be in the build in the trenches and defense wins championships categories, but forget that. Sure, dominating the line of scrimmage still matters, because you still need to protect the QB, give plays time to develop, and on defense, disrupt plays starting at the line. But what you really need in today's NFL is a top-tier QB with a bunch of offensive weapons around them with adequate protection to allow plays to develop. We've got our O-line set, so protection shouldn't be an issue. We'll get our disruptors through the #2 pick and/or free agency. We don't have the offensive weapons of the best playoff teams below.

Bengals: Burrow, Mixon, Chase, Boyd, Higgins, Ozumah

Rams: Stafford, Akers, Henderson, Kupp, Woods, OBJ, Jefferson, Higbee

Chiefs: Mahomes, Edwards-Hilaire, Hill, Hardmon, Kelce

Bills: Allen, Diggs, Beasley, Sanders, Knox

Lions: Swift, St. Brown, Hockenson, ???

edwards-hillaire is your example of a successful pick?

as for all your examples of offensive teams, you could have stopped with the qb.  akers and henderson for the rams?  come on.

rb is the most replaceable position in the nfl.  the lions got good production from cast off udfas this year and even more from jamal williams.  im all for accumulating playmakers running backs in the top of the draft is not a way to do it.  walker aint no christian mccaffery.

those mock draft simulators are fun, but the trades they let you execute are ridiculous.  really, the giants offered you two top 7 picks for #2 in a year without a top qb and you took it?  well no shit you did.  of course you did!

would you offer #2 and #31 for #1 in this draft?  no, but i bet the trade simulator would.

[RandyMarsh]

Just for fun I'd figure I'd do a mock with no trades. The board didn't exactly turn out like I wanted to, I didnt want to take a CB with our Rams pick but the top 6 WRs were gone so I went with McCreary cause I felt him along with Stingley and Gardner were the top tier CBs then a drop off after.  Ebiketie is a beast and I think will probably go in the top 20 in the real draft so getting him in the 2nd I thought was a steal. Skye Moore I had as the 8th WR but from 7-12 I feel were all similar that's why I passed with the Rams pick so getting him with pick 101 I liked.  Hassan I just took as a homer pick, that's about the round I like to take a RB and he happened to be the best one available so I went with him. The rest I can't say I put any thought into just grabbed who was ranked highest according to PFF at that position. 

[MichiganCardinal]

I used to be in the “don’t draft a RB in the first four rounds EVER” camp. I think I’ve come around slightly in the last year or so to adding a RB in the second or third round, in some very limited scenarios. That said, the Lions most definitely do not fit in my circumstances for that right now.

If you can add an Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry, etc. to a really good team through the draft, you can make that team borderline elite. If you add Christian McCaffery to an aging Panthers team primed for a rebuild though, you can waste an elite player’s prime on a bad team, or more often waste a potentially good player (Best, Leshore, etc.) on a bad team. A RB has such a short shelf life in the NFL that it’s very easy to mistime their career arc.

I actually agree with a lot of what Tater said. I agree that the recipe for success in the NFL is to score a ton of points and to play OK to decent defense that creates pressure, doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, and capitalizes when the other team makes mistakes. I also agree that I don’t think Swift is an elite RB. He could still be on the team when the team gets to “really good” status, but I don’t think he is going to be the kind of player to make us elite, and would more likely be RB2/change of pace back by then.

If in 2023, we trade our two 1sts and our 2024 1st to go up and get Young or Stroud, and an elite RB (Kamara/Henry grade) is there in the 2nd or 3rd round, I would probably be okay with that. If we are a wildcard playoff exit in 2023 and take a RB in a higher round of 2024, I am probably okay with that.

As it is though, we have so many holes elsewhere. We don’t have the offensive weapons elsewhere to best utilize a really good RB. We also don’t have close to an OK defense. Every position could be upgraded. I think a RB taken by the Lions now would just turn into the next Best or Leshore.

[RandyMarsh]

RBs are replaceable though, Henry missed most of the season yet Tennessee still finished with the best record in the AFC, the Rams made the Super Bowl with virtually nothing from Akers.  The Cowboys drafted Elliott in the top 5 and they had their best season to date with him despite him having his worst season.  

[CMRivdogs]

I'll play. I used PFN because I like the system better. I do think all of these sims seem a bit dated in their evaluations.

2) Karlaftis. Hutchinson went #1, I'm not completely sold on Thibodeaux. Gut feeling Karlaftis may have a better upside.

32) Nakobe Dean LB. Highest rated LB and player on the board. 

34) Perrin Winfrey DT. Once highest rated guy on board.

66) Dotson WR. Highest rated receiver

177) James Mitchell TE. This is a stretch. I debated between him and Barno (Edge) and Haskins. Went with the VT TE because of his perceived versatility.

180) Haskins, he fell this far, was at the top of the board. 
218) Mike Rose LB. Highest pick on board

232 Vicent Grey

 

 

 

[Motown Bombers]

I tried my hand at a draft simulation. I don't follow college football, so beyond a few of the big names, I have no idea who these players and relied on scouting reports in PFN.

2.

Aidan Hutchinson

EDGE Michigan

32.

Malik Willis

QB Liberty

34.

Jaquan Brisker

S Penn State

67.

Roger McCreary

CB Auburn

104.

Alec Pierce

WR Cincinnati

128.

Erik Ezukanma

WR Texas Tech

142.

Zakoby McClain

LB Auburn

218.

Christopher Allen

EDGE Alabama

232.

Kana'i Mauga

LB USC

 

Made a couple trades where teams basically offered to swap draft position later in the draft only to move down a few spaces. Willis was too tempting at 32 considering most of the good receivers and LBs were off the board. I don't think I did worse than Quinn would have. I doubled up a lot of positions but oh well. 

[buddha]

34 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

RBs are replaceable though, Henry missed most of the season yet Tennessee still finished with the best record in the AFC, the Rams made the Super Bowl with virtually nothing from Akers.  The Cowboys drafted Elliott in the top 5 and they had their best season to date with him despite him having his worst season.  

randy gets it.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

How many years did the Lions have Stafford plus a few elite/top tier pass catchers and no running game? We had Calvin plus Burleson and Tate. During that time, one of the things I heard holding Stafford back was the fact that we had no running game. If only we had a running game things would be better around here. I'm not sold that we have to pick a RB this year or even as high as round 2, but we need to find ourselves a workhorse RB at some point in the next two years or get a QB who can act as our RB. Goff certainly isn't that QB and Swift doesn't appear to be our workhorse.

One thing I can't justify doing is using most or all of our top picks on defense. There needs to be some highly skilled offensive playmakers in the bunch. Seeing where the NFL has been going the last decade and a half, sitting through this season/playoffs especially, watching the elite teams average over 25 PPG, and getting proven wrong about Stafford has taught me a full and complete lesson. Elite, high scoring offenses are what wins championships. Sure, your defense has to be good enough. If they are in the top 10, even better. But its the offenses and the offensive weapons that are getting these elite teams to where they are by and large.

[Motown Bombers]

But the Lions actually have a decent running game now so they don't need to invest high draft picks on a RB. 

[gehringer_2]

16 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

How many years did the Lions have Stafford plus a few elite/top tier pass catchers and no running game? We had Calvin plus Burleson and Tate. During that time, one of the things I heard holding Stafford back was the fact that we had no running game. If only we had a running game things would be better around here. I'm not sold that we have to pick a RB this year or even as high as round 2, but we need to find ourselves a workhorse RB at some point in the next two years or get a QB who can act as our RB. Goff certainly isn't that QB and Swift doesn't appear to be our workhorse.

True, but the counter point would be that the Lion's run game suffered more from an OL that was not built to run block than the lack of a RB behind it.

Edited February 11, 2022 by gehringer_2

[MichiganCardinal]

I used PFN as well. I only took one trade even in the trade mock because largely I feel that they’re unrealistic.

Traded 1.2 to the Jets for 1.4 and 1.10.

1.4: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan

1.10: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

1.32: Jermaine Johnson, Edge, Florida State

2.34: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

3.66: Christian Harris, LB, Alabama

3.97: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

5.177: Dohnovan West, OG, Arizona State

6.180: Marcus Jones, CB, Houston

6.218: Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers

7.232: Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Maryland

 

Without trades…

1.2: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan

1.32: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington

2.34: Chad Muma, ILB, Wyoming

3.66: Myjai Sanders, Edge, Cincinnati

3.97: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

5.177: James Mitchell, TE, Virginia Tech

6.180: Justin Shaffer, OG, Georgia

6.218: Jack Sanborn, OLB, Wisconsin

7.232: Danny Gray, WR, SMU

[Mr.TaterSalad]

7 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I used PFN as well. I only took one trade even in the trade mock because largely I feel that they’re unrealistic.

Traded 1.2 to the Jets for 1.4 and 1.10.

1.4: Aidan Hutchinson, Edge, Michigan

1.10: Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

1.32: Jermaine Johnson, Edge, Florida State

2.34: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

3.66: Christian Harris, LB, Alabama

3.97: George Pickens, WR, Georgia

5.177: Dohnovan West, OG, Arizona State

6.180: Marcus Jones, CB, Houston

6.218: Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers

7.232: Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Maryland

Did you pass on all of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Drake London, Jameson Williams at #10 with the Jets pick? 

[Mr.TaterSalad]

49 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

But the Lions actually have a decent running game now so they don't need to invest high draft picks on a RB. 

Jamaal Williams only has 1 year left on his deal and will be 28 to start the 2023 season. Does he get an extension beyond next year?

[buddha]

Just now, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Jamaal Williams only has 1 year left on his deal and will be 28 to start the 2023 season. Does he get an extension beyond next year?

it doesnt matter because you can get a running back off the waiver wire who will likely be just as good.

sony michel filled in for cam akers just fine.  rams didnt miss a beat.  if youre in the 4th round a rb is there and you think you need depth, by all means take one.  but know that they are largely replaceable.  i'd much rather have a ball hawking safety, cornerback, edge rusher, or wide receiver at that pick than kenneth walker who will just be part of a rb rotation.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Sure, we can find them off the waivers or in the 4th/5th rounds and I'd be ok with that. I'm not dead set on taking Kenneth Walker or Isiah Spiller or Breece Hall in the 2nd or 3rd. I would point out that almost all the top franchises over the past 4-5 years are still trying to their their RB1 in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd rounds of the draft. Whether or not it has always worked out is a different story, but they are almost all doing it.

Bengals, Bills, Bucs, Chiefs, Packers, Patriots, Rams, Ravens, Seahawks, Steelers, Titans have all tried it. Now, we can and should look at the success rates they've been having compared to just getting a later round RB1 or a free agent/waiver pickup. But these are regarded as the successful franchises over the past several seasons and they're going for broke in the draft to get their RB1.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Mr.TaterSalad

[MichiganCardinal]

23 minutes ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Did you pass on all of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Drake London, Jameson Williams at #10 with the Jets pick? 

Probably. I don’t have the draft results still. I have Stingley as top five overall. I’d have preferred one of them be there at 32 (and think one of them will be in reality).

[buddha]

2 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Sure, we can find them off the waivers or in the 4th/5th rounds and I'd be ok with that. I'm not dead set on taking Kenneth Walker or Isiah Spiller or Breece Hall in the 2nd or 3rd. I would point out that almost all the top franchises over the past 4-5 years are still trying to their their RB1 in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd rounds of the draft. Whether or not it has always worked out is a different story, but they are almost all doing it.

Bengals, Bills, Bucs, Chiefs, Packers, Patriots, Rams, Ravens, Seahawks, Steelers, Titans have all tried it. Now, we can and should look at the success rates they've been having compared to just getting a later round RB1 or a free agent/waiver pickup. But these are regarded as the successful franchises over the past several seasons and they're going for broke in the draft to get their RB1.

look, you always want talented playmakers on your team, whether that be on offense or defense.  if that means taking a really talented running back high(er) in the draft, so be it.

but the lions already have a decently talented running back room and an effective running game with it.  you dont need a bellcow running back anymore.  and the lions lack playmakers at qb, receiver, and everywhere on defense, so much so that taking walker high in round two doesnt make sense to me.

[Hongbit]

On 2/10/2022 at 10:21 AM, buddha said:

matt miller lions mock today:

1: hutch

1: corrall

2: dotson

3: jalen tolbert wr 

97: cam jurgens c nebraska

176: jack sanborn, lb wisconsin

179: deangelo malone db wku

218: dane belton s iowa (to make kl happy, no doubt)

232: johnny johnson wr oregon

240: thomas booker, dt stanford

seems fine.  not sure i would 1) take dotson because he's a slot receiver and they already have st brown; and 2) double up on receiver if one of the projected linebackers or safeties are there (muma, asomoah, brisker, hill).  

I am a Dotson fan. I think his size is similar to St. Brown but I expect he will run in the low 4.3 and possibly in 4.2s.  and put up a vertical higher than 40.    I see him as more of a deep threat than a slot guy.   

[buddha]

37 minutes ago, Hongbit said:

I am a Dotson fan. I think his size is similar to St. Brown but I expect he will run in the low 4.3 and possibly in 4.2s.  and put up a vertical higher than 40.    I see him as more of a deep threat than a slot guy.   

if he is going to be drafted at the top of round 2, nfl scouts agree with you.