2023 3rd round pick #94 is Michael Wilson WR

Stout

Hold onto the ball, Murray!
Joined
Dec 30, 2002
Posts
40,148
Reaction score
24,641
Location
Pittsburgh, PA--Enemy territory!
There are lots of problem positions. Center is no more so than any other. It's not even the top one.

And there are still plenty of good centers on the board so I think they played it right.
Name them. Please, which centers do you consider good at this point? Which centers can we take right now that we can pencil in as the guy that's going to fix the position. There's one marginal option and that's it.

We haven't taken an interior offensive or defensive lineman in the top 3 rounds. What happened to the stated objective of building this team from the inside out?

Finally, center is a crucial position anchoring the middle of the offensive line. If it isn't the top priority problem position, it's close. And it was easy to fill. So why can't we fill it?
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
22,837
Reaction score
41,741
Location
UK
Eh, disagree. This is where you cherry pick really good players that have fallen through the crack. Day three is where you roll the dice on these types of guys. To each his own.

Players like Hakeem Butler, Dorian Johnson and Deionte Thompson? What we see as players falling due to public draft hype is actually NFL teams completely disagreeing with that hype.

There are reasons these players "fell" that normally leads to them being busts. I'd rather they stick to their board and take the guys they like. Taking the guy that was a 1st round prospect like Ringo that's fallen that far is a Keim move.

But as you say, to each his own :)
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
22,837
Reaction score
41,741
Location
UK
Name them. Please, which centers do you consider good at this point? Which centers can we take right now that we can pencil in as the guy that's going to fix the position. There's one marginal option and that's it.

We haven't taken an interior offensive or defensive lineman in the top 3 rounds. What happened to the stated objective of building this team from the inside out?

Finally, center is a crucial position anchoring the middle of the offensive line. If it isn't the top priority problem position, it's close. And it was easy to fill. So why can't we fill it?

Honestly, I never considered any of them good. I believe I've said that on multiple occasions here. I think the best of them were late round 2 picks, which is where they went and I'm not sure there is a guy in this class that will ever be better than someone like Conner Williams. We would be drafting mediocrity as a ceiling.

I like some guys like Wypler and the Michigan guy who I'm not going to try to spell. And others here like the Arkansas guy. But they are day 3 picks that need time. I'd be fine with any of them in the 4th. And who knows? They may surprise us and be the next Kelce and start right away.

Next years class is far better. Bryce Foster and Sedrick Van Pran are both 1st round worthy and there are a few guys that would go about the best in this class.
 

TheCardFan

Things have changed.
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
12,337
Reaction score
15,577
Location
Charlotte
Stromberg was the Arkansas guy, and he's gone. I see we disagree about the center quality in this draft. And, while I strongly disagree with you, I see where you're coming from :thumbup:

Sounds like Luke Wypler is the C they have been targeting all along. If that is true, who care where they draft him (later is better/more value)?

I was surprised to see so many C's taken ahead of him.
 

BulldogCard

Veteran
Joined
Nov 5, 2021
Posts
363
Reaction score
355
Location
AZ
Parcels once said 'Potential is what gets coaches fired'. I like how good he is but not the number of games missed due to injury. I would've been looking for a center.
 

Harry

ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Posts
12,405
Reaction score
27,216
Location
Orlando, FL
Jerry Rice ran a 4.71 40 at the combine, and fell to the middle of the 1st as a result, despite his monster college numbers. If you saw him in his prime, you saw a guy who consistently got separation, despite what a stopwatch said about his speed. He PLAYED FAST. According to Nagy, Wilson also "plays fast". Intriguing pick for sure.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
Except he’s missing the monster college numbers.
 

Harry

ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Posts
12,405
Reaction score
27,216
Location
Orlando, FL
I don’t think you can be overly concerned about a center deficiency when you have a vulnerable QB. You have to fix that. When Hudson was playing poorly it caused total chaos. Weak middle of the line performance dooms Murray especially if the intent is to play Murray under center. What happens if Wypler is gone? Seems to me the Cards are now forced to trade up. BTW I like Wypler and he’ll start from day one. Nonetheless he’s not yet the player Schmitz or Tippmann would have provided. He has to be developed. This is a big indicator to me that they are very unsure about Murray. Maybe they’re okay with getting 2 years out of him and moving forward without him.
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
22,837
Reaction score
41,741
Location
UK
I don’t think you can be overly concerned about a center deficiency when you have a vulnerable QB. You have to fix that. When Hudson was playing poorly it caused total chaos. Weak middle of the line performance dooms Murray especially if the intent is to play Murray under center. What happens if Wypler is gone? Seems to me the Cards are now forced to trade up. BTW I like Wypler and he’ll start from day one. Nonetheless he’s not yet the player Schmitz or Tippmann would have provided. He has to be developed. This is a big indicator to me that they are very unsure about Murray. Maybe they’re okay with getting 2 years out of him and moving forward without him.

Agreed.

You don't fix it with a mediocre player though and this class isn't great.
 

Totally_Red

Air Raid Warning!
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
Posts
8,931
Reaction score
4,929
Location
Iowa
More and more I think this is a Drew Terrell pick. He must be looking for a Terry McLaurin clone and this guy when healthy may be that. a poor man's McLaurin. Huge risk that he will be healthy enough to contribute on a consistent basis. We definitely need a larger receiver who can play the X.
Just noticed Drew is a Stanford grad. Maybe he has some inside info. :cards:
 
Last edited:

QuebecCard

ASFN Addict
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Posts
5,970
Reaction score
8,406
Location
North of the 49th.
I don’t think you can be overly concerned about a center deficiency when you have a vulnerable QB. You have to fix that. When Hudson was playing poorly it caused total chaos. Weak middle of the line performance dooms Murray especially if the intent is to play Murray under center. What happens if Wypler is gone? Seems to me the Cards are now forced to trade up. BTW I like Wypler and he’ll start from day one. Nonetheless he’s not yet the player Schmitz or Tippmann would have provided. He has to be developed. This is a big indicator to me that they are very unsure about Murray. Maybe they’re okay with getting 2 years out of him and moving forward without him.

Yikes!

So rather than find a competent centre for a relative pittance, let's waste tens of millions on a QB and then dump him.

Yes, I'm sure that's at the back of Monti's mind.

And Wypler's profile doesn't suggest a day-one starter, and it's why he was given a likely 4th/5th round pick.

And no centre can singlehandedly overcome poor communication from constant turnover to one's left or right.

Our O-line last season was in constant flux.
 

Russ Smith

The Original Whizzinator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 14, 2002
Posts
88,244
Reaction score
39,878
Easy with Wilson. Everyone loves him. Very highly rated.

I don't get the negativity about it. Very high ceiling player. Injuries were bone injuries.

Too much fixation on Center. A potential star WR that can start right away is way more valuable that a C that's going to take a year or more to develop.

The thing is foot injuries scare people because we've all seen guys with foot injuries and they just never get healthy. Both basketball and football.

I've seen the kid play at Stanford he's good, it's hard to judge how good because their QB situation wasn't great when he was playing. But you can't just say it's just a bone injury, bone injuries have a tendency to take forever to heal with some guys
 

Krangodnzr

Captain of Team Conner
Joined
Jul 21, 2002
Posts
36,499
Reaction score
34,506
Location
Charlotte, NC
More and more I think this is a Drew Terrell pick. He must be looking for a Terry McLaurin clone and this guy when healthy may be that. a poor man's McLaurin. Huge risk that he will be healthy enough to contribute on a consistent basis. We definitely need a larger receiver who can play the X.
Just noticed Drew is a Stanford grad. Maybe he has some inside info. :cards:
McLaurin situation is the comp I was thinking of as well. A guy who clearly can play when you see the Senior Bowl film, but wasn't that productive in college.
 

slanidrac16

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2002
Posts
15,917
Reaction score
16,580
Location
Plainfield, Il.
Wyplers name has consistently come up over the last 2 months. Perhaps inserting him in next to Johnson would a huge advantage in development. I’m hoping we get him.
 

Cardinal

All Star
Joined
Sep 21, 2018
Posts
640
Reaction score
732
Location
State Farm Stadium
not a dick measuring contest... just a notation that a guy can get injured in college and go on to have a healthy career as a pro... that WR also had to deal with the covid fiasco and all the changes that brought to game planning and training for college football.
**** me for trying to have a little hope I guess...
Who said anything about measruring *****? TF...
 

Brak

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Jul 6, 2009
Posts
2,742
Reaction score
2,770
Except he’s missing the monster college numbers.
Yeahbut Rice played at Mississippi Valley State and had a great team around him (for that level). Wilson played at Stanford, which has sucked for years and faces FAR superior competition than a tiny school like MVS.
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
22,837
Reaction score
41,741
Location
UK
The thing is foot injuries scare people because we've all seen guys with foot injuries and they just never get healthy. Both basketball and football.

I've seen the kid play at Stanford he's good, it's hard to judge how good because their QB situation wasn't great when he was playing. But you can't just say it's just a bone injury, bone injuries have a tendency to take forever to heal with some guys

His foot was well over a year ago though. He's long recovered.
 

Harry

ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Posts
12,405
Reaction score
27,216
Location
Orlando, FL
Yikes!

So rather than find a competent centre for a relative pittance, let's waste tens of millions on a QB and then dump him.

Yes, I'm sure that's at the back of Monti's mind.

And Wypler's profile doesn't suggest a day-one starter, and it's why he was given a likely 4th/5th round pick.

And no centre can singlehandedly overcome poor communication from constant turnover to one's left or right.

Our O-line last season was in constant flux.
Would I rather of had Schmitz or Tippmann, yes. That said a number of evaluators think he can start day one or at least very early.
 

QuebecCard

ASFN Addict
Joined
Mar 12, 2021
Posts
5,970
Reaction score
8,406
Location
North of the 49th.
Would I rather of had Schmitz or Tippmann, yes. That said a number of evaluators think he can start day one or at least very early.

Well, there's a more significant number of gainfully employed evaluators who think not mid-way through the fifth round and counting. I've lost count but there must be at least a half-dozen centres now off the board.
 

BritCard

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jan 10, 2020
Posts
22,837
Reaction score
41,741
Location
UK
Would I rather of had Schmitz or Tippmann, yes. That said a number of evaluators think he can start day one or at least very early.

Those evaluators are likely not right. Considering he's going to be like C10 in a weak C class.

Teams don't let C's that could start early drop this low.
 

Harry

ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Posts
12,405
Reaction score
27,216
Location
Orlando, FL
Well, there's a more significant number of gainfully employed evaluators who think not mid-way through the fifth round and counting. I've lost count but there must be at least a half-dozen centres now off the board.
He scared some people off by coming out early. There certainly are guys who didn’t like him. After the middle of round 2 you could say that about almost every prospect. I appreciate many have passed on him, including the Cards. I just think that’s a mistake.
 
Top