Drafting an OG

[Crazy Canuck]

Who do you think is agitating for these players? Grimm is Whis's BFF. Do you think if Grimm said, "All five of these guys stink. You have to help me out or make sure I don't get fired," that Whis would say, "Suck it."

Grimm was a terrible coach at pass protection in Pittsburgh, as well. You weren't here when Grimm got hired, but Joeshmo and I were the only ones pointing out that Pittsburgh's OL was consistently among the worst in the NFL in pass pro. No one here wanted to hear that. It's just that in Pittsburgh he was given 1st and 2nd round picks to work with that he couldn't screw up (too much). He had 4 1st and 2nd round picks starting on that offensive line!

Grimm made Brandon Keith his personal project for three years. You think that Ron Wolfley was pimping him for two straight years because that was his own opinion? Of course not. Then Brandon Keith gets immediately put on roller skates by Mario Williams and he gets shuffled off the stage.

Grimm's gotten plenty of NFL-talented players to work with. Ross, Bridges, Hadnot, Gandy, Colledge have all shown that they can start and play in the NFL. Grimm's system makes it look like they don't belong on an NFL field.

We're not paying Russ Grimm $2.5 million a year to take 1st round offensive linemen and get them to play like Levi Brown has the last five years. I don't want to throw more good money and draft picks after bad.

$1.5M

 

[Chopper0080]

Wow. Alan Faneca was so bad he didn't even make the list.

Yes he was.

 

[Chopper0080]

Who do you think is agitating for these players? Grimm is Whis's BFF. Do you think if Grimm said, "All five of these guys stink. You have to help me out or make sure I don't get fired," that Whis would say, "Suck it."

Grimm was a terrible coach at pass protection in Pittsburgh, as well. You weren't here when Grimm got hired, but Joeshmo and I were the only ones pointing out that Pittsburgh's OL was consistently among the worst in the NFL in pass pro. No one here wanted to hear that. It's just that in Pittsburgh he was given 1st and 2nd round picks to work with that he couldn't screw up (too much). He had 4 1st and 2nd round picks starting on that offensive line!

Grimm made Brandon Keith his personal project for three years. You think that Ron Wolfley was pimping him for two straight years because that was his own opinion? Of course not. Then Brandon Keith gets immediately put on roller skates by Mario Williams and he gets shuffled off the stage.

Grimm's gotten plenty of NFL-talented players to work with. Ross, Bridges, Hadnot, Gandy, Colledge have all shown that they can start and play in the NFL. Grimm's system makes it look like they don't belong on an NFL field.

We're not paying Russ Grimm $2.5 million a year to take 1st round offensive linemen and get them to play like Levi Brown has the last five years. I don't want to throw more good money and draft picks after bad.

We obviously disagree here, because I don't believe you can mash together 1st round pick, 1 5th round pick, 2 7th round picks, and a bunch of FA scrubs to create an legitimate NFL starting offensive line. I'm at work so I will wing this, but there is a reason New England has spent top picks on Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Nate Solder and Sebastian Volmer. Green Bay invested two 1st rounders in Derek Sherod and Bryan Bulaga. The Saints developed two All Pro OGs in Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans, signed Evans to a huge deal, lost Nicks to a 9mil per year deal and signed Ben Grubbs to a 7 mil/year deal to replace him. They may do it in different ways, but these teams invest in talent on their offensive lines because they realize these players block the most athletic freaks on the NFL field.

 

[Duckjake]

We obviously disagree here, because I don't believe you can mash together 1st round pick, 1 5th round pick, 2 7th round picks, and a bunch of FA scrubs to create an legitimate NFL starting offensive line. I'm at work so I will wing this, but there is a reason New England has spent top picks on Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Nate Solder and Sebastian Volmer. Green Bay invested two 1st rounders in Derek Sherod and Bryan Bulaga. The Saints developed two All Pro OGs in Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans, signed Evans to a huge deal, lost Nicks to a 9mil per year deal and signed Ben Grubbs to a 7 mil/year deal to replace him. They may do it in different ways, but these teams invest in talent on their offensive lines because they realize these players block the most athletic freaks on the NFL field.

You know after watching too much NCAA basketball I'm starting to understand what you are advocating. An offensive line is very similar to a basketball team. They play best working as a group.

And the best basketball teams are ones with a Super Hero, his sidekick, and 3 role players. Your Super Hero can be a Tackle or a Guard but has to be a dominant player. The sidekick must be the Center. So you get one stud Olineman, a better than average Center, fill in the role players and let them play together for as long as you can!

 

[kerouac9]

We obviously disagree here, because I don't believe you can mash together 1st round pick, 1 5th round pick, 2 7th round picks, and a bunch of FA scrubs to create an legitimate NFL starting offensive line. I'm at work so I will wing this, but there is a reason New England has spent top picks on Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Nate Solder and Sebastian Volmer. Green Bay invested two 1st rounders in Derek Sherod and Bryan Bulaga. The Saints developed two All Pro OGs in Carl Nicks and Jahri Evans, signed Evans to a huge deal, lost Nicks to a 9mil per year deal and signed Ben Grubbs to a 7 mil/year deal to replace him. They may do it in different ways, but these teams invest in talent on their offensive lines because they realize these players block the most athletic freaks on the NFL field.

Are you on drugs? Grimm has had a procession of established NFL players to work with. Deuce Lutui was considered a rising star and a former 2nd round pick. He played for every year except last year.

The free agents are unfairly tagged by their draft statuses. Once a player is on a second contract with starting experience, they're legit NFL starters. Faneca was a 1st round pick and a Hall of Famer. There's nothing wrong with Colledge and Bridges and Hadnot and Reggie Wells and Gandy.

The problem with Russ Grimm is that he doesn't make any of these players better. Duck's right that there isn't an All-Pro catalyst in the unit that raises the game of everyone else and takes care of one position for sure. The problem with Grimm is that Levi (his hand-picked franchise player) didn't develop into that guy, and so our offensive line has required complete agreement and understanding about how everyone needs to execute their responsibilities.

You saw that happen during the two playoff seasons when the offensive line wasn't consistently being re-shuffled. The last three seasons the personnel have been tinkered with to the detriment of the entire unit.

New England's starting offensive line was a 10 year veteran, a first-round pick, an undrafted castoff (Connolly), a 34 year old free agent, and a rookie first-round pick who was pushed to tight end because he wasn't playing very well.

Green Bay's offensive line was a rookie 5th round pick, 4th round pick, 7th round pick, 4th round pick, and Bulaga. C'mon, now. Don't just throw things at the wall and hope I don't notice.

My favorite offensive line in the NFL is Tennessee's, and they start a 2nd round pick in Roos, a 4th round pick, a 7th round pick, a free agent former 5th round pick, and another 4th round pick. They're about as good as anyone in the NFL.

Don't come telling me that you need a bunch of 1st and 2nd round picks to have a good line in the NFL. We tried that with Shelton-Kendall-Gruttadauria-Davis-Shelton in 2001 and it was a disaster. When you invest that much capital on your offensive line, you don't have any money or draft picks for skill position players.

The best way to build an offensive line is an established centerpiece and developed mid- to low-round draft picks in support. Have the Cards invested enough draft capital on the offensive line? Probably not. But the fact that we couldn't get anything at all out of Brandon Keith, Herman Johnson, Trevor Canfield, or Elton Brown speaks pretty damningly about how we could continue to hope that with more talent Grimm could do something with it.

 

[Chopper0080]

Are you on drugs? Grimm has had a procession of established NFL players to work with. Deuce Lutui was considered a rising star and a former 2nd round pick. He played for every year except last year.
The free agents are unfairly tagged by their draft statuses. Once a player is on a second contract with starting experience, they're legit NFL starters. Faneca was a 1st round pick and a Hall of Famer. There's nothing wrong with Colledge and Bridges and Hadnot and Reggie Wells and Gandy.

The problem with Russ Grimm is that he doesn't make any of these players better. Duck's right that there isn't an All-Pro catalyst in the unit that raises the game of everyone else and takes care of one position for sure. The problem with Grimm is that Levi (his hand-picked franchise player) didn't develop into that guy, and so our offensive line has required complete agreement and understanding about how everyone needs to execute their responsibilities.

You saw that happen during the two playoff seasons when the offensive line wasn't consistently being re-shuffled. The last three seasons the personnel have been tinkered with to the detriment of the entire unit.

New England's starting offensive line was a 10 year veteran, a first-round pick, an undrafted castoff (Connolly), a 34 year old free agent, and a rookie first-round pick who was pushed to tight end because he wasn't playing very well.

Green Bay's offensive line was a rookie 5th round pick, 4th round pick, 7th round pick, 4th round pick, and Bulaga. C'mon, now. Don't just throw things at the wall and hope I don't notice.

My favorite offensive line in the NFL is Tennessee's, and they start a 2nd round pick in Roos, a 4th round pick, a 7th round pick, a free agent former 5th round pick, and another 4th round pick. They're about as good as anyone in the NFL.

Don't come telling me that you need a bunch of 1st and 2nd round picks to have a good line in the NFL. We tried that with Shelton-Kendall-Gruttadauria-Davis-Shelton in 2001 and it was a disaster. When you invest that much capital on your offensive line, you don't have any money or draft picks for skill position players.

The best way to build an offensive line is an established centerpiece and developed mid- to low-round draft picks in support. Have the Cards invested enough draft capital on the offensive line? Probably not. But the fact that we couldn't get anything at all out of Brandon Keith, Herman Johnson, Trevor Canfield, or Elton Brown speaks pretty damningly about how we could continue to hope that with more talent Grimm could do something with it.

Sodler was pushed to TE by another top half of the draft, pick.

Not a bunch of 1st and 2nd rounders, but draft picks are valuable because they have potential to develop. Free agents are an already defined quantity with little upside. Daryn Colledge is and has been as good as he will ever be in the NFL. How good is that? A totally replaceable player. Alan Faneca was on his 3rd team in almost as many years and was only going to get worse. Rex Hadnot was a versatile backup in Cleveland, and was the same in Arizona. Jeremy Bridges wasn't starting material before we brought him in, and isn't starting material now.

Duece Lutui was a 340lb power OG on a team that wanted to run counters and traps. He was no more of a fit in our offensive line than DRC was a fit as a nickel CB in Philly. Lutui had no shot at being successful in Arizona once Whis took over because he did not have the athleticism the Cardinals required at OG. That is why he was constantly over weight. The Cardinals would never have drafted Lutui for their scheme. The inherited him, and did the best they could with him, but in the end, he was a square peg in their round hole.

You have to invest in developmental talent to create a solid offensive line. Take a kid like Levy Adcock in round 5, give him a year to get into the weight program, and let him compete for a spot against the likes of Jeremy Bridges. Chances are, he will beat him out for a spot. It is the Brandon Brooks, the Joe Longs, the Philip Blakes that can develop into a quality offensive line, ala Tennessee), not the Jeremy Bridges, Daryn Colledges, and Adam Snyders.

 

[Chopper0080]

You know after watching too much NCAA basketball I'm starting to understand what you are advocating. An offensive line is very similar to a basketball team. They play best working as a group.

And the best basketball teams are ones with a Super Hero, his sidekick, and 3 role players. Your Super Hero can be a Tackle or a Guard but has to be a dominant player. The sidekick must be the Center. So you get one stud Olineman, a better than average Center, fill in the role players and let them play together for as long as you can!

You are more right than you think. Essentially the offensive line is 5 offensive players blocking 4 defensive players with each unit being able to add blitzers/protectors depending on the situation. One dominant offensive linemen can effectively eliminate one defensive player which then makes it 4 players blocking 3 players, and so on and so on. In the end the more dominant offensive players that can block the defensive players one on one, the more options the offense has.

Example, lets say you are blocking out of a 4 WR set with a RB in the backfield. Now you have the potential of 5.5 blockers if the RB chips vs 4 defensive players and a possible blitzing LB. If you have a dominant player at OT, OG, or OC, that allows for more help in an area where you are mismatched. Against teams like the Bears, this can be the difference between doubling Julius Peppers or not because if you can't handle their DTs, it won't matter if you double Peppers, they will still get to the QB.

 

[Totally_Red]

One dominant offensive linemen can effectively eliminate one defensive player which then makes it 4 players blocking 3 players, and so on and so on. In the end the more dominant offensive players that can block the defensive players one on one, the more options the offense has.

That says it all right there. And the Cardinals have had ZERO guys on the offensive line that can effectively pass-protect one-on-one and eliminate an above-average pass rusher from the equation IMO. It shows more often with the tackles because they are frequently left isolated against rushers in the Grimm scheme, but it's just as true with the interior linemen including Sendlein.

 

[Vermont Maverick]

I think the Cards are targeting 4 players at #13, and they are, in order: Ingram, DeCastro, Michael Floyd and Cordy Glenn. Though I wonder if Glenn might leap frog Floyd come draft time.

Very possible. I don't know what the team thinks of him, but I think you should also add Riley Reiff. He could well be gone, but he could also fall. Cordy Glenn fits our style. Good run blocker who will struggle in pass protection if put on the outside. Grimm will love him.

 

[Vermont Maverick]

I love Cordy Glenn. If DeCastro and Ingram are off the board, as well as the wide receiver, he's my next choice. I think that with a year of seasoning and in John Lott's strength and conditioning program, he could be the left tackle that Levi Brown is.

FIFY

Cordy Glenn IS Levi. Draft him and we will have two Right Tackles - Glenn has played guard is the only difference.

Why does everyone think that a year of John Lott is any better than any other strength and conditioning guy? I like John Lott. I like the fact that he gets to be the guy at the combine. But, I'm sorry, strength and conditioning guys are strength and conditioning guys. There is a "John Lott" at the local high school here in East Podunk, Vermont.

I think that John Lott is the most overrated member of the Arizona Cardinals on this board. It's not even close.

 

[Chopper0080]

FIFY

Cordy Glenn IS Levi. Draft him and we will have two Right Tackles - Glenn has played guard is the only difference.

Why does everyone think that a year of John Lott is any better than any other strength and conditioning guy? I like John Lott. I like the fact that he gets to be the guy at the combine. But, I'm sorry, strength and conditioning guys are strength and conditioning guys. There is a "John Lott" at the local high school here in East Podunk, Vermont.

I think that John Lott is the most overrated member of the Arizona Cardinals on this board. It's not even close.

I'm not referencing John Lott as much as I am referencing a professional strength training program. It makes a difference when players are able to dedicate so much more time once they are professionals in stead of the fixed amount of time they have in college.

 

[Chopper0080]

Very possible. I don't know what the team thinks of him, but I think you should also add Riley Reiff. He could well be gone, but he could also fall. Cordy Glenn fits our style. Good run blocker who will struggle in pass protection if put on the outside. Grimm will love him.

I'm on record as possibly being the biggest Riley Rieff hater on this entire board. I think he plays soft, which leads to him being on the ground every Iowa game I watched. I think Iowa's program tends to produce offensive linemen who have peaked which is why many of their drafted players seem to underproduce. I don't believe he is near the prospect Bryan Bulaga was, and Bulaga wasn't drafted until the 20's. I also don't believe he is as physical as Robert Gallery, and therefore isn't able to move inside to OG when, as I predict, he fails as an OT.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I'm on record as possibly being the biggest Riley Rieff hater on this entire board. I think he plays soft, which leads to him being on the ground every Iowa game I watched. I think Iowa's program tends to produce offensive linemen who have peaked which is why many of their drafted players seem to underproduce. I don't believe he is near the prospect Bryan Bulaga was, and Bulaga wasn't drafted until the 20's. I also don't believe he is as physical as Robert Gallery, and therefore isn't able to move inside to OG when, as I predict, he fails as an OT.

I'm right there with you. Not a fan of Reiff at all and I have maintained that Martin will be a much better pro than Reiff. Like I said, I never even heard of him until about 1/3 way through this past season when I saw his name start appearing on some mock drafts. Iowa linemen are mostly overrated. If I'm drafting OL from the Big 10, I'm looking at Wisconsin first. They put out the best NFL linemen, Big 10 wise, by far on a yearly basis. This year, Zeitler and Konz are better than Reiff. If Oglesbay can stay/get healthy, he'll probably be a good pro. They already have a top notch OT(name is slipping my mind) for next year's draft.

 

[artp]

Very possible. I don't know what the team thinks of him, but I think you should also add Riley Reiff. He could well be gone, but he could also fall. Cordy Glenn fits our style. Good run blocker who will struggle in pass protection if put on the outside. Grimm will love him.

Glenn is not the 13th pick. I like him, but trade down.

 

[Duckjake]

Glenn is not the 13th pick. I like him, but trade down.

The more I look at this year's draft class the more I'd like to see the Cards try to trade down and get an extra pick especially if they can get a 2nd or extra 3rd.

There are at least 10 guys I'd be happy with as our first round selection who are very likely to be available at #13. That means they could trade as far as #22 and still get a solid player. Or even lower. Walterfootball has a CB I like, Stephon Gilmore going at #28.

By the way: I really liked this from Walterfootball last year.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2011aprilfools.php

 

[Chopper0080]

The more I look at this year's draft class the more I'd like to see the Cards try to trade down and get an extra pick especially if they can get a 2nd or extra 3rd.

There are at least 10 guys I'd be happy with as our first round selection who are very likely to be available at #13. That means they could trade as far as #22 and still get a solid player. Or even lower. Walterfootball has a CB I like, Stephon Gilmore going at #28.

By the way: I really liked this from Walterfootball last year.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2011aprilfools.php

I am totally ok with trading back to add picks if we get a solid offer. I really think Amini Silatolu is going to a Pro Bowl OG, and the difference between Mitchell Schwartz and other top OTs is slim in my mind. Hell, if we could move back and get Silatolu and Shea McClellin with a lower 1st and acquired 2nd, I would be thrilled.

 

[kerouac9]

The more I look at this year's draft class the more I'd like to see the Cards try to trade down and get an extra pick especially if they can get a 2nd or extra 3rd.

There are at least 10 guys I'd be happy with as our first round selection who are very likely to be available at #13. That means they could trade as far as #22 and still get a solid player. Or even lower. Walterfootball has a CB I like, Stephon Gilmore going at #28.

By the way: I really liked this from Walterfootball last year.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2011aprilfools.php

The problem is, as always, finding a trade partner. If there's no one available that we particularly want at #13 overall, then why would someone else want to pay a premium to move up there? When there's only 6 elite prospects in the draft class, it's possible than fans from Buffalo to Dallas are all saying how they'd really like to move down.

My expectation is that we'll exercise the pick at #13 overall, and that the draft experts will be fine with it, because there isn't a whole lot of differentiation between prospects 7 through--say--24.

 

[Duckjake]

The problem is, as always, finding a trade partner. If there's no one available that we particularly want at #13 overall, then why would someone else want to pay a premium to move up there? When there's only 6 elite prospects in the draft class, it's possible than fans from Buffalo to Dallas are all saying how they'd really like to move down.

My expectation is that we'll exercise the pick at #13 overall, and that the draft experts will be fine with it, because there isn't a whole lot of differentiation between prospects 7 through--say--24.

As Jeff Gollin liked to say every April "it only takes one GM to fall in love with a player...."

That the Cards don't have a player they must have at #13 who they feel is far superior to anyone they could get at say #25 doesn't mean every other team in the NFL feels that way.

 

[JeffGollin]

As Jeff Gollin liked to say every April "it only takes one GM to fall in love with a player...."

That the Cards don't have a player they must have at #13 who they feel is far superior to anyone they could get at say #25 doesn't mean every other team in the NFL feels that way.

Wow! I just,said it again this morning on a different thread.

Corollary is that all GM's aren't always logical, right or sane (& sometimes ownership will put their 2-cents in).

 

[Crazy Canuck]

The problem is, as always, finding a trade partner. If there's no one available that we particularly want at #13 overall, then why would someone else want to pay a premium to move up there? When there's only 6 elite prospects in the draft class, it's possible than fans from Buffalo to Dallas are all saying how they'd really like to move down.

My expectation is that we'll exercise the pick at #13 overall, and that the draft experts will be fine with it, because there isn't a whole lot of differentiation between prospects 7 through--say--24.

Think you're right. Trade opportunities will be driven by need, and any move back by the Cards will still offer a BPA at a position of need.

 

[kerouac9]

As Jeff Gollin liked to say every April "it only takes one GM to fall in love with a player...."

That the Cards don't have a player they must have at #13 who they feel is far superior to anyone they could get at say #25 doesn't mean every other team in the NFL feels that way.

Well, hoping that someone rings you up is not a plan. Not only does one GM have to fall in love with a player, but that GM has to be in a position you're willing to trade down to (I personally wouldn't trade down more than three or four spots), have the ammunition to trade up (at least a 3rd round pick in this draft and maybe a 3rd in 2013), be willing to part with that cost, and not have someone a pick later who's more interested in agreeing to lesser terms.

Not quite as likely now, right? Especially when there are only 31 GMs, and 12 of them have already picked someone.

I'm not interested in drafting anyone besides Melvin Ingram (OLB, South Carolina), David DeCastro (OG, Stanford), Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame) with the #13 overall pick in the draft. According to THR's value chart, we can likely only expect Floyd to be there. If all three are gone, I'm looking to trade out.

How far out? If I'm trading into the 20s, I want at least a 2nd rounder and maybe more in return--and I want at least one additional pick in this draft. Only the Rams and Patriots have extra 2nd rounders.

The draft has become so financially important to teams that they're going to be loath to give up those picks in the first three rounds unless they REALLY love somebody. Say that by some miracle Trent Richardson is available at 13 overall and the Bengals want him. But... they don't want to give up their 2nd round pick.

Would you be willing to trade the 13th overall pick and the 80th overall pick for their 17, 53, and 83rd? You may or may not get Cordy Glenn in that situation.

In other words, my top 3 options in the first half of the first round are above. My top 3 options in the second half of the first round (the only guys I'd be happy to take 17-25) are Cordy Glenn (OL, Georgia), Donta Hightower (OLB, Alabama), and Peter Konz (OL, Wisconsin).

I wouldn't trade out of the first round altogether unless I get a second- and third-round pick this year plus a first in 2013. Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illiniois, is drawing comparisons to Calvin Pace.

 

[Chopper0080]

Well, hoping that someone rings you up is not a plan. Not only does one GM have to fall in love with a player, but that GM has to be in a position you're willing to trade down to (I personally wouldn't trade down more than three or four spots), have the ammunition to trade up (at least a 3rd round pick in this draft and maybe a 3rd in 2013), be willing to part with that cost, and not have someone a pick later who's more interested in agreeing to lesser terms.

Not quite as likely now, right? Especially when there are only 31 GMs, and 12 of them have already picked someone.

I'm not interested in drafting anyone besides Melvin Ingram (OLB, South Carolina), David DeCastro (OG, Stanford), Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame) with the #13 overall pick in the draft. According to THR's value chart, we can likely only expect Floyd to be there. If all three are gone, I'm looking to trade out.

How far out? If I'm trading into the 20s, I want at least a 2nd rounder and maybe more in return--and I want at least one additional pick in this draft. Only the Rams and Patriots have extra 2nd rounders.

The draft has become so financially important to teams that they're going to be loath to give up those picks in the first three rounds unless they REALLY love somebody. Say that by some miracle Trent Richardson is available at 13 overall and the Bengals want him. But... they don't want to give up their 2nd round pick.

Would you be willing to trade the 13th overall pick and the 80th overall pick for their 17, 53, and 83rd? You may or may not get Cordy Glenn in that situation.

In other words, my top 3 options in the first half of the first round are above. My top 3 options in the second half of the first round (the only guys I'd be happy to take 17-25) are Cordy Glenn (OL, Georgia), Donta Hightower (OLB, Alabama), and Peter Konz (OL, Wisconsin).

I wouldn't trade out of the first round altogether unless I get a second- and third-round pick this year plus a first in 2013. Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illiniois, is drawing comparisons to Calvin Pace.

If we traded inot the 20's I would seriously look at Amini Silatolu. It was tweeted earlier today that one GM has stated he could have more upside than DeCastro (not surprising as he is more athletic). I have stated several times I believe he is a future Pro Bowl OG, and it seems he is rising up draft boards fast.

 

[kerouac9]

If we traded inot the 20's I would seriously look at Amini Silatolu. It was tweeted earlier today that one GM has stated he could have more upside than DeCastro (not surprising as he is more athletic). I have stated several times I believe he is a future Pro Bowl OG, and it seems he is rising up draft boards fast.

That's fine. I don't think that he's rated that high (in part because of competition). I know that Drew Boylhart is more excited about Silatolu than any other offensive lineman in this draft.

The Huddle Report has him rated as like the 4th-highest guard and a mid-2nd round pick--right now. That's the update they made today. Hard to take an offensive lineman who hasn't played anyone. I'd probably rather have Konz, Hightower, or Glenn before I'd roll the dice on a guy from Midwestern State in the first round of the NFL draft.

Guy couldn't stay academically eligible for a Division 1 program. I know that Dave McGinnis said it, but you can't be a ******* and play in the NFL.

 

[Chopper0080]

That's fine. I don't think that he's rated that high (in part because of competition). I know that Drew Boylhart is more excited about Silatolu than any other offensive lineman in this draft.

The Huddle Report has him rated as like the 4th-highest guard and a mid-2nd round pick--right now. That's the update they made today. Hard to take an offensive lineman who hasn't played anyone. I'd probably rather have Konz, Hightower, or Glenn before I'd roll the dice on a guy from Midwestern State in the first round of the NFL draft.

Guy couldn't stay academically eligible for a Division 1 program. I know that Dave McGinnis said it, but you can't be a ******* and play in the NFL.

I would rank Silatolu probably below Glenn if Glenn truly projects to OT (I really haven't seen much of him), but most likely ahead of Konz or Upshaw. I see Konz true value as an OC not an OG, and the Cardinals like Sendlein too much to take his replacement. I really think Hightower will be good, I just would prefer to address SILB either in a later round or next year.

Personally, I think our pick will be Melvin Ingram, and I am cool with that.

 

[Cardiac]

The problem is, as always, finding a trade partner. If there's no one available that we particularly want at #13 overall, then why would someone else want to pay a premium to move up there? When there's only 6 elite prospects in the draft class, it's possible than fans from Buffalo to Dallas are all saying how they'd really like to move down.

My expectation is that we'll exercise the pick at #13 overall, and that the draft experts will be fine with it, because there isn't a whole lot of differentiation between prospects 7 through--say--24.

I've heard this before (NFLN) but keep missing who the 6 elite players are.

Luck - RGIII - Kalil - Richardson - Clairborne - are sure are on that list.

Blackmon - is my guess for the 6th.

I also remember some rate drafts by how many Red Chip and then Blue Chip players are available. So their are 6 Red Chips but now the question is how many Blue Chips.

Coples may be a player that really doesn't fit our scheme but some GM may go crazy for his potential as a 4-3 DE. Now I'm not the GM who would give up extra picks to move up on his questionable motor but there might be one who does.

Or he could be like Fairly last year in which he "fell" to the Lions and they decided to roll the dice on his questionable attitude since they didn't have to give up extra picks to draft him.