I don't like our spot in this year's draft

[SissyBoyFloyd]

I have done probably a hundred mock drafts on different sites and what seems the most evident to me is the difference between the talent that is available to teams in the mid to late teens, such as the Chargers, and those at the 24th spot and later.

In fact, I see the Chargers "stealing" our top picks in most rounds. I don't remember there being such a discrepency like that in other years. I have done several drafts on most of the teams, and it is very evident how easy it is to draft for those teams earlier than 20. Each round through round 4 seem to be the same way. The talent really dwindles each round by time you get to pick 20.

Try a few mocks for those teams and see if you don't agree. I compared several of the Chargers ones to the Cards ones and it was shocking how many times they grabbed the player we would have needed the most and who the choices were that were left for us.

Just an early observation!

 

[Southpaw]

At 24 the Cards might be able to take advantage of some team's desire to grab someone at that spot and make a trade.

 

[Jetstream Green]

I have done probably a hundred mock drafts on different sites and what seems the most evident to me is the difference between the talent that is available to teams in the mid to late teens, such as the Chargers, and those at the 24th spot and later.

In fact, I see the Chargers "stealing" our top picks in most rounds. I don't remember there being such a discrepency like that in other years. I have done several drafts on most of the teams, and it is very evident how easy it is to draft for those teams earlier than 20. Each round through round 4 seem to be the same way. The talent really dwindles each round by time you get to pick 20.

Try a few mocks for those teams and see if you don't agree. I compared several of the Chargers ones to the Cards ones and it was shocking how many times they grabbed the player we would have needed the most and who the choices were that were left for us.

Just an early observation!

I luv that we won enough not to be in a great draft position

 

[juza76]

U prefer a crappy season with a top5 pick?

Aaron rodgers wasnt drafted at 24?

 

[earthsci]

Every mock that I've done had either Melvin Gordon or a decent LB (we need both ILB & OLB). I would take Gordon and be quite happy if we couldn't find a 1st round worthy player. I would rather draft someone befitting the #24 pick. Not some LB who is long shot reach. People were complaining when we drafted Fitz because we didn't "need" a WR that year. Worked out well for us.

 

[HeavyB3]

Yeah maybe next year we can be 5-11 so we can pick in the top 8. I hate that this team has been successful the last couple of years.



That was sarcasm.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Every mock that I've done had either Melvin Gordon or a decent LB (we need both ILB & OLB). I would take Gordon and be quite happy if we couldn't find a 1st round worthy player. I would rather draft someone befitting the #24 pick. Not some LB who is long shot reach. People were complaining when we drafted Fitz because we didn't "need" a WR that year. Worked out well for us.

I agree wholeheartedly. Gordon would be fine with me. I wouldn't mind us taking one of the top 3 WRs if they fell to us either.

That said, I would rather us get a great DT, OT, or even CB, than reach for LB. I like Gordon, but also love Coleman and Ajayi in the 2nd round. All 3 RBs will be good starters for some team this year.

There is a DT or two who I wouldnt pass up if they fell to us.

A great CB opposite Petterson would be fine also. Can't have too many CBs, especially when the great one's start demanding so much money and you have to let them go. I could see us letting Petterson go one day. I think CBs lose a step by mid-career and aren't worth what they were when they were young.

We do need LBs though for sure, and I don't see many starters lasting past round 2. We are in a tough spot this year as far as LBs go. If we don't trade back a bit, we may just have to reach for one early, or move up in the 2nd to get a decent one. In all the drafts I have done, there are no starting quality LBs left when we get to our 2nd pick.

That said, I would love it if we could trade back and pick up high and mid round 2 picks to go the one we have, or a very late round 1 and mid to high round 2 pick to go with ours. To me that would produce the best value of who we draft and give us an extra starter where needed. The problem with that is there would have to be some trades happening before our pick gets there. There is no team right now that has 2 picks between 1-25 and 2-23.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Where's the poll!?

 

[DoTheDew]

You never know until the draft plays out. There's ALWAYS at least 1 to 2 guys who slide unexpectedly. I do think if FA doesn't help us fill any needs that Keim will be completely open to trading up into the 10-19 range to nab a pass rusher or CB.

On the flip side, if we do well in FA guys like Melvin Gordon become serious options at 24.

Trading down is certainly an option too. I think last year the guy we were hoping would slide to us was already gone and that's why we traded down for DB.

 

[az jam]

I wish we were drafting #32.

 

[Mitch]

What's not to like about it?

At #24....there will be some very good options:

Possibilities include:

RB:

Todd Gurley (if knee checks out)
Melvin Gordon (he's the real deal, imo)

WR:

Dorian Green-Beckham (could be the Randy Moss of this draft)
Jaelen Strong (faster version of Q)
Devin Smith (best deep ball tracker in years---for a coach who loves to throw deep)

OL:

Ja'Len Collins (mauler)
Cameron Erving (highly talented and versatile)
A.J. Cann (bruiser, NFL ready)

TE:

Maxx Williams (highly skilled and motivated)

DT:

Malcom Brown (might be more productive than Shelton)

34DE

Arik Armstead (what a pair he would make with Campbell)

ILB

Eric Kendricks (has the speed the Cardinals covet)
Shaq Thompson (supremely active, could thrive at WILB)

OLB

Bud Dupree (probably will go higher, but you never know)
Randy Gregory (have a hunch he will slide a little because other OLBers might go ahead of him)
Eli Harold (fits the Cardinals' mold: long, quick, strong hands)

CB

Quinten Rollins (ballhawk with great instincts)
Senquez Golson (moving up boards in a flash---toughness, speed)
Jalen Collins (would fit into the "family" of LSU DBs in red)

I could make a good case for any one of these players (and would be happy with any of them, save the TE, because BA doesn't really feature TEs in the passing game as much as he says he would like to)---and please tell me which ones I missed, because there are others....like, for example, RB Duke Johnson, who isn't rated as high as #24, but will be gone by pick #52 and I think this kid is special and worthy of trading out of the #24 to pick up extra picks to take Johnson late in round 1 or early in round 2.

 

[MadCardDisease]

OL:

Ja'Len Collins (mauler)
Cameron Erving (highly talented and versatile)
A.J. Cann (bruiser, NFL ready)

I'm starting to think it will be one of these three if all the big pass rushers go early. I think Collins may be gone. Erving may be gone as well. So to me Cann really makes sense:

• He upgrades the interior OL which is a goal of the Cards this offseason
• He is a big powerful mauler in the run game
• He is a natural leader which will put him high on Keim's list

 

[Mitch]

I'm starting to think it will be one of these three if all the big pass rushers go early. I think Collins will be gone. Erving may be gone as well. So to me Cann really makes sense:

• He upgrades the interior OL which is a goal of the Cards this offseason
• He is a big powerful mauler in the run game
• He is a natural leader which will put him high on Keim's list

If BA&SK don't sign a FA G, then Cann jumps right into the conversation. I agree with you.

And...if there is a FA G added and there's the thought of sliding J.Coop over to C, then Cann remains in the conversation, although Ali Marpet, Tre' Jackson or Laken Tomlinsonin Round 2 could be the answer.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

I think the cards should only draft players who have the name Shaq!

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

All SHAQ Draft

1st Round:

Shaq Thompson (OLB)
HT: 6'0" WT: 228LBS.
POSITION: OLB
SCHOOL: Washington
ARM LENGTH: 33"
HANDS: 9 1/2"

2nd Round:

Shaquille Riddick (DE)
HT: 6'6" WT: 242LBS.
POSITION: DE
SCHOOL: West Virginia


3rd Round:

Shaq Mason (OG)
HT: 6'1" WT: 300LBS.
POSITION: OG
SCHOOL: Georgia Tech

 

[Mitch]

1st Round:

Shaq Thompson (OLB)
HT: 6'0" WT: 228LBS.
POSITION: OLB
SCHOOL: Washington
ARM LENGTH: 33"
HANDS: 9 1/2"

2nd Round:

Shaquille Riddick (DE)
HT: 6'6" WT: 242LBS.
POSITION: DE
SCHOOL: West Virginia


3rd Round:

Shaq Mason (OG)
HT: 6'1" WT: 300LBS.
POSITION: OG
SCHOOL: Georgia Tech

As the song goes: "Love Shaq, baby, Love Shaq!"

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

As the song goes: "Love Shaq, baby, Love Shaq!"

Nice... Need to do more research for the next few rounds!!!

 

[DVontel]

What's not to like about it?

At #24....there will be some very good options:

Possibilities include:

RB:

Todd Gurley (if knee checks out)
Melvin Gordon (he's the real deal, imo)

WR:

Dorian Green-Beckham (could be the Randy Moss of this draft)
Jaelen Strong (faster version of Q)
Devin Smith (best deep ball tracker in years---for a coach who loves to throw deep)

OL:

Ja'Len Collins (mauler)
Cameron Erving (highly talented and versatile)
A.J. Cann (bruiser, NFL ready)

TE:

Maxx Williams (highly skilled and motivated)

DT:

Malcom Brown (might be more productive than Shelton)

34DE

Arik Armstead (what a pair he would make with Campbell)

ILB

Eric Kendricks (has the speed the Cardinals covet)
Shaq Thompson (supremely active, could thrive at WILB)

OLB

Bud Dupree (probably will go higher, but you never know)
Randy Gregory (have a hunch he will slide a little because other OLBers might go ahead of him)
Eli Harold (fits the Cardinals' mold: long, quick, strong hands)

CB

Quinten Rollins (ballhawk with great instincts)
Senquez Golson (moving up boards in a flash---toughness, speed)
Jalen Collins (would fit into the "family" of LSU DBs in red)

I could make a good case for any one of these players (and would be happy with any of them, save the TE, because BA doesn't really feature TEs in the passing game as much as he says he would like to)---and please tell me which ones I missed, because there are others....like, for example, RB Duke Johnson, who isn't rated as high as #24, but will be gone by pick #52 and I think this kid is special and worthy of trading out of the #24 to pick up extra picks to take Johnson late in round 1 or early in round 2.

I'm all in for Eric Kendricks. He does everything good, especially coverage, which our LBs have been lacking.

On the other hand, It is absolutely mind-boggling that Jalen Collins is projected as the 3rd/4th best CB in this class. I watched him the past few seasons & the dude is all measurables, poor coverage skills. He wasn't even the best CB on his team last season. There is honestly 5-6 CBs projected after him that are actually better than him. I pray we don't draft this kid.

 

[Mitch]

I'm all in for Eric Kendricks. He does everything good, especially coverage, which our LBs have been lacking.

On the other hand, It is absolutely mind-boggling that Jalen Collins is projected as the 3rd/4th best CB in this class. I watched him the past few seasons & the dude is all measurables, poor coverage skills. He wasn't even the best CB on his team last season. There is honestly 5-6 CBs projected after him that are actually better than him. I pray we don't draft this kid.

Good points about Jalen Collins. There are mixed reviews about the quality of his play at LSU. But, like you said, some teams really like his measurables.

 

[CFLredzoned]

You never know until the draft plays out. There's ALWAYS at least 1 to 2 guys who slide unexpectedly. I do think if FA doesn't help us fill any needs that Keim will be completely open to trading up into the 10-19 range to nab a pass rusher or CB.

I don't know if you can count on that any more. Look at what happened last year. We got skunked. All those guys we talked about, guys the mock drafts had falling to us. Not one of them slipped thru. From Pittsburgh taking Shazier, Baltimore taking Mosley. At least I thought we could get Zack Martin as a consolation prize. Nope. Dallas grabs him.

I think this is a sign that teams are finally getting smart. The parity we're used to seeing with players - now we're seeing it with GM's. I miss those days when you could count on one or two teams to choke away their first pick.

 

[CardsFan88]

I have done probably a hundred mock drafts on different sites and what seems the most evident to me is the difference between the talent that is available to teams in the mid to late teens, such as the Chargers, and those at the 24th spot and later.

In fact, I see the Chargers "stealing" our top picks in most rounds. I don't remember there being such a discrepency like that in other years. I have done several drafts on most of the teams, and it is very evident how easy it is to draft for those teams earlier than 20. Each round through round 4 seem to be the same way. The talent really dwindles each round by time you get to pick 20.

Try a few mocks for those teams and see if you don't agree. I compared several of the Chargers ones to the Cards ones and it was shocking how many times they grabbed the player we would have needed the most and who the choices were that were left for us.

Just an early observation!

Let's just hope that some GM's quite a bit above us aren't very good at their jobs and they take some picks projected to be below us, and that in turn causes the teams right before us to make a different pick, thus leaving the guys we want.

 

[bg7brd]

I don't know if you can count on that any more. Look at what happened last year. We got skunked. All those guys we talked about, guys the mock drafts had falling to us. Not one of them slipped thru. From Pittsburgh taking Shazier, Baltimore taking Mosley. At least I thought we could get Zack Martin as a consolation prize. Nope. Dallas grabs him.

I think this is a sign that teams are finally getting smart. The parity we're used to seeing with players - now we're seeing it with GM's. I miss those days when you could count on one or two teams to choke away their first pick.

Thankfully, we now have a GM that's prepared to work the board. He took the opportunity to move back a few slots and turned our 1st round pick in to Deone Buchannon and John Brown. Well done IMHO.