Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
* BA said that they had a grade on a QB at each pick and that other players had higher grades and so they weren't going to reach for a QB.
* I think this told us how Steve Kiem arranges his draft board---it's by position and grade at each pick. Not only did they have grades for QBs at each pick, they had grades for all other positions---and, without a doubt, in this draft, addressing team needs was a priority.
* I think that the Cardinals' game plan coming in was:
1-Nkemdiche, DT---they spent more time on him because he was the player they wanted at #29. They wanted the best interior disrupter and pass rusher they could find and in Nkemdi, they fulfilled that need.
3-T.J. Green, CB---they were hoping he would be available here, and wanted to draft a speed CB with length. Green was off the board. Once he was off the board, they started thinking that QB Jacoby Brissett might be the way to go, only the Patriots surprised everyone by taking him at #91, one spot ahead of the Cardinals. Could the "stealthy" Pats have known Steve Keim's interest in Brissett?
However, with the Pats having a 3rd round comp pick right behind them and knowing that the Pats had been showing great interest in CB Brandon Williams, Keim showed a little gamesmanship here and tabbed Williams, and at the same time addressed the team's desire to add a speed CB with length.
4-Evan Boehm, C---Keim has this pick written in pen before the draft began. I believe that even if Ryan Kelly was on a the board at #29, Keim would have still taken Nkemdi because he was confident that Boehm would be available at #128.
5A- Marqui Christian, S---Adrian Wilson was so impressed with Christian that Keim had penned his name in at pick #167. This explains why Keim passed on Myles Killebrew at #92. Kim spent a good deal of time with Killebrew and was very high on him, but the big question on Killebrew is his cover skills. In Christian, they get a better cover guy and still get a physical safety who as BA said, "will stick you."
5B-Joe Dahl, T/G---I believe he was Keim's target at #170, but he went off the board at #151. I think the next man up was Spencer Drango, T/G, but he went at #169, one pick in front of the Cardinals' pick. However, Keim's grade on Cole Toner was on a par with Dahl and Drango, all of whom they scouted at the Senior Bowl, so Keim went ahead and made the pick for Toner. Keim wanted a utility G/T/C here and he got one. Note---after Dahl and Drango were off the board, there likely was talk about taking QB Nate Sudfeld here, although they had been hoping to take Sudfeld in the 6th round. With the run on "flex" o-linemen in full swing, they felt it was better to take Toner and hope for Sudfeld at #205.
6-Nate Sudfeld, QB---he went off the board at #187 (6th Round), so then the discussion was whether or not to take QB Jeff Driskell---whom they probably would have taken were it not for the fact that in checking their big board a much higher rated player, Harlan Miller, CB, was still in play. What's very interesting about this pick is that Miller was in the discussion at #92. Reports out of Carolina were that they were going to take Miller at #93. Carolina had spent a lot of time with Miller and he fits their system very well because he's good at both press and off coverage and he has ball skills.
At this point, it became clear that Miller was by far the BPA and the best choice, especially seeing as Miller is more NFL ready to play right away than Brandon Williams---so in a way a great way to buy them a little more time with Brandon Williams, who will immediately be a boost on STs.
UDFA-Jake Coker, QB---he, imo, is a better fit in BA's offense than Nate Sudfeld. Plus, Coker, is mobile. I thought his play in the NCAA playoffs, particularly in the NCAACG was impressive. I like his vision, his feet and his ability to throw the deep ball and intermediate passes on the move. He needs grooming, but what better situation is there for him than in Arizona? He wound up at Alabama at the right time...can lightning strike twice?
UDFA-Clay DeBord, T/G---I think this guy is going to find a way to make the team and to be a solid player for the Cardinals. He is tough, smart and dedicated, Likely will have to spend some time on the PS, but with his work ethic, skill and desire, he will climb the ladder.
UDFA-Garrett Swanson, P/K---Not only will he have every opportunity to compete for the punter job, he might be a better option of kickoffs than Catanzaro.
Keim Time Common Themes:
* Looking for Team Captain types---players who have a tremendous passion for the game.
* Treats the draft in a way like a college coach recruiting high school kids---has a physical and mental proto-type for each position and less concerned about previous production and more concerned about what kind of player they can coach up the kid to be.
* Because of Keim's proto-type at each position---he doesn't care where the kid played and he now has a track record of hitting big on small school talents. What Keim has realized is that small school talents can be the bargain deals in the draft because they are available in the mid to late rounds and had these kinds been able to play at some of the power schools they might have been 1st or 2nd rounders.
* Relies very heavily on the trust he has developed with college coaches---as was the case in scouting and drafting Brandon Williams who was highly touted to Keim by Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin and their defensive coordinator (former LSU DC) John Chavis---who knows a little something about CB talent. It was Chavis who begged Sumlin to convert Williams from RB to CB. Thus, if any of you are still reeling about the pick because no one had Williams on the radar as a 3rd round pick---John Chavis was telling Keim and Belichick and every coach or GM who came his way that Brandon Williams could be an outstanding cornerback.
* Keim is extensive in doing his homework. I think he's learned this on the job---and is now making sure of his intel and his background checks.
* Kiem is starting to swing for the fences and he showed in this draft he is willing to take some calculated risks---something the head coach he hired is inclined to do from time to time.
* Plus---what stands out to me about this draft is the intelligence quotient. What Steve Keim is realizing is he really needs to target players who are not only very talented and passionate, but ones who can more readily assimilate mentally into the program and the systems. I don't think it is by sheer coincidence that following some of the issue they had with Jonathan Cooper that the two offensive linemen they drafted this year are smart as whips. Heck, Boehm was offered a full-ride to Missouri in the 8th grade. That's no lie. And Toner is from a small and fairly academic college in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
* This is what I love about Steve Keim---he is always adapting and evolving and learning on the job. Oh and by the way, have you ever heard a GM lay out scouting report of a player as spontaneously and articulately as Steve Keim? His pressers are priceless.
* I think this told us how Steve Kiem arranges his draft board---it's by position and grade at each pick. Not only did they have grades for QBs at each pick, they had grades for all other positions---and, without a doubt, in this draft, addressing team needs was a priority.
* I think that the Cardinals' game plan coming in was:
1-Nkemdiche, DT---they spent more time on him because he was the player they wanted at #29. They wanted the best interior disrupter and pass rusher they could find and in Nkemdi, they fulfilled that need.
3-T.J. Green, CB---they were hoping he would be available here, and wanted to draft a speed CB with length. Green was off the board. Once he was off the board, they started thinking that QB Jacoby Brissett might be the way to go, only the Patriots surprised everyone by taking him at #91, one spot ahead of the Cardinals. Could the "stealthy" Pats have known Steve Keim's interest in Brissett?
However, with the Pats having a 3rd round comp pick right behind them and knowing that the Pats had been showing great interest in CB Brandon Williams, Keim showed a little gamesmanship here and tabbed Williams, and at the same time addressed the team's desire to add a speed CB with length.
4-Evan Boehm, C---Keim has this pick written in pen before the draft began. I believe that even if Ryan Kelly was on a the board at #29, Keim would have still taken Nkemdi because he was confident that Boehm would be available at #128.
5A- Marqui Christian, S---Adrian Wilson was so impressed with Christian that Keim had penned his name in at pick #167. This explains why Keim passed on Myles Killebrew at #92. Kim spent a good deal of time with Killebrew and was very high on him, but the big question on Killebrew is his cover skills. In Christian, they get a better cover guy and still get a physical safety who as BA said, "will stick you."
5B-Joe Dahl, T/G---I believe he was Keim's target at #170, but he went off the board at #151. I think the next man up was Spencer Drango, T/G, but he went at #169, one pick in front of the Cardinals' pick. However, Keim's grade on Cole Toner was on a par with Dahl and Drango, all of whom they scouted at the Senior Bowl, so Keim went ahead and made the pick for Toner. Keim wanted a utility G/T/C here and he got one. Note---after Dahl and Drango were off the board, there likely was talk about taking QB Nate Sudfeld here, although they had been hoping to take Sudfeld in the 6th round. With the run on "flex" o-linemen in full swing, they felt it was better to take Toner and hope for Sudfeld at #205.
6-Nate Sudfeld, QB---he went off the board at #187 (6th Round), so then the discussion was whether or not to take QB Jeff Driskell---whom they probably would have taken were it not for the fact that in checking their big board a much higher rated player, Harlan Miller, CB, was still in play. What's very interesting about this pick is that Miller was in the discussion at #92. Reports out of Carolina were that they were going to take Miller at #93. Carolina had spent a lot of time with Miller and he fits their system very well because he's good at both press and off coverage and he has ball skills.
At this point, it became clear that Miller was by far the BPA and the best choice, especially seeing as Miller is more NFL ready to play right away than Brandon Williams---so in a way a great way to buy them a little more time with Brandon Williams, who will immediately be a boost on STs.
UDFA-Jake Coker, QB---he, imo, is a better fit in BA's offense than Nate Sudfeld. Plus, Coker, is mobile. I thought his play in the NCAA playoffs, particularly in the NCAACG was impressive. I like his vision, his feet and his ability to throw the deep ball and intermediate passes on the move. He needs grooming, but what better situation is there for him than in Arizona? He wound up at Alabama at the right time...can lightning strike twice?
UDFA-Clay DeBord, T/G---I think this guy is going to find a way to make the team and to be a solid player for the Cardinals. He is tough, smart and dedicated, Likely will have to spend some time on the PS, but with his work ethic, skill and desire, he will climb the ladder.
UDFA-Garrett Swanson, P/K---Not only will he have every opportunity to compete for the punter job, he might be a better option of kickoffs than Catanzaro.
Keim Time Common Themes:
* Looking for Team Captain types---players who have a tremendous passion for the game.
* Treats the draft in a way like a college coach recruiting high school kids---has a physical and mental proto-type for each position and less concerned about previous production and more concerned about what kind of player they can coach up the kid to be.
* Because of Keim's proto-type at each position---he doesn't care where the kid played and he now has a track record of hitting big on small school talents. What Keim has realized is that small school talents can be the bargain deals in the draft because they are available in the mid to late rounds and had these kinds been able to play at some of the power schools they might have been 1st or 2nd rounders.
* Relies very heavily on the trust he has developed with college coaches---as was the case in scouting and drafting Brandon Williams who was highly touted to Keim by Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin and their defensive coordinator (former LSU DC) John Chavis---who knows a little something about CB talent. It was Chavis who begged Sumlin to convert Williams from RB to CB. Thus, if any of you are still reeling about the pick because no one had Williams on the radar as a 3rd round pick---John Chavis was telling Keim and Belichick and every coach or GM who came his way that Brandon Williams could be an outstanding cornerback.
* Keim is extensive in doing his homework. I think he's learned this on the job---and is now making sure of his intel and his background checks.
* Kiem is starting to swing for the fences and he showed in this draft he is willing to take some calculated risks---something the head coach he hired is inclined to do from time to time.
* Plus---what stands out to me about this draft is the intelligence quotient. What Steve Keim is realizing is he really needs to target players who are not only very talented and passionate, but ones who can more readily assimilate mentally into the program and the systems. I don't think it is by sheer coincidence that following some of the issue they had with Jonathan Cooper that the two offensive linemen they drafted this year are smart as whips. Heck, Boehm was offered a full-ride to Missouri in the 8th grade. That's no lie. And Toner is from a small and fairly academic college in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
* This is what I love about Steve Keim---he is always adapting and evolving and learning on the job. Oh and by the way, have you ever heard a GM lay out scouting report of a player as spontaneously and articulately as Steve Keim? His pressers are priceless.
