(02-22-2024, 10:37 AM)Cleatwood Wrote:

(02-22-2024, 10:26 AM)Caldrac Wrote: Yeah. Been hesitant to run anymore mock drafts until they get through the free agency phase next month. That's ultimately going to shuffle everybody's draft boards. Ideally, and, not to derail this thread too far off topic because it is about Ridley.

However, they should hopefully enter free agency with the goal of landing at least one of the following positions with an immediate starter:

1. C
2. LG
3. DT

Landing just two or three of those positions with a big name or at least top three - five free agent will let the front office breath a lot better in April. We still have to consider the WR position though, for sure. Because we don't have Ridley at all as it stands. I can't remember if Agnew is free to go this off season as well. Then you factor in Zay Jones being a possible cut, albeit, minimal impact if we do cut him salary cap wise so we're probably better served keeping him. 

I was high on Brian Thomas Jr. months ago when I started looking at this class. Was on that train before the mock sites and analysts started making it a trend or habit. Would be thrilled if he's a Jaguar on the opening night of the draft. He was a TD scoring machine last year for the Tigers and if you look closely at his highlight reels you will see that he's very good at:

1. High pointing the football with his hands. He attacks the ball. It doesn't let it come to him. 

2. He's been making NFL caliber TD grabs with great body control, ball location and keeping two feet and/or dragging his toes to stay inbounds.

3. He's got great 50/50 catch radius. 

He's a great candidate in this offense and if he's there at 17 I would be tempted to take him over anybody really unless a top 10 prospect fell. There's a good chance he's not there though. Once you get past Harrison Jr., Nabers & Odunze, all of whom should probably end up going in the top 15. 

I'll tell you, what keeps bumming me out? Is, looking at some of my go to mock sites. I see Nabers going to the tacks at #7 and sometimes Odunze going to the clots right at #15. With even Thomas Jr. somehow slipping to the tinhorns at #23. Makes me sick to think about really. 

Three sleepers though at WR I would keep an eye out on. That's Ladd McConkey out of Georgia, Hayden Hatten out of Idaho & Xavier Weaver out of Colorado. I think those three guys will slip here and there in the draft but they're good options. 

There's good day two options as well if they absolutely have to replace Ridley in the draft. The two guys out of Texas, that kid out of South Carolina and that other kid out of North Carolina.

Nabers is almost a virtual lock to go to the Chargers. They'll be releasing Mike Williams and Keenan is almost 32 years old.

Herbert and Nabers is going to be NASTY. I also don't see Odunze making it out of the top 10 but if he starts to slide to 13? I'm trading up for him. He's that good.

Odunze is a great prospect. This class in general has a lot of taller, more physical options to select from in recent memory. Between Odunze, Thomas Jr., Leggett, Coleman, Wilson, Walker, etc. 

Good looking class. Even the undersized guys are ones to watch. McConkey in particular is getting a ton of buzz. Thanks to Daniel Jeremiah recently putting it out there in the scouting community. Virtually every CB he's lined up on he gave them a challenge. 

Everybody's going to start trying to strike it rich like the Rams did and look for their Puka Nacua. It's a dragon's tail worth chasing after for sure, but, it's rare you catch that kind of prospect. Now? Because of him? You'll probably see receivers go a lot earlier than they probably should have in April. 

Which is fine. Could ultimately bode well for our team when we have bigger needs anyway along the trenches.

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