(05-01-2024, 12:25 PM)NYC4jags Wrote:

(05-01-2024, 12:15 PM)Jaguarmeister Wrote: 2nd round is kinda gray area for such a gamble.  1st round you definitely want to hit on a good/very good player at the least.  You could say the same for the 2nd round, but the draft is where you can get very good/elite or soon to be type players on the cheap.  If you feel Maason has the potential to be one of the better players from this entire draft, I guess the gamble makes sense.  Players that turn out to be "just a guy" you can acquire in free agency relatively cheaply.  I'd rather take a swing than draft a guy who will contribute but whose ceiling is "just a guy" if those are the only two options.  I realize it's not always that simple.

I don't know if we can put the Maason Smith pick in a categorical box, though.

Kind of a unique situation wherein a would be 1st round pick falls due to injury and the FO has a unique insight due to Neilsen's connection with Smith's college recruiter (Ogeron) and our LB coach having been his coordinator in college. 

If any team had the inside track on his potential as well as his anticipated health and durability it would be the Jags. 

You mentioned his potential - and I 100% believe the upside is in that range you mentioned. 
His measurables and traits are off the charts and the early pre-injury tape says he's no Taven Bryan. 
I like that he'll get too watch Armstead work in camp too. That combined with our new defensive staff could help get him up to speed faster than what we saw happen with Travon IMO. 

I'm being somewhat optimistic, but his upside is exciting if he takes well to an NFL offseason of conditioning and training.